Tag Archives: FA Cup

Munich defeat, Referees, Mesut Ozil, Silver Lining, Yaya Sanogo, Coefficients

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Munich Defeat

Ok, we lost. 2-0 at home. On the face of it, we should be disappointed. Out of the Champions League 1st knock out stages once again before the second leg has been played. However, where as last year and against AC Milan, we had every right to be annoyed and ashamed, this morning Arsenal fans can hold their heads up high.

Before we went down to 10 men, we showed how good we were, matching Bayern Munich all over the pitch. This Bayern Munich side who are favourites for the Champions League. Who beat Barcelona 7-0 last year. Had Mesut Ozil (more on this later) scored his penalty, had the referee (more on this later) been more consistent, it might have been a different result. Unfortunately, that’s football.

Down to 10 men against a world class side is always going to be an uphill struggle. And we did ourselves proud. You only have to look at ‘distance covered’ by all players to see everyone gave 100%.

Lazy Ozil?

We can hold our head’s up high, and go into our next 3 games confident that we are not just one of the best teams in England, but one of the best in Europe. Hopefully this defeat leads to a similar negative spiral as we had last year (hi AVB!)

Referees

Before I start my rant, Sczcesny was right to be sent off. He bought down his opponent denying him a goal scoring chance. For those saying the rule is wrong, is unfair, if you changed it, you would simply see an increase in keepers run out, charging into the man, knowing that the worst that can happen is giving away a penalty. With the rule as it is, it means that keepers at least have to be controlled and make a valid attempt at getting the ball.

The issue with the referee was inconsistency. Last night (and the Manchester City game) perhaps showed that, despite claims otherwise, European referees are no better than their Premier League counterparts. Why was Boateng not sent for giving away the penalty? He denied a goal scoring opportunity. He then later committed a couple more tackles worthy of a yellow card. Dante seemed untouchable, committing fouls at will, yet no booking. Lets look at some stats:

Arsenal: 8 fouls, 2 yellow cards, 1 red card
Bayern Munich: 16 fouls, 2 yellow cards

To quote Manuel Pellegrini, “The referee decided the game. He was on Barcelona’s Munich’s side from the beginning until the end. He was not impartial”.

Mesut Ozil

Firstly the criticism. What was that penalty about? For the second time this season, he has taken a lazy penalty and missed. It is now the 3rd penalty in a row he has missed. I do not know his overall record, but 3 in a row is enough for me. Surely we take penalties in training? Surely we can see who the best penalty taker is? Surely that person should be on penalties? The only rational thinking is Ozil scores everyone in training, or (and more likely) he has it in his contract that he should be taking penalties. Yes, Arteta & Giroud were not on the pitch, but after yet another miss, it is time for someone else to step up.

On the other side, he has once again got a lot of criticism for his performance, which is once more very unfair. People called him ‘lazy’ yet he covered the 3rd most amount of ground in the side. His season statistics show he has been one of the best midfielder’s in the Premier League this season. In my opinion, he could do with a bit of a rest.

With Sunderland at home this weekend, the time for a rest is now. With Rosicky, Cazorla, Podolski, Oxlade-Chamberlain & Wilshere all fit and raring to go, lets give Ozil a rest. I would line up:

Flamini Wilshere
Ox Cazorla Podolski

With our next game against Stoke 9 days off, it will give Ozil a chance to re-charge his batteries.

Silver Lining

Losing could be good. There could be a silver lining. As I explained yesterday, I would have thrown the Champions League and chucked in the kids from day one. Now we have lost 2-0, we should seriously consider putting out a ‘b’ team in Germany – yes, if you are going, I feel for you, maybe the club should refund all tickets, so you at least get your ticket for free. We have a chance of winning the FA Cup & League. Let’s put our eggs into those baskets and concentrate on those competitions.

Looking at the upcoming fixture’s list, it looks a lot lighter without Champions League football – especially if you ‘remove’ the Munich game from the minds of the 1st team:

Arsenal v Sunderland Sat 22 Feb
Stoke v Arsenal Sat 1 Mar
Arsenal v Everton Sat 8 Mar
Arsenal P-P Swansea
Tottenham v Arsenal Sun 16 Mar
Chelsea v Arsenal Sat 22 Mar
Arsenal v Man City Sat 29 Mar
Everton v Arsenal Sat 5 Apr
Arsenal v West Ham Sat 12 Apr
Hull v Arsenal Sat 19 Apr
Arsenal v Newcastle Sat 26 Apr
Arsenal v West Brom Sat 3 May
Norwich v Arsenal Sun 11 May

Yes, the Spurs, Chelsea, Man City, Everton run of games is difficult, but we can now face them without having the distraction of mid-week football. With the Swansea game required to be re-arranged (plus if we beat Everton, West Ham will be arranged), we will only have 2 mid week games between now and the end of the season. Tiredness should not become an excuse. Losing last night means our focus can fully shift to domestic competitions.

Yaya Sanogo

Another solid performance in the fledging career of Sanogo. Yes, he might not have scored (better players have taken longer to score their first goal), but he once more did not look out of place playing up against International class players. Would I play him against Sunderland? No. If Giroud’s head is back in the game, he should be straight back in. But in Sanogo, we have a talented player who’s style could be a useful change coming off the bench. Next season, if we buy a striker, I will be more than happy with the enw striker as first choice, Giroud as second, and Sanogo as 3rd. And with his natural ability, he would be pushing Giroud hard.

Coefficients

For those worried that yet another 1st knock out round defeat is going to dame our coefficient rankings, do not worry, it will not, we will still be seeded for next year. To be top 8, you need, on average, 100,000 coefficient point’s. You usually accrue around 20,000 if you make the knock out stages.

The current ‘live’ update of points puts Arsenal in 6th place. With Manchester United unlikely to qualify, that puts us in 5th. The winners of the competition usually get 35,000. That means only sides who are within 15,000 points of us can finish above us.Champions League

Only Porto (knocked out), AC Milan (9th in Serie A), Valencia (not in CL) and Atletico Madrid are within 15,000 points. So realistically, only Madrid can beat us, and they need to win the thing to do so – which is unlikely. Yes, our place could be under pressure in the future with the rise of Dortmund, PSG and Manchester City, but they are at least another season from being near us, and with Manchester United likely to drop out, our place in the top 8 will remain secure, as long as we keep making the knock out stages.

Out of the Champions League, but in with a chance of 2 domestic honours. Back the team. Up the Arsenal.

Keenos

The Arsenal and Me – Michael’s Story

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One day I was introduced to Arsenal by default. That day was way back in the sixties, the exact date is a blur (well it was the 60’s man!) and despite attempts to find my Holy Grail date, I have failed. Someone out there, will have the patience to advise me, I have no doubts about that?

At the time I was living in Margate, pre cheap Spanish holidays it was a great (fab even) place to grow up with hoards of teenage girls arriving every two weeks through the summer. We hardly spoke to local girls from June to September and they afforded us the same disdain, preferring the Cockney mod geezers, and trendy Brummies’ for their flirtation. Come another barren winter we reinstated our mutual lust, and hooked up for winter.

The other teen obsession was the local football club, Margate FC, the ‘Gate’ as they were known. Average home crowds c. 1500 in those days. We became a big team in the Kent League and well respected giant killers in the FA Cup. The highlight was beating Bournemouth 3-0 away, when they were top of the Third Division South, and unbeaten that season.

The day I met The Arsenal was another hopeful trip to Torquay in the FA Cup. In those halcyon days, British Railways laid on Soccer Specials and it was a bitterly cold morning as 2000 of us, yes, more than an average home gate, crowded onto platform 3 at Margate’s beautiful railway station. Some chancers, with just Platform Tickets, a bizarre system, which allowed people onto the platforms, to apparently greet friends arriving. Of course the opportunity to’ jump the train’ was too much for some. More truthfully, it was a plan.

The wearing of scarves a pre requisite but more importantly you had to, I mean, had to have a rattle, painted or covered in tape in your teams’ colours. The other ‘FA Cup only item’ which appeared on such days, was bells, large noisy bells, they signified it was an FA Cup tie. Oddly they were never used for League games.

One friend, who jumped the train because of lack of funds, could neither afford a rattle, or a bell, so he improvised and carried with him a rectangular biscuit tin and a hammer! The noise was incredible. I still remember his name but for the sake of this blog will not divulge same, other than his first name was Fraser. If you tried to gain entry to a match today, carrying a hammer and biscuit tin, they would probably surround you with Policemen in full riot gear.

The train was rocking, beer laden groups of older men, OAP’s recounting past glory dates and swigging from hip flasks full of Scotch, or Brandy. Everyone was as one and the feeling bordered ecstasy to young minds. I will never forget the colours dripping from the overhead baggage racks, the smiles, the unlimited booze and the thoughts of whacking Torquay at their ground. We were young but other fans handed out beers, friendship with the best intentions. We watched snow covered fields as we hurtled through the Kent countryside in the closed auditorium of comradeship.

Suddenly a guard walked through the train announcing the game had been postponed due to snow. The train would be diverted to Victoria station and our tickets would be valid for any train home that day, all except Fraser, and the others holding Margate Station Platform Tickets.

Someone looked up the days fixtures in London and the preferred game was Arsenal v Sheffield Wednesday at Highbury. It was a unanimous decision and we poured off the train, a sea of colour and rattles and bells adding the Cup fever atmosphere. Fraser had his biscuit tin up high, driving a ‘beat’ and we marched on the ticket check man. He shrewdly stood aside and waived us all through, much to the delight of those without tickets.

We roamed the West End for a while, heading into Soho for a glimpse of the famed sex shops, which were all closed. Finally we arrived at the Arsenal and after a short wait for the turnstile man we charged onto the North Bank. I have avoided telling you the home colours we wore, because it adds to story, and the imminent danger we put ourselves in. Margate played in Blue and White, the same as Sheffield Wednesday. Here we were, piling into the home terrace covered in blue and white scarves, hats and rattles. Bells chiming and Fraser still bashing crap out of his biscuit tin with the angry hammer.

We were not universally welcomed, is a gracious description of the North Bank hierarchy’s shock. We soon made friends; our accents lacked the foreign tenor expected from Owls fans. It was a touch and go moment as the North Bank filled and the word had to get round, we were friend, not foe. Must have seemed odd to the Wednesday fans camped in their section, as clouds of blue exploded in the North Bank their decision not to come and help us remains a mystery to this day. We probably became legend in Sheffield pubs as their fans spoke in awe of the mob who invaded the North Bank!

Again my memory fails me but I am sure the score was 2-1 (someone help here please) and we said our goodbyes to our new North Bank friends. Outside it was different, ‘quick run’ was a sensible action as we became a target from other AFC fans, enveloped in blue and white. Fraser’s hammer was no deterrent, so we legged it.

It made no difference. From that wonderful day I became a Gooner, as did many of the ‘Gate’ fans.
Thank you, North Bank 1960’s. Now there’s a rare tribute.

Michael

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The Arsenal and Me – Warren’s Story

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A look back at my favourite moment as a gooner.

The 26 May will always be our day. The Mancs would later try and claim it following winning some cheap European bauble but the 26 May 1989 will live forever in Arsenal folklore. The day George Graham’s young Arsenal came of age in the most exciting finish to a season ever despite later claims from Sky. 

The day started with a trip to the high street (Waltham Cross if you’re interested) to stock up on newspapers for the coach trip. Now I had my Arsenal shirt on so expected some banter so was not surprised to recive abuse from a Spurs supporter. The fact he stopped his job of bin emptying to do it gave me a chuckle. 

Papers in hand it was off to the bus station to get the 279 bus to Manor House. Severe traffic (was to be a theme of the day) meant I had to jump off at Seven Sisters and get the underground. I arrived at Highbury with 10 minutes to spare and found an empty seat on coach number 5. It’s at this point I should mention I was travelling alone. The rest of my usual gang had decided to give it miss following the postponement of the original game. But I was soon chatting to those around me. There was a distinct camaraderie amongst those making the trip.

The coaches pulled out and all went well until the mother of all traffic jams on the M1. It was a perfect storm, bank holiday, rail strike, Friday and me desperate to get to a game.

Despite the best efforts our coach driver we pulled into the outskirts of the Liverpool five minutes before the 8:00pm kick off. It was at this point we were joined by a member of the local constabulary. He assured us that due to the traffic problems the kick off had been delayed.

 As we got off the coach at about ten past eight the noises coming from inside Anfield made it obvious the game was in full flow. Cue mass rush to get through the turnstiles. Now given the reason this game had been postponed the fact kick off was not delayed was criminal. The plod who lied on the coach showed the disdain football supporters were held in at the time. We arrived on our corner of the terrace just in time see Uncle Bouldy’s first half header cleared off the line.

You all know how the game panned out so I won’t go over the details again but just give you a few memories that are still strong today.

  •  The chorus of ‘we’re proud of you’ that continued throughout half time. We out sung the Kop all night.
  • Smudger’s header to put us one up.
  • Liverpool players protesting. Thankfully David Hutchinson was calm and strong enough to make the correct decision.
  • Steve McMahon and his one minute shenanigans.
  •  Time seemingly suspended as Mickey Thomas clipped the ball over Grobbelaar.
  • The explosion of joy and relief amongst the travelling Gooners.
  • The relief at the final whistle.
  • Liverpool supporters generously staying behind to acknowledge the new champions.

Now this is the point the night went a bit wrong for me. Thomas scored, I leapt in the air and my glasses launched themselves high into the night sky never to be seen again. Without my glasses (I now wear contacts) I can barely see my hand at the end my arm.

So after watching some blurry objects cavort around the pitch with the league trophy, or so I’m told, I made my way back to coach 5. The trip back was long but happy. I’m told the players coach passed us at one point, but I couldn’t see.

After getting off the coach I made my way to Manor House to get the bus home. At this point I realised I had a problem. Yes I could see the busses but I really couldn’t see the numbers on the front. So a call to Dad at 3:00 in the morning. Fortunately I have a great dad who is a gooner to boot. Once he finished laughing at my predicament he was more than happy to come and get me. And thus ended my greatest day as a Gooner.

Footnote: Many Gooners believe the Press have it in for Arsenal. It’s someting I agree with to an extent and I think it goes back to the 26 May 1989. This was the day Kenny Dalglish’s all conquering side would complete an emotional double having already seen off Everton in the FA Cup final. Unfortunately George and his players had not read the script. And there are many Liverpool based media still bitter about this. Yes Alan Hansen I’m looking at you! Liverpool would win one more title but 26 May 1989 was the beginning of the end of their domination.

Warren

Warren writes a blog for www.notanotherarsenalblog.wordpress.com