Tag Archives: Liverpool

Easy Against Hull With Real Tests Coming Up

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Well do we finally have a back up striker again in the mould of Nick Bendtner?

I am far from this mans biggest fan, and when I say far just think of how huge the gap between us and Spurs is right now, that’s the kind of chasm of my dislike for this man, but all things considered he did put a shift in last night.
He won headers, and laid balls off and scored his goal. I still don’t want him to stay past January but I’m happy he came into the side and did a semi decent job.

 Overall the game was another good performance from us, we did enough without ever moving out of 2nd gear really. We made some changes to give a few players some rest, Jenkinson came in and didn’t make a mistake, Monreal is a trusted replacement at left back and of course Bendtner in for Giroud.

I’m glad Ozil scored as every time he does it will push him on a bit more, give him a bit more confidence to try some new things for us. There is still a lot to come from him. Pundits always say it’s the sign of champions when you tick along winning these games without really having to push yourselves, this game optimised that saying.

 On the way back from the game last night me and my step-dad were talking about the games now in front of us. Barring the Liverpool, Dortmund and United games this is the hardest period of our season so far. Everton at home, City away and then Chelsea at home. A minimum of 5 points from these games is the very least we should be expecting really. To win at home against Everton and draw against Chelsea and City would mean they don’t gain anything on us. Two wins would be nice but is then there a chance we could lose the 3rd game? If given the choice you had to take 2 wins and a loss who would you choose to have the loss against? I would choose City as its vital to win all your homes games.

My opinion is we will slip up at City, but I would expect us to do well and win at home against Everton and Chelsea. Its an exciting period and I cant wait for it. The end of the month brings West Ham and Newcastle, again I would expect us to beat West Ham but Newcastle have the ability to upset us, they have done before and could do again. If by the end of December we are still top with some points in the gap to second then we must start to believe, still not sure I want to hear that fatal song though, “We’re gonna win the league and now your gonna believe us”

 Show your support Sunday, I’ve offered my services to red action to help with the flag to drag it around the North Bank and onto the East Stand. If it moves over you help us by grabbing the ends tight.

 Up The Arsenal

Ignore the Pundits – Arsenal deserve to be top

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Once more on BBC’s Match of the Day, the question came from Gary Lineker to his guests – Danny Murphy & Les Ferdinand. “Can Arsenal win the League?” And as if he was the son of Alan Hansen, Murphy answered no, giving the same reason as many pundits before him.

“That Arsenal can not win the league as they have not yet played anyone of note.”

We are now 13 games in to the 2013/14 season and it does not take me to tell you that Arsenal are 4 points clear. They have already played Liverpool, Manchester United & Tottenham, 3 of the 4 ‘Top 6’ as the press seem to have relabeled them (although can sides who have not won the league in 20+ years be considered a big side?)

The reasoning is starting to get predictable and boring. Especially when it is becoming evidently clear that this years Premier League title will go to the side who loses the least points against those ‘smaller’ sides, then those who gets the most points against those members of the ‘Top 6’.

Take Cardiff as an example. This season they have beaten Manchester City and drawn with Manchester United. Yet Arsenal beat them 3-0. That means that Arsenal could effectively lose to Manchester City and Manchester United, and only 1 point will separate the 3 based on the mini league. It does not matter how many points you gain when playing a title contender if you continue to drop points at those lower in the league. Arsenal’s lead is due to how few points we have dropped against those sides who are not a member of the Top 6. Just 5;

Arsenal – 5
Chelsea – 7
Man U – 7
Spurs – 8
Liverpool – 12
Man City – 11

If the theory go’s that ‘Arsenal have not played anyone yet’ then surely by proxy, our opponents have played against each other more. And therefore, they have had less opportunity to lose points against those outside of the Top 6.

Arsenal are top of the league, not because of their ability to beat those around them (although 2 wins from 3 against Top 6 rivals is good), but due to their ability to not drop points against those who are mid table and below.

As Liverpool showed this weekend, it is important to beat those teams outside of the Top 6. Liverpool could have got to within 4 points of Arsenal had they beaten Hull. They did not, and now sit 7 points behind. Their title challenge is over.

If Arsenal continue to beat those smaller sides, it does not really matter what happens in the match’s against the bigger sides. There are more points available against the smaller sides than the Top 6, so if they continue to win, and others continue to drop points, Arsenal’s gap at the top of the league table will only grow.

Keenos

Premier League Grounds and Me

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This Saturday my visit to the Cardiff City Stadium means that I will only be missing 1 ground that I haven’t ever been to of teams currently in the Premier League, I thought I could just revisit some of the memories I’ve had at some of these grounds in different competitions as  was quite surprised when I realised I was only missing one.

I’m sure there are fans out there that have been to all of them twice over, but I don’t earn a huge amount of money and don’t have an away scheme membership so to build your away games up is difficult and means starting at the bottom. I’m pretty proud of the many different grounds I’ve been to over the seasons.

I remember me and my brother doing the games which didn’t require a lot of credits when we just starting out, Wigan, Newcastle, Sunderland, West Brom etc. We did these until we had enough credits to get to some decent games, the London ones and teams like Villa and Everton. Eventually we got to the level where we could always be sure to get a ticket for whichever game we wanted to go, United, Chelsea, Spurs and Liverpool.

White Hart Lane

My record at those big clubs is not good, I don’t think I have ever seen us win against United at Old Trafford, or against Chelsea at Stamford Bridge. My mate was having a stag in Brighton on the weekend of the 5-3! My record at Shite Hart Lane isn’t to bad, see us win 3-1 with the AADDDEEEBBAYYYOORR goal and a lovely strike from Cesc. Seen us win 4-1 in the Carling Cup but also the 5-1 loss, but around my time of going regular to see us at WHL they have been coming back and starting to beat us and get points from us more and more so its been difficult there in recent seasons with 2 losses on my last two visits.
Had some nice times up north, was at the 4-4 Newcastle game, Ozil’s first game this season at Sunderland was a good win, remember some good wins against Liverpool one of them with Podolski’s first goal I believe, a lovely goal from a counter attacking move, also when we managed to get a point up there with a lovely own goal from Reina. Stayed up there that weekend I think and had a great night out! Had a good night out in Newcastle as well after the 4-4 game, its hard not to have a good time out in Newcastle to be fair.


www.footballgroundguide.com

Villa Park is always nice because its usually around Xmas time we go there, last time I went we won with a goal from Jack Wilshere, a header would you believe! Remember him sprinting over to the away fan section kissing the badge! Lovely moment. Also Everton is one of those ground I love going to, has a proper old stadium feel and I love being in the away section there. I was there for the game we won 6-1. It was a 5.30pm KO and we had got the train up there early that morning, been on the lemonades all day and so by the time came around we were all quite worse for wear, I managed to see one goal before being turfed out by the stewards! Walked up to an Everton pub and watched the rest of it in there. Was approached by this guy at the bar who turned up to be a Liverpool fan and enjoyed the result as much as me. Think a few of the Everton fans ever recognised me from being just thrown out of the ground! Remember going up there with my brother as well, one of my first away games and I drove on a Monday night. Got there with minutes to spare and Eduardo scored and used a hand in the build up which was hilarious as all game Everton fans had been shouting for hand ball. Needless to say its all we did for the rest of the game! “HANDBALL”

Some of the early games we did when building up the credits was on the travel club coaches, Derby away, Sunderland away. Managed to see us lose at Wigan after being 2-0 up, another one we went to when we were starting out, my step dad drove us up. Been to Wolves which was another early train job, was absolutely smashed because of the amount of beer we had drunk, my mate sate in his seat with his head in his hands for the first half! Been to Southampton for possibly one of our worst performances I’ve ever seen, was last season I think, so so poor.
Reading I nearly missed, was getting my car MOT’d the same day and was going to drive round and meet my mates there as they had the tickets, the MOT overran and I was late, managed to get in for kick off and saw us win with a goal from Hleb amongst others I think. The London ones are my favourite, its nice to be able to get the tube to an away game, Fulham, West Ham and QPR when they were up are always decent away games. Was lucky enough to catch Sagna’s shirt against West Ham one year at the end of the game when he came over to the crowd, sent it into the club and they got it signed for me and sent it back! West Brom when we made 4th place on the last day was good, went for a curry in this pub just up the road after the game in their beer garden. Its now pretty legendary for me and my step dad and we cant wait to go back! It was lovely.

I’ll just add at the bottom to these memories, that my memory is shit! And so I wouldn’t surprised if some of you read this and find some errors here and there, please let me know if you do!

I haven’t even started on the cup games, the European games and finals we have been to over the years, might leave that for another time!

Until then, Up the Arsenal and enjoy the game tomorrow!

Matt