It was good to win again in the Premier Leagye for the first time since Sp*rs away on March 16th. Here’s the guff from the papers and blogs about last night.
There are foibles aplenty in the Arsenal attack, as has been painfully exposed as Wenger’s team have slipped wearily down the table since leading the Premier League in mid-January. But at a critical moment in their season, with no more slips allowed in the chase for a Champions League finish, Giroud and Lukas Podolski found a boldness, and a clinical edge. – Guardian.
As if often the case with Arsenal; what should be relatively straight forward invariably turns to nerve-shredding tension and reason to remove enormous clumps of hair in sheer terror. When there’s a quest ahead, it certainly appears that way to those of us who dedicate our spare time to following them. We have 5 games remaining this season, if they all go in a similar fashion to last night’s we might make it out of this season with our sanity intact. – Armchair Gooner.
Podolski’s left foot is a remarkable weapon. The way in which he adjusted his stance before delivering the killer blow was reminiscent of some of Robin van Persie’s finest Arsenal moments. Podolski can frustrate, but he is the club’s best finisher by some distance. Between now and the end of the season, he could be the man to fire Arsenal back in to the top four. – ESPN.
Arsenal were stagnant. All of which made Giroud’s role in Arsenal’s eventual victory so satisfying, because his goal was all of his own making. From a long, hopeful ball played forward by Thomas Vermaelen, Giroud managed to out-muscle Andy Carroll before cushioning the ball with (dare I say it?) Bergkamp-like aplomb. The finish was also hugely positive, it coming from a right foot that had been so foolishly ignored during a first-half chance from which Adrian made a comfortable save. Sheer, unadulterated beauty. – Football365.
Arsenal fans have been treated to some special strikes down the years, goals of sublime first touches and elegant finishes like Dennis Bergkamp’s delicate destruction of the defences of Leicester City and Newcastle United. Echoes of the great Dutchman resonated in Olivier Giroud’s goal that restored Arsenal to the Champions League places. – Telegraph.
Arsenal looked disaster in the eye tonight, and, for the second time in four days, decided to postpone their engagement for a little longer. This was a game that Arsenal could not afford to lose and yet West Ham United took the lead late on in the first half. – Independent.
Follow the links for more post-game reading.
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Ahh, breath in that lovely guff.
*breathe
Why is the Independent always so negative???
Just any form of media is anti Arsenal in this country. Unless its anything to do with Lokomotiv Hammersmith with Maureen.. or the Mug Smashers with Brendan (the manager with the most punchable face in the game) nothing positive will ever be said. The Liverpool, City match on the weekend.. the bias was absolutely horrific, all those ex-Liverpool players – now pundits, creaming over the likelihood of Liverpool winning the league for the first time in like a bazillion years, their collective circle jerk nearly made me sick. As Arsenal fans we’re constantly reminded that we haven’t won anything under… Read more »
Cazorla was superb last night. I don’t ever want to see wenger put him on the flanks ever again. And Ox needs taken away from midfield to be played in the Theo roll as long as theo is out. His pace and trickery injects so much life into the team.
One more thing. If Giroud’s goal had been scored by Suarez, Rooney or Aguero you wouldn’t be able to read what was being said for all the journo jizz splattered all over the letters.
You had me at “journo jizz”.
I agree that he offers far much more in the middle, but then there is Ozil. It’s real tricky issue. I can’t imagine that he’d rotate them, especially now.
Ozil actually played wider for Real Madrid than in the usual, traditional no.10 role. I think in the hustle and bustle of the premiership, he may excel in one of the more advanced rolls supporting the front man rather than in the middle.
Or. here’s another revolutionary idea. Why not rest one of them now and again instead of playing them in every single game they’re available until injury, burnout and/or drop in form? You may just get better, consistent performances from your best players. Just a thought.
It’s a nice ‘tricky’ issue to have though, agreed.
“Arsenal were stagnant” Were we? I didn’t get that feeling at all. Certainly we were not up to scratch for much of the first half but even there and even before the West Ham goal we were passing the ball around with some intensity. After they scored our heads didn’t go down too far and from 40 or so minutes on, after Poldi’s first goal, I thought we were fairly fluid. Podolski, Giroud, Cazorla, Rosicky, Vermaelan, Sagna, and especially Arteta after his mammoth effort on Saturday moved well and showed real intent. There were certainly some missed chances and some… Read more »
If we play a 4-4-2 system. Poldi and giroud will be deadlier than Aguero and Negredo.
I see one problem with Giroud and Poldi as joint strike partners. Both are very left footed. Giroud some how mustered the courage to swing his right foot for the second goal. If only he had the confidence to do the same in the first half while through on goal and from Poldi’s cross, the result could have been very very positive. He needs to take chances with his weaker foot. Hope this well taken goal will boost his morale big time.
I remember a certain dutch skunk (yes, yes, quiet down at the back) who was very left-footed to begin with and had a very chocolatey leg. He focused on this leg during training and began to find some deadly goalscoring form with both feet.
Hopefully Giroud can do something similar
Doing a twitter search for “Giroud” was hilarious last night – first half “Giroud is absolute shite!!” Second half “Giroud has the touch of a god.” The internet is incapable of balanced opinion.
Also, sorry to toss in something off topic (and feel free to delete if this contravenes rules) – does anyone else using an iPhone find that opening arseblog pages will occasionally result in the App Store opening automatically on some weird game or another? Don’t know if it’s just my phone, though.
West Ham done. Arsenal top of the London league. Now to Hull. Hope the team builds on this win and leaves a marker for the FA Cup final. Btw, who all are expected to be back in contention for the remaining games? Flamini, Ozil, Gibbs, Ox-Chamberlain, Monreal, even Diaby… Full strength bench will be a big boost.
Also, what do you guys think of TV5’s performance at left back? Positionally he wasn’t best placed always, but his strength in winning headers cut out many potentially difficult situations.
COYG!!
top of what league now? london league? whats that.. and if I underrstand what you mean.. then r v really? 15 likes eh
Guff guff cant,enough of that wonderful stuff
I love the Premier Leagye!
😉
So far so good, that’s what we need clinical finishes not some stupid-old lame flicks.
COYG!!!
Driving home after the game and listening to Five Live doing their best to declare Wenger is finished made me want to reach into the radio and smash their fucking heads together. We had to listen to how he has consistently refused to spend money (no mention obviously of the need to live within our means), how we can’t use money as an excuse any more because of what Liverpool have achieved… Correct me if I’m wrong but Liverpool haven’t achieved anything for a decade and although this season they have been fantastic, the other teams competing at the top… Read more »
Liverpool have spent money anyway. In fact they’ve spent shit loads on a load of shit. Like you say, the good one’s that they’ve got have remained fit and that’s why they’re top of the league. The love-of-Liverpool and the loathing-of-Arsenal narrative really annoys me. They’ve been allowed to fail quietly for roughly the same amount of time that Arsenal have been struggling to get a trophy. During that time Arsene’s ability to get us in the Champions League has meant that we’ve failed (or fallen short of what we might expect) in the spotlight, in effect being punished for… Read more »
This this this this this. Fucking THIS.
As of 21.40hrs 16.4.14, I have come to a realisation of how much I really LOVE Tony Pulis. Keep wearing the baseball cap, Tone!
that is one statement not even his wife ever made………..
Tony for sure did us a huge favour. Now I see a downward spiral for Everton, starting with Man Utd on Sunday.