Who doesn’t love a late winner? I’ll tell you who, mad people, that’s who. Danny Welbeck’s late, great goal secured a 2-1 win over 10 man Leicester, and closed the gap at the top to 2 points.
Here are the player ratings.
Pic via David Price.
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Friday, December 20, 2024
I did good today.
Is it me or is the site a bit banjaxed today?
That was Ozil’s 17th assist this season right?
Bonus rating: 0/10 Martin Twatkinson. Nice refereeing dickwad.
MOTD:
1) Red card given because of Arsenal player reaction.
2) The Tots players reaction to press for a penalty is natural, it always happens!!
There was a time the journos and pundits used to suck-up to Fergi’s now they suck-up to the cock on ball!
The MOTD guys were unbelievable last night, in my view Danny Murphy lost any credibility as a pundit when he
1) Defends Drinkwater’s challenge
2) Accuses Ramsey for his reaction to the challenge
3) Finally tips the Tots to win the title because he is a Tots boy!!
It’s fine for a pundit to revel his allegiance but to provide punditry through that same prism – I’ll go to a pub to have that chat!
Think you need to look a little deeper, made some crap decisions no doubt, first penalty is was iffy but the second many refs would give.
Gave Coquelin a free pass when he was acting like a baby, gave us a crucial 30 secs of extra extra time enabling us to win and quite rightly, sent one of their players off.
If that was Leicester scoring instead of Welbeck past extra time you can guarantee Wenger would be moaning
Nope, he was shit. First half was disgraceful, he missed a clear handball and the decision to not give Özil a free kick for the foul that gave them the counterattack leading to the penalty was just plain wrong. Shaped up a bit in the second, but he saw and allowed a clear studs up challenge on Ramsey and the fact that he gave arsenal an extra 30 seconds doesn’t change the fact that it should have been five minutes extra time to begin with. Both teams using all their available subs should mean three extra minutes, you can’t tell… Read more »
Maybe I’m getting a little confused on extra time, but if extra time is given, that’s that right? There can’t be an extra 30 secs on top even if there is a foul dead on 4 mins?
Agree with you on the ref not being great my point being some of those decisions could’ve gone against us, I hate double standards because there would be rage from the goonersphere if that was a Leicester goal instead. I’m guilty of it too so perhaps being a little hypocritical.
If there is 4 minutes awarded for extra time, that means the match officials have to let the game play on for a minimum of 4 minutes after the official 90 minutes. So Atkinson was well within his rights as a referee to let the game tick over the 4 minute mark if he felt that there was still time not accounted for, if you know what I mean.
No, you’re mistaken. It’s a minimum of four extra minutes. Refs discretion. It is a guideline. Aslo, you can have an injury in the first minute of extra time that stops the game and requires an extra five or ten on top. Ref did nothing wrong whatsoever (in giving us an extra 30 seconds – he did a whole fucking lot wrong the rest of the game).
He definitely was bad, but if he hadn’t sent Simpson off, which I really thought he wouldn’t seeing how he reffed the first half, then we wouldn’t have gotten back in the game. Part of me thinks he’s trying to level things up, what with the Ozil foul not given that led to the counter, which led to that soft penalty. So yes Atkinson was bad, but I’ll let him off this time. It’s not like Dean level shit where one big decision after another goes against us.
Being able to look forward to winning a six-pointer at Shite Hart Lane: 11/10.
The way Spurs are playing at the moment and our recent record against them, I’m not looking forward to the game at WHL. That said we play better when the odds are against us, and Spurs are as likely to bottle it even more than us. So let’s have them get the results at the moment and all the media singing their praises. That would make defeating them all the more sweeter.
Was expecting my Coq to get a 10 on Valentine’s
Who were the humorless prigs who thumbed this post down?
Ozil was poor today yet still played two sumptuous passes for per and the winner. Your generous with Ramsey buts that nothing unusual. Not sure what he did to rate higher than Ox
Poor? 6 created chances, 90% pass accuracy, here and there on the pitch, one decisive assist…
On the other hand, i find it strange : when it comes to Ramsey and Sanchez, they are great because they are”trying”! I’m tired of “trying”!
Feel free Alex to live in complete denial. I love Ozil, the man is a joy to watch. A top striker can have a poor game and pop up with the goal that wins the game. That’s what Ozil did today, the equivalent. You can read what you like with stats. Trust me 90% pass rate does not mean you had a great game. Denilson had many.
Have to agree. Having watched the game again, Ramsey’s shooting is just appalling. He takes four or five shots from very dangerous positions and doesn’t hit the target once. He really needs to work on his shooting. You can’t just try really hard – Scotty Parker typified trying very hard. You have to show real quality too. Can’t justify a higher rating than Ozil on today’s performance.
A lot of Ramsey’s shots were from difficult positions and from not great passes. It is funny that people like to criticise Ramsey for bad shooting when Sanchez and Ozil shoot as badly (Ozil never shoots, Sanchez wastes a lot of chances by trying to force himself into a shot position and shoots way over). A good win so no need to criticise players for small details.
He said… having just picked the small bones off Sanchez and Ozil!
Agree on Ox being rated higher, he was our most dangerous player in the first half and played well in the middle
I have never seen the Ox playing that well. Excellent passing in the second half.
I don’t get you about either Özil (who created a couple of more chances than those two, sadly all wasted) nor Ramsey. I have been hard on Ramsey in the past couple of weeks for being too selfish trying to score, but today he was 99% tactical discipline, did everything he could to help defend, and stood on his own when Coquelin was taken off.
Know this won’t be the main thing to take away from the game; but how many more composed performances will the BFG have to put in for pundits to stop talking about him as if he’s never set foot on a football pitch? Typically calm performance from him today, and he’s gonna be a vital for us in this run in. COYG!
Mertesacker and Chambers can be criticised for some performances but their passing games are hugely underrated. Both very calm on the ball when needed and passed with good pace and quickly to keep the tempo while Leicester were backing to their own box.
I think Chambers made one notable mistake: towards the end, when he played it safe by playing the ball outside, while the game demanded the riskier choice to try to play forward to save time. His teammates were angry. But Özil & Welbeck could still use the remaining time 🙂
He did the right thing then didn’t he?
Not only that, but Chambers is quite a good dribbler as well. I would even venture to say he is one of the better dribblers on our team. He routinely takes on 1-2 players at a time
Nah – the best dribbler on the team, as of yesterday, is Cech… how sweet was that complete skinning of Vardy??!
Take your pick of either one: narrative or laziness.
It’s the same as saying we struggle badly against top four sides – which is no longer true – yet nobody seems to mention that Manchester City haven’t beaten anyone in the Top 6 this season.
I hope people can shut up about Mertesacker being slow now. It’s not as if he doesn’t know he’s slow. His coaches know he’s slow, everyone fuckin
“Everyone fuckin'”. Well it IS Valentine’s day.
What is remarkable is that I don’t really recall anyone bringing up his pace, when he was playing in Bremen. Of course Twitter did barely exist and Facebook wasn’t as big as it is today, but still: even the media (in Germany) did not mention it very often – even though he wasn’t any faster back then. What did happen when he transferred to Arsenal was that EA (yes, Electronic Arts) decided to decrease his pace from a solid 68 to 39 without him having played a single match for us, which made him the second slowest player in the… Read more »
To tell the truth, during Euro 2008 the Germany central defence pairing of Mertesacker and Metzelder was dubbed “Brüder Schleich und Schnarch” (brothers Crawl and Snore) bei Bild. Harsh, but not entirely unfair. 🙂
The good news about Mertesacker always being slow as fock is that with age, he can’t possibly get any slower, but mentally he still retains the attributes needed at this level to do a good job.
Think we need another first team centre back as competition for Koscielny though, love the guy but think he could do with some competition and rest
Bonus for Cech for nonchenately turning Vardy as he helplessly slid past.
keep on sliding brother!
almost shed a tear when dat guy scored. Almost.
Theo gets a lot of stick on here. But he steps up in the big games quite often. Leicester and city at home
Yeah, I was thinking of the rap he gets here too. But IMHO his main problem in recent weeks wasn’t form but being positioned on the left.
I think (and hope!) that more important than the 3 points we got would be the psychological blow/boost to Leicester/Arsenal who snatched defeat/victory from the jaws of a tie!
It took me a couple of seconds/minutes to understand/kinda your comment. But I agree yes/yes.
You’re doing it wrong but I definitely LOL’d
Cech’s two saves in the first half were superb. With the first not only did he save the initial header he gathered the ball before Vardy could pounce and the second from Kante I don’t think got the credit it deserved.
Absolutely 100% agree. The best thing is that we dont have to worry about this position for a couple of years. At least two or three super saves and the Kante save was sublime.
Was nice to see Vardy giving him the props as well.
Both replays of the Vardy save on the stadium screens got audible gasps from the crowd. We certainly appreciated the Kante save too – other keepers might have let that go, didn’t look like it had a chance of being on target.
Spot on. I can imagine Szczesny just glancing over his shoulder as the Ball whizzes past him. then let’s off a smile as he collects the ball from the net.
Giroud has unmatched physical power, presence and aerial ability in our squad. He works very hard too. Reminds me a bit of Drogba. Two assists in as many games now. Giroud is a very underrated striker. Hope he’s given a week off, we need him fresh. Walcott and Welbeck should do it against Hull.
I think Giroud lost his knack for a clinical finish which he gained in the autumn, which is weird because his assists are now clinical. And I love his new-found passion for assists, also his commitment to help out in midfield and defence. Only two years ago I saw him as a classical selfish striker who just waits for the final passes, now I see him a model team player.
Vardy’s dive was considered clever by the commentator yet the second yellow for the red card was called “soft”. What do we gotta do to get a break?
As long as we keep winning, who cares what they say! It hurts their very obvious agenda. I for one love the undeserved hatred we are getting. It shows that they are worried about us. Plus it makes the victory that much sweeter 😀
Probably change shirt colour to blue or rename ourselves Manchester…
Just give Giroud an 11, he was incredible today! The way he holds up play and his timing for headers is just incomparable, should of had two assists on the day had Welbeck taken his first chance. Nobody cares though cause the end was spectacular 🙂
Giroud looked awesome, poor Vardy looked knackered! 😉
Football is a fickle mistress… Sometimes I love her dearly though. Today is one of those days!
Sets us up nicely for the United match. Here’s hoping we put in a good performance against Barca to help instill the confidence
So Coquelin got a yellow today and that shove on Mahrez could have earned a booking too.
but for some people, its called getting stuck in where on another day Flamini puts in a two footed tackle (gets the ball) which is something Coquelin also does often and he is said to be reckless.
Not pissing on Coquelin but the double standards.
What are we going to complain about next? Per Metersecker’s pace?
😀
Oh my days what a win! Before the match I was thinking with Leicester’s remaining fixtures, this is the last chance for a team to burst their bubble. Hopefully snatching the match away from them in the dying moments will shoot down their confidence. Walcott and Welbeck coming on and scoring two vital goals. With some very difficult away matches coming up, we’re going to need more of that. The likes of Welbeck, Walcott, Chamberlain and Ramsey taking responsibility when it isn’t working for Giroud, Ozil and Alexis. It was also great seeing us being most dangerous from crosses. More… Read more »
Fuck that was fun. Now. Win one more game than Spurs and two more than Leicester. Going to take absolute determination and fight – Encouraging signs of that with people coming back in etc. but we’ve only shown that kind of desire sporadically over the past few years. Not a criticism per se, just how it has been. Need to treat every game like we played at Olympiakos away. Also, glad he got subbed, but can’t help loving Coquelin just that little bit more for shoving Mahrez off… Alexis is going to light up soon, Giroud will go on one… Read more »
10/10 for wenger making the right sub at the right time. Wenger doesnt do tactics though…. Arsenal matching to the title
As I mentioned, people who focused on the Rammini axis are looking at the wrong thing. We were no more or less secure with Coquelin and Per on. Nor have we been shy with creating chances with Rammini at Soton or have we been leaking goals at Soton, Stoke or Bournemouth (Liverpool was an aberration and Chelsea was with blessing on ref as per usual) What we needed was to be less forgiving in front of goals. We created plenty of chances against Soton but could not put them away. With Welbeck back and Walcott scoring, we have now plenty… Read more »
I hope everyone can shut up about Mertesacker now. It’s not as if he doesn’t know he’s slow. His coaches know he’s slow, everyone knows it! And yet he’s still a professional footballer, and a good one at that. Jut give him some credit, and don’t forget that he knows what he’s doing. A few bad mistakes does not a player make, especially when he’s been as solid and vital for us as Per has been
Shout to Chambers. Did well today at cback.
Thanks for the pic, David Price. Brilliant; better than thats sepia thing of you and Pires!!
To come out in the second half 8 points adrift and play the way we did is a huge credit to the team and Arsene.
Sanchez, coquelin and now welbeck back! That’s such a huge boost, with jack and cazorla up running around. Excited face.
Well Wenger might also be right about Leicester not having enough games to keep them occupied – two weeks before their next game sounds great news in some respects but having lost this game at the death perhaps it will mess with their heads? I hope Norwich give them a dose of their own medicine and nick some points of the cheats too!!!
Big Petr gets 10/10 for that little dummy to send Vardy to the shops
Coquelin’s one handed shove to scare Mahrez off the pitch in double time.
Delighted with that. Didn’t play overly well and looked as if stereotypical frustrating arsenal day but there is more much more to this arsenal team. Cech is a real goalie just a rock. Delighted for chambers. Done real well. Infact all our English boys are hitting form Moving onto the hull game be delighted to see Elneny again and see iwobi and welbeck getting more game time. As regard s the barca game I would be tempted to go with 5-3-2 with gab or chambers mert and kos at the back. Mert is a leader and him in a central… Read more »
Very interesting option mate, worth a go, I don’t see us winning over 2 legs and I doubt many Gooners do either, so it’s worth it to try something different.
Definetely agreed on the height aspect, set pieces is where we can be a real threat to them, elsewhere we’ll be outpassed and outmanoeuvred.
Everyone wants a 10/10 Coq on Valentine’s day
A Liverpool mate text me saying “I thought your english players were useless!?”.
They’re not. Most proud of Chambers, he was magnificent.
Think I saw one comment on this blog about our British players being useless.
Considering Ramsey and Chambo the only ones out of 7 playing regularly not sure what that poster was smoking!!
We are Champions my friends and we will keep on fighting till the end.
Great game!We need to still improve on our finishing.
I hope this win provides our boys with enough confidence to do just that.Onwards and Upwards from here on.
Can’t believe the cundits on MOTD2 are trying to justify the tackle on Ramsey.Also saying it was ok for Vardy to dive for the penalty.
That Spuds penalty is a shocker!!! Wankers…
Extra bonus rating: 10/10 for not signing Serge Aurier
Slightly off topic. Just watched MOTD. Danny Murphy is a cunt
Yes, but let’s not forget, Tim Sherwood is a complete penis….
I didn’t see the game. I read somewhere that the ref showed Welbz a yellow for “excessive celebration” of his goal. Can anybody tell me what how?
2) Blogs loved Welbz’s reaction when he was shown a yellow for his goal celebration. What was his reaction?
Dat Guy jumped into the crowd to celebrate the winning goal 🙂
When you ask me for the most important goal of last season I’d say Welbeck away at Utd in the cup. Good chance that this has been this seasons equivalent. He hasn’t scored as many goals as I’ve expected him to do when he arrived but these 2 goals alone were worth the 16 mio. All in all a great day. Liked the result at Man city too. Just the fact that we have Koscielny and Gabriel out injured with 10 days until a certain Catalan club visits the Emirates makes me feel slightly uncomfortable.
Atkinson was piss poor all game. Not lecister or arsenal were happy with the refeering. Still buzzing welbeck though. I really miss santi though. we really need him for the run in.
neither nor, *about welbeck
Well, it was about fucking time!
I hope Spurs will implode with Europa League. They have one more match to play before they play us but our matches are harder (Barcelona and United). Speaking of Europa, United also play on Thursday before they play us so I hope that gives us an edge. I’m over analysing this calendar shit and I should probably just enjoy each match on its own.
Spuds have nothing to worry us…
…and Manure are rubbish…goodnight x
I know I shouldn’t be surprised but it continues to amaze me what an absolute tool danny murphy is. Him and that other giant douchebag tim sherwood on match of the day 2 said not only was scumbag vardy’s penalty fair but also that Rambo was wrong to get so annoyed and roll around after the horrendous drnkwater challenge. Fuckwits.
really? that horror of a tackle was just normal to them? cheating for a penality is clever? when suarez was doing it he was a cunt but as for vardy it is clever? they have got rocks for brains thats why.
0/10 as I did not get to meet Robert Pires.
We better win this league now. I can’t think about the possibility of Sp*rs winning, and they would be doing so because of our two wins against Leicester!
Back in it Arsenal, YOU ARE RIGHTLY BACK IN IT!
I have never roared like that in my whole life.
Motm:Giroud. BOY!! that was some fight. How was his shot against Huth hand never a penalty?
It seems we always have to beat a Schemiechel to our titles. COYG
Not many keepers would have made that great save against Giroud strike. Looked in all the way except for freakin strong hand from Schmeichel. Chambers and Cech awesome at the other end.
Why won’t Sp*rs fuck off?
Welcome back Welbz! I was so excited at the end there, I never noticed he got booked! I presume excessive celebration?
Good game, great feeling of joy when Welbeck came on and was loving the applause from the Arsenal fans. That smile could end wars and cure diseases. Shitty Virgin Media crapped out on me so missed the goal and had to watch a Vine replay. Was worried about Chambers too but he did well; Coquelin really was pushing it with that shove on Mahrez; was asking for a red. Hope Sanchez pushes on, fair play he’s a little rusty but we need him firing on all cylinders too. Brilliant player but with the passers we have in the team he… Read more »
Did you guys see the damn penalty messi and 40+1 pounds scored against celta. A bit like what titi and pires had tried and failed to do. Let the suckers try it against cech.
Anyone know what Ramsey’s completed pass rate was? I don’t remember him misplacing a pass all game…