By Boris Mellor
December 9 2012

The guy sitting next to me had backed Arsenal to win 4-0, which I thought was laughable. Good job he is good natured as I fell about laughing, but by the end of the game I had to admit the team had been good enough to score four, if only there had been an effective  striker playing. It’s the sort of game RvP would have got three, but we don’t talk about him anymore and quite right too.

The crowd could see the problem before the kick-off, every players’ name was cheered as it was announced, until it come to Gervinho and then there was mostly silence plus a few jeers. They are not convinced he is a striker. However the crowd were highly supportive and were determined to end the long run without a win

Wenger’s decision to rest his squad in Europe midweek paid off as his team recovered their pace and sharpness, with both Wilshere and Carzorla delivering excellent passes. Even Gervinho was running with killer  pace down the wing, but could rarely find a player with a cross, but that was not always his fault. The Gunners made plenty of chances but could not finish them in open play. Arsenal had 18 shots, nine of them on target, and the other end Szczesney had only two saves to make, but that was only after WBA were two goals down.

 Fun with the Keeper – North Bank Roar

The keeper was so keen to waste time that he continued to do it even after a goal down, which upset Arsenal fans. Personally if a keeper wants to waste time when my team is 1-0 up he can be my guest. Infuriated Arsenal fans on the North Bank began to do the old woooooah every time he kicked the ball out. Not realizing where the noise was coming from he misdirected the ball a couple of times much to the delight of the Gooners.

 Arteta always calls twice

 As I reported above it could have been four nil with a decent striker playing, but the reverse side of the coin is that it could have been 0-0 if the penalties had not been awarded. It’s possible the first should not have been awarded, but Arteta cunningly beat the keeper by hitting the ball down the middle.

 I was astonished to see Gervinho try and make a case that he should take the second penalty, and even more astonished to see Arteta repeat exactly the same penalty for Arsenal’s second. Being as how Arteta missed the last penalty he took at Arsenal he showed great courage in insisting on taking them both.

 Gervinho went off to the crowds usual exaggerated standing ovation, which had those in the know in stitches, meanwhile Rosicky came on to a genuinely affectionate and loud welcome.

 By now I was insisting to neighbour it was time to bring Podolski on, I was convinced he could score in a game like this, WBA were defending so poorly. He was on only a few seconds when he got an open goal to aim at, lo and behold he skyed it, the worst one footed, allegedly quality, striker, I’ve seen at Arsenal since Sukor. It was my neighbour's turn to laugh at me. I still think if he had been brought on a lot earlier he might have got a goal.

 A well deserved win against one of the poorest teams I have seen this season. The fact that the Baggies are still fifth with 25 points  demonstrates how poor most of the top half teams are now. The claim that the premiership is the best league in Europe is looking increasingly false. Arsenal go up to 6^th, but whether the Gunners can stay there will depend on the result of the Everton v Tottenham game later today.

November Lull Ends as WBA Pay the Penalty

Discussion started by Arsenal Times , 09/12/2012 10:39

Arsenal Times
09/12/2012 10:39

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Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 2012:12:13:06:37:12 by Padre Pio.

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Rockstaar
09/12/2012 14:16

having watched the match again..Arsenal made WBA look bad...and it should have been a destruction by Arsenal, but as you said no striker and without the peno's would have ended up 0-0 due to terrible finishing

Still think the same problems in all the previous matches are still there...practice match pace and wasteful with goal scoring opps.

bright points

Jack and another clean sheet by the 3rd or 4th best defense

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SaltnPeppah
09/12/2012 16:32

WBA were very poor. Long in particular was totally ineffective.

The only team that we need to worry about for fourth spot is Spurs.

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Merlion96
10/12/2012 03:42

I was that bloke sitting next to Padre...



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 2012:12:10:03:43:45 by Merlion96.

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Merlion96
11/12/2012 23:06

November Lull ended.....now the start of the December Slump...

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Billythekid
12/12/2012 17:34

November Lull Ends as...December lull begins, what a coincidence.

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Padre Pio
12/12/2012 19:23

After Birmingham defeat Arsenal slumped, what will happen this time? How deep is the rot?

"When we had to suffer the team is a lion because they suffer together." 4 July 2020 at Wolverhampton Wanderers
Arteta on his team's first away victory at a club above them in the Premiership since September 2015 at Leicester.

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