never mind

By Boris Mellor
February 3 2013

I was disappointed there were no sign against modern football as I approached the stadium, Syd the Cabbie informed me it was not a regular feature like the Chapman statue.  However, it was probably due to the fact that Pulis knows nothing of modern football.

Wenger surprised me by starting Monreal, but with Vermaelen injured he didn’t have any other option. Nacho got a great reception and was cheered every time he touched the ball. The crowd had mumbled, not really jeered, when Santos was named on the bench. For once there was a half decent array of players on the bench, especially Cazorla and Podolski.

As we reached half time it was announced that the Highlights would now be shown. I couldn’t remember any highlights, the club claimed five shots on target, two of which had been straight at the excellent Begovic. Maybe we made him look good but the guy looks solid. It had been a grim first half with the main entertainment being the booing of Shawcross. As Ramsey didn’t start the two mini busloads of Stokies had nothing to retaliate with.

Dom spotted a female Stokie with a Rose West haircut and enjoyed taunting her all match, but she probably didn’t get the joke. She was puzzled as to why he kept on calling her Rose. So that was the first half highlights.

Wisdom of crowds and the power of argument

MOTD stated that Arsenal had nine shots on target, if the club was right that five of those were in the first half then we only saw another 4 Arsenal shots on target in the, almost as grim as the first, second half. The crowd began to sing Podolski scores when he wants, and to intone Santi Cazorla. Clearly it was time for a change but as my neighbour said you know Wenger won’t change anything until 20 minutes to go. Clearly Diaby and the Ox were having no impact, sure enough on 68 minutes the former were replaced by the above. Only ten minutes later the man who scores when he wants got his chance.

Walcott was hacked down just outside the area, and Podolski’s free kick ricocheted off Geoff Cameron; the crowd had something to cheer at last. Suddenly I noticed Mertesacker wheel away and run to the opposite line, was he claiming the goal? No he was off to argue with the lino who had his flag up, surely it couldn’t be offside from a deflection? The Arsenal team surrounding the lino were joined by the ref, the crowd went silent was it a goal or not.

One nil to the football team

It seemed an age before the referee pointed to the centre spot, relieved the crowd cheered and sang one nil to the football team. It had paid to argue with the lino, I had never seen the BFG run so fast. The game was effectively over. Indeed Stoke had only managed two shots on target all match, and were in no condition to change tactics. As I had predicted to Syd in the greasy spoon pre match Arsenal had kept a clean sheet, which was hardly difficult. Monreal had a tidy little game, good defending, neat attacking but apart from the threat of violence not the hardest test he will face.

The best thing about the game?

It had been a scrappy and dire affair, true Stoke had only come for a point and parked the bus, but Arsenal had shown little wit in dealing with it. So apart from winning and welcoming a hard ground out three points there was little to talk about afterwards.

You know what the best thing about the game was asked Dom, in the pub after the game, what we all chorused. We got to celebrate the goal twice he replied. We then moved on to more interesting topics.

One nil to the football team as we celebrate twice

Discussion started by Arsenal Times , 03/02/2013 10:31

Arsenal Times
03/02/2013 10:31

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Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 2013:02:09:17:47:54 by Padre Pio.

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Philly the kid
03/02/2013 13:20

Good lil write up, once again Padre.
I can fully imagine a Stokie looking like Rose West! Fits the stereotype quite well!!
Very happy with Monreal. Looks a quality player, and most definitely an upgrade from Santos. Not sure Gibbo will get his place back so readily now, which -at least- will give him a chance to get over his injury properly (for once).
As for Pulis tactics. Seems he's attempted to rebuild the Berlin Burly Wall. Can't believe the $hit that man comes out with sometimes. Complaining about us surrounding the lino when he's made the most obvious and elementary of mistakes, then complaining that they do what they have to with their resources (not considering their Net spend is £120 million more than ours since he took over up there in 2006). Poor excuse of a man, he's right up there with Fergie and Pardew in the hypocrite stakes, which makes it all the more enjoyable to get the 3 points.
Along with a Chelsea loss, and Everton drawing, altogether, a very good day. Now, if Albion and Liverpool can win, it'll be a veeeery good weekend. We're not out of the forest yet. But, the light is breaking it's way through the final branches.
Up the Gunners!!

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plonky
03/02/2013 14:02

Cheers Padre. Always nice to grind out a win, reminds me of the good old days.

Hope you kept off the maltesers this week.

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Padre Pio
03/02/2013 17:45

As weather was warmer I felt no need for the orbs with a non tasting centre.

"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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Simon68
04/02/2013 13:58

I was in the pub watching England hammer the Scots, drinking loads of Guinness, then spent the evening in the social club watching a good band (while drinking even more Guinness) until getting home at stupid o'clock having forgotten my key.

Fortunately my better half stayed awake to let me in but she wasn't happy about it.

But still a better day out than watching a bloke who looks as though he tows his caravan down to Swansea each weekend in his Ford Mondeo and stops on the hard shoulder of the motorway to have a cup of tea with his timid wife sitting at their fold away table and chairs with a "f*ck you, I pay my road tax so don't tell me I can't" defiant look on his face, and his team who all look like they should either be playing banjo's or skinning squirrels or @#$%& their sisters, bore the f*cking pants off me.

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Padre Pio
04/02/2013 22:16

And wears a stupid base ball cap

"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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