It was Postiga who Lehman pushed over. He was fooling around with the ball when Lehman was trying to place it for his goal kick, so it's his own fault. I'm really pleased with this result. The boys showed that they can win even when they're not playing well. I liked the way Begkamp played when he came on. I believe it was for Silva. He looked at home in the midfield, putting through quite a few quality balls. He has the vision that we need in the midfield, and the passing ability to break tough defenses down. I would like to see him get a start there.
We all fell out laughing the way the ball went in for the second goal. Having heard a few Scum supporters make fun of us for 65 minutes was not fun, but once normal service was restored, we could not stop laughing ourselves. Lehman could do sumo if he wanted to. A few weeks ago I posted around here that given AFC's poor showing, it says something about the side's character that they haven't lost. This is not luck, this is the kind of determination that won the title for ManU last May even if they were playing dreadfully and AFC were in Galactico mode. Three points IS three points, whichever way is done. Now, when they start playing well....
Great picture of Lehman and Postiga: http://soccernet.espn.go.com/report?id=108210&cc=5901 But I'm getting tired of hearing how great it is that Arsenal keep winning even though they are playing like crap, and how that's how you win championships. When will they stop playing like crap? I don't think you win championships by playing like crap. I could be wrong.
I agree with all that's been said. It's great that we're grinding out wins but we really need to start playing better. Today, for the most part, was just ugly. Prior to the equalizer, I don't remember us creating a single scoring opportunity in the 2nd half. The last 25 minutes we started looking better but not much. I know this question has been asked but does anyone know why Silva keeps getting the nod over Edu? Also, despite the win, we really miss PV4.
Ok, I know I'm going to take monumental amounts of flak for this, but if you don't put Edu in for Gilberto (which, in my estimation is a no-brainer), then at least run him out there for Parlour. I know Parlour is a sacred cow to many on this board, but in all reality, with PV4 back, is Razor one of the top 4 midfielders? I know Freddie and SuperBob have had runs of bad form as of late, but get Bob on the right, Frediie on the left, and Edu/PV4 up the middle, and you're golden.
Not pretty, but we'll take it!!! Listened to this one on capital gold, first time actually getting it to work...I loved the commentator's intensity and the occassional updates around the league. Sounds like Tottenham had us locked in the 1st half, but the 2nd half we got some lucky breaks and our persistence really paid off. Hey, a win is win and it is always sweeter against our North London rivals. Nice to see The Arsenal win without Vieira...clearly one of our best players. Go Gunners!
One Nil Down Two One Up We Just F-cked Tottenham up! Talk about luuuuuuuuuucky. Dad went to bed before it had gone half time (I was up till 4am watching it!), haven't given him heaps yet ...
Maybe it's my red-and-white colored glasses, but I don't count us lucky at all. I got a chance to watch the game (good goddamn, I love Nevada Smith's), and this is what I took out of it: -- Postiga is s**t, and he's a dirty player on top of it. If we were playing a hard-working team that takes their chances (like Charlton or even Portsmouth), we would have been down 3-0 or 4-0 by halftime. Sol had a good game, and Kolo was good most of the way, but as a unit, the back four was TERRIBLE. Three times, a feeble backpass was latched onto by S***s, but only Anderton finished (and fair's fair, he took it well). Notice how Charlton had a chance like that against Fulham, and they took it (Johansson, even...he's not good, but Postiga needs a telescope to see him). -- Lehmann had a good game. -- Once the subs were made, it was real men against boys stuff...You always knew an equalizer is coming, and once it did, I saw no reason why we couldn't win the game. -- The Scum really missed Kanoute, I think. -- I say we're not lucky, because I honestly believe you make your own luck in this game. The Scum got some breaks, but they didn't take them...we did...case closed. -- Keller was my Man of the Match...he was fantastic.
A little credit to DB10 please! One small mention of DB10's impact seems a bit disingenuous? After all the flak he's been given on these boards of late, I think a little credit is due the old man. He may be a shadow of his best, but, his coming on made the difference today. He was controlled, inventive and willing to work through the middle. He played the 90 on Wednesday and by all accounts , apart from the miss; which wasn't our worst, he had a reasonable game. I've dished out a fair bit of flak to Bob and Fred lately, but, thank flip Bobby has began to run at players again this week. Freddie hasn't looked capable of sustaining 90 minutes for a long time, and he was in and out of the match, but, he was still working at the final whistle. Let's hope the goal will help him turn the corner; delicously flukey though it was !!! Come on you Gunners!!!
TELEGRAM: To Spurs stop. HAHAHAHAHAHA.stop Would love to chat but just can't stop. Laughing. (up) yours stop. Arsenal FC END
Spot on about Bergkamp martymarts, he did play well when he came on. His passing was just what we needed to punch a few holes in the Spurs defence. I did think his miss on Wednesday was the worst of them though. I though Kanu played well yesterday also. He looked energetic for a change and didn't give the ball away nearly as much as usual. Coach, I know you say it after every game these days and I agree with you every game, how Edu isn't starting ahead of Gilberto is a mystery. Gilberto is adding nothing to the midfield at the moment while Edu has played well when deputising for others recently. And while I think Parlour is great to have around for a bit of grit in the midfield when we need it, I can't see how anyone would pick him in our best midfield.
Please, let's give this "Gilberto is cr*p" a rest. I have already given up on upholding his cause because it is fruitless to argue about it. Arsene Wenger knows best. He will take Gilberto out when he is having a bad game, like he did yesterday. Otherwise, he knows why we are getting ugly results and not conceding too many goals to keep us in games, and it ain't because our money men are playing so well, Henry excepted, but because of people like Toure, Gilberto, Parlour and Campbell.
It's great to get ugly results when we have to. However, I think it would be a lot easier to win if Edu replaced Gilberto in centre mid. He's a better passer, better tackler, has a better shot and gives us a left-footer for set-pieces. My question is why don't you think he should be in? What has Gilberto got over him?
Sportswriters and agendas http://sport.telegraph.co.uk/sport/...s09.xml&sSheet=/sport/2003/11/09/ixfooty.html I've been there, so I know that it's tempting at times to create a theme for your story. But it can get ridiculous when taken to the extreme. 1. I don't think any sane individual would have picked Ray Parlour as man of the match - except the guy who wrote this story. Lehmann, probably. Or Henry. Or Bergkamp. Ray Parlour would probably be my 8th or 9th choice. 2. He belabors the point that Henry was offside on the Pires goal and that Sp*rs were unlucky not to claim a point. Except that Henry was *not* offside and, in fact, two players (Carr and Gardner) played him on. Further, Henry was clearly onside when he was clean through on Keller and got taken out on what would have been a red card if the linesman hadn't blown the call. But those facts, easily enough available via the magic of television, didn't seem to matter to one Roy Collins.
The main thing that people have against Gilberto is that he seems lackadaisical, plays a wayward ball and gets caught in possession once each game. I think that he does this much less than Edu and Parlour, and he doesn't get caught out of position. In short, I think that he is a better defensive midfielder (who has scored more goals than Edu, Parlour and Vieira combined so far this year). I don't want to reignite the debate, but next time you watch an arsenal game, count the number of tackles, interceptions, headed clearances in the box, good and bad passes from midfield. If I'm wrong, I'm wrong, but I bet Gilberto comes out looking the best. One other thing, is there a better way for an attack to come to nothing than when Ray Parlour has the ball at his feet? For every good ball, like the one for Henry yesterday, he plays about 30 bad ones. I know he's playing very well right now and has a lot of heart, and I gave him credit above. But...
Surely the point of these boards is to have a debate on your team and football in general? I've seen every minute of every Arsenal game this season and I think that you're being very generous to Gilberto saying that he plays one wayward pass and gets caught once in possession each game. If that were the case it would be a surprise when he does it rather than frustrating when yet another pass goes astray or the opposition win yet another fifty-fifty ball. I just think that Edu deserves his chance on the displays he has put in. In my opinion it's unfair to the guy that he hasn't been given a run in the side when he's been markedly better than either Gilberto or Parlour this season. Gilberto can look as lacksadaisical as he likes as long as he's effective, but I don;t think he's effective enough. Ray Parlour isn't great with the ball at his feet, but in a heated derby game he's the man you want in your team. When everyone is fit and able to play it's debatable whether he'd even make the bench.
Look everybody has a soft spot for Parlour-he's a career-long Arsenal man, English, a good team man, a tireless worker, and has a bit of Tony Adams in him off the pitch even more than on, and he's a solid defensive player. But GOOD GOD he should never even GO FORWARD let alone across mid-field. His passing and shooting make Gilberto look to be Zidane's class, and his decision-making is the worst of any Arsenal player. I say he's good to have Because he can play wide on the right or in central mid-field, and even at right-back in an emergency, and his being English does matter. But that said he is WOEFULLY over-rated. Watching him play he reminds he is the "Romford Pele" rather than the real "Pele" with almost every touch. Still good on ya, Ray, even as you drive me mad! At least Henry could laugh about it at Elland Road...BTW the whole Gilberto/Edu debate as well as the Wiltord/Freddie debate is proof we have the depth and quality of depth in this team we want or are getting it. And the justin Hoyte/Volz-to-replace-Lauren debate points up that the youth system is BEGINNING to produce the first-team quality players we have been waiting for. If the money is there this truly is a VERY VERY good time to be a Gooner...
It's good to see others are joing the Edu bandwagon, and that you have an honest view of what Razor brings to the team. Now if I can just get AW to lean my way on the Edu issue....
Edu makes mistakes and he makes them often! He's made fewer this season, but, he's had less pitch time this. My guess for his not being favored is some kind of minor injury or lack of fitness. I think Gilberto gets the nod due to a better level of stamina/fitness. Sorry not joining the bandwagon. Edu has his qualities, undoubtedly, but, so does the Romford Pele and on balance he's more valuble to the team. In all the years I could never stand Ray - hated to see him on the team sheet, but, over the years he has ground me down with his beligerance. In the end you can't ignore his qualities; even if they are more Shaker than Chippendale! Come on you Gunners!!!
I'm certainly not saying that Edu is perfect by any means. he has as many flaws in his game as the next guy. I just think his style is more suited to what Arsenal are trying to do. Gilberto has had matches this year (Newcastle was one, I believe) where it appeared the opposition played off him whenever he had the ball, almost knowing he'd turn it over.
Incoming!!! Ray Parlour was the driving force in the comeback against Spertz, he has been at the club for 13 years and he knows what Arsenal are all about. When the imports led their heads drop it's players like Parlour and Keown that can get us through by pure bloody-mindedness. From today's Times: "Strength, resolution and determination gained its reward. None of it more so than from Parlour, the stand-in captain for the injured Patrick Vieira. Amid the typical derby fare — the crunching challenges, simmering dislike and head-to-head spats — Parlour kept the Arsenal engine ticking over. Solid, reliable, occasionally inspirational. Thirteen years at Highbury and as dependable as ever. "
Sorry mate, I can't do that. He has been very poor for some time now, I have waited a long time for him to come good. I've heard he's always selected because Vieira likes playing alongside him, but with Paddy out tit seems the perfect time to give Edu a run out. BTW - Gilberto had an excellent game in the CL midweek - perhaps he's our Veron!
I, like Brodo, think that Ray "Mr. FA Cup" Parlour is one of the most snub-nosed players we have. Whenever there's a battle to be won in midfield, it will always do us well to put in Rayzor. His sheer determination and will to battle for the ball seem, IMHO, to be one of the most important assets that our side has to offer. In short, Parlour's style of play is, to me, the quitessential representation of of the English game. He and Martin Keown are, to quote the Coach, "the last of the dinosaurs (Defenderis Arsenalis, and Midfielderis Arsenalis) that still roam the pitches of the Premiership, reminding everyone what made this club great." On the Gilberto/Edu issue, I have previously called Edu "our Brazilian Ray Parlour," and I stand by that assesment. He is a true workhorse and he proves that not all Brazilians are flashy dibblers/goalscorers. On to the defense. In the Arsenal.com match report (here: http://www.arsenal.com/sportsappcon...matchday/reports0304/17_tottenham08112003.jsp), there was not a lot of good that they said about Lauren, all of it justified, IMHO. The way he played lacked conviction and confidence, and Spurs took advantage of that numerous times. That being said, who else can we use in his place? Toure, anyone?