BTW, AFConthisday tweeted a while ago that it was on this date in 1893 that Woolwich Arsenal played it's first ever league match. Nice way to mark the day.
Jenkinson was great today, especially considering who he had to deal with, albeit at the cost of some corners. I was just waiting for AndyCaroll to head one of them in but he was invisible today.
Happy for Jenks today. I feel like he's really improved since just the start of the season. Santi and Poldi open their accounts with the Arsenal. Love how he made Reina look silly.
big 3 points today. ox was really the only one who had a bad game. seemed he was trying to do too much. i'm starting to worry about giroud's finishing abilities...
he's nervous and under pressure, he just needs to relax and it will come...he's making the runs and his movement is good
Nice to see Arsenal survive a period in the first half where Jenkinson and Mertesacker seemed to be having a 'who can make the worst pass' competition.
i like the fact that he is getting chances, and i think his movement is one of the best parts of his game. just getting worried that he is missing a lot of pretty easy chances, not even putting them on target. i think he'll come around, but i just want it to be soon because he can a be a real fulcrum for our attack.
Good game. Diaby was a boss out there. Starting to like this Podolski + Cazorla combination. Jenkinson has really improved defensively. Giroud doesn't look confident just yet. He needs to bag a goal, then maybe he'll get on a roll. Chamberlain is still raw. I think Theo might have been a better call in this one since we were able to get some real counter attacks going. Can't complain about 3 points at Anfield though.
A word of thanks to those who suggested the Blind Pig in NYC - it was awesome, and the fans were in good voice.
Thoughts from the game: Diaby was otherworldly - he was fantastic defensively, and the pass to setup Giroud was fantastic. I didn't think he knew how to pass forward. And the way he pressed the ball. Wow. I'm in awe. Jenkinson wasn't bad - I don't get why he was panned the way he was. Cazorla wasn't as visible as he was in the first two games, but he provided the moments of quality that won the game. I like Giroud's movement, but I'm worried about his lack of pace. Ox isn't ready for the primetime yet. I love Mertesacker's reading of the game, but there's always a risk that he'll get shown up by someone with pace.
good solid performance all round today. nice to see new boys on the scoresheet. best performances of the game? arteta (my motm), diaby, vermaelen and sterling. a few bloopers from mertesacker and jenkinson and a few slack passes elsewhere (ahem, santi...hit the damn thing a bit harder, eh?), but not too bad, though i'd like to think bould will knock that "passing across your own area" out, and quickly. this was an important game and we came through it well.
ill say it again and again, Arteta is 20x the def mid Song was. amazing the number interceptions and open field tackles he gets each game. Will he vulnerable in the air, sure but thats it
Wow, nice result. I'm thrilled that I was so wrong. Liverpool looked desperate, blasting 19 shots on goal and only 4 on target! What is really impressing me is the calm and much improved play of the back 4; could the biggest off-season move be Steve Bould as Wenger's right-hand man? Great to see Lukas get on board scoring! Mildy concerned at Giroud's off-centered play. He seems to have very good intention and love his size, but timing is still off. Solid confidence booster for Mannone. UP THE ARSENAL!
I think Cazorla is more creative setting up others, excellent spacing and vision. Arshavin, to me, was more of a goal scorer, at least that glorious night at Anfield when we bagged 4.