That was one LONG work day after little sleep last night. Not had any chance to write anything today until now. But meh. Last nights latest step forward, in a run of mainly progressive steps forward, with Arne’s Reds, make it all worth while. PROPER pride night that.
Yesterdays admin-
Title Defence Countdown:
10 wins down/ 17 to go.
35 points down/ 54 to go.
Current PL unbeaten run:
P 9 W 4 D 5 F 14 A 8 CS: 4
1 Straight CS.
Current unbeaten away PL run:
P 5 W 2 D 3 F 9 A 6 CS: 2
1 Straight CS.
I must profess I was lacking enthusiasm traveling down yesterday. Not to see the Reds. That’s ALWAYS a privilege regardless no matter how many times you are blessed to do it. But London is getting like a home game lately the amount of times we’ve been down the past few months. You then throw in the weather, and fears that the M6 would be a nightmare coming home due to the storm. (Which it thankfully wasn’t.). And getting soaked to the skin is never a fun experience. But then L’pool heed big Dom’s pre-game words and show the Tapas Pulis’s perennial bridesmaids just who the CHAMPIONS are in a tremendous display, in context, that would have been all 3 points for the second time this year against them if we had any fit strikers. One of the best things about being Champions, is being able to remind every one of it whilst you still are. And last night was one of the best aways all season for just that. It highlights just how tinpot Arsenal fans are when the glaring, open door to all the ‘Champions! Champions! Champions! Champions!’ chants, to come back with a ‘Hand it over’ repost, was left untaken as they spent the majority of the game in silence. Or rather they were silenced by Arne’s Reds as their team were proper rattled and had no answer. Mad how the only time they get excited is when they win a free kick or corner like it’s a peno. Tells you ALL you need to know about Arteta’s Arsenal. They must have gone to bed last night with ‘Champions!/ Where’s your European Cups?/ Always the Bridesmaid, NEVER the Bride!’ bouncing round their heads. Boy did we have fun in the rain. Superb away end that. And Lego Heads negativity will be their undoing again this season. 'ALWAYS the bridesmaid!' is never more apt than for that cretin.
Superb defensively first-half. Where we would have gone in ahead were it not for the continued bad luck of this season striking again with Conor’s superb chip, at the end of a brilliant L’pool move, coming back off the bar. Utterly dominant second half. Just sadly without the finishing touch down to the injury and other absence crisis up front. But a real kick in the teeth to everyone, not least among our own number, who were screaming all week how Arsenal were going to humiliate us. Perfect time for Arne’s Champions to stand up in front of the Nation and remind everyone that we’re still here and will be a serious threat again next season when circumstances will be totally different to what we’ve had to deal with this term.
Superb display in context. And context is the key given the form, positions and available players to both sides. And Arsenal being at home. Real fight and pride. With some really good, dominant togger to boot. Two months back, Arsenal win that game as our confidence was at rock bottom and we were haemorrhaging goals for fun. Then PSV happened and L’pool said NO more! Tweaked what they were doing. Tightened right up and became more compact. And stopped the rot with a real base to build on. Yeah, a lot of attacking play has been sacrificed within that. But we are no longer a real easy touch like that 12 game blip a few months back. We are slowly but surely returning to where we should be. Step by incremental step. Which is how it is after a losing run like that. Not always pretty. Often frustrating. But small steps every game to build and add on as confidence grows and things turn. And last night was the clearest sign yet of the mentality and steal returning and the controlling, fast paced attacking side Arne wants us to transition into. That's the fittest we’ve been and most physical for the full 90 too which is another major step forward.
And I’ll tell you what, like against Inter, play as controlling as that that away in Europe in two-legged knock-out football, with Anfield in your back pocket, and we have one heck a great chance of being in Budapest in May like!
Some many really good individual performances that went into a really good, dominant team display. Hard to fault any of them and it’s totally understandable why Arne didn’t want to change it second-half when we were doing so well. And then Martinelli happens …… Sums the Tapas Pulis and his perennial failure club to a T that he’s even attempting to defend what that bleep did to Bradley. The less said about Taylor not walking the bleep house the better. Disgraceful incident that soured a really boss night out.
*Sings ….. ‘Always the bridesmaid, NEVER the bride!’
Onto Barnsley and this building run, the longest all season, extending.
Up Arne's CHAMPION Bride Reds!