Arsenal
One nil to the ten men disgraceful refereeing
By Boris Mellor
February 10 2013
You know that nightmare where you are late for the match but you can’t get to the ground because crowds of people are blocking your way? Well that happened to me on the way to the Emirates screening. Walking down Wardour Street to reach the Piccadilly Line my way was blocked several times by people watching other people prancing around dressed as Dragons. I really had to force my way through, I shoved one spectator out of the way and he started crying, I told him not to be baby and then he ran back to his dad. Finally I managed to squeeze into a packed Leicester Square station
I could hear the crowd as I approached the stadium and there was far more atmosphere than match days, but that’s because at £8 a seat the hoi polloi can afford to get in. I got to the stadium only ten minutes late, Syd the cabbie had saved three seats. I pointed out we only needed two but he said he it was so we could change ends at half time. But a good job well done by Syd, as all the main screen seats were full, quite a lot of fans had to watch it on small screens.
I was surprised to see Sagna at centre back, and how fluid the Arsenal attack were. The Gunners were pulverising Sunderland to the oohs and aahs of several thousand fans. In spite of the fact that most of the team had hard international games midweek Arsenal dominated the midfield. Unfortunately it was all tippy tappy in the final third, no one wanted to be the player who took the shot, unless it was Giroud, and someone had tied his bootlaces together for a joke.
Syd was certain that we would pay for the profligacy in front of goal, and a couple of breakaways and hoofed balls from free kicks did make that look a possibility. However, on 35 minutes Cazorla scored Arsenal’s 50th league goal of the season. The ball sped through a tangle of legs, that it wasn’t blocked was a wonder in itself, 1-0 to the Arsenal. Arsenal fluffed quite a few more easier chances before the half time whistle and should have made it 2-0. Arsenal had dominated and were very good value for their 1-0.
Before the game started O’Neil had told his team to watch out for Wilshere, but clearly they hadn’t looked out enough. We predicted that Sunderland would be looking out a lot more closely for the second half. Wilshere was getting some very close, if not nasty attention, and without protection from some very poor refereeing he was forced off after 5 minutes. On came Diaby who did not have one of his better days, and for a little while Arsenal lost their tempo, but then on 61 minutes the ref sent Jenkinson off for a second yellow.
Yes it was a sending off but there was nothing nasty about his mistimed tackle, and he was really going for the ball, unlike many of the nasty hacks at Arsenal players feet. As Sunderland opened up the Gunners got even more chances, as did Sunderland, fortunately none of the Black Cats chances went in, thanks, mainly to Szczesney and Sagna both of whom had an excellent game. Indeed Woj made some of his best saves for a very long time.
Ramsey did very well at right back, and was overlapping far more effectively than Jenkinson who clearly had suffered from a lack of games. After 90 minutes the Emirates crowd were whistling for full time, blissfully unaware that the ref couldn’t hear them 250 miles away. With the Gunners under the cosh in the closing minutes a massive cheer went up for the final whistle.
Arsenal had 56% of possession and 18 shots 9 of which were on target, and yet had only one goal to show for it. Fortunately the defence chose this match to be one to keep a clean sheet in, only the second in the last six league games, and unlike the previous clean sheet against Stoke the Cats did attack in the second half with12 shots seven on target for the whole game. Arsenal could have won this far more easily by taking their chances but it was good performance post International week.
It was a gutsy win ugly performance that proved you can win even when the referee does you no favours.
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Stumbleupon10/02/2013 18:03
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Edited 2 time(s). Last edit at 2013:02:16:20:20:58 by Padre Pio.
I`ve never been to a sports ground to watch an event live on TV. Is the atmosphere really that great? What sort of numbers attend and is it really better than watching down at the pub or at home?
Since the end of WW1, 1919, when the FA restarted its 4 tier football league, with Arsenal fc in the 1st div, there’s only ever been one club to have never been relegated from Div 1/ EPL.
Arsenal fc
Let’s keep making history
Yes its a good atmosphere. You get a free drink for your money and can buy drink through game. Also a small selection of overpriced but ok food.
They put put about a thousand chairs in an indoor lounge opposite a very large screen. Hundreds of others watch in small lounges. The crowd shout away as if at live match and celebrate goal. Some sing chants, but mostly just shouting and cheering. It was funny because everyone was willing the game to end and we are 250 miles away. Its reminiscent of sitting in a large Australian Rugby Club without the pokies.
"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.
Today marks the begining of The year of the snake
"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.
then you arrived at the stadium?
Had to restart after that bit.
then when you described the crowd at the stadium I was like; He's serious about this.
Understanding the bit about the large reptile came last.
Padre, with all the cheering, etc, it sounds like a lot of regular game goers turn up, to make the atmosphere.Since the end of WW1, 1919, when the FA restarted its 4 tier football league, with Arsenal fc in the 1st div, there’s only ever been one club to have never been relegated from Div 1/ EPL.
Arsenal fc
Let’s keep making history
if i lived 200 miles nearer the emirates i'd join you for the next away game. lol
if the FA had the guts to anylised our games against stoke and sunderland they would ban both ref's for life.
the standard of refereeing was diabolical.
take the shawcufts tackle. if he'd made that tackle in the street he'd be prosecuted for grieviuos bodily harm. .
this was the same nice young man who doesn't have a nasty bone in his body. remember purple nose and his other lackies who jumped on the band wagon when he butchered rambo?
after watching catermule and his thugs on saturday it looks like it's open season on arsenal,again.
Just like the old days.......
"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.
"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.
Since the end of WW1, 1919, when the FA restarted its 4 tier football league, with Arsenal fc in the 1st div, there’s only ever been one club to have never been relegated from Div 1/ EPL.
Arsenal fc
Let’s keep making history
"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.
"A club is a union between players, supporters and directors". - Wenger.
Arsene wenger has done an absolutely masterful job within the constraints he has... Every single year, he has outperformed our spending every single year he has been manager. It is extraordinary. -Gazides.
"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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