Arsenal

[Chicog]

I wonder if Wenger will go for the handshake or the glasgow kiss.

[SantiSuk]

Mind you Giroud and Gabriel deserve the fans deepest opprobrium. These guys are paid buckets of cash and they know the risks of losing their tempers. Wholly unprofessional behaviour from both which cost us two matches.

[stoneyboy]

Ruined a good game for neutrals.

[SantiSuk]

Now that one was a deserved red! Stupid tackle on a yellow. Nowhere near.

[SantiSuk]

Poor first half from Arsenal anyway, No players really on song in front of the defence. Not looking good for us - shadow of last year's efforts

[Chicog]

Well apart from the fact that Dean was caught celebrating a goal against us in one game, it's interesting to note the win percentages of games he's refereed in recent years:

Arsenal 7% (!)

Chelsea 63%

Man Dhabi 63%

Man U 63%

Tiny Totts 50%

Shocking really, but his ineptitude was there for all to see there, as were the scrapes on the back of Gabriel's neck from Costa's actions.

And the number of fouls officially committed by Costa today?

0

If I didn't laugh I'd cry.

[salty]

Mind you Giroud and Gabriel deserve the fans deepest opprobrium. These guys are paid buckets of cash and they know the risks of losing their tempers. Wholly unprofessional behaviour from both which cost us two matches.

I would agree. Gabriel had no need to get involved in the situation. Nauseating to see the Mourinho interview afterwards. Always liable to whine when one of his players are sent off. If positions were reversed and one of the Arsenal players escaped a red he would have gone ballistic.

[Chicog]

"Mike Dean is a really good referee but he has one fault – he wants to be the star too often.

“It's not about you, Mike. People pay good money to see good football. It's not about you behaving like a schoolteacher."

A pretty accurate summation - from a Tiny Totts player!

Graham Poll was the same.

Edited September 19, 2015 by Chicog

[champers]

Sour grapes make for a bitter whine. Some Arsenal players need to grow a pair. Gooners must be pining for the likes of Viera, Adams, Keown, Bould.

[Chicog]

Why is it sour grapes to expect the officials to do their job properly?

All the players you named would have got a red for doing what Costa did.

[SantiSuk]

... err I think that's what Champers may be getting at. No wussy little back-heels for any of those 4, Costa would have left the field on a stretcher somewhat later in the game!

[carmine]

... err I think that's what Champers may be getting at. No wussy little back-heels for any of those 4, Costa would have left the field on a stretcher somewhat later in the game!

If anyone wants an example of how you deal with Costa and effectively take him out of the game watch a re run of their game against the mighty Palace. Costa was well and truly put in his place.

Arsenal players just made the mistake of reacting to the Mourinho/Costa gameplay that is so welcome and attractive to the beautiful game

Wenger is right in his descriptions of "disgusting" but when dealing with such disgusting players and managerial tactics he really needs to wise up.

[Chicog]

The commentators were saying that Kos should have gone down when he had his face grabbed and slapped.

It's a sad indictment of today's refereeing that they base decisions on player reaction rather than what is rather obviously going on in front of them.

Edited September 20, 2015 by Chicog

[sotsira]

Garth Crooks summed it up quite well i thought

putting the blame on to Mike Dean more than the players involved.

http://www.bbc.com/sport/0/football/34302203

[champers]

... err I think that's what Champers may be getting at. No wussy little back-heels for any of those 4, Costa would have left the field on a stretcher somewhat later in the game!

Looks like your enforcer now is Cazorla. Koscielny is a big girl's blouse. With apologies to big girls... and their blouses.

Edited September 20, 2015 by champers

[Chicog]

... err I think that's what Champers may be getting at. No wussy little back-heels for any of those 4, Costa would have left the field on a stretcher somewhat later in the game!

Looks like your enforcer now is Cazorla. Koscielny is a big girl's blouse. With apologies to big girls... and their blouses.

The big girls blouse is Hazard. If a breeze catches him he's down on the floor writhing with pain.

[champers]

Who told you that? Eva?

[SantiSuk]

... err I think that's what Champers may be getting at. No wussy little back-heels for any of those 4, Costa would have left the field on a stretcher somewhat later in the game!

Looks like your enforcer now is Cazorla. Koscielny is a big girl's blouse. With apologies to big girls... and their blouses.

Wrong on both counts. Cazorla is forced back into defensive mid (for games against the big teams) cos Wenger wrongly thought he needed to buy no more of that sort, Jack is injured and Arteta is useless (even the overly-loyal Arsene must now be realising that). Cazorla is no defender and that's why he ploughed in with a mistimed tackle.

Completely laughable your comment about Koscielney. Many think he's the best centre half in the Prem and most of us fans know he is at least one of the best. You dissing him because he didn't react to Costa's mauling is just a poor wind-up (I hope for your analytical sake).

[Bredbury Blue]

I posted the following comments on the Man City forum which riled the great Evan Stevens (doh!), so to make him happy, I'm posting them on the Arsenal and Chelsea forums.

I don't usually comment on other teams except ManU, but I watched the Chelsea v Arse game, just seen the Wenger and Mourinho interviews, and I feel very upset for Arsenal and Wenger for the way cheating Costa stage managed the sending off. Costa needs to be penalised by the FA next week..Mourinhos comments. ..absolutely rubbish.

Let's hope Costa is investigated by the FA this week and gets the lengthy suspension he really deserves

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/sport/football/teams/arsenal/11876928/Seven-photos-that-prove-Diego-Costa-got-away-with-it-against-Arsenal.html

[smokie36]

Your lot look crap as ever....not buying a striker is gonna cost you this season.

[jellydog]

Your lot look crap as ever....not buying a striker is gonna cost you this season.

Tiki-taka Barca without Messi, Suarez or Neymar (and Busquets). I respect Wenger but he seems intent on cutting off his nose to spite his face. You would think Levy is running things at Arsenal, but at least he brought in Alfie's dog.

[smokie36]

Your lot look crap as ever....not buying a striker is gonna cost you this season.

Tiki-taka Barca without Messi, Suarez or Neymar (and Busquets). I respect Wenger but he seems intent on cutting off his nose to spite his face. You would think Levy is running things at Arsenal, but at least he brought in Alfie's dog.

Our new signing looks good so far...very happy with him...and with Alli...and others too to a degree.

Yes a smile even tomorrow morning I think.

[Chicog]

Piers the <deleted> Morgan says he could do better than Wenger and that he would have paid 100m for Benzema.

If that's what it has really come to I have lost all interest.

[Chicog]

Well well maybe Costa IS going to get what he deserves. Too late for the reult though.

Arsenal's appeal against defender Gabriel's red card during Saturday's defeat by Chelsea has been successful.

Gabriel, 24, was sent off by referee Mike Dean for violent conduct after a clash with Diego Costa during the Blues' 2-0 victory at Stamford Bridge.

The successful appeal means he will now not serve a three-match suspension.

[SantiSuk]

LOL. Dean cocked up. I thought he would have red carded him for "using offensive, insulting or abusive language and/or gestures" It was never "violent conduct". Have a feeling that the FA cannot substitute a reason after the event if a ref has opined.

Wonder why he thought it violent, given the replays show he didn't see it. Maybe a linesman over-described it "Gabriel just kicked Costa" "Yes there was contact - he backheeled him on the shin". My money is that he lost his head.

I'm naive - think I know why people go into reffing and what turns them on about it having done a bit - stabs right to the heart to not be scrupulously impartial. I know players/fans think otherwise.

[SantiSuk]

I see Arsenal Supporters Trust are whingeing about Stan taking 3m out of the coffers. Jeez the guy put hundreds of millions up to buy the club and 3m is buttons. Stick to the main thrust that the club are pursuing too cautious a strategy. Get the f__ out there and compete in the transfer market as well as the pitch. Don't just sit on the sidelines whingeing about the price of the modern game.

On the face of it taking it as a consulting fee rather than divi looks dodgy, but I can't believe that he has not been advised that it's kosher with the US IRS. Tax avoidance, not evasion

Where is our prince?

[Chicog]

ARSENAL (4-2-3-1): Ospina; Debuchy, Mertesacker, Chambers, Gibbs; Flamini, Arteta ©; Oxlade-Chamberlain, Ramsey, Campbell; Giroud.

Amazingly the Flamster has weighed in with a goal, but him and Arteta are labouring and a card each is evidence of that.

Debuchy is having a torrid time and also in the book.

[SantiSuk]

Got back home in time to find it was not shown on anything satellite or free that I have, so missed this one. Got up to make a final last channel flip check. Needed the sleep anyway.

Sounds like a clash of the second teams+2, which is how things should be in this meaningless competition (no crying if lost, no crowing if won).

An unlikely hero in Flam and nice to progress for another round of opportunity to give the bench team a run-out.

Wenger still has that full shopping bag to take into Christmas - finisher/defensive mid/centre back - no excuses now about Christmas being a bad time to buy old boy! (som nam naa nah!)

Did any bencher shine Chic? Chambers/Gibbs/Ox? Was Poch right to say that Spuds played better?

Dropping back a few more points in the near future is a real worry with the lack of form of Giroud (and to a lesser extent Sanchez and Ramsey). It's just not really clicking up front, same as last year's first third in reality, but last year Sanchez brilliance carried the team and built a platform to keep us well inside top 4. IMO there is a real risk that platform does not get erected in time for any 7th cavalry purchases/form re-discoveries.

Ever the pessimist. Looking on the bright side, ex-4 would be a potential force for renewal!

Edited September 24, 2015 by SantiSuk

[SantiSuk]

Wednesday away next btw

[Chicog]

No, Leicester away

And they haven't stopped for a breath yet! What a game this is turning into.