Good morning, did you miss me? I didn’t. Miss me. Neither did the guy with a bat yesterday.
Apparently, I live in an exciting neighborhood.
I was driving to get a pizza. Sometimes I don’t make my own pizza crust and instead, I go get a pizza. I got near the pizza place and realize I had overshot the turn, so I turned down this residential street to make up a few blocks rather than try to turn left on a main boulevard. And there in the street is a guy with a bat, menacing. In my memory he kind of looks like Brittany Spears during her infamous meltdown.
I slowed down, looked for an escape but I was already partly down the block. I thought about backing up but then I was like, “he’s just playing around, he won’t do anything” and drove toward the guy. As I got closer it became very clear that he sure the heck was going to do something, so I gunned it and dude.. HIT MY CAR WITH A BAT.
Now I have a huge dent in my car.
I have to get rid of this car. I got it brand new two years ago on my birthday. A few weeks later it was smashed into (while parked) at 5am by a drunk/stoned/high guy. Two parts of that story are great: 1) when I asked him for his license and insurance he said “I have to admit that I don’t have a license. But, I didn’t lose my license because I’m a bad driver. I lost it because I didn’t pay my child support.” and 2) his passenger wasn’t wearing a seatbelt and smashed his head into his windshield. Naturally, I called an ambulance. They took that guy away (guy #1 went into the squad car with the police) and after a few hours of getting my claim started, cleaning up the broken glass, and getting my old truck running, I drove in to work. On the way into work, I see guy #2 walking back toward my block with a bandage on his head.
A few weeks ago, I came out of the Fred Meyer (near where dude with the bat was) and the rear of my car had been smashed into. That’s the second time that’s happened at a Fred Meyer parking lot. I thought I had learned a lesson from the first time when I parked up front. That time, someone must have wrecked into me while pulling in or out of the slot next to me. So, this time I parked far away from all of the other people. No luck! Someone somehow smashed me. And so for the last few weeks, every time I get out of the car I check the rear to make sure I haven’t been smashed into.
Anyway, do you want to buy a lightly cursed 2017 Subaru? I think I’m at the break-even point with the loan so, I think if you just take over the payments, you can have it. Imagine all of the unnecessary drama it will bring into your life!
Other than that, everything is just great.
What is the Arsenal up to? Oh hey, Leicester today at erm, noon. Cool.
I watched some of the matches from the Nationalism Break and I have the following commentary: when do we start to see the thinkpieces which ask the question, “is possession football dead?” I ask because England beat Spain with, like, 2% of the ball or something and I literally heard people on certain big podcasts proclaiming it was the best England team they have ever seent.
I know that I’m a philistine when it comes to these things but I guess I’m one of the few people who thinks that this back-and-forth about which is better between possession and counter-attacking is boring. Sometimes counter-attacking works. Most of the time possession works. But neither one works if your players aren’t playing the system properly. And in one-off matches and short tournaments neither system is going to prove superior. It’s really all about the players you have and playing a system which fits them. For England, that’s quick counters.
The same for Leicester. Or at least it was back in 2015/16 when they won the League with 44% possession. The third lowest possession totals in the League that season and the least amount of possession of any Premier League champ.
They aren’t really like that anymore. They have 52% possession this season (8th in the League) compared to Arsenal who have just 54% possession, way down from that same 2015/16 season when Arsenal led the League with 59%. And lest you think that Leicester only want the ball at home, their possession numbers are identical home and away.
One thing has remained from their title-winning team: they are still a massive threat on the counter. Vardy, Iheanacho, Albrighton, and Pereira have all scored goals on the counter this season. Their 4 goals on counter attacks is best in the League by a mile. They had 7 last season as well (3rd in the League behind Liverpool (9) and Tottenham (8)) and so, this is a thing that Arsenal have to be wary of. They will look to invite Arsenal to try their luck on a corner, win the header (through Magwire’s massive noggin) and quickly get the ball out to anyone who is making a run.
They will also, probably, try to get in behind Bellerin with Iheanacho.
They aren’t bad off corners themselves either. They are 2nd in the League in key passes off corners and Founding Father James Maddison already has an assist on a corner – to Magwire.
This is a tough test for the Arsenal. They are going for their 10th win in a row with questions being raised over whether they are a fugazi or just experiencing a period of variance. Leicester are a smart team with a lot of weapons. Let’s hope they don’t brickbat the Arsenal today.
The lineup I wish for: Leno, Bellerin, Holding, Sokratis, Monreal, Guendouzi, Torriera, Mkhitaryan, Iwobi, Welbeast, Lacazette. Subs: Ramsey, Auba, Ozil (brought on for the win!)
Enjoy the game wherever you are.
“It’s really all about the players you have and playing a system which fits them. For England, that’s quick counters.”
Agree. The England team simply doesn’t have the midfielders to control the game, while the Spaniards have tons of them with Silva, Koke, Thiago and Isco.
i agree, this is going to be a tough game. for some reason, i’ve been worried about this game all season, particularly with jamie vardy and threat he’ll pose to the arsenal backline. also, i really like okazaki for his work ethic and think he’s grossly underrated. will he pose a threat?
funny, you mention iheanacho as he was one of the players i wanted arsenal to sign before lacazette came in. i thought arsenal could get him cheap and that he would do well. hopefully, he doesn’t do well today and will be outshone by his international teammate, alex iwobi. we’ll see.
Hkaka out of team and bench? OK. Good afternoon….
Strange game from an Arsenal perspective. It was really ponderous, slow play in possession without a cutting edge, predictable and easy for Leicester (relatively… they have physically imposing, hard running midfielders) and Arsenal rode their luck again until it ran out with the deflection off of Harry Bell and into the goal. I think Neuer has it covered otherwise!
Since the goal, we look like a different team. The combinations are quicker, the runs are more frequent and more purposeful, and duels are being won in their half. Captain Mesut’s goal came after a steady spell of pressure on their goal the equalizer doesn’t feel as pilfered as much as Leicester’s early dominance might suggest. In the second half, we can go to Aubameyang off the bench to help provide another threat behind them. I think like Watford, they will flag a bit in their intensity and belief in the second half and we have it in us to grab the winner.
Arsenal didn’t just take advantage of a physical flag by Leicester, they put their foot/feet on the throat of the boys in blue and didn’t let up. And those goals, OH MY SWEET MESUT. What a performance.
Take a bow, Mesut Ozil. Best you’ve ever played forArsenal. Running the show.
Ramsey’s the goal of the season? Nah. Watch Arsenal’s third. made by Ozil, finished by Auba.
The Ozil dummy-and-go was so exquisite. Laca gets juge credit for his one timer to Ozil on that goal. If you recall, we did the same thing to Chelsea in our match with them, just didn’t finish. This team is so dangerous. Heavenly.
Oh captain, my captain. Wow, what a performance from Mesut Özil in the no. 10 position. Unanimous MOTM.
Great changes at halftime from Emery: Iwobi to the right to shut down Chilwell and replaced Mkhitaryan who was not tracking back.
Aubameyang, just call him ‘Easy 2′ Aubameyang.
Top 4 on goal difference for now.
Gutsy noncall from the new referee for the handball on Holding which was head (attacker) to elbow (Holding) pushing the hand to the ball. Sorry, Leicester.
10 wins, keep the train a-rollin’ all night long.
Yes, that’s how I saw the “handball” incident too; and the Leicester player had his arm draped over Holding’s shoulder as they jumped for the ball also. A penalty and sending off would have been most unfair IMHO, and almost as irritating as the endless moaning of the commentary team who had no interest in looking for a reason why a player, on a yellow, would reach up to punch a ball in the middle of the area and right in front of the referee. I had to turn the sound off.
And in response to the good Dr.’s comment below, everyone likes to win. Long may it continue.
What has unai given these boys.. they’re smoking something unique..what is iwobi eating.. am I watching the making of a titan?
I thought Iwobi looked most likely to make something happen at 1-1. The team came out so strong in the first 10 of the second half and his direct running and strength on the ball stood out. He can still pick a pass, too. It’s so good to see him blossoming like this.
Is this late game Auba substitution now a thing? Bring him on when the other side are tired, and stomp on their throats? Foxes just gave up on having possession at all for a while in the second half. At 10 games, you really start to believe.
boys, this arsenal team is good. we got what everyone had been asking for:
laca, auba, and ozil together, check.
guendouzi and torreira together, check.
leno in goal, check.
ramsey and xhaka out of the arsenal midfield, check.
iwobi and guendouzi are the surprise packages that arsenal fans didn’t expect. xhaka a backup left back and ramsey at left bench, i’ll take it.
my word, mesut was imperious! magnificent! spectacular!
boys, this arsenal team is good.
Man that Ozil is really nickin’ a living isn’t he? What a performance from him. I do wish we could see that from him more often but maybe the captain’s band is what he needs?? Three goal of the season contenders in one game. I think my favorite moment of the game was Ozil’s pre-assist for the second because it seemed to slow down time. Simply ethereal.
Other players who really played well were Torreira and Iwobi. Iwobi’s nutmeg to get away from two markers was an amazing show of skill. In Torreira, we finally have a tigerish midfielder. When I saw him at the world cup, I didn’t think he was technically great but either he has already improved under Emery or I was plain wrong in my initial observation. He didn’t put a wrong foot forward today. I was also impressed with Guendouzi’s cameo. His passing is so intelligent. Plays the easy pass when he has to but sometimes the weight of his pass and the flight of the ball when he just pick out a runner reminds me of Cesc. Different player obviously but I have high hopes for him.
I thought the “we’ve got our Arsenal back” chants against Fulham were a bit silly but after the goals that were scored today, it’s hard to disagree. Still need a lot of work defensively and our height is a disadvantage on set pieces but at least the football is fun again.
Oh and Leno. He was solid today with both his hands and feet. This performance should be enough to shut the door on Cech.
Watched that 3rd goal more than a dozen times. And watching it in real time, it had me leaping out of my seat and applauding. Ive supported this club for a long time, and I’ve seen some magical goals. That was up there in comparison with the best that Thierry, DB10, Pires and Rosicky ever served up.
Props to Mesut and the glorious dummy and assist (first time, outside of left boot, lifted over Schmeichel), but what about Lacazette, man. 99.9% of strikers receiving it there would shoot. Not only did he have the split-second awareness to read Ozil’s intention, the weight of the pass into the run makes me want to marry it. Laca worked really, really hard, gave a team performance, and with better finishing would have had a brace.
It’d be hard to better that goal this season, and yes, for my money, it was better than Ramsey’s against Fulham. It reminded me of my favourite goal of the world cup… Belgium’s utterly superb counter against Japan, finished by Chadli. Pure beauty, both of them.
Maguire, a good CB even if he’s bigged up rather too much by England, was utterly bewildered by the movement around him, and didnt know which way to turn. Ozil gave him a terrible run around for much of the game.
Has anyone ever scored an OG but given a 9 out of 10 performance? Bellerin did. He’s got 2 guys ahead of him for Spain at RB. Not for long.
Thought it was a better team goal than Ramsey’s, because it was mainly Rambo’s finish (on his weaker left foot!) that elevated that move to high art. That goal was improv – this was methodical brilliance.
Haven’t celebrated a goal like that for a while. Pretty much lost it and bounced around like a demented Tigger for fully two minutes in shock at how good it was.
I was watching the game while putting my toddler to bed, and so I had to mute the screams of celebration at the third. Turns out he was awake anyway, and witnessed what will probably be the most bizarre sequence of silent actions he’ll ever see in life, including (for some odd reason) punching myself in the leg.
Agree, Kaius. Can’t remember ever celebrating a goal like that. It was just so shockingly beautiful.
It was a gutsy call to put Xhaka (who was on a yellow!!) at left back and Puel tried to make him pay for it by putting Ghezzal (sic) on that flank straight away. Still, it was obvious that Lichtsteiner was struggling to contribute to our attacking play on that flank. It was tough to watch him have to shift the ball to his right foot time after time and Leicester caught on to that quickly. It was a brave but necessary change and one that paid off. Ghezzal almost roasted him but Xhaka didn’t give away a penalty and trusted his team to cover him, which Guendouzi did with aplomb when it got hairy at one point.
It’s worth pointing out that Xhaka was the point of origin for that unbelievable 3d goal from his left back position as his shimmy wrongfooted the pressing Leicester player (Mendy I think) and allowed Torreira to receive the ball in space and continue to slice through their high lines. Ozil and our forwards did the rest, but Xhaka’s initial move allowed the cascade to begin. #xGchain #EmeryDoesTactics
Xhaka was not the point of origin. It was Leno to Holding to Xhaka. Then Torreira, Ozil, flick to Guendouzi, Bellerin, Ozil dummy, Laca layoff, Ozil chip, Auba finish.
Have you ever played ultimate frisbee? I played competitively for something like 10 years. The defenders always line up on the side of the “force” which means the defender marking the player with the disc “forces” him/her to throw it towards one side of the field. That way all the other defenders only have to worry about being beaten in one direction. But if the disc handler “breaks” the force and completes a throw to the side that is supposed to be blocked, now all the defenders are on the wrong side and the offense can advance the disc quickly on the other flank with little resistance. So the key move that starts the cascade is the break, and I think that’s true in football too. Without wishing to big up the skill required too much, that shimmy was the break that started the cascade for that goal, even though it wasn’t the first pass in the sequence. It may not seem like much but it’s crucial and it wasn’t happening in the first half in this game or in other games when we’ve been pressed aggressively. The other players in the cascade deserve credit too, particularly Torreira and Ozil whose one touch advances built the advantage from a small one to a large one.
I thought he did well at left back, actually. But on that move, he beat the pressing man by tucking inside and passing to Torreira. That’s it. He had a decent game overall, but that was an utterly unexceptional passage of play from a full back. He didn’t give it away when pressed! Which was nice. Let’s not heap praises on him for doing the routine. Its kind of damning in itself.
But yes, left back yesterday is the most assured I’ve seen him play of late. Can he play there more when we’re short? Yes. I’d prefer AMN in midfield, actually. Except that AMN is not a passer, and Xhaka doesn’t have the speed to attack on the overlap.
This was not meant to heap praise on Xhaka but on Emery for having the guts to put him there and then being rewarded for it. Fortune favors the bold! I thought Guendouzi’s energy and mobility was a boon to our midfield compared to what Xhaka gave before him.
Absolutely a joy to watch, Arsenal. I haven’t buzzed like that for a long time. The intensity of the game in the second half reminds me of that comeback win against Bolton some years back. Ecstasy.
Been very calm about Emery since he was appointed. Kept telling people to watch some of PSG’s length of the pitch counter-attacks from last season to get a sense of what was in store. Didn’t think we’d be seeing all this attacking magnificence so early in the process!
Shout out to those who doubted Alex ‘Yung Nutmeg’ Iwobi and everyone who had the sads this summer because Arsenal didn’t indulge their kinky Arteta fetish.
People disappointed by the Arteta snub was kind of a head scratcher for me too.
Not that Im expecting Emery to deliver any titles in his first season mind you, but to appoint a former player who’d played with most current ( at the time) Arsenal players would’ve been highly risky on too many levels.
Not to mention the fact Arsenal needed a clean break from the Wenger era and Arteta wouldn’t have been it.
I can say for the first time in a long time that I feel a camaraderie between us gooners that warms my heart. Long may it continue.
Tim, your Subaru — official car of the Pacific Northwest — I can’t believe the bad luck! Did you call the cops on batman?
I did. They didn’t find him. Or at least they haven’t said anything to me yet.
Oh, dear God:
https://www.theguardian.com/football/blog/2018/oct/23/are-arsenal-genuine-contenders-for-the-premier-league-title-football
Fffffffffuuuuhhh
Drives me nuts. Nobody thinks this. Nobody. Why is it a topic?
Wouldnt say that that was particularly deep and insightful. Looks like they all hammered that out in 3 minutes.
I know. I struggle to see the point of it.
I take the view that the fact that this is even being discussed is a compliment to Emery and what this team has done thus far. And you and I both clicked on it so that’s the purpose served.
As I said a couple of weeks ago to the British media, please leave us under the radar and away from silly proclamations about where Arsenal are headed. Arsenal and supporters are not naive nor are we booking the tour bus for the end of season parade. We’ve done okay up to now against the competition we’ve face but we know tougher tests await. We know we will lose games and we are more interested in our team’s response (10 in a row response) going forward. We know our defense is still the subject of concern but we are getting better. We know we start slow but I firmly believe that when we face Liverpool we will not be the last horse out of the stall. We are enjoying our football for the first time in a while and just leave us the f**k alone.
Laca would get a 8 or 9 out of 10 for me, even with missing the 2 good chances he had. He is so instrumental in build up and his passing is delicious. I love me some Auba, but Laca brings so much to the CF role beyond goals. You can literally see how flummoxed opponents are when they have to contend with Laca, Auba and Ozil simultaneoulsy, plus track Iwobi, Bellerin or Nacho overlapping. It’s just too much.
This is as a great a run of games as we’ve had in years. Enjoy it while it lasts, weird as it is, with the Jekyll and Hyde halves, the weak defense, the swashbuckling offense. The improbable has become not only the possible but almost the expected.
I was momentarily confused by the psycho with the baseball bat. Tim is the King of Metaphor, so I was wondering if this was political commentary. Was the dude with the bat really Donald Trump? Or didbhe represent the sudden end of our winning run?
Sorry Tim, about your car. It’s kind of depressing that s&$t like that happens to your Subaru which can be so impervious to Nature’s nastiness but not to human ugliness.
May Wenger manage Real Madrid now and bring you much happiness as he wins La Liga, Copa del Sol and kicks Mourinho’s ass in CL.
Copa del Sol is about the only one I can see Wenger win these days 🙂
If he gets another big job ( any job) opportunity I will be rooting for him to succeed but somehow I don’t think he will.
His judgment isn’t what it once was and his latest Ozil back to the German national team comment being the lates example of, at least for me.
Certain bridges best remain burnt and Ozil is fast approaching years where concentrating all his efforts on club play can only be beneficial to him and Arsenal.
All hail Prince Alexander, the Prince of Nutmegs!!😂😂
Hey Tim, sorry about your car and it’s resale value.
That dude was probably a local resident fed up with traffic cutting through his residential street.
Either that or just a frustrated Man U fan.
OH! That makes sense. I can’t have been the only person on their way to get a pizza over the years.