I've seen goals scored through defenders legs more times that I can count and from much further out so I don't see what the big deal is. Strikers do it between goalies legs all the time too and noone even mentions it. So what am I missing.

I think it’s a decent piece of deflection from Mourinho actually.

Everyone is talking about the penalty rather than their performance because they weren’t at the races in the first half. Didn’t have a kick apart from the goal. Kane barely touched it generally and if Emiles shot had gone in I think it could have been a comfortable win.

Despite Mourinho's comments, it was far from the worst penalty decision ever seen. For me in the harsh category. Word to Lacazette for immediately putting right his miscue with a perfect pen.

I am sorry to say if you don't know, I can't help you!

It was a decent goal and I can appreciate a team scoring againest us.

The sheer adulation though? The best premier league goal of all time? Wot even better than Henry running past the entire spurs team at Highbury ? Give me a break.

Yes, you are right. We were deserved winners.

I agree it is not the greatest Premiership goal, but in a Covid ravaged season it was a very stunning skill. Quite literally bewildered the other players, commentators and viewers. It was special and I am pleased to have seen it.

Send a text to Arteta. Agree, he must be rested. Let Pépé get a run.

Pundits and Spurs fans can argue about the penalty decision till the cows come home. What matters to me is that we won. Hooray!!!!!!

For me, I rate Lamela's goal highly. Crossed his legs, backwards, to deliver such an accurate shot past defender and GK. I believe he intended to do it. Don't like his way of playing, but deserve mention.

I think our midfield and defence were caught out by the one-touch football prior to the goal. Bale delivers the ball across from right to left. Whoever he was at the left, first-timed the ball inwards. And whoever he was in the penalty area, first-timed it to Lamela. And Lamela did his trick for the goal.

Exactly, it is possible to make an attempt at a block without taking the man out - I'm not sure why there are so many in the media suggesting Sanchez could do nothing about what happened. Of course there wasn't much sympathy when Luiz conceded that penalty against Wolves - he was actually called 'clumsy' by a supposed expert ex-ref.
I do think there is a heavy spurs presence in the media and there is clear evidence for certain teams and players receiving far more favourable press over certain incidents. Can we all imagine for a second that Xhaka made that challenge that Kane made on Gabriel? Or if Xhaka or Luiz had made the challenge Snachez did on Lacazette? Absolutely no chance would the reports be the same as they are.

I even highlighted earlier in the week where Fulham were given praise on MOTD for being brave, almost forgiven for passing it out from the back, even though that tactic conceded two comical goals v City. Arsenal concede two equally comical goals with this same tactic and we're lambasted from pillar to post.

Smith-Rowe and Nketiah included in the England squad for the U21 Euros - Greenwood, Hudson-Odoi, Jones and others makes it a very strong squad. Unfortunately no Willock, despite playing well for Newcastle.

First of all, the sperz goal was fantastic. The cheek to try in a NLD with so much on the line makes it even more incredible. Let's not down play it. We do ourselves a disservice in doing so. Give credit where credit is due. There are Liverpool and Sperz fans who grudgingly but will admit Henry's run through their defense against them is pure class.

Penalty or no, Kane's obvious hit on Gabriel, all that won't take away from a great win. We beat Tottenham and just as importantly beat Mourinho. One more in a long list of indignations he has had to suffer. I know Wenger was watching and I hope he had a smile on his face.

This is the kind of win we can build on. It could spark something for the rest of the season.

Arteta has already beaten most of the top managers in the league. There should be no inferiority complex now.
If we look at our recent performances there is a level of consistency there, even if the results might have been up and down, we has lost points or goals to some unfortunate ref calls and plenty of individual mistakes. This is nothing like simply not defending well and not creating.
I don't really ever look at our team and think we're not set up well without the ball, or that we look really vulnerable to a counter attack or particular tactic by the opposition targeting a known weakness.

Look up the league and plenty of teams are as inconsistent as us with results but their performances are worse for my money. Villa, Everton, Liverpool and Spurs are all catchable.

You are right, overall, the league itself has been inconsistent. City has lost 3 and drawn 5. With how they were fighting Liverpool at one time, that would have been second place easily. The whole league is down, with the exception of West Ham and possibly Everton? But overall, the league is taking a breather.

Anyway, Mourinho has had his way with us since he came in the league. Drogba before and now Kane (who almost scored) must relish playing us.

Hoping we are turning things around.

Good post Rich I have to agree.

I don’t really know what our fans want or expect. We sack our manager and appoint someone like Mourinho who just got it all wrong yesterday.

People can’t look at the positives, we are far better off the ball now, defensive stability has returned bar the occasional individual error, we are now competing in big games and we have 3 outstanding young players in Tierney, Saka and Emile Smith Rowe. If you can move on our remaining deadwood players it will allow us to bring a couple of quality additions in to compete

Another interesting debate is should Arteta be using tactics to suit the players he is or use the tactics he wants to use long term?
There’s no easy answer and whatever side you come down on can’t be applied to every team. For example burnley may have dreams of playing free flowing open football but with the players they have it would get them relegated so they play to their strengths to stay up.
The more I’ve considered this the more I think the right thing is to implement the tactics we consider are the right style to win the league. So it’s passing out from the back, short passing, high tempo, high press and 4-2-3-1. It may be that we make mistakes in this because some players aren’t up to it but we gradually move those players out of the team and being in those who can cope - then when you bring those players in you already have half a team well versed in the style and tactics.
Klopp did this at Liverpool and their high press, they didn’t really have the players when he first joined and had some wild results but as he added players there was a clear system ready for them.

As to Aubameyang....
Poor baby
Awww he was furious about being punished, so roared away from the stadium, to not stay around with a few of the players.
Not the first time he's been late either. As Mikel said it's done.

Not that Peter Walton ever really disagrees with an on field decision but at least he sets out the clear reasons ‘in the rules of the game’ to show why a penalty was correct.

I really like Emile Smith Rowe. I think what sets him apart is that he is equally adept at playing those little first time passes that give time and space to others as he is at running or dribbling with the ball at his feet. A swiss army knife of a player with lots of strings to his bow.

Tierney is turning into a monster of a player. His capacity and desire to get up and down the pitch and his ability to provide a quality final ball are exceptional. He is inspirational and should be made captain next season.

Morning socrates. Surely that will depend on whether Aubameyang leaves or stays. If he does go, then someone else will be given the captaincy with Tierney being a candidate. If he doesn’t, how wise is it to publicly strip him of the captaincy, on top of him being dropped from the team against Tottenham because he was late getting somewhere for the game?

Do we want to really urinate off (the forum will block a use of a four letter word beginning with a ‘p’, followed by an ‘i’, and ending with double ‘s’) our main goal scorer? My guess is Aubameyang would take it as a public humiliation. I know Xhaka showed a great attitude to come back from it, but would Aubameyang? Maybe, but it’s surely debatable.

A sad reminder for today.

It was March 16th, 2005 that our forums founder, Steve Gleiber, lost his battle with cancer.

That's 16 years ago.

It's great to still see so many original posters from so many years ago. I know it means a lot to the family.

Also, a shout out to the forum moderators LTG and Niall who've helped keep the place running for so long.

Thank you !

Wow. 16 years? Time is indeed accelerating.

I think we all owe you a debt of gratitude as well, Rog.

Mind you, for £80k a week....

It’s you who has kept it going Rog. 100%.

As for Steve - always in our memories, and enshrined in the paving stone outside Ashburton Grove.

Agreed, (but no the captian thing just yet), Tierney has so many things that are likeable about his game. That trick he has where he looks like he'c coming inside and instantly knocks it down the line (as he did to Doherty) is so effective. He shows a good turn of pace as well - and crucially he so often picks out the right final ball. We were used to these fine accurate curling crosses from wider positions when he first came but now his more potent weapon seems to be these low crosses behind the retreating defence to an oncoming midfielder.
My only concern is when he's come up against the very best he has been beaten a few times - as most defenders are - but I think it was against Mahrez and Salah who both turned him inside out a bit. Generally he's good 1 v 1 but those guys are in a different level. So if he wants to be up on a level with Ashley Cole as great Arsenal left-backs that is the one area for improvement for me.

I still don't think we're seeing the best of Partey yet. He is influencing games but has also been a bit sloppy in recent games - the sorts of things that if it were Xhaka would be jumped on immediately by the fans. In the last 15 minutes v Spurs he was as culpable as anyone for us losing control. I recall a silly foul on Kane that lead to Kane hitting the post and also a sloppy pass that went out for a corner.
His performance against Man U away is the level we need him at because if he gets there consistently then he really is a game-changer for us

Hi Warrior,

Very sad, such a shame.

Time just flies doesn't it.

My thoughts are with his family and friends today.

Don't tell him that, ltg, he'll want another pay rise.

This remains my go to website, and always will. What a legacy SG left us. Thoughts with his family, and can i add my thanks to the folks who continue to keep it going. Whatever our differences we all have one thing in common. We love The Arsenal.

Hi Rich,

He's goes from the sublime to the ridiculous.

Moments of absolute brilliance and powerful dominance mixed in with moments of carelessness, errant passes and failure to track runners.

Yes, he does need to work on his one v ones against the top players but his capacity to get up and down the pitch is incredible and his desire to make things happen and refusal to accept defeat is fantastic. I feel he has stepped up a level in recent weeks.

Hi Bernard,

You are right, of course, it would be difficult to strip Aubameyang of the captaincy.

If feels like Tierney is a leader without the armband anyway.

Cédric called up to the Portugal squad. Good reward for him, he's been good for us recently and would have loved his crashing shot to have snuck inside the post v Spurs

https://trainingground.guru/articles/pe ... hY.twitter

Interesting article on the backward pass and how its used to beat the press.

If you don't fancy reading the article just know that the team with the most backward passes this season are Man City

https://www.football365.com/news/aubame ... mediawatch

Just read the first part of this. I don't know what axe Stan Collymore has to grind with Arsenal but he clearly has a problem with us that he won't let go, and he really isn't the only one in the media. Click on some of the links to historic Collymore ramblings over Arsenal. The standard or some of the football punditry is appalling, far too many have an agenda they want to talk or write about and shoehorn that in irrespective of what actually happened or everyone could see with their own eyes.
I would have far more respect for pundits who give their opinion and then come back and revise it and say 'they've proved me wrong' and this is how they've done it. Explain why you had a certain opinion back then and why you've changed your mind now. Arsenal would be an absolute prime example. To just say 'Arsenal are 10th and therefore mediocre' is adding little in the role of the pundit. Tell us why that early season form meant we not only had poor results but also didn't even look capable of picking up a result. Now tell us how that has been fixed by Arteta and has us 3rd/4th in the form table since Christmas.

I don't mind pundits sticking the boot in where it is warranted but don't fall back on tired old Arsenal-based cliches when they are not only not true but there has been clear evidence to the contrary.

https://www.telegraph.co.uk/football/20 ... gniter-rhr

Apologies if posted previously.

There are some events you remember exactly where you were and what you were doing at the time. I was in the office and got the news. My workmates thought a family member passed away and they were right, a family member did.

Thanks to Steve for this wonderful place. And thanks Warrior, LTG & Niall for keeping it going.

Best wishes to Steve’s family and friends and thanks to everyone who keeps the forum going.