https://twitter.com/goonertaik/status/1 ... -j6VVZXEoA

Gk punches White in the back from a corner, red card and penalty. Not reviewed. Maybe White should have gone down and rolled around to draw attention to it

Each of the penalty claims we had yesterday, I think there were at least 4-5, you will have an ex-ref look at and say ‘not enough’ and they will be able to justify the subjective decision - which is fine as long as that consistency is applied everywhere, the problem is it isn’t, we are penalised for the smallest infringement that is let go all the time, we’re not given penalties that are given all the time.

We’re told about the high bar for var to intervene but yet that bar gets lowered when it can go against us and raised when it can go for us.

Were you in the loo a lot?

Thanks - If anyone has any more info that would be great.

As you know, I'm not one to blame referees but VAR is now an absolute joke. At least one of the penalty claims should have been given and probably two or three of them. The one where the guy deflected the ball onto the post with his arm looked a nailed on to me.

Last minute winners are joyous.

Merson totally shocked on SSN. Gary Lineker's video of Wrighty going mental. Brilliant stuff.

My son had a chemistry exam yesterday afternoon. About 1 minute after Nelson's goal my wife spotted him walking up the road coming home so I went outside, arms aloft. No reaction. He had his phone in his hand. A few seconds later he jumped in the air. He was listening to Livescore commentary which must have been a few minutes delayed. Absolutely priceless.

I was at the match yesterday. Firstly, as the we enter the last quarter of the season and are still top of the league, I thought the mood at the stadium was quite tense. This was reflected in the atmosphere which wasnt bad given we were losing, but it lacked that noticeable noisy belief which has been a constant all season. The celebrations at the end were mental clearly fuelled by absolute relief and joy but lets hope all these last minute victories dont exhaust them.
As for the game, we completely dominated the match but we struggled to create good shooting opportuinites against a packed and well drilled defence. The days of Saka or Martinelli being 1 v 1 against a fullback seem to be long gone. High balls into the box seems a bit pointless with our collection of skillful, not very tall attacking players. I thought Smith Rowe struggled to make a difference (understandably give he's just returned), and Vieira who was involved but not quite at the elite level we need him to be. White and Nelson did improve us when they came on. Lets hope Trossard's injury isnt serious as he's looked very effective.
Lastly, the time wasting issue needs to be dealt with properly as its not fair on supporters. First half wasnt an issue, but 2nd half they started routinely taking the piss, which the referee seemed to be okay with. I think it has to be worth looking into an independent time keeper. I noticed some people had questioned the time of the winning goal, but it was fully deserved. When the board when up for injury time, one of their players decided to sit down on the pitch with a mystery ailment which took 1 minute to be dealt with, and by dealt I simply mean some Bournemouth medics ambled on to the pitch, chatted with him and then he gets up and the game restarts.
So one minute nof injury time was used up without the ball even being in play!

Thats a bit mental. If they can notice Ben White carressing the goalkeepers arm last week surely someone in the VAR dungeon has to notice a punch to the neck?

Last minute winners are amazing aren't they, especially after going 2-0 down. The sheer euphoria, the exhileration. It's just crazy, spine tingling.

That said, there are only so many times you can concede such sloppy goals and come back and win.

In a title run-in you need to be watertight because the pressure to win is immense and goals are not easy to come by, even against the so called weaker sides and even more so when most teams we face play a low block, doubling up on our wingers.

The truth is that Bournemouth had 19% of the possession but still had 4 or 5 big chances and only a combination of a poor final ball, poor finishing and great goalkeeping kept them from adding to their tally.

You can't let the opposition have only 19% of the possession but still see them have enough clear-cut chances to score 4 or 5, that is simply unstainable.

The number of times teams have broken on us with 3 v 2's and 4 v 2's in recent games is a big worry. It feels like we are attacking with reckless abandon and at some point we will be punished. We got away with it yesterday but as Rich pointed out there are only so many times you can go to the well before it runs dry.

Gary Neville talked about it and I can see just how mentally and physically draining games like yesterday must be despite the euphoria of a last minute winner.

I don't think cards are the way to go here. Refs hate giving yellow cards for this sort of thing because they want games routinely ending with multiple dismissals.
So rather
1. If a keeper take too long, award an indirect free kick. Isn't that the rule anyway? Yellow cards are not the right punishment.
2. Have a timekeeper calculate the amount of extra time accurately and without discretion OR just stop the clock when the game stops, like in rugby, American football etc.

Thats a sending off anywhere else on the pitch. It's not like he was coming to punch the ball and mistimed it either.

I think the club needs to now go public with their grievances about VAR's incompetence. Compile a video compilation of all the poor decisions we've had to endure and send it to the FA with a strongly worded letter of complaint and leak it on twitter.

I’ve attended all recent home games and was there yesterday and the atmosphere has changed, lots of noise but it’s tense now as we are in a bonafide title race and every point matters. Who would have thought it.

On time wasting yes it’s utterly absurd now and anyone who attends emirates comments on the opposition wasting time. Most refs are entirely impotent to it and the head injury rule needs to be changed. Every time a good break happens a time wasting side now uses it then you see the opposing player back on his feet and right as rain. It’s such an obvious theme now it’s boring

Drink it in

https://youtu.be/rebqUiE3xI8

The only negative yesterday aside from the Trossard injury was the Arsenal DJ playing Sweet Caroline at the end of the game. Its not classy or imaginative. Bit like playing Aga Doo or YMCA at a wedding.

Reiss nelson has his contract expiry this summer. Certainly showed yesterday and earlier this season he’s improved. That might be a dilemma for the club. He’s probably better than the number of minutes he’s getting

The other side of that 81% possession is it illustrates how much we struggle to create big chances. So many blocked shots and harmless floaty crosses.

Nelson was pinging them in hard, both along the ground and in the air (as with Whites goal)--I think that is a very good tactic against a team that is mopping up everything in the air and closing down the shooting and passing channels.

Look at this guy taking all the credit - He wasn't even on the pitch !

Its possible we wont have any fit strikers for Thursday's match

I've seen Reiss-Nelson on tv several times. I was always impressed and you won't find an unkind word from me about him in my posts. He isn't Cristiano but he isn't trash either. I saw him live in the friendly vs Milan...I was impressed.
I've always thought there was a place for him and he was played in a position he didn't want or wasn't suited for. You play where the squad needs you, ok. But why not play to his strengths sometimes?

Really? Who is available?

Hi Decaf,

It would be interesting to see if we had a big powerful CF who could maybe get on the end of some of those crosses, but then again would that change our whole dynamic?

I wonder if Arteta might be tempted to sit Jorginho in front of the two CBs, giving us a little more protection against these pesky counter-attacks which routinely see us 2 v 3 or even 2 v 4.

Jorginho is not the quickest so its not the ideal solution but I'm struggling to think how we can make ourselves less vulnerable whilst at the same time having a player at the base of the midfield with the ability to spray passes around.

For all our domination yesterday we were really really vulnerable to their counters.

A direct free kick in the D would eliminate much time wasting by keepers. Yes, an independent clock that stops when ball is out of play would be fairer on spectators too. The technology is there.

Greetings Soc. You'd think that a lot of the time we are facing a low block and it is fairly static anyway, but what do I know? The proof is in the pudding.

I suppose, Jesus, when he comes back, brings a bit more physicality, and Nketiah's movement in the box somewhat makes up for his stature.

A pundit probably described it all the best. The first ten seconds and last ten seconds and 97 minutes of good football inbetween.

You'd think with that us so vulnerable at the back for counters in games against lesser sides, in theory we'd be conceding bucket loads against the top 6 sides. But we don't. We approach those sides differently. Far more team defense. I think its how we approach lesser sides vs how we approach the better sides.

https://www.football365.com/news/richar ... ate-winner

Richard Keys is back….this time he’s fine with us celebrating but questions why we were allowed to play to 97 minutes when only 6 were shown. Of course everyone knows why and it was completely valid but I’m questioning this Keys once again shows his ridiculous bias against us this season.

This season I’ve seen so many bitter people in the media towards what we’re doing. If they’re ex-spurs or even have deep affinity to some of our rivals I get it, they can’t help themself or hide their jealousy but what I don’t understand is from supposed neutral pundits/presenters - or even if deep down they aren’t neutral if they head the show they have to appear neutral

Not conceding first is so key in these games. We end up going much more gung-ho and risk being picked off.
Generally Saliba and Gabriel do a fantastic 1v1 job against most strikers, being asked to defend that way with 50 yards of space behind you really is the biggest difference between elite CB and those that look great but play for midtable teams. I’ve never understood the clamour surrounding these types of CB, usually English, and demanding they get to play for a top 6 side and the national team. It’s a completely different level. It’s similar in a way to some strikers, score lots for a midtable team and everyone thinks that put him in a top 6 team with much better players and the goals will still flow - which totally ignores the lack of space the top strikers get to operate in when they routinely face 10 man defences.

I don’t know if there is a way we can draw out the opposition more?

Not conceding and patience is key. Defending solidly for 90 minutes is mentally draining and 1 mistake and you’re punished. You could see that with all 3 of our goals in the end, great finishes but Bournemouth just slightly switched off and didn’t follow the man or were caught ball watching. It was the same v Everton.
Once we get in front those counter attacking chances all but disappear

Imagine it was united or, heaven forbid, Spurs having such an unexpectedly brilliant season, Rich. Do you think you'd be able to take it graciously? It must be vary hard to stomach .

https://twitter.com/maa_gunner/status/1 ... -j6VVZXEoA

This is the talksport commentary. The noise from the crowd literally drowning out a commentator shouting in to his microphone.

Best atmosphere in the league game after game by far.

If you have the chance to listen to the handbrake off podcast Amy Lawrence for a day with the Ashburton Army a group of 100 youngish guys who have taken it on themselves to improve the atmosphere in the ground. A million hats off to them for what they’ve done

I’d be seething and bitter and trying to downplay everything they do….but I’m not paid to be neutral and front a huge football show to an audience of millions.

Surely the greatest twitter thread of all time

https://twitter.com/afcdw/status/163209 ... 2SVs7ar8TQ

Those kids have seen brilliant. Going mental for 90 minutes. The drums are wicked

Honestly I didn’t think we could top the atmosphere at the end of the united game but yesterday was mental.

Will check out the podcast thanks

https://twitter.com/afcamden/status/163 ... -j6VVZXEoA

Overview of the penalty shouts yesterday. Doesn’t include the one where billing has his hand up sort of protecting his face and it hit it.

They are all in the category of seen them given. The first one where he mistimed his header is not his shoulder and looks lower than the sleeve. The best shout is the Saka one where the defender clearly leans in to the cross and makes himself bigger you only have to look at where his arm goes after the ball hits it to see what his intention was. That one is handball for sure

So it’s not just our men’s side then. In the League Cup final our women’s side have just been denied a stonewall penalty. So obvious that it’s hard to imagine how the referee and assistant didn’t see it.

Arsenal are women are beating Chelsea 3-1 in the cup final and have just had the clearest penalty you’ll ever see not given. It’s not just the men’s team!
Honestly this was actually worse than any decision the men’s team have had

There's an echo in here ....

Nice one Gakpo.

… and Nunez (helped by Keystone Cops defending).