Newcastle United vs Arsenal | Premiership 5/2/11

[Van The Man Persie]

How else do you explain the leads that we lose?

Im not talking about one goal leads. Any team can lose one goal leads but im talking about 2 goal leads and in saturdays case 4 goal leads. To happen once a year is bad enough but its happened at least 4 times if not more in a year and 5 in a couple of years.

We get a lead, piss around with passing and doing f all, we concede and we get nervous and usually concede another. If thats what you think is us being strong mentally then im afraid we both have different meanings to that phrase.

Also our lack of trophies over the last few seasons pretty much backs up my point cos we have been in trophy winning situations during the last 5 years and guess what? We havent won any.

Mentally weak we are. Delude yourself all you want. The proof is out there. However that will hopefully change this month with a Carling Cup win. With Wenger in charge though, Birmingham will fancy their chances

[Est83]

The truth is out there? I don't have to find Fox Moulder to get the details do I?


Again, back to the stats. More often than not over the last few years - as starman pointed out - we've come from behind in the dying moments of games a hell of alot more times than we've gone behind. And many times we've gone behind due to complaicency and our own cockiness... and that's anything but weak minded.

Don't get me wrong, we have had mental frailties in previous season, but I think you would have to go 3 or 4 years back to find them. When Wenger first started to blood these youngsters, they would go through spats of showing no fear to showing nothing but nervousness against the big teams. In the last 2/3 years they've began to dominate the bigger teams but unfortunately come short when it comes to defense... as I said earlier.

If you can't see the progression this young team has made over the last 5 years then you're not watching enough. Mental weakness is a thing of the past for this team. Saturday was a complete freak occurance. If it happens again in the next 2 years I'll arrange to meet you so you can kick me as hard as you can in the nuts to teach me a lesson! You can even take a run up!

[TRA Dial Square]

See, this is where football went wrong. We went to football for the craik, we didn't resort to virtual suicide on an internet forum, we said our bit on the terraces, and by hell we were vocal about it.

We "talked" to like minded people (and lets be fair, most were) and argued the difference there. OK, we had Liverpoo, ManUre and Leeds, and to a lesser degree QPR, Luton and Watford for sheer disgust value of our "discussions"

I've said it time and again, you either support THE Arsenal or you don't. Whichever way you support them matters not, you support them. Cut me open (and believe me, it's happened) and I'll bleed Arsenal, but there really are bigger things in life to worry about than dropping an away point.

You went didn't you? You watched didn't you? Why? You support Arsenal? Whoever said they were embarrassed to be an Arsenal fan wants to give their bollocks a good kick and ask themselves why they are on this forum let alone an Arsenal fan. Another thing I've said time and again on here is that those of my age supported the club through thin, thin and more thin, and because we did, you have a club to support now. It's a f***ing insult to see the prawns shoving us lot out and slating it all. Take your heads out of your arses, get behind the team, and most of all make the most of Arsenal being a passion, because the moaning on here clearly suggests that it isn't.

I won't be rude to ask your age. But I'm almost three decades myself. I've been supporting THE Arsenal since as long as I can remember [to put a date on it, probably August 15th 1986 when I was 4] That was my first time going to an Arsenal Game right as George Graham took over the club.

But, I also know a hell of a lot about our history... Such as the fact we were supposed to be managed by firstly Terry Venables at this stage & then Fergie w/ Graham as his assistant but b/c the club wouldn't wait for Alki to come off hols, Graham got the Managerial post [however it is misconstrued that Fergie 'rejected' the offer].

I've bled red and white through everything, even when my dad, partners dad and her brothers and my uncles have tried to swerve me into becoming a Spud... I've had actual bitchfests w/ my own dad over the N-LDN derby - All about the '71 double winning team; the Herbert Chapman years so on and so forth...

I'm rambling but my point being is, I get you SE lol and I applaud you.

[TRA Dial Square]

Can I just ask... First did anybody notice that 1: Diaby's reaction is NOT ONLY for the challenge by Barton but because Barton actually lashes out and kicks Diaby while he [Barton] is still on the floor (watch the slo-mo replay at 1:06) and also 2: Diaby did NOT go after Nolan after he shoved Barton down... Nolan actually runs a hell of a long way, to push Diaby first making out like he was protecting his boyfriend JB.

Here's the video: http://www.dailymotion.com/video/xgwj1f ... d&start=21

Also... Wondering if anybody noticed that when Best headed the ball down before he shoots, for NU's 2nd goal, that he actually headed it onto his own arm before he shot?

Here's the video: http://www.dailymotion.com/video/xgwjdv ... d&start=40

In other words we actually got mugged off a bit more than any of us thought.

[singaporegooner]

Can I just ask... First did anybody notice that 1: Diaby's reaction is NOT ONLY for the challenge by Barton but because Barton actually lashes out and kicks Diaby while he [Barton] is still on the floor (watch the slo-mo replay at 1:06) and also 2: Diaby did NOT go after Nolan after he shoved Barton down... Nolan actually runs a hell of a long way, to push Diaby first making out like he was protecting his boyfriend JB.

Here's the video: http://www.dailymotion.com/video/xgwj1f ... d&start=21

Also... Wondering if anybody noticed that when Best headed the ball down before he shoots, for NU's 2nd goal, that he actually headed it onto his own arm before he shot?

Here's the video: http://www.dailymotion.com/video/xgwjdv ... d&start=40

In other words we actually got mugged off a bit more than any of us thought.

Agree with the 2nd goal point, it was a ball to the arm, but unfortunately its a blind spot.
The ball was sandwiched between 2 bodies and probably due to that the handball wasn't sighted.

[freddybhoy]

FWIW, my views on the points in question.

First Barton challenge: At least a yellow.

There was another I'm sure, but you can put your mortgage on that one not being spotted

Second Barton challenge: Second yellow, possible straight red. Diaby was rightly annoyed, but in this game, you ain't going to see anything but red for the reaction whether you're right or wrong.

First penalty: Do me a favour, if it was 0-0 it's highly unlikely, if it were at Old Toilet, not a prayer of that one being given, and for me that's harsh at best.

Second penalty: Well, I've seen it from a few angles, and I'm still not sure what the referee saw.

Add to that, that for both, Barton shouldn't have been on the field, thus would never have taken the spot kicks.

Free kick for the fourth: Well, regardless of whether it was a dive, he shouldn't have been on the pitch.

Chesny incident: The referee really wants to come out and make a public apology for that. The attacking team aren't allowed to do that, nor are they allowed to enter the goal to retrieve the ball. The point being that if I trip and land on the ball, it's perfectly ok to be wrestled and manhandled, but if I breathe near you it's a penalty.

Sorry, but for me, there needs to be some sort of look at this today.

However, regardless, we still allowed it to happen, instead of pressing on for more, off came the foot from the pedal, in creeps complacency, up pops a bit of ineptness, and here we are looking at a shocker!

I watched the highlights on MOTD on Saturday night mate and although Barton's tackle that led to Diaby's reaction was robust, it WAS fair. According to the letter of the law Diaby had to go. As for the other talking points, the first penalty was a stick on. It was a stupid challenge from behind regardless of whether the Newcastle forward made the most of it or not. He was facing away from goal and there was no need to make the tackle. Nolan should have walked for his headlock on the 'keeper. The disallowed Newcastle goal should have stood as Clichy played him on. Like you, I was mystified as to why the second penalty was given. The challenge by Johnson on Kalou (I think) that went unpunished near the end of the Chelsea - Liverpool match was far more blatant than this one! So yes, you were hard done by on at least two key moments in the game but it shouldn't mask Arsenal's inability to see out a four goal lead. Other results though have given you a lifeline but Arsenal can't afford to be as generous again.

There is now no margin for error!

[Leody]

I'm surprised, I work with an ex-pat from Newcastle and he's not said a word about this match in two days...

[Inchpräctice]

He's clearly not a football fan then....

[Leody]

Oh he is. He was out of town playing in a football tournament last weekend. I fully expected to hear all about it on Monday morning. Last week he spent about an hour fuming over the sale of Carroll and how the owners are a bunch of tightwads just looking to fatten their wallets.

Must know that they had a helping hand and feels a bit guilty.

[Est83]

Anyone checked the Sunday Supliment video on the Sky Sports website regarding this game and Cesc Fabregas. A bit of honesty and the term "witch hunt" is used to describe Cesc's treatment.

Last time I posted a link to a SS video it didn't quite work, but I'll post it anyway:

http://www.skysports.com/video/inline/0 ... 97,00.html