Yep we havent had a battle like this for a few years. I was one of those that thought we wouldnt be doing this well this season but not to the extent some did. The ladbrokes advert with two ex Arsenal players in it dont even mention us...
I hope we are still in there at the end. We are beginning to creak a bit but with the exception of RVP again have nearly a fully fit squad. *touch wood*.
I am equally hoping United drop some points which they dont look like doing. I had really hoped Everton would be an upset.
---------------------------------------------------- Touched by his noodly appendage - RAmen.
No last minute 3 pointer penalty Xmas gifts for the Arsenal I see, Campbell clearly took out Gallas 'at the death'and was lucky not to break his ankle! Wenger has not got the same gravitas with officials as SAF.
Good lord Arsenal were awful this evening. Seriously - you wouldn't think so from the scoreline but they were atrocious. Pure long ball for the first two goals, one of which was a handball. Then parked the bus in front of their goal. It was like trying to break down a determined relegation fodder side. And Arteta's sending off was an absolute joke, Fabregas for all his plaudits this season cynically made a meal out of a nothing incident and the ref was only too happy to even up the sides (after Bentdner went for two shocking late tackles).
There was only one side trying to play football today and that was Everton. Shame our defending was bloody abysmal against the long ball.
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Sounded like a flattering scoreline and was surprised about Man U.
Everton will be more gutted about Arteta being sent off than the result I reckon - the Gunners goals were down to very poor defending in the main from usually a solid side.
60/40 possession in favour of Everton says a lot. No doubt it will be pointless appealing the red card but yes, that's appalling news for us. Osman out for 6 weeks, Gravesen injured, Pienarr off the African Nations and we have a cou semi final to come. The most galling thing? Bendtner only misses the one game yet his tackles were far more dangerous to the players involved.
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The second goal was not hand ball and it was a very cleverly chipped pass and a lot more skilful than the Everton effort bundled over the line. For me an elbow is no worse than studding someone in a one foot tackle bendtner should have got a straight red as well. The referee had lost the game, it shows it when a friend elbows his mate in the face and his mate goes down. We were trying to play football but Everton were playing well, there were comments at half time again about us maybe not being "up for it" and yet when there is a bit of physicality as a result in the second half I hear the whining. Well just maybe they were up for a bit of a battlle in the rain *I am looking at you Macmannatwat*
Everton played better than the scoreline though felt we robbed that one a bit but we deserved more from our last game.
---------------------------------------------------- Touched by his noodly appendage - RAmen.
Originally posted by proIix: 60/40 possession in favour of Everton says a lot. No doubt it will be pointless appealing the red card but yes, that's appalling news for us. Osman out for 6 weeks, Gravesen injured, Pienarr off the African Nations and we have a cou semi final to come. The most galling thing? Bendtner only misses the one game yet his tackles were far more dangerous to the players involved.
Maybe you can explain to mabbot how an elbow is less dangerous.
---------------------------------------------------- Touched by his noodly appendage - RAmen.
Seeing the second goal on MOTD it did look like handball so ill take that back sorry. Though I do still remember the three dives for penalties so its not as if your lot were a bunch of angels.
---------------------------------------------------- Touched by his noodly appendage - RAmen.
Which three dives would they be? I can only recall Yakubu going down in the box but that was under a strong barge from Toure - I don't think it was a pen and Yak didn't try and claim it should have been.
I've now seen Arteta's sending off some 15 times on various channels and not once have I seen an angle where it looks a red. Most of the papers seem to agree on that, the Guardian for one. It's a straight arm and you can't elbow someone with your arm extended - try it!
Like Moyes said - have a look at Andy Johnson's shin and then Fabregas' 'broken jaw' and then say which was worse...
After all the times we've heard Wenger complain about the opposition roughing his team up, giving Arsenal no space and defending for 90 minutes!! Yesterday, Arsenal had less possession, lumped balls long, and had 6 yellow cards shown. Everton passed the ball around intricately, had more possession, efforts on goal, corners and didn't receive a single booking (save for a ridiculous red card because of overreaction from Arteta's supposed good friend Cesc.). I thought Wimbledon were no more!
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I'd like to defend Bendtner, he had every right to challenge for that ball, the Everton defender was obstructing him in an attempt to shepherd the ball out then he put the Arsenal man on the floor ...earning Bendtner a booking! The second yellow looked pretty innocuous, no malice perhaps a fraction late, I hope he appeals.
The second goal was more ball to hand watched at real time speed.
A lot has been made of Fabrigas's reaction to being elbowed in the face, letter of the law it's a straight red and there would have been no alleged amateur dramatics if the Everton player had not raised his elbow.
'We thrashed Arsenal 1-4!??? Has prolix caught 'Spurs fan lurgey'?
I think you'll find Bendtner was booked not just for a shove at Yobo who stood his ground but for dissent towards the referee and his second booking was a frankly appalling challenge on Johnson. Seriously - watch it again, he is late and scrapes his boot the whole way down Johnson's shin, he could and should have received a straight red for that alone - even the commentators agreed with that.
He used his hand to control the ball and knew exactly what he was doing there, again, both commentators and the MOTD commentator agreed that also.
Fabregas got Arteta sent off. Arteta had his arm slightly raised but as I have pointed out - it was straight no bent and it wasn't swung. The ref didn't blow for a foul until he noticed Fabregas rolling around on the floor like he'd been shot - about 5 seconds after the alleged elbow. Fabregas had been bossed by Mikel for the whole match and seemingly feigning injury was the only way he could deal with the situation.
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Tramps like us.....and we like tramps. -------------------------------------------------------------------------------
I like the way you say even the commentators as if they had been neutral throughout. The Setanta duo was about as biased a combination as i have witnessed all season. He even dragged up the tired old number of red cards under wenger. As Shearer said Bendtners was a forwards tackle it was nowhere near as bad as McManaman and co made it out to be (the same player who at half time was advocating players kicking out to get an advantage). He didnt deserve the yellow so all in all it evens out. Artetas arm was bent when it made contact and besides i have nearly had my teeth knocked out by a straight arm. He swung it at Fabregas deliberately and deserved a red, if he is so innocent I am sure Moyes can get it recinded or compile a dossier on the referee.
Besides lets ask the question how the hell we got 5 yellows and not one for Everton despite it being a physical game even the commentators admitted that at half time along with their tired old cliches of Arsenal not being up for it.
---------------------------------------------------- Touched by his noodly appendage - RAmen.
I should add you may think why do I care but I am sick of this. I had to watch a game where we got 5 yellows and a red for no reply whilst going 1 nil down listening to the commentary about how we dont like the rain and the physical game. We fight back and get a win and near the end an Everton player actually gets a card and somehow that is also our fault because apparently Fabregas should just suck it up like he did all the other challenges and melee just previous to that. Added to that we were apparently lucky and its not allowed to play the ball over the top of a congested midfield anymore.
Happy New Year though Prolix
---------------------------------------------------- Touched by his noodly appendage - RAmen.
You can have a physical game where no one gets booked, physical doesn't mean leg breaking challenges, two footed lunges and elbows. It just means traditional tough yet fair tackling, players going up for 50/50 headers, generally putting their bodies on the line for the cause. You get booked for fouling, not for physicality, this is proving to be something Arsene and Arsenal are yet to grasp. I've not said anything about the weather or Arsenal not being up for it, you appear to be confusing me with Steve McManaman and despite some similarities I don't think that is wholly accurate! If you can't accept that Fabregas made a meal out of things then I think that shows just how blinkered you are about him. Remember this:
[y0utube link that's not getting past the mods]
Deja Vu...
I wasn't criticising your long ball tactics as such, just pointing out the contrast between that and your (well earned) reputation for 'total football'. I think it is a credit to Everton that we forced you into playing route one, however our defending was dreadful and that is why we lost.
Let old acquaintance be forgot eh?
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Are you trying to tell me that Everton made no fouls or didnt deserve a booking or two because if you are its laughable. I am well aware of the rules. He also turned down 3 dives for penalties that resulted in um no yellow cards as well. We both know what is meant when when they say give them a kick and upset them. They arent talking about playing within the rules.
I didnt say he didnt make a meal of it but it was an elbow to the face and to suggest it wasnt and isnt worth a straight red is blinkered. He was also not the only player to roll around on the floor and make more of a challenge in the game. Maybe if the referee hadnt lost the game 5 minutes earlier IMO for not refereeing it even handedly it would have never happened it says something when two friends off the pitch end up doing that to each other.
The long ball comment was more aimed at Moyes' remarks after the match. There is a difference between humping the ball up the pitch and picking out a player something that McClaren never learnt in charge of England although Adebayors was clearly a humped goalkick.
---------------------------------------------------- Touched by his noodly appendage - RAmen.
Originally posted by YELLOW PINKY: I'd like to defend Bendtner, he had every right to challenge for that ball, the Everton defender was obstructing him in an attempt to shepherd the ball out then he put the Arsenal man on the floor ...earning Bendtner a booking! The second yellow looked pretty innocuous, no malice perhaps a fraction late, I hope he appeals.
The second goal was more ball to hand watched at real time speed.
A lot has been made of Fabrigas's reaction to being elbowed in the face, letter of the law it's a straight red and there would have been no alleged amateur dramatics if the Everton player had not raised his elbow.
'We thrashed Arsenal 1-4!??? Has prolix caught 'Spurs fan lurgey'?
and the winner to the most biased post of the year goes to ? lol.
Originally posted by YELLOW PINKY: I'd like to defend Bendtner, he had every right to challenge for that ball, the Everton defender was obstructing him in an attempt to shepherd the ball out then he put the Arsenal man on the floor ...earning Bendtner a booking! The second yellow looked pretty innocuous, no malice perhaps a fraction late, I hope he appeals.
The second goal was more ball to hand watched at real time speed.
A lot has been made of Fabrigas's reaction to being elbowed in the face, letter of the law it's a straight red and there would have been no alleged amateur dramatics if the Everton player had not raised his elbow.
'We thrashed Arsenal 1-4!??? Has prolix caught 'Spurs fan lurgey'?
and the winner to the most biased post of the year goes to ? lol.
