Bournemouth registered a goal against us in just under 9 seconds, the second fastest in Premier League history, and it looked like ‘one of those days’! We gave another one when the second half commenced, and with 2-0 down, it looked like an impossible task when all they had to do was put 10 players in defence, not giving any space for any of our forwards to create something.
However, there was a story to be written. In the 62nd minute, Partey scored of a tap-in from corner which ESR tried to head in. It didn’t take much time to level up, Ben White scored off a volley assisted by Nelson. Bournemouth wasted time, we were given 6 extra minutes to win the game, and it was the 97th, from the last corner of the game, when Nelson decided to score one of the best goals of this season off a clearance. What a shot! What a goal! And what a game!
That last goal meant we keep the 5 point lead from Manchester City. We remain at the top, and there’s only 12 games to go. We have a game in buffer, which, even if we lose, won’t allow City to go past us.
One thing that impressed me was Arteta’s in-game management. It had been poor in the past, but he has learnt his lessons. Bringing in Ben White in 46th minute for Tomiyasu, who mind you, wasn’t having a very sh*t day, turned out to be a very good move. Our attack on the right side improved, White has developed a very decent chemistry with Saka and them both overlapping created a mess to Bournemouth.
An injury to Trossard forced Arteta to bring in ESR, who was subbed out for Nelson. I mean you need to have guts to sub in and sub out a player during a game where the player is a fan-favorite. In the end, it mattered the most with Nelson scoring in the last seconds of the game, creating madness everywhere.
Nelson is out of contract at the end of this season, but there are media persons talking on his behalf that he is happy in North London and would love to sign da ting. I don’t think it will be a problem, he is a gooner and we need him. Having Saka, Nelson, Martinelli, Trossard gives us 4 very good options which can rotate on either side of the wings. If things get worse at some point, Jesus can cover too. That’s wings sorted for 5 years at the very least.
WE NEED A STRIKER! This is what happens when one of your CF gets a long term injury and the other one has a running nose. We either need someone proven, or we can try integrating Balogun. With Champions League football next season, it would be tough with 2, if one of them gets injured, you can’t play a CF twice a week.
Anyways, no complaints today. We are winning, luck is on our side and we are managing to earn all 3 points in games which we would have lost couple of seasons. Do you remember people walking away in 60th minute when 2-0 down not long ago? Yeah, that don’t happen anymore. We are bossing games even if we are behind.
Only 12 games to go. Some easy ones being Fulham (A), Crystal Palace (H), Leeds (H), Southampton (H), Brighton (H), Forest (A), Wolves (H). Games where we have to give everything and pray the VAR is in good mood – Liverpool (A), West Ham (A), Man City (A), Chelsea (H), New Castle (A). That’s 15 points that would require a fight. A lot to do still, but #COYG.
p.s. Hosting is renewed, domain registration extended for LiR. We remain independent for another year. Cheers!
Hi TRVL
I’m not an intellectual heavyweight like yourself or KP, and I would guarantee your knowledge of History is far superior to mine.
However, for as long as I can remember, the English have a deep-rooted snobbish village like mentality, incredibly small minded and petty.
It’s one thing to whip up false hatred with the demonizing of migrants, the English still won’t allow a Catholic Monarch, which has now been going on for well over 300 years.
But hate breeds hate, if we were all the very best we could be as humans – compassionate, caring, educated, open-minded, cultured, and put humanity before profit, most of the world’s problems would disappear. But in a capitalist state with pure greed at its core, you get a wasteful, couldn’t care less culture where we even allow people to dispose of their own children, should the need arise.
But the structure doesn’t educate people to the same level, which is why so much basic ignorance still exists. British governments never take the British public with them on a spiritual journey of learning and self discovery, they hold them in complete contempt and rule over them from a very safe distance.
I can’t work out whether most are satisfied with this, or whether they feel beaten down and their fight has been extinguished.
Cheers Herb, I was by no means trying to big-up you, as you clearly have something of import to offer to any discussion you decide to engage in…btw I agree with the notion of ‘if we were all the very best humans we could be’ things would be vastly different, I just don’t think we collectively have the strength or fortitude required to hold this particular pig down long enough to get some GD lipstick on it
KP—just a few observations on the match thus far
Turner is like a bog of toys with the ball at his feet…how is it possible, after the mismananged ghosting of Leno, could we acquire a backup with functionally the same weaknesses…not to mention, he’s not nearly the shot-stopper of our former Keeper
when will the whole “hot potato” Vieira narrative come to an end…it’s like MA told him that on no uncertain terms don’t have the ball for longer than a 2 count
finally, there was a couple perfect examples of why Xhaka should be placed firmly on the bench…most notably when Vieira crossed it in to a wide open Xhaka and instead of looking to goal he telegraphed a header back into a clump of players…furthermore, imagine if Marts gets sent off with another yellow simply because of Xhaka’s cheeky attempt to knock the ball out of the Keeper’s hand…maybe VAR concluded that Xhaka had some money riding on a yellow so they decided not to overturn the call against Marts
bag of toys
Hey KP, yes Junior, Pumpkin and me are watching and groaning at how we miss Ode & Partey. Not complaining, though I hope they don’t see any minutes and give some youths some minutes.
At least we have an away goal and no injuries to key players thus far.
TRVL, that must have amused you my history reading reference :). I go the lightweight route watching the Tudors, Wolf Hall, The White queen et al.
Not at all Tony, as I think there’s merit in anything that might be a gateway to further research and/or discussions…I certainly don’t want to come across as some sort of history snob, as that’s one of the reasons I left the profession…too many tenured pricks were totally unwilling to engage in open debate, both inside and outside the classroom, as they felt that their particular “findings” were impervious to the critiquing of others…on the positive side of the equation it did give me some invaluable insight into the inner workings of the Dark fucking ages
back on the game front, this one’s gone full fustercluck…at this rate the score could be double what it presently is by game’s end
Herb—just one more comment, before we table the whole “origins” debate, I would strongly suggest that whereas humankind had evolved in many capacities in the last century, issues relating to war profiteering and the subsequent creation of the Military Industrial Complex have lead to a substantive reversing of that course
during the second World War, prior to the US’s official declaration, natural resources and the like, for the purposes of munitions production, were being shipped to the enemy under the guise that above all else business mattered most…even after the United States officially entered the fray the same business practices were being deployed, but for the purposes of future optics or to simply provide a viable paper trail ruse they would use neutral countries as a makeshift go-between…the very fact that one could profit from the deaths of their own countrymen or those of their most intimmate allies took things to a whole new level of depravity…under these supposedly acceptable societal parameters just about anything could be justified, which is why I feel that what we’re seeing nowadays is something fundamentally different than the misgivings of our much more distant ancestors, who at least could hang their collective hats on the naivety of the times and/or the natural outgrowth of unbridled religiosity
fun match to watch, but with the openings provided there’s no doubt that we should have left with a one or two goal victory…I did think VIeira warmed up to the match as it wore on, as he’s been rather robotic for some time now…it’s too bad Marts didn’t recognize the pressure coming from his backside earlier, as I think that could have been the decider…finally, I just can’t help but think that opposing team’s midfielders must be salivating at the notion of facing a midfield that consists of both Jorginho and Xhaka…if they’re savvy enough to take advantage of our lack of pace we could find ourselves having to sit deeper against lesser squads then attacking on the counter, which isn’t optimum considering our present injury concerns…onwards and upwards I guess
TRVL
Yeah I think you’ve nailed it, it’s only going to get worse with the advancement of AI, apparently it is going to replace 30% of the workforce in the next five years, so there’ll be even less for the lazy peasants to do.
One more from me too.
The KKK in the deep south of the USA was initiated and started by six Brits (Scotsmen more precisely). After they drove the native Americans from their land, a lot of it was barren wasteland that needed re-energising and repopulating. Thousands of Scots took up the opportunity (which is why the Confederate flag is the same design as the Scottish Saltire. During this mass migration and resettlement, four men from Aberdeen and two from the outskirts of Glasgow, are the original founding members of the KKK.
Britain really have screwed the world, and there is no cure for what we have unleashed.
Herb—globilization should have been our saving grace, as it should have brought the commonality of the human experience to the forefront of any discussions pertaining to the future direction of sociopolitical life…unfortunately, and once again, common sense didn’t prevail, as the loudest and/or wealthiest voices in the room used whatever means to shift the focus to much more self-serving matters…it’s almost like the social media realm has simply tapped into the masses quelling aspects that were once the sole providence of varying religious orders…of course, most don’t connect the dots as they actually believe that they’re creating/controlling the narrative and that the words they’re spewing into the ether have “real” meaning and universal consequence…this isn’t to suggest that there aren’t any positive outcomes from globilization and/or the proliferation of social media, but these are few and far between in the grand scheme of things…after all, for all we know, both of us are Russian bots LOL
KP—in regards to Sanders, even though there’s those amongst the Dems who have no time for his particular brand of politics, he still has some pull within those sectors of the party who view his leftist leanings as a far more palatable pathway for reaching disgruntled voters than cowtowing any further to the highly divisive “woke” contingency…it’s clear that his student debt forgiveness initiative has resonated with enough people that it’s gone all the way to the Supreme Court…that said, with a Rebulican stacked chamber, I would imagine that a refinancing plan of some sort will likely win the day…as usual, baby steps seems to be the only plausible path forward