That was not a football score, it was a hockey score
He took John Terry out
By Boris Mellor
October 29 2011
Mourinho said after Arsenal’s 5-4 win at Spurs (November 2004), “That was not a football score, it was a hockey score...in training I often play matches of three against three and when the score reaches 5-4 I send the players back to the dressing room, because they are not defending properly.”
First time since 1989 that Chelsea conceded 5 at home
Who would have thought back then that a similar hockey score would happen at the Bridge, and that Chelsea’s defence would prove to be worse than Arsenal’s! That Chelsea would concede more goals at home since 1989. What a game to watch, neutrals will love it, Arsenal fans will be checking their heart rate, and fans of the cheating chavs will be gutted.
Wenger has blathered on about mental strength for years now, and to be honest it hasn’t been there. But this team did show mental strength, coming from behind twice.
In the first half Arsenal should have been ahead or at least on level terms, but for poor finishing and defending. When Gervinho and RvP missed open goals in succession I groaned “the iron law will kick in” (the iron law that if you miss a sitter the other team will score), and sure enough it did. It was Chelsea that scored and Mertesacker and Santos were not playing that well. Arsenal equalised but more errors saw Arsenal go behind 2-1 at half time.
At half time I would have settled for a draw, but amazingly it was Arsenal that got the next two goals, first a great goal by Santos, perhaps it compensated for his poor first half game. The third goal should be a candidate for goal of the year. It was the way Theo rode the tackles, lost the ball, fell down, and then got up, regained the ball and beat Cech with ease.
Three-two felt good, but within minutes Chelsea cheated their way back into it, a foul on Santos was ignored and the cheating chavs went onto score. Three – three, and no doubt many a fan felt worried at this stage, it was nail biting time, but it was Arsenal who got the next two goals.
I wasn’t over impressed by the subbing of Walcott for Barn Door Rosicky, he might not be able to score, well apart from in a brothel, but he has a motor on him, Arsenal responded by upping the tempo even more.
Jenkinson for Djourou also worried me, not that he was having a good game, it was just that Jenkinson looked more terrified than I felt. However Fur Boas had taken Sturridge off for Malouda who didn’t seem to get into the game. Now Santos was playing the game of his life, and it didn’t seem to matter who the chavs had on.
A game of two halves is a cliché, but it describes this game perfectly, in the first half Arsenal’s defence was pulled all over the place, and the forwards powder puff in the last third. In the second half the defence was solid, and the attack dynamite. Chelsea were blown away, not by Wengerball, but by a team fighting for every ball. The power came from the back, they won every ball, Arteta, Ramsey, Gervinho and Song all stayed close to the defence and dug the ball out for the forwards when they could. Dangerous balls were being played from the back.
This was more 1998 than 2004, but who cares it worked, you have to fight for the right to play. Chelsea had the possession, but Arsenal had the goals. The team that scores the most goals wins, obvious you snort in contempt. Yes it is stating obvious, but for several years we have out possessed Chelsea and lost, with Wenger claiming a moral victory. To hell with moral victories this is one to savour.
He took John Terry out - Karma
Arsenal fans will go to bed tonight dreaming of Van Persie’s goal, as Terry landed on his backside, and then RvP went on to side step Cech and pass the ball into the net. In case you can’t remember it here it is again .
Meanwhile Chelsea fans will dream of Christmas Past, when they had a scrooge who wouldn’t have allowed this sort of entertainment to break out.
Things you no longer hear on the terraces, “RvP is not a big match player”.
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Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 2011:11:02:11:01:19 by Padre Pio.
Without trying to state the obvious, both teams playing such a high defensive line is always going to get high scoring matches.
It might sound simple, but we play that highline footy better than the Ivans.
We point out that Per was beaten twice (Fat Franks & Cnut 4amouth Terrys), but Terry and Ivanovic were beaten exactly the same on our goals because when you are retreating against pace, it make defending so much harder.
Today was a perfect example of Arsenes game of `We`ll leak a few, but we`ll score more than you` football
Since the end of WW1, 1919, when the FA restarted its 4 tier football league, with Arsenal fc in the 1st div, there’s only ever been one club to have never been relegated from Div 1/ EPL.
Arsenal fc
Let’s keep making history
Rest of 'em - ManLeeds, Chelski, Arsenal, Liverpool and even S*CUMS - are in a transitory period trying to upgrade their new Back-4 by replacing ageing defenders with new buys.
Too early to tell, but by December if ManLeeds and Chelski did not start their boosters to charge up the table, then they are truely rebuilding their team with the defence not gelling at all.
More topsy turvy results..and the real danger of Abu Dhabi going unbeaten into the new year...if they keep on scoring in every League games they played.
"When we had to suffer the team is a lion because they suffer together." 4 July 2020 at Wolverhampton Wanderers
Arteta on his team's first away victory at a club above them in the Premiership since September 2015 at Leicester.
Well done anyway.
"It is born out of hypocrisy and fundamental insecurity. There have been two kids on the block for the past 12 years. Suddenly, there is a third and that one is threatening to be more successful than the others and they don’t like it." P Kenyon.
Long time no see.
Thanks for congrats.
Do you think AVB knows what he is doing?
"When we had to suffer the team is a lion because they suffer together." 4 July 2020 at Wolverhampton Wanderers
Arteta on his team's first away victory at a club above them in the Premiership since September 2015 at Leicester.
I'm not feeling sorry for you though dixon9. You've dished out enough misery to us in recent seasons mate.
It`s also the pattern of play in the FAPL, to a small extent, this season.
Since the end of WW1, 1919, when the FA restarted its 4 tier football league, with Arsenal fc in the 1st div, there’s only ever been one club to have never been relegated from Div 1/ EPL.
Arsenal fc
Let’s keep making history
Quote:Padre Pio
Hi Mr Dixie,
Long time no see.
Thanks for congrats.
Do you think AVB knows what he is doing?
Yes, I think he does....he just needs more time to get the mixture right....or more time for the players to understand how he wants them to play.
We played a far too high defensive line on Saturday.
"It is born out of hypocrisy and fundamental insecurity. There have been two kids on the block for the past 12 years. Suddenly, there is a third and that one is threatening to be more successful than the others and they don’t like it." P Kenyon.
Quote:Without trying to state the obvious, both teams playing such a high defensive line is always going to get high scoring matches.
Actually, Arsenal didn't play high defensive line and not playing high defensive line anymore with new players..with Per and Santos in defense playing high line will be a suicide I guess..
Actually, I would say, it's more Malauda to blame rather than JT on the slip..and I don't think Chelsea has poor defenders to be honest what I feel couple of things about them is like in Arsenal AKBs have put Wenger to a goodhood where Wenger can do no wrong and the best manager in the world ..looking at the banners and the vibes of Stanford bridge it seems they have put John Terry at that place. What I personally think it's very difficult for AVB to drop John Terry or Lampard from the squad. Although Lampard played reasonably well but Ivanovic and John Terry partnership to me more of a John Terry's choice rather than AVBs to keep JT in the team.
The only difference is Abramovich spends 100s of millions on his team and I don't think he'll let their defensive debacle to continue. My wild guess is Malauda wouldn't see much game time with them in future and they will find way to phase JT out and probably get someone a more creative MF @ the middle of the pitch a younger player than Lampard to succeed the AVBs plan.
"When we had to suffer the team is a lion because they suffer together." 4 July 2020 at Wolverhampton Wanderers
Arteta on his team's first away victory at a club above them in the Premiership since September 2015 at Leicester.