Morning All – I did a little bit of multi-tasking yesterday, using my vast experience and skill around the keyboard; I typed while watching our wonderful team put in a lunchtime shift at the Emirates!
Ok, I am fibbing, I just typed as I watched and corrected a huge amount of spelling mistakes afterwards, it took an age!!
I have missed chunks out, but mainly that is because I got bored with listing Diaby’s mistakes!
I raced home yesterday lunchtime in time for KO just! Not long into the game and Bentley handballs. The ref does nothing and I couldn’t believe it. Then not too many minutes later the same player thinks it’s a good idea to tackle Vermaelen late, and with his studs up!! Still no yellow card!!
So, how the heck does a deliberate handball and a crunching tackle down the chins of TV not result in a sending off?? Bentley got lucky, very lucky and any half decent referee other than Battenberg would have sent him off!
Thirty minutes in and we have had most of the game controlled and a few good chances, but for a good save by Gomes we would be 1-0 up. Saying that though, but for a crucial last ditch tackle made by Song, Robbie Keane could have been through on goal to test Almunia, but on his comeback match he wouldn’t have conceded, would he? 
Spurs get a good cross in, but TV has made a super interception. Also though, Almunia had for once come out to meet the cross and would have got it.
Nikki gets an injury; I smile as he goes off – no, not because Nikki is off, but because Eduardo is on, not an Eboue in sight!
At this stage I am worrying; we are making chances again, but not scoring. Another chance missed by Cesc at the near post, swiftly followed by a shocking pass by Diaby straight to a Spud in the middle of the park.
41. 55 Robin has just slotted home for 1-0, great near post cross from Sagna
43.09 Cesc, our man, our captain has just made that score 2-0 with a super strike.
Wow, what a couple of minutes that was! Did I say I had been worrying?
We have stepped up a gear after the goals – come back out in the second half with the same attitude I think to myself, we need another goal.
Second half under away, Diaby is still very poor, time for Ramsey or Nasri please Arsene…
Diaby has just missed a golden chance, but to be fair the angle was tight, a better player may have looked up and seen Eduardo free in the middle..
Eduardo has had a chance saved; I would have put my house on him finishing that one 
2-0 up and that chopper Gray on Sky says up until 85 minutes there is always a chance against Arsenal! I pray he eats those words in 25 minutes time.
Vermaelen is on fire again today, he obviously knows what this game is all about, shame he didn’t tell Arshavin and Diaby!!
Well done Big Al, you kept Bentley out, you did make it look good though!!
Ha ha ha ha ha ha – I am laughing my socks off, play to the whistle Spuddies 
Great refereeing to allow us the advantage.
What a great pass from Sagna, ‘eye of the needle’ and Robin tucks away a second for him and 3-0 to us. Nice celebration, no doubt for his little girl.
Song has been good today so far, a wild pass back to Almunia which landed nearer to the corner flag than it did to our keeper early on, but since then he has been strong.
I can’t believe Eduardo has missed a one on one like that, nor can Arsene, he is in a strop now! A simple lob over the keeper – we should/could be five up by now…
Diaby has stepped his game up a bit –just a little bit, I won’t hold my hopes up too high!
Sagna, another player today who has played his heart out, the best game he has had for a while, great tackling and his crossing has been better.
77 minutes, TV has just made a good tackle and got booked and that just about sums up the performance by Clattenberg!
77 minutes and a substitution, Arshavin taken off which is good, Eboue on, why oh why Eboue when Ramsey is on the bench???????
Huggy needs lessons on how to head a ball that SHOULD have been number 4, shame TV wasn’t on the end of that cross.
Robin off and Ramsey on, good sub in my opinion, although I would have like Robin to get his third..
The game is nearly over, the win in the bag now and I can see all the spuds fans creeping out early.
The rings of ‘Only one Arsene Wenger’ are loud and clear as are a few other mutterings around the crowd – a very happy crowd.
Eboue has just passed a wonderful ball to Ramsey, I think he looked up a tad early and didn’t see the defender pull up – but at 3-0, and against Tottenham Hotspur I don’t care today 
I reflect back on the game following the final whistle and for the first time I am going to rate the players, ready to be shot down!!
Almunia – Kept a clean sheet, came out a bit better and his kicking was good. Still dodgy in the air and can’t catch a ball to save his life – 6
Sagna – Best game in a while 8
Gallas – Mr reliable again – 7
Vermaelen – Top performance yet again 9
Clichy – Back to the Clichy we know in this game – 7
Diaby – Arrrrrrrrrrrrrrgggggg – 6
Cesc – Great goal, did enough – 8
Song – after the dreadful back pass, grew stronger and stronger as the game went on – 8
Arshavin – passing off, couldn’t stay on his feet – 6
Robin – two great goals, one great foot!! Should have had more goals, but great – 9
Nik – Ok, but nothing special and injured early so not fair to rate
Subs
Ramsey – on too late to rate
Eduardo – great trickery, great passing, dreadful finishing today – 6
Eboue – great ball to Ramsey at the end, but that’s it – 6
Arsene Wenger – Had you have left Diaby out you would have got a 10; you didn’t so you get a 9!!
Well ‘Arry, how stupid do you feel now after the comment you made about Arsenal and their kids?
Well, our ‘kids’ just played your ‘men’ off the park! We won 3-0 and it could, maybe even should have been 7-0.
Like most, you need to keep your mouth shut and worry about your own team, leave Arsene and his crew to worry about ours!!
So Tottenham Hotspur, in the words of Anne Robinson, ‘You were the weakest link, Goodbye’
For us, it’s off to the CL on Wednesday
November 1, 2009 at 9:49 am
Morning all
What a game and result yesterday. Internet kept crashing yesterday afternoon and evening!!
All those comments from the players and manager of the opposition came back to bite their bottoms, how good does that feel…
Off to check out newsnow
November 1, 2009 at 10:02 am
How Good Was That?
There are good days, there are great days and there are days when we beat spuds three – nil and they are very, very special days indeed. Today, I get to use the two words that give me more pleasure than any others when describing victories over our chums from N17 – “Domination and Humiliation”. Others might prefer the more emotive image of “Rubbing salt into a wound” and had Eduardo scored when he was one on one with the keeper I’m sure this would have been appropriate, especially when you consider the wound created by Robbie Keane, this week, after shooting himself in the foot by naively suggesting that spuds have got a stronger bench, but Eduardo uncharacteristically missed, so we are all going to have to be satisfied with “Domination and Humiliation”. Lol
I got to the ground earlier than usual; I like to take in the atmosphere. There was a time when spuds would defiantly sing their heads off but after more than a decade without a win in the league against us, they are a beaten fan base, resigned to the inevitable and are quieter and quieter each time they come to our place. Our fans, on the other hand, did ourselves proud, we sang our hearts out and I am still a bit horse.
As the team was read out, I was greatly encouraged by the announcement that Bendtner was going to start; he gives us more purpose than Eboue in attack and as it turned out I was right to be encouraged becasue for the time he was on the pitch he was very good, that’s to, say focused and determined.
The game started in the same cagy way that most of these derbies do, uneventful, neither side wanting to make a mistake. It carried on in a rather non descript way for thirty five minutes with both sides only having one decent chance; people around me were starting to get frustrated with Huggy and I started to fear that we would go in at half time goalless and then lose to a sucker punch in the second half; that was, until the much maligned Sagna, when it comes to crosses anyway, had earmarked today to put all that right; he whipped in a perfectly weighted cross which Van Persie pounced on with his chocolate leg to stab it home.
Spuds heads went down and seemed to be so down that straight from the restart Van Persie intercepted which Fabregas seized on and proceeded to slalom his way, at speed, through the whole of the spud defence before firing low past the on coming Gomes. Two nil and the place went mad. Half time came shortly after and I have to tell you that I had one of the most enjoyable half time beers that I have had in a long time.
The good guys took to the field in the second half with a swagger, although, with just enough of a memory of what happened at West Ham last week to stop complacency setting in. If Fabregas’ goal was the sublime then Van Persie’s second was the ridiculous: spuds had pretty much given the game up as a competition and the only way they were going to score some Browny points with their fans was to try and tackle the good guys in such a way so as to injure them and this is exactly what happened half way through the second half, when one of their inbreeds hacked at Eduardo’s ankle, fearing the worst the whole of the ground took in a collective sigh of pain, the referee waved play on and Sagna collected the ball ran down the wing and sent in his second best cross of this season which some how their goal keeper and one of their defenders failed to clear allowing Van Persie to tap it in which gave the signal for the party to begin. It was show boat time, we should have had a couple more but hey ho three – nil, mustn’t grumble, as spuds were put in their place for another season.
Almunia: recovered from a chest infection (chough) it’s funny how the threat of loosing your job can buck you up. Back to his confident best, did everything right. 8
Sagna: so you can cross, you have just been teasing us, back to the time when he first arrived and we all thought that he was the best thing since sliced bread. 8
Gallas: commanding, authoritative, yet another world class performance. 8
Vermaelen: this player continues to give hope to all those who still like to believe that Arsène Knows and he certainly did when he signed this player. 8
Clichy: back to his best, concentration, positioning, crossing, all back to what we know he is capable of. 8
Fabregas: I cannot improve on the emotion that the song “We’ve got Cesc Fabregas” gives. My man of the match. 9
Song: superb, a very close call for Man of the Match, great tackling, great positioning and his distribution is improving every game. 8.5
Diaby: Diaby was Diaby, did win a few crucial headers. 7
Eduardo: if there is one player you want to have the ball in a one on one situation with the goal keeper it is him. Wenger threw his jacket to the floor in anger immediately after his miss; I read that to mean that he was not going to accept the sloppy wastefulness of last week, good for you Boss. 7.5
Van Persie: the other contender for Man of the Match totally committed to winning and the goals are starting to come thick and fast. 8.5
Arshavin: if any of you watched Russia v Germany you would have been reminded that this player is capable of running the whole game from start to finish in every way, Russia lost but he was outstanding. After expressing his unhappiness of playing so wide he seems to be resolved to it but this resignation seems to be reflected in his performances. I expect him to be on the bench in the week replaced by Nasri, which, of course, is a shame as we all know who Nasri should be replacing; the result of that blindingly obvious change would almost certainly bring Arshavin back into the game as well as bringing out the best in him. 7.5
November 1, 2009 at 10:03 am
How could I forget to mention how much I love Fulham
3-1 against the dippers and two red cards, oh how I laughed
November 1, 2009 at 10:04 am
Morning Rico
You can’t have enough match reports after we beat spuds 3-0. I just thought I would put my one up there as well for anyone who might be interested.
November 1, 2009 at 10:07 am
Morning London
I waited for a while before posting mine, I wish I had known you were going to write a report. I don’t really do match reports, but as we didnt have one after the last match I thought I would attempt one this time..
November 1, 2009 at 10:09 am
Did you go to the match London ?
November 1, 2009 at 10:09 am
No problem Rico
November 1, 2009 at 10:10 am
Arsene threw his jacket …
on throwing his jacket at 3-0…
“I threw my jacket up because I was frustrated. I could not communicate with my players because of the noise of the stadium. I am not used to that. That’s why I got frustrated because I felt it was important for the team not to concede a goal today because any goal with what happened recently could have caused a panic maybe and resurgence of Spurs.”
November 1, 2009 at 10:12 am
I wonder what noise he means ???
Surely not the noise coming from the support from the fans…
November 1, 2009 at 10:14 am
It’s all in the post Rico.
November 1, 2009 at 10:25 am
Silly me, I had already read you arrived early,
Arsene says he threw his jacket because he couldnt get the players attention, not because Dudu missed a sitter
November 1, 2009 at 10:28 am
We disagree with our MOTM London, I thought Cesc was a little bit off with his passing at times.
Arshavin though was poor again, maybe he needs a rest and lets see Tomas instead of him on Wednesday and Nasri instead of Diaby…
However, I wouldn’t be surprised if AW rests a few against AZ
November 1, 2009 at 10:32 am
I think we would both like to see the same team changes.
November 1, 2009 at 11:01 am
Bentley’s shocking tackle…. From The NOTW
That is if he forgets how fortunate he was to escape censure for a deliberate handball and a tackle on Thomas Vermaelen that arrived later than a second-class letter
November 1, 2009 at 11:15 am
Morning all
Two posts – how amazing – well done rico for writing while the game was on, I tried that once but it really spoiled watching the game for me……..
London – I agree its hard to find the right words to really do the feelings justice – ‘Domination and Humiliation’ works for me too…….
I decided this morning that the win was more important than anything else but how much do I love Cesc and Robin for being gooners – they really love our club don’t they…….
Watching Arsene throw his jacket and he and Pat Rice furiously shouting from the technical area was amazing…….so much passion……
I don’t know how true it is that he said that he couldn’t communicate with the players because of the noise of the crowd……I thought he said it was because of his cold……either way he was up for it big time. We reckoned he wanted Diaby and Song to stay back at that point and they were still running gungho at the spuds…..
When will he leave Diaby out – now that Nikki is injured he may feel that we need Diabys height – its a problem becuase Diaby is our weak link at the moment.
Still, I don’t care today – I don’t have to hear how we were ‘lucky’ this time – we smashed them and its only what they deserve
November 1, 2009 at 11:51 am
Morning peaches
Well put – top bannana
You should have seen how many mistakes I made in my typing, it looked foreign when I looked at it after the game
November 1, 2009 at 1:37 pm
Arsenal keeper Manuel Almunia’s secret family tragedy revealed
Published 22:29 31/10/09 By Steve Stammers
Recommend (7)
Arsenal goalkeeper Manuel Almunia has been coping with a family tragedy which has left him devastated.
Almunia has been comforting his wife since his mother-in-law was killed in a car crash in Spain six weeks ago.
Although the 32-year-old showed immense professionalism and stuck rigidly to his training schedule, manager Arsene Wenger decided Almunia should be given time to deal with the tragedy and left him out of the first-team line-up.
Almunia was restored to the side for yesterday’s North London derby after Wenger witnessed at first hand in training how Almunia was back to the form that made him first choice.
November 1, 2009 at 1:56 pm
Oh well, no-one around so i am off
November 1, 2009 at 2:29 pm
Whoops, looks like some back peddling is in order re Almunia.
November 1, 2009 at 2:38 pm
Hello everybody! Great victory yesterday.
In the pub I went to see the match, there were some cockney spur fans…they were very angry at the end of the game, and we ( arsenal fans) were laughing at them. That was nice, LOL.
So, didn’t Almunia get a chest infeccion? Or was it because of his mother-in-law?
November 1, 2009 at 2:46 pm
London – that news was about Almunia was on AR a while ago, I think it was JonJon who told us. Its only now though that the press have got hold of it…
November 1, 2009 at 2:47 pm
Hi Freire
It was because of the death in the family, no wonder he wasn’t at his best – very sad time for his wife and family
November 1, 2009 at 4:26 pm
Rico,
So the history that he’s got a chest infeccion was not true?
November 1, 2009 at 5:22 pm
I think so Freire, I guess the club were just looking after him, credit where credit is due to them.
I thought Almunia did ok yesterday, better than he has been. Fumbled a few catches but made each one safe before any danger loomed.
November 1, 2009 at 5:29 pm
Freire, sorry for my delay in responding, a friend just popped by and I was busy doing what us women do – gossiping
November 1, 2009 at 6:13 pm
All seriously quiet so I am off for the day…
Night night
November 1, 2009 at 8:14 pm
LOL.
That’s OK, Rico. Gossiping is nice sometimes.
Night night everyone!
November 2, 2009 at 5:43 am
Morning Raodsters
At the beginning of the season I had serious doubts about Van Persie and at one stage I even thought we should cash in on him – how wrong was I, the man loves our club big time, in fact both he and Cesc showed exactly what they thought of Arsenal in their goal celebrations on Saturday.
I really like this article in The Daily Star:-
NOW KEEP IT SHUT, KEANO
ROBIN Van Persie sent Tottenham crawling back home to White Hart Lane with their Champions League dreams in tatters – and a word of warning for the future.
Spurs had come into the game loud in their claims that they could beat the Gunners to a top-four spot this season.
And Robbie Keane was open with his boast Harry Redknapp possessed a squad with far more depth and quality than their north London rivals.
But when it came to the crunch, Keane and Co were found wanting and turned in a display which suggested they might struggle to outclass a pub side.
Van Persie, 26, scored twice as Arsenal taught Spurs a lesson in quality and humility.
He said: “I didn’t really read what Robbie said but we’ll see whether they are genuine top-four rivals.
“They can say whatever they want to say because they’re allowed to but we’ll just try to show it on the pitch and I think with a 3-0 result that’s what we showed.”
The message was polite but cutting: Don’t talk the talk if you can’t back it up on the pitch.
And this result really meant something for the players in Arsene Wenger’s squad, clearly smarting from criticism that they are vulnerable in the race for a Champions League spot.
It was made all the sweeter by the fact they had put their neighbours firmly in their place.
Van Persie added: “It always feels good to beat Spurs. It even feels good when we don’t play them and they get beaten, so it’s especially good when we’ve played them.
“I wasn’t here 15, 20 or 40 years ago but the way I’ve experienced games like this is fantastic, a great atmosphere.
“All week people at the training ground are speaking about this game. Everyone is excited and we are, too.
“When you look at the two defeats back to back in Manchester and the way we answered those two defeats, it’s fantastic to go unbeaten for 11 games.
“It shows we have commitment, the right mentality and can go all the way. It’s up to us to show it.”
Arsenal were always in control of this game as Spurs – minus their main three attacking threats in Luka Modric, Aaron Lennon and Jermain Defoe – looked blunt and lacking in ideas going forward.
So it was vital they maintained their shape and discipline at the back if they were to get anything from their short trip to the Emirates.
Instead, we witnessed the kind of defending usually reserved for Sunday mornings, not least when Arsenal effectively killed off the game with two goals within a minute just before the break.
Van Persie turned home the opener on 42 minutes when Bacary Sagna was allowed too much time to cross and the Spurs defence fell asleep to let the Dutch striker steal in to score.
If that wasn’t bad enough, the defending was almost comical straight from the kick-off when Wilson Palacios gave the ball away in the centre circle.
And while Cesc Fabregas was clinical when he ran straight through three limp challenges to double the lead, quite what tacklers Palacios, Tom Huddlestone and Ledley King were doing only they will know.
More calamity was to follow for Arsenal’s third on the hour when Spurs committed the cardinal sin of not playing to the whistle to allow Sagna yet another free run down the right.
Even then there was the chance to clear the danger but Heurelho Gomes and King contrived to miss the ball completely and Van Persie was able to slot home from six yards.
Substitute Eduardo should have walked away with a hat-trick but wasted three great opportunities to heap more embarrassment on Tottenham.
By this time, the outspoken Keane had long since been spared his blushes by being dragged off and was no doubt contemplating his rash comments.
Redknapp said: “We committed football suicide and goals change everything.
“Two goals up and the players feel fantastic, the crowd are going wild.
“If they had walked off at 0-0 there would have been moaning and groaning at every misplaced pass.
“I won’t have to do anything to lift the players after this defeat. We will be back playing well again next week against Sunderland.
“I still think we can get into the Champions League. When Modric and Lennon are fit and Defoe is available again, we have a terrific team.”
November 2, 2009 at 5:46 am
Especially this bit
Van Persie added: “It always feels good to beat Spurs. It even feels good when we don’t play them and they get beaten, so it’s especially good when we’ve played them.
Way to go Robin
November 2, 2009 at 5:48 am
Below is a full list of the teams from whom Wenger earned his points.
Opponent
Points
Everton
61
Tottenham Hotspur
52
Blackburn Rovers
51
Newcastle United
50
Aston Villa
48
Middlesbrough
47
Chelsea
45
West Ham United
42
Fulham
41
Manchester City
40
Charlton Athletic
38
Southampton
38
Bolton Wanderers
35
Manchester United
35
Derby County
33
Leicester City
31
Leeds United
30
Liverpool
30
Sunderland
29
Portsmouth
27
Wigan Athletic
25
Birmingham City
24
Coventry City
21
West Bromwich Albion
19
Wimbledon
14
Reading
12
Watford
12
Ipswich Town
10
Nottingham Forest
9
Sheffield Wednesday
9
Crystal Palace
8
Bradford City
7
Barnsley
6
Norwich City
6
Wolverhampton Wanderers
6
Hull City
3
Sheffield United
3
Stoke City
3
November 2, 2009 at 6:26 am
morning guys!!!
November 2, 2009 at 6:29 am
Morning Cartman
November 2, 2009 at 6:33 am
Reports this morning that Rio could be on his way from Manure…
Also, Upson is available for £15M in January….
So me reckons Upson will go to Manure…
November 2, 2009 at 6:38 am
lol…
heard that fergie wanted shawcross back!
November 2, 2009 at 6:39 am
Do you reckon Rio is a gonner soon ??
November 2, 2009 at 6:40 am
Shawcross is a big lad 6′3 – is he doing well at Stoke then ? If so, maybe we should go for him, we need another CH in January
November 2, 2009 at 6:41 am
nahh! dont see AW going for him! besides dont think rio wud want to play 4 us, he’s been at manu for so many years…
November 2, 2009 at 6:42 am
Not Rio Cartman, Shawcross – I wouldnt want Rio anywhere near our club
November 2, 2009 at 6:44 am
Ha ha, I wrote Gonner, not Gooner
November 2, 2009 at 6:47 am
seems that he’s doing well there but haven’t seen much of him…
btw ur up really early 2day!!!!
November 2, 2009 at 6:53 am
Couldnt sleep, been awake since 4am so thought I may aswell get up and check out the blog world
November 2, 2009 at 6:55 am
You are too Cartman or are you overseas?
November 2, 2009 at 6:57 am
Bassong is out for a month for Spuds …
November 2, 2009 at 6:57 am
yep, just returned to mauritius about 2 weeks ago!!!
November 2, 2009 at 7:05 am
How wonderful, I bet you have lovely warm sunshine, its bloomin cold here this morning
November 2, 2009 at 7:06 am
hey lil’ guinea pig, i’ll be back later…
November 2, 2009 at 7:08 am
not really, its rain and rain these days
November 2, 2009 at 7:08 am
Have a good day Cartman, good to see you..
November 2, 2009 at 9:04 am
rico posted this earlier and I think its so good that it should go in again….
Especially this bit
Van Persie added: “It always feels good to beat Spurs. It even feels good when we don’t play them and they get beaten, so it’s especially good when we’ve played them.
Way to go Robin
Morning rico – I was gonna put it in myself but saw that you’d found it earlier
November 2, 2009 at 9:29 am
Morning Roadsters
This is my favourite Rico post of the morning.
“Robin Van Persie sent Tottenham crawling back home to White Hart Lane with their Champions League dreams in tatters.”
Now, that is the way to start a match report….I wish I had thought of it.
November 2, 2009 at 9:34 am
Morning peaches and London..
I love Robin, his comments are tip top, added to that his cheeky grin when being interviewed after the game when asked about Tottenham…
You could clearly see he wanted to just break out in roars of laughter
November 2, 2009 at 9:36 am
We must also thank the Spuds for the 52 points they have given us whilst under the management of Arsene
November 2, 2009 at 10:23 am
Off for a while, catch up later
November 2, 2009 at 12:02 pm
Morning Roadsters.. NEW POST..
November 2, 2009 at 12:59 pm
morning everyone!