Pittsburgh Gooners

You won’t see me offering a lot of heartfelt congratulations to Manchester United this morning. They won the league, thankfully not at Emirates. That was the consolation prize to Traitor McBackstabby putting home a hat trick enroute to securing what we’ve all known United was going to win for a few months now. They didn’t celebrate in our yard. If we do a Guard of Honor I hope Sir Alex Bubblegum has the common sense to place RVP as a sub on Sunday as I’m hopeful we will only do whatever it is we are going to do to look gracious for the starting 11.

Look, I listened to everyone’s perspective on RVP yet again yesterday. I heard how his decision to leave was ultimately justified and how we are somehow to blame ultimately for another top class player deciding that they didn’t want the cannon on their chest. In the past I would have been more open to this mentally. However there is a distinct difference here. No more than 19 months before be jumped ship he sermonized how he always wanted to be a Gunner. He espoused how trophies won anywhere else would be meaningless. So I hope he is enjoying his self defined meaningless victory this morning as I sit here spitting nails at him. There is nothing worse than a traitor, especially one you trusted.

I despised United before he landed there. They are an arrogant club with arrogant fans. Fans that largely play lip service to their support. Seriously look around. Go out on the Internet and look at who is pouring their creativity into producing things that show their love and dedication to their club. You’ll see United support trailing far behind us, Liverpool, and yes even Chelsea. I love Arsenal not only for our tradition and class but also for the quality of people who choose to support her.

Right so on to business. You’ll notice that there have not been major posts lately regarding match times or statistics breakdowns. That’s largely due to the tedious nature of those things and the very small number of people who were consuming that content. Moving forward there will be more personal commentary. If you want to write something submit a draft and I will look at it or use your account to publish.

It’s been half a month since we last saw League action and the international break has not been kind to our side.  Abou Diaby is now out for the next 9 months after a training injury to his other leg.  Theo Walcott was hurt in training for Three Lions and Jack Wilshere has seen his injury timetable extended by at least a week.  Off all three only Walcott even has a chance of making the side tomorrow.

Entering the weekend we are 4 back of Spurs in 4th and 5 back of Chelsea in 3rd as we hold onto hope for a Champions League Qualification.  Tottenham have a pesky road trip to Swansea and Chelsea have what should be an easy game against Southampton.  Spurs could easily walk away from Liberty Stadium with zero points and a win for Arsenal at home could see us only a point behind with 8 left.

Here is how to take in the game tomorrow.

- LIVE & ON DEMAND – 11:00am – Fox Soccer 2 Go
- REPLAY 5:30pm – Fox Soccer Channel
- REPLAY 3:00am Sunday March 31st – Fox Soccer Channel

Fox’s website is messed up a bit at the moment.  If I gain access to it later in the day I will be sure to update this however as it stands I do not see a live listing for Arsenal at 11:00am on television, and the game is not listed @PipersPub on their schedule

If anyone wants to get together to watch the match I do have a Fox Soccer 2 Go account. Let me know
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To say it’s been a good week would be a bit of an understatement.  Going away to Bayern Munich and finding a defensive template may be the most important thing that could have happened as we turned into the final 10 League games of the season.  Even though we were on the wrong side of a lot of the officiating and we didn’t have a large number of chances, Arsenal found a way to win in a place that not many do. I read some where that no one had clean-sheeted the home side at Allianz Arena in 11 years or something.  The early goal from Giroud didn’t mean much to Bayern as they were playing with a 3 away-goals leads but it made a difference for Arsenal.  It put belief into our side very quickly.  With Thomas Vermaelen and Wojciech Azczesny sitting on the bench the back line pairing of Per Mertesacker and Laurent Koscielny all of the sudden looked very solid.  The late goal from Koscielny leveled the aggregate score but our first leg performance sent us out of Europe.  I still held my head very high on Wednesday.  It was one of the best performances out of Arsenal this season against arguably the best team in Europe right now. It came at the right time and set up Saturday very nicely.

Winning away in the Champions League and then pivoting to a win away in the Premier League should not be taken too lightly. Its no easy feat.  Arsenal got the absolutely necessary three points at Liberty Stadium against the Swans with goals coming from some unlikely people.  The same back four did the same job and kept the sheet clean along with another good performance out of Lukasz Fabianski.  The sheer elation on Ignacio Monreal’s face when he put us ahead in the second half was intoxicating.  He looked like a Gunner at that point. His expression brought to the fore, for me, the fact that there is belief and desire still left in our club.  Then Gervinho broke into the clear late after Theo Walcott had been taken off for some shoring up in the form of Kieran Gibbs.  When the Ivorian got the ball I was very far from saying oh this is in.  Yet it was, surprisingly so.   Read the rest of this entry →

Well the miracle almost happened.  Not many teams go to Allianz Arena and defeat Bayern Munich let alone clean sheet them.  Still the Away Goals Rule did us in despite a 3-3 aggregate draw.  That means all focus is now on finishing fourth or better in the League to secure a Champions League position for next year.  The first step in that quest is Swansea away this Saturday.

Be advised it is St Paddy’s weekend on the Southside, plan on parking being a little more difficult to find than normal.  Here is how you can take in the match.

LIVE – 11:00am – Fox Soccer Channel  (match will be shown @Piperspub)
REPLAY & ON DEMAND starting at 11:59pm  - Fox Soccer 2 Go
REPLAY – 11:00pm Fox Soccer Channel
REPLAY – 3:00pm Sunday March 17th – Fox Soccer Channel
REPLAY – 5:00pm Monday March 18th – Fox Soccer Channel
REPLAY – 1:00pm Tuesday March 19th – Fox Soccer Channel

Also if you missed it and want to DVR it there is another Replay of Bayern vs Arsenal at 10:00am on Tuesday March 19th on Fox Soccer Channel.  Stats pack will drop in the morning.