Stamford Bridge is in the strangest location for a football ground. A few weeks ago, I was walking through what I described as “the mean estates of Tottenham.” Well, SW10 is a whole different animal. I always drive to football, mainly because, living in the country, it’s cheaper (for two), takes the same time and is far more comfortable than crowded tubes (the queue at Fulham Broadway is off the scale and you are cheek by jowl with Chelsea supporters). So, using my usual parking space App, I found an excellent parking spot at the Chelsea Design Centre, just off the Kings Road. It was a gentle 20 minute walk to the ground (and I walk slowly, with a stick). It really gives you an idea of what living in this part of London is all about. Instead of housing estates, or terraced housing, we walked past art galleries, chi chi restaurants and furniture shops where the answer to the question “how much is that?” was “if you need to ask sir, you can’t afford it”. Most football grounds are in working class, or what used to be working class areas. Not Chelsea.
The strangest thing is that you can’t see the ground until you go through the turnstile. No floodlights, No stands, nothing. To get to the away supporters turnstile you go past two massive five star hotels until you get to the gate pictured at the top. Once inside, as we were very early, we made the mistake of buying a pint as we watched the early game. £7! Holy Mary. Much hilarity amongst fellow Gooners at Tottenham handing a first win of the season to Ipswich at the Toilet Bowl. My old Dad (RIP) would have said “that’s stopped them farting in church” using an old London expression for being disrespectful.
Into the stadium proper and once again we are in the penultimate row in the Shed Upper, over the corner flag. But in the bus stop you seem much closer to the pitch than at Newcastle or West Ham. The seating is also comfortable and safe rail seating, with an excellent view.
The teams were in and to the relief of Gooners everywhere, both Rice and Ødegaard started. The first half was cagey and fairly even. Palmer tested the reflexes of Raya early and Neto (who had an excellent game) was giving White a torrid time with some very tricky wing play. Gusto should have scored from one cross. Neto is very one footed however, but that left foot is a wand. Then we thought we had scored. Saka was sent tumbling, resulting in a free kick. Rice took it very quickly and Havertz was away in the box, slotting it neatly past Sanchez (who didn’t have the best of games). Tumult in the Shed! But then the dreaded VAR, unlike the Lino, gave offside. Looking at the pics afterwards it was very close but Havertz’s left foot was just off.
One more big chance before half time. Saka made a trademark run across the 18 yard line and got off a shot which was blocked. It fell to Martinelli on his left foot close in on goal and he really should have scored but struck it straight at Sanchez who saved it. Goalless at half time and both teams creating chances.
HT : Chelsea 0-0 Arsenal 0
Our Captain had gently played himself in throughout that first half but in the second half he was back to his dominant best, circulating in the inside right slot, pressing, making passes, being progressive, working well with Saka, White and Partey. On the hour, he created the chance that led to our goal. He was involved three times just outside the box on our right before he made the space to arc in a fabulous left footed cross to an onside and unmarked Martinelli who controlled it with his left foot before smashing it in with his right past Sanchez’s near post (again, not great goalkeeping). This time absolute limbs in the Shed Upper and only the rails prevented me from tumbling down the rows. Get in!
Chelsea 0-1 Arsenal (Martinelli 60)
We continued to dominate but ten minutes later Chelsea were level. Neto spotted some space outside our penalty area, drove into it (someone should have gone to him, but no one did) and smashed in a great left footed shot inside Raya’s left post. A goal somewhat reminiscent of Ødegaard’s goal at Newcastle two seasons ago. Arteta seemed rather irritated by that goal afterwards.
Chelsea 1-1 Arsenal (Neto 70)
From then on it was all Arsenal. I was disappointed to see Martinelli come off because I thought he was having a fine and effective game. Saka and Rice, both carrying knocks, were subbed off. But we kept up constant pressure on the Chelsea area and were unlucky (or wasteful) not to score. Trossard in particular is finding it hard to shoot straight at the moment. Right at the end we seemed to have a great chance when Saliba, on the left wing of all places, was found by Ødegaard. He knocked in a great square ball which seemed destined for a Havertz tap in. But Trossard lunged in, off balance, and put it wide. Watching it back on MOTD, I think Saliba was offside so we were spared a celebration to no avail.
Chelsea 1-1 Arsenal (FT)
The away support, as usual, was magnificent. I know I always say that but they really were, aided by a crinkly tin roof above us. Singing and supporting the whole game. Havertz’s and Gabi’s songs got lengthy airings but there were two new ones that I really enjoyed. The first, I thought, was a witty piss take of the PGMOL. I think, but am not completely sure, that this was after, at Cucurella’s urging, Oliver booked Havertz for bleeding.
It’s all about you
It’s all about you
Michael Oliver
It’s all about you!
The second is Jurien Timber’s new song , which I really like, and think will catch on
Ohhh eh oh, We’ve got Jurien Timber
Ohhh eh oh He’s our Dutch defender
Ohhh eh oh he never gives the ball away!
I thought we made huge progress in this game and were the better side, especially in the second half. Much of that was due to the return of our Captain, clearly MOTM for me. Chelsea are a clearly improved side from last season, with pace to burn. I was impressed with Neto and Gusto, but I though we closed down Palmer very effectively in the second half. We’ve now played Villa, Spurs, City, Newcastle and Chelsea away. They all have to come to the Emirates after Christmas. I still think the title is on.
Going home, Google Maps removed itself from my bad books after Preston (where it failed to avoid road works on the M6) with a very scenic run through my home town from Chelsea. Along the river, past the lit up Chelsea Bridge, Sloane Square, Belgravia, Hyde Park Corner, Park Lane, Marble Arch, past Lords Cricket Ground in St John’s Wood and finally home at 9.30pm.
Next game, high flying Forest at home. On to the interlull. Good time for a reset.
What an excellent and atmospheric report C100. I know what you mean about Stamford Bridge. Sauntering through Pimlico to a football match is an unusual experience . My wife used to work in the King’s Road as a dolly bird ( a few years ago ) and was regularly chatted up by film stars , musicians and footballers as it is a very glamorous area. Clearly negotiations didn’t go well as she ended up with me !
I saw very much the same game as you and am similarly hopeful for the rest of the season. Mikel clearly wants to get and keep his best team together and if we get some momentum we can go on a very good run.Thankfully C115y are struggling. If they, not Liverpool were nine points ahead we would have real problems .
It was great to have the skipper back, he is a special player . We now need two weeks R and R for Rice and Saka so they can take a breather and help us to push closer to the top. Have faith Holics
Cheers C100. Great report. The away fans were heard loud and clear on TV, good work?
A splendidly evocative awayday report, C100. We saw the same game, although your vantage point was a lot closer than mine.
I am glad you picked up on Palmer’s quiet game, especially in the second half. We effectively closed down one of the most vibrant players in the league this season: bonus points to Arteta for his tactics.
The goal against was annoyingly unnecessary as we have been so good at shutting off that space that Neto ran into. I can see why Arteta was agitated about it. Yet, typical of our luck, Neto produced a top-drawer shot that went over Gabriel’s leg by a couple of centimetres. Again, fine margins.
I echo what Ollie said about the singing coming through loud and proud on the streams. Tremendous stuff.
A friendly reminder to GHF Predictathon players that the Leader Board for Match Week 11 has been posted. Quite a lot of chopping and changing of positions. You know where to find it…
Cheers Ned. Abandoning (temporarily) the last spot, hurrah!
(and now on a train to the far North West).
Excellent summary of the game I watched, C100. This was a greatly improved performance compared with recent weeks and I agree that most of that improvement was a direct consequence of the return of our captain. I thought that he and TP5 were outstanding and Merino’s contribution in the later phase showed promise that he’s getting up to PL speed.
The Michael Oliver barrage came over clearly and loudly and he couldn’t have missed it. Will it make him more reticent to throw cards our way? Unlikely, but it might make him ponder in the knowledge that he’s under the microscope.
Some R & R during the interlull and those Gunners should be ready for a renewed assault on the title. I plan to enjoy watching them eat their way into the 9 point lead to which the earlier mentioned Oliver and his co-conspirators have contributed so generously.
Ooops PGMOL
https://www.theguardian.com/football/2024/nov/11/referee-david-coote-video-jurgen-klopp-liverpool-pgmol-premier-league?CMP=Share_iOSApp_Other
Many thanks C100, much appreciated
especially as I wasn’t able to watch.
Good to know we are improving again
That’s a superb and atmospheric man-on-the-spot report C100 and very much the match I saw. I understand there are children out there calling for Arteta’s sack and crying over the time since we won a game but fortunately they don’t get into my social media. We have had a very tough fixture list, rough (in)justice from officials and no rub of the green. We did almost enough to beat the Scousers, deserved at least a draw at St James’ and in Milan and were much the better team at the Bus Stop and but for those fine margins would have won that match in which case the world would have looked so much better for those needy children. Le Grove contributes wise words today.
If we can avoid a further string of injuries and undeserved red cards (over to you PGMOL), show the form we saw in Milan and at the bus stop and avoid any zombie performances like at the Cottage last season, I am confident that we can hunt Liverpool down before May.
COYG
Greetings from Lancaster. That’s not Lancaster Gate, I have not come to visit the FA (wherever they are based these days).
C100 @7, that is quite incredible. Especially as apparently Coote first vehemently denied the reality of the video, before backtracking and simply saying he didn’t remember the conversation as it was a long time ago…
C100@7 and Ollie@11: These little cracks in the facade have a habit of spreading. Looks like PGMOL has a serious damage limitation task on its hands.
Coote underlined the poor decision making with which we are all too familiar from his refereeing. What possessed him to say what he thinks about Klopp while he was being filmed and what kind of ‘mate’ shares it or personally puts it on X? It is intriguing to wonder whether this is the prevailing kind of attitude to clubs and their coaches behind the scenes at PGMOL? How dare coaches not show grovelling respect to the referee – do they not recognise that their destiny and that of their club lies in referees’ God-like hands? Coote’s prompt suspension may be as much about protecting the PGMOL silo as preparing the way for banishment to Lancashire’s equivalent of the Hackney Marshes. The whole PGMOL edifice should be raised to the ground and its starlets sent to the fields to pick turnips.
Bravo, c100!
Decent point, if you ask me.
That trip home sounded fun!
Ollie@5: You did better out of Bournemouth and Forest’s defeats than anyone. Overall, you had the best improvement in your score this week of anyone save for Lonestar, who got a big helping hand from Fulham and Wolves’ wins and Forest and Villa’s defeats.
Thanks for an entertaining match review C100. The end result was maybe a little disappointing but overall there’s a sense that the team has turned a corner and we are on the way back. If it wasn’t known before the importance of Martin Ødegaard to how the team play it has been fully transparent these past few weeks. The results over the weekend just show how each match in the epl is a battle for even the so called better teams. One suspects Liverpool will find this out as the season progresses – lots of points to be lost – the title is not in the bag for anyone.
Just when you think the reputation of the PGMOL can’t sink any lower, the Coote saga drags them down even further. They really are the pits of an organisation and I expect he will be made a sacrificial goat to show how much they are an organisation of integrity – puke.
Pleased to see that Saka and Rice have dropped out of the England squad for this interlull. Rice apparently has a broken toe. The commentator during the Chelsea game said that pain-killing injections only last for 70 minutes or so. I have no idea how long broken toes take to mend, although I doubt regular repeats of 70 minutes of high-intensity football speed up healing. Not having him available for full games doesn’t sound good, however.
Ned @17, it depends which toe and which bone. The phalanges (terminal bones) of the large toe may take longer to heal as that toe flexes in walking and is almost impossible to immobilise without going ‘off legs’. Splinting the large toe severely hampers the most basic bipedal mobility. The metatarsals and other toes are easier to immobilise though fracture of the former would not strictly be described as a broken toe. The other toes are immobilised by strapping to the adjacent unfractured toe. However we could be dealing with deliberate misinformation here in ‘the fog of war’. Immobilisation is essential to quick union of every fractured bone. Hence how long it takes fractured ribs to heal – unless you stop breathing.
Bath@8: Thank you for that explanation. Note to self: don’t fracture any ribs.
Metatarsal can only be said in a Scouse accent.
Mezzanine can only be said with a Brummie one.
It’s the interlull give me a break.
I shall be looking for those Hackney Marshes equivalent in Lancashire.
Cheers Countryman. As ever, a superb report from the field (I always appreciate your sharing of the songs you liked too) and I agree completely with your thoughts in the penultimate paragraph.
I somehow seem to have found a way to care less about this round of Interlull matches than usual, which is some feat. Two weeks of dross before we can get back to real football. I bet Arteta will use the time wisely.
Baff @13.
How very generous of you. You must have a surprisingly high opinion of the employees of PGMOL if you would trust them to pick turnips. And VAR would be a nightmare.
Excellent news about Martin Odegaard. I was a bit worried when they said he was going to travel with Norway.
https://www.theguardian.com/football/2024/nov/12/martin-odegaard-out-norway-back-arsenal
That is excellent news about MØ8.
After he completed 96 minutes, there was clearly a risk that the Norwegian coach would expect him to play in their two ‘very important’ internationals. He has shown uncommon common sense not to demand that a player who has been crocked for 9 weeks, has had one and a half days training and has just completed a vital and intense game for his club is allowed to continue his rehabilitation. There would undoubtedly also have been a reaction to that unaccustomed exertion after so long out.
Good news on Rice and Saka too. Both thoroughly deserve a long rest and though he’s not yet taken over, Tuchel knows them both well and there’s nothing to be gained from flogging them to death in this competition.
They should make the Nations League like the Olympics: countries would play their under-21s with a couple of overage players, so senior internationals don’t get flogged into the ground.
Thanks C100 – another really enjoyable on the spot report.
I agree the fixtures and injury gods have been very unkind so far but, with everyone back fit, I still think we can do it.
Rice, Saka and Odegaard all withdrawn from international duty to co bit urgent regard in London.
Ned @26 – I think they should make the Nations League line the dodo.
like – not line
Thanks all for the kind comments. Tell me, did anyone else’s Londoner Dad use the phrase about “stopping their farting in church” or was it just mine?
Trev@28: Equally acceptable.
C100@30: I can’t recall ever having heard that in my 50s and 60s London yoof on the sundrenched lowlands of the norfwest’n postal districts. ‘That will get them off their high horses’ might have been employed with the same intent if less linguistic and olfactory pungency.
Squires in the Guardian calling the Webb and Owen twattery ‘Match Officials effed up’ rather than ‘mic’d up’.
C100
I think your family were more vulgar than mine !😀Everyone’s parents had particular sayings but that was one I hadn’t encountered before .
Entirely possible TTG.
You, after all, went to a fee paying school.
I am from solidly working class stock,
I know my place.
Upwind rather than down, I hope, for your sake, C100.
442’s Adam Clery on the Chelsea game:
Thanks for the links @7 and @36 gents.
Haven’t been able to keep up much online so the Coote thing passed me by, With mates like that he doesn’t need enemies. Ref proves to be xenophobic and thick, who’d have thunk it.
At least he’s not bottom of the predictathon league 😭😭
Adam Clery is in top form there, Ned @36. Thanks for the link.
Love his analysis of where we stand.
Onwards.
C100
I was a young lad from a working class family that found his way to a very good grammar school by the sweat of my brow. No fee paying school for me. My origins are common as muck 😀
I will simply quote Fletcher from Porridge and there never was a truer word:
“I used to fink I was working class until I went to Scotland.”
You can put away your medal, fellas.
https://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/p00hhrwl
Ben White is apparently being rumoured to be out until the New Year. After a minor procedure ? Surely not- Trev, enlighten us
If there is substance to the Sun’s allegations about Coote and his substances, it starts to explain a lot.
Bentancur of Tottnumb is to be suspended for seven games for comments he made in Uruguay about Son
@43 a wide use of hallucinogens would explain even more about the PGMOL 😂😂
I can confirm that my comprehensive school 118 bus route from Morten to Streatham via Mitcham is not known as the Mayfair run but it was nicer than the Glasgow housing estate I once stayed in 😉
https://www.arsenal.com/news/arsenals-2040-net-zero-target-approved
Always blazing a trail where it matters. Well done Arsenal.
GSD@46. I join you in commending the club for adopting net-zero targets, particularly such ambitious ones, holding themselves to a public, third-party standard, and acknowledging that it is in a position where it can set an example for others to follow in decarbonisation. Bravo.
We must keep the eye of due diligence on whether the club uses carbon credits to achieve net-zero. The Science-based Targets Initiative (SBTi) is a UN-backed group whose framework is used by many US companies, large and small. However, earlier this year, it got embroiled in an internal squabble over whether companies should be able to use carbon credits to offset their greenhouse gas emissions to achieve net zero. SBTi’s board approved their use even as its staff were preparing a report that said they were largely ineffective in promoting emissions cuts.
The example always given is that I promise not to chop down my forest and sell you a credit for the carbon saved. You use that carbon credit to offset an equivalent amount of your emissions. You achieve net zero, but is there an actual emissions reduction? And what if I was never going to chop down my forest in the first place? That sounds fanciful, but it is based on a real case. Except for Big Tech, US companies are shying away from carbon credits because of such concerns.
None of which should halt the applause for today’s announcement that the club will be accountable and transparent in seeking to reduce its carbon footprint.
This week, I have mostly learnt that the weather can be better in the North West than in the South East or in Paris. I hope I haven’t caught the accent though…
Ollie, if you’re in one of your fancy cafés in Paris and say “tar luv” for the service, you’ll know you’ve caught the accent.
Haha, cheers Sancho!
Ey-up, Ollie. Well in fer t’arf-tun.
I hope you purchased a flat cap, black pudding, a whippet and a rolled up copy of the Sporting Life.
TTG @42 – sorry, I’ve not had much time to get involved this week, to say the least.
I can’t do much – any – enlightening as there is really no detail available on what Ben White’s “minor procedure “ involved.
I’m guessing it really can’t be a major issue otherwise he wouldn’t have been able to play on it at all. The most likely causes are probably a cartilage tear of some sort or a fragment of bone which could be floating in the joint, or have been reincorporated into some of the soft tissue but still causing pain.
I haven’t seen a projected return date of the new year but that is, aftef all, ‘only’ 6 or 7 weeks away which would represent a fairly quick return from a surgery.
All very woolly I know but understandably the club have not issued anything really to go on.
I guess Timber and Calafiori will be starting
then unless Tomi comes back again.
I’m over at the other place if you are interested.
@countryman100.bsky.social
Ethan doing what Ethan does for the U19s
Ethan Nwaneri. Wow. 🔥
Mikel needs to give him more minutes
Credit: _thenextwave_ on X
Video in this link
https://x.com/_thenextwave_/status/1857772024766066838?s=61&t=cVFjCyGkt4y-Ne45LtfqkQ
This is a well thought out piece by Pedro. Well worth reading. It’s the stuff the media luvvies won’t write:
https://www.le-grove.co.uk/p/the-pgmol-critique-no-one-wants-to
@57,58 thanks Bath, C100
An excellent goal and an excellent piece.
Although it is quite possible I like the piece as it is broadly in
line with my own opinion, a tad harsh on my fellow
liberals I thought. Anyway, the problem is certainly fixable,
it’s just the will that is missing.
Mashed spuds again. Go the women.
UTA
Another well thought out piece by Pedro with an olive branch to Crouch End and analysis of our forthcoming transfer dealings:
https://www.le-grove.co.uk/p/why-arsenal-wont-spend-100m-on-alexander
Bath, thanks for the link @58
Some excellent suggestions in there on the required reforms of PGMOL and VAR. VAR has not improved football or refereeing. It has made it worse for two reasons. One is that the availability of technology has raised levels of expectation in decision making to perfection. That will never happen in football because so many decisions are based around intent and, therefore, become subjective.
The second is that fans in the stadia whose experience is all about spontaneity are left to wait, unable to celebrate or mock, while two subjective decisions are arrived at. If only we could return to having one trusted official whose decisions, in the midst of the action, could be trusted and accepted for better or worse.
I thought Peter Wood was a bit harsh on the Guardian, if he was aiming at Jonathan Liew, but otherwise it was good stuff.
And thanks to C100 @57.
MLS and Nwaneri look very ready for a chance at bigger things. And they’re both in positions where we could do with a bit of help.
Trev @ 62. I was wondering ‘Is he not dead?’ but then, while I have no idea what you are referring to, I suspect the absence of ‘Hill-‘ is quite significant?
Ollie, Peter Wood is the guy who writes le grove
Surely Pedro Madera, Trev?
Either way, he’s written an excellent OpEd on the subject. I hope that the Coote affair (which has the silver lining that I will never again confuse the Coot with its white patch on its nose with its close relative the Moorhen with a red patch), is the first thread that unravels the whole edifice that is the PGMOL cartel.
Pedro is correct that the media luvvies who almost to a man cozy up to clubs and referees who should be treated with suspicion if not disdain and should be challenged on their statements or decisions rather than to whom they meekly nod along, have failed to do their jobs and are exposed in their duplicity and news management for Joe Public by the work of thoughtful bloggers.
Oh, cheers Trev. I only ever heard of him as ‘Pedro’.
Bath
Thanks for linking this article
I agree that this article is excellent . Peter is a very modern writer with a very good take on the impact of money on sport ( the Guardian writer he refers to is Ronay not Liew )
Just one issue to underline . We had a spat in here a few years ago because I showed that map that shows where the then Premier League refs came from . One of our number rejected it as a fair record .
My point which I didn’t make well at the time was that the issue I was really worried about wasn’t pure bias ( although it has plenty of opportunities to flower in the PL) but the cronyism born of an unhealthy culture – a group of mates from the North West who see the PL as their fiefdom and don’t want external interference in recruitment of referees cos they can’t be billeted with their mates nb the Mike Dean quote and the comment to Kavanagh as he sent off Rice ‘ protect yourself mate ‘
PGMOL are a clique and a vulnerable clique and at last we are seeing a range of opinions on how unsatisfactory they are as the organisation in charge of refereeing the richest league in the world
Bath @66, I don’t know – I don’t normally read le grove but he has signed himself Peter Wood on at least the ones I have seen.
Do feel free to edit though if I’m not supposed to use that name …
Actually I may have gotten confused with another blog …. so do please correct if I have
Maybe his real name is Pierre Bois?
Pyotr дерево perchance?
In realtà c’è Pietro Legna.
Peter Wood runs Le Grove from New York where he works in advertising , He is a good writer and a very incisive thinker and one of the non- GHF Arsenal bloggers most worth reading .He is known on Le Grove as Pedro . He comes ove4 here several times a season to watch live games and sees all our games live on TV.
I have written once for Le Grove and had no editorial interference at all but prior to switching to Substack they had some very annoying posters on Le Grove .
Aha, good to know I’m not losing it after all.
Cheers TTG.
>>>>>>>