[sbu_large_image] The Knee Jerk
5 May 2012 1648 comments
Mark Mark
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Just one result, but today’s outcome at the Emirates couldn’t have set up the season climax any better.

In many ways the 3-3 draw typified the season for Arsenal. Robin Van Persie again delivered – his brace of goals taking him to 30 this term – an outstanding return for a player who, for the first time, has enjoyed a Premier League season uninterrupted by injury. But, once again, the Dutchman’s efforts weren’t enough, as the Gunners slipped to a late equaliser and were left frustrated by another spirited Norwich display.

Arsenal now sit just two points ahead of Spurs and Newcastle in third – leaving the door ajar for the pursuing pair, making their meetings with Villa and City all the more crucial.

It’s beautifully poised. While those without Van Persie will have been perturbed by only his second double figure return in ten Gameweeks, the result does at least ensure that Spurs and Newcastle will go into Sunday’s games buoyed by the opportunity presented them. Those who placed their armband on the Dutchman will settle down tomorrow with the comfort of a twenty-point cushion. Those who looked to Wayne Rooney will at least have renewed hope that Newcastle will go at City, perhaps setting up a Old Trafford goal fest just a few hours later. Arsenal’s role in this scenario was perhaps a minor one, but their failure to earn a victory has undoubtedly added further incentive for Alan Pardew’s men, making City’s path to the title that little bit more treacherous.

It also ensures that the battle for third will go to the end. Regardless of how Spurs and Newcastle fare on Sunday, both will go into Gameweek 38 contesting for the precious Champions League places. The Gunners will need to win at West Brom, similarly Spurs and Newcastle will have extra motivation to earn three points against Fulham and Everton respectively.

For Fantasy managers, that’s a dream scenario. With our squads full of assets from both clubs following the double Gameweek, we can now be content that the likes of Gareth Bale, Rafael Van der Vaart and Papiss Cisse will be fully motivated to the final whistle.

Then there’s Van Persie. He’ll go to the Hawthorns looking to push his side over the line – one last effort from a player who has undoubtedly emerged as this season’s star asset. Once done, we’re then reliant on Arsene Wenger’s ability to retain his services.

Arsenal’s failings ensured that our season went to the last – we can only wonder if they’ll also bring an end to Van Persie’s career at the Emirates.

Mark Mark created the beast. He's now looking to tame it.

  1. Spike ⚽️
    • 14 Years
    14 years, 22 days ago

    Game on again Rigby 😉

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    1. RÏɠBY
      • 15 Years
      14 years, 22 days ago

      haha

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  2. kaz 96
    • 14 Years
    14 years, 22 days ago

    can't believe im saying this, c'mon liverpool!

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  3. RÏɠBY
    • 15 Years
    14 years, 22 days ago

    a tale of two ponytails

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  4. Kurtd
    • 14 Years
    14 years, 22 days ago

    Hartlepool fans today all dressed as Smurfs using the London Underground heading to Charlton.

    https://twitter.com/#!/mr_seanhughes/status/198820228258467840/photo/1/large

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    1. RÏɠBY
      • 15 Years
      14 years, 22 days ago

      superb.. what's that about then?

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    2. guinness416
      • 15 Years
      14 years, 22 days ago

      KCKRS had some video and a great photo. Smile inducing!

      http://www.kckrs.com/hartlepool-fans-went-to-london-dressed-as-smurfs/

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  5. GreenBlue
    • 14 Years
    14 years, 22 days ago

    who is worse?
    ramsey or henderson?

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    1. Piggs Boson
      • 14 Years
      14 years, 22 days ago

      I'd say Henderson. Close though...

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      1. GreenBlue
        • 14 Years
        14 years, 22 days ago

        it is so painful to watch them play this year.imean they were quite good last year but this year...omg...

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    2. kaz 96
      • 14 Years
      14 years, 22 days ago

      haha thats tough

      i will go with ramsey
      tbh apart from these last 2 months, he hasnt done much wrong

      henderson is just unbelievably shit

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      1. kaz 96
        • 14 Years
        14 years, 22 days ago

        oh whose worse? henderson!

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      2. HuttonDressedasLahm
        • 16 Years
        14 years, 22 days ago

        At least Ramsey gets in to good positions and messes it up, Henderson does nothing

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    3. Pinoche
      • 14 Years
      14 years, 22 days ago

      The English Xavi

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  6. Nopli
    • 14 Years
    14 years, 22 days ago

    Didier Drogba is the first ever player to score in four different FA CUP finals. True Legend. 🙂

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  7. ...---...
    • 15 Years
    14 years, 22 days ago

    Anyone else think that defenders should get 5 points for a clean sheet? Look at Vincent Kompany. He's had an fine season yet he can't even make it into the top 20 points scorers!

    It might also encourage us into having more balanced teams as opposed to loading up with superstars up top and in the middle then squeezing in what we can afford at the back.

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    1. HuttonDressedasLahm
      • 16 Years
      14 years, 22 days ago

      Yes, if they only got 5 for a goal

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    2. SuperDunny - Used to be goo…
      • 16 Years
      14 years, 22 days ago

      That why he costs half as much as the top points scorers....

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      1. ...---...
        • 15 Years
        14 years, 22 days ago

        Thats relative though isn't?

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  8. nedfoo
    • 15 Years
    14 years, 22 days ago

    Oh dear Henderson

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  9. Piggs Boson
    • 14 Years
    14 years, 22 days ago

    Torres is coming on. Boos or claps from Liverpool fans?

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    1. kaz 96
      • 14 Years
      14 years, 22 days ago

      sarcasm surely?

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      1. Piggs Boson
        • 14 Years
        14 years, 22 days ago

        No, he did well for Liverpool until Liverpool decided they would be better off with £50m than him, so he left. What has he done wrong?

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        1. udit
          • 15 Years
          14 years, 22 days ago

          He handed in the transfer request + all the stuff he's talked AFTER his transfer about Liverpool

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        2. kaz 96
          • 14 Years
          14 years, 22 days ago

          -submitted a transfer request

          - obv gone to che for money

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  10. Smarty Pants
    • 16 Years
    14 years, 22 days ago

    lol, why was Di Matteo doing Meireles? 🙂

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  11. Pinoche
    • 14 Years
    14 years, 22 days ago

    Eva time

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  12. SuperDunny - Used to be goo…
    • 16 Years
    14 years, 22 days ago

    ooo i'm up to #182! Nice , i thought EVERYONE had 20 points from today

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    1. Declan
      • 16 Years
      14 years, 22 days ago

      noice.

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  13. Declan
    • 16 Years
    14 years, 22 days ago

    Rank updated.

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  14. udit
    • 15 Years
    14 years, 22 days ago

    Can't this match go to Pens and no misses their pens untill the referee calls off the game sue to exhaustion and declares the current second place team in the PL the winners?

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    1. kaz 96
      • 14 Years
      14 years, 22 days ago

      that;d be the second best scenario

      utd are so much better than these two

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  15. Piggs Boson
    • 14 Years
    14 years, 22 days ago

    The Chelsea Physio... stunning...

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      1. Piggs Boson
        • 14 Years
        14 years, 22 days ago

        If i was a Chelsea player, i'd be praying to get injured 🙂

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  16. COMH
    • 14 Years
    14 years, 22 days ago

    Just need Downing > Maxi for the holy trinity of subs to be on.

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  17. The Bandit
    • 15 Years
    14 years, 22 days ago

    If Villa had not sold Downing they would be relegated by now for sure.... 🙄

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    1. Adnan Shah
      • 15 Years
      14 years, 22 days ago

      He was quite good for them.

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      1. SuperDunny - Used to be goo…
        • 16 Years
        14 years, 22 days ago

        +1

        Last season for Villa he was immense

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    2. Declan
      • 16 Years
      14 years, 22 days ago

      harsh

      7 goals, 9 assists last season

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  18. kaz 96
    • 14 Years
    14 years, 22 days ago

    good good, top 10 k dream still on

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    1. Adnan Shah
      • 15 Years
      14 years, 22 days ago

      Lol, you have same points as me 2073

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      1. kaz 96
        • 14 Years
        14 years, 22 days ago

        haha im ahead on "less trannies"

        just 8 positions up, though

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  19. Bad Pen
    • 14 Years
    14 years, 22 days ago

    Thought it went over the line...

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    1. Bad Pen
      • 14 Years
      14 years, 22 days ago

      On replay don't think the whole ball crossed the line. What a save Petr!

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  20. FORCA INTER
    • 14 Years
    14 years, 22 days ago

    GOAL

    fanatstic

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  21. Smarty Pants
    • 16 Years
    14 years, 22 days ago

    That was a goal

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    1. COMH
      • 14 Years
      14 years, 22 days ago

      I thought it was at first but the whole ball never crossed the line. Good save. Just.

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      1. Smarty Pants
        • 16 Years
        14 years, 22 days ago

        I think the whole ball was over the line, it just looked like it didn't on the replay because the camera was not really parallel to the goal line. But even if it did, it's ahrd to blame the ref, it was a very tough one...

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    2. Mr.KK
      • 15 Years
      14 years, 22 days ago

      Chelsea got lucky again!

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  22. crystalpalaceRus
    • 14 Years
    14 years, 22 days ago

    THAT WAS JUST OVER!

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    1. Grimmaldi - Send in the Clo…
      • 15 Years
      14 years, 22 days ago

      All the ball wasn't over the line. The right decision was made.

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      1. COMH
        • 14 Years
        14 years, 22 days ago

        Correct. The whole ball has to cross the line and it never.

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  23. FORCA INTER
    • 14 Years
    14 years, 22 days ago

    refs are terrible today

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    1. Adnan Shah
      • 15 Years
      14 years, 22 days ago

      It was a good decision.

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    2. Grimmaldi - Send in the Clo…
      • 15 Years
      14 years, 22 days ago

      Referees in this game have been pretty decent. That ball wasn't all over the line.

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    3. udit
      • 15 Years
      14 years, 22 days ago

      😕 The entire ball didn't cross the line. Excellent call.

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      1. crystalpalaceRus
        • 14 Years
        14 years, 22 days ago

        You all chelsea 'fans'?

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        1. udit
          • 15 Years
          14 years, 22 days ago

          Nope, Liverpool hater here 🙂

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        2. Grimmaldi - Send in the Clo…
          • 15 Years
          14 years, 22 days ago

          Nope, I just have two fully functioning eyes.

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        3. COMH
          • 14 Years
          14 years, 22 days ago

          I'm neutral and saw it for what it was.

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  24. Spike ⚽️
    • 14 Years
    14 years, 22 days ago

    Hard one to call. Don't reckon that was completely over the line tho !!

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    1. tahoe don
      • 14 Years
      14 years, 22 days ago

      have yet to see an unobstructed view of the "non-goal" that shows definitely goal or definitely a save.

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  25. Nopli
    • 14 Years
    14 years, 22 days ago

    World Class Save BY CECH

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    1. Declan
      • 16 Years
      14 years, 22 days ago

      should it not be: WORLD CLASS SAVE by Cech

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      1. COMH
        • 14 Years
        14 years, 22 days ago

        🙂

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  26. ★A-O-Chamberlain★ COYG …
    • 14 Years
    14 years, 22 days ago

    Why are people saying it was goal? The whole ball has to pass the whole line.
    So it clearly wasnt a goal...

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    1. Grimmaldi - Send in the Clo…
      • 15 Years
      14 years, 22 days ago

      Hope, desperation or not a full understanding of the rules of the game? One of those.

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      1. Smarty Pants
        • 16 Years
        14 years, 22 days ago

        I think it's impossible to rule out the possibility that it was a goal. The camera view was not parallel to the goal line, so it looked like the ball wasn't over the line completely while in fact it might have been.

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  27. Chris_Fàbregas #DOOS…
    • 16 Years
    14 years, 22 days ago

    There is no way the whole ball is over the line. What a save from Cech though.

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  28. mir
    • 16 Years
    14 years, 22 days ago

    liverpool fan here - No Goal !

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    1. ★A-O-Chamberlain★ COYG …
      • 14 Years
      14 years, 22 days ago

      Good man! - Arsenal fan. Lol

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  29. The Bandit
    • 15 Years
    14 years, 22 days ago

    Lol at Kenny exaggerating how big his fish was......

    Least he now has someone to blame but himself even if it was the right decision..

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    1. udit
      • 15 Years
      14 years, 22 days ago

      His striker for not wallowing in the rebound instead of running away to celebrate a non goal?

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  30. kaz 96
    • 14 Years
    14 years, 22 days ago

    please, liverpool, please!

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