Coincidence, imo. Anyway, it would make far more sense the other way around. Any side in England getting us to half-time without conceding would fancy its chances of the win. I don't say that they are all capable of it, just that they would all fancy it.


Quote Originally Posted by SWv2 View Post
I think, and I must be clear that I am not stating this on behalf of A, that is the point he was making.

Jese scored very early in the second half, and the belief is that the instruction from AW to AR is that he is licensed to bomb forward in the second half, less so the first 45.

“As Berahino bore down on the Arsenal defence, the Stoke man exposed the fact that, even when in half way acceptable defensive starting positions, Granit Xhaka and Mesut Özil are not the guys you want steeple chasing their way back towards their own goal. Ramsey is variously accused of stupidity and selfishness with his forward runs, but that rather ignores the undercurrent of instruction at play.

Over the last year or so, Ramsey has tailored his outlook according to the clock. In the first half of matches, he is very restrained and pretty much holds his position, before breaking loose in the second half. His first goal of last season came a minute after half time, in an FA Cup tie at Preston North End. After lashing the ball into the net from the edge of the area, he turns and points to Arsene Wenger on the bench.

You don’t have to be Inspector Clouseau to work out that a conversation took place during the interval in which the Welshman was expressly told to push on. Look at the time stamps of his Arsenal goals since that evening- 75, 90, 79, 83. Ramsey plays conservatively in the first half and then more adventurously in the second and that doesn’t happen by accident, it’s by design.”