Here are your Arsenal links for today:
A Cultured Left Foot thinks that the Everton goal should probably stand:
Except that the forward was occupying an offside position when the pass was made. Koscielny’s intervention was deliberate and thus a legitimate conclusion was that this now constituted ‘second phase’. Had the ball deflected off the defender, offside was the only logical outcome but Koscielny’s attempted interception was deliberate and this playing Saha onside.There have been suggestions that Saha’s position forced the intervention, therefore rendering the Frenchman as interfering with play. There is merit in that argument, the only one that stands water.
Obviously, it is a controversial and unclear subject, and only further highlights the currently shoddy understanding of the offside rule by just about everyone. 7AM Kickoff sums up his thoughts:
Which leaves me to wonder, did Lee Mason upon consultation with the linesman, decide that since it was a [back]pass, no advantage was gained by Saha? And if that’s the case, what kind of insane monstrosity of an offside rule are we playing with?
Kevin McCarra's match report in the Guardian is perhaps a bit harsh on Cesc Fabregas:
With Nasri unavailable, Wenger could have been racking his brains over who could possibly assume the Frenchman's responsibilities. The manager might have asked himself if that chap Cesc Fábregas could compensate for the loss of Nasri. Flippancy aside, the Arsenal captain is the club's one player most capable of increasing his contribution and so helping to make this a season of real achievement for the club.
...All that because he's "only" scored three goals.
Fabregas will not face any kind of charge for reportedly (reported by David Moyes, that is) abusing match officials during halftime. Look, if blatantly swearing at refs on the pitch as countless players do and being caught doing so by cameras as they are results in nothing, this should result in nothing.
Zonal Marking offers his thoughts on yesterday's match.
Young Guns reports on the reserves match against Chelsea from earlier today.
And finally, here. (How the commentator doens't lose his mind when Dennis flicks it around the defender initially, I won't ever know).