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Arsene Wenger addressed it already this season at one his press conferences.

I am always absolutely amazed that people get away with it. When we get kicked and lose the game, the question I get from the press is ‘oh, you did not fancy that’. But nobody is upset or shocked by it. When we are kicked they find that it is absolutely all right.

And the assembled hacks had a little titter and off they went to do exactly that. The furore over Gallas’s tackle after the Bolton game was incredible. I don’t remember any pundit saying “He’s not that kind of player”, only slamming him for what was, I agree, a bad challenge. The Shawcross apologists are out in force today yet these are the same people who made such a mountain out of the molehill that was Eduardo’s dive against Celtic that UEFA ‘investigated’ and tried to ban him. A dive. Yet when a young man has his leg broken in bits they keep their mouths shut or come out in defence of the honest English clogger (any coincidence all three challenges have been by Englishmen?). Honestly, they make me fucking sick. This willingness to overlook acts of horrific violence yet focus on trivia like diving.

Shawcross gets a three match ban, Alex Song is now banned for two matches for a booking that never was. How the fuck does that work in any sane kind of world? It’s rotten to the core, is what it is. 

Cesc Fabregas became the leader Arsenal fans have so dearly wanted for so long. I won’t hear a thing about how he’s not a captain because he fucking well is. First goal – assist for Bendtner’s fantastic header. Second goal – a penalty under the most intense pressure imaginable. He had the balls to get up there, take it and score it. Third goal – assist for Vermaelen. Nor did he stand for any of Stoke’s baiting. He had a little kick at one of their players who had kicked him earlier. He Sssshhh’d Tony Pulis. He dragged his Arsenal team over the line. He led by example last night and at the end of the game our players stood in a huddle, knowing they’d shown what they’re made of, and the captain rallied his troops. Each one of them was fantastic last night. The lessons of Birmingham have been learned.

I know people all have their opinions of this team, the players, the managers and everything else but if last night didn’t make you proud to be an Arsenal fan then there’s something wrong with you. My spine is tingling even thinking about it.

Excellent summary in my opinion. I’ve had my problems with the English media when it came to foreigners in football, but then again who hasn’t had problems with media on either side of the pond. It’s become a wasteland of writers who value making a name more than getting the facts straight, of becoming the news rather than reporting it. So while I hope more attention goes to that fact, I don’t expect it to – especially past today.

Regarding the team leadership, I think two years on we can see the difference. The team fell apart after the Eduardo situation then (much like Chelsea is doing now), but rallied here to win the game in The Britannia and even gathered in a team circle after the game (much to the chagrin of the Potter faithful who, it would seem, would have cheered the Lions against the Christians.

3 points off the top with about 11 to go. We can do it!