Last Day Of 2015

Well this month, although in some ways has been good, as also been tiresome and length and weary. A lot of work hours. A lot of paper work….well online work which is on top of the normal work hours that I have to do. The fact that I get up by 6 am and come home by 8:30 pm or after 9pm makes me feel tired. This week in particular with it’s 14-15 work hours plus 30 to 45 minutes commute back and forth, has left me a very tired man.

Jeez, this month has flown by at times and gone at a snail’s pace at times. It’s been a lot of names and a lot of ids and a lot of excel sheets and ppts and walking about and sending emails and talking and training and making jokes and sighing at the end of each day. And hoping that things go well and avoiding trouble. This has been the busiest month for me.

So I have been back home for a couple of hours. I bought some Sprint (a 7up like drink), a nice rich plum cake, some Oreo, got a cold coffee and came home to drink some vodka + Sprint and finally ate dinner which was roti and chicken curry. I might not make it till midnight as I am quite pooped and a bit sleepy. So if I don’t get you at around midnight – HAPPY NEW YEAR!

GnR To Reunite Members From The 90s?

Apparently Guns n’Roses are planning a reunion. As of three years ago, the relationship between Guns N’ Roses’ founding lineup was so sour Axl Rose chose to sit out of the band’s induction into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame. Now, though, Rose has let bygones be bygones, and, in 2016, he’ll give fans the reunion they have long desired. According to multiple sources with knowledge of the band’s plans, Guns N’ Roses will reunite to headline Coachella 2016. Meanwhile, Billboard reports that the band also plans to embark on a stadium tour spanning as many as 25 dates.

The band’s reunion lineup is unclear, though Axl, Slash, and Duff McKagan are all involved, and sources tell Matt Sorum is believed to be behind the kit in place of original drummer Steven Adler. An official announcement is imminent. Guns N’ Roses’ founding lineup last performed together in July 1993. The band has had several chances to reunite since then, though it seems this latest opportunity was too big and rich to pass up. GNR are reportedly being paid between $3 and $8 million per show. Along with Guns N’ Roses, LCD Soundsystem will reunite to headline Coachella’s 2016 edition. A full lineup announcement is expected in early January. The reunited band is also negotiating with promoters to play as many as 25 football stadiums in North America in the summer of 2016, and is scheduled to be one of the first acts to play the new Las Vegas Arena, set to open April 6.

The last show Axl Rose and Slash played together was on July 17, 1993 at River Plate Stadium in Buenos Aires. Guns N’ Roses’ most recent tour, which only included Axl Rose from the original lineup, took place primarily in South America and The Joint in Las Vegas, grossing $15.2 million. The band’s first album, Appetite for Destruction, is the biggest-selling debut in U.S. history, with 18 million sold. It spent five weeks at No. 1 on the Billboard 200 chart, and launched the No. 1 Billboard Hot 100 single “Sweet Child O’ Mine.” They have sold 44.5 million albums total in the U.S., according to the Recording Industry Association of America.

RIP Lemmy Kilmister

Lemmy Kilmister, founding member and frontman of Motörhead. has died. He was 70 years old. In a statement posted to Facebook, Motörhead wrote, “There is no easy way to say this… our mighty, noble friend Lemmy passed away today after a short battle with an extremely aggressive cancer. He had learnt of the disease on December 26th, and was at home, sitting in front of his favorite video game from the Rainbow which had recently made it’s way down the street, with his family. We cannot begin to express our shock and sadness, there aren’t words. We will say more in the coming days, but for now, please… play Motörhead loud.” He is best known as the lead vocalist, bassist, principal songwriter and the founding and sole constant member of the heavy metal band Motörhead as well as a former member of Hawkwind. He is also known for his appearance, including his friendly mutton chops, prominent facial moles, and gravelly voice.

In addition to cancer, Lemmy had been suffering from a number of other well-publicized health issues, including hematoma. In 2013, he was fitted with an implantable defibrillator to correct an irregular heartbeat. His health issues had caused the cancelation of multiple Motörhead performances in recent years, though Lemmy remained an active force up until the time of his death. Ian Fraser “Lemmy” Kilmister was born in Staffordshire, England, in 1945. Inspired to become a musician after seeing The Beatles perform in concert, Lemmy spent his 20s playing in a variety of bands and also served as a roadie for the Jimi Hendrix Experience. In 1972, he was hired to play bass in the UK space rock group Hawkwind, despite having no previous experience on the instrument. He quickly honed his skills, helping shape the band’s sound on critically acclaimed albums such Space Ritual, while also singing lead vocals on the song “Silver Machine”, which peaked at No. 3 on the UK charts.

Lemmy was the founder, lead vocalist, bassist, principal songwriter, and only constant member of Motörhead since the band’s formation in 1975. To date, Motörhead have released over 20 studio albums and achieved 30 million in sales worldwide. Their last record, Bad Magic, was released in August 2015. Motörhead saw far more commercial success in the UK, though they achieved a cult status in the US. Albums such as Ace of Spades, Orgasmatron, and Rock N’ Roll were critically lauded, though ironically the band’s only Grammy Award came via a cover of Metallica’s “Whiplash”, which they recorded for a tribute CD. The 2010 documentary Lemmy was directed and produced by Greg Olliver and Wes Orshoski. It consists of a combination of 16 mm film and HD video footage, produced over three years and features interviews and inputs from his friends, peers and admirers, many of whom are huge rocks stars in their own right.

Ian Fraser “Lemmy” Kilmister (24 December 1945 – 28 December 2015)

Arsenal 2 Bournemouth 0

Mesut Ozil inspired Arsenal to reclaim top spot in the Premier League, at least for 24 hours, as they won their first league meeting with Bournemouth. After a tense opening, Ozil’s corner was met with a firm header by defender Gabriel for his first goal in English football. Ozil made it 2-0 after the break from a slick one-two with Olivier Giroud. Bournemouth showed plenty of spirit, but could not find their way through as Arsenal closed out the victory. With Leicester not playing until Tuesday, Arsenal leapfrog them into top spot by one point. Bournemouth, meanwhile, slip to 16th and remain only three points from danger as their six-match unbeaten run came to an end.

If Arsene Wenger wanted a reaction from his squad, having rung the changes following Boxing Day’s 4-0 mauling at Southampton, it took a while in coming. But all it needed was the first goal just before the half-hour to kick the hosts, and their familiar fluent passing game, into gear. All four of those Arsenal newcomers played their part as Gabriel opened his goalscoring account. Kieran Gibbs had his hands full with the dangerous Matt Ritchie, Calum Chambers brushed off rumours of a January loan return to Southampton with an assured midfield display, and Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain threatened with his pace when Arsenal broke, going close to adding a third goal late on.

Although Bournemouth had overcome a 2-0 deficit to draw 3-3 with Everton in an enthralling game last month, such a comeback never looked on the cards here once Ozil had unlocked them. Gunners keeper Petr Cech was tested more than his opposite number Artur Boruc early on, as Bournemouth’s Harry Arter opened up the defence with some through balls to lone striker Joshua King, who was twice denied by Cech to keep the game goalless. But as the game went on, even when the Cherries found some space in the final third, there was no way past the Czech goalkeeper, who kept out Matt Ritchie’s 30-yard drive and celebrated his 170th top-flight clean sheet to set a new Premier League record. Arsenal’s title-winning sides of the past were built on solid goalkeeping, from Bob Wilson and John Lukic to David Seaman and Jens Lehmann. The purchase of Cech from Chelsea in the summer could turn out to be the key to a first title for 12 years.

13 Hour Work Day

Well I am just back home after a long day at work. I left my home at 7:45 am and reached the office by 8:20 am. After I completed the training for the day, I was informed that there would be some adhoc work to be done for a review that was to be done with the VP (I don’t have to attend it, I just have to provide some data). Sure I could do it. But then some other stuff came up as well. I thought I could leave by 7:30 pm atleast. Well….I was wrong!

By the time I realized that I was almost done I saw that it was nearly 8:30 pm. I came outside the area that I work to use my phone and book a cab – alas they only had one available by 9:45 pm! Oh well, not having another option I booked it and went back in to complete the work and then took a break to get some dinner. I waited and drank some juice and by 9:20 pm I got an intimation that the cab was early and waiting outside for me. So I went down and made my way back home.

I guess I’m gonna face a few more days like this till January end but I am hopeful that this will end by then. I want my 9 hours and no more (we don’t even get paid any over time for this stuff).

Corner Gas : The Movie

Corner Gas, my favourite sitcom of all time, was a program that aired on CTV from 2004 to 2009. The series completed its run following broadcast of its sixth season on April 13, 2009, with a total of 107 episodes. The show became an instant hit, averaging a million viewers per episode. Corner Gas has been the recipient of six Gemini Awards, and has been nominated almost 70 times for various awards. In December of 2014 the cast reunited for Corner Gas : The Movie.

In the movie a few years after the end of the show Hank Yarbo has a daydream while waiting at the airport about a werewolf attacking the gas station and Wanda, who alone with Brett turns out to be robots, fights against it. He is awaken by Tina Fuller, the National Star judge who he is there to pick up, and he drives her to Dog River. When they arrive they find the town is in a riot, the police car in flames, Oscar and Emma throwing flower pots with some women and a bunch of people led by Lacy who seem to be beating up a guy. They almost hit a disheveled and dirty Brett who just walks on by. Tina, who is there to judge Dog River in the Canada’s Quaintest Town contest is appalled so Hank tells her what has happened so far.

5 years after the show ended, Dog River is in debt as Fitzy the mayor invested the town’s money in a bad real estate deal in Detroit and the little town is now flat broke and the town loses it’s water & electricity. Davis, who had a contract for 25 years as a cop, is now out of a job as Fitzy can’t afford to pay both him and Karen, who met someone, got married and is now pregnant. An epiphany during a fish trip leads to Davis becoming a detective and he comes back home quicker than expected. He had left Wanda in charge of looking after his house and in his absence, Wanda had started an illegal bar, later a casino, out of his garage using his two diesel powered backup generators. Thinking that she may have to find another cop job out of town soon, Karen begins being real strict and hands out tickets one after the other. Oscar becomes a survivalist and trades his car for a horse, which is confiscated by Karen and repeatedly stolen back.

After many days of this problem and after Lacy says she may have to move her business out of town, Brett finally takes action and buys out the town’s bar which had been abandoned and starts fixing it and enters Dog River into a “Quaintest Town in Canada” competition, hoping that the $75,000 prize can save the town. Emma invites Lacey and Brent to dinner to spark a romance in a bid to acquire grandchildren. When Yarbo has an idea to invite a representative of the Coff Nuts (coffee and donuts chain) organization about starting an outlet in Dog River, Brett refuses to invest in his plan as it would hurt Lacey’s business. fter Lacey advises a Coff-Nuts representative named Jerome that the town is broke, a woman representing a company called CN Holdings attempts to convince the townspeople to sell their homes. Hank overhears the woman and Jerome scheming, so he takes Jerome to Wullerton in hopes that Coff-Nuts will change its plan and ruin the rival town. He abandons Jerome, but Wullerton’s astonishingly friendly citizens drive him back to Dog River. Both distracted — Brent by repairs to the bar, and Lacey by a quest to restore the town’s electricity — Brent and Lacey forget to attend Emma’s dinner.

Fitzy comes back to town saying that their neighbouring town has agreed to annex Dog River if it means saving the town but it is unpopular among his neighbours. Brent and Lacey then rally the town to prepare for the “Quaintest Town in Canada” contest judge, Tina Fuller, to enter Dog River, but a series of mishaps create the appearance of a riot in the middle of town. Everyone then gathers at The Ruby, where Lacey encourages everyone to financially support Brent, but Brent declines their aid due to the judgment against him. Tina sympathizes with the town’s predicament and writes an article to garner public support for Dog River. The media attention forces Coff-Nuts to drop the lawsuit. Between the proceeds from Wanda’s casino, Karen’s tickets, and a fundraising drive by residents of Wullerton, the town is saved. With the catestrophy averted Lacey and Brett hug and kiss in the diner, much to the shock of everyone else who had no clue that the two have been dating for over two years. Emma is initially thriller but none to please when Lacey and Brett say that they have no plans of having children.

Thus ends the greatest debate in Canadian sitcom – will Brett & Lacey actually get together? – and the movie is a just reward for fans who supported this awesome show. The movie is hilarious but it doesn’t go above the range of a long episodic event. Still it is worth getting and I give it an 8.5 outta 10!

Southampton 4 Arsenal 0

Arsenal missed the chance to go top of the Premier League as they were thrashed by Southampton at St Mary’s. Saints full-back Cuco Martina marked his first league start with a stunning goal, curling in from 30 yards out. Arsenal’s Olivier Giroud and Theo Walcott missed free headers, before Shane Long finished from close range and Jose Fonte headed in the third. Striker Long struck the post with three minutes remaining, but managed to add a fourth through the legs of Petr Cech. It could have been even worse for the visitors. Virgil van Dijk had a header ruled out for offside, while Dusan Tadic’s dipping strike was pushed away by Cech.

Arsenal had lost just one of their previous 11 league games and recorded an impressive victory over Manchester City on Monday but Arsene Wenger’s side could not back that performance up with victory on the south coast. Having seen leaders Leicester beaten by Liverpool earlier in the day, the Gunners would have gone top with a win but were resoundingly beaten by a rampant Southampton side. Playmaker Mesut Ozil – who has received plenty of plaudits for his impressive performances this season – was kept quiet by the Southampton midfield, while former Saint Walcott posed little threat, attempting only 20 passes before being substituted.

The pressure was starting to grow on Southampton boss Ronald Koeman after five winless games left them just four points above the relegation zone. But they were marshalled brilliantly in the middle of the park by the superb Victor Wanyama, who made a match-high six tackles and 10 interceptions, often bullying the opposition players. The opening goal was stunning. There seemed to be no danger when defender Per Mertesacker headed the ball away, and Martina steadied himself before unleashing an outside-of-the-foot drive which started wide of the post before swerving into the net. There was a hint of controversy in it though, as Long and Laurent Koscielny came together in the build-up, leaving the Frenchman on the ground, allowing Long to stride forward unchallenged and stroke in from Sadio Mane’s pass. Defender Fonte added a bullet header and Long grabbed his second to complete a comprehensive victory for Southampton who managed their first clean sheet in six games.

Luckily Arsenal remain in 2nd place on 26 points, 2 behind Leicester City but just a point above Manchester City.

Generous Genie

Remember those lovely genies who grant wishes? Well, you’re one and you’ve just been emancipated from your restrictive lamp. You can give your three wishes to whomever you want. Who do you give your three wishes to, and why?

Hmmm, usually I will wish that I could come upon a genie in a lamp and that when I set him/her free I will get three or more wishes and that all of them will come true. Can’t I just have that instead? No, I can’t? Ok then.

Well then, I will give the three wishes to someone who will think like me and will make similar wishes as to the one that I would have wished for, which are:

  • for the first wish I’d advance the world’s technology by so much that we’d have eliminated hunger, illness, poverty and crime. Everyone gets a comfy home with luxuries, the choicest of food that is replicated at the touch of a button, medicines and medical care easily provided. No cars crashes as the technology is so advanced you can teleport to most places you wish to go or go in vehicles with AI added to avoid crashes and hitting any other living creature. Also this advanced medical technology means that people now live on and on without aging or dying as the medicines comes with regeneration technology. Oh and your pets don’t die either and live healthy and comfy lives.
  • Religion, war, famine, fighting amongst each other, borders, stealing, rape, murder and harming your fellow human being or other earthlings having been negated, each family or household has pets like cats and dogs, some birds, fish and turtles among other creatures. No dog or cat or any animal has to go hungry as we can provide food for them as well as for us. No killing for food.
  • Space exploration. For everyone, if they so choose to. Easy access to space vehicles for comfortable travel now that fuel is not a problem. Wanna go to that resort on a distant planet to attend your cousin’s wedding? Easy as pie now! Get your dad, mom, siblings, nephews, nieces, dogs and cats and your kids in the family spaceship that looks like a big house from the inside but has armoured plating & shielding on the outside that makes it invincible to outside forces. Just enter the co-ordinates and have a nice meal with the family while you take the journey through space. Star Trekking across the universe!

Prompt from The Daily WordPress.com

Playmates DS9 Model

This here is the Deep Space Nine / Terek Nor model from Playmates. It looks pretty awesome if you ask me. Playmates Toys is a Costa Mesa, California toy manufacturer and a subsidiary of Hong Kong-based Playmates Holdings Ltd. Founded in 1966, it is best known for their dolls, figurines and action figures, based on popular culture. They made models and figures of tv shows like The Addams Family, Coneheads, Disney Fairies, Lara Croft, The Simpsons, Lost in Space, Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles & Star Trek. They lost their license to manufacture Star Trek action figures and models in 2013 but some of their models have remained in high demand even now.

The line was launched in the fall of 1992 with a series of action figures based on Star Trek: The Next Generation. Nearly the entire USS Enterprise-D crew was represented, plus Gowron, a Ferengi, a Borg, and a Romulan. Role-playing items included a type 2 phaser and communicator, while a shuttlecraft was produced for the figures. A model of the Enterprise-D was also released. The line was quite successful, and another wave of TNG figures, accessories, and vehicles was produced in the fall of 1993 along with a special boxed set of all seven of the Original Series’ major crew members. Deep Space Nine debuted in 1994 followed by more Playmates TNG characters and a toy line for the feature film, Star Trek Generations. Voyager figures arrived in 1995, as did more TOS, TNG, and DS9 items. By 1996, the separate lines were all consolidated under a single “Star Trek” banner, excepting releases that were based on Star Trek: First Contact and Star Trek: Insurrection.

Some of the models weren’t that good but this one of the Deep Space Nine station itself is awesomely done. That it comes with a miniature USS Enterprise D (though it would have been more appropriate to have the Defiant there instead) just makes it even more awesome. I checked out prices online but they are way beyond my budget. Still it is nice to keep it on my wish list.

Saturnalia

Saturnalia was an ancient Roman festival in honour of the deity Saturn, held on 17 December of the Julian calendar and later expanded with festivities through to 23 December. The holiday was celebrated with a sacrifice at the Temple of Saturn, in the Roman Forum, and a public banquet, followed by private gift-giving, continual partying, and a carnival atmosphere that overturned Roman social norms: gambling was permitted, and masters provided table service for their slaves. In Roman mythology, Saturn was an agricultural deity who was said to have reigned over the world in the Golden Age, when humans enjoyed the spontaneous bounty of the earth without labor in a state of innocence. The revelries of Saturnalia were supposed to reflect the conditions of the lost mythical age, not all of them desirable. The Greek equivalent was the Kronia.

The popularity of Saturnalia continued into the third and fourth centuries AD, and as the Roman Empire came under Christian rule, some of its customs have influenced the seasonal celebrations surrounding Christmas and the New Year. Saturnalia is the best-known of several festivals in the Greco-Roman world characterized by role reversals and behavioral license. Slaves were treated to a banquet of the kind usually enjoyed by their masters. Ancient sources differ on the circumstances: some suggest that master and slave dined together, while others indicate that the slaves feasted first, or that the masters actually served the food. The practice may have varied over time, and in any case slaves would still have prepared the meal. The toga, the characteristic garment of the male Roman citizen, was set aside in favor of the Greek synthesis, colourful “dinner clothes” otherwise considered in poor taste for daytime wear.

The Sigillaria on December 19 was a day of gift-giving. Because gifts of value would mark social status contrary to the spirit of the season, these were often the pottery or wax figurines called sigillaria made specially for the day, candles, or “gag gifts”, of which Augustus was particularly fond. Children received toys as gifts. In a practice that might be compared to modern greeting cards, verses sometimes accompanied the gifts. Martial has a collection of poems written as if to be attached to gifts. Catullus received a book of bad poems by “the worst poet of all time” as a joke from a friend. As an observance of state religion, Saturnalia was supposed to have been held ante diem xvi Kalendas Ianuarias, sixteen days before the Kalends of January, on the oldest Roman religious calendar, which the Romans believed to have been established by the legendary founder Romulus and his successor Numa Pompilius.

3 Years Later

Our blogs morph over time, as interests shift and life happens. Write a post for your blog — but three years in the future.

Well it’s the 24th of December 2018. I cannot believe that another year has passed me by. I am now 42 years old and still a lonely bachelor living on his own with no wife or kids to speak off. But now I have lost all hope of ever finding the one, the one woman who will make things all better and make me whole.

I live my life waiting for a little excitement, waiting for something to happen. Waiting for little events like a family get-together so I can see a bunch of my relatives and have some fun. But when it is over I go home all alone and sleep alone on an empty bed devoid of human companionship and a woman’s touch. It’s a lonely life and it’s sad but what can you do?

Prompt from The Daily Post at WordPress.com

 

A Look At My Starship Enterprises Collection

Here is my top shelf consisting of all the Enterprises, from the NX-01 to the TOS Enterprise, to the refit Enterprise, to the B, the C, the D & the E. The only one I don’t have that Eaglemoss has put out so far is the refit D but I’m not that excited about getting it. Enjoy the video.

Got Lost Today

I got lost today on my way home this evening. See I left the office at 5:30 pm and got down at Menaka and Marine Drive by around 6:30 pm for some coffee and a snack. I was there at the food court at the Bay Pride Mall for about 30 minutes after which I left. There was a huge crowd at the area for shopping during this holiday season and searching for discounts. I waited outside for an autorikshaw and finally hailed one after about 10 minutes. I asked him to take me to my apartment but as there was heavy traffic, I told him to take a shortcut.

But what happened is that, in the late evening darkness, I missed the turn towards the right and we went on to another route. I was looking for a familiar sign or a shop or store and couldn’t find one. I told the auto guy to keep going even though I couldn’t figure out where we were. After a while it looked a bit more remote and I got worried. Finally we reached a junction that was a bit busy and well light and I told him to stop there. The charge was twice what it would have been if I had gone home. I paid the guy and looked around. I saw a Best Bakers outlet and decided to get a cake for the family and having bought that I hailed another auto and asked him to take me home.

When we reached the main road I told him how to get to my place and we reached in about 10 minutes or so. I was glad to be home. I wasn’t very familiar with the area that I was in earlier and although it isn’t far away I never go to that area. But I can’t believe that I got lost that way. Crazy!

Fandom

Are you a sports fan? Tell us about fandom. If you’re not, tell us why not.

Yes I am, though I don’t watch as many games I as used to. Mainly because I have to stream them online and cannot watch them on a tv anymore. Therefore I usually watch just a match or perhaps 2 a week and maybe 6 in a month. I am a football fan and the team I support is Arsenal FC. I have been a fan since 1997-98 and I support them through and through. I try and watch all their matches that I can.

The only other sport I have a big interest in is ice hockey but I rarely ever get to watch a live game and I haven’t watched a recorded one in it’s entirety in the last 3 years or so. I used to watch the highlights for as many games as I could on Youtube till last year but haven’t watched any in 2014 or 2015. I plan to pick up again soon. I support the Ottawa Senators since 2002 onwards. I love hockey but not as much as I love football.

I used to watch a lot of tennis but haven’t followed the sport since the late 1990s. I used to watch a lot of WWE/WCW but stopped following it since 2007.

Prompt from The Daily Post at WordPress.com

Arsenal 2 Manchester City 1

Arsenal moved to within two points of surprise Premier League leaders Leicester City with victory over Manchester City at Emirates Stadium. The Gunners – without a title triumph since 2004 – showed the sort of impressive drive, cutting edge and resilience that will lead manager Arsene Wenger to believe Arsenal can finally end that barren spell. City dominated early possession but Kevin de Bruyne wasted a good chance and Theo Walcott punished the visitors with a right-foot finish from 20 yards in the 33rd minute. Eliaquim Mangala’s dreadful clearance allowed Mesut Ozil’s 15th assist of the season as he set up Olivier Giroud for an angled finish in first-half stoppage time. Yaya Toure’s clever shot from outside the area set up a tense finale which saw both Toure and substitute Wilfried Bony waste chances to equalise.

Wenger’s side have often been accused of having a soft centre when the pressure is on – but here, faced with the team many believe will still emerge as their closes title rivals, they showed a ruthless streak. City may have dominated possession and territory for the first half hour but it was Arsenal who made it count at the business end. Their tally for the opening 45 minutes read two shots on target and two goals. For a manager who prides himself on efficiency, Wenger will have been delighted. The Gunners were impressive at the back too, where goalkeeper Petr Cech was the epitome of safe handling and security, proving once more what a significant signing he has been. Arsenal’s defenders were in the mood too, with two crunching tackles from full-back Nacho Monreal drawing a high-five from fellow defender Per Mertesacker.

For a player often criticised for his lack of end product, Walcott looks to be evolving into the complete striker at the age of 26. Walcott’s goal, wonderfully accomplished as he turned inside before curling a perfect finish beyond the stretching City keeper Joe Hart, was his 13th in his past 17 league appearances and delivered further evidence of his development into a consistent and reliable goalscorer. He, and indeed Arsenal, are receiving plenty of help from the Premier League’s current creator supreme Ozil, who had a hand in both goals and received a standing ovation when he was replaced late on. Add in Giroud’s golden sequence of 12 goals in his past 14 matches in all competitions, and Arsenal will believe they possess the potency to carry them all the way. Aside from a dominant opening half and a late rally after Toure’s goal, this was another poor performance from Manuel Pellegrini’s side. City were too often laboured and the sight of captain Vincent Kompany watching forlornly from the stands pointed to where many of the problems lie. Arsenal now have 36 points after 17 games and are just 2 points behind Leicester City.