All Hail The King Of The Doomers
Aug 18th, 2008 by 'holic
Regular readers know I am a proud owner of several pairs of spectacles of a scarlet hue. I don’t apologise for that. What has become apparent in recent weeks is that those who think the end of the world is nigh share a view that many of us agree with. We are short of a midfielder and a central defender.
Some place different interpretations on those acknowledged shortfalls. I think we will be working hard to add to the squad players who are better than those we already have. There aren’t that many of them though, and few are readily available. This isn’t a Football Management simulation. This is the real world.
A slightly less optimistic view is espoused from many corners. What fuels that pessimism? I give you one of the contributory factors. Has anybody read Piers Morgan today? I’m sorry to report I have.
Apparently, in Mailworld, where Piers resides with his mates Nelson, Tony, and Alan, “Arsenal have won precisely nothing since (…winning the league at Tottenham in 2004…). Not even a Carling bloody Cup”. Obviously he was enjoying another bottle of something a year later when Patrick Vieira bade farewell to Highbury with the winning penalty in the little matter of an FA Cup Final win over Manchester United.
This paragon of journalistic virtue is the King of the Doomers, and yet couldn’t be arsed to get a minion to check his drivel for glaring factual inaccuracies before publishing.
Now though he has opened up a new avenue of attack. We are now short of “a proven striker”. Christ on a bike, we have Emmanuel Adebayor, Robin van Persie, Nicklas Bendtner, Eduardo, Carlos Vela, and Theo Walcott. How many more strikers do you want man?
What a shame Sir Alan Sugar is not running things at the Mail. I imagine there would be more than a few sniggers if once again Morgan heard the words “You’re fired”.
45 Responses to “All Hail The King Of The Doomers”
I just realised what the problem is with the press. They don’t really follow any team in depth. They don’t know as much about Arsenal as you and I for example. So they get their facts wrong, and resort reflexively to cliches and conventional wisdom.
The conventional wisdom is that Arsenal lack “strength in depth”.
You can write a million negative articles on Arsenal if you focus on our weaknesses. You can write a million glowing articles about United or Chelsea if you focus on their strengths and ignore their weaknesses.
In the business of opinion, facts don’t matter.
‘Holic’, wake up and smell the coffee please. I’m an avid Arsenal fan but must point a few things out to you….. Ade is not world class, he is not in the same league as past Arsenal top strikers, he will not score 30 goals this year, Walcott, I am so so sad to say looks like a man/boy who will never make it as a top striker, he has not got that instinct that makes some players stand out, he will always remain a squad player at Arsenal, I can see him moving on in 3 to 4 years, RVP is class, and if he can stay fit will prove it this year, Bendtner has potential but still needs a few years to mature as he drifts in and out of games to much at the moment, Vela has massive potential, but not this year, Eduardo could be good even great, but there is a risk that that horrific injury may mean he has lost his bottle. So of all the strikers we have:
1 he is truly class now
1 who thinks he is but is way off the mark
2 that have great potential. in 2 years
1 that may or may not come back from in=jury the same player he was before he got injured, and
1 who will sadly never make it as a top top striker.
What we need is a top striker…… Santa Cruz could have been ours!!!
We also need a top center back, and could do with a mature midfield player to sit alongside Cesc. Although I will say that Denilson and Nasri look very good on Saturday.
Lets not kid ourselves, Chelski and Liverpool have far better striker choices, Man Utd, well they are even behind us in options!
Early pint please, ‘Holic. Ta. Bacon buttie if you could, aswell?
I’ve always had a feeling that perhaps Arsenal aren’t as generous to the press in their hospitality as other clubs, hence the (in the main) criticism we seem to get. It’s like when David Seaman got hammered in the press quite alot – I’m sure this was more down to the fact he didn’t really speak to the press or give them ‘exclusive’ stories like other players than his performances.
Anyway, Piers Morgan should know better, he is a massive fan after all. Still – I wonder if he’s another F&O minion?
Yes Adebayor missed a load of chances -and no we didn’t play as well as that great attacking side Chelsea- who didn’t play in midweek. The more we are written off by Morgan and the rest of the press, the better. I’d take 1-0 for the next 6 games until we get a few a bit more match-fit.
Fuck me ‘holic, don’t do that! I thought you’d taken Pat’s on as a columnist
I have to say that this is the most sensible thing I have ever read by Piers Morgan, he normally just talks utter bullsh#t. I do agree with Piers that the team does lack depth and Swiss Tony just isn’t good enough at the moment, I do prefer Djourou with either Gallas or Toure. We are also very short in midfield where Arsene is obviously relying on Rosick-note and Diaby being fit for when neither of them has been.
Hopefully Arsene will surprise us with a fantastic midfielder who will slot straight into the team, but more than likely he will play Ebouseless centre mid for the rest of the season.
Heh, now now Archie 🙂
Did Gallas look like he was losing the plot just like last season? Was it Gallas that was out of position for the West Brom shot that could have been an equaliser? He is someone who causes mixed feelings that’s for sure …
MORGAN IS AN ARSE, DESPITE ONLY ONE GOAL AGAINST W.B.A, WE LOOKED AT EASE AT THE BACK , STRONG IN MIDFIELD, EVEN THOUGH OUT-NUMBERED, I ACCEPT OUR ATTACK LOOKED OUT OF SORTS, BUT IT WILL IMPROVE.
LOSING 3 PLAYERS BEFORE THE SEASON STARTED WAS NOT LIFE THREATENING, HLEB WAS GIFTED, BUT NOT A MATCH WINNER ( ONE NIL TO NASRI) , FLAMINI WAS A SMALL HEADLESS CHICKEN, GOOD BUT NOT TRULY ESSENTIAL TO THE WAR EFFORT, AND AS FOR GILBERTO, WELL EVERYONE SLAGGED HIM OFF WHEN HE WAS IN HIS PRIME, SO HIS LAST YEAR AT THE CLUB, HE WAS THOUGHT OF MORE AS A SICK OLD DOG, THAN A GREAT SQUAD MEMBER (NOT BY ME I ALWAYS THOUGHT HE WAS GREAT) ALL THESE PLAYERS CAN AND WILL BE REPLACED WITHOUT TOO MUCH BOTHER.
WE CAN WIN THINGS THIS YEAR AND WILL.
INTERESTING THAT UNITED ,NO MIDWEEK GAME AND A COUPLE OF PLAYERS MISSING WERE CONCIDERED NOT QUITE IN THEIR STRIDE,
US MIDWEEK WIN SATURDAY WIN, PLAYERS MISSING ARE IN FREE FALL.
ONE GAME AT A TIME IS THE OLD SAYING, SO LETS THINK OF THAT AND BE POSITIVE
Good on ya trashing him ‘holic. I actually read the piece, had me depressed for a bit. But nothing quite beats seeing the Manks and Spuds behind us in table. Hoping it stays that way
And as always a great post. Keep at it!
Cheers!
THE TRUTH IS IN THE MIDDLE…..
There are a surprising number of plusses to our start to the season.
Nasri has slotted right in and is more like Pires than Hleb (thank god)
Djourou looks to have improved greatly and with a run of games could be the CB reinforcement we need.
Can’t believe I’m saying it but Eboue had a decent game in central midfield against WBA – could that be his best position?
Denilson has proved he can step and at the very least deputise for Fab so that the poor lad isn’t worn out by February.
Sagna and Clichy are world class (we all knew that)
Song will be a more than adequate deputy in CB or midfield.
Vela looks very sharp and would be a great ‘off the bench’ player if he doesn’t start.
Big Nick continues to improve and the stats show his goals per game were very good last season.
Eduardo appears to have the mettle to cope with the psychological side of his injury and is potentially our most natural goalscorer.
We have no problems up front.
Areas that concern me are:
Ramsay needs nurturing and it will take a year or two before every aspect of his game is up to standard.
I hope Walcott gets a run of games as I think that’s what he needs.
I’m really not sure about Galas as captain or CB – but AW’s made the decision so we have to support him.
Ade needs to find his level in the team. He is not a superstar or our most gifted player. He plays an important role in the way the team is set up but if he went, we would just play in a different way in the last third. I’m not a huge fan but we shouldn’t boo him – he’s an Arsenal player so he must have our total support.
I don’t think Inler is good/experienced enough at the moment for the leusive DM – personally I’d like Alonso but I’m sure the boss will spring a surprise and pull a master stroke!
That’ll be Piers Morgan who rushed out the most awful dirge of a book just after the 2004 Invincible season, highlighting the thrills and spills that he as an “avid Arsenal fan” experienced that season.
The man is simply a journalist with no more no less morals than the rest of that kind. He is quite happy to jump on any passing bandwagon if he believes he can generate some income out of it. Who knows, he might even have Fat and Orange pumping him for pieces like this. The solution is to completely ignore fatuous arses like Morgan.
Piers Morgan; Became an “avid” Arsenal fan in 1971. Just AFTER we won the double no doubt. So, he’s just an effin glory hunter in other words, a posh no chinned one at that.
We don’t need a striker FFS. Anyone and their nan could tell you we need some extra bodies in midfield and the fact Wenger has come out AGAIN saying how he has money to spend and would happily splash £30 mill on one player yadda yadda, is effin annoying when gareth barry, Alonso are waiting to move on.
Come on Arsene; dust off the old cheque book son!
I was at the match on Saturday and couldn’t believe the stick Theo was getting. people go on about how he gets away with murder from us fans, but that is well and truely gone for a burton.
And yet again, the home support, in my bit anyways, was really disappointing. These silent football touristswaiting to be entretained really do my nut in! Away games are a million times better in my opinion.
As for the players;
Gallas is a world class defender and Djourou can only learn from playing alongside him. Which I hope he is allowed to do, instead of just re-instating Kolo strasight away.
Piers Moron is a c…oconut.
I agree with you martin (msg 9). Things are not anywhere near as bad as some Gooners and members of the press would have us believe. Almunia looks sharp still. Djourou seems to have come on leaps and bounds (and seems to me a better CD partnership with Gallas or Toure). Enough said about Clichy and Sagna. Skipping midfield for a moment, we now have the added strike force of a fit RVP, an improved Bendtner to join a very good – but not quite world class – Ade!!
Back to midfield….Gil and/or Flim flam were never going to be the single jigsaw pieces to sustain a challenge in this years campaign so in many ways I’m glad AWs hand has been forced. My own view is that AW’s next signing or two will be the most important of his career at Arsenal. So if the cheque book needs to be dusted off….well so be it!!!
NB. The chavs only played one single game in which Portsmouth were as lifeless as they were dull, Calamity gifted them 2 maybe 3 of the 4 goals they scored…….and suddenly they’ve already been declared the PL wineers!? How bloody stupid is that???
Enough football chat today then Rasputin you beardy fucker?
Jackster
I don’t have a beard, but if I did, what’s that got to do with anything? No, I may not have finished, but I hoped I might be responding to someone with an interesting point to make about the Arsenal, not a lame insult………
Oh cheer up it’s just a joke related to your name.
And I’m glad Adebayor was booed. I would n’t like to see it ongoing but he deserved to know how some of the crowd felt about his summer shenanigans and that kissing the badge does n’t make it all go away
Good point, that dawned on me a milli-second after I pushed the send button. My apologies, I am so used to fending off attacks I didn’t recognise a friendly jibe. I’ll try harder next time. Thanks for the light hearted rebuke Jackster.
Agree about Ade and was a bit unhappy at the several occassions when he and Bendtner should have passed to a fellow striker and instead chose to shoot from an unfavourable angle.
Not being best buddies doesn’t mean two players can’t work well together but I do get the feeling that all is not ‘sweet’ between the two.
I guess all top strikers have to be a bit selfish – RVP has been guilty in the same way but it is a hell of a lot better than being scared to shoot.
You’re welcome Rasputin
Thankfully, I saw the headline and just skipped his article. Looks like I made the wise choice. I will be more surprised the day a sports ‘journalist’ or pundit actually manages to think outside the box of cliches and come up with something original.
Rasputin….I fear it was more out of selfish greed in wanting to score and curry favour with the fans, more than any ongoing dispute between Ade and Bendtner (although would agree they are clearly not best buddies). There was a least two other occasions in the game when Ade could have passed the ball to another player (to Nasri was one of them) but selfishly chose to go it on his own.
Unfortunately one of the weaker aspects of his game is when running at defenders – as opposed to holding the ball up – he quickly runs short of ideas.
A pint of that Canadian Moosehead guest beer please, ‘holic. And get one for Rasputin, but something without a head, it wouldn’t do to see a foamy smile on his face.
Evening ‘holic.
At least the Daily Mail managed an article without mentioning Maddie…
Heh, thanks Mark.
Snail, I am surprised to see you come out with an oxymoron.
Canadian beer indeed 🙂
Don…. good point, can’t blame Ade for wanting to get the fans off his back but someone should tell him that its not going to happen overnight. He’s got his long term contract with big bucks, he has to get his head down, work hard and play for the team. The next time he kisses the badge he should have at least 10 league goals in the bag.
Yes, unfortunately Ade had got his head jammed so far up his arse he’d lost all sight of reality. Arguably even worse, he overlooked that the badge kissing thing actually more revealed his utter contempt (in thinking that just by kissing the badge we could all be good friends again) for the fans more than any desired attempt at winning back mutual solidarity.
We pay his wages……not Sky….not Setanta. For the time being, Ade deserves to feel the wrath of the fans. That is the only effective, peaceful, way the fans get to make their point. He can answer back by being circumspect in his responses back via the press and, more importantly, scoring goals.
I have to confess I was surprised to hear the booing because I thought he had played well enough up to that point to have earned silent disdain. I have to say I am extremely uncomfortable with it, but understand entirely the emotion that underpins it. In truth I think he has been far too easily led by people who hoped to profit from his good season. Football faces the problem of clever, avaricious agents manipulating gullible clients, and this is a clear example.
Evening,
Pint of cider and some peanuts please.
I was trying to come up with the most fizzy headed lager I could think of, ‘holic.
I’ll actually have a pint of Otter Ale please.
I too feel slightly sorry for Adebayor, because he probably is just the end product of a culture of unscrupulous football agents. Hopefully he will appreciate where the booing sentiment comes from, but it is a classless act to boo your own player, in my opinion.
I really cannot understand the logic in booing one of your own team. The booing will not only put off Ade but the other players as well. That is why they prefer to play away games.
Also to see the stadium half empty when only 1-0 up and 10 mins still to go (+early kick-off on sat) must make the team wonder if these people are real supporters or just fans.
Booing….the last bastion of the fans ultimate right to make him/herself known. I don’t generally agree with it…..but in this particular case I believe Ade is currently getting his just deserts (for the reasons I’ve already explained). Anyway, it will be over and done with in a few weeks. Meanwhile, his job is to get his head down and get on with the job of scoring goals.
Also to see the stadium half empty when only 1-0 up and 10 mins still to go (+early kick-off on sat) must make the team wonder if these people are real supporters or just fans.
Completely agree with that. Waste of good money!
Yes, I can’t understand fans that leave before the end (unless they’ve got young kids).
I also think we are sadly lacking in the songs department. In the old days at Highbury almost every player had at least one chant, Vieira (my favourite player) had several and all showed a degree of wit. We don’t even have a good ditty for Fab.
The delay caused by the size and acoustics of the Emirates causes a time lag making cohesive singing difficult, and I quite like the shoooooshhhh reaction to the Highbury library chant, but I am bored by the stand up etc etc – it usually means that the game’s not particularly enthralling.
How pathetic to say the stadium was half-empty with 10 mins to go!It certainly wasn’t. There are supporters who choose to leave for whatever reason and that is disappointing – disappointing for them too as they often miss an exciting last minute goal.
I totally agree about the ‘stand up’ chant – its pointless for most games and only worth singing if theres anything to ‘crow’ about. The scum don’t deserve our recognition that they are even competing with us.
As for songs – we must be able to come up with something worth singing, we even have a singing section now so it wouldn’t be too difficult to get a good blast of sound. And when is everyone gonna sing along to ‘The Wonder of You’? Where I sit we have a good amount of standing and scarf waving but not enough singing. Come on men fill your lungs and sing out loud and proud – do the girls have to do everything??!!!!
I don’t think we should have “The Wonder of You” as a stadium anthem. It’s a bad idea. I think Stravinksy’s Rites of Spring would be more fitting. A good sacrificial tune to intimidate the opposition.
A lot of really good things being said about Nasri after the weekend (myself included) A headline today said ‘a bit of Pires, a bit of Overmars’ – high praise, I hope he keeps his feet on the ground.
Watching him against WBA and recent friendlies, it is apparent that he is forming a great partnership with Clichy. He prefers to cut infield when he is wide on the left and pass/shoot with his right. Clichy likes to overlap down the line and send in more aerial crosses giving us a bit more width. Nasri also seems to have the freedom to roam and pops up on the right – this type of fluid attacking is very hard to defend against.
With the height of Ade and Bendtner we should profit from more aerial crosses from ‘wingers’ as well as the usual intricate to feet play that has epitomised our style over recent years.
I do think our crossing could be improved from both flanks. Gareth Barry provided quality balls for GAH on sunday! (dream on)
Yep….I noticed the same. Nasri has certainly introduced more goal scoring options into our style of play and will ultimately become a crucial link (along with Cesc) for all our forwards. And as you infer, he can also shoot from inside or outside the penalty area.
Class player indeed. Imagine the confidence these guys will have to roam forward if we can get a really decent dependable central defender over the next week?
holic,
couldn’t agree more on Piers Morgan, the man is a filthy specimen, slimey in the extreme, arrogant and obnoxious to boot,
we’d be better off without his sort following the mighty reds,
Piers would sell his mum at the right price, so it’s no surprise that he will slag off the club and certain players to sell his poorly written pap,
keep up the good work
At least, if you are going to go with an Elvis song, then “Suspicious Minds” would be a better candidate and a little more apt considering the average Arsenal fan’s tendency towards conspiracy theories…
I’m just saying like…
Silvestre……………………….
I cannot improve on ARSEBLOGS emotional reaction to the news we’d signed Silvestre.
I would imagine most regular contributors to this site would, like myself be scratching around trying to find some logic/positives to the news. I commented a few days ago at how poor I thought our PR was, and once again we seem to be giving out a rather depressing message…………we’re not one of the big boys really – just been punching above our weight – not my belief, but the way it may look to others.
Silvestre is:
1. Not good enough for manure
2. Injury prone
3. 31 – we wouldn’t even give DB a decent contract when he was 30+
4. We have Traore, Song, Djourou etc etc
5. He’s not the big CB we perhaps should consider
Back to the PR. AW said that he was loathe to bring in too many new players as he didn’t want to discourage the up-and-coming youngsters???? He may well let Traore go out on loan and that could do him good but is Silvestre really that much better than him? The only thing he offers is experience, but should’t we have looked to get that from a player in their mid twenties who still has a career ahead of him?
Reckon ‘Rite of Spring’ would be much too terrifying for some of our under 21’s! Anyway the point is to warm the crowd up and fill the stadium with our own sound, if we’re not carefull opposition supporters will be singing lullabies soon!!
Being a hopeless romantic I love the ‘Wonder of You’, its works both ways – we love the team and the team love us.
After todays signing maybe we should re-work the words to ‘Heard it through the Grapevine’ – they’ll always be some conspiracy going on.