Treatment Of Eboue Is Over The Top
Dec 6th, 2008 by 'holic
Watching football these days is remarkably different from years ago. There was a time when I would be desperate to throw several pints of draught Bass down my neck before the game so as to numb the pain of watching the side I loved when they were truly struggling. Younger fans would find it hard to believe we really are not remotely close to that level these days.
Today is a case in point. I enjoyed a truly delicious lunch at a tapas bar and enjoyed the company of people who had travelled from France, even the Greek Islands, before taking in the latest Arsenal offering at the Grove. I took my seat just in front of the press box a contented man. For a more complete match report see Arsenal.com.
Fifteen minutes in my afternoon was complete. It was clear from the opening moments that Wigan would not score against us if they were here until Thursday and we went home at half-time. That is not intended to be as disrespectful as it sounds, but it was clearly not going to be their day. In this topsy-turvy season though we were praying for Arsenal to score the goal that would settle the nerves and secure the points, and it arrived when Emmanuel Adebayor took advantage of some slack defending to apply the finishing touch to a through ball from his skipper.
The two goalkeepers produced some wonderful saves to keep the score at one-nil, and in all honesty the only other talking point was the treatment of Emmanuel Eboue, who was introduced after Samir Nasri was removed from the contest by a horrible Palacios challenge, and substituted himself near the end.
Regular readers will know I am not a fan of the Ivorian, and I have to confess to hurling some abuse in his direction as he made error after error in an afternoon he will hope to forget. However, no Arsenal player in my memory has had to suffer the booing that greeted his replacement by Mikael Silvestre, and I could not join them. I thought it was dreadful. Call me hypocritical if you like, but I didn’t boo Gus Caesar, and I won’t boo anybody in an Arsenal shirt.
In his defence, I had a discussion with a couple of fans around me at half-time, and the concensus view was that he should have been switched with Denilson, operating on the right flank. That way only one of the two, rather than both, would have been operating in an unfamiliar role. Football is an easy game parked on your arse in the stands!
Anyway, back at the pub afterwards we at least had something to talk about. The poor souls from Kos were freezing, as the rest of us enjoyed the delights of Czech lager, Irish stout, and west country cider. Oh, and chocolate cakes too! I thought back twenty or thirty years. I am so lucky to have been born a Gooner.
I’m not sure Emmanuel Eboue will feel the same as he reviews his afternoon from hell.
77 Responses to “Treatment Of Eboue Is Over The Top”
poor ploy by wenger
Wenger’s tactics collapse on Eboue, and Wenger deflects the blame. The fans boo like arrogant baffoons, the club’s starting to get creepy.
Arsenal fans, it’s starting to seem to me, want to completely destroy the atmosphere surrounding the club. Nothing good comes out of a negative atmosphere. I think Arsenal fans are starting to be as counterproductive as Newcastle fans.
i am ashamed to be a gonner,how can our fans treat one of our own in this way,not even the spuds treated Gomes anything like this!
well said ole & danny it seems that the so called fans forget that the team needs our support love him or not arsenal come first and right now we could boo all the players with the way we are playing
Agree with you ‘holic – no matter the frustration with Eboue, what happened today was way over the top.
Sometimes you can understand the ire when he brings out the theatrics, but to destroy the man when he is only just coming back from injury, playing out of position and clearly bereft of confidence helps no-one.
In this period of inconsistency and fragile confidence, the players need our support more than ever, and it seems today some have irrevocably destroyed the man. Wenger already had a confidence rebuilding job after subbing the sub, but the fans just made that particular task impossible.
We should be celebrating a win, but I bet the dressing room feeling is mixed tonight.
He should not have been put on the pitch – poor sod – needs to get match fit.
I still owe you Snail. Where were you?
eboue is an excellent players ,, its just the disgusting fans dat dent his confidence
Arsenal should play behind closed doors next game in protest.
I seriously think Wenger and Cesc should just walk away from this defies pathetic mess.
Are these guys really Arsenal fans or someone paid to disrupt us? It just defies all logical analysis.
Arsenal fans who booed eboue should be ashamed of themselves. These ‘fans’ are the same people who ask for wenger to be sacked when we lose to teams like Hull and Stoke and then say ‘in wenger we trust’ when we beat united.
True Arsenal fans would respect Eboue as a wonderful player, who always tries his best for the club.
True Arsenal fans would have more class than to boo one of their own players who is trying his best…
Last night eboue just had a bad night at the office in an unfamiliar position.
Eboue will be back, bigger and better with an understanding of the fickle nature of some of these so called ‘Arsenal supporters.’
Sorry ‘holic – we were too cold. Decided to make a run for the car which was parked all the way down Liverpool road. Next time will definitely make an effort!
it was shameful! i am no fan of eboue but the booing was uncalled for
No one Boo Clichy, and he has given away two match winning goals.
Why should we support a thick useless twat who’s prob earning 30k a week, while were struggling through a credit crunch.
Get this mess off the payroll..
Its not like arsenal to be highlighted in this bad way, think it shows how pissed off the fans are.
Eboue’s game was quite tidy and better than usual, a couple of dodgy passes didnt deserve that sort of abuse . wenger should hang his head in shame he has let his players down. they are now all under pressure not to make minor mistakes, how can we play fluent football without fear when wenger bows to mob rule
Dangerous…What you fail to realise is that you are in fact the thick useless twat ..not Eboue..so you hate Eboue because he earns good money while you are struggling…well maybe if you had some talent you would be earning the same as Eboue..you are a hater!!!!
I can Just imagine what the reaction would have been if it had been Eboue that gave the ball away to Jenas for Spurs’ 3rd goal like Clichy did or if Eboue had been the one who was hopelessly incompetent in front of goal like Bendtner has been this season or if Eboue been the one that needlessly got himself red carded Like Van persie did..you lot would probably have lynched him…but worthless pieces of shit like you keep quiet when the Fabregases, the Clichys,Van Persies, Benbtners or Walcotts make their mistakes but jump in to stick the knife in Eboue everytime he makes an error…
This is a guy just coming back from injury …yes he made mistakes today ..but so have many others … As it is now…Arsenal fans would be well in contention for the worst fans of the season title…shame on you lot…
I am a fan of 45 years. I go to all home games and most away games, including the Carling Cup. However, I am now seriously ashamed of being an Arsenal fan, not because of the team, the club, or any individual player, but because of our many sickening fans. For two seasons now they have picked on Song (still only 20, who will be a great player) and Eboue. This year they’ve added Denilson (19)and Bendtner (20) – and even Adebayor and Gallas. There are now a significantly large number of our ‘fans’ who are simply waiting and hoping for mistakes from the above mentioned players so as to hurl vile abuse at them. This is not being a fan. Like ‘Perrygrovesworld’ said this has mostly come about since the move to the Emirates. We now fill the ground with loads of the ‘new fan’ types who want nothing more than trophies and want us to behave like Chelsea to get them.
I grew up as an Arsenal fan who knew that you were part of a club that demanded respect for fans and players of other clubs – and certainly your own. No true club fan ever boos or abuses one of their own players. If they’re in red and white, get behind them, or you damage the club.
It is time Arsene came out and condemned these people and asked them to stay away from Arsenal. Before too long, all decent fans will stay away anyway and it will get much worse. I’m already questioning whether I want to be a part of such crowds as now follow arsenal, home or away.
Only my love for the club itself is currently seeing me hang around through these very dark times.
Why should we support a thick useless twat who’s prob earning 30k a week, while were struggling through a credit crunch.
Get this mess off the payroll..
Its not like arsenal to be highlighted in this bad way, think it shows how pissed off the fans are.
===========================================
If you see a “thick useless twat”, chances are you are looking in a mirror.
eboue got booed , instewad of the idiot wenger
wenger is at fault
“eboue got booed , instewad of the idiot wenger”
what is an instewad?
I think that the ‘Eboue issue’ is seriously distracting us from what was a strong performance by the Gunners. Yes it wasn’t pretty, but I’m glad that the players were actually fighting for the ball. Its good to see us beating a team from the bottom half of the league – I never thought I’d find myself saying such a thing!!
What is going at Arsenal these days, did any of the fans ever watch Arsenal under Don Howe. Why are people booing players at all, let alone when the team wins? Get off Eboue’s back, effing disgraceful.
Eboue doesn’t deserve to wear the shirt and I hope this is the end of his Arsenal career.
I must admitt I was one of the fans booing Eboue , right now I feel like shit , I should never have done it . From now on there is no way I will ever boo an Arsenal player, or groan when there is a missed placed pass. Its sad because we are able to support Theo , we should support all the players.
It is sad also that the most noise yesterday wasnot to support the team but rather to abuse one of the players .
Sorry to all the other supporters and Eboue I am so sorry.
Ashburton Perry you dont deserve to support a team like Arsenal and I hope you return you ticket –I will buy it off you .
Ashburton Perry, what gives you the right to say who does or does not wear the Arsenal shirt. If you watched players like Gus Ceaser you could moan, but he was an Arsenal player and was ‘supported’ when he played. Give some respect to a player just back from injury and out of position. OR FUCK OFF
The team wins in a decent performance, and it’s 27 comments of fans telling each other to fuck off and declaring themselves fit to decide if someone else is really a fan or not? There’s a line in here about being the change you want to see in others.
Comment 22, well said. The team played well, got 3 needed points, kept up the Chelsea game’s momentum in league play, and appear to be on a real upswing despite the injuries. If you want to support the team, talk about how well Alexandre Song played today; he had a good one and can use the confidence.
May, good on you mate, Eboue will be back, give him a cheer, he’s suited to the right and Wenger should have known better. It’s time we all managed our expectations for silverware and help pull the team through. Yes, Wenger’s made some poor decisions and really deserves some flak now and again, as do we all, who’s perfect?? I’ll be giving Eboue a cheer when he returns.
The treatment of Eboue today was disgraceful. I have never in my 18 year of going to watch the Arsenal heard such shameful abuse of one of our own. I don’t rate him at all, but what good does it do to destroy the confidence of the guy, playing out of position, just back from injury. The people that booed should seriously think what being a supporter means. If you want pantomime go to the theatre – you’re not welcome at my club
I’m a yankee who fell in love with the Arsenal seven seasons ago because they are a cosmopolitan team that plays beautifully positive football. Little did I know, Arsenal fans are a FUCKING DISGRACE. Over here, American Arsenal supporters are a disgrace because they have no sense of reality. Now, come to find out, English Arsenal supporters are a disgrace because they are spoilt cynics, who boo (even their own players) more than they sing. Suddenly, I’m ashamed.
Absolute disgrace, I’ve never seen anything ever like this ever in my life. To boo one of your own players off, I had an recording of one of my mates that sit near the tunnel, there was a very unpleasant abusive chant am I the only one that heard it ?
“What a load of rubbish, get a shower noooow”
Speaking as an Arsenal fan I am embaressed right now, at Highbury there were real fans, yes it was quiet but we have never booed off one of our own players. Disgraceful, all to those prawn sandwich munching glory hunters go fuck yourselfs, you are a disgrace to Arsenal Football Club. We get our vocals up for big games like the Tottenham one, I was there the noise and the atmosphere was fantastic. None like any other grounds but all you wankers sit and wait for something to happen. Shitty cunts.
This “Eboue issue” took our minds off on a fair win, we were the better team on the day and should have made it 2-0 killed the game off a long time ago.
To everyone that booed Eboue you simply are not an Arsenal fan, there were only a few that sit back and waited for the full 90 minutes to go before leaving the ground.
We have shown that we have the most disgusting fans in the world. Who wants to make a mistake now ? Everyone in the dressing room will be thinking “What if I made that misplaced pass, what if I was Eboue”
He had completely lost his confidence after that far end gave him some stick. Disgraceful, disgusting and embarrassing.
Its amazing that there are so many more people saying they are ashamed to be a supporter. Because to me it sounded like a clear majority were booing him.
But when ure raking in 30K a week, and he could of been mistaken for a wigan player in those last 10 minutes, then the fans deserve a little boo if they want. He was fucking shocking tackling our own players and spraying passes to the wigan strikers left right and center! Its unfortunate it was eboue, but he was a scapegoat for the pish poor performances weve been seeing all season.
But seriously if you cant play atleast a few passes to feet then you have no right to be playing for arsenal.
Whens the last time we won a game by 2 goals in the league, have we beaten a team by 2 goals this season?
Where were these le-grave subscribing immature kids who booed Eboue when van Persie got himself sent off? Eboue actually knows what is support .. he came to SUPPORT the club in the CC match against Wigan … was van Persie there ?
and to those who say he is unfit for the club : just see the performance of Eboue in our CL run to the finals ;
a) his performance against RM shipped Cicinho’s out of the club ;
b) he didn’t put a foot wrong against either leg of Juventus ; remember the Henry goal (a header) against manure late in the game (we won it 2 -1) — see who made the assist ; the van Persie wonder goal against Charlton — who made that assist ?
loser plastic fans leave such a bad taste after a victory !!
we as fans are so pissed off by those sods , just think whats going on in the team now ? Arsenal don’t deserve this kind of disgraceful plastics ; time to weed out this mess or Arsenal will be a bigger joke than the barcodes .
@ commenter 33 :
since when are u following Arsenal … like since the manure victory or the Chelski victory ??
please check the results of Arsenal matches against NUFC, Blackburn and Bolton.
erm who scored teh equaliser against Bolton ? can we have the name?
wouldnt be suprised if we see a few big names leave the arsenal camp at the end of the season. arsenal fans who behave like this towards thier own players dont deserve to share in any of the teams successes.
How long ago was it thought it was in october we beat bolton wasnt it thats like 2 months ago.
As for eboue, I personally rate him and think hes a top RB but at left wing he has no right to be there and thats down to Wengers fucked up tactics.
But image the pandimonium he would have caused if we had conceded one or two goals because of his thorugh balls to the Wigan strikers.
Like comment 25, he said he is sorry and regretes doing it. Passions run high when your watching the match at the emirates instead of from the comfort of a couch and sometimes things are said, or boo’s in this case, that come out because of the heat of the moment.
So get off your fukin morale high horse and grow some balls. No wonder were labelled as southern fucking fairies.
@37
last para of comment 33 :
Whens the last time we won a game by 2 goals in the league, have we beaten a team by 2 goals this season?
so u mean a season is less than 2 months huh ?
and if booing ur team players implies growing balls then i ll be better off w/o a pair .
a team needs player like eboue to survive, players who will go out there to do the job anywhere you put them, like oshea in manure. we hard grimandi, parlour. who were not flare player. last season eboue made sagna look extremely good, check out the number of goal from the right last season and compare to the left. he has become a soft target bcos of some theatrics. but you cheer theo even when he is not doing well
what has booing of ones team given to newcastle, absolutely nothing
Folks, I support Arsenal from the comfort of my lounge in Johannesburg so perhaps I have no right to speak. But I do think a message somehow has to be sent to Eboue that we do not all hate him. I know very few Arsenal fans who think he’s good enough, but that does not mean he should be dehumanised. People, I would appreciate a banner at the next game (thankfully within three days) saying “Sorry, Manu. From all Arsenal fans”. What has happened to Arsenal fans?
Maybe people aren’t booing Emmanuel Eboue, the man.
Maybe they are protesting their outrage at paying over £50 a ticket to watch players tackle their team mates and repeatedly give the ball away cheaply when four years ago they would be watching world class players; Henry, Pires, Bergkamp, Lehmann, Vieira, Ljungberg, Campbell…
None has been replaced with anyone as good. Now, only Cesc approaches world class and he is probably just so better than the others that he stands out.
I agree with LB. This banner would be awsome.
“Sorry, Manu. From all Arsenal fans”
Let´s do it for Eboue. He needs it. He is such an important player for us especially if Sagna gets injured.
Common Arsenal fans, hopefully this would be the last time we booed an arsenal player.
Gunner for life
If we want to win things we must stop the open season of criticism and negativety some of our players are having to put up with from our own fans. Eboue now joins Bendtner, Gallas and Song as a victim of the moronic scum who claim to support Arsenal. Whether they are paid £1 or £1000000 a week does not give this infantile element carte blanche the right to attack payers who are trying for the club.
If you can’t support this young team go and support spurs….they deserve you.
Blimey, ‘holic. What a feisty crowd in here.
Well said ‘holic, and all of the decent Arsenal sites. I notice the wankers at LeGrove proudly proclaiming they were doing the disgusting booing. It’s time real Gooners started turning on scum like them.
Morning KT,
I blame the Red Bull. I think I will have to stop stocking it.
Yes Fuzzy, I read that this morning. He was there and nobody else was, eh? Enough said.
Holic
I have to say yesterdays treatment of Eboue was totally out of order. Anybody who hasnt stumbled across this latest post on “Le Grove” please do so.
http://le-grove.co.uk/2008/12/07/wenger-has-lost-it-im-afraid/
Des Kelly wrote an article in the Mail this week regarding elements of our “support” and Steve Stammers echoed it on Friday on the Arsenal TV phone in.
I cant recall in approaching 30 years ever leaving a game feeling the way I did yesterday. Words fail me, The ‘Le Grove” piece makes my skin crawl. What happened yesterday was just crazy, the thought of it makes me cringe. What has happened to my club.
Like I said in the piece Chippy, I cannot defend any charge of hypocrisy having roundly abused the fella when he made his mistakes, but I couldn’t believe my ears when he was substituted. You don’t humiliate one of your own like that. I’m seriously considering knocking home games on the head and just going away. The travelling support is still up there with the best. At home however…
Last night for the first time in decades, I was ashamed of being an Arsenal fan. Even the co-commentator (whos comments during the course of the game were so anti-arsenal, I thought he was sp*rs fan) felt it was disgusting. Its such a shame really. Black day for Arsenal FC
You call yourself fucking supporters.
I would give anything to be at the Emirates each week and then I hear of our ‘supporters’ booing their own player. How is this supporting the team. The crowd is supposed to be the 12th player and from what I’ve heard the Emirates faithful is at its loudest when it boos its own players.
Can those so called supporters please leave the club or realise that it is not their god given right to see Arsenal win every game playing beautiful Wengerball.
Goonerholic, if you can’t defend your hypocrisy but now regret your actions, why not assume others are like you? Time will tell, but this situation has gotten enough condemnation that it may change many fans’ behavior.
I really hope that Eboue gets to read how much support he really has from the responses on these blogs. Is there any way that supporters can let him know that his efforts are appreciated? How he came off the pitch showed that he cares. I wonder how much the Booers care and really think about what they are doing. SHEEP! It is so obvious that the players need confidence and that booing destroys that. We’ve got a team that have beaten Man U and Chelsea (away), they should be sky high on confidence. Ask yourself why they aren’t “booboys”!
Hey guys, the booing of Eboue is embarrassing. Wat do arsenal fans who attend matches at Emirates think of themselves? Anyone help me please, to tell them that they being given the privilege to watch the matches should be able to respect the ethics of the game, help the players know they got supporters. Where else have you seen it? For those of them who are married, they should be reminded that they dont equally satisfy their wives/husbands all the time. To hell with such hooliganism..
Arsenal forever!!!!!!!!!!!!
Holic
I totally agree with your sentiments and Ive had my head in my hands on occasion with Eboue and made my feelings very clear. I rarely get to away games but I am going to make more of an effort from now on. I was just about to contact “Goals On Sunday” re the treatment of Eboue but I wont. Im out with three of my old team mates from the early 90s for a beer and I know damn well what Im in for. They are going to give me so much stick its untrue and I wont be able to argue with them.
As for not going to home games……..No way, I know what you mean but whose club is it?
Time to move on I’d say.
Morning ‘holic
Nice piece, pretty much summed up the conversations that were had in the pub yesterday.
I haven’t however forgiven you for the lack of a doggy bag from the Tapas….
WHY NOT START A POST WHERE TRUE GOONERS CAN SEND A MESSAGE OF SUPPORT TO EBOUE AND LET HIM (AND JUST AS IMPORTANTLY THE OTHER PLAYERS) KNOW THAT WE ARE NOT ALL MINDLESS MORONS AND THAT WE DO ACTUALLY SUPPORT THE TEAM. YOU COULD THEN PRINT IT OUT AND SEND TO THE CLUB WHO COULD PASS IT ON TO EBOUE. I WOULDN’T BLAME HIM, OR ANY OTHER PLAYERS, IF THEY NEVER FELT LIKE PLAYING FOR THE ARSENAL AGAIN IF IT MEANS BEING ABUSED BY THESE PRAWN SANDWICH MUNCHERS. I USED TO BE SO PROUD OF ARSENAL FANS COMPARED TO THE BEHAVIOUR OF OTHERS, BUT NOW LOOK WHAT IS HAPPENING AT OUR GROUND. WE NEED TO REDEEM OURSELVES AND SENDING MESSAGES OF SUPPORT WOULD BE A GREAT WAY OF DOING THIS AND RESTORING CONFIDENCE. TRUE GOONERS NEED TO STAND UP AND TAKE BACK OUR CLUB.
Heh, my post on Le Grove didn’t pass muster on their moderation.
I didn’t even swear at the fuckers.
Wenger never intended to play his subs. Nasri’s injury forced his hand, and then he didn’t have a plan B. – Could not he have brought on Nic and put VanP down the left? Methinks he intended not to play Nic after the Burnley debacle, and that left a quick run out for Eboue.
Eboue plays for the team and plays for the Gunners, he wore his heart on his sleeve and we weren’t fit to wipe his tears – just as he wasn’t fit enough to play 60min.
Bergs
Morning holic, lovely to meet you yesterday. We have warmed up a bit today. Hopefully next time we come it will be in the spring/summer and Eboue will be the man of the match!
I am ashamed of the treatment dished out to Eboue yesterday, I think booing and jeering at matches is pretty crass anyway but to boo and jeer your own players in this fashion is unforgivable. What do these morons think they are going to achieve by this kind of behaviour? Playing at this level is incredibly difficult and the difference between a good performance and an indifferent performance is often no more than the thickness of a fag paper. Confidence is essential and this kind of behaviour will only further weaken a player’s confidence and cause him to perform even worse than he is already. At times like this, when a team is struggling, supporting them in a positive and encouraging manner is even more important and can often make the difference to the result. Do you pathetic individuals want to help destroy our team, I wonder if any of you have ever won anything worthwhile? I doubt it! How do you think this kind of behaviour will affect the rest of the team? I’ll tell you, the decent and honest ones amongst them will begin to wonder if they really want to play for a club where the supporters behave like this. I was pleased to see the support Ade gave to Eboue as he left the pitch, just think for a moment how he must have felt. I have heard it said that the booing was for Wenger not Eboue because he played Eboue out of position! If this is true it is even worse. Just think for a moment of all that Wenger has done for our club and football in generall. His achievements will be remembered and recognised for years to come throughout the game, here and abroad. I’m willing to bet that the greatest achievement of the moronic booers is putting their shoes on the correct feet when they get dressed. Stating high wages as an excuse for the booing is no excuse either, if it is so easy to play football and earn all this money why aren’t we all doing it? For goodness sake SUPPORT the team whilst they are on the pitch, constructive criticism and discussion is one thing and adds to the interest in the game, but this behaviour can only harm our team and give encouragement to the opposition.
ju and Steve – yes, I saw Gus Ceasar play. And Ian Selley and David Hillier. And Glen Helder and Steve Morrow. And Eddie McGoldrick and Colin Pates.
The fact of the matter is that if you’re fortunate enough to play for The Arsenal, you should – at the very least – give it your all. Like all of the forementioned guys did.
I am not a fairweather fan. I’ve been a Gooner for over 30 years and I’ve never been as consistently shocked by the attitude, antics and overall ineptitude of one of our players.
Yes, what happened wasn’t pleasant. But if the end result is that he goes in January, I’ll be over the moon.
For the record, I’m not condoning the booing of one of our own players. That’s out of order and those who did should feel ashamed today. I just don’t like him, don’t rate him and think the club would be better off without him. Twat.
Fuck him, he deserved to be booed off, the cheating, arrogant , useless excuse of a player. He is the type of player who shames the shirt with his lazy cheating ways. Wenger is to blame for consistently picking a player who shames the shirt. Why Wenger did not bring on a naturally left sided player like Vela or wilshire who have played against wigan already this season and who play with confidence and a sureness of touch.
Eboue is also the player that gallas insinuated was a disruptive influence in the changing room. No suprise there then.
And maybe the fans booing are telling wenger they are sick of the policy of playing shit players out of position who are not up to the mark. What other way can fans get there point across when the board and wenger don’t give a fuck about the fans. I remember in the early 80’s when we protested outside the marble halls with the state of things under neal and again after the blackburn game in 97 when we lost 3-1. Then the players got together and changed things to go and win the double. This lot don’t seem to have themental strength to change things and wenger has put his faith in players who are too flaky and arrogant.
Cheers, ‘holic. I have to say I didn’t even hear such loud Eboue boos, which makes me very deaf or selective.
Thanks for all.
St Eboue, the Martyr of The Grove.
Maybe I’ll think about apologising for booing when Eboue apologises for his performance yesterday; an execrable culmination to what has turned into a wretched career. He can also apologise for what his antics have cost us in the past, both on the field and in terms of the club’s reputation.
Neither returning from injury or playing out of position can excuse a total lack of basic football skills – tackling and passing. As for his commitment, the only example I can remember was the tackle on Kolo and subsequent pass to a Wigan player.
The reason why nobody booed Gus Caesar was that despite his obvious limitations the guy did try. Eboue simply doesn’t appear to give a toss about anyone but himself and the fans know it.
AW also had a large part to play in all this and I thought it clear from that the atmosphere in the stadium that the booing was directed as much at him as Eboue and again I thought it was justified.
As we all know, by our standards, this has been a very frustrating season. Bad results are one thing but when a player or the team clearly can’t be arsed and tactics, substitutions, etc, etc are so clearly wrong how exactly does one get the message across?
Yesterday was a poor game but at least the rest of the team showed some spirit and, most importantly, got a result. Much more needs to be done and though there may not be any easy fix, the departure of a liability like Eboue would be a start.
3 points. hurray
We were sat by the away fans 5 rows from the corner flag, and I didn’t hear any booing. I am guilty of some ironic clapping when Eboue was subbed, but I was wearing woolly gloves, so I was about as effective with my clapping efforts as he had been on the pitch.
We were totally relieved when the ref blew up for full time though, the last 5 minutes were rather nervy.
We also waited until the ground had cleared and had a wander round to the commentary boxes. You have a nice little position over there ‘holic.
That was a one-off yesterday snail. Funnily enough we normally have the seats next to the visitors! I have to say it is a better view of the game as a whole from back by the press box than where we would normally be, but of course the atmosphere is way different.
Garrett, thanks for dropping by again. You have confirmed something I was thinking as I read some of the stuff being written today. I don’t think the people who booed yesterday could be button-holed in the way that some sites try to differentiate between the newer breed and the old school, the Wenger haters and the laughably named AKB’s. It was a cross section who were doing it and there is too much divisive nonsense written elsewhere. I can’t agree with you about booing him, but I think you, as a regular, will know I would not be sorry if the Eboue problem didn’t exist at the club. I did give him dogs, but couldn’t boo a man in an Arsenal shirt.
Oh yes, I am a fully paid up hypocrite…
IMO it is not right to boo one of your own players, but football is a game that engenders an emotional response and fans (supporters/call them what you like) that have paid a lot of money and looked forward to the game all week chose to demonstrate their displeasure vocally. Although Eboue suffered the abuse, a lot of fans were unhappy for a much deeper reason. Eboue is a decent right bck, he is OK in central midfield or even right midfield – left midfield is not his position. To bring him back after a 5 week lay-off and play him out of position was asking for trouble. I am not the manager, but a lot of people thought that there were at least three preferable options.
1. Move Denilson to the left and play Eboue on the right.
2. Play Vela at left midfield where he is more comfortable.
3. Play Ramsey at left midfield.
It was not Eboue’s fault, but once again our team lacked balance because players were played out of position.
A great deal of people deciding to take the moral high ground here over the last 24 hours or so. I am sure that the vast majority of us there yesterday felt that the performance of Eboue was way below the standard required. That’s said I do not agree for one minute with anyone that booed him. But it is very easy to sit a terminal and type about how supporters are scum and do not deserve to be at games hours after the event.
I am far from Eboue’s biggest fan but have thought that before yesterday he had actually not had a bad season. Certainly by his standards he had improved, both on the pitch and in attitude. Yesterday seemed totally different. Where I sit he actually got a warm reception when he took the field. But I felt his body language was wrong from the start. It was if he had been told to play on the left and just did not want to. It was the right or I would rather just sit here and wait for a bit. I agree with others when I say I do not buy the fact that he was played out of position. Of course he was, but he is a professional footballer playing at the very top level. If he is unable to adapt for odd periods when duty calls, then he should question himself.
The thing that seemed to piss most people off near me was his apparent “don’t care” attitude. He spent large parts of the second half marking Denilson wide right, leaving Clichy and the left flank over exposed. One of the reasons I thought we struggled at times yesterday was the lack of pace and width. Eboue buggering off to the right all of the time just compounded the problem. Then it just got worse and AW was left with no option.
The booing that greeted his departure was shameful and something I would always refuse to partake in. However, I totally agree with the comments of Old Spice @ 42. It gets to a stage when frustration just takes over.
On a positive note we gained a valuable 3 points when not really at out best. If we had a tad more luck and had been that bit more clinical then it could have been a lot more and the Eboue situation would not have arisen. I thought Denilson had another decent game. It was clear that wide right was not a favored position for him. However his industry was excellent. He was someone who was prepared to give it all for the cause. A good example to others maybe???????????
Great result. Great win.
Poor display by the jeering [so-called Arsenal ‘fans’….of whatever persuasion 🙁
NB. I’d happily boo Joey Barton next time he comes to the grove. Football has always been that way. Let’s not pretend to be a bunch of puritanicals. I’ve just never boo’d an played wearing an Arsenal shirt. Never have – never will!!!
Great piece ‘holic…sage words 🙂
‘holic, I don’t think you’re position is hypocritical. You have every right to be critical of a player and how you choose to express that is your choice.
I’m sure you’re right that the response was representitive of a cross-section of supporters. As you know I’ve been going for over 40 years and the mate I was with has 30 under his belt and the fans around us who were booing (“Clock End” lower) were certainly not a bunch of newbies.
As Old Spice and Steve T say it gets to a point where sheer frustration takes over. I still think that it was justified on the day and that the hand-wringing that has followed is quite extraordinary given how deeply unpopular the player is.
I would suggest that the moral outrage currently in evidence would more usefully be employed against the new breed of fan which constantly interupted our view of the match with trips for food, drink, the loo, tour of the stadium, etc. and then left early. Those people are the real disgrace to the club.
If the booing set a template for them to add to their existing lack of understanding what supporting a club means then I do regret it (and that aspect does worry me) but as a spontaneous reaction to Saturday’s match I still think it was justified.
Sorry, on the “hypocritical” front I meant to add that this right extends to a reasoned and critical analysis of other peoples attitudes – which of course is exactly what you provided.
Ok, I’ll shut up now.
In all my years of supporting the Gooners I can honestly say that I have never, and probably would never, boo an Arsenal player; but I reserve the right to call them anything I wish. I missed Eboue`s piece de resistance due to a precautionary piss, but I would probably have shouted out that he was a f*****g twat, or something worse. The guy, despite one or two half decent performances this season, remains a liability who seemingly doesn`t learn from his mistakes and can`t progress his game to a level where he can be truly effective over a full season. AW may think we are being harsh on the lad, but our manager looked utterly aghast when Eboue dispossessed Toure and passed to the opposition.
Er, ‘holic. Might it not be time for another post – and for you to get the drinks in?
Despite my Long Service Medal I’m now apparently a “Disgrace to the Club” so I’d rather like a very, very large JD to drown my sorrows: please . . .
If we ever get together Garrett, the JD’s are definitely on me.
You are no disgrace fella. See the new post as requested.