I Watch Us Struggle In The Village Of The Damned
Jan 30th, 2011 by 'holic
“you have the potential for a really nervy single goal triumph, with a late goal from a hastily summoned first-teamer from the bench”
The ‘holic pound may have gone south, but I think I can claim a little bit of predictive expertise in the preview. Really nervy it most certainly was, and not just for the reported 59375 in the ground. Making my way back from Cornwall I stopped at a small village just outside Exeter to take in the action.
“Pint of Guinness please”.
“Sorry m’dear, we only have tins of Guinness. You can have Whitbread Best or we have two types of lager.”
It is plain to see I have picked the wrong one of the two pubs in the village. A small crowd of locals are making enough of a noise to drown out the ESPN commentary. At least that is a result. When Arshavin makes a hash of the first chance it becomes clear I am not in an Arsenal stronghold. “Haha, simples” cries out one. A father and his young son look up from their game of pool. I’m hearing a banjo being plucked in my head.
Huddersfield are making some breaks of their own and Arsenal’s nervy defending is getting the locals excited. Bendtner and Arshavin spurn opportunities to settle the nerves before the Dane makes a painful airshot and is derided not just by the travelling Huddersfield fans, but also the clientele of the Deep South Tavern. I can’t help but smile when Chamakh’s crafty arm, and Bendtner’s deflected attempt at the corner flag produce the lead a minute later.
My wide grin is obviously noticed. “Hey Ted, we watching the moighty Tottenham later?” one of the inbreds calls to another. What a shame I couldn’t have spent the rest of the afternoon there! The smile is wiped from my chops when Nasri pulls up. It’s clear it is a bad one, and I’m told later it looks like a six weeker. That could have serious repercussions for us in the coming weeks.
There is much glee in Smallville when the returning Squillaci bodychecks Hunt and is shown red. Interesting decision by Clattenburg in the light of what was to happen near the end. I thought he got this one right. I’m rather grateful to get to half-time one up. I’m thinking the ‘holic pound is a real possibility.
If we were just about worth the advantage at the half, there is no doubt our goal leads a charmed life for much of what follows. The string of near misses includes a brilliant last-ditch block by Arshavin, and an outstanding Almunia save from a Lee header. The ten are clinging on, somehow. I say ten, but actually the full-backs are having a combined off-day and the visitors can and do attack them at will.
The father of the banjo plucker looks up from the pool table, almost frothing at the mouth. “Come on Huddersfield. I win eight hundred quid if they get this.” The equaliser, so deserved, arrives when Lee finally makes proper contact with his forehead from a corner. Behind me the barmaid confirms in a conversation with another regular that they are in fact “living in the village of the damned. Is it any wonder everybody wants to leave”. I look at a collection of married cousins celebrating and silently concur.
Desperate times call for desperate measures. At last Arsene realises he has to add some inspiration to his flagging team. El capitano arrives, and does what he has done countless times before. He digs us out of a deep hole. The clincher follows a flurry of activity that has me squirming a little uncomfortably. Bendtner, earlier denied a clear penalty, tumbles theatrically and this time Clattenburg points to the spot. If contact has been made (I remain to be convinced) then a clear goalscoring opportunity has been prevented at point-blank range. Squillaci saw red thirty yards out. McCombe only gets a yellow.
Cesc, a word please. Clearly Clattenburg has dropped a clanger. I wish you wouldn’t so blatantly point out the error of his ways by pleading for the red. It irritates us when we see the likes of Rooney doing it, and the cast of Deliverance are understandably riled by that. The penalty is finished clinically, and the “get out of jail free” card is used most effectively. Father of the cotton-picker stomps around glumly. I hope his herd don’t play him up in the morning.
At the whistle I offer polite thanks to the barmaid and make for the door. As I open the door I’m sure I hear her say “he’s purty”. I stride quickly to the car before her brothers come out and force me into an arranged marriage at tonight’s barn dance.
Oh, and well played Huddersfield. You were a credit to League One.
157 Responses to “I Watch Us Struggle In The Village Of The Damned”
We’re through with a decent draw in the next round. I’ll drink to that! A glass of fortifying porter if you will, barkeep.
What village was it anyway, ‘holic? Just for future reference… We’re going down Cornwall way in March…
Just off the Honiton junction, Snail. No reason to get off there unless Arsenal are kicking off in five minutes 🙂
Fair point there. Desperate times call for desperate measures. If it is any consolation I watched the best live streamed match I have ever found – it didn’t buffer or stutter once in 90 minutes. Still nervy though.
Always finding a new way to write a report, eh, Holic?
Keep it up, you know we like it!
Where did you hear Nasri was out for 6 weeks? Ive only heard Wenger state it could be between 10 days and 3 weeks.
A blog is a sort of diary for me, Toby. Just recording how I experienced the game. There is room for that variety I hope. Cheers.
It would be that if he just tweaked it Mug. The information I have is it was a bad one.
*plays duelling banjos*
Cheers, ‘holic.
One last Guinness please.
(Chamkh though? 😉 )
Although we played poor, with a few players playing the worst I have ever seen them (Gibbs and Denilson stood out, for all the wrong reasons!) we are still in the cup, which cannot be said of a few teams that are apparantly onj the up and about to over take us!
Andin the past we have played equally poorly, if notmore so and won things. The league and cup run in 98 was dotted with piss poor games that we either scraped draws to earn replays or sneaked flukey 1-0s. Thats what you need to do to win things. The playing time the fringe players and those returning from injury are getting, not to mention an out of sorts Arshavin, can only benefit them and the team too.
Holic
Is that information from a physio friend? Coz Wenger said its gonna be 3 weeks max mate.
It was from inside the Grove, Mug. I can say no more. I hope Arsene’s public stance is proved right.
Heh! Great blog, holic.
First time poster, long time reader of the blog. We’ve all been there holic, I remember many times happening across an unsavoury establishment to watch the Arsenal! Can of Guiness please
That was just a brilliant match report, had me laughing to myself in front of my laptop!
I wrote the following the previous drinking session while this was being posted, so I’ll just repat myself here: 🙂
—–
Slighty (and when I say that I mean quite) drunk now, been downing pints since 10 in the morning – but we won and my bad run has ended!
True Storey: funnily enough, I was thinking the same re: Nasris injury. It would most likely have happened in the next game anyway since that is only 48 hours away. I don’t hold that one against Wenger at all.
It is both a worry and a joy to see how the whole team gets more confident the second Cesc steps on the pitch (and also the fear he instills in the opponents). It took him about three seconds to create an opportunity and all of a sudden Rosicky looked almost like a footballer again. But why can’t the rest of the team be confident without him? This is getting increasingly (and worryingly) like Thierry Henry in his last two seasons, you know the “oh, it’s not working today – just give it to Henry and he’ll sort us out” thing. We can’t have that, don’t just let Cesc do all the work!
And while I generally don’t like to whine too much about referees – what kind of drugs were Mark Wankerburg on today??? Squillaci gets a red when there is everything but an obvious goal-scoring opportunity 30 yards out, but when Bentner is brought down when he is just about to roll the ball into the net from less than 10 that’s only a yellow??? And what about bringing Cesc down when clear through and just over 16 yards to go??? Fucking hell, I could just not believe my eyes! But my favourite moment was when he blew his whistle to give Hudds a free-kick just after we had gone ahead again and both teams just looked at him going “now what???”. The tell-tale sign of a really, really bad ref is when not one player on the pitch understands his decision.
Fucking wanker. Sorry about the language, but you have to call things by their proper names sometimes.
And a big fuck you to the Hudds fans (which actually was about 99% of them) who cheered when Nasri was injured. I mean, yeah, if he had been taunting them or behaved like a prick towards them in any way I could have understood it but he had done absolutely nothing to them. To see them standing there going “cheerio” and wawing made my blood boil. Unless the injured player is Cashley Cunt (or said player has been acting like a cunt all game) you just don’t do that. And even then it is bordering on the forbidden.
Arshavin still has a long way to go before finding his form again, but you can’t fault his effort today. And the way he tracked back to prevent an almost certain goal was really, really nice to see. Great awareness there, and despite being so, so out of form he is now working incredibly hard to find his feet again.
There’s probably a lot more I can say but now I shall go surfing the web to catch up on what else has happened today. In particular, I shall go to, for example, http://www.guardian.co.uk/football to see if that game I saw on the telly at the Golden Heart pub (just off Commercial Street down near Brick Lane, a nice place – they had John Smiths Extra Smooth on tap which is always a plus in my eyes) really was for real. I mean surely, Fulham can’t have walloped the almighty Spudians 4-0??? Nah, that can’t be – they have The Magnificent Twitchy managing them and I’ve been told by the media for years that they are better than the Arsenal so that was probably only in my mind.
Mr Barman, a pint of John Smiths please!
Oh, I see holic, no probsmate. Hope AW is correct on this one then.
I watched the 2005 FA Cup final game in some pub in the middle of nowhere and the locals were all united fans. laughed my knackers off when we won that game having played so poorly too! How I got out of there alive is a mystery!
Summed up nicely as usual as i sup my Old Speckled hen – from a bottle as not in the pub.
Ain’t he gotta a pruty mouth PMSL that’s why I like to stay south of Watford 😉
Never watch TV in a Devon pub. They miss the correct action the rest of Britain sees. Squillaci didn’t bodycheck but merely stood his ground. Bendtner shouldn’t have goaded the opposition’s fans after the own goal…….a poor example for the young. Agree totally with you on Cesc’s entreaty to the ref. Totally unnecessary and not the Arsenal way for a captain to behave.
‘olic. What happened to your blog of a few days ago about your Dad’s memories of yesteryear?
This one, Nicky?
http://goonerholic.com/2011/01/the-old-man-saw-them-all/
Guys,
I was laughing my pants off when i saw almunia misjudging and chasing balls lol Almunia denlison don’t deserve to wear arsenal shirt
Denilson, not only he has NO skill and desire, I realised he is freaking weak and would collaspe anytime during a game, at the most crucial moment. He often gave away possession cheaply, and almost created a goal for Huddersfield while he back passed without knowing who was behind him. He is not only doesn’t deserve to wear the Arsenal shirt, he is simply not a footballer.
I havent got a problem with Almunia playing. He is behind Chesney and Fabianski. No point risking Chesney today.
Denilson on the other hand? I cannot se him being anything other than a fringe player and again, he can come in and do a job, albeit, hopefully a lot better than todays effort!
That’s what makes you special Sir ‘Holic, Sir! We wouldn’t want it any other way.
And given that we have close to 20 players out on loan now, I think next season will see Denilson’s appearances even more limited. He is a strange case, as he can be very useful and effective, yet today and in other games this season he has been weak. Everton away, when he came on in the 2nd half is the only game I can recall him playing well and even in that game, he drifted out of it, although he’d only come on after 45 minutes.
Must have been a real bad day for the Stratford Spurs …..
As for us let’s catch the Orient Express.
Muy bien el capitan…
Sounds like the pub in Sidbury, where my inlaws inherited their abode…serious backwater provincials. The game? Glad we won, saddened by the performance…
we did’nt play well but so what, we are through. remember that we played 9 games this month and we have an important game next tuesday. nasri was a big blow for us but we have to carry on.
‘Holic,
You sure do have a pretty mouth boy. Glad those inbreds didn’t make you squeal like a piggy. Top blog, glad you came out of that one with your personal and Arsenal’s diginity in tact.
Lars (& Steve T),
Posted appreciation for your match reports in the previous posts if your can be bothered to click back.
Another drink for all to the super-fast recovery of Nasri’s hammy. Fingers crossed it’s 3 weeks and not 6. Either way, we’lll get through.
Cheers all!
Evening Holic
Barry Hearne,the Orient boss,is always good for a quip.
Being interviewed about getting the Arse at home,he said it was great to get one of the best teams in the World in the Cup,but added,” but we are the best team in Leyton and Leytonstone.!!
Fond memories of the O’s,FA cup 6th round tie at their place,won 1 nil with a goal from Bally from memory.
I seem to remember it was a very warm day for some reason,highly unusual in March.
Be good for the Older Gooners to revisit a ground with happy memories.
Cheers
Clive
Holic, I disagree.
Cesc can do that cause he’s the captain and the captain is the only one who can talk to the referee (according to the laws of the games).
I have no problem when he does it. Do what you have to do (providing you don’t cheat/dive etc’) to win.
The O’s – Brings back memories of standing in the Shed for the ’78 Semi, when Supermac scored two deflected goals and Rixy a got the other.
The “card waving” is an annoying part of Cesc’s game and like everyone else, I just wish he’d leave that to the officials and continue doing what he’s doing very well.
Lots of poor performances on the pitch today, none more so than Eboue, Gibbs, Chamakh and Denilson. We can carry a couple of passengers, but no more, especially when down to ten.
Still through to R5, which is more tha I can say for the Tiny’s.
Lars. top posing sir, enjoy the John Smiths, I’ll try a port please.
CoYRRR’s
How does Denilson qualify to be in an Arsenal shirt? Four and a half years = how long does it take Wenger to see he is no good now or for the future. He would do much better it he stayed on the ground for the whole match when a little nudge fells him!
Not the only time we spent ninety minutes in the Shed, Jersey 😉
Great post ‘holic. You paint a vivid picture of rural England! There are villages like that round Bath too. It’s said that the legendary English ‘village idiot’ disappeared with the invention of the bicycle but I am not so sure.
As for the game, our ineptness without Cesc is chilling though had Samir lasted longer the loss of drive that followed his departure might not have happened. It was disappointing to see the expected gulf in class bridged so readily in the early minutes of the first half and the Yorkshiremen deserved their equaliser at that stage. Cesc proved his value to this team. God help us if he leaves this summer.
Mines a Bath Ales Gem.
Hi there, long time reader first time poster – as appears to be something of a trend – reckon everything that needs to be said about today’s performance has been, just wondering what everyone thinks of our chances against barca at home, seeing as if Nasri is indeed out for 3 he might well miss it, which based on how much better we’ve been this season with him, makes me very nervous indeed
Oh and a word of thanks for the ‘holic pound, maybe not this week but the previous few have served me well 🙂
Here we pay to watch futbol(we call them viewing centers).you go watch a rival’s match and u say nonsense,it’s bang at the back of ur head.watched d spud’s match and LMAO.Our boys played poorly bt d match was fun as we got to laugh at the team.The only ones spared were kos,samir and cesc.Havin said that,let’s toast to the rejuvination of arsh,twas nice seeing him make that last ditch tackle…a bottle of malt will do for me.No one drinks beta than the english.
Is it a coincidence that the team has played really poorly when at home this season, while their away form is exceptional?
Given how piss poor the home support can be, how whiny and so easy to turn on their own players, even booing them FFS, I think it is a factor.
Why dont these twats fuck off and do something else if they cannot get behind the team?
Eboue’s number1fan
I think nasri will be missed obviously. he has been in great form for us. BUT, as long as we do not suffer any more injuries, then I think we have a great chance. Cesc, Theo, RvP will be key in the attacking 3rd, while Djourou and Koscienly have been a great partnership.
Holic, there were some fine trips around that time and although the football wasn’t as good, the craic was much better.
Really pleased with the improvement in Arsh’s attitude/workrate, still room for improvement, but going in the right direction and hopefully his form will return.
CoYRRR’s
Mug – rather worrying then I guess that we only have two away games in the league between now and April!
charlie
Ha! That is a worry mate! Lets hope its all bollocks on my part then! 😀
Great read today, ‘Holic.
Absolutely brilliant post. Made me laugh. Like stratford hotspurs pathetic performance down in west london. Didn’t see gareth bale play though, most probably because he was too busy “takin care” of the inbreds sheep in cornwall. Keep the posts up mate!
Like Snail I got lucky with a perfect stream, although watching the game at 4am it had better be perfect! Now that perfect stream allowed me to distinctly hear some of our home “fans” boo & jeer Diaby who’s just back from injury (and did ok considering).
I really hope we’ll clinch silverware this season, not only for ourselves but to fill the waiting list and have the club perform a long-needed Stalinist purge on some of the existing season ticket holders. Go boo our players with the LWC at the pub you scum.
Sorry for the foul language, my night was sumbolic and I’m steel fuming.
Other than that it was another excellent week-end between our victory, the Spuds humiliation and the slap to Maureen’s and Ronaldo’s ambitions.
I think its safe to say that bar the result everything that could go wrong did go wrong. We were out-played & embarrassed for long periods at home against league One opponents! Our player of the season goes off injured, our CB cover who was supposed to be available to give Djourou & Kozzer a rest gets red carded & suspended and then just when i thought there might be a ray of light when Denilson seemed to have injured himself… he came back on seemingly fine!!
I think time has to be called on Denilson’s Arsenal career. I mean he came to the club as the youth captain of the Brazilian team! What has happened? He cannot do anything! Can’t tackle, can’t pass forward, can’t shoot (anymore) can’t track back, has no tactical awareness and has absolutely no pace. He is a liability!
When you think how fast and how easily Wilshere breezed past him into the first team – how much better he is having played less than one season in the first team it just shows that he needs to be sold!
Frimpong will be better cover next year and Lansbury must be given a chance. I would sell him in the summer to anyone who offers more than £4million for him!
On the bright side Arshavin is looking a tiny bit better and Bendtner’s chat with Henry seems to have resulted in his effort levels increasing by about 150%. Oh and we got to the next round which is more than can be said for our neighbours! A 4-0 spanking, yet more proof that their early season form was just euphoria from finally getting into the Champs League. They are finally coming down from that high and are going to have a serious hangover for the coming months!
Evenin’ all,
I have only one concern regarding Denilson – if he leaves, will his beautiful stable of brazilian bikini babes depart as well? I recommend keeping him on board to ensure their faithful attendance…at least until I can get a trip over to look on them with my own eyes 😉
Cold duck for me squire!
By the way, ‘Holic, your experience in yonder village remainds me of one experience I had when I watched the Dallas Cowboys defeat the Filthy-delphia Eagles in an Eagles’ bar while wearing a Cowboy’s jersey. I knew I was courting disaster. I chalk my survival up to my 6’2” / 265lb frame.
Purty writing, ‘holic and so happy you made it out of there alive. We may not have deserved to get past Huddersfield but it feels great to be in the next round. Our confidence has to be up as a result, and a certain band of LWCs not quite so much/
Not surprised at the locals reaction, isn’t Devon Man U heartland after all?
Just glad we won, don’t much care how. If we keep on winning like this we could end up with a bit of silverware. Payback for all the lovely footie that won nothing I reckon.
Personally think the Squid sending off was harsh so far out and think the penalty was correct. But you might consider me biased 🙂
Icing on the cake that the Spuds got hammered hope it puts them in just the right mood for going out of the CL as well. You can feel the relief in the universe as it begins to regain its proper balance.
Arsene played 2 of the 1st choice 11, as he did at home to Leeds, Nasri & Koscielny being the 2. Nasri departs to be replaced by Rosicky leaving 1 man from the 1st 11. . . Squillaci departs via red card. Song deputises . . . Now 2 x 1st choice players on-field but down to 10 men and 2 subs used. Diaby departs around 70 mins after a solid return shift. Cesc replaces. 3 x 1st choice players now on-field and that was too much for Huddersfield despite the man advantage. . . Rested – Szczesny, Sagna, Clichy, Djourou (4 of the back 5 folks), Wilshere, Walcott and Van Persie (seven of the top 11 played no part) . . . Koscielny, Song, Nasri and Fabregas played varying parts. More game time for the others and 7 rested men ready for Everton. Job done. . . The only question is, who replaces Nasri in the 11? . . . Rotation works guys as Everton are about to find out. . . Up the Arsenal
@notnasri
re: Eboué, well what can I say really? The list is so long, I think it’d be faster to just mention the things he’s done right instead.
He made some interesting runs forward (before inevitably misplacing a pass or collapsing after hitting an invisible wall).
He also didn’t score an own goal.
What else? Oh yes. He didn’t get himself sent-off or give the opposition a cheap penalty.
He did all these things right, I guess 🙂 As for the rest…
Oh and top post by Lars. Made me chuckle. As did ‘Holic’s entry.
Well what a strange day. My little 7 year old is quite a sporty little chap. Football on Saturday mornings and rugby on Sundays. Plans are hastily made to allow him to play today with an old pal who has happily agreed to look after him and drop him home after. “Not staying to watch dad?” comes the call. I then explain again that I am off to the Grove. My journey to the station involves a certain amount of guilt and leaves me to ask myself the question, what in the name of all that is holy are we doing playing a league 1 side at noon on a Sunday? Who really thinks these things out?
I arrive with 15 minutes to spare, grab a quick beer and meet up with friends. The team news is flashed up and there is a collective surprise that Nasri has been selected. None of us can understand why he is playing with Everton only 48 hours away. I have read the posts above and my view is that a hamstring does not just go regardless. If he had been rested then perhaps that would have been sufficient to prevent a strain? I do not know. I will await an update from those who attend this bar from the medical profession. That said the boss has been on Sky suggesting that Nasri will be out for 3 weeks. Being positive, the rest he will get during his recuperation might do him some good.
The next 90 minutes of football I found particularly strange. Several players making appearances after a period of absence. Mixed feelings re several players. Matt, are you sure you heard Diaby being booed or was it his customary shout of Abouuuuuuuu? Certainly no boos in block 4. I agree with some posts that AA had a much better game. I am a big fan of Denilson and think he gets a lot of unfair stick. However in recent months he does appear to be going backwards. NB frustrates the hell out of me. He is missing far too many chances for me.
Our general performance was as strange as your viewing in the Hill Billy Arms holic. Battenburg gave as inept a performance as I have seen from an official at the Grove in years. Quite amazing. I am still at a total loss to understand what Squillaci brings to the table that Gallas did not. For that matter I fail to see that he is much of an improvement, if any on Senderos.
Positives of the day are that we are in the 5th round and the Spuds are not. Someone above asked about the absence of Bale. Sky are reporting that he has a metatarsal injury caused by peeling bananas. I have had great fun reminding Spud mates that they have spent more money than anyone with the exception of Citeh and that there season was over in January. Not many had a sense of humour, which made it even more satisfying.
We now face 2 tricky league games against Everton and Newcastle. 6 points from those 2 and we really will be kicking. Perhaps we can all head to Honiton for some shit beer and a barn dance??? Introduce them to a bit of Weller, a decent brew and hopefully teach the shit kickers some manners.
Onwards and upwards fellow holics. I am hearing we can expect 3 new signings before the deadline to boost our run in………
Okay, I made that last bit up.
Keep the faith.
Longtime voyeur here…
DENILSON IS TERRIBLE!!! One of life’s great mysteries that he gets paid to play football, let alone for The Arsenal. 1,000′s of better footballers in the world and he’s on a long term 50 grand a week, try to wrap your head around that one? No pace, no strength, no positional sense, a complete and utterly useless sideways merchant when on the ball. And he’s a complete dullard to boot, no charisma, no personality, a flop artist. Total PANTS that one is! Everyone can see it, makes no sense, he must have pics of Wenger or something as he has been utter dross for 5 years, yet gets his contact raised and extended, quite peculiar to say the least…
And if I had a tenner for every goal conceded from a set piece by the guy that Diaby was “marking” I’d have a few hundred extra quid in the pocket. Another total plank! Denilson, Diaby, Eboue and Bendtner on the pitch at the same time? Surely you’re having a laugh mate, complete rubbish and 3rd division or Ryman league level players at best that have to be “saved” by Fab, RVP, etc. so they can beat these so called inferior players who, in reality are on the same level as them. I repeat, complete and utter PANTS!
And to the ignorant tossers who say, “Look where the side is in the table and in the cups, these players must be pretty good”. The Arsenal are where they are DESPITE carrying the deadly cargo of these useless passengers, not BECAUSE of them! We would be 5 points clear in the lg and would stroll these easy cup ties with proper players instead of these tarts.
But….
As every longtime Gooner surely knows, this great club always seems to love to do it the hard way.
Cheerio lads and make mine a negroni to go with my pasta after doing 80 kms on my Cyfac in the mountains this afternoon.
PV4+DB10+FL8=GOAL!!! I’m glad to hear you’ve got our problems all sorted …
Glad to be of service, mate!
No, seriously now, the underlying point is this:
The side is so good and so close to being truly great and sweeping all before them despite hauling these heavy straps of dead wood around on their backs.
The Wenger stubbornness, which has been one of his greatest traits down the years, continues to keep this side just on the cusp of greatness. Just go ahead and offload those four tarts already and replace them with quality. And another proper CB please and Presto! Bang! Done! Double maybe even the Treble here we come!
denilson is so bad i feel sorry for him. it was his stupid diving in on a player that led to Squillaci’s foul and red card.
Quite the episode of the twilight zone there ‘holic and thank you for sharing it with us.
Due to an untimely injury of uncertain duration, TvN has become TvA. Here’s hoping Nasri can return asap. His absence v Barça will make an already big ask even bigger. No getting around that one unfortunately ‘holic Nation.
Great to advance even though we played like a sack of hammers. Denilson was his rubbish self again. I think he should be off loaded in the summer. Not sure what he offers on any level. Gibbs was very poor this afternoon. Squillaci was horrible too and his performances this year have created a new word, squillacied (synonym for nightmare). As in, the Spuds’ player, Dawson, squillacied today by directly giving up two penalties and getting sent off. I hate to go off on our own players and understand that some are returning from injuries or don’t get much match practice but we have to call a spade a spade.
Good news from the weekend though. We advance in the real domestic cup, Spuds get bounced and humiliated, Jose loses again and now can forget about winning La Liga this year, Chelsea and ManC have to do replays, we get Orient next round, probably more but I can’t think of them at the moment. The only bad news is that injury to Sami and the necessity of changing my pen name for the time being. Get well soon Sami!
Hehe Awesome post holic!We’ve all been there im afraid!
Also thought the match ref was pretty inconsistent today. Maybe he can’t do the job because of his funky hair? But if I say such a thing I will be labelled a hairist and asked to take courses in sensitivity training. Anyway, if you give a red to Squillaci then you got to give a red for the penalty call on the foul against Bendtner. I thought both deserved sending offs.
I love Cesc but I am really disliking his histrionics lately. The obvious and bad diving recently to try to get penalties (I know it’s strategy these days but if you’re going to do it then do it well; maybe take a night course), the pleas to the ref to get opponents a card or sent off (I don’t care if he is the captain or not, this is just poor sportsmanship and needs to be abolished from the game), and the blatant time wasting (picks the ball out of the net after the penalty and going to the corner flag with it. We are up 2-1 now and it is late going. If any team is going to take the ball out of the net it would be the team that is down. This was a clever form of time wasting. Later, he gets booked for obvious time wasting. Then at the near death, when he is already on a yellow, he taps the ball away from his opponent deliberately after the whistle near the far corner flag). Cesc is a brilliant player but this is the ugly side of his game and I wish he would cut it out. His Barça buddies don’t stretch these unsavoury tactics to such an extent. And there’s no place in the beautiful game for such distasteful histrionics.
@PV4+DB10+FL8=GOAL!!!: Thank you for demonstrating my point so obviously.
Longtime voyeur and longtime basher I bet.
when Wenger says 3 weeks, that means 6-8.
@Steve T: I’m 90% sure about Diaby and if you had any doubts PV4+DB10+FL8 cleared them for you.
I don’t feel right criticizing our support knowing you and many other fine gooners are among them but I think it’s about time the club starts taking measures to separate the wheat from the chaff. The scum among us is jeopardizing our chances of silverware as much as injuries, Arsene and his staff have taken care of injuries, it’s now time they move on to the scum and get them replaced with proper supporters. The waiting list is big enough that it shouldn’t be an issue.
Denilson is toast at Arsenal. It pains me to say so as most of you know I have been (and still am) a firm believer in his potential but these days simply looking at him before kick off is enough to know he’s like a deer in a the headlights, pressure, injuries, doubts, criticism, whatever mix of those have him totally underwater, he enjoys being on the pitch less than I do get my wisdom teeth pulled out. I can’t see how he will recover at Arsenal.
Heh has me pissing meself mate! Reminded me of when I had to watch 93 Cup Final replay in Ellesmere (mid welsh borders, near Oswestry). Only gooner in the pub and amazingly a good contingent of swamp dwellers as well. We and I had the last laugh though. As yesterday.
Alright Esso. Given the proximity to Exeter I had to resist the urge to bellow out ‘GRRREEEEN ARRRRMY’ as I left.
Can’t say much because I only heard second half radio commentary and then saw the few minutes of recorded ‘highlights’. However from the information received it seemed that as a team we were pretty poor after scoring the first goal, but pretty good up to that point.
The positives as I perceived them were that AA put in a decent shift with bags of effort – the end result was largely absent but he is working hard and made a magnificent probably goal saving tackle. Well done Andre! Diaby also did Ok considering the rust that is upon him and in the past he has shown that he needs a few games to get back to his best. Bendtner showed more commitment than sometimes recently and his finishing will improve I’m sure. Almunia was largely OK and made at least one goal stopping save to keep us in the game – well done Manuel.
I don’t think we should criticize AW for playing Nasri, he needed someone to pull the strings in midfield in Cesc’s absence and if he hadn’t played him he would also have been criticized, probably even more, for resting too many players. I hope the injury isn’t too serious.
Denilson looks shawn of all confidence at the moment and as a result is struggling and lacking in decisiveness. He was never a great tackler and is looking worse now than last season and the season before. I hope his confidence and form return soon.
We need a fully fit and functioning Ramsey back and Lansbury, JET and Eastmond should get their chances soon as well. Frimpong won’t be available until next season but he will be another useful addition to the squad.
We are in the next round with another ‘easy’ draw but first we must play Everton. Come on you Gunners!
Morning ‘Holic & ‘Holics
I always try to respect other ‘Holics’ opinions on this site. It doesn’t matter if I agree or not, we all have our views and this is why forums such as this exist and prosper.
The anti-Denilson voice is now at a dB level that’s very close to shouting. I have my own doubts about the boy’s ability but let’s remember he is still a young-‘un and not yet ready to be written-off as a wrong-‘un.
So, I’m going to propose that we do an Andrei on him. Many are now rallying round our lttle Russian and his return to form is starting to happen. Coincidence? Maybe… but critical in its timing if Sami is to be out for an extended period.
What do we have to lose if we do the same with Deni? He’s not going anywhere until at least the summer. It won’t make him under-perform further. It might just help him to turn around his game and play the type of football some us still think he might be capable of.
We’re supporters of The Arsenal. Let’s behave like that 12th man, give him another chance until the end of the season and then make our minds up. Far bigger turn-arounds have happened. Look at Song, for one.
Some of the comments here (none from the regulars) make me question if they are really from Arsenal supporters or just keyboard tigers, living miserable lives who have a strange view of what being an Arsenal supporter really means.
I’ll repeat, this is an exceptional blog filled with passionate supporters who love their club but who respect opinions and debate with eloquence. I would very much appreciate it if things would stay that way.
TS rant over. Drinks for all the regulars and those who respect our great club and the team that plays for it.
TS – One week we are calling Deni the best player on the pitch the next we are saying we need to sell him.
If he had a bad game then so be it. Personally I thought he played okay on Sat. B52 worked his socks off and Manu was consistent.
Hey the LWC’s are only down to one competition now cause they ain’t winning the league!
Drinks all around!
TS it may help if we had a song for Deni!
Anyway what do I know?
TS, I have to agree with you Re:Song. Three years ago, I used to get frustrated by him. Now he’s one of the best league midfielders.
But, we are getting close to lifting those trophies now. I just want these second teamers to realise how important it is to focus. They just seem to be passengers at the moment.
I’ll join you at the bar, what are you drinking? 🙂
Gt,
I’m just not that musical, sorry, but a good idea nonetheless. One will come to all of us I’m sure if we can help him to turn-around his form.
BTW, if the LWCs are going to win the CL then I’ll drink my own bodyweight in p*ss 🙂
Coming from Exeter, I must emplore you to tell me where you ‘enjoyed your Banjo-plucking, purty-mouthed tin of Guiness ‘holic…?! I’m all too used to the anti-arsenal brigade down these parts, De’bm being that way inclined. More Manure fans than any other, the Arsenal contingent coming from us Laaandaners who moved here and the growing African population. But if you think you’d entered inbred country, I would suggest heading slightly north into the badlands, then the banjos wont just be a figment of your imagination..!
Seriously though, great write up, thanks. Looking forward to a barnstorming victorty against the ‘pudlians on Tues. Any news on Samir? A big loss at this point, hopefully we’ll see his beautiful style gracing our turf sooner rather than later…
A cup of camomile tea for TS please…
TS-
You don’t have to sing. You can chant. If your not the chanting type then you can say something positive in your head.
Maybe Catalan can explain if chanting in your head can be telepathically transmitted to the players.
@TS
Permit me to play the devil’s advocate here.
While I do not condone the booing of our own players, and am all for constructive critism and exchange of opinions, I’ll simply say that many Arsrnal supporters (myself included) have lost patience with Denilson. Nothing we have seen from him encourages you to give him some more time.
The big difference between him and Arshavin is that we know just how extremely talented the latter is. So when he goes through a rough patch, you Know you have to be patient with him and help him get his confidence back, because the talent is certainly still there, and as the cliché goes “form is temporary, class is permanent”.
In Denilson’s case, I think he had enough time (many years) and one can certainly ask a simple question: what have I seen from Denilson that may make me think there’s more to come from him? After all these years in Arsenal shirt, can I really say that Denilson is so talented and has so much potential that he deserves even more years of patience to finally come good?
I never criticize Denilson too vociferously myself, not because I think he’s any good, but just because I have lowered my expectations so much, That I only see him now as a squad player who will fall further down the pecking order in favour of more promising (and clearly talented) youngsters.
No alcohol for me barman. Just a good latté please. I’m still coming to grips with the dream I had last night (3-1 win over Barça, with Messi scoring after 40 seconds at the Grove..from an offside position 🙂 )
Great story of west country hospitality. Its a phobia of mine, but I really hate village pubs, they just seem to ooze pretentious elitism.
We played so poorly yesterday, yet the individual players just arent that bad. I think they suffer from lack of continuity, a Lge Cup game here, an FA Cup game there, occasional cameo sub appearances. Its a difficult problem as I certainly wouldnt suggest them playing a league game. I am not clever enough to provide an answer so will seek solace in the glass come 5:00 pm.
Have to watch tomorrows game on a stream (sigh) but lets hope we do ourselves justice. ADTHE or Front Row seem my best feeds.
Holic ’til the end.
Deni has been with the club for many years and I’ve never heard a chant in his name!
He was a player who started off good and has had many good moments as a player!
As frustrating as he is to watch sometimes, he has also become victim of the blame herd culture in football! It works both ways! I find him frustrating to watch sometimes myself! I just don’t agree with finishing the players and crushing their self esteem!
…so if Denilson has a good game does that mean that he does not deserve the same respect as other players who also have good games (chants etc, for example)? (To those chanters or singers amongst us)
I will not make comparisons with other players who may not play as well in certain games and still have their names chanted!
Sad to say but our reserve team of the Denilson , Rockisy are not as good as the league 1 clubs
TS rant was absolutely spot on!
Keep the faith Gooners.
Clyst, Geo.
I think Michael Jackson filmed Thriller there and used the locals as extras. Saved a fortune in wardrobe and special effects.
Gooners are the funniest sets of supporters around! If we have to replay Leeds and get through to the next round we are considered to be crap! If Leeds knock out Man U’s first or second string then Man U are still considered to be great!
Also I think we all agree that certain players in our squad need improving. My point is about respecting the players! They are human beings with feelings!
Victoria Concordia Creset!
Stone Roses, not an ounce of pretentious elitism on display. That’s about the best I can say about the place.
Lot’s of rampant ‘care in the community’, however. 😉
Holic,
You make me laugh! Does the pub have a website?
denilson is castigated because he is there to do the dirty work, put a foot in and break up the opposition play.
hypothetically, had cesc, rvp and nasri ripped them to shreds in the first half hour, the enlightened amongst us would have been pointing out that they were only able to do so because of the holding influence of the little brazilian.
he will never be a box to box player, but he is vital to us in that he does a job enabling song to have a rest now and again in the holding role. What he does best is breaking up the play, jockying and harrying and giving the ball to the nearest red shirt.
unfortunately his distribution is not the best, he can get caught out when trying to play a 30 yard pass, equally he tends to get caught out of position occassionally (as happened yesterday when letting their player have a run at squillaci).
I agree he is not an essien or even carrick but he is not worthy of the criticism being levelled at him over yesterdays performance; gibbs had a terrible game yesterday but i haven’t seen many people getting on his back.
as the games come thick and fast over the next weeks & months the likes of diaby and denilson are going to be vital as to whether we have a succesful season or not; every team needs squad players to come in and do a job, give the guy a break he might just surprise a few people in a vital game.
TS-
Reading my comment back I may have sounded like I was directing my comment at you. Although I mentioned you I was actually directing my comment generally.
I just mentioned you because I normally chat to you the most, but I was by no means directing my comment at you!
Thought I’d make that point clear, regardless!
VCC!
Two rumours, Flappy to have surgery and we are looking to borrow Given
@TS 69 – Spot on mate, well said.
The cups are giving us nostalgia-heads a lot of fun this season. With Leyton Orient next up in the FA, memories of standing on the Shed in 1978 flood back. I remember it was blistering hot day, and the police or the stewards or both decided that the thousands of Arsenal fans who were mixed in with the O’s fans in the North Stand should be moved into the Shed. Cue massive overcrowding and people passing out left right and centre. I also remember that the Shed had about one crush barrier in it, so when we scored I ended up thirty feet away from where I started. Never seen a player celebrate a deflected goal the way Supermac did. Not even Nicky B.
That was my first semi-final, and the club’s first for 5 years. I remember how up for it we all were, and I certainly don’t remember us booing any of our players. Even Willie Young. For the simple reason that if you boo your own players all you do is give comfort to the enemy – it certainly doesn’t help the player who is wearing the colours of the team you profess to support. Or is that only when we’re winning.? And that is not the Arsenal way. At least it didn’t used to be, in the days before all these instant gratification merchants turned up and started whining.
COYG
Gt, Harsha, Dr. C, RVP, “Geordie”, matt p,
Many thanks for your feedback and your own views on Denilson. As usual you all make good points, even if it is only to suggest that I take a cup of camomile tea, presumably to calm down. Trust me, I’m calm 😉
RVP, permit me to play devil’s advocate to your devil’s advocate 🙂
Denilson must have a certain something special just to keep himself as a regular Arsenal squad player. He certainly seems to have AW’s trust but that can be a temporary thing as we all know. Given that there must be a good reason for him to be allowed to wear an Arsenal shirt when others with seemingly greater talent are held back (e.g. JET and Lansbury), IMHO we should give the boy until the end of the season before we decide for sure.
OK, I’ve done this to death now so will move on but come Tuesday night and if Deni plays then I’m going to give him my full vocal encouragement.
PS: I’m as guilty as anyone shouting at the TV when I’ve seen him make a poor attempt at a tackle. My only real point is that I firmly believe that he still deserves our support for just a little longer whilst he figures out how to raise his game.
Almost forgot: Barman? A round please for all the fine fellows in the bar. Cheers!
TS-
Maybe you should take up singing lessons and make up a song for Deni if you feel that passionate about him!
Sometimes music can be therapeutic and help to clam nerves too!
Just ask Catalan!
Ah your finest green tea please Barman!
: -)
Gt,
My passion is for Arsenal and the way we support our team. We supporters really can and do have a big impact on how our players perform.
The Denilson debate seems to go on and on and now holds the record for the collective number of blog comments, reaching twice the number of visible atoms in the universe.
I am not an expert so wont comment, but he MUST be showing AW something that a lot of people cant see. Lets face it, Wenger does know what he’s talking about, even if it’s only just a little bit, so, in my blissful ignorance of all technicalities of the game, I am prepared to wait and see.
StoneRoses,
Agree, probably time to park it there for fear of boredom. Nice rumours BTW. I believe the Lukasz one has legs (ahem). Goal.com are trying to convince us that we now have a deal in place for Oxtail Chamberpot. Hmmm….
LSPG,
Spent a few games watching Orient in my schooldays with a mate. Happy memories and made me realise how fortunate I was to support a great team like The Arsenal, even when we were super mediocre and bottom of Div 1 fodder.
More drinks barman please 😉
As soon as I saw Cesc run on the pitch, clap his hands, and give a little ” let’s go ” I knew we’d win the match. That said, we can be listless without him playing. I’m not one to complain much but without Cesc or RVP or both playing, too many players are content to stroll around in 2nd gear. Denilson’s confidence is shot by the way.
that semi final in 1978. £3.00 to get in, my dad (god rest his soul) took me up, i just remember the crowd singing ‘we want terry (neill)’ at the end of the game. i think glen roeder played for the o’s , will have to dig the prog out of the loft!
matt p
Roeder was probably one of the best players to come out of Orient. Did he move on to QPR after the Os?
Any Os fans out there wandering into our bar care to comment on this?
TS –
Denilson is Arsenal!!
“Glenn Roeder – After playing for Orient, Roeder captained QPR to the 1982 FA Cup final against Tottenham.
A year later, he signed for Newcastle before playing for Watford and Gillingham.
As manager of West Ham during the 2002/03 season, he was rushed to hospital after collapsing at Upton Park. The 49-year-old was diagnosed with a brain tumour but after undergoing surgery he made a full recovery. He now works as a scout for the FA”
Carrol to Liverpool for 35 Million?!?! We got a 29 Million offer on Cesc?!?! Boy, they’re fucking rude. I hate them!
I still don’t get it why you’d rather see Mourinho and Ronaldo fail and not Xavi, Pique etc’.
Carrol to Liverpool is good for us as we’re playing away to Newcastle on Saturday :).
he’s injured anyway wouldn’t have played this weekend
david villa £34m carroll £35m…discuss
That is a joke!
Cesc is worth at least 180M after this window.
Matt p –
TV5 = £10M
Tim Cahill = £20m
Discuss!
I have a feeling that Nasri will play vs. Barca just like Cesc did even though he wasn’t 100% fit.
Gt,
TV5 with missing tendons and not (yet) able to play first team football might be worth £10M.
When back on song, I wouldn’t even swap him for Cahill & Samba’s carefully nutured love-child 🙂
Snir Geuli –
Someone else should be able to step in at least until Nasri is entirely ready! Rosicky must be able to get match fit within the next two weeks!
We need Nasri for the away leg and the Beer cup final!
Yup, wouldn’t risk Nasri unecessarily. We have and will have many crucial games between now and the end of the season. For the sake of a week or two (or even a match with Farca) it’s just not worth it and I believe AW has learned his lesson not to rush soemone back with Cesc.
I meant that Nasri will play vs. Barca even though he wouldn’t be 100% fit just like Cesc played the 2-2 game even though he wasn’t 100% fit after the knock he got at St. Andrews.
I just have that feeling cause our whole team performance is better with that current lineup and I don’t see Arshavin starting with Messi on the right. Clichy will be miserable if it won’t be Rosicky/Nasri and Nasri would give us that edge in attack and the same work rate in defense as Rosicky.
i’d take cahill for £20m but we really need his namesake at centre back
TV was a great signing for the 1st 6 months..what’s he really done since then?
Afternoon all a round of drinks of your choice.
Looking forward to welcoming you all to Brisbane Road and fortunately there will be no Glenn Roeder or Bill Roffey to deflect shots heading for the corner flags into the corner of our net 🙂
It should be a cracking atmosphere. The old ground has been renovated on 3 sides so it is a little less creaky than in the past.
Two more names to come from the O’s were Laurie Cunningham who was capped for England and went on to Real Madrid and John Chidozie who moved on to the Stratford Hotspurs.
Holic, love your posts we are a Gooner/O’s split family
Carolina
Of course, John Chidoze…. He was another really good player even if he did become an LWC.
Barman? A drink for this O please.
Laurie Cunnigham… now there’s a story.
‘Holics,
As the January Sales deadline is almost upon us are these “just like new signings”?
http://www.arsenal.com/news/news-archive/wenger-i-might-recall-some-loan-players
Dr.C
Are you going to leave us hanging then?
TS… unless we get in someone with exceptional quality, then recalling those in whom we have invested time and effort makes more sense. Especially the energy of Lansbury…
I guess you’re off the tea now? Boddies?
Boddies? Mmmm….
Andy Carroll for £35m – the lunatics have taken over the asylum.
Dr. C
I think I posted sometime before that I don’t think we’re a buying club any more, we only seem do homegrown these days….
Boddies would be very welcome right now, it’s been a busy old day.
Cheers!
Snir,
Just thought you should know that these days Messi plays mostly in the centre and Pedro is on the right. I watch both Barça and Arsenal every week. That being said, Pedro is no vacation either and is playing lights out this year.
Isn’t Cornwall a major ManUre stronghold? A far cry from the day when, according to some versions of the Arthurian legend, it was Camelot.
How does that song go? “Your sister is your mother, your uncle is your brother, you all f*ck one another, the Cornwall family!”
Huddersfield did play well. I figured their only chance was if their biggest fan, Sir Patrick Stewart, beamed down Data as their striker and Worf as their marauding centreback. But they came with it, and Arsenal were playing with 8 men: Squillaci was sent off, and Denilson and Diaby were on the pitch, so that’s 8 against 12 (counting Clattenberg for H’field).
A tough win, more Grahamesque than classic Wengerball. I’ll take it, especially when compared to what happened to Spurs later — chuckle chuckle smirk smirk.
TS… with the quality of the guys coming through that’s fine by me, mostly. However, when needs must it would be nice if we mixed it up for an established player – eg CDM or CB right now.
Still… we’re going to enjoy the ride!
A Boddies for Zico too, please..
TvA, I used to watch them but I just can’t anymore. I hate them too much now to even look at them, I just change the channel whenever I see them on TV.
Pedro is overrated, Clichy should be able to handle him.
Song should be like glue to Messi and Wilshere to Xavi.
If we neutralize Xavi we neutralize Barca (yes, I just said that, Barca is all Xavi, not Messi) and that I can say with 100% certainty after watching them for years.
Dr. C,
Yes, it would be really nice to bring in the occassional experienced hand (esp. in defence right now) to help balance our abundance of young talent but we’ll all have to settle for the ride and do our best to enjoy ourselves along the way.
Right now, things are still looking fine. One or two more injury setbacks and an unexpected defeat would change the outlook – all part of the fun, right? 🙂
Just been reading the report in my local paper on the Brighton win at Watford. Apparently the ball used in FA cup games is very different from the one used in the league, its much lighter and moves way more in the air. I find that staggering but Brighton were practising with the cup ball the whole week. Does anyone know if the Premier league ball is different from cup balls. I just cant believe it.
Nike ball for league games. Umbro for the FA Cup.
Just got home –
Andy Carroll to Liverpool and Torres to Chelsea (Yeah we all knew about him) £35m and £50m respectively
We should think ourselves lucky that we don’t need to spend that sort of money to compete but more other clubs have to spend that sort of money to compete with us.
Man City spent £27m on Edin Djeko and still has to replay Notts county. hahahahahaha!
Ar-sen-al!
TS –
Love ya mate!
Matt P
I’d take Cahill but not for £20m now I know we can get a player like TV for 10m.
Apart from solidify our defence up until our draw against Barca, TV5 became the PFA LS centre back of 2010!
hehe!
Gt,
Question: Well, if The ‘Pool spent £50M on Torres who is having an average season at best, where does that put the price of Cesc?
Answer: More than Farca can afford!
No wonder Liverpool’s finances were going crazy!
1) Robbie keane – £20m? lol
2) Aquialani – £26m? lol
3) Andy Carroll- £35? Lol
TS-
Lol! err? (Captain of Arsenal, World Cup and Euro finalist participator and Winner, Game changer, Best midfielder in the prem, best young creative midfielder in the world)
£80m? Or am I being a bit cheap?
Lol!
GT..nah, fair enough – I reckon 35 quid for Carroll is just about right!
The market is insane – and then people wonder why we are not bankrupt and everyone else is….
Not sure if this is true , but just read this on Twitter from Ladyarse;
Theo + Nasri + RVP + TV5 = Carrol!!!
Nuts
Great stuff ‘holic, loved the Deliverance refrences. (:
—–
BREAKING NEWS:
Torres to Chelsea deal breaks down as John Terry fails to agree terms with Torres’s wife!
With Liverpool throwing millions about willy nilly Wenger should phone dalglish and offload Bentdner,Denilson,Arshavin & Diaby he’d easily get 100m the way their being mugged by clubs!
Jesus send for the men in white coats Andy Carroll 35mill lolol Thats desperate, Saying that it looks as tho we will be left dissapointed again I hope for us wenger and the Board song and or one of our centrehalf don’t get injured and we go into a little freefall as it will be a bloadbath. Cannot understand for the life of me why we are not trying to strenghten our position especially being in all 4 comps utter madness.
Chippy – probably because of the prices!?
Gaz –
Lol! Well after that £40m smash and grab from City last season, Liverpool definitely sound like another ATM at the moment!
Someone has made the point that Chelsea have strengthened, and we have played them twice… but they have 2 games against Utd…. good for us?
Evening holic & holics drinks all round please barman think they may be needed, rumour doing rounds that we just turned down 17 million bid for Bendtner, Newcastle is my guess
Catalan – yeah…he has a bright future ahead of him but £35m? mwarha!
Glennw – We’re probably holding out for £35m! keke!
Okay I’m done now!
Cesc has more assists in the last 2 seasons than any other player in the top 5 leagues in Europe.
Just like AW said in his football focus interview, “for me the range is between 8-10 Million straight to 60-70 Million cause those are players you don’t find in every corner of the street”.
Cesc should be about 100 Million in todays market.
A comment I saw on youngguns – TORRES: £50 million. SZCZESNY, SAGNA, DJOUROU, VERMAELEN, CLICHY, NASRI, SONG, FABREGAS, WALCOTT, WILSHERE, VAN PERSIE: £44 million.
If anyone is foolish enough to stump up 17m for bentdner the we should bite their hand off for it,he isn’t worth 17000!
Snir Geuli – I knew I was short in my estimation. Thank you for correcting me! Lol!
So is Lars staying until the end of the season then?
Fuck me Chelsea have signed Luiz as well !! No big deals in January 🙂
CG, Id agree with that but I’m pretty sure that our scouting network could find a decent Dm that wouldn’t cost the Earth if not we should find different scouts 😉
GT.. my point (badly made) was that you typed in 35 quid, rather than 35 million…
Don’t you just love the desperation on the last day of the window!?! Absolute insanity. Barman, a round for everyone please.
Evening all – Breaking news !
Nicklas Bendtner has just been seen in Newcastle – but apparantly he was aiming at Sunderland !
Oops.
GT.. you typed in 35quid, rather than 35 million. I think he’s closer to the former than the latter….
Poor joke by me. A pint? And you, Chippy?
Talking of cover for positions.
Koscielny, Cesc and Song are all our 4 yellows in the league.
Now that’s a scary thought.
Catalan,
Of course mate, a Lemon and Lime Volvic please? I’m enjoying all of these clubs going bust to keep up! Yeah I was prob thinking of 35 quid for true! Lol!
Apparently Twitchy made a bid for Aguero! Lol! What next? Benzema to Wolves? Lol!
Snir Geuli @153- Now I’m not laughing! That’s as funny as seeing Nasri walking down the tunnel last Sunday!
CG,
Love one mate. Watching skysports at the mo and keep expecting Dale wintons head to pop up and give it some let’s go wild in them aisles moneys being pissed away like there’s no tomorrow- Footballs become a sport I really struggle to identify with Ive heard of strenghtening and agree with it but some of this is obscene, Wheres the Arabs I had them down for doing another 100 mill 😉 Surprised they are not in for Torres. Diara is available on loan I’d take him in a heartbeat !!
Another astute point Snir. Although, I don’t like it. Another reason we should have gone for cover @ CB. Kos and JD are playing great right now but without quality cover it’s like tightrope walking. Squillaci is not the answer. And if Song covers at CB then does that mean Denilson at DM? Scary thought. Sad Le Boss couldn’t spend a bit at CB. It’s not as if it would have broken the bank. Let’s hope the season isn’t broken because of such frugality.
He and Fergie are probably having a snicker at this shopping spree today by the desperate folks though.