Relaxed Grove Soaks Up van Persie Trio.
Jan 23rd, 2011 by 'holic
Well, that was quite the performance, wasn’t it. Admittedly, for the second week running, we found ourselves playing a very poor bottom three side, but Arsenal’s fluidity and firepower were impressive in the extreme.
I had thought that Wigan’s recent results hinted at a degree of organisation that would frustrate us for a while. I was wrong. They have little heart on the pitch, and too few followers off it to raise broken spirits. Arsene Wenger summed up their day, and ours, when he commented afterwards.
“To sum it up, we won 3-0, we missed a penalty and their goalkeeper was man of the match.”
By now I suspect just about all of you will have seen at least the highlights. You don’t need any added description from me of the details behind those three excellent goals that briefly awoke the Clock End Upper from its slumber. All I can do is convey a sense of the complete relaxation felt by most of the crowd for all of the day.
From the pre-match pints, with so many assembling for worthy causes, through the enjoyment of the two very fine flasks of malt (Well played Tone!), through two halves of football where the result was never in any doubt, the Grove faithful remained positive and appreciative. Not one dissenting voice could be heard from our lofty vantage point.
Roberto Martinez, one for whom I have had the utmost respect, was the only irritant of the day.
“In the second half I was pleased that we were different and we were better at stopping them playing, but the sending off handed the game to Arsenal. Cesc… is a wonderful player and very clever, and he knows how to buy decisions off referees,””
I’m sorry chum, but that is bollocks. Your sloppy defending, and Robin van Persie’s breathtaking finishing handed the game to Arsenal. Your team’s persistent niggling provided the motivation for your hosts to dismiss you with disdain. The quality of Arsenal’s football was sublime, and the reason they grabbed the game by the scruff of the neck. A little more dignity please, Roberto.
The light-hearted relief was provided by block four. “Gareth Bale peels bananas with his feet, bananas with his feet, bananas with his feet.” to the tune of yellow submarine. Thanks to Steve T for confirming I wasn’t hearing things.
Every impressive performance builds confidence and belief, and whilst it would only take one poor game to shatter those most important of allies, there is the semblance of a run building here. Where it is leading us nobody knows, but let us enjoy it as long as it lasts and takes us ever closer to the silverware craved by so many.
I know where it led some fine people yesterday. More delicious post-match pints, and a very fine plate of food with some good wine at the Indian Ocean. The relaxation built to a level where I was indeed indebted to a friend from Cardiff who ensured I got off the train at the right stop. I have to confessing to rocking a little as the lights of home came into view.
Next up, Ipswich.
Cheers, ‘holics.
99 Responses to “Relaxed Grove Soaks Up van Persie Trio.”
First? I don’t believe it.
First?
“but let us enjoy it as long as it lasts”
Wise words, if you can’t enjoy things when they are going well, then when are you going to?
Oh crap, beaten to it by a pair of pink boots 🙂
At the risk of committing blasphemy, a glass of water please ‘holic.
Here’s hoping Wenger doesn’t over-rotate and skew the balance of the side against Ipswich.
Those pink boots have beaten many a keeper before you Lars, so temper your disappointment. 🙂
Really looking forward to Ipswich on Tuesday, being one nil down from the first leg should give the game a bit of zest!
Not so sure about the journey home though back to Stoke-on-Trent, my coach leaves at 11.30pm and calls into Stoke at 3:40am – With a 9am start teaching a classroom full of delinquent kids!!
If we’re in this kind of form when Manure come to town they will be torn a new one. Unless they copy their blue neighbours and put in the kind of negative, craven defensive performance we saw from the oil barons.
Lars, i’m confused…were you there yesterday? If so, congratulations on breaking your run. If not, then perhaps we should call Customs & Excise to keep you at home?
Tvo ol und un vit vin for Lars please.
PS… isn’t there a Samisorangeboots out there?
Sorry Lars – number 8 was from me!
Heh! Great report mate.
Wrong title ‘holic, it should have read – VAN PERSIE’s CHOCOLATE LEG DENIES THE ‘HOLIC POUND.
Told you ‘holic, you was a bit mean with goals when placing the bet.
Thanks Esso.
You were right ette, which just goes to prove what do I know. The buzz when Robin missed the penalty was that he was on the ‘holic pound as well 😉
Glad you enjoyed your day holic.
As for Martinez, has he ever seen Gerard and Rooney:
“I know Cesc very well. He is a wonderful player and very clever, and he knows how to buy decisions off referees,” he said.
“There is contact, but you do not know how much of that comes from Cesc looking for it, or from Gary’s leg. I don’t think that contact is intentional to bring Cesc down.
“Cesc comes from different culture – you do not cheat, if you take a decision from the referee it is because you are clever and you are getting something for your team.
“In England, to do that is cheating, but in South America, Spain, even Italy, to try to get a decision from the referee is just being clever and getting that advantage. Everyone is allowed to do it.
“That action in Spain gets a ‘well done’ from everyone. In England, they won’t be too happy with because it is a completely different approach to the game.”
most tellingly there was no complaint from the defender – he knew what he had done. He was going for the ball, missed, clipped Cescs’s ankle (clear on reverse angle)… and that’s a penalty.
Smoke screen from Martinez, grabbed eagerly by the cunthounds of the media….
Great result yesterday. Villa’s victory over mercenary city made it even better weekend for us.
The only time I was nervous during the whole game was when Djourou seemed to have injured his shoulder. I think he is OK.
Lets hope our best 11 stay fit and in form when we face Barca.
we all know what Martinez was doing when saying that – hes just trying to deflect from an inept display by his team aided by his team selection and tactics
Catalan: nope, not there until the Huddersfield game so my bad run has not been broken yet!
That was also a pretty good attempt at Swedish there, but you got a bit of German in there in the middle – “und un” should have “och en” 🙂
Doh.. now I remember! That was dragged out of the memory banks from a long gone and unlamented gf. Mad as a bag of cats.
So you found your bins then?
Great stuff as always ‘holic
Drop of red please but try to keep it in the glass
Nice one ‘holic.
Hilarious chant about Bale.
great post as always ‘holic, we must focus on the next game now, any complacency against Ipswich could be costly. Its a must win for us, a trophy during the business end of the season would go a long way towards providing much needed momentum.
I’m confident about the Ipswich game, yes the first leg performance left much to be desired but hopefully we’ll apply ourselves better this time and turn it around. It’s easily forgotten that over the last decade or so both Man Utd and Liverpool suffered similar fates in a League Cup semi final first leg (against Derby and Crystal Palace respectively) before reversing matters at home, so let’s make sure we follow that lead.
And very good win yesterday, we really need to get a winning run going into March at the moment looking at our upcoming league fixtures. That’s not to say they’re easy of course (we rarely make it easy!), just that they’re the sort of games you need to win to challenge for the title.
what i would like to see is a similar lineup to this one in the ipswich game. hopefully we can get on top of them early and then once it is in hand we can sub some guys like rvp, nasri, djorou maybe. then we can play a significantly rotated lineup in the huddersfield cup tie and our best lineup can have basically a week to rest up before the next league game. with the lineup that played yesterday i think our attacking is as good as any in the world. the defending side is a little different story of course.
lets hope we give ipswich a tonking and continue with this run of form
Lineker, “Can Arsenal win the League?”
Hansen and Shearer, almost in unison, “Absolutely!”.
Nuff said! We still need another central defender though because I don’t think the Verminator will play again this season, well, perhaps just a game or two or part game or two right at the death.
Magnificent performance, we must maintain that level of commitment effort and concentration for the rest of the season. Roll-on Tuesday, let’s get Ipswich Town beaten and ourselves into the final.
Here’s how it looked through a plasma screen in arctic conditions Va. Pretty identical to what you saw yourself really, give or take a couple of pies. Your paragraph on their manager’s comments – word perfect.
Flying Dutchman Roasts Latics Crust With Pie-Hat Trick
This was a pie stuffing of belly bursting magnitude. It was a Dandy, a Desperate Dan event for Wigan, of cow pie proportions. There was only one team in the bake-house at the Emirates today. Eleven chefs in red cooked up a pie spectacular of Michelin Star quality as Wigan looked on and chased like eleven hapless Mr Pastrys on a day when their dough just wouldn’t rise, no matter how great the knead.
Arsene Wenger, Le Chef Du Jour tabled une tarte spectaculaire, un quiche magnifique. With the exception of pie-maker Vermaelen, all of the Arsenal first team was there. By the end of ninety minutes, the Latics were completely pie-eyed, they were flakier than a three-day old pastry, they’d had their filling, their dish was empty. Delia Smith herself, coupled with the Naked Chef, couldn’t have achieved a rise, couldn’t have rescued this roasted tucker, this goose pie was cooked, this soufflé was fallen without ever having risen.
The base for pie perfection, was moulded by the Arsenal pie masters in mid-field. Alex Song, Cesc Fabregas and Jack Wilshere were mesmeric as they wove the pie ingredients together from a gastronomic recipe from a distant pie galaxy. Their domination was such that Wigan’s mid-field was completely creamed and the supply of peaches to the Gunners strikers was bountiful in its beauty. Van Persie, Theo and Nasri enjoyed a bellyful, with each single slice, through the Wigan back-guard.
At the rear, DJ20 and Kos were so little troubled that they were able to spend 90 minutes trading pie recipes and Polish Pie cooking techiques with Wojcech. Sagna and Clichy were completely free to join the pie fest up front and practiced their hot crosses like little buns.
The only surprise for ‘Holic and the other pie connoisseurs who’d come along to enjoy the feast was the surprisingly low number of perfectly baked pies that ended up on the baker’s board. Such was Arsenal’s share of the mix that the distribution of finished product should have been greater than a pie haul of three. That it wasn’t resulted from a complex mix of spicy components that provided this game-pie’s excellent flavour.
Some great saves, particularly from Nasri and Fabregas early in the cook-up; some great blocks by the Caldwell sisters; some knives amongst the pie-makers in the kitchen that weren’t quite as sharp as they should have been; and a tendency to share, rather than be selfish, and just go for pie glory.
From a perfectly weighted Alex Song pass, Robin Van Persie eventually broke the deadlock for One Nil to the Arsenal and, although we should have lead by at least ten, the Gunners went in one up at the turn. We started slowly in the second and just for a few moments, concerns of an upset stomach from pie profligacy percolated into my pork pie. I needn’t have worried. A fabulously flighted ball from Cesc, over Robin’s head from forty yards, was volleyed into the brick oven with absolute pie perfection by the Dutch Pie Master for two nil. Robin is back – just when he’s needed.
The game was over at that point. The Latics were never going to rise. But then things worsened for Wigan when Caldwell tried to Steak a claim on Cesc but he Kidney. Cesc crumpled, Caldwell saw red and Gooners sat back to watch Robin burst the net from the spot for a well deserved hat-trick. Now if there is anyone in the world that I’d steak the family pie on to score from the spot, it’s RvP. So, I was totally pie-r-squared to witness Robin’s first miss of his career with the net behind Al Habsi still intact and the ball occupying the seat next to Holic in Clock-End Upper.
Minutes later, a Van Persie belter nearly broke the post before Robin had the opportunity to make amends for the penalty. A Cesc to Theo to Robin move left Europe’s best Number 10 with his chance to make it three for his and Arsenal’s pie tally and in so doing, sink the ‘Holic pound – no pie and chips for Holic tonight then. Arsenal turned down the gas to simmer and Chamakh, Denilson and a little fellow with a pie-dish haircut came on to run down the clock.
Magic stuff. Set me up nicely for my forthcoming visits to Clock End Upper for Huddersfield and Everton. Something from some distant Glen, barman, please.
There were rumours after that penalty miss that RvP was in on the ‘holic pound. These were eventually proved unfounded. The police are still looking for a man with a crystal ball however.
Glad to hear you got back in one piece. Went north to south today, started in herts am now in Sussex. I’ll have some more of that lagavullin please. Here’s to more luck from Lars 😉
Cheers ‘holic.
BtM – you’ve made me rather hungry with all this pie talk. I think I’ll order a pie … a pizza pie. Make it a deluxe one at that. Hold the olives.
Iollie – the octopus in the crystal ball was quite correct as the 3-0 prediction did come through. In all honesty though, this match should have ended with twice the score. The octopus in the crystal ball makes no apologies however. It only envisions a final tally and not the merits thereof. Might this octopus be related to a recently deceased sea creature from Germany? Perhaps.
Let’s get it right on Tuesday night and send these lads off to Wembley to rediscover some much needed silverware. Cheers to all Gooners everywhere.
TvN
Evening ‘Holic & ‘Holics
Some great posts and write-ups as usual.
Really encouraged that we’re coming on Song (sic) just as the business end of the season start to hove-is into view.
The boys look really hungry, their appetite for silverware looks to be as strong as an ox-o.
If we field a similar team and show the same passion on Tuesday night , I think we’ll murder the turnip crunchers but there’s a lot at steak (as BtM has said) and the Tractor Boys will be up for it with a sniff of Wembley in their swedes.
‘Holic, like you I’ve always thought Martinez was a decent sort and I respect his as he does try to get the pie-munchers to play the bootiful game. Didn’t think sour grapes with a bitter twist was his bag. He was obviously a little but green-eyed after we’d shown them the way back to the M6. Glad you made it back to Swindon directly and not via the sidings at Penzance.
Cheers all and a round of drinks for all those in the bar please Mr. Barman, including yourself as always.
Lars,
Don’t laugh but the only Swedish phrase that I ever got taught was:
“Har en rav pissat i din keften?”
Don’t know why it’s stuck but it has 🙂
It seems as though Cesc had a shirt with a dedication under his jersey cause he looked really disappointed not to score and even mentioned it on his twitter (plus AW said something about that) and I don’t quite remember any other time he was really disappointed not to score. It never really mattered that much to him.
It seems as though we finally found our best 11, and should they stay fit, I don’t see any reason why we won’t win the league come May.
P.S : Who is Theo Van Nasregas :)? Tried to think of every regular here and couldn’t figure it out!
Ah, TS, I’m pleased that you saw what I did there. I need to get off and see if I can get some traction on the tractor boys for Tuesday.
Snir
How was the journey back, all’s well I trust?
Your good luck from the WHUFC game is still with us and will hopefully see Lars thru’ for his entire trip too.
I’ll drink to that 😉
BtM
Look forward to it and a bunch of metaphoric humour from fresh from your keyboard surrounding tractors, farm yards/animals (oo er missus), carrots, turnips, beetroots and swedes.
Enjoy your Sunday. I suspect the crystal ball must be flashing more home wins in the brightest of neon blues?
Snir Geuli,
TvN is a ‘new’ regular and a great admirer of all things Dutch and Gunner alike. I’m from across the pond living in a ‘Kanadian’ town named after a Dutchman, Guelph. Anyone on that side of the pond ever heard of it? Love the bar banter on this fine blog, cheers to you ‘holic, and would very much like to become a regular.
Barman, a round of your finest from Dublin for everyone in attendance please.
TvN
You know what? Nobody told me what the crystal ball showed.
Now I am truly amazed. I am only disappointed that the owner seems to go to the games I’m not going to.
Sorry for not attending ‘uddersfield, it’s not like me but I have friends coming to Paris for the weekend.
Cheers, round of….Haut Medoc for all. Any chateau will do, usually value for money (hoping Girondins won their cup tie).
Storey, I have to admit to never having heard that expression, but it is fully intelligible Swedish!
(for those of you who don’t understand Swedish, it would translate to something like “did a fox piss in your gob?”)
In early 2008, on a train from Manchester to London travelling back from seeing ManCity away (we won 3-1, Eduardo scored that magnificent goal where he brought it down on his chest and turned and hammered a volley into the bottom corner) I talked to a couple of Englishmen who had worked in Sweden for a while a few years earlier and the only words they could remember were “osthyvel” (cheese slicer) and “sug min kuk” (suck my cock). I can understand someone remebering the second one since swearwords and insults seems to be more or less the first thing people learn in foreign languages, but not really why the first word would stick 🙂
Mid afternoon weather here in southern Kanada is bright and sunny at a rather balmy -17C. We like to call this type of weather, ‘crisp, clean, and with no caffeine’.
BtM,
Just finished some fabulous Mexican pizza. Thanks goes out to you and all of your pie talk mate.
Barman, a double Glenmorangie for the fine lad, BtM, please.
Iollie, sorry to miss you for the next two games. Thereafter, Wembley for the CC final, Sunderland, Barca away. Keep me posted on your whereabouts. The BtM crystal ball had 5-0 crackling in its crystals yesterday and was feeling very good when Robin strolled up for his penalty….
TvN, glad you enjoyed all the pies and that’s my favourite Glen.
Dear All,
The Gareth Bale song is a reworking of a song we used to sing merrily on the Clock End in days gone to the same tune about Peter Reid.
Whle Gareth Bale has got the Planet of the Apes mouth for all round simian majesty it has to be Peter Reid every time
For any of you degenerate holic NFL punters out there, the octopus in the crystal ball likes the Steelers today and to lay the points. The octopus stresses home field, revenge, and QB experience as the key reasons for the cover pick.
TvN
I hope the little Ruskie with the bad bowl haircut gets the start Tuesday night, pots a couple, and gets off the schnide.
Don’t like the fact we start 0-1 in the hole but it might very well work out to be a blessing in disguise and give the team a greater sense of urgency.
Barman, a round of Red Bulls for the lads if you please.
So Ollie, how were you last night after the Talisker and Lagavulin 🙂
Hey BtM, we should both give due praise to Joshua, who called 3-0 in the preview.
TvN – FUCK the Jets. Still can’t get over what happened to my beloved Patriots last week.
Oh well, there’s always next season when it comes to the Pats and we’ll definitely reach the playoffs.
Snir,
No offence, but I’m glad the Steel crew don’t have to face the Pats and playing on the road. I’m still in shock over that result, condolences. I wouldn’t be surprised at a GB v Pitt Super Bowl a fortnight from now. GB is looking like a machine right now.
I can’t stand the Jets and their coach either. A bunch of loud mouthed mofos who have not accomplished anything yet … kind of reminds me of City supporters.
Conversely I kind of like the Jets because they’re such panto villains, they’re hilarious. I see a Packers v Steelers Superbowl though.
It’ll be a fantastic atmosphere @ Hines Field tonight. Can’t wait. Get your terrible towels ready.
Looks like Le Boss has secured another fine youngster from Southampton. What about an upgrade, or even cover, at CB?
Am I the only one who wishes that Keane didn’t get the sack at Ipswich? It’s always nice to get the better of old ManU types, I always say.
Anyone got any Ipswich jokes?
Not much to add really. Most has been said. All I would say is that I wish we should be a tad more clinical. Apart from that I think we are hitting a nice run. Still not convinced at centre half. Both Clichy and Sagna on the other hand look like they are hitting some form. Jack also continues to impress. He looks way ahead of his years.
On to Ipswich and Huddersfield. 2 convincing wins please followed by 3 points against Everton.
Keep the faith.
Mendenhall is the man! The octopus says never put money on a team with an inexperienced Mexican as your QB. Mexicans are good at European football, making enchaladas, and jumping border fences. QBing hopeful Super Bowl teams … not so much.
Another afternoon of Wengerball against poor opponents. Great to watch though, and they had, after all, lost only one of the last seven before us.
The real plus is how, in the last three games, the concentration, pressing and intensity has been maintained throughout the game.
RvP is real class and Cesc Fabregas is completely different class. What a player.
When Martinez, who I thought was a good guy, has watched a video of the game, he may like to dwell on the fact that Cesc was floored by various members of his team at least 9 (when i gave up counting) times during the first half alone.
Accusing Cesc of diving seems a pretty poor way of trying to disguise the shambles that was his defence.
Anyone who thought Cesc may not turn up this season after the summer (non) transfer saga, would do well to watch a re-run of yesterdays game. Committed and brilliant.
Roll on Tuesday and the Tractor Boys – remember them? – a night in the luxury of Club Level beckons. Keep those Brazilians warm up in 91 BtM, or are you still roaming?
Glad you had a good day after a tough time ‘Holic.
Loving what’s happening tonight in Pittsburgh @ Heinz Field. Time to break out the ketchup at halftime.
Theo van Nasregas, are you sure you’re not a regular who changed his nickname? Your posts structure look too familiar.
Anyway, about the Pats, everyone in the Boston area is still in shock from that and I was so down from that game that I still haven’t visited espnboston.com. I just can’t. The picture of Braylon Edwards doing a somersault at Gillette Stadium once the game ended just can’t escape my mind.
As for Arsenal, I am literally suffering from watching the game on ATVO and hearing Stewart Robson, I can’t stand him. If ATVO wouldn’t have offered the games for download I would unsubscribe just because of him. He’s worse than Hansen.
Snir,
No. I’m pretty new. I’ve only been posting less than a week.
I’m not very familiar with ATVO, so I can’t speak of the matter. I get Gunner games here in southern Kanada via Setanta, Sportsnet, and TSN. Setanta, in particular, is very anti-Arsenal. I guess they have something against a successful, intelligent Frenchman that has his team that is full of foreigners playing the beautiful game beautifully. The way it should be played. As Cesc says, “it’s not rugby …”.
Are you in the Boston area? Well, sorry about your Pats but if they had beaten the Jets (the Pests), I don’t think my Steelers would be playing in the big game now.
Credit must go to the octopus in the crystal ball as he is on a roll now. The future famous cephalopod did correctly predict the 3-0 v Wigan, the future Super Bowl matchup, and Pittsburgh covering. Although, it looked like the octopus was sweating a bit at the end with the close cover.
Barman, a cerveza to both Snir and the astute cephalopod please.
Euro watch: Real Madrid barely escaped dropping more points and falling further behind Barça. Too bad. But I do look forward to Jose dropping more points and the inevitable future press conferences where he starts splitting at the seams. It’ll be epic. Madrid is, of course, the place where managers go to die. No matter how good they are. Prior managers, who have won the league no less, have subsequently been sacked for not entertaining the fans enough. As a Gunner fan, I get entertained plenty and just hope for some damn silverware soon. In Arsene we trust.
“At the rear, DJ20 and Kos were so little troubled that they were able to spend 90 minutes trading pie recipes and Polish Pie cooking techiques with Wojcech” HEH 🙂
Excellent post BTM
Indeed. It was pie-rific BtM.
What are the origins to your pie fascination btw BtM?
A pie fetish perhaps?
BtM is puntastic, Theo.
It is something I have been known to use on occasion. You can’t beat a good punfest 😉
TVN – what is with the “K” for “Canada”? Did I miss something?
I hope this doesn’t happen.
http://www.guardian.co.uk/football/2011/jan/23/allan-mcgregor-hearts-rangers
He is a good goalkeeper – but off the field, trouble follows him like a bad smell.
If we want to sign a good Scottish keeper, without any off the field baggage, we should go for Gordon (although he won’t come at the same bargain basement price).
TVN63.I looked up Wigan in my piethagorous and there are more pie shops in Wigan per capita than else where in the UK .Even in their most famous landmark there’s a pie
Afternoon ‘Holic & ‘Holics,
I listened to AW’s post Wigan exclusive interview on AoTV earlier today. My expectations regarding a possible transfer in were raised a little by his words that “he remains a bit more open-minded on the possibility” in response to a question about pushing on four fronts with the squad options (i.e. CBs) currently available. Obvious stuff I know but it made me think that he really was at least looking seriously at the market behind closed doors. I’d loved to be proved wrong on this but I’d still be surprised to see us sign a new CB before the end of the month. We shall see…
Snir @ #57,
Comparing Robson directly with Hansen – harsh words and ouch! 😉
‘Holic
Talking of puntastic, my pun-y attempt for tomorrow’s pre-match post which continues on the culinary theme started by BtM could be….
“There’s a lot at steak but the chips are stacked in Arsenal’s flavour”
A career at The Sun, I fear, does NOT beckon 🙂
zico: I wouldn’t read too much into that. “Arsenal are looking to solve their goal-keeping problem” – what goal-keeping problem? I don’t think we have any such thing at the moment and haven’t really had since Almunia was “injured”.
Heads-Up:
“No injuries” from Saturday’s game ‘Holics and 3 possible returnees for the weekend: Squillaci, Diaby and Rosicky.
Good news!
Hey TS..
Was Rosicky injured???
Harsha
No, he was “sick”. In bed for a week apparently. Man-flu?
Lars @ 71
I agree we can be confident of the future of Pole the younger – Fabianski however, whilst improved, I don’t think is good enough for Arsenal in the long-term.
Just my humble opinion of course.
Zico.. but he’d be a pretty good back-up. Not that I could see him settling for that.
Can’t wait to see a skinning of the tractor boys. TVS, great name but if you can fit 4 players I’m sure you could find room for an indispensible 5th and imho that man must be Song. Can you imagine where we would be without him?
Re: Nickspinkboots @#5, between those pink boots and our goalkeeper’s full pink body suit we seem to be headed in that general direction but I must say they seem to have served us well thus far so carry on as you were and buff them up nice and bright!
Storey, I still haven’t got used to hearing the words “no injuries from the last game”! Maybe, just maybe, the GPS tracking stuff they started using during 2010 have actually helped?
Pints all round!
Lars, the GPS stuff must have taken half a season to kick in if so because we were up to our necks with injuries until last month. Knock on wood and maybe the GPS (or whatever it is) won’t fail us for the rest of the season either. Cheers!
Lars, get used to it and yes I’ll drink to that cheers! 🙂
Nasri, I don’t think it’s all down the GPS based kit, there’s a lot of luck and timing involved as well. Either way, who cares, it’s about time we had a manageable treatment room. As ‘Holic said earlier this year, they’ve shut the Van Persie Wing of the Arsenal Infirmary. Join Lars and I in a injury-free drink?
Good afternoon ‘Holic & ‘Holics,
Great blog site with fantastic banter about all things Arsenal. Also enjoy the game previews and game reviews. Keep up the great work ‘Holic … just like the Gunners!
Lads, can we have a string of Ipswich jokes please? One liners about tractors and farm animals, etc. I don’t know any but I think it’ll help get us in the right frame of mind.
Talking of Ipswich, there were a couple of decent sorts on here a couple of weeks ago passing around some good banter.
I’ll listen out for the rumble of farm machinery and the smell of burning wool in anticipation of their return to our bar 😉
Zico @ #66,
I just like to joke, occasionally, about the high taxes in my lovely socialist state. It’s so socialist that I sometimes think it’s kommunist (that is how they spell it right?). The taxes are almost Scandanavian. Lars, you can confirm that right? I hear that the taxes in Sweden are the highest in the world. Also, another reason might be that my parents originated from Hungary and over in the homeland they spell Canada with a K. So we get Kanada. It’s a bit warmer here today here in southern Kanada @ -10C but not as sunny. I suppose one cannot have it all. What ever happened to global warming??
Ah, that’s the spirit TS!
Barman, give TS another of what he’s drinking and one for me too please.
What about this for another propsective headline for tomorrow’s pre-match preview?
“Tractor Boys Come To Park The Combine Harvester @ The Hen-irates But Arsene’s Words-‘ll-Ease The Situation”
100-1 outsider?
TvN
Er, thanks but clearly I wouldn’t recommend what I’m drinking right now….
re: # 68 and pies,
When you lads on that side of the pond speak of pies, I assume you are talking about the infamous meat pies I occasionally catch blokes eating at the matches on the tele. I’m not too familiar with meat pies.
On this side, pies are much bigger. Americans love their pies. Our friendly neighbours like to say, “As American as apple pie”. Or, there are pumpkin pies we like to produce during Halloween. Our pies are so large that one needs a pie server in order to cut it and serve it on one’s plate. Another use of the word pie would be to tell someone to shut their pie-hole. Yet another would be to get some pie. Something, I believe, would be right up BtM’s alley … so to speak.
Storey, I really hope I will have to get used to hearing that!
TVN: I honestly don’t know if that “highest tax rate in the world” thing is actually true. It has often been said so in political debates here but I suppose that is all a matter of how you count.
As for the game tomorrow, I try not to think about it too much. It just makes me nervous, it would be such a fiasco to be knocked out be Ipswich. Realistically, we should win quite easily and if we play our best possible team it would take something extraordinary for that not to happen but if we don’t… anyway, let’s not go there.
So Lars, what part of Sweden are you from? And why so defensive about the taxes? Do you work for the Swedish state, tourist board, or IRS?
8 ball @ #77,
I totally agree about Song. The lad is key to our success. The best DM in the league I’m starting to hear quite often. The DM that likes to roam. Which is okay, just don’t over do it. Or others like Jack have to spot it and cover. Another great thing about Song is his versatility and can play CB if needed. That being said, let’s hope it’s not needed. The stingy French professor probably has it in his calculations though and explains one of the reasons he is not, as of yet, dipping into the market for CB cover. Is it true that the Frenchman has a Scottish mother?
The name on my birth certificate actually reads Theodore Alexandre van Nasregas. But I go with a shorter form if only for the sake of brevity and to save the trees/lower carbon footprint angle. My friends call me Theo or TvN for greater brevity. Whats the story behind your pen name (behind the 8 ball but not nasri)?
TVN, I am originally from the northern parts but I have lived in Stockholm for about the past ten years.
And no, I don’t work for the state as such, but I do work for a state-owned company. We do, however, not have anything to do with taxes and we aren’t tax-funded either, we make our own money. I am not being defensive, I just have no idea how our taxes compare to other countries 🙂
TvN, or Alex should I say, I’m all for a lower carbon footprint too even if achieving it may take higher taxes at one point or another. As for the name I thought I should clarify in case any of ‘holic’s readers started a rumour that I am not Nasri even as I am an admirer of his. Not really sure if I am behind the 8 ball more than any of us but may have thought so the week I dreamed it up. In other words, my paranoia is not permanent but the name has stuck so far except the week I called myself Maybe Szzccccxxzzny Really Is The Man, with deference to BtM.
Time to reheat the left over Mexican pizza pie from yesterday and catch Bolton v Chel$ki. Another usage of the word pie … pizza pie.
When people in jolly olde England say, “I love meat pies!”, does it mean they are fat lads?
Thanks for the clarification on the name. Nasri is fantastic! Just like the ‘holics.
The Best Team Ever!! Tommy V come back!
Cheers Lars. A Gooner from northern Sweden and a Gooner from southern Kanada. Gotta love it. Gooners everywhere, another reason The Arsenal rocks!
Malaria boy puts Chel$ki up 1-0.
Lars, I suspect the weather in northern Sweden is very much like Canada’s. Like a freezer.
Re #93, that was actually Maybe Fabianski Really Is The Man, a name christened the week of his miraculous emergence from a calamitous string of errors earlier this season. So far he’s done nothing to convince me otherwise although I wasn’t quite impressed enough to make the name permanent.
Bolton 0-4 Malaria