‘Casts, Bacon, And A Plea For Unity For Four Weeks
Apr 22nd, 2011 by 'holic
Tuesday club podcast, check. Arsecast, check. What a perfectly lazy start to the perfectly lazy day.
I wish I had every Friday off, and the sun was shining, and I was about to stick some gammon-cut rashers in the frying pan to stuff inside fresh crusty rolls. I can still take in the press conference later before decamping to the garden with a bottle of wine and a good book. This is what every Friday should be about.
While listening to the podcasts I have had a mooch around the Arsenal webworld, and I’m struck by something. There isn’t much disagreement that something needs to happen in the summer in terms of supplementing this squad. Believe it or not that is also the buzz coming out of the club, although without all the invective so in favour in places. There is a certain amount of opinion that the coaching team also needs freshening up, and again it seems that is a distinct possibility in the summer months.
Excuse me, bacon rolls now a thing of the past, another delightful memory. Now, where was I?
Oh yes, there are so many things that vast swathes of the supporter base can agree on that it is a shame the most extreme poles of opinion seem to occupy so much space. The next few games are so vital to the club’s future, I think, not just this season, I would like to think we could all unite behind the side for one last desperate throw of the dice. So many have said, and been ignored, that the time for post-mortems is when you have a body. This side still has a beating heart and we should be getting behind them and urging them to achieve what seems so unlikely.
image courtesy of Arsenal Football Club
Once the game at Fulham ends in just over four weeks I expect there to be an explosion of opinion about where we go from here, and that’s fair enough. A reasoned debate about what did or didn’t go wrong and how it is corrected is to be expected at that point. Before then however, what possible good can it do to be digging out the manager, so many of the players, and each other? None at all.
I know I don’t speak on your behalf, any more than you speak on mine. We may disagree fundamentally about the way forward, but I don’t doubt we agree wholeheartedly that something will need to happen soon.
Let’s just not make a drama out of a crisis, if you get my drift.
54 Responses to “‘Casts, Bacon, And A Plea For Unity For Four Weeks”
First ever “first”
Strength through unity..
Off to read the last paragraph 😀
Heh!
There are fairies at the bottom of my garden too, but I can dream can’t I?
I’m as angry and frustrated as anyone, but 6 points behind with 5 to play is not game over. You won’t find me putting any money on us to win the league, but if we don’t back the team for the rest of the season we’re not doing our job properly. We’ve got all Summer for recriminations, for now it’s a matter of up against it, but still up for grabs. Just…
Well said ‘Holic. Drinks all around (with a plate full of bacon).
Second would be the highest league finish since 2005. Of course I’m a ticket holder on the happy train so first is not completely gone yet.
Much to play for still.
COME ON YOU GUNNERS!
Those bacon rolls sounded delicious ‘Holic. Loved the picture too – just look at all those happy, smiling faces behind The-o. Comedy gold is a regular visitor to these pages, thankfully most of it where we laugh with as opposed to at the various authors.
Have a super BH Friday.
Amen!
and completely off topic but the kits look so much better with red socks instead of white…
“Well said ‘Holic. Drinks all around (with a plate full of bacon).”
This
Yep, let the investigation commence after Fulham on 22nd May, but until then we have 15 points to play for with an outside chance of taking the title. So we dust ourselves down and get on with it.
The players and manager need to stop feeling sorry for themselves and go out and prove a point.
Have a Good Friday.
CoYRRR’s
That post added to an ideal Friday morning here also ‘holic. The pool looks lovely….woodpeckers bashing on the palm tree and a high of 29c today. Shame I have to work a half day.
Onward and upward gunners, if we finish this season out undefeated (in 21 matches!!) and finish 2nd I’m still saying strides have been made. Although the Tuesday club prediction of 50 unbeaten with 49 draws was bloody funny. As was the description of Tottenham High Road…
Is there any effect that counts for anything of people expressing on a blog their opinions about something as inherently trivial as a football team?
If it’s “good” to cheer a team when they’re doing well, and to applaud the success of their manager, why is it “bad” to criticize the team when they don’t put in a collective effort, or when their manager repeats mistakes and makes pathetic excuses for the team’s failures? Wenger continues to “believe.” That’s fine. But why shouldn’t paying supporters have a right to express their “disbelief” in the product while they’re in the seats and Wenger can actually hear them?
Players and managers are employees of the team. Supporters are the customers. Supporters don’t have a “job” to do. That’s just a silly proposition.
Bacon?
Cheers for the heads up, Joshua.
I don’t feel like a ‘customer’. And like most football fans, I generally don’t like beeing seen as simply a customer.
However, I’m pretty sure that the people who complain the loudest are also the most vocal when expressing the view that they don’t like to be seen as customers.
I think I’m actually struggling to express myself properly there, but hopefully someone will know what I mean.
It’s quite a strange post, Larry.
What’s trivial to you Larry replaces religion in the lives of others.
Something to follow, to believe in, handed down from father to son.
You are entitled to your view and from your standpoint you are correct, but as I said above, you don’t speak for me or anybody else.
The sooner some grasp that, the better.
This team is almost there . It is a matter to clean off some dead woods and the job is done .
The EPL is getting better with 6 teams on top almost at the same level , spurs is very good so does liverpool and man city .
AW has to continue to believe , what else can he do , to self destruct ? of course he has in his mind that rosicky , denielson, alu…are not good enough .
we will see by the summer .
Holic,
Your comment on decamping to the garden with a good book has prompted one of my rare comments. Being a season ticket holder in my late 50’s I have read pretty much everything I could lay my hands on regarding the Arsenal and lots more about football in general.
I also live in Scotland which had led me to come across what I think is the best football book ever written. Black Diamonds and the Blue Brazil is by Ronald Ferguson and all about Cowdenbeath FC. The black diamonds refer to the coal mining community in Fife the club was founded in and the blue brazil is their nickname(hav’nt a clue why).
At a time when we Gooners are feeling sorry for ourselves part of the narrative describes a year when they went an entire season without winning a single game and the inevitable relegation that followed. It also describes their greatest ever team that swept all before them for an entire season to win promotion only to be relegated straight back down the next year as they had to sell all their best players simply to survive.
A wonderful book about a working class community that like ours is blessed with a local football team but sadly unlike ours is neither very good or very successful.
Apologies if this is not a particularly apposite post for this site but as well as loving the Arsenal I also love books.
Apologies, Neil C?
It’s a very nice post. I offer congratulations, and a drink on my tab.
Thanks Neil,
Understand the emotion behind the post. I am one of the poor souls who bought into Stirling Albion because that is where my Mum was from originally. I feel their pain at the moment too.
Luckily football is cyclical, and our next period of great success isn’t far away, I’m sure. (Arsenal that is, the Bino’s have a bit more money to generate yet!).
I haven’t been around much lately as “real life” has been extremely busy for me lately, so I haven’t spent as much time in this fine bar as I would have liked to, but I did of course watch every minute of Arsenal action that took place over the past few weeks.
Therefore I decided it was about time I bore you with some needless ramblings and irrelevant opinions with a pint of Leffe (generously paid for by our Viking friend-yet again!) to help keep it all clear inside this all-too-sober-for-my-own-liking head…
As some of you may know, I’m more of the glass half-full type, and backing the boys in red and white until the last minute of the last game is only natural for this gooner, and there isn’t much else we could do about it either, and if the last game against Liverpool taught us anything, it’s that it ain’t over till it’s over !
As ‘Holic has pointed out, I think we all agree that some things need to change if this football club is to advance , but I have to admit that even more than the crushing disappointments we went through since that Carling Cup final, even more than the novel ways we found to snatch draws from the jaws of victory, it is the feeling that the manager himself is about the only person who doesn’t agree that some things need to change that is the most dispiriting thing of all.
I am sure that Wenger is a genius, I admire him, am grateful for everything that h’s done for this football club, and wish that he remains at the helm and guide us to further glory, but hearing him praise this team’s mental strength after it gace away another two-goal lead, days after what happened at the grove against l’pool isn’t a very good sign, and neither is his refusal to listen to any criticism and dismissing it as the annoying, misguided vendetta of a vocal minority rather than genuine concerns and legitimate questions actual SUPPORTERS are asking.
I am starting to wonder if Arsene will really ask himself the right questions come the summer, which is something I had never doubted until now, and I certainly hope I am wrong in doing so.
It may not be on the same scale (thankfully), but Wenger needs to look at what happened to an illustrious compatriot of his when faced with irreversible disasters caused partly by his unwilingness to compromise his beliefs, look at the reality of things or listen to critics in his own camp. ” I have been playing the emperor for too long, I need to go back to doing what made me what I am, it is not the emperor Napoleon that will fight this war, General Bonaparte will”.
Of course at that point the Six Days Campaign was Napoleon’s last hurrah, but it was a case of “too little, too late” and we all know what happened to him afterwards.
Why am I writing this in response to a piece that urges Arsenal fans to stick together and reserve judgement till after the season has ended you may ask, and the answer is that FOR THE FIRST TIME EVER (and provided we do not win the title this season), I am finding myself secretly hoping that we finish third or four (still above the LWCs) because I am afraid that otherwise, Wenger would not draw the right conclusions, and would use the improvement upon last season as an excuse not to make any changes worthy of the name, which will likely see us repeat the same pattern we have seen this past few season.
Of course Arsene can prove me wrong, and try to cure this team’s mental strength and lack of strong leadership to complement the undoubted talent in the summer transfer window, but his recent public outings have been very discouraging, and the only thing that will put any pressure on him to try and see things from another perspective is a league standing equivalent or worse than last year’s.
Of course I understand what fellow gooners may make of this, and even I feel like a heretic just thinking that Arsenal losses can be a good thing for the future of this club, but if it is the only way Arsene will take heed of the signs that things aren’t going quite as well as he may think they are, then so be it.
There’s not much difference to finishing second, third or even fourth “in the grand scheme of things”, and it’s all the same if we do not win the title, but if finishing fourth will help us become champions of England next season, then (hopefully) will not be too depressed.
That said, I still hope we thump the living #%@! out of the mancs and the Neanderthals.
Barman, a DESPERADOS por favor, seems very fitting for my present mood.
I’ll copy my comment from the previous post.
Lars – I agree with everything you wrote but I do think NB52 shouldnt be on the wing.
When you put him in to make a difference you shouldn’t put him on the wing and do exactly what you did this whole time – cross because you couldn’t breach the defense from the middle.
If youre gonna cross he’s gotta be in the middle and be on the end of those crosses.
Ollie, you’ve got mail:)
@ Neil…the book sounds great…..must be out of print based on the prices but I’ll keep hunting. http://www.amazon.co.uk/Black-Diamonds-Blue-Brazil-Ferguson/dp/0905489535
I agree…we need some perspective as Arsenal supporters (not customers) – not that we’re any less frustrated but I think acknowledging how close the club is at the present is worthwhile.
And Ollie I understood exactly what you meant.
I’ve voiced my opinions about support and how I view it before and I think we can see it as evidence that apart from Barca at home you didn’t feel the crowd will bring the change in the game.
On the other hand, I Did feel that buzz when it became 4-1 against Newcastle and just knew it’ll be a draw cause you felt the place rocking and the same on Wednesday, you felt the crowd taking their team to a draw.
I guess what I’m trying to say is that there is a reason for us being a better away team than a home team because it’s away SUPPORT as opposed to home CROWD and the players feel it too and that’s why they always distinguish and separate and thank the away support when playing away and not “the fans” cause there is a difference between the away and home support.
@ RVP’s RF….I totally understand where you are coming from…but I also think that Arsene says what he says for the players, through the media…it all has a purpose. He above all understand the mentality of the squad he has…what works for them and what doesn’t. He’s never been a manager to be openly critical of our effort, players or performance…what he does he does in private I can only assume. I think he knows that his belief in this collection of players is pivotal in getting them over the line at present….
Whether that team is built in his image or not I don’t know but I think if he casts them downward with games still to play it could get messy…Just guessing of course. Does that mean we’ve got a fragile group of young players? Perhaps….but they’ve grown up a lot this season (Walcott, Wilshere, Song, Szch, Nasri)
Whether you think his tactic works or not I don’t know…I do know we were considered outsiders for the top 4 this season and we’re still in it and may be until the last weekend. I’m not ‘happy’ to finish 2nd but I do think we’ve done more than was expected. I used to think we were good enough to win the league in 86,87,88 until at last it all came good. These days remind me of that somewhat.
Changes are needed…but I don’t think giant ones….preferably more on the coaching side and some squad depth.
First, let me pass that box of pain killers over to True Storey… there, done.
Thanks everybody for the kinds words re: my posts in the last drinking session. I’d like to add some comments though, just for added clarity.
As for bemoaning our luck, I am not really doing that. I am just saying that it wouldn’t have taken very much to make everything look almost completely different and that has to be taken into account when analyzing things. And Glennw, as for Newcastle away… well, let’s just say the phrase “repressed memories” comes to mind. I just don’t want to think about it!
‘Holic: I would say that 4-4-2 is our Plan B and that we have used it more than once. Off the top of my head I can recall Everton at home, WBA away and actually Blackburn at home as well. When Bendtner came on, he very clearly lined up as a proper attacker alongside RvP. Why he then drifted wide I don’t know, but the idea was to play 4-4-2.
Anyway, I’m now off to enjoy the rest of the day. The Tuesday Club has been done, now time for the Arsecast!
http://arsenalist.com/video/?id=f2d5112b5dee51ed59d0758e32420851&t=ru
That wink might be the best part of this season to date….or Nasri’s brace versus Fulham
Guys , we must keep things in perspective , napoleon lost because he expanded too much , beyond his means , his russian adventure is a total disaster , he lost his army IN TOTAL otherwise the waterloo is not for him but for the british . In brief , napoleon spent money beyond his means ( the same as the usa now ) .
Arsenal spend money within its means , it grow talents by youth program . without youth program , there is no wilshere , no ramsey , no nasri . many of our players are very young , they are frasgile , they need support . AW belief is crucial to maintain this team together .
Of course , there are incompetents , the like of denilson , rosicky , alu , sq18 must go , this is I consider the healthy flow we all ask AW in the summer .
Rasher for me please ‘holic. Sunshine in the garden not a possibility in this corner of the woods, but good book is on for later. Cheers!
montreal gooner
Napoleon was emperor of the French, Arsene is a football manager, so of course the specifics will not be the same when we compare their respective careers. We could also cite a wide array of reasons why Napoleon lost it all, ranging from his getting betrayed by Talleyrand and Fouché, the switch on allegiance of the Emperor of Austria to the fact that it rained on Waterloo that day or that Russian winter was much colder than anyone had anticipated (yes even by russian winters standards).
The parrallel I was trying to draw was about the respective attitudes of two flawed geniuses (both pragmatic and utopistic at the same time) in two comparatively challenging moments in their respective careers, and how each of them dealt with these moments in a different way.
Diaby’s out injured! No!!! He needs a run of games to catch his form, and he hasn’t had a run of games for several years.
The season is nearly over so let the burying of heads in the sand begin. Seems this runs through the whole club following Wenger’s reported comments to sky sports news about no wholesale changes- I found this “quote” I wonder if you can guess who said it-
“it is incredibly frustrating not being seen as a first-team player, but there is not much I can do about it. I have proven that I am good enough to play from the start at Arsenal,” he told Ekstra Bladet. I obviously wasn’t at the games he “proved” it
Um I wonder who it could be?
13 –
So…it’s not possible for someone to be passionate about a sport and about a team they support and express displeasure with the way a team is being selected and managed? They need to just suck it up, swallow their passion, and sit quietly while other passionate supporters profess blind allegiance to their side despite their failures? Sorry, but I think that makes no sense whatsoever.
The analogy to religion is a fair one, I think. I suppose that since you equate the two, I can understand better why you expect full faith in that which is disproved on a regular basis. But in the end, what any person thinks and says about Arsenal is not going to change a thing about the world we live in. It is indeed a trivial matter when compared with anything that appears in the “other” parts of the papers.
We all need to be careful about how we weigh the relative “genuineness” of anyone’s support for Arsenal. It’s possible to be disappointed and even very angry with someone you truly love. The same applies to your favorite football team.
Wait…it’s Easter. Arsenal are my religion…Wenger is God….Fabregas is essentially Christ (but real)….so Cesc will score 5 on Sunday…..
(not meant to offend…only to humour)
Lars @ #23,
Thanks, my head’s stopped throbbing now 😉 Enjoy your long weekend!
RVP @ #s 18 & 27
Good to have you back, with or without ‘rant’ 😉 Didn’t realise you were a French historian in your spare time.
tim @ #31,
No offence here, I’ll drink to that. No wait, I’m never having a drink again 🙁
Tim ,
Arsenal will be resurected by sunday , the score will be 5-0
Nice day in the sun with the nippers, now burning some classic reggae to my itunes library (whilst dealing with the facist crap that Apple throws at you), whilst supping some Red Stripe. Quality Good Friday so far.
Snir, I think you misread what I wrote. I didn’t say putting Bendtner on the wing is a good idea.
Storey, glad I could be of service 🙂
@Kevnal: Last time Bendy was given a run in the lone striker position he averaged close to a goal/game (in the second half of last season).
Put any player on the bench most of the time and make them play once in a while and he’ll turn to shit. Look at what happened with Flamini and Hleb, remember how they were playing for us and compare how they’re playing now.
@Larry: There are 12 players on the pitch. A flaming home support is worth 3-5 points a season. How many home games where the team wobbled would have had a different outcome if the support had been pushing behind them instead?
Let me put this another way: if we end up 3-5 points behind the champion this season, it’s because of the 12th man. You can try to rationalize it anyway you want but in the end the moaners, whistlers, hecklers, abusers are costing us points.
I’m just back from a bit of globetrotting and every other football fan I talked to knows our support is shit.
There’s a price to pay for that and we’re paying it right now.
I think what I was trying to say is that the problem is that the crowd at home is waiting for the team to do something to cheer for and not the other way around.
The crowd always waits for the team to wake it up and doesn’t wake the team up when they need to be more direct and have that “going forward” effect that some crowds possess (such as Blackpool, Newcastle etc.).
The away support on the other hand does have that effect in it and that’s whay we see the team a lot more playing with the handbrake “off” and not stressed, therefore you see us scoring more goals away from home and having the best away record.
If we had that effect at home it’d be the scariest place to play in.
The only time it happens is when there’s a general feeling that we’re underdogs – sort of US AGAINST THEM for instance against Chelsea and Barca (and I hope against UTD as well).
When we play against the likes of Blackburn, Sunderland etc. there’s a feeling the crowd is almost waiting and expecting the team to score within the first minute and every misplaced pass is followed by groans and moans and that DOESN’T help the team which is stressed already.
Interesting debate and I am somewhat in the middle of it all. Our players won’t be worldbeaters every game and I except that. Players go through periods where things are going to come off as expected. I fully support them as they work through their current form.
What I do expect is hustle, desire, and for god sacks marking a man flying down the field with the ball instead of taking in the view (we’ve seen that a few times this year, no?). When things aren’t going well for a player, the only thing they can control is their effort.
I think many times this season the discussion of this group and others is that there didn’t seem to be any urgency or effort in their play. If they give everything, I will have no complaints and will accept we weren’t good enough if we lose and zip my lip.
With that said, I wish we could adjust our tactics (I know this irks you ‘Holic) from time to time based on how the opponent is playing us. I realize we have a lot of conviction with our open style but each game is different. If we can’t play an open style b/c the opponent is parking the bus, the likes of Chamkah and Bendtner upfront (not on the wing) might be a better option. Or if we have a lead, subbing a tired striker for someone such as Chamkah (I know he is a striker) to chase the ball and apply pressure for the last 20-30 minutes. I’m not saying these ideas will always work, but at least be flexible and give it a go once in a while. You never, now we might be able to bag a few extra points each year which might make the difference.
I will always be in full support and have my fingers crossed for the last five games.
I think the home support is being castigated to some extent…surely much of it is to do with teams coming to our place and sitting back and defending? That’s what I see time and time again and our ability to break that down has been the bigger issue. Plus it will continue to be. Managers study the tapes and see that it’s working more against us and play a lone striker and 2 deep laying midfielders, you see it with essentially everyone we play at home. Barca, Spurs and Blackpool were some exceptions and we got goals of course.
When we travel most (not all) sides we play are forced to go for it at least in the first 45 minutes which allows us to play our game more, more space and a chance to take on 4 at the back instead of 8.
I agree that the crowd should be more positive — especially in those less glamour filled games but I don’t think that’s a new phenomenon. It was the same in the 80’s when a Coventry, Oxford or Watford would come to Highbury. There was too much of that presumption we’d bag 2 early goals and have a laugh. However…I’m a former season ticket holder now miles and miles away so I’ll take your word for it if it’s that bad these days. You can detect collective groans on the television coverage for sure.
All that said…I don’t see Old Trafford as this pit of passionate fans either unless they are playing Liverpool, Chelsea, us or City….so what are they doing better than us? It’s an age old problem…even in 01/02 when we won the league we were unbeaten away from Highbury and yet lost 3 at home.
@Gedo: “I think many times this season the discussion of this group and others is that there didn’t seem to be any urgency or effort in their play. ”
Now if the crowd had been pushing behind the team at every game like they did against Barca, don’t you think they would have upped their game against the likes of Brum or Blackburn?
It’s fair to expect 100% on the pitch as much as it’s fair to expect 100% from the crowd. We’ve been in the top 3 almost all seasons in the league table while we’ve been bottom 3 almost all season in the support table.
Our away support is nothing short of impressive in every single game, the few thousands of them are noisier than the 60K grovers. We have the best away form of the league but are wobbling at home more often than not. Coincidence? I don’t think so.
Six points back with five to go, with one of the five being at home against the leaders, can be done. But it can only be done if the following happen:
1. Cesc Fabregas remembers who pays his wages and goes back to acting like he gives a damn about Arsenal.
2. Certain players don’t leave fans yelling, “Shoooooooot!” Not Robin van Persie or Theo Walcott, they’re fine. (Or, Theo would be, if he were just a little closer.)
3. Players jump. Too many aerials are simply surrendered.
4. Arsene Wenger continues his realization at long last that Denilson doesn’t belong on the pitch.
5. The Fergiebastards lose another game in addition to the one with us.
6. Chelsea fall back a little as well.
A lot? Yeah. All in our hands? Hardly. But without the preceding, forget it.
4. Arsene Wenger continues his realization at long last that Denilson doesn’t belong on the pitch.
Uncle Mike wants him to start ahead of Wilshere
*shudders*
Audi, not sure of the point you were making. Then again, perhaps it’s the German engineering…
I’m with ya,’Holic – I said weeks ago it was “too early to bury the corpse” so I’m glad to see you have subliminally got my message by posting similar above 😉
The close season will be extra long this year and the Championship Managers will be out in force when they come off their Playstations and sort out the Arsenal.
We’ll only have to spend about £500 million and buy about 300 players …… but they’ve been scouted on YouTube and we must get lots and lots of new shiny players and, we want sweets as well, and ice cream……
(There is an ice cream vendor in the last but one carriage of the Happy Train if you can’t wait till summer, campers….)
Feck the rashers give me that breakfast wine..remember many the good friday starting off that way in protest of draconian drinking laws..Arsene very dignified today in the face of a biased and parasitic media…that he bothers at all is a miracle. Way too much talk of ifs , buts and maybes but I suppose thats what blogs and forums are for..just seems like an awful lot of repeating anguish. Time enough in 6 games time..now time to polish off the last remaining bottle
@10Larry
Criticising the manager or team during the game is hardly likely to be conducive to a a winning mentality on the pitch. The stadium seems quieter than usual (if that is possible) and if the biggest noise is made when criticisms are levelled it wouldn’t be the most positive thing to do if we want to get the best out of players. As a season ticket holder you have a privilege. Make the most of it. Football isn’t a product that you can relate to applaud/criticise. Every moment should be spent in exhorting the team to greater effort through positivity, not negativity.
How well do you react when criticised for your actions? Do you strive harder or do your brood? As a manager of many years experience I can assure you that 99% of people brood and lose their focus. Is that what you want?
Mind you, and perhaps it it is to do with the name, I left the Arsenal email list because of statements like this from somebody else called Larry (and others). So perhaps I am just biased because of the name. Or perhaps it is the same person?
I aree with the ‘holic. We all know changes need to be made, but if you think that AW is going to come out at any stage and say ‘x’ is crap and I am going to replace him, you are sadly mistaken. AW has his faults, but it is because of him we are where we are and not in some mid-table mediocrity. Strengthen the management team, strengthen the playing staff, but don’t consider wholesale change will benefit us in the short, medium or long term.
There are no other supporters that I am aware of that vilify their manager and team in such a way as we do. We are third in the league, are likely to qualify for the Champions League (again) and have done well in kock-out competitions. We are actually still in with a shout of winning the title with five games to go, although you wouldn’t think so. Only two teams in the league can be said to have been more successful than us – and they have both spent bucketfuls of dosh to be so and are in so much debt it is incredible. And others have done the same without having a sniff of success.
I will take the glass as it stands and maintain my belief that this next season will see us better and more able to win those decisive matches and be more consistent. This comes with age, experience and good fortune with regard to injuries. None of which we have had for the past five years. But it is getting closer.
Good health ‘holic! I will be with you cheering on the team and keeping my criticisms for the close season.
Matt,
How can you blame the fans for Wengers failing policicies? It’s not the tactics players or substitions just the fans sorry carnt be having that,The problem the clubs got is those fans that have never spent a day in football can see the obvious problems and become more frustrated in every passing year when not rectified, I agree with regards the away support but that mirrors virtually every away support it’s just more fun going to away games in modern football,
This isn’t making me feel any better…
“We had an agreement they had to send us copy for approval and it was not done. I maintain completely that they did not respect our agreement. The article in itself I do not want to discuss.
“What they say is not interesting to us, they did not respect our agreement. They will never get an interview from us again, ever.”
I’m afraid this is becoming symptomatic of Arsene’s attitude in these difficult times: blame others , and don’t respond to legitimate criticism.
*sigh*
Hi Holics,
Thanks for that post Holic. Nice and balanced as usual and representative of how a true Gooner should think.
We over here in G’Town, we’re awaiting a gardener to assist us to get our new backyard under the right type of order.
Gladly this will be a new project for the GT family which we are looking forward to embracing with open arms.
On the football side of thing, those who know me know that I am a true believer in the theory “it ain’t over til it’s over”
Right now we are fighting on two fronts: 1 – to win the league and 2- if not, to then finish second.
I sit here munching on a Cheese and crab sandwich relaxing whilst other members of the family are out visiting friends. Manure v Everton is 25 mins in on the box and as strong as their home form is right now, the hosts are not going to stroll towards 3 points here!
To all fellow gooners: Keep the faith and i’ll see you on the other side…
I’m watching this game and I’m having trouble understanding something. If anyone out there can tell me I would appreciate it explained to me slowly and clearly…
…if Manu Eboue conceded a goal for bumping in to Lucas, why haven’t Everton been awarded two penalties in this game v Manure yet for challenges which appear to be a lot more deliberate?
Absolutely… Now is not the time to show our frustration.. See through the season and see how things pan out.
I doubt things are going to change much in summer , but then – ranting never helped me.
I don’t think we still have 5 games to cheer up. If we win the game at Bolton tomorrow, we will face the truth on May 1 when we face the Red Devils. We wont be able to beat them; so our season will be over after that game. We can always go through the motions after that, just like last season.
We will be third. Forget about being second.
Forget about the row with the Spanish magazine.
Cesc has spoken the truth.
When even our captain Cesc lost confidence over his team, it is not good news for Arsenal. What can we achieve with a captain who does not believe in his team mates’ mentality and ability?
Don’t blame the home crowd. They have seen too many disappointing games like the game against Spurs (2-0 up in HT, but 3-2 FT)…
DF –
Sorry I want us to be second if we cannot be first! 😉
As for the home crowd…
…I remember when we went down 2-0 to Bolton last year and we needed at least two clear goals and a win to become top of the league…I shouted my heart out. I was around 10 rows from the front behind the dugout, but I remember players like Walcott and EJT looking over in my direction during half time warm up.
Anyway I continued to show support and everytime I saw a good response I would shout even louder. Eventually we won the game 4-2 and went top of the league.
As I was leaving the stadium a couple stopped me on the staircase and said “you were shouting your heart out. I’m sure the whole stadium heard you”
At the end of the day I showed support and the team responded. I’m, sure others here have had similar experiences.
I remember another day v West Brom we had just beaten the Spuds in the CC a few days earlier and everyone was glowing. I was sat with a group of supporters who were wearing their o2 shirts talking about the great invincibles and sighing, huffing, puffing and swaering from the start of the game at every misplaced pass and mistake. We were sat around 20 rows from the front near the dugout. Almunia became injured and had copped a yellow card and eventually let in three needless goals. I remember another guy next to me called Chamakh a C#t loud enough for him to hear (nice way to ask him to score). We eventually lost the game 3-2.
That game was my last for this season before we moved house and I remember it was uncomfortable for me before we went 2-0 down. There are always alot of children and elderly who are always seem embarrassed when our supporters are abusive and negative towards the squad. Just imagine how the players and staff feel?
I just feel that if supporters are not prepared to support the team positively without the abuse they should stop attended the games!
We all get disappointed and frustrated but it’s how we express it that makes the difference! 😉
Hi, I’m the owner of Gooner Lad – http://www.goonerlad.com and I thought we could gain some mutal benefit by exchanging home page links.
If that’s something that interests you don’t hesitate to contact me.
Regards,
Gooner Lad