Well At Least We’ll Have A Good Day Out
May 21st, 2011 by 'holic
The final preview of the season, and anger has turned to resignation for some, this blogger included. Of course if we don’t better the Manchester City result at Bolton then there will be more venting of spleens, and understandably so. For me though, it is about trying to grab the positives that are about.
Like the fact that I will be at the perfect end of season fixture. Fulham away is a chance for two boatloads of nutters to cruise down the Thames getting in the spirit for the match ahead. For me, even better. Good food, and some excellent ale is on the cards before and after the match. At Fulham both sets of fans can wear colours and enjoy what is almost an old-fashioned football day out, although the red and white shirts may give way to fancy dress for many making the short journey.
I’m also encouraged by the words attributed to Denilson in yesterday morning’s papers. His was obviously one of the six to eight names being bandied around as possible departures from the Grove this summer. Swift confirmation of that is welcome, frankly. Rather than occupy the negotiators time for too long we should move to swiftly conclude any deal for him. It’s sad that he has chosen to alienate those who did not join the negativity that surrounded him. Goodbye and good luck. I won’t be sending a Christmas card.
Those out, or doubtful, for the Cottage make interesting reading. Fabregas, Nasri, Clichy, and Diaby. Djourou hopes to be fit again, and the prospect of him partnering Vermaelen could give those ahead of them a much-needed confidence boost. Confidence apart, a greater degree of application than has been evident of late will also be required. Fulham is never an easy place to play these days, and our single goal triumph last season owed everything to an astonishing afternoon’s work by Vito Mannone between the posts.
Arsene Wenger has acknowledged what will be expected by everyone tomorrow, whether you are manager, coach, or supporter. This is, quite simply, a must-win game. Even if we do triumph, fingers will still be crossed that Bolton do us a rare favour at the Reebok.
“We will try to win the game, it’s as simple as that. A draw could be good enough if Man City lose at Bolton. I do not want to have any regrets now and so I just want to win the game.”
The final ‘holic pound of the season has to be inspired by the hope, if not the expectation, that we secure the win that is our minimum requirement. I’m taking the 15/2 at Paddy Power on a 2-1 away win. What? Of course I think they will score. They are the best team in the Premiership at scoring headed goals, and we cannot defend set pieces. I’ll be chuffed to be proven wrong.
So that is almost it for another season. I am looking forward immensely to the stroll alongside the river to the ground as my brain marinades in a Guinness haze. I’m looking forward to necking some fine ale as some top Gooners dissect the season after the game, whatever the result. Then we can start in earnest the summer of assessing what has happened in the last year, and speculating about how it will be put right.
Congratulations Arsenal Ladies
Winners of the Womens FA Cup Final by two unanswered goals against Bristol. Goals from Kim Little and Julie Fleeting landed yet another major prize for Laura Harvey’s side. Well played.
Have a great one ‘holics. See some of you in Putney.
92 Responses to “Well At Least We’ll Have A Good Day Out”
the ladies won it. drinks all around!!
Wish some of our boys had their balls!
Oude Jenever for the team, barman!
Afternoon ‘Holic and Afternoon All ,
Well done the Ladies . I’ve suggested for some time that a midfield of Little White Nobbs could wreak havoc in the women’s game .
Jordan Nobbs ? an obvious statement of fact as far as I’m concerned .
The season can’t end quick enough and although I really don’t want to be coming back in August for a CL qualifier, it looks very likely.
We have had so many “must win games” and not delivered and I’m of the feeling that this will be similar. The players, bar RvP, Jack, AR16 and Bac are on their hols. Funny thing is I think Bolton may get a point, which will leave us with more regrets.
Funny old game, I’ll take a Guinness with Holics in the bar or beer garden.
CoYRRR’s
Great preview by the way ‘Holic . Good to see the management finally let you in the bathroom !
🙂
Just as well TaBS…
Does anyone have a spare for the boat trip need one ticket, thanks!!
When was the last time we won away in ugly fashion ? Wolves away ? We need more ugliness . How about this team ?
1. Geoff Barnett .
Goalkeepers tend to be rather dashing types so the choice boiled down to Spunky who carried off The Village People Reject look with a great deal of verve for a number of years , and Geoff Barnett , hapless reserve custodian of the early seventies .
In the end Spunky’s greater save making skills saved him and therefore Geoff gets the nod . Boggle-eyes and frizzy hair just added to that all round feeling of desperate incompetence . The Marty Feldman comparisons don’t save him – Geoff’s comedy just wasn’t up to scratch – the only mirth he provided were his attempts to catch the ball .
2 . Bacary Sagna .
In truth , Bac should be nowhere near this side , but come on Bac , what’s going on with that Barnet ? I realize I’m too old to any longer be at the cutting edge of fashion , but since when have barbers been bombarded with requests for the Randy Crawford / Max Wall Combo .
At the risk of coming over as a cross between Captain Mainwaring and Nicky Clarke , sort it out Bac .
3. Wilf Rostron
A man who combined the very worst of seventies fashion without any of its more endearing qualities . A man so ugly , his teammates refused to receive the ball from him . Didn’t matter , Wilf’s pass success stat would have stood at a consistent 0% with or without his teammates help .
4. David Platt
An Alien from the planet Zarg – ‘nuff said .
5. Richie Powling
Centre-half clearly the most competitive position in any ugly team , but this chap was extraordinary . 3 ft 4 inches in his platform shoes , he was recruited from the Japanese League For Small People , at a bargain basement fee .
Also justly famous in the Fashion World for inventing Bank Robber chic and played the whole of the 1975-76 season with a stocking over his head .
Career sadly curtailed when he went up for a header with Bob Latchford and knocked himself out on Latchford’s ankle .
6. Pascal Cygan
Beat off fierce competition from Jeff Blockley , Willie Young , and Igor Stepanovs , his inclusion forces the undroppable Martin Keown into a midfield man-marking role .
His preference for a shaven head made him resemble the baddie out of Thunderbirds . Certainly more useful in a chidren’s puppet show than he ever was on a football pitch , inquiries are continuing as to whether he is in some way related to David Platt .
7. Martin Keown
Very guilty at including an Arsenal Legend in this team , but has qualities that simply cannot be ignored . Turned down for a bit-part in Planet of the Apes for being too terrifying , he turned to football . Hugely successful as a result of centre-forwards the world over being traumatized into thinking they were appearing in “ 28 Days Later “ .
Capable of scaring a Horse with one forearm jab , Martin captains the side .
8. Alan Sunderland
Alan combines the winning combination of a ridiculously large bouffant Afro – ( note that when he turns to celebrate his winner against Wolves in the FA Cup Semi of 79 , lodged in his hair is spittle , toilet roll , and a small Pekinese ) – and a scouse ‘tache which never got beyond wispy . Bonus points are also awarded for a wholly unintelligible Yorkshire accent .
An integral part of any Arsenal History – just go easy on the kids when you get to the ’79 Cup Final .
9. Nwankwo Kanu
An extraordinary collection of spare parts go into the dazzling features that make up the genius that was Kanu . Bat-ears , ping-pong ball head , and a pair of clown’s boots for feet .
His bewitching skills were really not necessary as defenders were equally bedazzled by the apparition of a spectre-like Dracula bearing down on them .
Now earns his living as a consultant to Channel 4’s “ Embarrassing Bodies “
10. Raphael Meade .
A truly terrifying individual , inspired the first peek -a -boo chants at Highbury , first we peeked and then we booed ( I-thank-you ) . Got himself arrested when he poked his head out of his car window and Police thought he was mooning ( i-thank-you-again ) .
Notwithstanding the kudos of being Arsenal’s no.9 , he still couldn’t attract anyone of the fairer sex , and his career faltered amidst allegations of an altogether more serious nature .
Now earns his living as a male model in Tottenham .
11. Perry Groves .
His recent autobiography detailed lots of saucy goings-on . How on earth could one of this team enjoy so much success with the ladies ? Clearly made full use of “ you’ll never have anyone like me again “ , in his seduction technique , and never has a man been more correct .
Combined an arse of Luznyesque proportions with a slightly effeminate waddle . The whole look was topped off with hair so red it often appeared he was playing with his shirt over his head and his attempts on the pitch did nothing to dispel that notion .
Indeed so poor were they , he whizzed right past whipping boy status straight into cult hero .
The only man whose loss of hair vastly improved his appearance , he was forced to get a job at the BBC sitting next to jaunty Colin Murray , an Irishman whose own appearance succeeds in making Perry more palatable to the wider world .
Sounds like a good day out Holic.
Arsene doesn’t want to have any regrets after the game? God, where do we start with that – I assume he wasn’t being ironic??
As bad as the last couple of months has been, there is nothing worse than weeks of Saturdays with no footie. I have a feeling that I am going to be seriously stir crazy come the end of July.
Hopefully we sign off with a win, if only to get me in the right frame of mind for the major construction involving rolling stock, drugs (classified and not) and a quick crash course in Spanish (they speak Spanish in Columbia, right?)
Up the Arse!
Tabs – on form, again.
Have beer, lots of it. I bet you’re even funnier when you’re drunk!
Good one, ‘holic.
Guinnes for me, please!
Cheers Dr Z , funny you should mention that , off to the real juicer to do exactly that .
Tabs – What, no Jeff Blockley?
On the bench Jersey
Song for Sunday. It could only be…
I have one regret already for tomorrow. Or maybe that’s relief : I won’t have time to share many drinks after the game.
That should minimise the ‘bad influence’ the man from Swindon has on me 😉
A classic ‘Holic, but can we cope with the follow up “Many crosses to defend……?”
I’ll get me coat.
Ollie, you have to make time for a couple. We have a treat in store.
Timothy Taylor 😉
http://www.timothytaylor.co.uk/Default.aspx
Last year got happy on Ram Tam and Dark Mild
a season to forget.
but i guess if we are looking for positives- then its the fact that we arent waiting for the last game of the season to determine our champions league place…. we’ve seen that movie a couple of times.
I might just come dressed as a Frenchman tomorrow.
That looks really good, ‘holic. I should think I’ll have time for one post-match pint.
I have some not so great memory of having had not much time to spare a few years ago after possibly a 3pm kick-off?
Might have had to catch an earlier train then though, and possibly didn’t yet have carte blanche. I only need to be at the station at about 8pm at the latest.
Boozy- strangely enough, that the only time that happened, was the Final Salute at Highbury and the neighbours were left with lasagne in their faces.
I know it’s different circumstances and all that, but that was a great day.
CoYRRR’s
Come on you nutters!
Tabs @8 Take Sagna out of the all ugly team!
Congratulations to Lille OSC for the French double.
Now, hmmm, Mr Hazard? Your Eurostar is waiting.
TABS; Richie Powling. Genius,
Holic, TS, Ollie; should you, per chance, find yourself with a pint in hand in a riverside pub tomorrow. Spare a moment to enjoy one of my favourite views in the world. For 20 years that was my home.
Don’t feel too sorry for me, though. http://www.google.es/search?um=1&hl=es&safe=off&biw=1024&bih=485&tbm=isch&sa=1&q=beautiful+barcelona&aq=f&aqi=&aql=&oq=
have fun ‘holic and all going…be nice to have a happy memory for the months ahead….
tabs – I enjoyed that…..good candidates in the back four indeed…I think David Price needed consideration somewhere too
this should support my Price claim
http://www.arsenal.com/assets/_files/images/oct_09/gun__1256902357_price_david.jpg
a good song for tomorrow here also – http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SEOIeYjhaY0
Well done the ladies.
Proud to be a Gooner
(and it’s been a while)
Morning all. On our way for the last time this season 🙁
Come on the Arse !
‘Holic , Give ’em a cheer from me .
Nas@25 – Given that I won’t be doing any male modelling anytime soon , and given that I couldn’t get the dream ticket of Christian Gross and Peter Beardsley , I am the self- appointed manager of this side , and like any good manager , I won’t be swayed by any heckling from the stands ! Bac stays in ’til he sorts his barnet out .
Tim@29 – Pricey couldn’t be tempted away from his lucrative contract with L’Oreal !
Morning one and all!
Tabs, more comedy gold @ #8 I see. With you on Bac’s barnet all the way. BTW, just the thought of Geoff Barnett in between the sticks still makes me shudder (even more that starting a game with Fabianski and having him replaced at half-time by Almunia). Bobby boy would have saved that Alan Clarke header in the ’72 cup final, surely? 😉
Enjoy the game today all, wherever/however you may be watching it.
I’ve decided against donning a ‘Bo-Selecta’ MJ get up, just in case I get stuffed and mounted (phnar) next to the existing statue. Will have fun anyway, whatever the result.
COYRRRs!!!
Have a great one TS .
Make sure you belt out Ollie’s song in front of the statue !
Tim @ #30
One of my Jam faves, should have been an A side.
tabs @ #35
Yes, will do my best. Sharmone MF 😉
Laters all….
Have a good day out gents 😀
Hi guys,
Wanted to hear what you think about this.
Cesc just tweeted (and deleted the tweet, it’s only on fb now) that he’s at the F1 race at Montmelo and he’s getting bombarded on fb for not showing up at Fulham.
Do you think he should get bombarded or that he’s fine? If I’m not mistaken lots of our foreign players who are injured for long periods prefer to have their rehab in their country e.g RvP, Cesc, Gallas etc. last season..
What do you guys think? Obviously it’s been approved by AW but does it, on your opinion, show he’s no longer AS committed to AFC as before?
Snir – I wouldn’t read too much into it
Tabs @33 Silvestre uglier than Sagna IMHO even if the position may no be quite right. Other than that, all I can say is aye aye captain. 🙂
Good Shout Nas but are you sure you’re not letting an assessment of their respective playing abilities cloud your judgement ?
My players are subject to 24 hour surveillance so as soon as Bac hits the barbers , I’ll give Silvestre a call.
Position not a problem as I can shuffle Richie Powling over to right back , and Silvestre can slot in at centre-half .
Fancy a job on the backroom staff ?
Van Persie is a monster!
how we’ve missed Vermaelen…..
This team is mentally sick. Dare I say the players are sick of each other.
I have never seen a team with so much possession be so lacklustre and not dangerous.
Thank god that season is over.
The problems, as ever, appear to be a lack of organisation and a surplus of mental issues.
It will be interesting to see how we solve the former without making some changes to the coaching team. I will be surprised if we can change the latter without bringing some serious new blood into the squad.
Over to you Arsene – time to prove the doubters wrong.
Oh, and very sorry to see Blackpool go but delighted that Birmingham won’t be around to wreck our season next year. Somebody be sure to give Barry Ferguson a slap on the back of the head as he drops through the trapdoor.
Yeah well said N7 – hope that little tosser Ferguson is in much pain.
It will be one less hoofball team that we have to play next season (unless of course their replaced by another hoofball team coming up!).
I too am glad that Birmingham have been relegated. Couldn’t happen to a better organization.
Sad to see Blackpool drop.
So start the transfer season talk. If Cesc is judged too expensive for Barça, and with Nasri still not signing a co tract extension, does this mean that FCB will swoop in for Sami this year? Cesc will eventually go as he is Barça’s homing pidgeon. He may even go on a free eventually.
Another sad ending for our beloved club. UCL qualifying after being in the running once for a quadruple. Why do we implode so predictably and gloriously every year? Pathetic really. This has got to stop!!!
Snir. I am away with family so have not seen any of the game but your comments could quite easily sum up the last 4 months. Why does it not surprise me?
The one little ray of light at the end 2 and a half months of absolute hell – lots of Birmingham fans crying their little eyes out . They better recover quickly , if they’re gonna make the recording of the Jeremy Kyle show tomorrow .
Thoughts on the game ? – our female mascot was a little on the mature side , I thought .
Sorry for Blackpool – Blackpool and Wigan staying up would have been the dream ticket as regards the relegation battle . Manure – c*nts to the end .
Come on Arsene , I’ve defended you stoutly for the last 5 years – time for a little repayment this summer .
Bring on the Sri Lankans !
Two goals conceded again from crosses, and they were just so easy.
Since the league cup final, we are third from bottom in the league, ahead of West Ham and Sunderland.
Bolton lost their last 5 prem league games. Game before that? They beat us.
I am so pissed off.
And fuck off McLeish.
High time for copious amounts of alcohol. A lint of Guinness to start please.
Barrels of alcohol tonight is a great suggestion, SV 🙂
Is the medicine cabinet open Dr Z ?
Usually the last day of the season gives me a horrible empty feeling. Today, I’m just relieved that it is all over.
I’ll take the lint out of my pocket and order two pints of Guinness to start. One for each hand.
SR – with ManC’s emergence, Spud’s persistence, and Liverfool’s new found insistence on opening their pocketbook, coupled with our stubbornness not to open ours, this season may prove to be better than next season. At least we still made the UCL. Next year we may not qualify for it and find ourselves in the UEL. We used to be in the top 4. Now the league has a top 6. And if we don’t start spending competitively we will not find ourselves in the UCL as consistently as we have in the past. That is just a cold hard fact of economics.
Copious amounts of alcohol is a remedy.
Ancelotti has been officially sacked. After winning the double last year and falling short of silverware this season. A manager who has won the UCL twice I believe.
Chelsea have no class at all. None.
Dont know of it is true, but I just heard Fabregas was in Spain today watching the Grand Prix. Probably gonna be house hunting tomorrow.
SR – Take a look at my #38 comment 😀
After a couple of hours I’ve seen that it’s actually AW’s policy not to have injured players travel with the team as they are a “distraction”.
SG, #38,
Sorry, missed it.
I would say that Cesc’s somewhat prolonged late season (questionable?) injury is very telling …
Cheers for the song, ‘Holic, and for keeping the bar in fine order this season. Guinness please, and a drink for my fellow Gooners. It’s been a long season, but here we still are. Looking forward to this summer’s shenanigans, bizarrely enough.
Cheers all.
Ah PIK the very man – get the californian green out old son
Somehow the game seemed an appropriate end to the season – poor defending, lack of passion, and a result that was good, but not good enough.
I’m expecting to see a number of changes in the coming months. Looking at Wenger, he seems let down by a number of the players in his squad. I know that all things come down to him, but I think several players have not repayed the faith shown to them.
Guinness and tickets for next seasons Happy Train please. An open medicine cabinet wouldn’t be bad either.
Trying to think of the song to sum up the season. Apparently there isnt a song called ‘We Are Overpaid And Cannot Defend’ so ‘Paint It Black’springs to mind.
Love Will Tear Us Apart ?
Well that was one damp squib end to the season. We need to win every game we said. We won one…and that was the tough one. Its going to be a summer of constant speculation which is a pity as I hate filtering through the dregs of Newsnow. I dont think Arsene is going to make many people happy this summer as we seem to all have become transfer experts but I will say that if he spends what he can afford, what Arsenal can afford and strengthens the obvious areas then he cant help but improve this team, a small kick up the arse in the right direction rather than full scale surgery and retaining the core will do me although I am easily pleases. As Tom waits says,,,Last call for drinks I,ll have another stout..
I see a red shirt and I want it painted black.
How about…..
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=z1HAtmJaWG0
Probably not relevant, but I just like it….
To those calling for Arsene’s head on a platter….please note how Chelsea operate….they spend large and sack good managers. You can have your cake and eat it too if you support a club like that.
Song for the season? http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=E6zcTRAeNp0
Sorry Tabs @ 53 – it is now
(I’ve been out playing 5s and we got horsed so self medicating all round I think – I’ll make up an excuse to tell True Storey later…..)
I will wait on the Landlord’s match report before musing on where we go next.
I am glad the season is over. The majority of the last 3 months have been embarrassing. Time for some serious soul searching. I agree with the comment above that said arsene had been very much let down by some of the players.
excellent Dr Z – I’m prescribing myself the new wonder time travel pill and will stay in May 04 until august
How about Denilson wanting to leave due a lack of trophies at the club?
Comments anyone?
Has this season been the worst late season implosion in recent memory?It’s got to be up there.
I feel like Bill Murray in Groundhog’s Day.
Stingy Voyeur, As you imply in your second paragraph, this season’s implosion was one of the worst but not much different from last year.
We should make a listing of our implosion history. If you can’t laugh at yourself …
Just watched the brief highlights on motd. Another 2 very poor goals to give away again. I am amazed by he standard of some of the goals we have let in this season.
Steve T., I am just watching the goals for the first time on arsenalist.com and my first reaction is: On their first goal, why was Gibbs 20 yards away from their player on the wing?
We need to buy a world class CB. Full stop.
Well that was a good day out. Shame about the football. Sounds familiar, doesn’t it? Ts and the batman in good form! Goodbye 2010-2011. You promised much but delivered agOn. You slaaaaag
I have very little faith in Gibbs being a long term solution at LB. Remember the UCL SF 2nd leg v Man Utd? He consistently makes mistakes and does not learn from them (a trait too many of our players have from a defensive standpoint).
Batman? Barman. Well he’s got wings too
Aaaaaah fuck iPod. Whatever agon came from
8 ball. I have thought long and hard about your very well thought out question. After careful consideration I have to conclude that I have absolutely no idea. The defending for the goals today I would suggest did not even make it to basic.
assuming no-one new at LB, play TV5 at left back with 2 new centre halves – well, i can dream .
Welcome back Ollie , did you give the statue a rousing rendition after a few Timothy Taylors ?
SV and Steve T., So far I think a lot of people have given Gibbs a pass due to his youth and his Englishness but I haven’t really seen anything from him that gives me much hope, rather the opposite. Nervousness mostly.
8ball – I second that. That’s what I see also. I’ve heard that if Clichy doesn’t resign this summer then they will move him leaving Gibbs as the #1 LB. That leaves me with stomach upset tbh. Even more than the stomach upset due to Clichy.
I did love TV’s goal line clearance today.
Who will we be pulling for in this year’s UCL Final? Are we rooting against Barça since they keep coming after Cesc and have put us out the last two years? Or are we rooting against ManUre because they put us out two years ago and are consistently right proper c*nts?
What’s the greatest evil here?
SV – Just do what I do, don’t watch the game and hope for a lot of injuries.
If the ref wasn’t Bussaca I would have said I support the ref in that match but I hate him too.
Personally, I don’t think you can attain a higher twat coefficient than ManUre’s.