Arsenal Have Only Themselves To Blame, But…
Dec 27th, 2011 by 'holic
The dropping of points by Manchester City, Chelsea, and Liverpool, yesterday gave Arsenal the opportunity to get right in the mix against a side that does not travel well. Courtesy of Setanta Canada I had a perfect stream to view. Technology is a wonderful thing. Perhaps the powers that be should make greater use of it.
Arsenal welcomed back Djourou and Song, and with Rosicky and Benayoun stepping in for Ramsey and Walcott there was a decent looking balance to the starting eleven. Both sides started brightly with Jarvis threatening twice down the Arsenal right, but when his second cross went begging a counter attack of pace ended with Gervinho scoring a breathtaking opener from Benayoun’s magnificent pass. There was a touch of Wengerball mark one about that.
We nearly added to it as first Vermaelen, then van Persie, went close to adding a second in the opening fifteen minutes. The skipper was denied again by the first of a string of saves by the outstanding Hennessey as the visitors fought valiantly to avoid surrendering what would surely have been a conclusive second goal. Then, astonishingly, they were level. I screamed for an offside call as Fletcher deflected Hunt’s effort wide of Szczesny, but had missed Song strolling out from the right-back berth. It was about the one important call the officials got right all game.
A minute before the equaliser there had been much positive comment on various online platforms, and a minute after the frustrations started to creep in. That Arsenal had appeared to take their foot of the accelerator was compounded by some mystifying refereeing by Stuart Attwell. Let me say here and now his incompetence affected both sides. His awful second-half performance cannot be justifiably said to have determined the result. Arsenal have only themselves to blame for not turning territorial domination into three points.
Twelve minutes into the second-half we had what looked a decent penalty shout. I’ve seen them given, and seen them not. I’ve seen Wayne Rooney abuse referees far worse than Thomas Vermaelen did Atwell without penalty. The Belgian was booked, clearly irritated at the lack of an award. The man in the middle didn’t help matters when positioning himself between the ball and the skipper, thus preventing van Persie from taking a free-kick. That was a new one, even on me.
As the game entered the final quarter the visiting ‘keeper’s performance improved in inverse proportion to that of the referee. Mertesacker, van Persie, and Vermaelen were all denied by the man destined to be man-of-the match. His colleague Milijas was less fortunate. He did lose control of the ball and in attempting to recover it took both man and ball as he challenged Arteta, but it was not reckless, studs were not raised, and a free-kick would have been sufficient penalty. The red card must surely be rescinded if the idiot reviews his decision honestly.
Wolves loins were girded at the injustice, and by hook or by crook they played out time for their point. The last of a string of poor calls from the referee came when he added no time to the additional six minutes, despite having booked the Wolves ‘keeper for time-wasting during it. By that time it came as no surprise.
Afterwards Arsene was frank in his assessment.
“At the moment what we have to learn is that when we are one nil up in some departments we cannot be too comfortable. We were caught in a position where we can only blame ourselves. Apart from that their keeper had the game of his life, Wolves fought like mad and well done to them.”
I cannot argue with any of that. Another opportunity to cement a top four berth has gone. That is the most disappointing aspect of the day. A shrewd signing or two to add to the experience and quality in the squad will have us better prepared than one or two of our rivals, hopefully, when squeaky bum time arrives in the final third of the season. What a shame we are not already in a position which we would need to defend, rather than improve upon.
417 Responses to “Arsenal Have Only Themselves To Blame, But…”
Beer please!!! 🙂
First?
Ah, foiled by the catalan…
Somewhat distraught that Catalan got here first, but I’ll echo his sentiment. Beer! Loads of it.
5th for the round on Me instead of Lars!
I’m not goint to continue my harsh outlook on todays game howver nothing can defend those who played the game! Two points lost beacuse complacancy was allowed to creep in yet again!
We can do better than that! But we need to stop letting oursevles down like this!
Come on Arsenal!
Well, I’ll start watching Norwich-Sp*rs, but if it looks like I fear it will during the opening minutes I’ll stop watching. No need to torment myself even more.
Lars
It’s all in the DNA 😉
Catalan, so what you are saying is that you took a dive and cheated your way to first? 😀
Toby
Come on, you can take consolation that you were beaten by the better man! 😉
I’ll get you another beer to soothe the disappointment
Top ten?
Oh bollocks
Lars
Had to pay off the ref first…
Disappointed, but will take positives in a decent Arshavin performance, a good goal for Gervinho, and fine match for both Yossi and Rosicky.
A pint of Guinness and a late Christmas present (a striker) for me please.
Great report Holic . Have to say I’m very much on the “but” part of your headline .
Crikey , there was some serious hand ringing going on here today in the last set of drinks . I think all we needed were some FACTS from Leg Rash just to complete the picture .
Very disappointing but “shame” as I read more than once ? Give me a break . One of those days , nothing more , nothing less .
Yes we switched off for 15 mins before HT to allow Wolves to build a momentum which resulted in a hugely fortuitous goal .
Prior to their goal , we had dominated , and if VP hadn’t been somewhat constricted by thoughts of record-breaking , we would have been several goals to the good .
In the last 30 of the second half , we did everything but score . Thwarted in large part by a keeper who won’t enjoy a better game this season , in both his save-making and the huge element of fortune he enjoyed , this was not a game played with complacency but simply a day when we didn’t get the run of the ball .
Shame it had to happen against the great Yorkshire Wit , but hey ho .
Frustrating that we we couldn’t take advantage of our rivals similar slip-ups , (and so Arsenal ) , but no ground lost either . Agree with GoonerTerry in that respect .
Anyone looking higher up the table than that and talking about “title credentials” is frankly indulging in nothing more than an adolescent wet dream . About time you woke up .
Come on the Canaries .
a couple of hours of being vomited on by my 9 month old has restored good humour, so I must take back some of my criticism of AA for this match.
It was more born out of frustration with his season as a whole, but no need to make him a scapegoat for this game.
I’ll happily take the beverage and get you one from the money earned from my (quite proud of it actually) assist in the last gam… eh post by ‘Holic. Ah, what a low wage and a nice chunk of assist-bonuses can do for your attitude and commitment…
Well in!
Catalan@13: heh!
tabs, I have to say that I, to my disappointment, let my lack of sleep in the past few days get the better of me right after the game which clouded my judgment of things. Thinking about it now, the chances we created should have been more than enough to win it comfortably but it was one of those days.
Pretty much one-way traffic at Carrow Road, unfortunately (but not unexpectedly) it’s in the wrong direction. Still 0-0 25 mninutes into the game but there is no way that’s going to last. Not expecting any help from Norwich in this game.
Right, off to make myself a cuppa.
Bah, Humbug, Jolly My Arsenal!
T’is the season to be jolly, of-course. But it was difficult to be jolly as this two-part pantomime at Christmas unfolded. The Big Bad Wolve, despite being reduced to Seven Dwarves, Pinochio and Aladdin with his Genie in goal, Wandered down to The Emirates, dimmed the footlights, took the spotlight and stole the stage from Red Robin Hood, leaving Arsenal’s cupboard barer than Paris Hilton on a taxi exit.
London Underground, Overground and the Hammersmith Flyover had all played their part in a 24 hour delay which left the stadium looking emptier than Dick Whittington’s cat as the orchestra cranked up the opening chords of Move On Up in anticipation of the three shooting star, three point delight that was about to sparkle. All of the top four wannabees, except the Deeply Indebted, had laid two golden eggs at the bottom of the beanstalk, Arsenal’s for the taking, even without Jack to buy the beans and work the magic.
An early goal was an absolute must to prize open the door to Ali Baba’s cave and let 40 thousand exultant Gooners off the Captain Hook before you could say Swiss Family Robinson. And after a couple of “My, what big boots you have” moments from Wolfie, Arsenal duly obliged.
Benny n Joon were both looking lively in mid-field and from one of their sublime through balls, Flipper, hired at great expense from Ringling Brothers specially for Christmas almost screwed it up. With a pass to Red Robin Hood being the obvious move, Gervinho elected to squirm inside on one of his deadly forays that often come to nowt. On this occasion through a leftward swerve was followed by a perfect left foot driver that cruised past Hennessy quicker than you could say “It’s behind you!”
So there it was, set up perfectly inside 8 minutes or the five goal thriller that would turn mice into horses, lizards into footmen and rats, well rats will be rats won’t they Rooney? Gooner hearts soared higher than Peter Pan, shivered in anticipation like the Snow Queen, beat faster than Tam O’Shanter on his guid mare Meg.
With Wolfie on the canvas, more horizontal than Sleeping Beauty, Arsenal decided to play like Barca. The trouble was in a five-minute spell in which Wolfie’s straw house should have been blown away, riggle-tig-tig, Arsenal decided to weave golden threads finer than Rapunzle’s, without showing any desire to score the quick second that would have put the dragon to the sword, cooked is goose and served it up crisper than a pig in a blanket.
But this is Arsenal we’re writing about here. Not for them myrrh, frankincense and gold. Not for us contentment and relaxation at Christmas. But instead, generousity to all men that knows no bounds from set pieces. Our defense had looked tighter than the string on The Lost Boys kites. Who was playing in our goal? We had seen neither hyde nor a hair of him when, slap-bang-wallop. It was 1-1 and perfectly set up to finish that way. You could just feel it, even then, with all that time still to go.
In the seventy minutes that remained, Arsenal huffed and they puffed but they couldn’t blow the ball over the line, hard as they tried. Even the introduction of the Little and Large in a cameo role as the Two Ugly Sisters failed to raise any feathers. (We were SURPRISED, weren’t we boys and girls?). Alex the Ox looked on forlornly as Gooners worldwide sighed silently and wondered.
Fair play to Wolves today, they’ll be delighted by a point, stolen from the jaws of victory by Arsenal themselves. Hennessy played superbly and their defense did yeoman’s work with maybe a little help from Lady Luck looking down and throwing a double-six to help them in time of need.
I’m off out to see Hugo, Gooners. Have an egg nog on me. Podolski anyone?
Another game,like Fullham, to point out the obvious. The team needs January signings in numbers of a wolf pack. Hungry to trail prey in a synchronized effort, raise their upper lips when faced with resilient opponents and capable of molding our puppies into stone cold killers.
Scene: Dimly lit room behind the Gooner Holic Bar: an emergency meeting of the team. Arthur has called the meeting and as the assembled Holics take their seats, Arthur paces up and down..GT can sense that he is pissed off and stands up and attempts to make a joke but Arthur shoots him one of his famous glares and he immediately sits back down sheepishly.
Arthur: Order, Order! Zico..sit the fuck down..Gentlemen what the fuck just happened?
(before anyone can respond, Arthur sweeps his drink off the table and the shattering glass startles the Holics into silence!)
Arthur: That was not good enough!
(silence)
Arthur: Well? Aren’t any of you lot going to try to tell me that there is a positive side to what we have just witnessed? …Because if you are then you had better speak up now before I get fucking mad!
GoonerTerry being the newest member of the team is not sure about the protocol of these meetings puts his hands up..
Arthur: YES!!!
GT: (mumbling) well I can only speak for myself but I feel that my game was off today due to the fact that I rather pigged out for the past 3-days. I especially regret yesterday because having promised myself that I would abstain I got involved in a little overeating again and so I felt a little leggy in the second half…
Arthur: (interrupting) What kind of lame excuse is that? You knew full well we had a game today! That’s not good ENOUGH!! I was occupied looking after four countries plus Germany! I can’t believe that the one time that I am unavailable you lot conspire to fuck it up!
Zico: oh come on Arthur that’s a little strong. The boys didn’t do too badly considering..
Arthur: (interrupting again) CONSIDERING?? Considering what? You are all professionals. There are no excuses…
Zico: well we did not have a fit team! Lars has been in bed the last few days and only got up for the game. CoR just flew in from Japan and was jet lagged. Holic has been distracted taking care of Mrs H. GoonerTerry as we’ve heard…
Arthur: For fuck sake!!! All excuses..It was not good enough and the sooner you all admit that simple fact the better! We have the QPR game coming up and I’d advise you all to go home and think about whether or not you want to win this thing or whether you want to go on making excuses! On the training pitch in the morn ing at 8:30 sharp!
With that he storms out of the room and into the night..stunned the assembled holics just sat there looking at each other…all ashamed to speak….suddenly the silence is broken as the door flies open and in steps Ollie and LeGrash looking a little too happy..
LeGrash: Hello chaps…when is the meeting due to start?
Lars watching the game as well one traffic it well be but I have see in too often! 🙂
Having made myself a cuppa I find that the inimitable BtM has produced yet another great piece and GoonerTerry some brilliant humour as well! Cheers lads, this place really is brilliant for picking oneself up from misery after disappointing results!
You know, after we scored there was a period of the game where we continued to poke the ball around the midfield…must have been 50 straight completed passes with no urgency. I realize the bus was still parked but I thought to myself, what if there is a cock-up?….we need another goal….and of course the inevitable happened when they finally got the ball back…which when all said and done was probably half of their .0000567% possession in the game.
You are correct, the ref did not affect the outcome but made the contest much more unbearable to watch. Man, was that frustrating.
Well, 0-0 at half time between the Canaries and the Cocks. Have to say though that for all their possession, Spurs have really only created one clear-cut chance so far.
Evening Holics
How did we not win that game! Perhaps RVP was trying too hard. Perhaps had we had a wide man with real pace , who could actually cross a ball to one of our players in the box ,we might have done better. Sadly young Jenks is not available and the Ox was left on the bench.
Song didn’t have one of his better games and was lucky not to pick-up 2 yellows in the matter of 30 seconds. I was relieved when Arsene took him off.
We still find it beyond us to concentrate for 90 minutes and to unpick opponents with ten men behind the ball. We can’t get LJW back soon enough. To say I was disappointed is an understatement. The fans were terrific in the second half, we could not have done more.
We became complacent after 30 minutes of the first half , after playing some great attacking football and over anxious in the assault on the Wolves goal in the final 15 minutes.
Saturday and Monday nolonger seem the 3 pointers we all hoped for.
As always COYRs
@ 15 – what he said.
GoonerTerry 🙂
Hallo ‘Holics,
Back in from the cold to see new “faces” plying their trade as authors. Good job, GT.
Bit annoyed with the dropped points, but that’s the way the cookie crumbles sometimes. I am more concerned with this crutch of “complacency.” That is a tired, worn-out excuse.
If anything, this and the Fulham game, should convince the powers that be that the League is a bridge too far. We need to focus on the the League-Cup and the CL. January purchases should be made with those two tasks in mind.
I look forward to catching up with you boyos in the new year.
PS, I left a bottle of Macallan 18 on the bar. Drink responsibly fellas.
BMBD!
Which team looked the most dangerous in all the games played over the last two days? The most creative? Who had the lion’s share of possesion? And if it still counts anymore, the most attractive sytle of futbol? Really is ours for the taking, isn’t it. And I would just bet anything that the managers of the so called top four are quaking in their boots right about now. And for good reason.
Fuck. Monkey Man scores for the Cocks. Dreadful defending by Norwich, who quite frankly are pretty much dreadful in general in this game.
No need to watch anything more of this game now, in other words.
add
You could say how did we allow them score too…
We cant rely on Norwich matey 🙂
Evening all,
been back from the Ems about two hours now and still can’t quite believe we didn’t score a second goal.
The statistics really tell the story unfortunately –
23 Shots, 17 on target, 1 Goal –
in that if RvP does not score, it is unlikely anyone else will. Not to detract, of course, from a brilliant, if too rare, goal from Gervinho. He did create all afternoon, and for a long time was the only one to really go at the Wolves defence.
Two things should be said –
Hennessey had one of those ‘worldy’ days that Arsenal seem to inspire in too many visiting ‘keepers –
The referee was a complete and utter joke.
It is not an excuse for not getting the winning goal, but the incompetent oaf just totally lost control of the game.
His main purpose in the second half seemed to be to demonstrate his writing skills to the baying crowd. I have never seen an official waste so much time during a game.
His obstruction of RvP as the latter attempted to strike on goal from a free kick was truly ridiculous.
I said to the chap who sits next to me. before kick off, that this was the fast tracked genius who awarded a goal that never entered the net, and has made massive blunders in almost every game I have seen him “control” (no, really), live or on TV.
He did not disappoint.
He allowed Wolves to run the game with their arguing en masse at every opportunity, their standing endlessly in front of free kicks, their play acting and feigning of injury, and their calling of players on and off the pitch at a substitution, when they actually changed their mind having called Hunt off, only to send him back on in order to call off Stumbly Wriggly McArgue or whoever.
I don’t know how much of that came across on the streams, but it made for one of the most frustrating afternoons I can remember.
Cheating, it’s called. McCarthy be proud – you all did it so well.
Right, off to the West Country tomorrow – missing my second game since the Ems opened on the 31st 🙁
Thanks zico, for my virtual Christmas present.
Til tomorrow, typing in a Devonshire burr 😉
GT
Great stuff. More please. 🙂
Tabs @ 15 – put me down for what you said too 😉
Nice report Trev
Bon Voyage. Hope you’ve had your vaccinations – there’s dodgy folk in them there rolling hills… 🙂
GoonerTerry @ 22 – good stuff.
Any HT passenger, or DLL official, feeling unwell for any reason should report to The Quackery, where Mr C and myself are always waiting to help.
We always aim to please, about as well as Chamkh 😉
Cheers Catalan –
some of the sheep can be a bit funny too . . .
I need a drink 🙁
Feel free ette, Lars is over in the corner . . .
If you don’t stuff ’em with couple of easy pieces in the first 30 minutes then pull back the offensive line for chrissake and lured ’em in their own hell. It’s a ten men team against us on the pitch, if half of them are stupid, we’ re gonna sneak a stinker or two, no doubt…but for years now we’ re having the same “redseeing bull” approach when we’re facing a weaker side – push, push, push…. I’m gonna say it loud and clear – Ljungberg is not playing for us for some time, Arsene.
If he can whip me up a Martini.
Scum win. I feel sick.
G’night bar peeps.
New it!!!!
I think today told us a lot about the current Arsenal squad.
Please please don’t anyone tell me we were unlucky, the Wolves keeper had the game of his life,the ref was useless etc etc.
We are to be brutally frank,a top 6 team at this moment in time.
With all our injuries,the lack of quality in the backup players is there for all to see.
Note the word quality,not workrate,or heart or desire,Quality.!!
We have a good solid squad with 3-4 of our first eleven on the sidelines.
If and when they return and assuming none of the other first eleven suffer long term injury,we could be a top 4 side.
We just don’t have the extra bit of class, that you need in games like today’s,where you can still dig out a result regardless of how many players the opposition put behind the ball.
Wolves/Blackburn/Fulham all with abysmal form,go to 3 of the top six and all come away with a point.
That tells you more about the lack of quality across the squads of the team’s they played than it does about them.
Man City and Utd are the benchmark for everyone,City because their money has allowed them to buy some of the best players in Europe,and Utd because they are just that,Utd.
Arsenal have come a long way since their disastrous start to the season,but today, showed me at any rate,that we still have much work to do to get to the next level.
It still puzzles me why the Boss persists in sending on 2 substitutes who on current form wouldn’t make my Sunday morning pub team,whilst leaving some of the hungrier younger players on the sidelines.
But what do i know.
Seriously dampened spirits,exacerbated by the Spuds comfortable win at Norwich.
Bah,Humbug.
Grumpy Sweeper.
Trev @ 33 I feel the pain mate so close and yet so far from scoring!
Hennesey or whatever his name is had decent game I suppose!
Geoff @ 11/12, haha!
BtM @ 20, lovely panto recountation of the match 🙂
my fellow knowledgeable fans @ 27, 29 and 30 are collectively on the money.
Not more I can say apart from good write up ‘Holic, especially with the LWCs winning, its not going to make for easy sleeping for me.
Nice post Clive
And sadly accurate , I believe.
Catalan Dad just texted me from Bournemouth to complain about “The Ox being stapled to the bench”!
I don’t wanna admit it, but by jove Clive, you are right 🙁
Catalan @ 47, your dad’s text is hilarious, stapled an’ all! 😆
BtM@20: crackerjack.
Others@various: that old feeling that, in AW’s much-used phrase, we are a bit short, has returned. We’ve lost the revival momentum. Only three wins in our last eight games in all competitions. Only 10 goals scored, four against Wigan, and eight conceded.
I had a long post prepared as I made my way home from the HoF, but Clive said it all, and probably much better than I could.
However I would like to add that “ghost goal” Attwell should not be let anywhere near a Premiership game again. “Fast tracked” my arse. Wouldn’t even let him near a Sunday league game. He is utterly useless.
If only he’d been officiating at Carrow Road today instead…
Kind of a crap day fotballistically. Off to bed now, see you tomorrow everyone.
Back home.
With kebab.
Wasn’t really worth the extra money on the Eurostar.
Very frustrating.
And thanks good man snowy and bathgooner for the drinks.
All well better not risk that joke I had in mind…Gloomy patrons at the bar tonight. Everyone going home early. Nuts! Where are the nuts barman?
Still surprised ‘holic didn’t mention that blatantest of penalties on both RvP and Kos on the same corner (I definitely saw it on RvP but other witnesses confirm both were scandalously impeded).
Not a case of ‘seen them given or not’ for this one, but utter incompetence.
Yes, we should have scored more anyway so can’t blame it all on that, but it’s still irritating that we’re not allowed to play football by the same rules as other teams sometimes.
I haste to add that it may just be that television didn’t show it (sometimes I forget you see some things better in the stadium), but trust me it was ridiculous.
Still too frustrated to even think about the game, let alone comment about it.
Pardon – re new it!!! Fact!!!!!
The day did not start too well. My youngest and elected companion for today’s match awoke coughing his boots up. What would the boss do I thought? So the team doctor was summoned and appropriate doses of Benelyn and Calprohen were administered. The pre match fitness test was conducted but alas the little fella did not pass. Coughs, splutters and the odd moan meant that his older sister was quickly promoted to a starting role. One that she accepted gleefully.
My first impressions on arrival were ones of a bit of a Christmas hangover. It was as if the vast majority had used the extra day to over indulge and that today was a bit of an inconvenience. A case of get in, collect an easy three points and get home again. Sadly, it did not pan out like that.
We started off brightly enough. Gervinho’s strike after 8 mins should have seen the flood gates open. However, what was to follow was as unconvincing as the finish itself. It was nothing short of complacency in the extreme. Passes went astray, and it all seemed a bit lacklustre. It was as if the game was won after 8 minutes.
We should have been 3 up by the time Wolves got a huge slice of luck with their goal but we were not. You could see the doubts setting in. With just under an hour of play to go there should have been ample time to take all three points against a Wolves side that has not recorded a point on the road since August, not scored at Arsenal for 27 years and has lost on their previous six visits to London. But the Pantomime season so eloquently eluded to by BTM was still in abundance.
Hennessy had a good game. His efforts deserved the luck he got. But we did not really up the tempo until the last quarter. In the end we have let another lead slip away and two massively important points go with it. Attwell was just a total clown. I am generally reluctant to blame officials but I have never seen a more appropriate recipient of the song, “you’re not fit to referee.”
Their were several problems today. One of the biggest was the lack of width yet again. We are suffering massively from having no fit full backs. Gerviniho spent most of the match cutting inside. Neither TV or JD attempted to overlap the wide players. The results were that the middle of the pitch was massively over crowded. I really fail to see what the point is in slinging in crosses when we have given the defence time to settle and when they are all 6 foot plus. It just becomes a lottery.All we do is close down our own space.
I agree with almost everything Clive says at 44. You only had to look at the bench today and realise that. Who on there would you look to to turn a game? We are bereft of quality, and I mean real quality in certain areas. If AW really thinks that Chamakh is the answer then what the fuck is the question? His only contribution was to attempt to KO the one and only goal scorer we do have. I mentioned on here about 6 weeks ago about signing Henry on a short term deal. If he is not on the bench for the Fulham game I will be very disappointed. As Holic points out we need to make a few shrewd signings, and soon. I do not want the fax machine working overtime with 5 minutes to go on deadline day.
At the end of the game we all sloped off home with a feeling of total disappointment. For me this was a must win game. This was a chance to put to bed all the problems of the first few weeks of the season. Points dropped by others could have put us comfortably into the top 4. With very winnable games to follow we had the chance to cement our place there. But no, we just simply were not good enough to do that, and that is the worrying factor for me. We ran out of ideas and did not have the personnel to do anything about it.
There were some positives though. I thought Rosicky played well, Yossi looked creative and we looked solid at the back. But that is about it. Not a lot else to shout about.
Arthur, thank you for your kind thoughts in the previous drinks. Much appreciated. She had a great deal of fun even if the performance was woefully short of what is expected. I just hope we do not make the same mistakes against QPR.
Onwards and upwards.
Ollie, would have been tricky to see from my viewpoint but nothing from Atwell today would surprise me. He was as poor as I have seen.
And I will ask the question one last time. Park? Why???????? Seriously, what is the point?????
How many times will we have to see visiting keepers always seem to have a blinder at the Emirates? Or is this similar to the situation where someone concludes that if you mix whiskey with water, mix whiskey with soda, mix whiskey with ginger ale, and you get drunk in each circumstance, that it must be the mixing items that cause inebriation. Maybe it’s the Arsenal lack of consistent shooting prowess, or inability/reluctance to pull the trigger when a shot is called for, that is the real issue in many of these all too similar home fixtures in recent seasons. Where’s the poacher/fox in the box that hasn’t been seen at home fixtures since Eduardo in his pomp? And if Park isn’t it (though he seems to do that regularly for his national side) then why is he here? And could the focus be placed on getting the 3 points and much less on getting RVP a record?
Even Kolo said it, not focusing on the record will get you the record. Robin went for it guns and cannons ablaze, and it showed in his game.
Had he been more relaxed, he would of got 1 at the minimum, and be well on the way to breaking or equalling it, and we would of won the game.
Oh well, c’est la vie.
Scene Two: The meeting having broken up in disarray the assembled holics retreated to the bar. GT being the teetotaler that he is positioned himself at the end of the bar – and near the toilets – and ordered a Bitter Lemon. He watches intently as LegRash and Steve T enters the bar carrying on a rather animated conservation just out of earshot:
Steve T: ..for fuck sake Rash… it was just a figure of speech..
Rash: Look! If you come out and say something like “If Chamakh is the answer, then what’s the fucking question?”..you must have an idea of what the question is. You get my drift?
Steve T (rolling his eyes and looking around the bar he spots TABs taking a seat, drink in hand) “TABs..can you explain to Rash here that a rhetorical question doesn’t reallyrequire an answer”
(TABs pretending not to hear takes a longish slurp of his drink to drown out the sound and then turns his back – Rash looking rather exasperated spots GoonerTerry in the corner and makes a bee-line for him)
Rash: Jamaica!
GT: Wassup Rash? How’s it hanging?
Rash: Everybody’s got the right hump tonight don’t they?
GT: Yea I guess Arthur shook us up real good…I hate these Christmas games…such a lottery…all that food & drink…how’s a bloke suppose to resist the temptation to indulge? I very nearly showed up for the game as I was sick as a pig…but if I never played who would have eh?
Rash: That’s a fact GT! Funny old game wasn’t it mate? Fucking Chamakh! Well if he is the answer then what is the fucking question eh?
GT: Eh?
Rash: You know…what’s the fucking question?
GT: About what?
Rash: About Chamakh?
GT: Is that code for something?
Rash: What you mean like?
GT: Code…you know like that Morrington Crescent malarkey..
Rash: Not you fucking too Tel..what the fuck!
With that he turns and storms out of the bar leaving GoonerTerry bewildered in the corner with his Bitter Lemon in hand..
Howdy Holics.
Loved the panto piece from BtM (Oh no I didn’t, OH YES I DID!!!) and enjoyed GT’s efforts too.
Great reports from those on the spot, always highly apprieciated. Also love the tabs “ït’s not the end of the world” post, and indeed it’s not, however I must admit that I agree more with Clive’s and Steve T’s musings and I’m real dissapointed with todays result. I feel we shot ourselves in the foot a bit (at the very least a toe suffered).
It’s been a long day for me, started behind the bar an hour before kick off and just finished up 15mins or so ago. So I might not be in the best state to rationalise about the game, my thoughts directly after the final whiste was that this was a wasted chance and a shame, at this moment I stand by that opinion.
Better get some ZZZ’s in, nightcap on the bar for those who want it.
Any ideas why AW keeps putting Chamakh and Arshavin on? Surely the Ox is better than those 2 on current form.
GT, top stuff 🙂
Third night running where I can’t sleep. Haven’t been out the door since Saturday, this is like being in bloody Big Brother, ony with no cameras and not surrounded by peroxide bimbos with ridiculously disproportionate boob jobs…
SteveT: as discussed in the last post, I suspect that Arsene didn’t want Park at all and that he was a forced aquisition from up top much like the Asian tour which Arsene quite clearly wasn’t too happy about.
Anyway, Atwell really is a clown. I’m sure he’s a nice chap who helps old ladies across the road, but he’s not fit to referee the top flight. Wasn’t it him that showed that unbelievably unjustified red card to Jack Rodwell in the Merseyside derby earlier this season as well? Also, look at the red card he showed today, I honestly suspect that he didn’t know who the supposed culprit was. Look at his actions, he just throws up the card in no particular direction, he is certainly not looking at Milijas at the time anyway.
GoonerTerry, Another excellent piece. 😀 Thanks, it helps ease the pain somewhat …
Such a wasted opportunity.
How obvious is it that 1) Hennessy will have a shocker next week.
2) All our rivals will win once we get back to winning ways.
So, so frustrating.
9:40 PM Jamaica time so if there’s no other business to discuss I will adjourn to watch Hugo with my daughter on the internet..see you holics later when I am sure that the postmortem will still be in session
Oh hi Rash..thanks mate..we try our best for the morale of the team. Take care and see you tomorrow – my daughter is giving me the evil eye..
GoonerTerry, I watched Hugo with my daughter yesterday, in an actual cement and mortar movie theater, and can recommend it highly.
Morning ‘Holic & ‘Holics
Certainly a bit of leftover ‘bah! humbug!’ this morning after yesterday’s highly disappointing results.
I only managed the first 30 mins on crackly AM followed by sneaky peeks at my feckin’ Apple for the rest of the match. However, having read The Maestro’s and BtM’s masterpieces, the fine match reports from Mr.T and Steve T (The T Brothers?) and sage words from Mr.Waterman and tabs I get the full picture of what happened.
I’ve seen those games before at The Ems and at Highbury. My old man would have described such games as “too much turkey Arsenal”.
Clive really summed it up for me in terms of the squad. We’ve now got all the heart, teamwork and spirit that we missed last year but not the depth of the squad required to really push on. A canny signing or two from the man who knows a thing or two about canny signings could make a world of difference (quiet please at the back about Messrs. Park & Squillaci!).
I also agree with tabs in that it was just one of those days in terms of ‘rub of the green’. It sounded like we did enough to win but didn’t. By no means a disaster just highly disappointing when most of our rivals also succeeded in dropping points.
Looking forward to QPR when, hopefully, Xmas turkey will be a digested and evacuated memory 😉
PS: Good to see that Ollie and Top Man Snowy managed to keep the ‘Holic Tollie Xmas spirits flowing. Well done fellas 🙂
Steve T @ #60 – Now that really is a good question
iLars @ #66 – Sorry to hear about your ill-health induced insomnia. Hope you recover very soon. A conspiracy theory from you in answer to Steve T’s park question raised an eyebrow here. Most un-Lars like. Have you heard something or, like many of us, are you just wondering what is the point of a Park? BTW, you could ask the same question of a Torres at the moment 😉
I hope I never see that monkey referee ever again… not even in the 3rd division of the Libyan League.
There are plenty of positives still… but also plenty of sour points from the game…. for me the worst was the realization that referees don’t provide Arsenal players enough protection, and appear trigger-happy when it comes to bookings.
Who’s this Hugo chap? Not sure I’d trust him with my daughter, but I’m sure you both know best.
To compound yesterday’s disappointment, I discovered despicable Tory minister Michael Gove sitting two rows in front of me. I know we are struggling to fill the stadium but surely there is a line that shouldn’t be crossed?!
Having seen Arshavin and Chamakh again come on and fail to change the scoreline, does anyone know the most appropriate collective noun for Arsenal substitutes? A ‘fizzle’, a ‘flop’, a ‘disappointment’?
Jez
A ‘meh’ ?
CG. Hugo is a 16 year old we have signed from Guatemala. He is able to play in a variety of different positions. He is the next big thing. He will be loaned to.some Spanish two bob outfit where he will turn into a world class superstar. Expect to see him make his debut in about 5 years. A fantastic signing.
Steve T
Still don’t think I want to watch him on the internet with my daughter. Or in a theatre for that matter.
Morning all.
Another groundhog day, a disappointing draw at home to opponents that are there for the taking.
But no. This is The Arsenal.
Perhaps we should just get used to it?
The ones here, that like me have seen the mediocrity of the early 80’s football that we drummed up, surely realise that we have just simply been spoilt over recent years, and that some sort of comedown from the lofty perch was inevitable.
Whilst still firmly in the AKB camp, a manager that says he will not sign a full back in the only opportunity he has to sign a full back, ‘because then we will have 3, and they can’t all play’, causes the head to be scratched until blood is drawn.
Now, some Columbian from the bar please. Coffee that is. 😀
TS: it’s nothing I’ve heard or anything, it’s just that it doesn’t make sense not to play him if he is supposed to be adapting to the PL. He’s hardly even been in any squads, and it just seems strange not to at least give him five minutes here and there in games where we’ve already secured the points. We’ve had a couple of games where that would have been possible (WBA at home, Bolton at home, Wigan away come to mind straight away) but if he’s not even on the bench, how is he going to learn anything?
Jez: I actually thought Arshavin did rather well when he came on. To me he showed a lot more spirit and fight than in a long, long, long time.
You Don’t Just Get An Opinion – You Can Give Me One Too!Fact!!!
Injuries Sentence Us To Fifth Short-term – Long-Term We’ll Go Fourth And Multiply Our Chances Of Coming Up Against The Big Clubs In The Big Comps Again!!! Here’s How Mr. Wenger…
Regular lapper uppers of my humble offerings here will know that I played a fair bit myself in my time. Sunday league stuff maybes – but let me tell you none of us were mugs – if we had been we wouldn’t have lasted 5 minutes! Because believe me it’s not easy to put a decent shift in when you’re still 3 parts pissed or buzzing like a c@nt from the night before!!! If anything it forces you to concentrate even harder on the job in hand when you get to the ground!!!
EVEN if that job was the one where you’d been ordered to run the line so that you were in a great position to soak up everything before the manager sent you head-first into the fray to make THE difference with 3 or 4 minutes to go – plus a bit of injury time, possibly.
For that Rashers is the highly specialised role of the UTILITY PLAYER – the player that can do a job to EXACTLY the same standard ANYWHERE on the pitch!!!
It’s a role that requires a very, very, VERY special type of mentality – and one my old manager always said I was perfectly cut out for.
He’d put his arm around me and say “Son” – a great communicator – he always called me that.
“I think I know what’s coming Dad” – I’d shoot back quick as a flash.
“Good boy, good boy” me Dad/the manager would fire back – “You know you make it very, very, VERY hard for me don’t yer” he’d go on – “the other lot out there warming up and getting ready for the big game make it easy for me BECAUSE I know their BEST positions. BUT with YOU I still have absolutely no fucking idea whatsoever. You son defy definition!!! You’re a footballing enigma. You are as useful upfront as you are at the back. And you’re equally as effective ANYWHERE in the midfield. Sooo to you I give the toughest role of the lot!!! For you are my UTILITY player, my all-rounder, the ace in MY HOLE, the card UP my sleeve, my secret weapon, my game-changer, my tea-maker, my last fucking resort!!! No-one, and I mean NO-ONE, REEDS the game like you do!!! So take this flag, run the line, keep your eyes and ears open – work out the other lots weaknesses AND then IF I have to throw you on – in whatever position I need you to play, due to injuries or whatever – WALLOP! Get out there and win it for me!!! Oh – and er, don’t forget to get back to the changing-room and bang the kettle on 5 or 10 minutes before half-time, and you might as well slice up the oranges while you’re there!”
Now everyone knows – even our short-sighted so-called Arsenal manager – that we’ve been a bit unlucky with injuries in the full-back area. BUT you can’t have 5 or 6 full-backs in a squad can you – unless you’re gonna be a genuine innovator and rip it up and play a 7-3-1 or something. And we all know Arsene so-called Wenger don’t have the balls for that. But if you’re looking in Jose remember you saw it hear first – sunshine!
Soooo my point is Rashers – why not fill the whole squad with top-notch, highly expert utility players!!!
It’s got to be the way the way forward – it’s a no-brainer – no? A brave new dawn – no? A team packed with players who, just like me back in the day, can play anywhere on the park without anyone being able to work-out where their BEST position is because they’re able to do a job to EXACTLY the same standard wherever they are on the pitch!!!
And the BEST BIT is it would make injuries to players more-or-less meaningless in one foul swoop! One utility player gets a knock and another utility player takes his place and THERE’S NO discernible drop in standard!!! G.E.N.I.U.S. genius – no?
Wenger would never go that way though because to my mind he don’t think about the game deeply enough. He has ideas – whatever the fuck they are (cos I’m sure I can’t fucking work them out!)! And he sticks to them. Goodwill to all men and all that at this time of year – even him – but as another year draws to another close – have we won a trophy Arsene? No – then why not try something new that worked a treat for my old Sunday side only a decade or so ago!!!!Fact!!!!!
Surprise yourself Arsene – open your eyes and try listening to life-long loyal ARSENAL FANS like my readers and me – instead of leaving us stood on the side-lines looking on. Our opinions count too – and some of us just might come up with something you could use!!!DOUBLE FACT!!!In my opinion!!!
At the end of the day we all know he won’t listen to us though Rashers – don’t we?!?! AND I don’t see any point in going over the reasons for that – AGAIN!!!
Still plenty of food for thought for you lot there I think – including cold turkey hopefully!!! Piece!!!!!
Mark the Spark: on the other hand, Arsene has said such things before without it meaning anything. For example, in August he denied being interested in Arteta up until the last few hours of the transfer window and a few years ago he denied being interested in Arshavin until it was just ridiculous to keep it up anymore.
Now, I don’t expect a left-back to arrive in January but it wouldn’t surprise me if it did happen. I also think it might depend on wether we can offload Squillaci, because iirc we need to make room in the squad for non-homegrown players before we can bring someone else in. The only English player I can think of that would be good enough and also potentially available is Baines, but I would not expect Everton to let him go until very late in the month in that case. We all want the signings done early, but that is not always in our own hands.
Another great post by Leg Rash – and that’s a fact – in my opinion!
CG. He is probably out on the sauce with Carlos Vela right now in fact.
Lars, I hear what you say about Park but I can’t see anyone forcing AW to take a player that he does not want to have. I would also have preferred to see us keep NB if there were no viable alternatives.
I like your idea of Baines. I think he is ideal for us. I would also ditch sqidgy and JD to bring in Cahill. That is just for starters.
Re yesterday, I agree with AA. He played well when he came on. Why not play him behind RVP, take JD off and play AOC wide? Arshavin is the most frustrating player I have come across. Possibly the most gifted player on the pitch yesterday but for some reason it just does not happen.
I consider myself very honoured to be a Rasher. 🙂
Genius, my friend. G.E.N.I.U.S.
Steve T – Cahill? Really?
Think we could spend our money better in other areas of the pitch, personally.
The frustration of yesterday was more (imho) about the missed opportunity to step back into the top 4 and take advantage of the dropped points of our immediate rivals (and the league leaders) than with the performance. The frustration is enhanced by the scum winning and the knowledge that our bench offered no attacking potency – Ramsey offered much much more than either of the 2 so-called attackers who were added to the mix late on (notwithstanding the fact that AA did do more than he has done of late).
This was no half-hearted stroll about like so many of the home draws in Feb/March/April last season. I think our work rate matched our best of this season and we threw the kitchen sink at the opposition. Sadly we didn’t get the break of the ball, RvP’s first touch deserted him (and who can criticise that man for that after the year he has given us?) and their keeper saved well and got lucky with his feet.
We do need to add attacking guile and potency in January if we are to retain our top 4 spot. No question at all. Jack’s return will add to our creativity but RvP needs a quality partner to share the burden.
Pleasure to see Olllie at the Tollie and to meet Dublingooner.
COYRRRRs.
When the comments start talking about signing Gary Cahill you know you’ve read too far…
Agree bathgooner.
The performance is not what bothers me, it’s the result.
I actually think that we played much better yesterday compared to the game at Villa and people are panicking because of the result instead of analyzing it.
We looked much better yesterday than we did at Villa Park and all the complaints/moaning/whatever you wanna call it, are coming after yesterday’s game. While I understand that this is sports and the score is what matters, sometimes you gotta look at it objectively and when a team shoots 11 times on target (I’ve seen 17 in different places), you can’t really fault their effort.
You can’t really ask for more.
Plus, did anybody notice that we were a lot more dangerous once Aaron came on?
It seemed as if we were playing sideways until he came on and then we started piling on the pressure.
He didn’t have the best of games, but you have to wonder if it was his influence that made us more dangerous or the fact that the game was approaching the final whistle.
Bathgooner – good post, your slight of Arshavin not-withstanding. I agree he has been stinking for a while, but I can’t believe the number of people who are having a go at him based on yesterday.
It’s not his fault that Wenger picked him rather than Oxlade Chamberlain, yet I feel a lot of people hold Arshavin responsible for that.
Snir@91: I was thinking way before Aaron came on that we really needed his industry and work rate in midfield. He might misplace some passes that he shouldn’t but in general he brings a lot to the team just through hard work.
SteveT@85: I freely admit that I might be entirely wrong and as you say it is hard to imagine Arsene allowing a player to be bought without his approval, but on the other hand he was also more or less forced to accept the Asian tour in pre-season.
In any case I would again like to point out that this is just pure speculation on my part, I might be totally and utterly wrong.
zico@92: “It’s not his fault that Wenger picked him rather than Oxlade Chamberlain, yet I feel a lot of people hold Arshavin responsible for that.”
Amen to that.
@ 91 Snir Geuli: I think Ramsey made a big difference in penetration when he came on and he made several of our chances towards the end, playing an advanced RB position. We have still to see the best of him. A real talent.
@ 92 Zico: Too true and he seemed much more focused than of late. Unlucky not to toe poke the winner. I don’t know why he has had such a poor 12-18 months, but it would be nice to see the return of the real AA.
zico, I agree, Arshavin looked much better to me yesterday than he has been recently.
Pleasure and thanks for the beer, bath! Good analysis at 88 too.
Having read several match reports now I can only conclude that television just ignored the massivest of penalty shouts from the corner.
Scandalous.
If only that shot had fizzed inside the top corner.
I know, ‘if’ is a painful word, but such a small margin (it looked mighty close) would have had people hailing Arshavin (and Arsène) again.
The Scene – D L Ltd – Operations Room
Professor Storey, Wolfgang Smallballs, Dr Spin and Dr Feelgood are poring over computer print outs – it is the end of year stock-take on the Happy Train. Edwin speedily punches information into his Apple Mac whilst Feelgood fails to stifle a gigantic yawn…..
Edwin : “……precipitating a run on happy pills, valium, prozac and…….Guinness.”
Smallballs (to no one in particular) : “Oh look, it’s snowing…..”
Feelgood : “Heh Wolfie, playing with your shorts again….”
Edwin : “…..although no drama queens were allowed on board. And all Bubble Wrap Suits remain intact and accounted for. So, if you look to the screen, this can all be demonstrated visually using this pie chart…..”
Feelgood : “Pies? At this time of day? Solids are for softies, Edwin. Is the bar open?”
Edwin : “I see that you are taking the business side of things as seriously as ever Dr F. The bottom line is, whilst we need to source a supply of core stock items, there has been no Class One event in the season thus far, although admittedly things did look ropey up in Salford in August.”
Dr Spin : “We can’t let the faint-hearted gain any momentum. It’s not as if we lost. I think we need a new campaign. Something punchy, to rally the troops. How about “If you’re not onboard (the Happy Train) you’re offside?”
Feelgood drones to himself : “You spin me round, round, baby right round, like a record baby…..”
Dr Spin (continuing) : “Or “Get in Train(ing) – New Year, New Arsenal”
Feelgood : “Hey Bill – heard any good tunes lately? I bet you could name a 1000 of them, eh?”
Edwin (ignoring Feelgood) : “Dr Spin is right. We need something to keep everyone’s eye on the prize.”
Feelgood : “Speaking of which, has anyone seen the Pony-Tailed one?”
Smallballs : “I bet she’s gone to The Sales. I heard they had 20% off in Victoria’s Secret….”
Feelgood : “Victoria’s secret what?”
Edwin (pressing on) : “So Dr F, what do you think? What do we need to do to stop this wailing and gnashing in its tracks (heh)?”
Feelgood : “Back to basics Edwin. A free bar. Lars is coming over. He’ll bring his coterie of blondes and the most flexible friend seen since Roxette ran off with her yoga teacher….those punters will be like lambs to the slaughter…..
……drunk and ready to be introduced to my new friend, Dr Disorder.”
To be continued….
Wriggles free in the inside-right channel, dinks a delightful ball between central defenders and ‘keeper…
He shoots, he scores!
*celebrates in front of the North Bank*
If number 99 hadn’t been posted in red by the barman, my attention may not have been drawn to that round number.
Great assist, maestro!
Brilliantly taken, Ollie!
Dr Feelgood is back on form again, I see! 😀
Good finish, centuriollie 😉
All hail the Centuwion.
Lungberg (esque) 😉
Well in Ollie!
Arsene’s post match analysis summed it up perfectly for me. We didn’t focus after scoring the goal and we paid the price
On another day, we would have won despite the fuck up but it wasn’t to be. How the hell did that goalie keep out that low shot from RVP at the near post??!
No matter, win against QPR, get back on track and kick on.
@Ollie I didn’t see it on TV RE: the pelanty shout you talk about
@Leg Rash – “Arsene so called wenger” – cracks me up every time 🙂
Yeah, Harsha, I’m left to assume TV didn’t show it, otherwise, it would have been mentioned even more forcefully over the internet, even on ‘neutral’s’ reports.
Everyone in the North bank upper and lower would have had a clear view of it though.
Trust me, it was unbelievable.
@ Lars, I’ve long ago come to terms with what Arsene says and what Arsene does are two different things 😀
Thierry not coming on loan for example 🙂
Just wish that at times we didn’t have to put up with the ‘pravdaness’ of the situation 🙁
Whilst I like Baines, Bridge is seemingly also available. I just can’t come to terms with the notion that Gibbs will eventually be fit enough to see the rest of the season out, so a LB is required IMO.
And as for AA, the look on his face y’day after the snap shot just missed the outside top corner was one of disbelief. “No mutter vat I do eet vill not go in”
(He’s been taking German lessons a well 😀 )
Well in Ollie 🙂
This so-called Happy Train – is there any money in it?!?
Now don’t you be afraid to be honest – even if the answer’s “No!!!” – I’ll take it on the chin AND you can count me out AND you won’t hear another peep from me!! No probs!!!
There’s plenty of money to be made on the Happy Train.
Alternatively, you could put a hotel on Trafalgar Square 😉
LeG Rash @ 109 Still waiting on your Spurs rant. After seeing Bale’s celebratory moves, I was so nauseated and disgusted.
I like what I’m hearing Zico – put me down for everythink!!!
ABB – i’m afraid that slagging that lot off is the intellectual equivalent of snatching bananas from an innocent, defenceless baby chimp, then standing there and laughing at it when it’s silly chimpy face crumples in disbelief when it realizes that once again the thing it wanted more than anythink in the whole wide-world has once again been inevitably snatched away from it by something more better, more beautiful and more deserving than its ridiculous silllly looking chimpy self!!!
And I would like to think I’m better than that!
Up The Arse!
And, in addition, LeG, your mother told you not to mock the afflicted.
Even them.
🙂
Was on one of the trains that stopped at Finsbury park last night, what a sad forlorn lot you all looked, quite nothing to be said about the game.
Stopped off in Royston to sit a pub and watch a game that even Wilshire tweeted about thhe excellence of the passes. Having now had the opportunity to watch the Goon Norwich game and Spurs Norwich there is a measurable gulf appearing between the two sides. I still think we will make top 4 this year, but I also think it may just end up being Liverpool joining us. Wife watched them and they are a goal scorerer away from an excellent run. Where as you are a goal scorer injury away from mid table.. Happy Christmas goons.. Love to zico tee Hee!
And no sooner were the afflicted mentioned and……
LeG Rash @ #82, zico @ #98 – Brilliant posts both and certainly brightened the place up a bit today. Top marks from me fellas 🙂
I note that the delusional neighbours of Looting Town continue to pollute our bar. Even they don’t want to hang about with their own such is the smell and lack of IQ in their own run-down forums. It’s like having one of next door’s cats wander in eating your kitty’s biscuits. You want to thwack it with the broom and kick it back over the fence only you know it’s not worth the effort so you prepare a special bowl laced with Ex-Lax instead and send it back home with a pat on it’s stoopid, empty head.
PS: Lars @#81, good points. Fact!!!! 😉
Cusop
Should the unthinkable happen and St Totteringham day not occur this season (the first in how many? Solar eclipses are more frequent), then we will bite the bullet and congratulate you. It will hurt.
If it does then we shall offer you nothing but scorn and derision. As usual.
Leg Rash @ 113 Quite right mate. Let it be, let it be.
Cusop, It took all my restraint not to blast you with both barrels on Christmas Day. Extremely mean spirited to wish an injury upon us. Are you that unconfident about your team. And that wary of ours.
Cusop,
irrespective of whether St Totts day comes around this season (of course it will), I personally will be the first to congratulate you on achieving your rise up the evolutionary scale, to something slightly less intelligent than plankton.
Congrats, you plank.
Try not to make eye-contact holics. It’s that funny time of year when, in households and bar-rooms all over this land, all too frequently more drink than some people can handle gets taken on board and then said soppy sods allow their latent sense of inferiority to get the better of them and before you know it they start shouting the odds and rambling and spouting ridiculous bullshit and make all sorts of silly claims they can’t otherwise back up. Wife – yeah right – if you say so.
FFS, isn’t Cuntsop supposed to be banned?
As we’re on the subject, when is Twitchy’s day in court?
Mr. zico @ #122
How very dare you, sir! I take your post as a massive slur on all plankton kind.
Please do not compare our intelligence to that of the LWCs.
When was the last time you saw a community of plankton burn down and loot their own environment? Or sign-up an ex-Arsenal has-been/never-was for that matter?
With 24 hours to think it over I’ve decided that we have just prolonged the inevitable, which is that we will eventually enter the top four this season and finish well within by the end of it.
The issue that I had yesterday was that we not only could have re-entered the elite a little sooner but we would also have been tilting towards a title challenge, so…
Well done lads from moving from Europa contenders to almost challenging for the title and entering the knockouts for the Champions League to having the leading goalscorer in the league, quite possibly the joint if not the top in the leagues history within a calendar year come Saturday, within the space of a couple of months takes some fucking doing. So well done for that lads. It’s just that you were the better team last night everybody knew it including the visitors and it was slightly frustrating for a chance as good as that to fall apart at the seams. These chances are the ones which make or break a season for clubs and we have to take every single chance we get to resume trophy lifting, wanker referees or not!
I love you Arsenal!!!
Crisis what fucking crisis?
Al, you are so funny! Cheers! Snir he is a wannabee of the lowest order. Reading Jack’s tweets? His wife must be jealous.
And as luck would have it, the CoR was surprised with a flight to Trinidad by mummy dearest…if only I could’ve seen an Arsenal win before heading to the airport but alas and alack, it wasn’t meant to be. I felt like everyone was trying to help RVP make the record rather than win the game but can’t fault the effort at all. I’m off to see old friends now, have a Carib beer on me, I’ll be having a lot!
Dr.C @ #125
Just as soon as The FA cut a deal with the HMRC not to jail the f*cker so that he can take the reins from Capello after The Euros next year 😉
Zico. My point re Cahill was this. I would sell JD and sqidgy to buy Cahill. Financially the deal would not be much different. Player wise I accept he is no Tony Adams. However he is head and shoulders above those two. AW must rate him considering he had an offer rejected for him in the summer.
Dear Mr Plankton Rep,
I can see why you would be offended.
Still, there is hope for you. Survival of the fittest, ‘n that. Unlike the other bottom feeder.
Steve T – damned by faint praise – better than JD and Squillaci!
You make it sound so easy. We wouldn’t get much for that particular job lot. And why would Cahill sign (not that I want him) given he wouldnt start very often?
If we could have sold SS, we would have done. As for JD, I think Wenger rates him higher than you or I.
My understanding was that in the summer Cahill was desperate to sign. We just would not pay the price. Our “derisory” offer of 10 million seems somewhat overpriced as the current value seems to be nearer 7. I think we would get close to seven for JD and SS and their combined wages should be enough to pay him.
Just my humble opinion of course.
Desperate to sign according to who though? If a reputable source then fair enough, but personally at 10m think we dodged a bullet.
I think he’ll end up at Chelsea. And I dont think Wenger would contemplate selling JD – like you, just my opinion.
“Bale has no weaknesses” twitches Harry.
Didn’t seem that way when Woj cut him in two….
Steve & Zico –
Excuse but I couldn’t help overhearing you talking about the Cahill transfer saga!
To be honest, I believe that we had room for one more ‘highly rated’ CB and that spot went to PM.
With Cahill being a free agent in the summer (I think) Boton have to take what they can for him now!
I believe the mere cheek of Bolton’s transaction dealings put a few clubs off of the player during the summer, not only us!
However our offer was more the likely the lowest by the sounds of it!
Outrageous!! (Do you know what you can by with 10 mill? the ungrateful swine’s)
Having ready all comments and allowed 24 hours to digest my disappointment I feel;
1) Arshavin (after at least 12 months in the duldrums can no longer be considered a came changer.
2) Ditto Chamack
3) it may well have been one of those days but a goalkeeper playing the game of his life is not an excuse for not scoring more than once. SZCZ is one hell of a keeper and conceded 8 at 9 OT, 4 at Blackburn. It is our lack of any goal scoring threat other than RVP which cost us yesterday.
A club as big as ours with the resources we have should not have to be so patient with players who obviously can no longer offer what they promise. A bad run of form is measured in weeks, perhaps months if one is generous and not years.
We have so much to look forward to in the 2nd half of the season with Jack’s return and the full backs also coming back, if we can only add an alternative goal threat I feel we can make a real push for 3rd place.
Steve T & zico
Interesting debate on Mr.Cahill. As an armchair manager I would take him over JD + Squillaci esp. as I believe he is also capable of playing as a full/wing back (or am I misinformed?).
However, his valuation has, as Steve pointed out, dropped somewhat since the summer due to Bolton’s poor defensive record and like many before him I believe that he had his chance but the greed of Bolton at the time prevented the move.
In any case, if you believe the very strong rumours, aren’t The Chavs about to sign him in which case the aforementioned greed will be rewarded.
In any case, in any case, AW has gone on record saying that he will only ‘sign a short-term defensive solution’ to solve our LB injury woes which many translate as a loan deal. Personally, I do not agree with that (I think Gibbs has much to prove) but then again I haven’t been Arsenal’s most successful manager for the past 15 years.
If we’re going to splash any resonable amounts of cash in January, I think it will be on a forward player. Gerv is going to be a very big miss at The ACN and we could certainly do with more options than AA at the moment esp. as Park remains a ‘non-selectable’ enigma.
Will Le Boss start relying more on The Ox or even Miyaichi??? Seems a bit far fetched but you never know what plans are hatching behind Arsene’s eyes 😉
Dr.C @#136
Heh! He did it twice, of course. Monkey-boy was nearly reduced to throwing his excrement at The Travelling Faithful. That might be another weakness, no?
Geoff, assuming you are right, how much should Arsenal ask for if they decide to sell Arshavin?
Guys, I’m not impressed with Cahill. TS, I also think Wenger will go for a play maker. As for the OX, we just might see him play this Saturday. Pretty sure about that. BTW everybody, Cusop wasn’t being honest about there being nothing in this last match. And he darn well knows it.
Steve T and TS – “Park, what is the point?”
“Shirts”, lads – that has to be the answer. As Lars said, I feel AW had Park delivered to him by some canny marketing chap who figured that the captain of a football crazy country like South Korea would produce a pile of dosh in clothing sales.
Yes, just like the tour of the Far East wasn’t AW’s idea of pre-season either. if you don’t think they could have imposed it on him.
As backup to my thoughts, I give you Junichi Inamoto.
Every week at the Thursday presser, AW would be asked by a clutch of eager Japanese journos –
Journos: “Will Inamoto be playing this week Mr Wenger?”
And every week they received the same answer –
AW: “Non”.
But it did generate big interest in The Arsenal in Japan.
Seriously, if he can’t get a game / on the bench given the current form of Chamakh and Arshavin, he is not AW’s player.
You can put your shirt on it!
Wenger won’t let AA go, not with Flipper off to the ACoN.
Chelsea can have Cahill, this time last year he was brandied about at 16plus mill, he’s not even worth half that now, and even that would be twice his true worth.
His only real quality is his inherihent Englishness, which always jacks up any transfer price to beyond ridiculous Look at what players like Milner, Johnson (G), Barry and Lescott cost. For the final shit covered cherry on the piss flavored icing of the cake made of vomit I give you one Mr Andy Carroll.
If we were really in need of a CB (which we’re not) look no futher then TV’s international team mate Jan Vertongen. Good player who you could probably get in for a decent fee.
All this speculation rubbish is making me thirsty. A round of beers please good sir.
The same thoughts crossed my mind too Trev.
LegRash @ 82 – 🙂
I can hear the scratching of heads in the PR Dept 😉
Trev & Lars
Mmmm…. your logic has finally permeated my dense skull.
It does appear that Mr.Park is a canny commercial signing. If he isn’t used in the FA Cup matches and/or in the up-coming absences of Gerv & Chamakh then your ‘theories’, no disrespect intended whatsoever, will be proven in my opinion…… Fact!!!! (heh!) 🙂
I can’t see the Cahill thing at all.
Imo he is nowhere near as good as Koscielny, and given 6 games I think Miquel wouldn’t be far off either – and we wouldn’t want to kill him, would we ?
Hi from sunny Devon, TS. Gales and lashing rain from the riviera, as usual, ooh aarrrr . . . .
A small list of enigma’s currently at the club:
1) AA
2) Chammy
3) Park
4) Diaby
5) Almunia
Not bad considering. I could name double that number at 19 other EPL clubs out there!
And ooh barrrr to H2H 😉
heh…. love Woj
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0FpZ_A2j6QI
Greetings ‘holics from Lille on my birthday (69 if you must know) meeting up with the family over from the UK
Daughter visited the shop yesterday and bought me 2 Red toothbrushes, packet of Red mints and a new Arsenal mug
Unfortunately she also got yesterdays match programme bringing back those memories of all those missed opportunities !!
However I was pleased with the number of short lobs over their defence which were a key part of last years success. The Ox was on the bench yesterdaY and should have come on at some stage up front with RVP
I have to agree with Zico @141, which clubs would be interested in Chammy and AA given their current levels of performance, and whether we would be prepared to give them away in order to get replacements
Ooh tarrrr Trev 😉
Enjoy! Hols ahoy!
TS, Lars and Trev – I do not rule out a commercial move on the part of the pocket shufflers at the high end of the club!
But this enigma known as ‘play them off the Park’ has something like 6 goals in 6 starts for club and country this season. It’s just a shame 1 of them attributes to club!
The enigma of a man, I tell ya!
…and you can add the injured Miyachi to that list if you so please too!
What TS said.
GT, I’ve seen Miyachi play in Rotterdam (Feyenoord) he looks like the real deal, plus he’s young. Park’s not so young.
H2H –
I too have seen Miyachi play for Feyenoord on B365 several times and he’s looked very hot!!
But currently he is an enigma at the club! What injury is he supposed to have anyways?
Good to see so many top ‘holics in the bar whetting their whistles – peckers well and truly held high.
Will toast yous with a real one real soon as am orf to balmy Leicester Square (no relation) to celebrate a pal’s b’day. Many happy returns to you too Cognac.
Up The Arse everyone!!!
H2H-
With all due respect I know Miyachi’s young but he is still a member of the first team!
To be fair my festive season list attributed to first team members only and un/fortunately for RM he is that highly rated! E.N.I.G.M.A!! 😀
Many happy returns, Cognac.
That calls for a drink, surely?
Okidoki GT.
To tell the truth, I don’t know whats wrong with him (injurywise) I do know that AW went to a lot of trouble to get his work permit pushed through, so he obviously has a lot of faith in him, which I’m afraid he doesn’t seem (on the evidence so far) to have in Park.
Didn’t Miy… Myic… Mich.. Ryo have some sort of surgery earlier in the season? I think he is only just back and Wenger talked about a loan deal the other day to give him some playing time.
H2H – Okedooki to you too my fellow Holic! 😉
As you rightfully say Ryo has time on his side and I’m sure all of that talent will not go to waste under AW! (See: The Ox)
But before last nights match I thought re-signing Titi on loan made sense. But now it seems slightly complicated to have our former captain back at the club playing as no longer the captain with a risk that he could further mildly tarnish his legendary status at his beloved club! Hmmm!
I’m going to have to re-think that one through (again!) 🙁
Thanks Lars 😀
What about Vela? suppose you can add him to that list! Although as with the others on the list I admire him as a player deeply!
…shucks the list is growing (down list)
Zico @ 141: I’d be glad to get his wages off the books! Winter give his £100k a week to secure RVP or towards a new signing.
What’s’ his transfer value?
Interesting question, let’s see what us ‘holics make it, I won’t prejudice answers by giving you a figure, so gooners..
What is Arshavin’s transfer value?
I still think I am against Henry re-signing on a short-term loan deal. I don’t think he is good enough anymore, but on the other hand we all had our doubts about Sol as well but he manage to squeeze a final few good months out of that massive frame of his. We also saw what Henrik Larsson contributed at ManU at an even older age than Henry is now, and Arsene will also have seen Henry in training for a good few weeks so he should know if he can still contribute. In other words, I am starting to hesitate in my previously so adamant stance that we should let the past remain in the past…
Okay f*ck it thought about it. Bring back Titi on loan. I plead temporary blip for last night and no matter what happens, he could never lose his status at home!
Striker problem solved!!
Catch ya later Holics!
24 hours have passed since the final whistle, but I still feel the urge to rant about Arshavin and those who were pleased with the marginal improvement in his cameo substitute role.
If we wind the clock back to summer of 2008, Arshavin was the darling of the football world, the most desirable player on the shopping lists of all the big European clubs. When he was linked with Barcelona, nobody sniggered.
Arsene dug deep into the club’s coffers, and his signing was a signal of our intent.
Now his performances are so consistently woeful, would any top-half Premier team want to sign him? Why are we so tolerant of mediocrity?
Are we the only top 4 / 5 club where still the 1st XI picks itself and we cross our fingers and hope for the best if we have to rotate the squad when the fixture list gets congested? Do we have any real genuine competition for places? Which of our starting XI is worried about someone taking his place? Ironically the only competition was between Santos and Gibbs before they got crocked.
Lars @169 ditto
There’s part of the old faithful in me that believes Titi can still do it (see: viera and Sol).
Right Holics, on the move!!!
Catch ya later!
I am with those who see no point in signing Cahill. He would be an expensive fourth choice CB at best, and even if he can play LB at a pinch we have no shortage of CBs who can do that. We’d be better off blooding Miquel when we can, plus there is Bartley, who is now regularly starting for Rangers, to come back from loan.
If there is a good long-term LB on offer in January, that would be worth a buy as Gibbs’s injury record scarcely inspires long-term confidence.
Otherwise our lack of depth on the bench is at the other end of the pitch. We need someone to cover for RvP and could use a fox in the box-type (if only Eduado had never been maimed; he would be in his pomp now), though I am not sure how such a player would fit into AW’s preferred 4-2-3-1.
Cognac, I’ll join Dr.C in those birthday greetings. Hope you’ve had a great day.
H2H – Cheers. Agreed with everything @ your #144.
Gt-cwc @#155 – I’m hoping we’ll get to see more of Miyaichi as the season unfolds but he must be at least 2 seasons away before he can be considered as a first-team regular.
Dr.C – An afterthought on Bile. Non-opposable thumbs. That’s another potential weakness 😉
Geoff – Good to see you back in here.
Jez, the reason the starting XI picks itself right now is because we have so many injuries. And the only real competition in left-back? How about Vermaelen, Koscielny and Mertesacker competing for two places? Or Arteta, Aaron, Rosicky, Benayoun and in about a month Jack Wilshere fighting for two spots in midfield? Do we have shortcomings in our squad? Certainly, but the simple fact is that we can not afford to have super-quality cover everywhere.
Ned: I am totally with you on replacing Gibbs long-term. Great potential, but sadly too brittle it seems.
Oh, and happy birthday, cognac!
Jez @ 141: I’m with you 100%
TS @ 174: good to be here, been a stressful week work wise and of course Xmas with famy etc!
Many happy ones Cognac. I’m raising my Guinness to you as I type.
Anybody watching the Sweaties two tribes tearing each other a new one later?
Lars @175 … ok, we have cover at centre back, but are Rosicky and Yossi really genuine competition for regular starts?
On a positive note for the future, this is the youtube clip of Joel Campell for Costa Rica against spell. He’s still understandably a raw talent but a very well taken goal and he was not overawed by playing against big name players.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wa1n9YbyF-M
Evening All , lots of back-drinking …
Lars @18 – hey , your usual good sense . Everyone’s allowed a blow-out every now and then , ( I had mine after Blackburn) . Our recent good run was very seductive and led , in my opinion , to some pretty unrealistic aims . Very frustrating yesterday , not least because of the effort and endeavour put in , but ultimately still far more rewarding than the home draws with Sunderland et al at the back end of last season which were played out at the tepid pace of an end of season mid table clash rather than the title-chasing intensity those games deserved . I , for one , still believe this team to be less talented than last season , but they are generally so much more pleasurable to watch , even on days like yesterday .
BtM @20 – A Christmas cracker 🙂 and Goonerterry @20 🙂
Trev@33 – Whilst not wishing to use either as an excuse for our failure to win the game , I agree completely with your condemnation of both Atwell’s lack of competence , and of the cynical anti-football that Mccarthy preaches . Only Pulis and Alladyce are higher in the total c*ntstick stakes , for me . You called it right – he advocates cheating – pure and simple .
Wishing you a great time in the sticks .
Clive @44 – Great post , I agreed pretty much with all of it . Whilst I think we can aspire to being higher than 6th , games like yesterday will occur from time to time , and are a fair reflection of where we are . Our awful start leaves us with little wiggle room . We do at times lack game-changers , especially if RVP is slightly misfiring . We have one coming back in Feb (hopefully) . My feeling is that we will need another in addition to Jack if we are to start competing again at the real business end of the table next season .
Ollie @54 – I don’t remember the TV coverage showing any kind of penalty shout , apart from the dubious hand-ball appeal . Are you talking about the melee that occurred in the box from one of our late corners ? If so , it was not replayed .
SteveT @58 – Great match report . Agree with you on the lack of width and how we are missing our real full backs , but not on the complacency .
GT @63 🙂
LegRash @82 🙂 🙂 Genius .
Steve T – Cahill ???????? No thank you , not for me . With TV back to full fitness , Kos consistently excellent , and the Bfg adapting to the English game progressively well , I honestly think we don’t lack at centre-half and that’s the first time I’ve said that for about 5 years .
AW has said categorically that there was “no chance” of him signing a centre half . I think our offer for Cahill in the summer was nearer 6m , hence the furore at the time with their classless Chairman . They will be lucky to get that now . In my opinion , all our resources should be concentrated on finding Clive’s game-changers – those that can turn a game when effort is not enough and you need a moment of inspiration – rather than a vastly over-priced English centre-half .
Bathgooner @88 Top post in my opinion – totally agree .
Dr Z @98 All aboard !! 🙂 🙂
TS @117 – Pussy lover ! 🙂
Jez,
Arshavin has been in a terrible rut for some time. But he is not a mediocre footballer. It is up to us to get the best out of him, or flog him to someone who will.
Presumably if we sell him, you would expect to get a considerable fee? If so, your argument is akin to the tosh that they peddle over on Le Groan – “our players are shit, we should sell them for millions….”
Jez, I think they are. Rosicky has played well this season every time he’s been involved and so has Yossi. And even if we, for the sake of the argument, disregard those two we will still have three very good players fighting for two spots in midfield when Jack gets back. I would also say that the only club in the league that has proper cover in all positions (even if not always like-for-like players) is ManCity, but for obvious reasons we can not compete with them financially.
Don’t get me wrong, of course I would love to see us reinforce the squad and we really need another striker. But we also have to be realistic about where we are at the moment. It will be very difficult to sort this out in January and don’t expect any early signings, selling clubs usually want to hold out for the maximum transfer fee (unless they are in really, really deep financial shit) and we can not afford to pay over the odds too much.
Come, come, now lads please do not feed the animals!
@ LeGrash: Loved the posts today. Looks like the early evening worked wonders for the old creative juices. I wished I had followed suit but I stayed up and closed the bar and now I am paying the price.
Working my way slowly through the past drinks and I must say that Bathgooner has hit the nail on the head for me..
@ Dr Z: What a maverick Dr. F is, like Arsharvin, just when you think that he is off his game he come up with a wonderful piece of individual skill to get you feeling both melancholic & excited in equal measure.
@ Steve T: Hugo wouldn’t load properly and kept buffering so we tried watching Sherlock Holmes instead. The screen was so dark (like the tale I am afraid) that at one stage we realized that we were watching the screen saver and did not know it! Daughter Number 1 got fed up and went to bed.
@ Catalan: That Hugo kid sounds familiar – how many of those have we signed, sent to Spain, and have never been seen alive again. I wonder if our club is involved in human trafficking or something? … but of course that is clearly ridiculous isn’t it?
@ Lars et, al: OK can I add my 2-cents to the Jung Sung Park debate? I don’t think that it is anything as sinister as Le Boss being manipulated from above or anything like that: I believe that Le Boss grabbed him because he was available on a free (well 3-million pounds is nearly free!) and to stick his finger up to Lille for denying us the chance to do a deal for Hazard on the quiet and on the cheap. Its a case of if he’s good for the French Champions then maybe…but maybe having arrived at the club Le Boss realizes that it will take a lot more work to prepare him to play for the Arsenal. I want people to understand that it is far easier to prepare a player to play in a new system than to change a team’s system to suit any particular player! IMO Park will do a job for us in the end but – but I think that Wenger knows that he is definitely not a substitute for RvP – he is more of a link player. I’d try him in the Ramsey role in an advanced midfield. But the trouble is that RvP has that role stapled in for himself..
Related to the above I will leave you with a very controversial thought: RvP is our problem as well as our savior!! Yes I will repeat: RvP is causing all the problems up front for Le Boss!! When he wasn’t in the side last season we shared the goals around the team. But as soon as he came back it all dried up…I am afraid he has become like Henry. He is THAT good and he is everywhere at the same time. His movement is so good that only he can arrive in the positions that he does to connect with those passes from Gerv, Theo & Song. RvP Actually remains me of Charlie Nicholas in a way – Maverick!! Can’t play with – can’t play against…So what to do? Buy him a smash & grab artist like a young Johnson whose sole football skill is to run blindly into to the box to get on the end of the ball and smash it on target – never mind trying to place it or anything pooofy like that!! Smash the fecking thing; get at the opposition’s centerbacks, throw yourself on the end of those through balls and crosses, fling your body betwix ball and man (especially goalie) and be a right old nuisance in and around the box. That Gentlemen will solve our problems once and for all…
Phew..I need a cup of rosie after that (0;
Many Happy returns Cognac – a birthday drink from me .
GoonerTerry – Charlie me Darling had his moments (though all too infrequently ) but like RVP ?
Has RVP got a pierced ear ? That would be the only similarity , if so 🙂
All the best Cognac 🙂
tabs @ #180 – I’ll take that at face value missus 😉
Geoff @ #177 – Which is/was more stressful?
TS 🙂
GoonerT @ #183
Going to have to agree with tabs on that one, Chamapgne Charlie and RVP? Different league old son and in my youth I was a big Charlie fan. No sniggering under the CMC please 😉
tabs@180: “Our recent good run was very seductive and led , in my opinion , to some pretty unrealistic aims”
Funny thing is that I was thinking the exact same thing earlier today. Yesterday was frustrating, but far from a disaster. A disaster would have been us losing, getting players suspended and all other teams around us winning. It is pretty much status quo and more than half the season still remains to be played.
“I agree completely with your condemnation of both Atwell’s lack of competence , and of the cynical anti-football that Mccarthy preaches . Only Pulis and Alladyce are higher in the total c*ntstick stakes , for me . You called it right – he advocates cheating – pure and simple .”
Though a massive difference is that McCarthy doesn’t seem pretend to be anything other than what he is. Both Pulis and Allardyce appears to have serious delusions of grandeur but McCarthy doesn’t seem to have a problem in admitting that he is doing what it takes to keep his team in the Premiership even if it’s not pretty all the time.
zicoinexile @182
I agree Rosicky has had a pretty good season but I still think he flatters to deceive and is not going to start 4-5 games in a row.
Arshavin, I’m afraid to say was once a great player and has become worse than a mediocre player, because he cannot provide moments of genius and his lack of stamina, pace over longer distances and lack of tracking back weaken the team. Arshavin couldn’t score the goal that Gervinho scored yesterday and the team with Gervinho in it can really stretch opposing teams.
It’s ok to have brief lapses of form if a player is in his early to mid twenties, but Arshavin’s age and physique suggest he will not recapture his form.
I don’t expect a considerable fee for him. I just wish we cut our losses.
I’m very pleased we are not Man City but still believe we have enough money to have a more competitive squad.
Evening Lars ,
Agree with you that McCarthy is only in Bronze medal position in The C*ntstick National .
Feel you’re being a tad generous to him though . He loves to play the “honest Joe” card in the media , when in fact his teams are consistently the worst offenders when it comes to the dark arts , intimidation of officials , epic time-wasting etc To the argument that he needs to do it to stay up I would argue that Wigan , Swansea , Norwich don’t do it .
I just don’t like him I guess . Besides , his nose makes me go boss-eyed .
TS @187: Definitely family!
Tabs, I was actually trying very hard not to sound too generous to him but it seems I failed 😀
And in any case, any manager who signs Stephen Cunt to his team has a lot to answer for.
Though as far as time-wasting goes in general, I am more upset with refs allowing it when it is so obvious – the most astonishing example of which was booking Hennessy for time-wasting in extra-time and then not adding any time on. No hang on, the worst was actually not allowing us to re-start play to instead allow treatment to a Wolves player who was a well over a yard off the pitch! There are only two way to sort this, either the refs hit much harder on the wasters or you stop the clock at every stoppage in play which I think would be a rubbish idea because then teams would only use the stoppages to rest. Also, that would open up for commercial breaks in the middle of play and nobody wants that except for perhaps Septic Bladder.
But of course, a good start would be banning Stuart Atwell from officiating any top-flight matches again until he improves a hell of a lot.
Takes the ball on the right wing and advances forwards…
Tabs, Lars:
Our recent good league run (including yesterday’s dissapointment) reads; Won 9 Drawn 2 lost 2.
That’s pretty impressive and I’d settle for the same o er the next 13 games, would you?
We’re going to have fight for every point whilst we’re sweating on the return of a pair of fit full backs and LJW but I fully expect us to finish with a flourish when they return.
Totally agree Lars on all of that .
I would think twice before allowing Atwell to referee a Subbuteo match . It took over 4 mins to restart the game after the sending-off alone . He found less than two mins to add on in the rest of the half , notwithstanding there were 6 subs – incompetence personified . Having said that , isn’t it the 4th official’s job ? If so he spent more time in the second half arguing with McCarthy than watching the game to ascertain the correct amount of stoppage time !
Geoff@196: I’d probably have that but none of the losses can be v Spurs because unless we win our home game to them then we most likely won’t get to celebrate St Totteringham’s Day this season.
Agreed Geoff , I’d definitely take it if it was on offer now .
Pulls shirt over head prematurely and charges into box …
tabs: no, it’s entirely up to the ref. The fourth official is basically just a secretary who holds up the board.
Lars @198: a frightening thought and one that chills me to the bones (bends down to tie bootlace as ball ricochets towards head in penalty area)
Whoa, the sneaky shot disguised as a cross found it’s way into the net for the second consecutive double Century!
Nice goal Lars, top assist Tabs!
Geoff: what we should perhaps not forget though is that while we have already played all of the current top six apart from Liverpool away from home, Spurs have only been to Old Trafford. From mid-January and two months on, they will travel to Middle Eastlands, Anfield (I think, not entirely sure), Stamford Bridge and The Emirates. They also play ManU at home and play their game in hand at home to Everton in that period and this is where they have to start dropping points because if not then I don’t think the unthinkable is at all impossible. You may all laugh, but they are on such a high right now that if they get through that period still in touch with the top spot then who knows?
The shirt over the head ploy sends him running off the pitch and into the first row of the crowd .
His T-shirt underneath reveals the message “Nice goal Lars” , as the celebrating Gooners jump on him .
Disentangles himself from the crowd , jogs back onto the pitch , gets a yellow card for removing his shirt , and high-fives Lars and Geoff …
tabs, we really appreciate you taking one for the team. Such unselfishness is the basis for all succesful campaigns!
Lars @204 , come come , way too early to be thinking Armageddon thoughts . They will blow up big-time . Fancy ’em to lose all the big ones .
7 reasons to not be worried …
1. King yet to have a long lay off . He will need to be rested when the games come thick and fast . They are half the team without him . They’ll get bugger all in the big games away from home .
2. Only a matter of time before London Zoo come knocking asking for their Bale back .
3. Harry’s going down , he’s going down …
4. More balls in The Arsenal Ladies team .
5. Modric will be destabilised in the transfer window when Hollywood make him a huge offer to star as the Wicked Witch of the West in a remake of The Wizard of Oz .
6. They are inherently sh*t .
7. Adebayor will get bored .
tabs, I would say that item #2 on your list must be a huge worry for them!
@207 tab
Excellent post.
You’ve cheered me up, mate.
Tabs.
Great post, but you could have summarized it like this. 🙂
1) They are Spurs.
Hey Tabs, Geoff – good to see you.
abb –
I will say only one thing about Cusop. This is the person who thought he was being funny by comparing Mikell Arteta to a “child running around on chemo”.
Nothing to add.
Trev@211: as you say, nothing to add to that.
Hi Trev: with you all the way on that.
Re: that lot from down the road; Their sticky patch will come no doubt, injuries too but I have to concede (even though I loathe to) that ……..nah sod it, I just can’t 🙂
Nice goal Lars –
always class to score when not even trying. Like one off Gallas’ bum vs Celtic.
Tabs @207 –
agree- they will blow up.
‘Arry will probably pull a wheeler-dealer masterstroke in January, and sign the unwanted Nasri on loan from Citeh, not being aware of the forces to be unleashed when he rejoins Gallas in the dressing room.
I feel a “Behind the Shit-Hole” (see what I did there?) episode is called for – as are your dialogue skills 😉
Over to you maestro . . .
Trev, it wasn’t entirely unintentional – I knew there was a chance it could go in but didn’t count on it!
With that I bid you all good night, I shall now hit the sack and try to get some sleep. See you on the morrow, fellas!
(And for anyone who’s thirsty, you know what tab to charge your drinks to!)
Let’s see Spurs in February.
They got Anfield, Newcastle at home, and us at the Ems.
I’d be very very very surprised if they get more than 4 points from those games.
(Not to mention having City away two weeks before Anfield)
Now there’s a challenge Trev 🙂 Behind the shithole ? Has a certain ring to it 😉
Cheers Bath .
Snir , agreed , but not as much fun 🙂
Re: Tabs @199: Blatant display of exhibitionism, and in front of that nice young Swedish lad, too. Shame, shame. 😉
Guilty M’lud 🙂
TaBS, did you say Armageddon?
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cTrOb8zyrZk
Heh Holic 🙂
Tottenham to win the league or a gerbil up yer bum . Tough call 🙂
Not for me 😉
Yes! Welease Behind The Sh*thole! And force twatty bollix to post it on his sub-normal web-site. Perfection fellow ‘Holics.
tabs @ #207 – as much as I admire ‘the seven deadly characteristics of being an LWC’ I cannot see #3 happening not even for all the unpaid tax in Sandbanks. On a brighter front, I hear London Zoo have already put out a warrant 😀
Geoff @ #193 – Twas was the honest answer 😉
‘Holic,
What news of management?
Hello TS.
Long story. Took her for blood test today. On Friday we are off for a CT scan. Next Tuesday it is off to the specialist in Reading about something completely different because he wants to operate on her as well, then on the evening of my birthday it is back to the fella here for the results of the CT scan.
Then we might know what’s occurring…
GT @ 63, I think another gem in the Earth has been unearthed 🙂
Snir @ 68, you’ve used another nail to hit the original nail on the head, that’s how much I agree with you.
LeG @ 82, you’re starting to make some sense, should I be worried? 😉
Excellent post as usual.
Zico @ 98, looks like Dr F is returning to his. valium(?) induced best? Keep it up old boy 🙂
The Barman’s on a remarkable run of form, much unlike myself strangely, goals and assists everywhere! 😀
The same goes for Ollie, well in indeed you two 😉
113 @ 114, 😆
The cunt @ 115 doesn’t even earn a proper response from me, when we’re on top, we’re not peering down in fear trying to delay the inevitable heh heh 🙂
H2H @ 144, Thank you so much, I’ve been talking about the potential title-winning CB partnership of Vermaelen and Vertonghen for I can’t remeber how long now!
Found someone in the bar with similar ideas 😀
Cognac @ 153, a very happy birthday to you good sir, hope you are and have enjoyed it so far, family around you is always the best way 🙂
Lars @ 169, I’m starting to lean your way about Henry re-signing…
And on 175, competition inspires better performance, when LJW comes back in a month or so, the midfield is going to be shaken up into some excellent performances, especially from Ramsey as I’d think he’d be the one to lose his starting berth.
Again GT @ 183, much food for thought that I cannot finish my plate 🙁
Jez @ 191, have to agree about Arshavin’s lack of moments of genius, that’s what you’d expect from a player of his calibre, or should I sadly say, former calibre.
And well in Lars, deceptive shot on goal successful, he’s on the Double!
credit to tabs’ blind surging run into the box as well 🙂
I thought tabs had come good with a winner @ 207 , like when someone gets a normally winning 9.7 or something, but then swoops in Snir @ 210 with the perfect 10! 😀
Wolfie @ 222, heh! And I haven’t even seen the link yet 😛
Yes ‘Holic, any news to bring us pertaining to 224?
Lars @ #204
Any more posting like that my fine Viking friend and I will be forced to set the good doctors on you and restrain you in a similar way that Mr.W was the other week only without The Voluptuous C.
Now, take a deep breath, help yourself to anything you desire in the CMC and repeat after me:
“They will always be c*nts,
They are only one lasagne away from disaster,
They got knocked-out of The Your Ropey League,
They will ALWAYS be c*nts”
Does that help? 🙂
Epic back-drinking!
‘Passes out at the bar’
‘Holic,
These are only words but I wish her and you good health in the new year. My thoughts are with you both.
Thanks to all for your wishes – its great to see the family and I hope that Lars doesnt mind if I prime the barman for a smooth digestif for all of you
COYR
And Good man Snowy, I owe you a mail. Haven’t forgotten. Sounds like you had some rewarding stuff to do at Christmas.
Will hopefully see you at the Yanited game.
‘Holic, I hope her health increases in leaps and bounds.
Worrying about the non-appearance of St Totteringham’s day?
Get a grip fellas.
Small club. Never happen.
Forever in our shadow.
PS Best wishes to Management Holic.
Blimey ‘Holic –
had assumed from one or two of your previous comments that things with Mrs ‘H were fairly under control.
Like TS, can only hope for the very best for both of you.
zico, what are your travel plans/timings for dirty Leeds?
‘Holic I’d like to add my best wishes for you and your better half, fingers crossed and much love your way
TS – ‘Harry is going down’
I have this theory that Levy will somehow settle things with HMRC for Harry, on condition that he stays with the LWC’s and does not take the Engerland job.
Just sayin’ . . .
Thanks all. It was number one priority to get the management fit enough to spend Chrimbo with the family. That was a big boost for us both. Now we’ll see just what the problems were caused by, hopefully.
Holic @ 235
I will give myself enough time to get from the Tollie to my seat with 5 minutes to spare 😉
I’ll drop you an e-mail tomorrow my good Barman.
Trev @ #237
Harry’s best hope is that his country’s “need” for him (not I) will keep him away from the shower blocks and the need to brush up on his muscle control 😉
He’ll get off, he’ll be poorer but will avoid incarceration. Not sure on the relationship between him and Levy. Can anyone enlighten?
Good man.
Not quite familiar with english press, is this reliable source?
http://www.dailymail.co.uk/sport/football/article-2079585/Thierry-Henry-offered-deal-Arsenal.html
Zico@239
7 mins should give you enough time for a comfort break so you can enjoy the first half without your bladder screaming at you for half time 🙂
Been there too many times
All the best to you and Mrs H , Holic , and best wishes that you get some good news soon .
For those involved in the main Goonerholic FPL there is Cup news in the forum.
http://fantasy.premierleague.com/my-leagues/242956/forum/
Fucking hell, I’m psyched about this news!!
I love you Titi!
I’m starting to get the feeling that the Podolski transfer is a bit like Gervinho one.
It has the same feel to it. Daily pieces about him from Germany and England and the only thing left is .com to post him with a couple of pictures.
The frustration from yesterday is finally starting to wear off 🙂
Only one thing – Is Titi gonna stay for the trip to Anfield??????? That would be a dream come true.
ignominious first round exit for The Speedo Massive . Lost badly To The Desperadoes . They didn’t play by the rules – the c*nt had monkey boy in his team . We woz robbed 🙁
Nurse Wolfie, do you have the restraints for Gang Goolie?
Sod it, just paddle the stuffing out of him. But do it now, before we are faced with another major incident.
He’s already “in love” with Henry, and is dreaming about Podolski – the signs are not good.
I suggest huge doses of “downers” to try and keep him under control from 1/1/2012, and ready equally huge doses of “uppers” for 31/1/2012, when it becomes clear that we have not signed every other international forward in the world.
Calm down dear ! . . .
Calm down?!?!
Calm down?!?!?
My dream is about to come true!!
I’m gonna see Titi in the flesh!
What are the odds that AW showed the fixture list to TH and showed him that we play both Spurs and United at home in these two months and he just asked where he should sign 🙂 ?
Plus, for all those worried. He’s this window’s Yossi. He’s great as an additional signing, but not as a lone signing (Arteta in Yossi’s case) and the Poldi signing looks quite logical and possible.
Plus, he’s been training with the team for over a month now, surely no adaptation needed 🙂
By the way…
I don’t remember who it was that asked for this video of DB’s assists but here it is.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qj73WeBSmb0
TABs @ 185..and True Story @ 189:
I was in no way suggesting that Charlie & RvP compare as players…only for the problems they cause for their teams (or rather for their manager to be more accurate)….It seems strange to describe RvP in the form that he is in as a problem – but it isn’t easy to find a player to play alongside him. To do so the manager would have to restrict RvP or find that “smash & grab artist” I suggested in my post…actually now that I think of it: a pairing like a Supermac & John Tudor at Newcastle or a Kevin Keegan & John Toshak at Liverpool would do nicely thanks..
Titi to return?
Seeing that fixture list, it could happen 🙂
Ah GT, don’t start me waxing lyrically about the partnership Robin had with my boy Ade before the BBB screwed it up. Whisky with salty tears in is not my favorite tipple!
Like a boy at a bar mitzvah stealing drinks off the adults tables…For the first time at this establishment, take a drink I will. And Please no Hennessy. God knows we had plenty of that yesterday.
The wolf pack that howls together stays together. The whole strength of a wolf pack is in it’s collectiveness. Then how is it this particular wolf pack gained a precious away point solely from one standout wolf, not the whole pack? Defies everything one has ever learned about wolf pack / sled dog mentality.
The Double “W’s” away record and postion in the table speaks for itself. With the Boxing Day results looking Goonerish maybe it really was a “must win” (as much as a December fixture can be a “must win” anyway). In the last day I have seen some Red Army Soldiers that have been riding the wave of positive vibes revert to negativity. It is this that has drove me to take my first drink. I cannot speak for everyone, only for this fever pitched man.
Calling all Gooners… Stay with this team. Stay backing these boys. There is something about this squad. Maybe it’s the way we got shelled at the beginning of this year. It’s like my grandparents talk about the way the country pulled together when German’s bombs fell from the gray British sky. Remember the away boys singing “We love You Arsenal. We do.” down 8-2 at United….
Oh, it would have been so easy for this team to fold. Finish somewhere between Europa and mid table after what happened at Old Trat, but they did not. They picked themselves up by their football boot straps and put one hell of a run of form together. The Arsenal were in places in the table that The Arsenal should not be. Through hard work, dedication to the crest, and Arsene being Arsene they are now back in their more customary places.
I love this team, and yes Ladies and Gentleman that is what we have this year: A Team. Last year we might have had some better players, but this year I am convinced we have a better team. I love Koscielny. What a classy defender he has become. I love Vermaelen. I would go to war with that guy any day of the week. I love Arteta. Wish we bought him years ago. The definition of a professional footballer. I love Alex Song. Many an armchair football experts said he way not good enough, and now I can’t think of a DM in the Prem I would rather have. I love Ramsey. Rambo is 21 years old. Enough said. Heck, I am really digging the BFG too. I miss Sagna. I miss Jack. Oh do I miss Jacky Boy doing his thing in the center of the park, but he’ll be back. He’ll soon be back.
I wish I could put into words the feeling I have this year when I put my Arsenal Kit on over my head. This years team has restored that chill in my spine…I love this club. Arsenal is my life. That feeling travels from my spine, to my gut, to my heart.
I realize some “fans” think they have the right to criticize after a draw against a bottom half of the table team at home, but a day of reflection has lead to the words written above. This year is going to be a battle to the wire for 4th place. Who’s up for it? I know I am. What do you think will help the lads finish above Tottenham? Getting behind them or forgetting all the positive work that has been done with one frustrating draw. I’m Arsenal til I die. I know I am. I’m sure I am. I’m Arsenal til I die.
On to the next one. 3 pretty points on New Years Eve PLEASE!
BJallDay @ 256, one of the most beautiful and moving comments I’ve read this year in this bar.
Do talented laureates flock to this bar or what? 🙂
Wind.
With the altering egos in this bar, you can never be too sure if that isn’t someone you already know using a different moniker! 😀
Ousted in week 1 of the FFL cup. And I thought I already had troubles. 🙁
Confession to the Priest Snir? 😉
Seriously, everyone in this bar has waxed lyrical about the greatest club the world has ever seen, but this feels… new. And Honest.
‘Maybe it’s the way we got shelled at the beginning of this year. It’s like my grandparents talk about the way the country pulled together when German’s bombs fell from the gray British sky.’
This is the bit that makes me think this is a legit post. I hope I’m not just setting myself up for a sucker punch, I want to believe in the integrity of this post, like I believe in the Arsenal.
To put my doubts hopefully to rest, is it a familiar IP address ‘Holic?
Wind, I didn’t say it isn’t a legit post. I’m just saying that it’s just so confusing to me, I’ve totally lost control on who’s who 😀
BtM @ 255: Now that’s what I am talking about..
BJallDay – Great post, but I refuse to concede that this season is a “fight for 4th.” I want more and we’ll get more 😀
So, this is Patient Gang Goolie at the calm before the storm stage eh? 😀
A fearsome sight indeed 😉
I’m not really in full crazy mode now, I’m focusing on watching NBA and NHL.
I opened a season on FM12 to check when the squad numbers need to be submitted (to check if teams submit numbers at the end of January as well) to see if TH can get his 14 back.
If not, then he’ll probably take 12 🙂
Its almost certain that he’ll take #12 Snir, and that was the number I was gonna give my virtual pro on Fifa 12 🙂
Things happen in Mysterious Ways…
BJallDay @ 256: I am totally with Wind @ 260 on this. I crying mate – you actually made me cry! If I could I would print pamphlets and drop them on the Em for the next home game…that’s how beautiful and moving your post was to me. I am glad you chose this time and this bar for your first drink (and who cares whether or not you are under cover I don’t)…still weepy and I don ‘t care (0;
Oh GT @ 267, I’m tearing up! ‘wipes eyes swiftly’
Ok so I checked.
It’s only in the August registration. So TH can not get 14 as long as TW is still with the club.
http://www.premierleague.com/content/dam/premierleague/site-content/News/publications/handbooks/premier-league-handbook-2011-12.pdf
Page #122.
12 it is then, I wonder how long it would take for the shirt to be out of stock 🙂
I promise my fellow Holics I am a newbie. I am honored to read this website and the ensuing drinks. Goonerholic and BTM are like father figures to me. Two Gents that constantly get it right…
I only write when Arsenal affairs truly move me to type. For Example.
http://www.onlinegooner.com/article.php?section=exclusive&id=1726
My inspiration this time was a collection of players that deserve the support from the greatest supporters in the world. Let’s give them everything we got, because I truly feel they are giving us everything they got…
Until Next Time…
BJallDay
Well done even though you touched a nerve with the Cesc article…but I have already accepted that I am in the minority on this subject so don’t worry. I still loved your post above..
GoonerTerry, which side are you on 🙂 ?
@ Snir: In a nutshell love Cesc, always will…can’t stand any criticism of him now that he’s gone..
Told you he was new Snir! Nyah nyah nya! 😛
I knew there was a reason I didn’t like the Gooner from the first time I saw someone hawking them on the Benwell Rd on the day of the home game vs Shrewsbury in the Carling Cup, and that article proves my suscipions.
GoonerTerry.
Another reason why I like your posts 😀
Cesc and Thierry, two players I truely wish I could of seen play in the flesh.
At one point I was just a few metres away from Cesc in August, maybe I’ll be lucky enough to get a ticket to see Thierry play again for the Arsenal… ‘looks on wistfully’
Hmm I saw Titi in the flesh but for the wrong colors… 🙁
Please God, make him go back to the MLS after the Anfield trip.
GT/BJAll Day/Snir/Wind etc etc.
Give me a healthy dose of realism over Blind Faith and Teary Valedictories every time.
If any of you think a draw at home against one of the worst away teams in the PL is just ‘ one of those things ‘ then i feel sorry for you.
I repeat we are a top 6 side only,at this point in the season,if and when we get all out injured first teamers back,we could well be a top 4 side.
But the QUALITY is not there across the squad to challenge for the Title.
AW bought well in as much as he brought experience into the Club,but
that alone will not win us the Big Trophies.
It will and has made us more competitive and harder to beat,but please let’s not get carried away.
We all want the same thing,but it seems as though some of you want to ignore the cold hard truth.
As for the Spuds,i happen to think they are playing well,have got a good squad and will go all the way deep in to the season,if like us they can keep the main first team group free from injury.
Cheers
A still Grumpy Sweeper.
Clive, you know I respect your views, but when a team shoots 17 shots on target, then it is one of those things.
You can’t fault them for their effort (as opposed to the loss against W.B.A last season).
Not talking about the title right now, but if you think that Chelsea and Liverpool have better squads than us, then I feel sorry for you.
It’s funny you talk about the draw against Wolves, when we played better instead of criticizing the performance at Villa. Instead, you and everybody else, praised the team spirit and rightly so.
Does the fact that we didn’t get the winning goal against Wolves mean that we were poor? No it doesn’t. We were actually better than what we were against Villa, but the criticism came after the Wolves result.
We weren’t poor, we just couldn’t get the result. On another day, we will.
I have no complaints to a team that shoots 17 shots on target.
Snir
you never read my initial post properly,i never said Chelsea or Liverpool’s squads were better than ours,i said all 3 of us were struggling with the quality players required to win games where you need to dig out the result.
I also didn’t criticise the effort of the team against Wolves,only the end product.
Also re the Villa game,i didn’t think we played badly atall,i thought Villa were well up for the game,we left alot on the pitch against City 3 days earlier,so in many ways the win at Villa was a fantastic result given we were very weary.
I still cannot agree that just because we had 17 shots on target and 73% possession that it was ‘ just one of those things ‘
That just means we didn’t have the calmness in front of goal to put the ball in the places the keeper cannot reach.
Wolves are truly abysmal away from home,so it was a poor end result,
Lot’s of effort but no end product.
2 very silly points dropped.
Cheers
Clive
Clive.
Ok – Lots of effort but no end product.
Agree.
But I can’t complain if the effort is there, can I? The only thing I can complain when a lot of effort doesn’t equal end product is ask for players who will make it effort = end product and it isn’t January yet so taking into consideration the players we had against Wolves I thought everybody ran their socks off (AA included) and did everything they can to get the 3 points, and that’s all I can ask for.
I already said that I think our squad is being underrated but we’ll have to wait till May to see if I’m right or wrong.
For now, I’ll just say that we are much better than a “top 6 side only” as our squad is better than both Liverpool’s and Chelsea’s.
Oh Clive. If the GT you referred to @ 278 was me then I am sorry if you think that I am overly optimistic about the Arsenal…I love my team – without reservations. And I love everybody who loves the Arsenal. At no time at all this season – especially after the summer departures – did I ever allow myself to get carried away and think that we were candidates for the title. Like you and others I was crushed by our early season form. But I am overjoyed my our resurgence since then. Wednesday’s game was just a blip and I for one refuse to condem our players for the efforts they made in the game. I both played and coached the game for many years and I know that some days no matter how well you play you just can’t win. Equally I know that on some days no matter how you suck you just can’t lose. Wolves were in that “just can’t lose zone” on Wednesday!
But seriously, here is a dose of – how you call it – “realism” for you: I never mistake my ramblings on here or any other forum as nothing more than just chat! I know that what I say in this bar can’t possibly influence the decisions that Arsene Wenger or anyone makes at the club. The reason I frequent this bar is to have a bit of fun like most of the patrons I believe. When I express my opinions my sole aim is to share my thoughts, talk about my love for the greatest club in the world, meet other addicts and try to lift the morale of my fellow holics. Surely three full days is enough time for anyone to get over the Wolves game. Lighten up Bro. Its not the end of the world we are discussing – its football and its about the Arsenal and if that’s not enough to make your heart swell and your love come pouring out then you have to try another game before this thing kills you..(in my opinion)
@ Clive: And another thing. I will just ignore the mention about the tiny totts and pretend that you just burped to get rid of some noxious and foul smelling gas that was causing you heartburn eh?
I think I’m enjoying the xmas atmos a bit toooooooo much…
Just chucked the last punter out.
What time is it?
Who cares, I’ll have a voddie shot for the road and offer one to those still standing.. HIC.
@ 265
I’m not really in full crazy mode now…
Be afraid, Holics. 😉
Zico – I was trying to concentrate on both the Celtics and the Bruins… It was tough!
C’s got hammered, while the B’s won their 7th straight so I’m good.
I can go back to fantasizing about TH and Poldi in January 🙂
We’ve ordered some extra restraints Snir. And padding for the room.
Hope you’re right about Podolski, mind. 🙂
So it looks like Henry will be here for a couple of months.
I know that with him we can be emotive and worry about tarnishing his reputation, but he can only play a maximum of 7 games.
And, IMO, we have immediately strengthened the squad – a straight contest between Henry or Chamakh / AA to come on and make an impact? Who would you choose?
So, whether he is still a great or not (i doubt it), I feel that he is significantly better than who he will be replacing, and therefore not to be sniffed at.
Podolski rumour does seem to be gaining momentum…
Holic, fingers crossed here for the missus.
TS@204: well, I’m up for pretty much anything if you can guarantee that Armageddon won’t occur!
Have to say that the article in the Daily Heil that lurky olivia linked to makes me wonder if we might actually really be going for Podolski. And I have to say I don’t mind Mertesacker admitting to speaking to Podolski about it, every other club in the world taps up our players so why shouldn’t we do the same? (disclaimer: if we really are in negotiations then that means we have permission to speak to him and it would of course not be tapping up at all)
Re: the Goonerholic FFL Cup – by my reckoning I should have been in this preliminary round seeing as I am only five or six spaces off rock bottom, but where can you see if you won or lost your tie?
Snir, as long as you don’t fantasize about TH and Poldi in the flesh I guess that’s alright 😉
Clive @ 278 heh 😆 i respect your honesty and you as a poster and experienced supporter!
I do not think it matters what GT or HT or whoever you refer to in your post because you are right. But I’ll be the first to tell you that as a loyal supporter i am in denial about our hopes at the moment *spits at the name S*r**
Jack can afford to pay 10% of their weekly salaries whilst earning knowing that we have never finished below them and by the way we have played since transfer deadline day don’t deserve it!!
Consistency is the key and since deadline day Sunday was out first true blip since DD! I believe in this squad fully at the moment. If we had lost so many key players a season or two ago we would have lost our rhythm by now ( more often). But I believe this squad has a good chance of finishing in a strong position this season because they are quite good defensively (recent scorelines back that up)
Barring the mancs I do believe that the others are there for the taking right now ( as with every year :grin:). We could do with a bigger squad, granted, I’ve seen fringe players step in this season and impress (see: beer cup vs shiteh). But like I say success will come with hard work, a positive attitude and consistency.
Right now, I think I’m going to grab a hot cuppa and camp until Titi’s return is announced officially on A.com as I don’t enjoy watching any other team play but ours (:grin:)
So I’ll raise my glass to you Mr Clive and I’ll just say…
Up the Arsenalage!
Coyrrrs!!! 😀
Sorry about typos
I actually meant to say whilst earning double (Jack)
Oi oi!!! 😆
Morning all. Some great posts but I must say I am very much in the Clive camp. I have been saying it for some time now. I could accept the Wolves result as one if those days if it was a one off. But it isn’t. We are a good side but we lack quality in areas. With 65 million sitting in the bank there is no reason for that to be the case. For us to make the step up we need some quality signings to go with the emerging talent that we have.
In my humble opinion of course.
Steve T –
I do believe your posts to go back for many years on this blog and I salute you for that alone!
I agree with you also and it is true to add that we are usually this ‘good’ this time of the year and then crumble!
I think I am more an admirer of Wenger’s work of art and if it had been certain other managers out there I probably wouldn’t be so forgiving of some of our clubs policies!
We have since 2005 been three or four players short and at the same time very unlucky with injuries and players subsiding.
But you know me, I’m going to love/ hate the club until the wheels fall off!
Up the Arse!
(so where’s Titi this morning? 😉 )
Morning all. A good catch up this morning. I’m also in the clive camp although snir makes his point well.
Simply love the idea of TH being back. Podolski as a Jan signing sounds good too.
But it’s the left back that we need. Really. Is everyone else happy with the notion that Gibbs will shortly recover and be good for the rest of the season?
Cups of rosie all round?
I will always love the club. Always. Not a lot I can ever do to change that. That passion is why at times I get so frustrated. As I say to my kids everyday and I have said on here almost as many times. It is not about just being the best, it is about being the best you can be. As a club I feel we are not the best we can be. If we were even remotely close to that we would not all be jumping with excitement about the potential return of a 34 year old legend?????? There would be no need to even consider it.
Mark-
I don’t think Podolski and a left back will be enough to win us the title alone good point and i do think they would be good additions!!
Meant to add my best wishes to the Barman and the management on what is clearly a worrying time. Having been through that scenario myself in recent years I’ve got the T shirt.
Looks like I’m the designated left back then, and starting the move deep in my own half…
Sets it up for Titi.
Continues the run into the boxxx….
And scores!
Am I the only one who thinks the Clive/Snir camps are actually pretty much the same more or less entirely overlapping areas? I’ll try to explain what I mean.
No one is happy with the result v Wolves. One point was two short of satisfactory. There is no debate on this point.
Also, we all agree we could do with adding a few good players to the squad. Not much debate on this point either.
This are the main points of both camps as I see them. Not very contentious stuff, right? Outside of that, we have all kinds of shades of grey inbetween the black and white ends of the scale (some thought there was little wrong with the effort, some wanted more etc) but mainly we all feel that
a) one point v Wolves was not enough.
b) quality additions to the squad would be welcome.
That’s how I see it, anyway. And that’s a fact – in my opinion!!! 🙂
Woo hoo!
GT, no those two on their own aren’t enough to turn it around. But it’s the bigger picture. Jack coming back for a start, a new LB allows TV5 back into his better position IMO (CB) and the shape is better.
Titi will always prefer to come in from the left wing so a good LB as the foil changes things.
Whilst wolves can take some credit, the parked bus tactic once again worked… we are simply too predictable at times and ‘something different’ needs to transpire.
That ‘something’ doesn’t involve AA at the moment IMO.
Now these last few centuries have been proper ones, not created with 40+ self-assists… 😉
You lost have been posting like mad.
I hadn’t even reached my seat when The Spark scored.
Well in Mark, is there a replay available on the ‘net?
“This are the main points”?. Seems I can’t spell this morning 🙂
Don’t want to get involved in football speak, can’t be arsed back-drinking, so I’d just say Lars’ 302 sounds fair to me.
Well I did watch the second half of the Old Firm last night, how poor is Scottish football? At times it was like watching Stoke play against, er, Stoke.
No idea how this finished 11 vs 11 either.
Ollie @ 307
2 bald men fighting over a comb. And the comb has some teeth missing.
And incidentally, Kyle Bartley was decidedly ordinary for those of you getting your hopes up.
Ollie, Stoke must not ever be allowed to play Stoke. That would signal the apocalypse, it would unleash such sinister powers of evil that mankind would stand no chance of survival. We would all be engulfed in a buring hell and with sulfuric rain washing down on us, all originating at the Britannia…
Morning all.
Welcome Brett. New faces always welcome here.
Who got BtM all misty-eyed about the offside king again? Come on, own up. We’ve only just got him through bloody therapy 😉
Indeed zico @ 309. Well as I said, I only watched the second half, but didn’t even really notice him.
Certainly wouldn’t be an upgrade on what we have in the squad now in defence or midfield(well, those playing anyway, Squillaci doesn’t count 😉 )
Bartley had his hands full with Samaras. That says it all.
Morning All
Mts – Good to see you back. Gibbs alone is insufficient cover IMO. Way too injury prone (currently) and a lack of experience. I posted earlier that AW went on record re: a “short-term solution” for LB. I really hope this happens. We need an alternative whilst Mr.Santos is laid-up and Gibbs struggles with his fitness.
In the meantime, TV is doing OK in this position but I don’t think using him there makes the best use of his considerable talents. The way he’s playing at the moment I’d rather see him playing alongside RVP 😉
Oh dear. Gareth and Gervais have finally lost it. Slaughtering Wenger for not getting Gourcuff, a player about whom they obviously know nothing.
Let’s sign a bloke who has an attitude that is denying him games, who would be guaranteed to put RvP’s nose out of joint and destroy dressing room harmony.
Nice work dipshits.
Slaughtering Wenger for not getting Gourcuff
Seriously? Jaysus.
Oldgooner- and on top of that, a player who isn’t Arsenal level… Very very very very very overrated.
Average at best.
Disappointed to hear Cesc say he lost his mojo last season.
Although not in doubt, it does appear to add weight to the malaise that swept the dressing room over past seasons.
Perhaps we lacked a captain, iWasp?
(not a slant on Cesc the player, just saying maybe he didn’t go about captaincy in the right way in difficult times)
What Lars said @302 !! 🙂
Nicely in Mark
Ollie, he should never have been captain. Tommy V or RVP were the real leaders in that dressing room.
Cesc was only made captain to try and make him stay.
I have to say, watching the Cesc interview on SSN last night did make me angry and wistful. Angry that we still don’t have him playing for us and wistful that the manager must take some of the blame for not bringing in the re-enforcements sooner.
Mts – @303 – Touche!
Are you thinking of a left back on a short or long term basis?
Whilst I am of the notion that Gibbs’ injury status is ‘suspect’ at present and whilst he and Santos are no Ca$hley, Clichy, or Baines (for those who admire certain external players like myself), ordinarily (ie: without long term injuries), I am in the Wenger camp when he says we have sufficient cover at left back this season at present!
😀
Anymore room in the country club for a long term poster? 😆
(tis the season to be jolly)
Pull up a chair GT 🙂
Off to town to spend a fortune I expect.
An important missive has been sent to dirty Leeds enthusiasts.
Even if we do buy someone in January, it is not likely to happen until late in the month for the simple fact that most January transfers are done very late. Now, I wish there was someone available who could bridge that gap, someone that can join the roster on January 1st, who would cost us nothing but a probably rather symbolic wage, who has trained with the club for over a month, who has been here before and knows the club inside out, who the manager knows very well, who has a massive heart for the club…
Still a few days until January 1st, and I’m already seeing people going mental about the transfer window….
And I haven’t even seen Snir post too much :p
Holic @ 325.
Hornswaggled? Hope the cure is better than the disease. 😉
Pity about dirty Leeds – I won’t make United to buy you a belated birthday beer. I shall pour one down the throat of tabs on 9th, and you can celebrate by proxy at the indebted game!!
Holic @ 324 even 🙁
Heh Lars…. 🙂
Bah Humbug Ollie 🙂
What Ollie said @ 320 😆
Lars @ 302, he forsakes his potential hat-trick to try and pacify the two camps, what a man 😉
And very descriptive @ 310! 🙂
Well in Mark @ 300, nice assist Snir.
Even before I had tabs’ sage advice to deny Le Grove my click, no matter how much they beg and wheedle for it, the solitary occasion or two I clicked on them from the Top Stories in the last 24 hours section on Newsnow Arsenal, I’d find a piece of negative Arsenal writing, capable of giving my stomach the half-flip. I’m sure when Le Prof leaves, when almost every other Arsenal blog weaves a en-heartening tale about the most successful manager ever to grace this club, they will write the most positive negative piece seen on their shambles of a website.
And Clive, maybe you mistake my love for the club as blind faith, but it isn’t. Maybe we’re not good enough right now, only a ‘Top 6’ side as you say, but the club has climbed a mountain to get to where we are currently in the table, we should of never fell down it in the first place but we climbed it still and that’s why similar to BJallDay’s stance, I’m proud.
17 shots on target, what more can you do but score which we evidently didn’t sadly, and how more clinical in front of goal can you get realistically than Robin van Persie??
If anything, we should of had to within 30 minutes, but that was the way the dice rolled, and we lost 2 points for it.
I know everything’s not all right, we lack depth in certain areas, but compared to the beginning, things are getting better.
Now how about a glass of some Cool 100% Orange Juice on me, I hope that Spurs bit with some niggling truths was just a by-product of drinking Orange & Mango or Passionfruit or something! 🙂
Thank you Holic@ 324 my legs and my head could do with a good break!
(Head and legs not to be confused with mouth and fingers at this time, for the legitimately humorous here, like myself of course :grin:)
Lads/ladettes –
I am not trying to be too pessimistic especially at this time of year, but I recently noticed that our next two games come within two days of one another. Then weekly thereafter following a home eff all game vs leeds!
Am I alone in thinking that this Monday game could be telling upon the lads, although these xmas/newyear games have not been too much of an issue for us in the past?
In addition, I suppose that as the others have the same (sort of) dates we are all in the same congested boat together!
(I wonder where that boat will take us? Sailing towards another title challenge I hope! Oops – Did I say that?)
All I’m saying is, if the Ox doesn’t feature in one of the two, I’ll go spare with despair.
heh@ wind!
Fulham will also have played just two days before, and away from home which means a bit of travelling as well. We will have to rotate whether we like it or not, but so will Fulham. Very few players will start both games for either team.
Although what is very strange is that Liverpool play tomorrow night, and then have more than twice as long to rest before playing Man City away on the 3rd, an unbelievably unfair advantage. Tottenham also gets an extra day’s rest compared to WBA (so that’s three points for free for the Cocks), ManU play on Saturday and then not until the 4th, when they play Newcastle who will by then have had five almost full days days of rest. I know it is the Murdoch Empire who picks and chooses tv games but surely, how can it be possible that some teams are forced to play two games within 48 hours (with the massively increased risk of injury that entails – it has been shown that it takes almost three whole days to recover fully from a Premier League game) while others have four or even five days between games???
…although I must say, if I do not see Titi feat in a successful match within the next week I will be lost for words! 😀
Just to be clear: Liverpool will have twice as long a rest as Man City will. Now, ManCity are one of probably only two teams that can possibly manage that but it is still unbelievably unfair.
What’s all this we’re only a top 6 side nonsense – check the table, we’re top 5 – fact!
At this point in time the Wolves game is a blip re our recent league form. So the Manc clubs do look out of sight right now but the blue russians and that mob from shite cart lane are well within our sights. If we don’t get past them then hey ho – but i’ll be fukked if i can see the point of anyone throwing their hands up in surrender or despair right now – it makes no sense to me when looking at the qualities of this Arsenal team or the league table.
Up The Arse!
Lars – I see the logic in what you are saying. It’s like when teams play during the week in say like a Europ…I mean Champions League match and have to face a team who has not played since the previous weekend. Usually without rotation, the elite club may find they have a tough match against the pub team they are playing!
Tis true! 🙂
I take your point about the unfair advantages which usually go unnoticed until FA United start kicking and screaming! (Did I say that?)
Some would argue all of the more reason to rotate the squad adequately. But when you have a top 10 Balon D’ore player in your squad who refuses to work properly, no amount of money spent can fix such problems! What with the Employment Act etc, it becomes complicated when it comes to offloading such broken down machinery (what am I going on about now?:lol:)
On a lighter note good to see the bar rocking last night with so many top holics – no names needed
On a lighter 50 pound note tkt sorted for Q P hahahaha. Been some time seen i’ve seen them live. Always had a soft spot for them for some reason – possibly in a your enemy’s enemy is a friend sort of a way.But if they make it difficult for us on Saturday that could all change. And you’ve got expect ’em to give it a go after the W game i s’pose.
Any holics at the Tollie ?
All the very best to the management ‘holic
CoMonURedS!!!
oops, pardon – since i’ve seen them live.
And another thing on the so-called we’re only a top 6 side lark – there’s still a whole half a season to go bejeeesus!
Dr. Z has the CMC been fully stocked post Christmas d’ya know?
UREDS!
AL,
please refer all queries regarding the CMC to Professor Storey, the one true custodian of the keys.
I was only interested in the profits….. 🙂
That’s profits, Snir, not prophets 8)
GT @ 323
My fear is that the AW version of a temporary cover is a sylvestre 🙁
iwasp & ollie 318 – 322 Spot on Lads! Clearly a burden too far for the lad (yes, still a lad at the time) to carry.
What next? Jack for Captain? Hmmm….
TV the more natural choice IMO
All the talk of the return of Titi has had me re-running on youtube for an hour. Jeez, we just didn’t realise how spoilt we were at the time.
Cold shower time methinks 😀
(Not) 😀
Patient AL
Do come in. A fine few posts from you. Clearly you can count to five, unlike most of us. And this worries me.
Take this pipe and finish it and then come back for more. Repeat until you cannot get past two like the rest of us.
AL 339, couldn’t have put any better myself.
Drinks for all on Lars’ tab!
heh Dr C 😀
Afternoon All ,
Some good posts up there . Welcome to BJallday , a fine first post and a very worthy sentiment expressed in your moniker . Didn’t agree with your Fabregas article , but your argument was well reasoned all the same .
Totally agree with Lars at 302 . A fine post Sir . We all seem to be debating the size of one gnat’s bollocks with another , so miniscule are the differences from varying perspectives .
It goes without saying that goals , and therefore results , will ultimately determine how certain games are viewed . That is entirely understandable , the game is ultimately all about putting the ball in the back of the net . It does not however tell the full picture .
I agree with Clive to the extent that we clearly lack both the quality and the depth , (and the early points ceded ) , to challenge for any higher than 3rd (and probably 4th ) this season . I have not by any means given up on reeling in The Spuds , but would suggest that this hope says more about what I think of Tottenham rather than ourselves .
Our recovery from our early season travails has been commendable . The players dug in , fought for the shirt , and eeked out results until the points gained allowed a greater expression of play that was seen at Norwich and Wigan . Quite why that improvement led some to talk about the title when Shitty were sweeping all before them and United kept winning was quite beyond me .
I do however agree with Snir inasmuch as whilst of course Wolves was 2 points thrown away , to my uneducated eye the performance was better than the home game against Everton . We beat Everton with a lateish wonder-strike , and all the talk was of commitment , effort and passion . Fail to beat Wolves despite creating many more chances , and there is talk of complacency , arrogance and a corresponding lack of drive .
That to me is to reduce football merely to the goals themselves and deny all the other elements that go to making up a game – luck , the performance of your opponents , the Referee etc etc .
Where I disagree with Snir is when definitive statements are made as to the strength of our squad with either Chelsea or Liverpool . For the record , my own view is that we are in front of Liverpool and just behind Chelsea , but it is just that , a view , and probably a gunner-tinted view at that . It is wholly subjective , and the race for 4th will go to the wire . That is where we are , and until such time as the squad is strengthened with real quality , we will continue to have days where we struggle to break down “lesser” opponents .
It is to be hoped that that quality (whoever they may be) is identified and persuaded to come to the Home of Football , if not next month , then certainly in the Summer . Of course we need to be as “good as we can be ” , however nebulous I find the term ( Is anybody , other than those with gangster/oil pockets ? ) , of course we need to “spend the money” . However the facile solutions presented ( not necessarily here ) is to ignore the huge complexities of a modern day transfer , especially if you still need to keep one eye on the bottom-line . For example , is going out and spending the 60m , (or whatever it might be) , on Carroll , Henderson and Downing being the best that you can be ?
Similarly , solutions such as sell X and Y , and buy Z presupposes that X and Y will leave (probably for lower wages) and will command any kind of fee , that Z’s club is willing to sell , and that Z wants to come .
I still back AW to see through the carnage of the transfer system , make the right signings , and have us back challenging for the stars next season . This season was ultimately a year of transformation . Right now , we are in much better shape than any of us might have dared to hope at the end of September . That is why I refuse to get too worked up about the failings of the Wolves game .
Dr Z @327 – what time we kicking off on the 9th ? Noon ? 😉
tabs – you have mail.
All will be revealed.
Great post at 348 btw.
Right
Who needs medicating? Uppers, downers, we’ve got the lot here….
Patient Sweeper,
we have some anti-curmudgeonly tablets especially for you. Get three down your neck now for starters 😉
AL @339 – That’s what I WAS trying to say! 😀
Cheers Dr Z – I have put more spam on the circular .
Mr C , Mr T – Nurse wolfie anticipates a record-breaking month in the quackery . He has gone out to buy some new state of the art electric shock bollock clamps – the patients have been warned !
Mark @344
**GT wakes up in a cold sweat and is glad it’s all a bad dream when hears of the name Silvestre, only to realise he has woken from one bad dream in to the next when he notices the name Squillaci is still on the squad page**
Aaaaaaarrrggh! Somebody help me!!!! 🙁
Ollie –
think it was you who said “as long as Snir isn’t fantasising about Titi in the flesh”
You obviously didn’t back-drink (as stated) ‘cos that is EXACTLY (sorry, can’t do italics) what he is fantasising about!
Nice work up there from Lars,
Great advice from my colleague, Mr C, @345,
Fine stuff from Tabs @348.
And in the most worrying news of the day, Snir, who is almost at the point of spontaneously combusting over the possible arrival of Thierry Henry and Podolski, says he is not yet focussed on the transfer window !
May your Gods help you all, 😉
Mr C @352 – more sage advice.
Do we have any pills for people who are addicted to pills ?
Tabs@ 348. I partially agree with you’re post. I want to clarify my point re; the title!
Earlier I said that had we won our game on Sunday and taking in to account players we have returning beside fixture congestion and injuries for the other so-called top four, I did not feel like 10 points would be too much of a gap to close at this stage of the season! The words I used was ’tilt towards’ a title challenge!
But we f*cked up so there! Have a bevvy on moi! 😉
Up thee Arsenalage!
I suspect Wolfie is trying to procure said electric bollock clamps, only because he secretly wants to try them out in person. 😉
If they are the ‘variable voltage’ variety we may not see Wolfie for some time . . .
Good post, tabs.
Mr T @356, doesn’t sound like my work.
You got that right Mr T 🙂
It is one of Wolfie’s more endearing qualities that he insists that all equipment bears the mark ” Smallballs approved “.
GT – my post was not aimed at anyone in particular . Fully understand your point of view .
The Scene – Dr Feelgood is sitting on a bar stool at one of the many bars on the Happy Train. A man stands beside him, with his back to the door and he and Dr Feelgood are deep in conversation. We join proceedings as Edwin is seen approaching the two from the left hand side of the room…..
Feelgood : “Edwin, there you are. I thought you’d drowned in that sea of paper you call statist, statsticks, stastistis erm, sums………let me introduce you to a very good friend of mine…..
……. Dr Disorder meet the brains of the outfit, Professor T Edwin Storey…..
Edwin reaches out and immediately shakes the newcomers hand.
Edwin : “It’s a pleasure, Dr Disorder, I’m sure. Any friend of Dr F is a…….certified lunatic, usually…..what brings you to these parts?”
Dr D : “Please, call me Borda. I’m actually here at the behest of Roxette. To keep an eye on your man (points at Feelgood).”
Edwin : “How’s that working out for you?”
Dr D: “Well I will admit, I did have reservations about the assignment. He’s a slippery character, there one minute, gone the next.”
Edwin : “Just look for a blonde. Pony Tail. You’ll find him babbling incoherently, somewhere nearby. In any event, we can take care of Dr F, now that he’s back home. Now where’s Wolfie with those clamps?”
Dr D (wistfully) : “You know, some people think you should never look back. That the re-appearance of Dr Feelgood back on his old stomping ground would do more damage than good. Many are worried that he will tarnish his reputation, that he will not be the same Dr Feelgood that left here with his head held high.”
Edwin: “Is THAT what he told you? He left with his head held firmly in his hands, like a Munch painting….”
Dr D : “Oh, I’m sure that’s just a misperception. Roxette says if you keep his meds under scrutiny, he can be easily controlled. I mean, what risk could there be on a train?”
Edwin : “Give it a few hours, Doctor, and a certain someone will live up to your name….”
They both turn around to find Feelgood gone……
To be continued……
Right, Laters Spud Haters, have to take a trip to the local West Country real “Quackery” as the croup has got my daughter again.
Mr C is on hand to deal with any impending psychological crises in my absence . . . good luck with that 😉
Dr Z – “Borda Disorder” heh 🙂 Great stuff 🙂
Wishing your little one well Trev . Hope all goes well .
Trev, hope all is well with the young Miss.
We are all re-assured that Dr C is in charge.
But just in case, I’m off! 8)
Best wishes for the daughter, Trev.
Trev
No worries, The Quackery is in safe hands (heh!) whilst you take care of things. Hope she is singing sweetly soon.
Now then, a little bit of this, a smidgeon of this and, fuck it, a pinch of this. Shake in gin until they all dissolve, et voila….. Patient AL, more medicine for you.
Wolfie, did you get the clamps? And the linseed oil for your paddle? A good scout is always prepared. Dr F is back on the train after all…
What Lars said, Trev!
The scene;
Mr C humming softly to himself, his glazed eyes focussed on nothing in particular, an opium pipe smouldering by his side
“…..*chestnuts roasting on an open fire*…….”
“Nurse, should we get Pt Gang Goolie in for a bit of a pre-emptive strike? I’m piss bored right now”…..
Holic, When the management is up and running again, I would love to ‘hear’ her voice at the bar. Would be a real treat for all of us.
Cognac Gunner, Happy belated birthday! You know, Paul Newman didn’t hit his stride until he was in his fifties. In his sixties, he was very sexy. Just the right blend of everything, so enjoy!
Mr C – your little self-rumination conjured images of Mary Poppins … a spoonful of sugar makes the medicine go down …
New electric bollock clamps have been purchased in The January Sales on special offer at £49 .99 . They also threw in a free pair of Speedoes . Amazing what you can pick up at the corner shop these days !
Have decided to go without the Linseed oil – less oil , more pain – but your mention of same has made me dig out my old Gray Nicholls Scoop bat . I’ve edged many a four with it , and it could be just the thing for Ging Gang Goulie and other more rowdy sorts
Mr C , I’m all for a pre-emptive strike , but do we go nuclear ?
Best wishes to the young Miss T, Mr T.
Zico @ 363, very very nice. Borda Disorder? Flash of genius I say 🙂
As for the rest of you sorry lot, what am I going to do with you! I come from work, after 14 hours on my feet, to hear you belly aching and wringing your hands. Arsene knows best. Now, have you all got your passports in order? Your hotel reservations made? We’re going to Italy, Mama Mia, in 2 months…oh the glory, the spleandor. I just can’t contain my excitement any longer. I’ve cut off all my ties with Pato, officially (eh, eh). Wesley Scheider will be our spy there, Seems he has a grudge against ACM and is more than happy to help in any capacity. Reserve your sleeping quarters on the HT now! 2 persons to a bunk bed I’m afraid. Oh, what we won’t do for Arsenal!
abb@372 – Ta – now you tell me just as I think about fading towards the 70s….
Tabs @ 362 I was just stating my point becasue you mentioned those ‘talking about the title’ and I was one of those. That was all!
Have a drink fella! 😀
Shock wow whats going on
A club at Angouleme announces possible link up with our ladies (translated without verification from local paper)…
It is only a draft of plan at present. But it would be possible definitely that is shortly born a partnership between ASJ Soyaux and female section of the club of Armory.
It would be a very nice blow which would accomplish there the club chaired by Denis Bodi.
Gunners, it is a monument in the world of female football. Thirteen times champions of England (and in a row since 2003!), victors of a Champions League, the Of London constitute the best team of United Kingdom. And Armory would approve of a partnership with Sojaldiciennes. It is at least what gives to understand Denis Bodi. « It would be a footbridge between England and France.
But I want to prove to be very careful, the president of the ASJ insists. They are really there that at the stage of debates. »
It is as part of these debates that the club charentais, in trouble in first division (11th and relégable in truce), managed to acquire the loan of Rebecca Spencer, goalie number two of Gunners. At 20 years (she will celebrate its 21 years in February), Rebecca Spencer is international English U20 and U23 and looking to acquire more time of game. A pretty bet for Soyaux …..
Some fine posts above! Can understand all sentiments
It’s a bit early to talk about top 4 and the title (must admit title is out of reach considering the manc teams), so I won’t
Talking about QPR home, do we rest RVP for this? I’m not too sure because we need the three points if nothing else but to stop the emerging doom brigade 2.0
One more doctor in the house?! 🙂
Harsha, I don’t rest RVP. Not sure Chamakh still knows where the net is, but if he does play I sure hope to be proven wrong.
I don’t think we can afford to rest RVP over the next two matches Harsha. But it would be good if Titi or Podolski or anybody else who can find the back of the net rotated with the cap’ain!
GT, there is no way RvP will start both games. There is just too little time between them.
Lars – Yeah maybe not start but has to play a bit part, preferably after we are leading the games!
Is there any good reason why the Ox should not start vs the newly promoted sides?
Cognac @ 377 If forty is the ‘new’ 30, and so on, well you do the math. Cheers!
I’m assuming that IF Henry came in on loan then he can play from 1st January onwards… correct?
Free The Ox !!!!
Reckon its going to be a bit of time before the preview of the QPR game, so, hows about a brief review of last 12 months?
Off the top of the head – My top 3 moments of 2011
1. Both goals against the “invincible” Barcelona – Feb 2011
2. John Terry falling on his face and the inevitable outcome – Oct 2011
3. Aaron Ramsey’s exorcism of the ghost of Shawcunt by scoring against The Indebted – May 2011
And the worst :
The beer cup final.
What’s your best and worst?
Nurse Wolfe
Gray Nicholls eh? I was always more of a DF man myself…bit I like the idea.
No need to go nuclear on him yet, just a little aversion therapy:
Photo of Henry; lights of HT dim as a sizzling burning smell is detected.
Photo of Podolski; lights dim further.
Whimpering noises; Gray Nichols thwack for four…….
Whatever you said Dr Z. I would add 8-2 defeat as the lowest point of the year
Losing to Spurs was pretty bad too. Goals against Barca, the highlight. Seeing Pep sweat, supreme.
I’m glad it’s early enough in the evening, I wouldn’t want the mention of the word Cygan to send GT off into a night of restlessness 😀
Yes abb, only a few months ago and the enigma that is our AA pops up with that delicious winner against the B’arse…
Mark, would that be the “less than mediocre” Arshavin?
God I wish he could find his mojo.
Oh and for the uninitiated, @ 388, the DF referred to is Duncan Fearnley and not a famous Doctor 🙂
zico, great idea!
Worst moment was Blackburn away. That one trumps the beer cup final hands down for me.
Best moments:
1. Arshavin scoring v Barca, the pub went mental. The staff later told us that people on lower floors (where the Barca “fans” were confined to) at the place wondered what was going on, guess they had never experienced proper passion.
2. RvP netting the fifth v the bus stop. I ran around the pub like crazy, actually thinking to myself “oh look, I am running about, wonder where I am going?”.
3. Being at the Emirates for RvP’s 100th Arsenal goal.
*tackles cunty barton and retrieves the ball*
Runs into space in the hole. Well it would be wouldn’t it? If there was no space, there would be no hole. Anyway, calls for the ball…
Runs?
spots Harsha making a run through the midfield.
*Lifts a pass cross field*
Mark, You know, we will beat Barca again. It’s Arsenal’s destiny, our fate. With Jack and Barcary back soon, watch out futbol world. As for AA, nothing would give me greater pleasure then to see him do it again.
Shoots
You hit thin air there, Wind…
abb with the improvised solo in the box, quality finish.
Well that cross field pass turns out to be a cross, abb knocking it in!
Dr Z –
best :
1.AA v Barca – When you dared to dream in an Emirates crowd that evoked memories of Highbury nights of old.
2. RVP hat trick v Chelsea – We’re back and I won a nice little stash .
3. RVP v Everton – Relief .
Worst :
1. newcastle 4-4 – where our troubles all began .
2. Blackburn 3-4 – The worst point of our malaise.
3. CC Final – Within spitting distance of neanderthal Blues in the queue to get a train back and realising that the wait goes on .
Ahh, just out with the mis-kick 🙁
Well in Nurse abb, a worthy teammate to lose the quad too 🙂
Nice assist Harsha, quality in the middle of the park.
Well in Abb – quality finish 🙂
Zico @ 387 – I think everything is pretty well covered, although beating the scum good and proper in the beer cup was another moment to be cherished!
Mts @ 391 *GT runs for the door as he swears he’s seen a ghost* 😉 (Cywho? Cyou mate!)
Cheers for the Beer GT , sorry not to have acknowledged earlier , one right back at you .
GT, but that was in 2010. We are talking about 2011 now 🙂
Yes Guys, Pato has taught me some tricks. Cheers!
Steve T @ 296 – I almost missed ya post as I was on the move earlier!
A belated but not at all underrated toast to you my good man!
Up the Arsenalage!
Heh Zico @ 393,
although if they didn’t get “DF”, I’m not sure “Duncan Fearnley” is going to enlighten them too much!
Are you SURE you’re a Scot?? 🙂
“Free the Oxalage” 😀
Best moment of 2011 personally for me – Being at the Ems to see one and all applaud and laud and celebrate Robin van Persie’s 99th and 100th goals for the club, a privilege.
Worst moment – Losing the Carling Cup Final in the death, I was distraught.
I saw #397, by the way 😉
Heh ‘Holic @ 414, it could be ‘Runs… Into the Side Netting.’ 😛
>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>