The Long Good Friday
Apr 6th, 2012 by 'holic
I had to get that title in. Do you remember the look on Bob Hoskins face in the closing scene as he realises the extent of his situation. That could be the look we all have at just before six on Sunday if things don’t go our way this weekend. Being of a more optimistic nature I prefer to believe I will have my usual post-match silly grin on as I stroll into the pub and demand some refreshment.
It is going to be a long Good Friday though. I won’t bore you with my domestic plumbing details, other than to say we discovered yesterday the ratio of good plumbers to bad is roughly one to three. An early morning check was required to ensure no leaks had sprung up anywhere. Sleep was not a close ally. An early night to compensate just isn’t possible, with the unmissable delights of the golf at Augusta unfolding on the screen.
Of course before the golf kicks off we will get to watch some of the excellent football that Swansea are currently producing shoe-horned into the small gaps remaining in between Tim Krul goal-kicks. The thing about Easter is the prospect of four days of wall to wall football. The all-powerful controller of the Premier League, television, has cut us down to one fixture this weekend. Not a bad thing for the players, but it does mean I will miss the re-arranged home game with Wigan.
This used to be the part of the year where fixture congestion used to really bite. I cannot remember too many grumbles in the sixties when you might find yourself home and away to the same team from up north over a couple of days. European football wasn’t such a distraction in those days, and with cheap tickets and supporters on holiday it was a period for the clubs to cash in. The grumbles as I recall started in the following decade.
Most memorable for us came in 1979-80, at which time we used to play the neighbours over Christmas with the return fixture being at Easter. Loved that, the Metropolitan Police did. On 7th April we kicked off an incredible round of eleven matches in under a month. A team containing six reserves won 2-1 at the Lane and we fell under the spell of a young Paul Davis. Two days later we played the first of six semi-final matches in three weeks that took us past Juventus and Liverpool in the most dramatic of circumstances in the European Cup-Winners Cup and the FA Cup.
Can you imagine the Arsenal of today maintaining that sort of standard over so many matches in such a short space of time? I’ll leave that question hanging in the air, uncomfortable with the likely consensus.
Moving Times
A quick apology is in order for the confusion that followed the move of this site to a plush new home in the last day or two. It seems the old home was not letting us leave easily, and there were two versions of ‘holic on the go for at least part of yesterday. Hopefully that has all settled down today, but if any of you lost comments let me apologise. Let me know if you have any issues going forward.
Anyway, for those who are enjoying the holiday this weekend I hope you avoid plumbing issues like the plague. Of course lots of people will be working to ensure we have the opportunity to worship at the altar of commercialism, and there are religions that do not have the same festival. Wherever you are, and whatever you are doing, have a happy and a healthy weekend.
Cheers ‘holics.
206 Responses to “The Long Good Friday”
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First?
Second?
I prefer to imagine
the face of Samir Nasri as he realises the extent of his situation
Oh, yes – first and I did read the post before drinking!
Let’s hope Swansea can produce a result today v the Barcodes. All the talk is about us, Chelsea and Looting Town but let’s not forget that Newcastle is exactly the same distance behind us as Chelsea are. Pardew may be a Grade A see you next Tuesday, but it’s quite impossible not to be a little bit impressed by what they have achieved up there this season.
zico@3: I second that preference!
I am not really sure yet how I think Sunday will pan out, but in any case a win would of course be massively massive for us.
I’m on holiday and Roxette has that look that spells shopping centre written across her face.
Time to make a sharp exit – good luck with your plumbing Holic (the meaning of which could be misconstrued for a man of a certain age) – I’ll be back for the preview or when Roxette runs out of plastic.
The preview, then.
*boilk* slowly subsiding.
Well I’ve finished the report for yesterday’s session, think I have a couple of queries left over from the last few days still to deal with, but the plan today is to essentially take it easy….
Can you imagine the Arsenal of today maintaining that sort of standard over so many matches in such a short space of time?
Your next sentence suggests my answer of ‘YES’ takes me out of the consensus?
And reading the article, I genuinely had no idea there was football today.
I was out drinking with Swansea-supporting mate last night, now I understand why he has taken the day off, heh.
Actually, re-reading your sentence, now I also realise you made a typo on consensus.
.
Or you had, as I expect people won’t see it later and this drink will make sense no longer if I don’t change the tense.
‘holic, I know a good plumber, but he’s a bit far from you
http://www.drainandleak.com/
I’ve got a taste of Sangria lingering in my mouth.
Two holics, we’ve only got two holics …
Well done sub-ed. My spellchecker didn’t catch that. Stupid spellchecker.
I want hot cross buns!
Oi, arseblogger, that’s my line.
I remember the semi final epic battle with L’pool, it took so long to resolve they almost had to push the final back. If I recall corectly (probably not) we had to get our tickets (via the program voucher system) in the same week as the final. I also remember that West Ham had many more fans in the stadium then us, because they had sealed their berth long before us so they snapped up all the general sales tickets.
That’s the way I recall it, I was only a kid at the time.
Heh, Blogs.
Twice the Wurthers-like goodness…
Oi,
I’m Andy Goram.
I’m Andy Goram and so is my wife.
Transfer warnings:
http://www.francefootball.fr/#!/news/2012/04/06/110858_100-millions-d-euros-c-est.html
PSG plan to spend about €100million every year for 5 or 6 years,
a ‘normal’ sum for a top club.
Really?
FFP doesn’t translate in French?
Oops forget to change back.
Lovely stuff ‘Holic, glad to see service resumed and the bar fully operational. A very good Easter weekend to you and Management.
Will you be HoF bound on Sunday young man?
BtM? tabs? Ollie? TMSnowy? Delia? Steve T? AL? Anyone else???
I know Dr.T will be representing The Quackery and holding up his end for all to see.
Went to The Homeless FA ‘charidee’ event last night held in a North London hostelry full with top Gooners inc. a screening of fever Pitch and a Q&A session with the one and only Perry Groves. What a top, top man he is. Heart on his sleeve all evening, one of the boys and Arsenal to the core. A real priviledge. Some of his anecdotes, real eye-openers.
Dr.z – I am saving my voice for Sunday for a special Arsenal welcome back to the chinle$$ le$bian. I think the occasion demands a special song but just can’t think of one. Any ideas?
HAGW ‘Holics!
I know Dr.T will be representing The Quackery and holding up his end for all to see.
Euuuuuuuuwwww
I know Ollie, it’s a dirty job but someone’s got to do it
Am I seeing that Dr C is the Andy Goram of twitter? Though judging from the timeline, there’s only one Dr C left.
Ollie, well spotted.
holic sorry to hear about your plumbing what age are you again ?
A quick plumbing story…
A couple of years ago, I rented a room off a guy in the trade. he’d just bought the house – a converted baptist chapel – and decided that it was time to flush out the pipes to remove all the limescale etc. A day or two later, he realised his mistake as the limescale had been nicely sealing the holes where the previous owner had put nails thorough the pipework. My, how we laughed…
By the way is Good Friday still FF?
howdy ‘holic
the long good friday , eh
.
i lived in laaandan a long time , a fair few years (decades)ago
and my non-toura-loura-loura irish accent was a source of interest to some
.
despite my obvious good looks and modesty
all a lot of people could hear was my squawk
it’s less – “aww , to be sure ,to be sure, top o’ the mornin’ to ya”
more – beards and broadcasting bans
.
.
i forgot what my point was
.
i’m sure if it will come callin’ again
anyhoo
Oxon @ #28
it most certainly f*ckin’ well is but with an extra mention of his Dennisness thrown-in for good measure
Top o’ the mornin’ to you good ‘holic sir, or would that be top of the afternoon already? An exciting new post to read but first may I say apologies to all for my late night self-assist. I have been attending meetings of self-assisters anonymous and have made real progress since my last egregious offense. Just when I thought I might be out of the woods the crazy demon stood up and bit me in the neck. Re: GT @209 in the previous drinks: I feel suitably chastened and hope to satisfy the demands of the disciplinary committee in short order. Which reminds me, Is Nurse ABB on the disciplinary committee? ;0
*Ball,do we really need to know about your late night self assist?
FFF stylee
Crap, *8Ball.
FFF’d myself.
Heh, Spectacular, H2H!
TS@30 ahh… Denis… I’ve come over all moist.
F*ck off. Slow-motion repartee. You can’t beat it.
Plumbing problems aside, a very agreeable post and I hope you enjoy the golf, ‘holic. Just remember those pretty greens and lagoons are all the fake creations of some backwoods Georgia rednecks.
Re: H2H #32. Just tell us more about ZZZZZZZ Alkmaar then, old son.
So I was sitting on my sofa leafing through bets on the Leeds match and saw they were 9/1 to get most red cards. They are away, against a top side, have been playing like shite, the game’s on telly, Colin Wanker is their manager and Michael Brown is playing. Easiest bet I’ve ever made
Got a feeling we might be in for a great game on Sunday, packed with goals. But I might be missing it …
Good Friday to all. Ok Holic, I’ll answer your question! With proper rotation of this squad, most assuredly our lads could handle such a congested schedule. How dare you suggest otherwise ( well it’s FFF for pete’s sake). Now I must comment on your plumbing dilemma. At least you know when to ask for professional help. My Nick has been toiling away on our kitchen sink for almost a week and I’m having to endure some very colorful language in the process. One more item Holic, this golf thing, along with Arsenal, just when pray tell does the Management ever get to see you!
Well, I seem to have missed out on Norwich ticket, I’ll have to rely on TX.
Good luck with that bet, Ricey.
TS @ 22 A song for Samir…Queens ‘ Another One Bites the Dust’?
8BALL @ 31 No worries lad. I’m really a softie. EXCEPT when it comes to The Arsenal.
I hate showboaters. A second bet was for the first goal to be a header, but LeFondre, who was about a foot from the line, decided to chest it in. Bar steward.
DOOOOOMED, Ricey.
Did he think he was Balotelli?
Well 8Ball old chap, AZZZZZ were knocked out of the Yourhopeless League (or whatever it’s called this week) last night, they took a tonking from Valencia. Shame.
I was at their stadium earlier this week (Tuesday) for the Alcho Expo (as I like to call it), it’s a compact stadium with a very good playing surface, the stadium has a capacity of around 17,000. It was previously called the DSB stadium, afer a guy called Derek Scheringa who had a bank, but unfortunatly went bust, leaving the club in a bit of a financial pickle.
The stadium has been renamed the AFAS, after their new sponsers and after a few years of being prudent the club is almost debt free.
A few interesting snippets;
AZ play in a strip very similar to that of the Arsenal.
The Arsenal groundsmen were hired to train their dutch counterparts in the art of getting their pitch looking great.
Arsenal were invited to play in the inaugural game in their new stadium.
Fuck, 1-0 Newcastle after four and a half minutes v Swansea. Come on Swansea, give us a hand here!
From the Beeb;
1635:
GOAL – Swansea 0-1 Newcastle – Papiss Cisse
First attack, first goal for Newcastle. No prizes for guessing the scorer. Yohan Cabaye’s superb pass finds Papiss Cisse on the edge of the box and he gets the ball out of his feet before firing low past Tim Krul.
Twats
Swansea are suffering from a bad case of arsenalitis at the moment. Lots of pretty passing in front of the opposition but very little penetration. Newcastle are playing pretty much two banks of four behind one attacker who is effectively playing as a midfielder (Ba) and then Cisse up top – which in this case means “he’s walking around in the centre-circle most of the time”.
Possession after 41 minutes: Swansea 71%, NUFC 29%…
@ 47
So it was an OG, then?
Zico, we wish.
Lars #48, I was thinking the same thing
Swansea are not going to score even if they 450 more minutes of this game, let alone just 45 unless Newcastle give away a penalty or something. Just before half time, Papiss Cisse intercepted a pass in the penalty area – the Newcastle penalty area, that is. Newcastle have parked the team bus, the players’ cars and a few bicycles as well in their own box.
So that’s Newcastle just two points behind ahead of our game tomorrow. There is no way Swansea are getting anything out of this game.
what zizo said @3 with bells on.
apologies, I need to change the name back from ‘the other side’.
Swans looking like ‘Arsenal lite’ of yesteryear (with Na$ri), 80% possession, 2 strikes, goal down to breakaway.
Come on Swans! Don’t let us down like last weekend.
Heh baff, shall we call you Alice from now on?
Anyway, I’m off.
It could change if they bring on Sinclair, Lars. Other then that, if they don’t change their tactics drastically, then I’m afraid you’re right.
H2H, maybe it could. And I don’t think they can change their tactics that much, they haven’t really got the players to start pumping balls into the box, do they?
Oooooh, very unlucky for Swansea there! Krul makes a very poor save from a long-range shot but the ball bounces away just outside the post.
Not the Swans day, is it? Should have been 1-1 there. One more goal-kick and Krul will see the game out
Heh.
They’re at least givin’ it a go.
They sure are, H2H. They do threaten a lot more now.
Love watching them. They are the Welsh Arsenal.
Holic, they really are a joy to watch. And it also gives a bit of perspective to the way we handle parked buses. This game shows just how difficult it is to break down this kind of defense that we face very often, and most of the time actually do manage to break through in the end.
Good point Lars.
Woah, that was a bit tasty from the Pissy Sissy.
Game done……………..unless…………
Fuck fuck fuck, 2-0 Newcastle. Papiss Cisse with about his second touch all game. Magnificent finish though, how the hell can he not have been snapped up by any bigger clubs? He’s bloody magnificent.
At this rate Newcastle will be nicking Chelsea’s Europa League place.
Heh H2H @ 67, I think they will, maybe they’ll nick the Spuds champions league place of 4th, one can only dream, even if that cunt Pardew is at the Helm
And just because its #FFF:
From the last drinks: Holloway2Holland said:
“GT
Before I go though I want to say to PIK that my fight isn’t against bad manners ‘it’ against bad grammar..
Ahem.”
And how!
Well, no one can say that Swansea didn’t try. Newcastle have one massive advantage over the other three teams in contention for the CL places and that is that they have absolutely no pressure on them. Finishing sixth would still be a massive achievment for them, so they can play with no fear at all. As I said earlier in the post, people seemed to have forgotten how close they were and I have to say I fear them a lot more than I fear Chelsea at this point.
Ricey @ 43, just saw the chest goal during HT of the Barnsley/West Ham game on BBC1, 3-0 to the Hammers currently and well deserved, soft spot for them since I saw my first football game that I can remember at Upton Park back in ’09, but still, what a bitch move by that Reading Player, unlucky mate
Evening Holics
Will be at the Ems on Sunday but not at the Tollie. There is engineering work on my line and the journey both ways is going to be a struggle and won’t be in the vicinity of the stadium until 15.30.
However, intend to see you all at the Tollie for the Chelski game ,when I can make use of public transport from home and will be able to avail myself of more than just a pint of Abbott!
Settling down to watch the Golf, rooting for Rory!
As always COYRs
First? Fer fack’s sake…
Evening Holic, all. @ Zico 3- heh! Well said.
H2H, howdy dudey this fine evening (of course it’s noon here…)?
Now conducting a literature search in the expectation of finding a scientific study reporting that the majority of users find improved focus after hookah usage.
http://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/0/football/17638038
Hey you lot. Hope you all have been having a great Good Friday. Nobody has mentioned church or anything so I imagine I am in the company of enlightened Gooners. In Jamaica we celebrate Good Friday by eating Bun (a sort of sweet bread) and cheese. But on TV I saw that some folks prefer to don crowns of thorns & flog themselves and carry crosses and simulate the crucifixion instead….I am so glad I live in Jamaica! Long live Jamaica & Jamaicans I say – a bottle of your best rum for the patrons Barman (0;
Now then I see that both Hurricane & H2H have taken issue with my small mistake in the last set of drinks. I acknowledge my mistake. Here is that missing “s” to complete that sentence. And here are a few more “ssssssssssssss” for you to stick anywhere you feel like (0;
btw: Anyone heard anything from DanC?
GT @ 76, if you deliver a pair of tickets late to a mate that you promised to get to and he misses the 1st half, is it ok?
Lars @ 66: “Papiss Cisse – how the hell can he not have been snapped up by any bigger clubs?”….Any day of the week Newcastle is a huge club – as big as Liverpool, Shitty or the scum down the road..
Hurricane @ 77: You are going to have to spell that one out for me old son – maybe I am a little slow (er) today or summatt..
btw: you are kicking up a right old ruckus here in my hometown today Wind…(0;
A pleasure GT
I try to get around you know 
And my point @ 77 is that time is of the essence, the point in time that you may do a certain action will affect the overall situation, in the above case, your mate would have missed the first half on account of your lateness, dulling his overall matchday experience.
In your case, your lack of an ‘s’ at that point in time in your post explaning your fight against bad grammar left you with egg on your face
Wind @ 80: Hmmm – I felt no egg mate but feck you and the horse you rode in on anyway (0;
** I wonder if its a sin to swear on Good Friday?
GT @185 prev drinks, to abb –
“trev . . . and I have teamed up in the fight for proper grammar . . .
Two rite bruvva Terry!
@’Holic –
“I hope you avoid plumbing issues like the plague”.
The plague was not a plumbing issue – that’s incontinence you’re thinking of
Wind @77 –
“if you deliver a PAIR of tickets late to a mate . . . . and HIS (not ‘he’) misses . . . is it ok?”
It isn’t, ‘cos she will clearly be very annoyed
Re: ‘holic. Has anybody put the ball in the little hole yet?
Trev: Heh, heh and, heh again (0;
‘holic, This is four your viewing pleasure, I hope and trust. Unfortunately the master of ceremonies does not appreciate the golf.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uwAOc4g3K-g
Anyone ever hear Billy Connolly explain the origins of golf? One of his funniest stories ever. Sadly, and incredibly, it doesn’t seem to be on YouTube. But here is Robin Williams telling much the same story. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pcnFbCCgTo4.
But here’s the Big Yin on playing golf with a hitman:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mz6UjvhMOSQ
Ah, bt8b@87, one of the classics, and the unbowdlerised version, too.
Since it is just about still FFF, here is some John Cleese to stir the pot:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2sD_8prYOxo&feature=related
NBN, I am the first to agree 100% with every word spoken by John Cleese, about this and every other subject.
Trev/GT @ 84/86, you two are a gaggle of trolls
Feck off, the both of you, especially Trev. But moreso GT
Alrighty, walks out, pulls up the socks, slips on the shin guards, trots towards the opponents box.
Steps on keeper’s foot, attempting to elicit Jans-esque behavior…
Wind@92: I think a deviousness is the preferred collective noun for trolls, though the usage isn’t firmly established.
Looks around to make a quick joke with 8ball before the cross, but no where to be seen…
NBN shakes his marker with a show of massive deviousness…
Hoofs ball in PIK’s direction, and looks the other way…
And pik swings his penguiny right foot!!!!
…deviously….
Miss!
Damn you, devious one.
Nice assist, PIK.
Your welcome, good man!
Ok, back to my clinical training.
COYR!
Re: H2H and ZZZZZZZZ: That is the most informative news I’ve heard on AZ Alkmaar in weeks. At least.
Re: PIK and NBN: Have you considered forming a team. You could be unstoppable.
NBN @ 95, Heh!
And @ 100, maybe the greatest goal I ever saw in terms of deviousness, nice assist PiK
I have to disagree bt8b whilst I agree, me and PiK had quite the strike partnership before he disappeared…
Why did you leave me bro!
Wind, Your post @92, aside from being quite far removed from 100, made no specific mention of build-up play. Effective telling off of Trev and GT, however.
I cudda hod dat 100 but Iye was watching Big Billy – thanks for the link NED…
bt8b @ 109. I wasn’t referencing the build up play to NBN’s devious goal (!) I was talking about how PiK disappeared from the bar a few months back when we were scoring goals consecutively for fun :’(
But thanks for the plaudits on the telling off of GT/Trev
Ned @ 88 & 90 – fine links, mate. I think my socks will never wring out.
Wind @111 – “the telling off of GT/Trev”.
In the words of one ex-chancellor, young man, that telling off was like “being savaged by a dead sheep”.
Hardly worthy of FFF – just a bit of childish name-calling, and you even got your collective noun wrong !
Frankly this “challenge” is barely worthy of consideration!
Morning all.
Have your fucking feisty Friday, if you must, but don’t let it spill over into Saturday please.
We’re all friends here.
What, no preview?
Do I detect someone spending too much time watching Golf?
Preview is an evening job, zico, once we know what we need to do.
All topical stuff here, guv
I’ll give you a pre-preview then.
Win the next match.
Hmm Trev @ 113, well it was good Friday so I held back a bit you know, maybe next week it will feel like being gummed by a multitude of cankerous old people
I think that’s a step-up from the dead sheep, eh mate?
‘Holic @ 114, sorry boss
zicoblog.com
Ollie
All the news that’s fit to print
COYBC …
A goal or two by agent Nik could come in quite handy at the mo’ and as I recall he likes scoring against the tiny totts. If all else fails he can throw one of his pink boots in the goal and it will probably be awarded what with the quality of refereeing these days.
Wind – it was all in jest anyway, as I know yours was too.
Afternoon all.
Not too bad a result at the Stadium of Light, now let’s hope Wigan cxan do us a favour.
Lars.
Today here in the Lowlands I only have one PL 3 o clock kick off available too.
Afternoon Holic and Holics ,
Great post Holic . Remember that Easter 1980 very well . Was it really over 30 years ago ? Heavens .
Southampton on the Saturday , Spurs on the Monday , the filthy Italians on the wednesday , and Liverpool up at Hillsboro the following Saturday . Saw all 4 games in the flesh . Watched the Spurs game from the Shelf with a load of LWC school mates . Took me at least a month to stop laughing after beating them with such a patched up side .
For those interested , our side that day was Barron , Rice , Walford , Talbot , O,Leary , Young , Brady , Devine , Vaessen , Hollins , Davis .
No Jennings Nelson , Price , Rix , Stapleton , and Sunderland only a sub , and we still turned ‘em over . Forever in our shadow !
H2H @15 – Your memories of the make up of the Wembley crowd that year accord with mine .
Cheers Tabs.
Paul Vaesen, eh?
Had his moment in the spotlight against Juventus in Turin. I’ll never forget listening to that game on the radio, listening to the Italian crowd celebrate because they thought they were going to the final and then complete silence when his goal went in. Legendary!
Nice recollections TABs @ 126: And didn’t Paul Vaessen go on to score at Juve in a 1-0 win for the Arsenal?
Oh I see H2H beat me to it (0;
Hey ‘holics how about a little fun until Holic’s preview? I propose a little competition: Preview in 5-words…Here’s my offering:
“Arsenal win, fuck the rest” (0;
Bloody hell, 1-0 Chelsea after Ivanovic scores thanks to being two yards offside but no flag from the blind fucker on the line.
Chelsea’s goal is a travesty! You can’t tell me there’s not corruption in the EPL…
Don’t worry guys, we got this. Nasri is gonna wish the earth would eat him alive.
Hey Tabs –
how do you remember all this detail – 30 years of programmes with marked changes or just an incredible memory.
I was at all 4 of those Liverpool games too – our paths must have crossed a fair few times in those days.
Will you be there tomorrow ?
H2H@125, that one-game rule really sucks
Lars – Chelsea will get their’s – they play Totts, Barca, The Mighty Arsenal and Barca again in 11 days!
GET IN !!!!
1-1 at the Bridge! A thunderbolt of a shot from Diame!
OK WIGAN!!!!
Justice.
I’m not happy about it either Lars.
Trev, they certainly will. I fear Newcastle a hell of a lot more than I fear Chelsea in the run-in. Chelsea just aren’t a very good team, they will need quite a bit of luck (and a more or less complete meltdown on our part) to overtake us.
130 GT
“Let’s Drill Those Oilly Cunts.”
Yep , will be there Trev . What time you aiming for ?
Had to look the team up Trev . I remembered it was Paul Davis’s debut and that 5 reserves played , but wouldn’t have had a clue on the team .
As regards the semi vs Liverpool , I only saw the first game . For the replays I was consigned to the commentaries of Peter Jones and Bryan Butler – Death by a thousand cuts !!!!
Lars, calm down.
It’s all good. We got top 4. At least.
As for Chelsea – and you were saying ABC lol, they are so poor Barca is gonna break records against them.
Dammit!
Fuck, 2-1 Chelsea – I shouldn’t have talked about them needing luck
Bloody fucking hell, wasn’t than an offside goal as well???
Bollocks – how lucky were Chelsea !
Wigan wuz robbed.
Not fair! Poor Wigan…sucks for us as well. Hope Martinez can appeal no offside called on first Chelsea goal.
Jammy fuckers.
I’m hearing that Cuntski won thanks to TWO off-side goals?
Blimey.
Mind you, I’ll take a win with us scoring offside tomorrow as long as it’s given
Bloody hell, just saw the highliights and THREE Chelsea players are in an offside position for their second goal. Mata is offside when Torres shoots, and then Kalou, who is even more offside when Mata shoots, blocks the path of Al-Habsi who might very well have saved it otherwise.
Piss off, you cunt of a bent linesman.
Sian Massey would never have got those calls wrong.
150 abb
Can’t be done I’m afraid.
Lars – Chill out, they’ll lose so many points between next week and the end of the season that you don’t even need to sweat about it
Snir, I’m not really sweating, I’m just a bit pissed off about the way they won the game.
That off-side rule needs to go – no one knows how to interpret it! We should go back to the simple days when we understood that if a player is on the field then he intends to affect play: Full-stop!
Lars: They didn’t get it wrong – they got paid. There’s no other explanation.
Afternoon all.
…*pops in for quick pint. Back out for another 9 holes with the Boy*….
That proves it conclusively for me. Much like much of European football, our game is dirty. Bent linesman will be getting a big bung of roubles via Cyprus bank.
So bad!
Terry, that was what “bent” referred to in my post @153
BTW…. Wind fuck off with messing up my drives this morning! Really distracting…
Those officials should be tarred and feathered. They should never work again. If there is no statement with an abject apology then it proves that it was fraudulent. The gutter press should be crawling all over them and their bank accounts. This is very ‘Russian’.
Aiming to be at The Tollie by 2.30 Tabs – could be a fraction early if forced to take the “insurance train” if my “fast” one isn’t running. Wouldn’t be the first time.
Hey guys, when I can see someone is offsides, then they are REALLY offsides!!! Nick and I often argue over this, he just says I don’t fully ‘understand’ the rule. The results of this match just reinforce what Arsenal already know, the futbol gods can be fickle and cruel. Tomorrow’s match against City will require CONCENTRATION, COMMITMENT, and STAMINA for 90 plus minutes. No other match this season compares to the one we had against City for the exhausting pace both sides displayed. Will be a close game, if we keep them reigned in. 2-1, with us scoring the 2nd goal in added time.
Lars I saw that! I agree with Bath…we can no longer deny that corruption is alive and kicking in the EPL can we?
Hi GT, Hope you”re enjoying your day. Totally agree about the officiating, really awful.
Terry, to be honest I can’t say I think the ref was bent. He was probably just having a really bad day at the office, but let me put it like this: the day a bent Premier League ref is caught I will not be the slightest bit surprised. I have seen too many completely inexplicable decisions in the past few years to be convinced that no refs have been on the take or otherwise unduly influenced (like having gambled on games they officiate and such).
abb- Nick?
Hey there Snir, Was doing some laundry. ‘Nick’ (as in Nicola, the Italion version of his name). He really thinks he knows it all< but truth be told I know more about the Serie A then he does at the moment. Plus I'm a big Juve fan and he is ACM all the way. BTW, hope Sammy gets a red tomorrow.
Could be a good day for you in Italy then, abb.
I’m with GT@158. Let’s go back to a simple, understandable offside rule, or at least an interpretive one that holds that any attacker in the penalty area is interfering with play. Sadly, I fear the current guidelines allow the second Chelsea goal to stand. Unless he is actively hindering the keeper, Mata can’t get ruled offside as Torres took the shot, so he is deemed not interfering with play even if there aren’t two defenders between him and the goal, and then, because the ball came back off the woodwork, he is not offside because he is not closer to the goal line than the ball when he receives it (same reason there is no offside from a backwards pass). Which is just nuts in those circumstances.
Actually, I’m not sure I am right on the rebounding off the goal point, it will all depend if Mata was in an offside position when Torres last touched the ball, not when he received it.
Hello Ollie, Oh Ollie, they just scored!!! Your’re their good luck charm. Have a terrific time tomorrow, you deserve it mate.
I think he is offside even in the current interpretation of the laws, NBN.
Still, that ‘new’ rule has brought a lot of confusion.
Ned, you are wrong@173. Mata is in an offside position when the shot is fired, and for that reason he shall be flagged off. It wouldn’t even have mattered if it had rebounded off the keeper or a Wigan defender, he would still have been offside – with a proper lino, that is.
heh, cheers abb
And Juve score yet again!
Cheers Ollie!
Shall I keep posting then, abb?
No fan of conspiracy theory but…
Apparently the 2 goals Cuntski scored were offsides. Add to that what happened to Benfica against them. Add to that they got a penalty in the FA Cup game against Birmingham, penalty against Ipswich- correct me if I am wrong (the Sturidge dive if anyone remembers). Add to that suspicious referee decisions in all of the past 4-5 games in their benefit.
I fear the fucking Russian and his dirty money.
Well Ollie, Methinks YOU should! I want them to win the league.
I would very much like Lille to score a couple of goals, it would be great if they could miraculously retain the league ahead of the other 2 contenders.
Best defense going!
Ollie, Pack your bags, you”re going to Italy! Bueno notte.
Vela scored 2 goals for Sociedad today. Aiming for Arsenal shirt next year or increasing his market price?
If ever a jinxing post existed, 184 did the trick :’(
Brest score a third, and Montpellier go ahead 2-1.
Fuck.
Lars@177: as I acknowledge at my 174, re the ball rebounding off the woodwork. I haven’t seen video of either of the Chavs’ goals. Just going on what I read.
Lille losing also brings closer the horrible possibility of Lyon eventually getting 3rd.
I didn’t realise that Juve were still unbeaten in the league this season.
Lars, seen both Chavs’ goals now. Both scorers unquestionably offside, plus with the second one, the Wigan keeper was impeded, too.
I don’t want Juve to finish unbeaten!!
Abb – but who is Nick??? Just a random friend?
Regardless, I still think any attacker in the penalty area should be considered actively interfering with play.
Is it too late to get in on the 1980 Liverpool semifinal reminiscences? Yes, I thought it might be, but anyway…
I was at, I think, the second replay at Villa Park. At the time there was a lot of crowd violence around and the Liverpool crowd were lauded by the press as angels who didn’t get involved in That Sort of Thing. Liverpool, meanwhile were the Manchester United those days, winning everything in sight.
We were at one end, not far from a fence down the middle that separated Arsenal and Liverpool fans. Arsenal scored very early (first minute? almost certainly within the first five minutes) and the angelic Liverpool fans got more and more upset, and more and more stuff came over the fence, including at least one dead pigeon. Liverpool equalised very late – in the last 5 minutes and they calmed down.
Was that the season that the Arse lost in the Fairs Cup Final and there was a Daily Excess cartoon of us lining up against a team of geriatrics with a caption along the lines of this being a special match set up by the manager (Terry Neill?) had set up to see whether Arsenal could beat _anyone_?
Stay tuned for my rant about the quality of BBC Sports reporting
LO@182: can only hope Karma re-balances the scales. It might take the team spontaneously combusting, though, given your list of their “luck”.
(Completely off-topic. Sorry, but if a man can’t go beresk in his favourite bar, then where can he?)
Isn’t BBC Sport bloody awful these days? It’s really pissed me off today.
I was listening to the 8.30 sports desk on Radio 4. England are chasing 94 to win the second Test against Sri Lanka. The powers that be have decided to interview Geoff Boycott about the fact that Andrew Strauss was out for a duck. To his credit, as far as I could hear as I chanted “What’s the f*cking score”, Sir Geoffrey didn’t speculate on what this would mean for Strauss’s continuing captaincy. I got bored towards the end of the interview and had to start chanting “Christ on a bicycle, what’s the bloody score” to keep my interest up.
The sports desk slot finished without the Beeb ever giving the score.
The Boat Race. I know it’s very much a minority interest but please bear with me. You should also be aware that I’m an Oxford graduate (they say confession is good for the soul), so my views can’t be relied upon to be strictly neutral.
For those that don’t know, the race was stopped because some pratt who didn’t know, or didn’t care, that you can get very badly killed if you are hit by an oar during a race, swam in front of the boats possibly as some kind of protest.
When the race was restarted, the Oxford crew started edging over towards Cambridge – this is a) illegal and b) standard practice. The umpire, following in a launch, warned Oxford to move back – it’s also standard practice for the other crew to start steering towards the crew who have been warned when this happens[1]; I don’t know if Cambridge did so. Before the crews separated, the oars knocked into one another and one of the Oxford oars broke. You can’t beat eight people rowing when you’ve only got seven and Cambridge duly won easily. At the end of the race, you could see one of the Oxford crew slumped on his back, apparently collapsed. Five or ten minutes later the BBC commentators spotted him, probably when the rest of the crew noticed (he was the guy at the very front of the boat, so everyone else has their backs to him apart from the cox who has seven burly blokes between him and her) and called in someone to give him medical attention.
All very dramatic stuff to those who care but where did the Beeb go wrong? Well
At the end of the race, the Oxford cox appealed against the decision to keep going after the oar broke. She said something about the incident having happened within 100m of the restart. Now, I have no idea what the rules are about this, for all I know maybe she had a point. The BBC commentators made no comment – either they were incompetent and didn’t know, or they didn’t hear and were thus incompetent.
I saw the Oxford oarsman collapsed at the end of the race. I didn’t see any more as the BBC started screening interviews with the winning Cambridge crew and officials. Either the commentators weren’t watching because they’re incompetent (spot the theme) or they were back in the studio and were watching the same TV pictures as I was.(I’d characterise this as incompetence by the editors/producers.)
Still, what should I expect from the “sports news” organisation that broadcast an item by Mihir Bose (the well-know Sp*d) saying that Barcelona had signed Cesc Fabregas in June 2010 (that’s right, a year before it actually happened).
Rant over, I feel slightly better now. Thanks for staying with me. Drinks for all please barman.
[1]Think of this tactic as like rolling into the box after being fouled a yard outside. If the referee cocks things up (you can’t rule this out) you might get a match-winning advantage, but it’s so obvious you very, very, very rarely get away with it and no-one really objects.
Nice rant, Oxon.
Crosses the ball into the area…
*raises bat*
Thanks Ollie, glad you enjoyed it
Well the BBC is a nest of Spuds indeed.
Wow nice rant Oxon.
You lost me by the third para, though
Bad idea suggesting that you couldn’t follow paras onwards Dr Z. There’s a severe risk that I might try to explain myself better, and I don’t think you’d want that.
Good goal Ollie. Glad the off-topic rant didn’t disturb the timing of your run.
Oxon @ 197: I enjoyed that! But isn’t there a policy that broadcasters agree to about not showing potentially disturbing images on the sporting field?
P.S. While I was at Loughborough (2-years of hell) they hated Oxford for some obscure reason that I didn’t understand. Do you know what that reason is?
Well goodnight, I shall be seeing some of you tomorrow.
Heh, I was wondering why a preview wasn’t up already, but now I see there is one.
No wonder the run-rate was slow on these drinks
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