Wolves Preview – FA Make English Football A Laughing Stock
Apr 10th, 2012 by 'holic
Oh well, a compressed preview of the trip to Molineux is necessary. Either that or I will still be typing at midnight. First things first. Did you get your email from Arsene yesterday?
“…we have another important game on Wednesday against Wolves. It will be a different game to Sunday’s, which had a lot of hype, but Wolves are fighting to avoid relegation so we need the same commitment. Every team in this league is dangerous.”
And today the members amongst you should have received this from the skipper.
“I remember when I first arrived at the Club and, without being disrespectful, there were some games when I was thinking less about whether we would win or not, and more about who would score for us and how many we would get! There were some games like that in my first couple of years, but those days are 100 per-cent finished because the so-called smaller teams have improved so much.”
The proof of the pudding is in the eating, I hear some of you cry, and indeed it is. How good it is to see though the stuff that would have been blogged ahead of the Wolves game being stated by the people that matter. I am spared having to point out we need to see the same focus, attitude, and commitment devoted to the next match as the outstanding wins in recent weeks, particularly against Tottenham, Newcastle, and Manchester City. These sides can all profit if we approach Wolves with any less intensity.
It doesn’t help the preview that we have no press conference to relay today, and no update on who is or isn’t available. Obviously we are without Laurent Koscielny, suspended for two matches, which under different circumstances might have been one match longer than Mario Balotelli, but more of that later. We ended the game on Sunday with Andre Santos, himself a substitute for the injured Kieran Gibbs, limping off after a late challenge which went unpunished by the match officials. More on them later. I hear Gibbs is ruled out tomorrow, but Santos should be ok. An extra prayer will be offered to the Lord Dennis tonight with memories of January and February still fresh.
As for the rest I’m sure a judgement will be made on the recovery of the others who started the magnificent Poznan-provoking defeat of the mercenaries on Sunday. Being old-school I would wheel the available ones out again. How tired can you be when you are winning and being lauded by all who follow you? The staff these days have a more scientific approach, which I have had the merest of glimpses of. Hopefully Tomas Rosicky, Mikel Arteta, and Yossi Benayoun have been pumped full of something other than kryptonite.
Wolves have to fight, scrap, and battle for everything. Hopefully Mr Swarbrick and his eagle-eyed assistants, messrs Garratt and Mullarkey, will outlaw dissent, shirt-lifting, and excessive celebrations from early doors so the players can get on with the job of maiming each other, this having been deemed acceptable today, but more of that later.
The ‘holic pound is being pumped on the scoreline I hope we can achieve before half of the team are stretchered off for amputations and blood transfusions. I’m going for an old favourite, 3-1 to the Arsenal. Shop around for elevens on that.
The Muppet Show
Somehow I have to do this next piece without resorting to words beginning with ‘f’, ‘c’, or ‘w’, because they are not sponsoring tonight’s show. This is going to be oh so hard.
The FA had the chance to deliver a statement to the divers and leg-breakers today. They had the opportunity, some would argue the responsibility, to follow the other major associations in Europe in dealing retrospectively with incidents that everybody, including them, knows were adjudged wrongly over the Easter holiday.
There wasn’t much they could do to correct the wrongs that were done to Wigan Athletic at Stamford Bridge. It was good to read though that Mike Riley, himself no stranger to hallucination or the odd bout of myopia, had apologised to Roberto Martinez for his officials getting important decisions so badly wrong. That should be a starting point for finally giving officials the video help that every other major sport utilises. I fear heads will remain entrenched in the sand at all of the governing bodies on this issue, but it is inevitable. Get on with it and show some leadership at last.
Leadership? Who am I kidding? Two decisions the FA could have acted on today (as their counterparts across Europe would have done, don’t give me the FIFA guidelines as an excuse not to protect the players and the game). Sean Derry made the faintest contact with an offside opponent at Old Trafford. A skilled exponent of the art of crashing to ground and demanding a card for his ‘assailant’, Ashley Young succeeded in getting a fellow professional sent off.
Fair enough. His team got the points against a handicapped opponent, and I doubt even Young would seriously have minded if some justice was applied this afternoon and the dismissal was turned over. Nobody I have seen is asking for scores to be rescinded. Just the fair application of the appeal process. It wasn’t frivolous. Everybody saw the incident on television. Even the officials knew they had erred.
I had to mention the wrongs done to Wigan and Rangers first to set in context what would otherwise have been viewed as a rant through rose-tinteds. How on God’s earth could any governing body fail to take action on an assault on one of the players it is supposed to protect? How could any sane individual or group not take further action on Balotelli’s potential leg-breaker on Alex Song on Sunday? Why is it that associations across the continent can dish out retrospective punishment to offenders on the basis of television evidence, but our FA tells us we cannot because of FIFA guidelines.
You will even read in other places in the morning that this is the same FA who apparently could take retrospective action on the flying elbow of Ben Thatcher in 2006, the same FA who successfully appealed a ban for Wayne Rooney after he had actually kicked an opponent and been dealt with by the officials who saw the incident. The whole thing stinks.
Again, everybody has by now seen the challenge. Everybody knows that the four, at best incompetent, officials in charge of the game cannot be trusted with another top-flight appointment again for this season at very least. But somebody with some authority at our governing body has to get hold of those who sat today and passed down judgements that make English football a laughing stock. Somebody has to consult with the officials whose incompetence is being magnified by the even greater incompetence of the faceless few.
Most important of all let’s have technology provided and used for the betterment of our game, and the safety of our players, and to support our match officials as they battle in vain to keep up with the pace of the modern game, and the institutional cheating by those they are attempting to control.
Show some common sense, somebody at the FA, please.
323 Responses to “Wolves Preview – FA Make English Football A Laughing Stock”
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Now, this Orr fella is quite a bad player isn’t he? I’ll read the blog during the half time interval, cheers ‘Holic!
Oh, and first AND second.
Spot on ‘Holic.
The FA are utter fucking jokes. And to think, we thought FIFA were shite houses.
Pfft!
Spot on, every single word, ‘Holic.
How you managed to not swear in the last part of the post is beyond me.
Not for the content, just that I know that you regularly make navvies blush.
You should have heard him on Sunday MarmK
Not once in the ground, neighbour
Holic, Passionate post and well justified in light of recent events. Sadly, I fear that it will take a life threatening injury before things change. Saw Martinez interview, class act he is, too bad for Wigan. Now as for this game, as you infer, it won’t be easy. Wolves are usually at their scrappy best when their backs are against the wall. Of course, I will remind everyone, someone in the Holic clan, is a Wolves’ fan. Woe is me!
What, no Europa League?
Damn.
Come on folks, did you REALLY think the FA were going to do anything other than what they did?
BMBD.
Lovely post ‘Holic! Nothing to add at the moment.
You got it absolutely right ‘holic. This whole fiasco has made the English Premier League which is supposedly the BEST league in the world, the laughing stock of the footballing world.
How can a challenge like Balotelli’s go unpunished? In my opinion, his challenge was more dangerous than those that got Eduardo and Diaby simply because it was so high. There is no reason to tackle with your studs that far in the air against someone playing a ground pass. If Song’s leg had been firmly planted, it would’ve been the end of his career. I have no doubt about that.
This reaction from the FA, what message does it send to players? They can do whatever they want? They can dive if it pleases them? The offside rule doesn’t apply in the EPL?
I almost wish Balotelli didn’t receive his 2nd yellow. I would’ve loved to see what the FA would’ve done if Balotelli walked away from the match with merely a yellow card and nothing else to his name.
It’s a disgrace. The FA’s handling of the problem is just as bad if not more than the tackle itself. As for Derry’s challenge on Young? Yes it’s a red card. But the ball WASN’T EVEN IN PLAY. The linesman made a mistake right? So correct that mistake! Take away the red card, put the linesman and officials of that match on suspension! It’s NOT THAT DIFFICULT.
And as for future prospects from Spain, Germany, Italy, France and so on. Why would they wanna come to a league where they know that they aren’t gonna be protected? If I was a rising star in Spain and I saw how easily players get away with stuff in the EPL and what a bunch of spineless twats enforce the footballing laws here, why would I wanna associate myself with such a sh*t league?
It’s just such a shame. It’s not even funny anymore. Our GOVERNING BODY is made up of such “c” “w” and “f”. Utterly disgraceful.
Cheers Holic.
The FA have clearly decided that they must compete with Blatter for the trophy for Football’s Most Foolish Decision of the Century. It’s the closest to a trophy they will come in a long time given the way they are dicking around about the England team.
Can’t even make the top ten nowadays!
ABB – great Abraham Lincoln quote in the last bar! (He was the one who was okay, yeah? Not like that upstart Washington! Wasn’t even a real General
)
If Lonestar bites, I’m golden…..
Have to agree wholeheartedly with you, AW and RVP re the Wolves ‘holic –
FA – well, the clue’s in the title entit
Good news re the management ‘h
And on a somewhat selfish note – my brief sojourn to Ollie country, plus i s’pose the fact that everyone loves us again, has effed up my buying of tkts for forthcoming fixtures. Just managed to nick one of only 2 on tkt exchange for the Norwich match-up – but all that’s left for chelski are 3 or 4 at bonkas prices…TReeeeeeeeeeeevvvvvvvv – you know in The Tollie you said that sometimes – etc. could we p’raps exchange emails or summat?
Big, BIG GAME again tommorrah – comonUreds!
Very restrained Holic, but the decision raises lots of questions
There was no card for the tackle, therefore the FA are obliged to deal with it afterwards. Which official saw the incident?
What did the official do about it, if anything – if they did nothing, then have they been punished?
At this point, can I raise another question – if it was the 4th official, has he any responsibility during the match, or only to submit a match report? If the latter, then the FA should act on it.
Anything that occurred later in the match bears NO relevance to punishment for this incident, except horror of horrors if the 1st yellow for Balotelli was an accumulation which included the tackle on Song with the one on Bacary.
This scenario is for me yet more evidence for the need for video technology which we must have asap
If you say so ‘h
Or maybe you called Samir a ‘Runt’?
I asked him what the score was, as my minces aren’t what they were. I enquired how many medals he had won since moving for trophies, as my memory isn’t what it was.
Don’t remember doing it disrespectfully?
Holic, now I’ve read your post, I have to congratulate you on your sanguine and rational prose. A very fine piece of writing indeed as I know how easy it is to eff ‘n blind over this stupidity.
Can’t wind me up, Catalan… No way, no how.
Over here in the Americas, our leagues KNOW how to send messages to players.
The fines, for players AND coaches, come with severity and swiftness.
And we ALL know Washington was a top, top, man…
BMBD
Now I have re-read it bath I am upset at the reference to ‘everybody’. I don’t speak for everybody and there will doubtless be some who disagree strongly with my point.
Consider ‘everybody’ a substitute for the words I would have used in normal discussion after a skinful!
‘Hols – glad to hear about progress for the Management.
BMBD
Hey Lonestar! You know I get a kick out of saying that. Good to have you at the bar.
Catalan (smiling).
cg @ 15 Good questions. Apparently common sense is not that common. BTW, cg, sorry I didn”t acknowledge your comment to me during the City game. I was up nearly 24 hours straight at that point…
‘Holic. Excellent piece. I admire the dignified understatement. I sincerely hope your plea is answered. I suspect I’m not alone in doubting that it will.
‘Holic
From previous drinks: Truly excellent news, really pleased for Management. Put everything else in the shade….. Bit like our neighbours.
Great shout Holic.
I have to say, I am lost for words.
The only thing that comes to mind right now, is what would they have done had Song broken his leg? Would they still give out this lame excuse? If not, then, why are they waiting for legs to be broken? If so, then, they’re stupider than I thought.
On to other things – A very nice feature on Woj.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SPuwu_AIwt4
Holic @ 21 – nah, it reads well and is very restrained. Everybody works for me. My pseudo-Shitteh supporting pal fully agreed that the nobhead should have seen red after 20 minutes for that challenge – that makes it everybody for me.
Missed the new blog
on the team news…
Gibbs is out with a fatigue of his groin, so Santos is back. Koscielny is of course suspended for two games and Gervinho is ruled out with an ankle problem. Squillaci and Park come in. The squad is quite easy to pick because all the players available are in.
Be afraid, be very afraid.
We are the Arsenal.
We fear no-one.
Ollie wherefor tremblest thou?
Nemo me impune lacessit
Wonderful restraint, ‘holic. I admire it and you put the points out brilliantly.
Abb @ 23 – Howdy! Good to be around the bar for more than a shadow drink or two.
BMBD.
Thank you Ollie, and all.
Now let’s get three more points…
Holic – you’ve got mail.
Right, I’ve finished my football research for the night, so goodnight folks.
Nice rational post ‘Holic, I applaud you in the circumstances, but I still can’t believe the FA right now, f***ing disgrace indeed >:o
abb from previous drinks, yes I’ll be on your team along with 8ball and Snir vs GT & Trev, great idea
abb@25 no probs – the things we do for those REDs
off to bed – night folks – tomorrow comes soon
COYRSSSSSSS
More tasty drinks by all since I last took a gander. Great piece on Woj, thanks Snir. Wind, I only hope Gooner Terry forgives me (chuckling). As for Trev, he thrives on adversity. Ollie, merci, for the latest info. Be brave lad.
Good nite CG!
The FA do FA. RESPECT!
Balotelli near ends Song’s career and theFA do FA. RESPECT!
3 Points against Wolves and it starts to look achievable for us …
Nice post Holic! Well spoken and hard to argue with. The question will be if anyone if import is listening… (‘cept us nutters.)
if= of. Quick bit of Caol Ila, neat, please- I’m not drunk enough to start spelling correctly.
The FA is (and has been for years) completely disfunctional.
Unfortunately FIFA and EUFA are similarly unfit for purpose.
A number of other sports (Cricket & Rugby to name a couple) have succesfully introduced video replay technology to help the officlals, this has not diminished the spectacle, or the authority of the officials and has reduced the incidences of unfair decisions.
As you say GH all of this is inevitable but don’t hold your breath, the jobsworths currently in charge will desperately cling onto their lucrative sinecures for as long as possible, and nothing will change while they are in post.
Great piece holic. I have run out of things to say about the FA. If Atkinson did see the tackle and thinks it deserves nothing then he should never take charge of a game ever again. The whole thing is beyond belief. Even Mancini in his after match interview was scathing in his attack and thought he should be banned. The FA quite simply are just not fit for purpose. I have stated several times before that I have a certain degree of sympathy with officials. My view is that when each manager of a team sends his side out where everyone is not prepared to cheat in someway then I will perhaps sympathise when the officials get it wrong. But the subsequent decisions by the FA are just mind blowing beyond belief.
The technology things is so unbelievably simple for me. After every wicket in cricket a review is conducted to check that the bowler has not over stepped. Football can be no different. After every goal or contentious decision a 4th official checks to see if it is valid. The celebrations would still be on going by the time a final decision was reached. I guess that is too complicated for the sages at FIFA and the FA. Deluded Muppets the lot of them.
Looking forward to my venture to the Midlands. I just hope the M1 is not it’s usual inhospitable self. Another must win game. In fact they are all must win games. If Santos is to start in place of Gibbs I sincerely hope that he remembers that he is a left back. On Sunday there were times when I wondered if he had been given a free role in midfield?
I am going for a rip roaring 4 nil to the mighty Gooners.
Bring it on.
Holic? Do you mean the challenge on Santos that resulted in the Ramsey effort? If you do then I am fairly confident that the advantage was played and the culprit subsequently booked.
Snir @ 29, thanks for that link, great stuff on Wojciech
Raises his bat…
Enjoyable read. That the FA and referees making English football a worldwide laughing stock we all know. Now they shite in their pants because of the media – and they are equally the same biased bunch of a**holes.
P.S. Wish I could put the ‘Holic Bar’ on my FB page.
Holic glad to hear the good news regarding management. I will keep up my positive vibes until we get the all-clear..
For those traveling to the game tomorrow – travel safely. For the rest remember to keep hydrated and avoid loose talk while under the influence (0;
I will will be boycotting Goonerholic until after the game tomorrow. Cheerio..
Is that underpass still there?
Who makes the decisions for the FA? Does anybody know? It is reported as a monolith, this FA. Lack of transparency seems to me to be a serious issue. Kind of like in The Wizard of Oz.
Excelent post ‘holic.
Ludicrus decision by the sweet FA, but what can we really expect from a bunch of hot crumpet between the butt cheek lodging, adams apple the size of a tennis ball having, prefer to be egg chasing, bunch of inbred OxBridge Tiddlywinkers.
Give us our game back you elitist halfwits.
****************
Phew, not a C, W or F in sight, surely that deserves a drink.
FA is a joke! Even in a no holds bar league like the one in Australia that Balotteli tackle would have meant a retrospective ban.
Hope there is only one not enforced change which is the Ox for Benny. I think we need to get the afterburner twins going in tandem to ensure that Wolves are totally on the back foot from the beginning. Yossi was excellent against Man City but is not going to scare a defece like the Ox. We need to work on their fear of losing to ensure a victory.
Come on u Gunners
I am livid at the lack of punishment for that tackle holic.
Is it that Arsenal didn’t bring it to the attention of the governing committee? I always thought these things were automatically sorted out after the weekend was over but I guess I was wrong…
I can’t believe that diving twat Young got away as well. What the hell was that???? I feel sorry for Derry. I was actually watching that with 2 Man U fans (both called Steve, weird coincidence) and even they were ashamed to witness the incident. Disgusting…
Hey Fellas, If you go to their website and click on Discipline, their bizarre rules are listed. Bunch of gibberish! And if you’re really ticked off (aren’t we all), you can register and have your say.
Spot on, ‘Holic. As WU said @46, cricket’s use of video reviews has not undermined umpires’ authority. Most spectators accept that officials have a difficult job that has to be done in the blink of an eyelid. The miracle is that they get as many decisions right as they do, not that they get some wrong. Cricket took the view that if the job is so difficult, then give umpires some help so they can do it better. Football takes the view that if the job is so difficult, then we all have to pretend that mistakes are never made. Stupid.
“Having seen a lot of Robin van Persie, he does go to ground very easily.”
Stewart Robson, 21st minute of Arsenal – Man City.
How is it that not all of you have signed the petition??? Sign it already!
“One thing you will always see with Arsenal, they will complain about every decision, they will try to get players booked.”
2nd minute.
“Well, I think Robin van Persie goes down rather easily.”
14th minute after RvP is tumbled by Kompany in the box.
The aforementioned swipe at RvP in the 21st minute.
“Gibbs is not a good defender.”
28th minute.
Moments after praising Clichy as a “great 1v1 defender who didn’t get enough credit at Arsenal.” (Despite the fact that he was one of those berating Clichy when he was at Arsenal).
“I think Sagna is trying to make the most of that situation.”
32nd minute, following Balotelli’s first studs up (and second in the game) challenge on Sagna.
“I also think that Arsenal are trying to play-act as well.”
38th minute after Balotelli’s yellow card. Receives a telling-off from Jon Champion (!) that the challenge on Song was not play-acting.
“His defending in 1v1 situations is not the best.”
On Andre Santos, when clearly anybody who sees him play knows that, while he lacks understanding with his defensive partners, his ability in the 1v1 is his strong point as he (still!) leads Arsenal in tackles and interceptions.
“Having seen him play, he’s a liability to Arsenal, Santos.”
59th minute.
“He does make reckless challenges at times, Laurent Koscielny.”
67th minute. I don’t know who he’s been watching, but Kos is the most graceful tackler in the league. His tackling is an art.
——————————————————————————-
Now it’s one thing that the commentator is so anti Arsenal and implying that Arsenal are cheats every single second, but it’s another thing when that commentator works for Arsenal FC.
He is employed by the club whose players he calls cheats.
Please, please sign the petition, and forward it to every Arsenal fan you know.
http://www.change.org/petitions/arsenal-football-club-relieve-stewart-robson-from-his-arsenal-player-duties
Snir, signed.
PS thanks for 61, but I would’ve signed if you had just said
Stewart Robson is a cunt
So we are a mere injury away from Squillaci back in the first team.
Vertonghen please – £10m seems a small price to pay to avert 60,000 cases of heart trauma.
Snir, you convinced me to sign, even though I had two fleeting reservations: 1) I don’t subscribe to Player 2) might Robson have mouths to feed at home? Nah.
Snir. You convinced me! Would rather they had a strong word with him than he loses his job, but good to bring it to their attention
Signed.
Have they overturned their decision yet?
No?
Thought not, twats.
===
Morning all.
Cheers for the link, Snir.
zico, what about Miquel? Is he injured?
FA? Common sense? Dream on Holic.
Good blog on arseblog today, illustrating by the example how the FA are liars hiding behind their own rules only.
I can feel another verse for the ‘liar liar’ chant coming
Plus an honourary mention for you in the blog, Ollie.
I’ll tell my grandkids I knew you back when……
Don’t think Miquel is injured, but would imagine that AW would put Squillaci in before him, at this, the “business end” of the season.
After all, SS has “experience”.
Here’s hoping nothing happens to the 2 centre backs either tonight or Monday, just in case, eh?
heh, cheers H2H. I spent most my evening last night researching.
But I’m happy that the point I have been making through these examples for a while here, on another forum and on the arses goes to a wider audience now and better formatted.
Including my argument that surely if it were against its guidelines, UEFA/FIFA would threaten the French League.
I’ll choose to only remember that he came on against Man U last season and didn’t fuck up our 1-0 lead, zico.
It was good stuff Ollie and will get the wider audience that it indeed deserves.
*tips hat.
Hello holics,
I have nothing more to say about the spineless cunts from FA
On another note, title decider in Bundesliga tonight
Dortmund Vs Bayern – Dortmund ahead of Bayern by 3 points
But kickoff same time as our game
Zico. Could have had Cahill for 7?????
That should be a good game Harsha, it’s indeed a shame that it clashes with ours.
There is nothing more to be said about the FA than has already been said.
So who is the “somebody” that you mention, ‘holic, that should do something – e.g., kick up shit, kick arse, kick them out? And what can we all do to make him/her/them do that something?
“It is a policy that is agreed with all football stakeholders.” Au contraire, fishy smelling Fanny Adams. We, the supporters are the principal stakeholders and we have not agreed your cretinous policy.
Time for an FA Spring.
The Times are running a story this morning that RvP will tell Citeh to fuck off and stay with the mighty Arse (or words to that effect)
Snir, signed. He has to go!
http://www.arsenal.com/news/news-archive/wenger-sagna-is-the-best-in-the-league
Funnily enough, Arsène doesn’t mention Eboué there
Steve T @ 77.
I assume you’re at the wind up.
Cahill is a bullet well dodged in my humble opinion.
I think you knew that.
Morning all,
PMT (Pre-Match Tension) dominating my thoughts.
Talking of the defence, we will have a new look back 5 tonight, likely to be:
Szcz, Santos, TV5, JD, Corp. Jenks
There’s a chance that Bac will play but rumour is he’s ‘struggling to be fit for tonight’. We’ll see…
Either way, that’s a huge test esp. with Kos out who, IMO, has been our best CB this season.
Fingers crossed that those in midfield and up-front will have their defending and pressing heads on tonight.
Re: Cahill, I am in the ‘bullet dodged’ camp and I think I’ve said before that I agree with Martin O’Neill’s assessment of him ‘Great football player, does everything well but can’t defend’. Doesn’t mean I wouldn’t like to see another strong CB come to the club though.
Drinks are on the bar for those that would like to imbibe.
‘Holic – wrapped up nicely.
Nothing to add other than that provision exists within the laws to retrospectively correct wrong decisions. So they chose not to. That is the worry.
Oh, and that Arsene Wenger was handed a 3 match ban by UEFA, of which The FA is a member, for doing exactly what he was told.
That’s ‘cos they changed their minds RETROSPECTIVELY on what he should have been told.
All makes perfect sense . . . ?
Put me down as a bullet dodger – ooh, that suddenly sounds like a terrible euphamism . . .
Snir, I have now signed + what Catalan said @65.
I used to quite like his contributions in the early days of Arsenal TV but that list of quotes from the Man Citeh game is too much.
Here’s to thray poiynts tonoyte luds
I am really nervous about tonight. Please please please please please let it be three points for the Arsenal!
Cahill definitely a bullet dodged, we can do better for the money that Bolton was asking for.
Trev@86: yes, it makes perfect sense – in the head of Platini, that is. But not with anyone even remotely connected to reality.
Hi TS – do you know if Ignasi Miquel is fit ?
Have to say I quite like him and still get the jitters when JD is around.
Sagna injured as well, TS?
So 3 of the starting back 4 out. Here we go again……
It’s this sort of thing that drives certain men to drink. Luckily, I know how to resist
Lars – we already have better for no money at all.
‘Holic
Apologies, your post is f’in excellent and the cs and ws in the FA should hang their f’in heads in shame, the cs.
Both Bac and Song were victims of, shall we say, over-zealous challenges and leaving the foot in on Sunday. We’re really lucky that both are not out until the winter.
In the remotest chance that anyone from the FA is reading this post: You’re a deeply unfunny joke and no more fit to run this country’s footall governing body than most of our high court judges. Whatever happened to consideration of exceptional circumstances? Isn’t that part of a good decision making process when appropriate?
Here, Here True Storey.
Dr.T – I think Miquel is fit but JD pulls rank – down’t showt the messinger (down, Ollie)
Dr.z – Yep, as you say rotating 3 out 5 has to be hugely unsettling for the team. Maybe Bac will pass a late fitness test. Without him, I don’t think we should play The-o. Which could mean a start for The Ox? Silver lining to the cloud?
The FA are institutionally stupid in the same way that the Met Police were institutionally racist. Independent inquiry needed, and sharpish.
Have to say the talk about an injury to Sagna is really quite worrying. Three changes in the back four is not very good, especially considering both full-backs will be ones who quite recently came back from lengthy injury lay-offs.
Heh! @ #93
Relax Lars –
Lance Corporal Jenkinson looked in fine fettle when he was subbed on vs Villa (?).
Lars @ #96
Agreed…. but…. the world’s greatest fish and chip eating wing back gets to start. Another silver lining???
Come on The Santos!
TS – cheers old boy – just one of my mates popped in @93
Heh! Perhaps we could deploy The-o behind Santos? That’ll make him appreciate what Sagna does for him
Hah! Knew it was you Dr.T. And what a goal and assist!
Bloody Hell – back turned to goal and in it went – first “shot” for four months. Thanks for the pass Lars
When did Santos graduate from pies to Cod and chips?
You’ll be telling me next he’s given up his 30 a day habit
TS @101 – say it quietly please . . .
Errr…… excuse me. No-one is taking another assist away from my season’s tally
30 pies a day ?!?
Apologies TS – saw Lars’ name at the top of the post and looked no further in my excitement.
Dr.z
Santos has always been a F+Cs man. All the pies were sent to Messrs. Tevez, Lampard & Dowd and consumed greedily.
I am reliably informed that he’s now down to just 10 gaspers a day but has given up the bong since witnessing what it has done to the form of one of his over-coiffured team-mates.
Heh @ 107
You’re the doctor – is that bad?
Afternoon all,
Back at work. Taking a day off is never worth it. The world and his dog wrote to me yesterday
Tabs must have some hangover – hope you’re ok mate.
Trev, I was just thinking the same – where’s tabs???
@ 114 and 115
I can confirm that he survived Sunday.
Press release ends.
Ollie, I have just read Blogs post today (excellent btw) and I was just wondering:
What were originally searching for that resulted in a re-search?
Sagna injured wouldn’t be a big suprised, after what happened on Sunday.
Shame Balotelli was allowed to carry on after the 20th minute.
Oh sorry, who am I kidding, it wasn’t even a foul, the ref saw it…..
Still can’t find that piece about the FA on the BBC website. You know, the one where they take a stance.
Oh.
Heh! & Gah! in equal measure @ #119. Great if gruesome research for Blogs’ post today, monsiuer. Bravo!
@ 120
Still can’t find it?
I suggest you re-search.
Suspect you still won’t find it though……
I’ll be looking for a good stream later. I can’t believe some of these games my cable package decided to air instead of ours. Come on Arsenal!! The proper effort should get us the big three points and put some space between us and those nasty fellows chasing us.
Ollie – he was making the most of it, how could he be injured?
8ball – lshunter.tv
You’ll find a good one there.
Potsticker – well, I don’t mind him working as a commentator in other networks but not at Arsenal TV where I do want the commentators to be Pro-Arsenal.
Just the City highlights and listen to Trevor Harris’ reaction. That’s a proper Gooner reaction.
Just under six hours to go ’til kickoff. I haven’t been this nervous before a game in a long, long time.
Lars,
I suggest you start drinking.
Works for me. (Whatever you do, don’t look back as far as #90).
zico, only problem is that I am at work and need to get some work done – and the small fact that drinking makes me even more nervous…
Never let work get in the way of enjoying yourself Lars.
And anyway, it’s not as if you drive a fork-lift truck
zico, that is true about work not getting in the way of a good time, but drinking and thus becoming even more nervous would not be that much fun
Nice research work Ollie
And aaaaaaahhhhhhhh! just found out i gotta be away from me computer 2nite doing that vile four-letter word fing.
That’s 2 games on the trot that all occasions have fukkin’ well informed against me.(shakespeare – moreorless)
Still on the bright side – i’ll be able to save meself for Arsenal Player and a spot of that nice mr. S. Robson’s sharp-eyed insights…
SG – i’m effin about, am off to sign up for the posse right now
is that right – we may be missing 2 FBs and a CB from the d tonight???
well, like others have said, our back-up FBs are actually quite an appealing pair, and if up to speed might even bring us something different – in a positive sense, tonight.
Re JD the big CB – i hope AW gets PR to make ‘im a strong cup o’ coffee before KO and again at HT. And p’raps Chesney could instructed to come off his line at 10 minute intervals and slap him helpfully on the back of the neck, yell “keep awake” and make sure he’s facing the play.
LO AL
Just been watching those fouls over at Arseblog.
That Pablo, he’s a one ain’t he???
Apologies if someone’s come up with this already.
The only way I see of trying to change things with regard to the FA’s selective blindness is to get some kind of movement for change into the media – a banner for Monday’s game is likely to be picked up by the TV cameras and might keep the issue burning.
@ 136
Just think of a way of offending the sensiblities of Liverpool supporters. That will make national media in an instant.
Well well well, sort of out of the blue but still not – I have now booked flights, hotel and secured a match ticket for Norwich at home! That will take my total for games attended this season to six, a new personal best.
Doing all that booking that was a great way of distracting myself from being nervous, by the way
well played Lars – i managed to snaffle a chelski one earlier (just after i discovered i couldn’t see tonight’s game) despite ‘em apparently being sold out yesterdee
ps meant to take me hat off to the la(r???)sagna crack the other day. By the way is it obligatory to eat said nosh on st. totteringham’s day these days?!?
heh zico 137, sad but true
Heh! Good to see the GT Rollers in free fall. Relegation threatens…
Now, Patient Lars, I hear that you are having anxiety issues. Take one of these, three of these, and do *this* twice a day.
Report back to Nurse Wolfie in a couple of days to let us know what happened.
*Nurse.. mark his file “guinea pig 23″….*
Where’s my pipe? TaBS had it last…
Oh no! Gunder and Lightning are doing a City and seemingly snatching defeat from the jaws of victory! Damn you 8ball!
Can CoR turn things around on this sinking multimillion imaginary pound ship???
I signed the petition as well Snir.
Lalalalalalalala,
Robson is a cunt,is a cunt
Robson is a cunnnnntttttt
Get rid of his Hammer supporting backside as soon as possible
Was in Alkmaar for an apointment with my lager suppliers got stuck on a basterd of a traffic jam on the A10 (ring A’dam) so I’ve popped into the city and have landed in Hoopmans, the Irish pub on the Liedseplein.
Knocked back a pint of the black stuff, sampled a Speckled Hen and now I’m sipping on a Magners, variety I’ve been told is the spice of life.
May just have time for a Guiness and Beef pie before hiting the road again
* Don’t worry, the other half is driving.
If anyone wants a clear definition of all(?) that’s right with the FA, (i.e not a lot)
http://www.guardian.co.uk/football/blog/2012/apr/11/derry-ivanovic-balotelli-fa
goes a long way
Now for a nice gentle non-Balotelli evening
WoooooH! Chauffeur driven to your personal booze suppliers!!! H2H you’s living the dream!
Mr C, at the threat of being “treated” by Nurse Wolfie, my nervousness suddenly disappeared…
good post holic the question i ask is would an arsenal player have gotton away with it.
@ 145
It’s called a taxi up here, AL.
Brilliant write-up ‘holic.
Excellent points made and argued very well. I’m sure we are all stunned by the attitude and actions/inactions of the FA recently and by the intransigence shown over new technology. Another thought, why can’t the fourth official help with decision making, he/she does bugger-all else?
cognac
Thanks for the excellent link.
BTW, playing a Wolves side scrapping for their Premiership lives is not my definition of ‘gentle’. They’ve been know to put in the odd firm challenge or two hundred
Dr.z
A real ‘black bus’ (copywright TMS) would be cheaper, no?
TS, after what happened last weekend, one has to worry about what a certain Karl Henry may think he’s allowed to do.
I’ve gotten taxi’s in your neck of the woods Dr. Z – for them to wait for you while you neck A. Santos’ pre-match meal (see H2H’s posting) would cost the earth. Whereas all H2H has had to do is shack up with his chauffeur for a bunch of years – no tip or nuffink. By my – ahem – calculations ‘is makes much more finanswallal sense, surely.
And in other news my terribly, terribly, terribly important high-powered business meeting has just been called off because poor so-and-so at the other end has copped a dose of food-poisoning. Of course, of course i feel for them, poor soul – but i think they heard the sound of my fist cracking the ceiling, and my suppressed happy yelp as i celebrated the fact that i could lend my support tonight to the mighty Arse.
Dennis doth move in mysterious ways…
Below is a bit of footage that doth prove the above…
http://youtu.be/MPzgP6Is3H8
Ollie@152: that was a truly scary thought
Anyway, off to the boozer. Laters, lovers of the Arse.
Yeah, it just occurred to me and I got really scared, Lars
The early kick-off for Lars
Lars @146 Ha ha. Who are you kidding (lol). It’s ok, feeling a bit nervy myself. Why does AW make us wait to the last minute for the starting eleven. I know, tactics but it’s cruel! BTW, hello everybody.
Aaaah, that was a nice little warm up, back in the car and on my way home.
AL, It’s a hard knock life mate.;)
Zico,I don’t see Roxette being very happy with you
refering to her as a taxi.
Ollie,KH os indeed of the cheating little weasel variety.
http://www.arsenal.com/match-menu/3495102/first-team/wolverhampton-w.-v-arsenal?tab=preview
I see Henry is a doubt with hamstring problem. Hopefully the doubt becomes confirmation at some point.
Abb – “feeling nervy” – is he the eigth dwarf ?
AL @133 – very funny
By the way AL – glad you got a Chavski ticket – meant to say earlier that I have already tried and failed with my usual sources for somebody else.
Hi Holics! Just re-arranged my meeting schedule for a period of secluded, focused work time between 11:45am-2pm pacific time…
Hey Mr. C! Let me know how the coffers of medicina are holding up… the harvest is far from ready, but I may have a little ‘mate’ around here somewhere if Lars is in need.
Well done PiK
Could any Gooners travelling to Wolves tonight please try to start off some new songs for Bendtner and Denilson.
It occurs to me that Man Citeh have snaffled every player for whom we have come up with a new song for about three years.
Kolo Toure (de de dele de), Adebayor (give him the ball etc), Gael Clichy Clichy, (he’s better than Ash-e-ley) and Nananananana $ami Na$-a-ri have all left as soon as we have bestowed new songs on them.
So, Bendy and Denilson it has to be.
For God’s sake stop all the RvP songs too
Huh? Surely some of these songs were pretty old, especially in the case of Clichy….
Wolverhampton.
Bring it on.
TS @150 – I had just finished that link when I got a call from the kitchen – the hot water is spraying all around under the sink – 2 hours later there is sticky tape on a braided metal hose which had somehow frayed , and which hopefully will last til tomorrow when a trip to the diy (or bricolage as it is known here) is called for . In the mean time the cupboard underneath has been emptied for first time in 3 years – phew!
So please can you all be gentle tonight, especially those old gold shirted ones
Bring us luck, Steve T.
Enjoy the game!
Hope you had no secret stash down there, Cognac!
Right, I’m off.
Ollie, thanks for the update, enjoy the game. Steve, you too.
Trev @ 160, Warming up for Friday, eh.
Home!
Well done PiK and AL for shunning work commitments to follow the Arse live. I’m always free (well, not open) Wednesdays so bring it on……
168 PIK – I wondered why I was not allowed under there!
All the holics watching on the net ( no bulgar tv 4 me today) here’s to a good stream and a better result
COYR
Aaron Ramsey comes in for Tomas Rosicky and Andre Santos replaces Kieran Gibbs for the visitors.
From the Beeb
Great point Trev @163 but RvP10 has far too much class to sign for $hitteh.
Got a bad feeling about streams for this. No sopcast ones listed, which are my usual reliable backups when the Mac-friendly ones freeze and crash
From Arseblog;
Wolves team – Hennessey, zubar, stearman, bassong, ward, kightly, henry, davis, edwards, jarvis, doyle.
Subs: 7 other cunts
Arsenal team – Szczesny, Sagna, Vermaelen, Djourou, Santos, Song, Arteta, Ramsey, Benayoun, Walcott, Van Persie.
It’s live on Sport1 (NL) ‘holic.
They usually have a sopcast link (back in the day when I stream hunted). Sorry, can’t tell you where to look, but wish you good luck.
Cheers Trev –
following H2H’s lead, the french-red (i/we’ve had a few), i brought back from Ollie land has apparently cleared the head cold and got me focussed on tonight’s big game – WOLVES!!! (sorry – Trev).
Steve T in a company of ‘em – go on my son! -
ComUreeeeeeeeeeddddddddddddddddddds! (though i guess we’s probably playing in blue)!!!!!!!!!!!
Holic – its listed on adthenet.tv
H2H I know, no Rosicky…hmm. Everyone lining up their streams, I guess. Have mine sorted out, raring to go. Come on boys, time to strutt your stuff. Let’s silence these naysayers once and for all (Fox).
So – GT deep, down and ensconced in ye olde ancient Arse ritual which i can’t refer to – check!
H2H in and around both virtual and real bars – check!
And Tim presumed to be still in situ across the county line in Super-Cali – check!
Bring ittttttt on!!!!!!!!
abb, Ramsey will play a blinder in Tomas’ stead.
AL, present and
politically uncorrect.Holic.
Sopcast 6816
hi guys, any good links out there?
Oh no, I got English commentary again, Gary Somecuntorother and Tony Gay.
The mighty Arse in red. Yesss.
http://www.wiziwig.tv/broadcast.php?matchid=150779&part=sports
UUUREDS!!!!!!!!
PENALTY and red for the LWC,
HE WANTED!!
ta s***s
GET THE FUCK IN!!!!!!!
Completly took the piss
Fuck off Bassong you Lilywhite Cunt!!
How cheeky from Robin!!
GE THE FUCK IN AGAIN!!!!
FFFEEEOOOO.
Theo for 2
feeeeeee-oh!
I’m liking the start of this game
Bang.
Who doesn’t have end-product?
BMBD
Haha, just on time for the double century!
Ollie dinks in for the double century, nice.
Steve T may be satisfied – for now – i reckon!
I don’t have end product.
*sigh*
BMBD.
Snap.
top-man snowy, snowy give us a wave (if you’re there), give us a wave!
Spurs are feeling our end-product right about now…
Did you all just see the fat lass behind the Wolves goal calling Theo a wanker, giving it the hand signs, sitting next to her little lad (couldn’t be more then 9 years old)
Class.
Let’s go AFCMTA!! Gunning for first in the holic HT league!!
Form that reminds the 97-98 run in
!
What a dirty cunt.
H2H @ 158
I wouldn’t say it out loud
Nice start, those of you who can see events in the Midlands?
Smart man Zico.
Very nice start, can’t you see it?
No, I’m travelling just now, mate.
Have to rely on MOTD later
C’mon boys keep up the INTENSITY!
BMBD.
we’re all travelling Dr, Z
psed – i’m not sure what that means either – UUUUUUURRRReeeDSS!
Heh, i just thought you were being too clever for me as usual AL
Shame Z, but to tell the truth this game was over after 10mins. Not much happened after that, we’re definetly in second gear, just playing keep ball.
Rambo’s raking crossfield ball from one side of just outside the box to the other – he could lose that move for now – i reckon
This Doyle fella, is a bit of a tit isn’t he?
He could be the next to go if he doesn’t calm down.
Wolves can still get back in this, if we are not careful…
BMBD.
No they can’t, they look pretty clueless.
Even when they do get a cross in upfield there’s no one there for them.
That was a warning…
We need to get back out of 2nd gear.
BMBD.
Gotta agree with H2H here, Wolves look miserable. But I hope we come back out and take full advantage of the feast being laid in front of us!
All I can think of at half time is – goal difference – its possibly important at the end of the season – so put the pedal to the metal please
H2H – I’m watching the game, mate. Wolves are pressurizing us while being a man down. We are playing side ball, I guess hoping to wear them down.
But we need to put 4 or 5 past a 10-man wolves team. We don’t seem to have that kind of endeavor right now.
All it takes is for Jarvis or Doyle to nick one, the crowd will get back in it – and we could get shaky.
This game is not over.
BMBD.
Way too easy and that seems to be the problem, I hope we don’t get too lethargic.
It would be nice to jack up our goal difference and this should be the perfect opportunity to do so.
COYRRR’s
@ Ignais- agreed, my friend. He wants to join the crowds antics, but they are as empty as Wolves chances…
Oome on The Arse – kill it off with a couple more!
Pardon – that’ll be come – pardon.
LG.
Any other opponent and I’d agree 100%, but Wolves are just not at the races today, I wouldn’t be surprised if they’re on the recieving end of more bookings, they’re trying to play a pressing game but are going into tackles wildly.
I hope we come out for the second half with a bang and really finish them off.
*waves at AL* (from sofa – since work got in the way again
)
when was the last time anyone saw you come AL
Top Man Snowy – shock, horror!
Please see drink # 129.
let’s avoid any bad injuries…that’s my biggest concern….Wolves are pissed off…ref is ignoring them and the crowd are egging it on.
We must not play training ground keep ball or I fear someone getting badly scythed down.
Don’t answer that AL
My lips are sealed H2H
sofa, so good Top Man Snowy – pardon the punning/winning thing’s becoming an awful habit!!!
OOOOOoooooooH.
He didn’t want.
Another drastic challenge, another yellow……
And another……….
That was thew first decent move from Wolves.
Briliant stop from Woj.
COYG’s
great save Woj
See what I mean?
Which team is a man down right now?
Come on ARSENAL!
BMBD.
Come on boys, we`ve been faffing around for ages! There will be a late onslaught 10 men or not.
Wolves are furious that any rules exist in the game, it seems…
COME ON ARSENAL!!!!
BEEENNNNNYYYYGOOOONN.
Game done
BEEEENNNNNNNYYYYYYYY!!!!!
Bennayoonnnnnn
Yossi!
Now I feel a bit better.
BMBD
Can’t see it still – got the news from Arseblog live ….
Re: Biscuitbum @247, You must mean a late onslaught by Arsenal?
Why is Persie still in?
Scoreline looking decent now.
Here comes the Ox.
It’s time to take Van Persie off. Try Walcott on top. Get Chammy on. Hell, even get PARK on. But get Persie off now!
I wouldn’t mind Ramsey off and trying The Ox in his position, just for the kicks, since we’re 3-0 up.
But once more, GET PERSIE OFF NOW. Cheers, Arsene!
Somethimes Arsene is mistery for me. Why keeping Persie in, give Park or Chamak chance, we are fecking 3-0 up.
Fecking feed lost! Twiddling thumbs…
Van Persie probably doesn’t want to come off and we all know…
He does what he wants.
Tony fucking Gale…he never gets off the Arsenal hatred does he…..I’m sure he has no friends and his parents don’t talk to him.
Rambo strikes again – Oh
How was that not a penalty?
Jenks on for Sagna
no penalty for that foul on Ramsey? unbelievable…
That is not penalty because of Ramsey, simple as that.
JD has been absolutely terrific!
Does Ramsey fancy himself a C. Ronaldo?
No Olivia, because of the ref.
BTW wigan 1 manure less
JD has been really good today, I agree Snir. Ramsey hasn’t been at his best but is far from the liability some make him out to be, and he will be a great player in a few seasons. Overall not a great performance from us, and we’ve were a bit sloppy just after scoring the second, but that is human and how much we want it our of the players we must cut them some slack for having human characteristics, especially when we’re winning 3-0 away from him.
Lovely clean sheet, lovely three points.
Mind the gap, c*nts.
True indeed Snir. Very solid at the back.
Do you remember the time when we were nervous EVERY single corner against us? I don’t. Fucking love the team at the moment, and adore Szcz.
Woj = Legend
Another clean sheet.
ReeeeeeeeeeeeeeesssssSSSSSSSLLLTTTTT!!!!!!!
Onward and precisely where we were – superb!
Gentlemen, please mind that gap.
“Woj = Legend”
FACT. Drink on me H2H! Come on you REDS.
Let’s not forget we had a rip roarer against Citeh only a few days ago, this game was done and dusted after 10 mins, we then took our foot of the gas and played the game out, profesional performance.
5 points clear with increased goal difference. Job done.
Cheers PiK.
Next rounds on me.
It’s all about the points ladies and gentlemen – anyone alighting the Happy Train at St Totteringham junction better start getting their things together…..
Lars, you can start drinking now
Give Ramsey credit…ALWAYS wants the ball and works so hard to be in the right place….he’s going to come good. Scz was amazing tonight. JD best game of his season….
Absolutely H2H. As I said earlier, I don’t mind at all, but of course, in the best of worlds, we would have concentrated a bit better, gone for the third with some more urgency and killed it off earlier. As Liverpool almost found out the other day, that feeling of safety being two goals up is very easily turned around by a fluke goal. But hey, this is nitpicking and it’s not as if we didn’t try, and even though we are the Arsenal we have no god given right to win or to score (something Utd supporters would be wise to remember at times).
Job well and truly done.
And remember, this win plus Wigans result against Man Utd means that we have every possibility of winning the league still, albeit on goal difference if it happens.
The single is on!
Damn, that felt really nice. Early goals opened a cushion, and we held our nerve. I truly truly wish I wasn’t at work with 6 hours left to go…
H2H- keep my drinks for me, I’ll surely drink them in a few!
P.S. Can we sign Benny please? And give Woj a lifetime contract for being all around brilliant and passionate?
Off to down a few, back after MOTD.
Lovin ‘it.
Way to work it boys!!! RVP’s penalty kick was so delicious in it’s simplicity. Be still my heart. Woj never let his concentration waiver. Benny, clearly exhausted (god bless him) executes a beaut of a surgical strike. Theo was Theo, but god you gotta love him. As always, Arteta worked it tirelessly. Heck, they all deserve a clap on the back. Ramsey, your time is coming son, don’t give up! And delighted for Wigan!
nitpicking?!?! The single is on…Lars?
Churlish to complain about a 3-0 win away from home, but after the start we got, I would have liked to have seen some more enterprise to get a third goal straightaway and the game killed so we could have got Song, Arteta and the skipper off after 60 mins for a rest. But a controlled performance that didn’t let Wolves look any where as good as they can be – though thank heavens for a couple of top saves from Woj to prevent them getting back in it. It was sort of how we played against QPR but without screwing it up.
like it!
Thanks H2H, was thankfully sorted on First Row.
Woj is not a legend. Not for the first time this season his save has cost me a tidy ‘holic pound return
AL @ 182: That one is for you buddy – nod, nod, wink, wink (0;
Heh, me and Lars are both Swedish but we’re not the same, AL!
Lurky: The reason the boss leaves RvP on is to protect him from injury! Yes. When he stays on he can keep his muscles warm and then go through a proper ‘warm-down’ after the game. But if he is substituted early he just goes to the bench and that can leave the lactic acid in his muscles. Not all players are alike but it seems that Le Capitan needs to be on until to protect his muscles and ligaments….I think that this strategy has kept him healthy and so Le Boss sees no reason to change it…
Heh, Toby still goes for the Title
I’ll settle for st totts day, 3 wins and a draw away now
Sorry for your loses, Holic…
Re: Dr. GT @293: Are you angling for the physio post? With that kind of convoluted reasoning I’d say you’re in with a shot.
Sign Benny, I agree. We need one modest little magician with the ball for the next year.
Great win, another clean sheet, our back 4, no matter the line up are better and better, could I say it is due to some coaching lately. JD massive game, Woj- fantastic saves. We’ve got ourselves a keeper for the next 20 years.
The Ox just need to start. That boy has so much potential. Two really great curled balls from the wing, but no one was there to convert them.
Still not convinced about Ramsey though, but this was a far better display from him. Maybe next game he will prove me wrong and I am looking forward to it.
GT: that is bizarre, mate. Have a few more drinks and sober up!
Gentlemen, please mind that gap.
Happy days. Goodnight.
Bang! Scores when he wants (0;
@ 8th Ball: Sports Physiology degree mate!
Heh, I got close to getting another century completely out of the blue.
Hey, hey GT – well played!!! Seems we’re getting the basics right and keeping our shape – again!?!
If you’d posted it a few seconds earlier, GT, I’d have had a second century completely unaware of the fact when posting.
Still, well done Sir!
And this time, goodnight.
GT – Away for a day and comes back wiv a bang!
GT- a triple century and a slam dunk with the degree- unheralded…
I hope you are right about Persie, GT. I thought of that too, but if Park or MC do not sub him on this kind of game, will they ever?
AL: Too right mate. Simple things wins games (0;
Well in, GT.
Is there any rule/reason a player subbed has to go to the bench? Couldn’t the skipper go straight to the dressing room and get an early start on his stretching routine?
I really want us to sign Yossi, but doubt it would happen :/
Good businesslike performance tonight if occasionally a bit ponderous. Excellent pressing off the ball. Unsurprisingly a few tired legs and minds began to show and it’s as well Wolves are poor and were down to 10 men.
Each goal (incl the pen) was well crafted and well executed. Should have had a couple more and DB10 bless Szcz for his agility and concentration. That boy is worth several points a season.
Thanks PiK, Ollie, Al: We’ll discuss my secret formula in the Euro Interlull but rest, positivity and focus are the ingredients to success..
Lurky: The boss seems to be already looking beyond Chamakh and perhaps Park. They are there only in case of disasters but as there wasn’t any chance of that Le Boss didn’t have to call on them..IMO of course (0;
SG @ 309 – I agree.
NED @ 308: No rule but can you see RvP wanting to do that? He is so into his role as skipper he would want to be involved even to the end..to his detriment
Szcheszney has been awesome, he could’ve gone for a cup of tea at times but he remained switched on at all times and made 2 top class saves. We really have a fantastic keeper.
Sorry Toby – but after a big Arse win and a bottle o’ red – it seems i can’t tell the difference – And any countryman of Lars, who also happens to be a Goonah, has to be all good – surely?!?
You RedS!
Well in, lads. I’m back to work, but enjoy AL’s vino and sleep nice and sound!
Up the Gunners! There’s only ONE Arsene….
Guvnah @ 290 –
Boooooooooooo! Just be glad you didn’t try that on FFF.
We’ve got our eyes on you; next thing you’ll say is Wanger never did nuffink for the club, eh?
*ducks for cover*
BMBD.
Lurky Oliva @ 297 Oh my goodness, the Ox (lifting my eyes to the heavens). How direct he is, taking on defenders whilst making it look so easy. And we know how darn hard that is to do.
Who saw the link that Snir put up with that feature about Scez? If you haven ‘t the its worth a watch. The boy has all the ingredients to be a great, great players for us. He reminds me of Bob Wilson in that he’s so down to earth and focused on improving his game..
>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>
* THEN its worth… & * to be ONE of the great….
Better stop drinking this cooking sherry (0;
WC @ 314 a kipper tie – schurely!
Fair point, GT.