No Lack Of Effort, But
Nov 24th, 2012 by 'holic
A scoreless draw at the Villa. The latest in a line of disappointing results but I will defend those in the Yellow today from the charges that were quite rightly aimed at them at Norwich.
This was not a day when anybody could accuse them of not trying. This was not a failure of a collective will to win, more the latest demonstration that technically we have slipped from the levels to which supporters have become accustomed from Wenger sides.
Villa, young and enthusiastic, simply shut down our supply lines by pressing all over the pitch and denying us the time it seems we need to play at our best these days. They forced errors from a team that surrenders possession more than any Arsenal side we have seen in the last sixteen years.
It was indicative of our midfield frailty that our most noticeable performers on the day came from the other departments. Per Mertesacker stood out for me yet again, and perhaps surprisingly given the result, Olivier Giroud impressed with his appetite for work. The Frenchman was also the likeliest to create openings with his intricate flicks and one-twos around the edge of the Villa box. It was a shame that the service to him from out wide was so very poor.
For all that Villa impressed with their collective hunting of the ball, their best player too was a defender. I’ve not seen anything of the boy Lowton before today. I have made a mental note of the name. There is a danger in reading too much into one performance, but he looks destined for better things on the evidence of today.
They might have nicked the points but for a quite superb fingertip save from Wojciech Szczesny, and yet that aside we didn’t really look like surrendering a goal. At the other end our best chance fell to Laurent Koscielny, unfortunately. We also could have had a late winner when Clark superbly denied Gervinho a clear opportunity with a great block.
The substitution of Francis Coquelin for Giroud was a baffling one, and Arsene didn’t help himself when he failed to offer anything other than a prickly response when quizzed about it after the match. Were we really trying to ensure we held on to one point, rather than press for all three? I would like to think the reasoning was different, but chances are we will never know.
What Arsene did offer was the usual fatigue excuse, and the far more accurate acknowledgement that we didn’t play well, plain and simple.
“We tried. We had the right attitude but lacked a bit of fluency and accuracy in the final third. We had the opportunities to be dangerous but didn’t use them well”
I can accept we will have bad days with this squad. The only thing we display consistently is inconsistency. Hopefully there is a Cup in them yet, but the League campaign promises to be long and frustrating. Last week we took two giant steps forward, but this was clearly one small pace backwards.
So to Everton on Wednesday, which has now become a very significant fixture given the Merseysiders are a point and a place ahead of us. Hopefully those suffering from fatigue will get four good nights kip in beforehand and come out with a degree of inventiveness that was entirely lacking today.
428 Responses to “No Lack Of Effort, But”
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“Villa, young and enthusiastic”…Maybe, but curiously for the first time this season.
Thirst…….and read the scribe as well. Coudn’t agree more holic…the only consistency is our inconsistency. Now onto Everton and another season defining game.
CL place?
Ah..beat to me to it to it SSY….much like the midfield today. OG getting more like “smudger” every week, except he has the plus of being a HFB.
In retrospect, wonder if we missed LJW’s drive he gives the midfield but accept he needs to be brought upto full match fitness carefully.
Not seen the match. Knackered and recorder is broken so unlikely to see on MoTD. Read the previous drinks and happy to see the ‘Holic match report is less ugly than I fear this place is going to become.
I bid you good night, ‘holics one and all and look forward to seeing you all again in a few days.
COYG
What can you do (and it’s not yet early in the morning). Focus on the positives. Come on Arsenal.
Positive outlook holic. Kudos to that.
But that was a dreadful game of football. Professionals paid a kings ransome to play for the club and win matches must do better than that. Period. Its a sport and all that, and nothing is certain, but that was horrible in Every sense. OG worked hard. Thats the only positive i see.
Giving it away cheaply – thats dead on. Even Cazorla looked very average. And anyone who thinks Ox is ready to replace Feo – well id suggest thinking again.
Another chance to make up points lost. And these are games we must take full points to have any chance to be in the mix in May.
Cheers holic. Surely better days are a head.
Hello Poppet, lovely to see you here.
At the end of the day it was a draw. There may not have been too many positives, but we don’t have to over-scrutinise the negatives.
Accept we weren’t at our best and hope we are on Wednesday.
Lots of angry people on twitter, which is becoming par for the course however…
I agree with you totally. You can’t really fault the team today. I thought at the end there it was just an issue of fatigue. Lots of them looked tired, and there’s nothing we can do about that until January. Need to add to the squad in a few areas because competing on four fronts is just going to produce more days like this with the current squad.
Well. It was cold and wet. Lots of missed placed balls, usually behind the target. Do we not practice passing to a moving player? With some better finishing we could have scored but I guess the same could be said of Villa.
Had a great view of the game. The pitch was very slick and so was the ball. Would have liked to have seen a few drives from outside just to test their ‘keeper. Had hoped for some goals. But the family all enjoyed the match regardless.
Away support were loud and clear throughout.
Cheers all.
Really, really disappointed with our perfomance & the result this evening.
Seriously, I think a loan move would do young Ramsey a world of good. Regular football, with a little less pressure might just be what he needs to straighten out the kinks in his game.
And whats this silliness Wenger keeps repeating, playing Le Coq in a more attacking role ahead of Arteta, especially today when we so needed someone to make the difference in the final third.
Also thought Gibbs looked solid in his return, and that Jenko added another solid game to his resume.
A sale would do us more good where Ramsey is concerned. He’s not a particularly bad player but he’s not a player of the level we should have in our first team. He lacks vision, speed of thought and he can’t run. He belongs in a useful mid-table side, which is what we are at the moment but if we want to be better, we need better than him.
If we were to become a team challenging for the title in the next two or three years, would you see him as a regular?
So get shot.
Hello ‘Holic. An unusually late evening for me. Football’s football. I metaphorically roll with the punches and hope we surprise mid-week. No point feeling down when November brings the Michael Owen Tache comedy. Oh for the good old days of Border, Lamb and Gooch!
Any crap team who wishes to kick start their season they certainly can do it against us these days. We were well known for quick counter attacks, and late winning golas. this team lack pace all over the pitch, sometimes we get the chance to break but we decide to pass the ball bakwards .
something I still don’t understand, I hear people criticising Theo and yet he has been the only player providing assists as well as goals from midfield the rest are just poor in front of goal. in the past Lungberg, Pires, Bergkamp, Fabregas all would chip in with 10- 15 goals. I honestly didn’t know where the goasl were going to come from today. without Theo the crosses to Giroud were poor. And taking off a striker and bring on a defensive player shows that Wenger knows this team doesn’t have what it takes to see out a 0-0 or get a winner. I hear the club will be loaded with the new deals, we might be surprised in January. I know, it will be Thierry again.
Nonny @13…Re: Ramsey. I believe there’s a quality player in him. Why, I remember so clearly before he was cruelly Shawcrossed, the clear glimpses of a quality player we saw in him. Back then, Ramsey & not Jack was considered the heir to Cesc. But, sadly he’s just not been the same since his injury.
I’d say we should not give up on him just yet. Loan him someplace where he play regularly, without the pressure that comes from playing for The Arsenal, and he might yet become the player we all hoped he would be.
Strangely holic and chums I don’t feel terrible after that,a point is a fair result I think we didn’t do enough to win it.one thing I’m happy to see is arsene rotating his squad and not letting these players rest on there laurels,just a shame we didn’t get the 3 points as it would make the rested players work twice as hard next time they played.anyways roll on the toffees nite holics.
Interesting to observe the many comments about Ramsey in various places.
Anyone like to try to argue that Arteta or Cazorla played better than him today?
Actually this was one of the best Aaron’s game for a while but his best is just not good enough. Not for us anyway.
Well on Ramsey. Santi and Mikel have the fatigue reasoning for their performances, Rambo doesn’t have that.
This is the kind of game/performance/result that might even happen in a Championship winning season. The weather conditions neutralised the contest. It feels worse because it was live on telly. On Ceefax this would’ve been an “oh well” from which you move on. The performance itself was fairly summed up in this blog. Gibbs showed what he is capable of if he can stay fit. A shame to hear the bitter songs about RvP yet again – can we not just say “tosser” and move on from it withvthe class and grace we once had in abundance.
‘holic, they probably didn’t play any better than him today, but they consistently out-perform him, so I don’t see that comparing performances in one game means much.
For me, Ramsey is another Denilson.
I am watching Betis vs Real at the moment.
How Pepe didn’t get sent off I still don’t know, what a despicable dirty cunt.
Anyway, it’s still 1-0 to Betis. I’ve probably just jinxed them now.
And what ‘holic said in his match report and @8
Evening all. Holic fair write up. I wish it wasn’t true what you said about our being so inconsistent. Agree Per was terrific and Woj seems never to have been out for so long. Think is OG will need a rest soon as well
I’m not going to slag any of our players. Arteta and Santi also need some time off. Don’t really know what the answer is at this point. Nite everyone. The sun will rise tomorrow and so shall we (hopefully!) 
Kos&Per shone again.
Mikel offered little.But was any team in the world going to play well in those conditions?
It is a leveler.Not an excuse for not winning .But surely and excuse for a poor game of football.
So Real Madrid player does handball then Betis one and the ball goes to Real? Shit ref.
Betis win!
I really love to see that cunt Mourinho look so miserable.
I’d say we’re better than Real Madrid.
Should Barça win tomorrow, Real would be 11 points adrift.
They aren’t even second in their two-team League.
I’m rooting hard for Atletico but R. Madrid’s situation is pretty hilarious at the moment.
And what a lovely level headed article .btw.
If Atletico could win La Liga, it would just be brilliant, James!
Still haven’t seen enough of the game to offer a balanced opinion, but dissapointed, to say the least, at the ressult.
I do however feel that young Aaron takes a lot more stick then he deserves. I agree with DreamWright that before his terrible injury he looked like he good be a special player, lest we forget that he was one of the UK’s hottest properties before he signed with us, the Ol Beetroot fought us tooth and nail for his signature before Ramsey choose the rightous path over the darkside.
That he was able to come back from such a horrific injury should be more then enough to earn our respect, he may not be the player that he was, but he never hides, he’s always there making himself available and trying to get involved, if he’s not quite up to the grade then I feel we should be asking questions of the management team who continue to play him rather then the player himself.
I like (once again) DW’s solution of a loan to help him back into the groove, if it doesn’t work with regular football elsewhere then we’ll know and should let him go with our best wishes.
Remarkably restrained Holic.
Think I’ll join you and see how I feel in the morning.
Night all.
Interweb playing up but try again,
Nice post H2H.
Fair review ‘holic.
Another very frustrating performance and I’m certain it won’t be the last this EPL campaign! Don’t be surprised if the lads put up a winning performance against a superior Toffees side midweek. Glass half full as always in this topsy-turvy Premiership season! COYBG! CVC!
PS. Aaron’s stick is undeserved and to lay the constant blame at his door is downright blind! Be more objective guys!
I dunno how superior the Toffees are. We’ll find out who’s made of what on Wednesday. Wish I could be there. Gonna head to the Tollie after class Wednesday to watch in good company I think.
I chose to see the best Ramsey can be, not what he is right now. The memory of him and Jack bossing against United in May 2011 is still in the memory, and we won that game 1-0 and all.
But this draw didn’t feel as bad as the Fulham one.
Evening Holics
We were as dismal as the weather for the most part and only looked dangerous in the final third of the game.
I agree with Holic, the mid-field were totally ineffective.We won hardly any 50/50 balls and Villa harried us into giving the ball away (same comment I made on Wednesday’s game). The Spanish duo were shadows of their former selves, was it due to fatigue or the conditions? I don’t think Rambo did badly, he did force a good save from the Villa keeper, unlike our front men!
Without Theo there was little pace in the side, too many passes across the field slowing up play. I wish Arsene had given AA23 more game time. Once again he provided a lovely cross into the Villa box and gives our opponents something different to think about.
Per and Szczesny were the pick of the bunch and the Pole’s finger tipped save on to the bar kept us in the game. I expect Sagna will be back for Everton and Theo might also be available, we will need to up our level if any points are to be gained on Wednesday. However, this Arsenal is so unpredictable anything might happen.
As always COYRs
Even if Wenger signs brilliant players in the transfer window and I think we all doubt that he will the fact remains that we needed him to be more proactive and decisive in the summer. We are always looking at jam tomorrow when we need to be getting the side ready to compete now. We were very flat and lthough we played in midweek and they didn’t we should have had enough to get over th line.
We can’t win when we play badly and we play badly far too often.
Get real,they conceded 5 at city and could easily have had 10 against them, and United scored 3 against them in 35 minutes,so they are not exactly known as a successful defending team but hey here comes the most one dimensional team football have ever seen.
In Arsene we trust…?
As others have said, a remarkably restrained response ‘holic.
I keep waiting for us to demonstrate that we are still one of the elite but it never seems to materialize. I am uncertain if this new influx of monies will change what has increasingly becoming a business first mentality.
However, a Gunner I am and a Gunner I shall remain. We are bigger than one coach or one set of owners.
Mighty Betis!!!
Our performance not as bad as some are making it out. A performance at Everton could easily move everybody’s mind back up the positivity scale.
As many times before I have only one word to say: Ramsey.
And this was one of his better games this season. Well, I don’t care if he is the best player on the pitch. I don’t care if he is the best player of the world.
I care only for the fact that I don’t remember we won anything this season with him starting. Coincidence or not I don’t care.
Poor Denilson. Ramsey had ten times more chances that him. And what did he do. Did he scored, assisted or what. Did he makes tackles, makes interceptions, wins headers? What he does ffs? Runs like a chicken all over the pitch with no idea what should he do. I just don’t get it. What Arsene sees in him is inapprehensible.
Of course that Cazorla and Arteta looked bad, when Ramsey is running the midfield. Did they looked bad when Diaby or Wilshere were there?
As I sad it many times before, I don’t hate the kid. I actually fell sorry for him and his career. But my focus is on Arsenal as a club and it is time to let Ramsey go on loan or whatever.
Rant over.
Excuse me for this manner of speaking, but I am so disappointed and even more drunk. Off I go.
agree wholeheartedly with Delia @ 40 re Arshavin. Arsene should have realised much earlier that The Ox was having an off day and that poor Ramsey was ineffective (in my humble opinion). Arshavin is always a gamble I agree, but surely this was a winnable game,and something needed to be done. We looked bereft of ideas. As for the poor dears being plum tuckered out by thier midweek excertions,well, I beg to differ. If a top athlete in the prime of life cant play two games of football in a week,then I’m a dutchman.(I’m not a Dutchman). Of course the conditions werent ideal but the English Premier League is played in England isnt it? The home of rain,if memory serves. Gervinho had the same inpact on the game as I would have made — ( I’m a 54 year old musician), roughly zero. A clearly irked and prickly AW gave himself away by his all out attack stlye answers to perfectly reasonable questions. Still, were still in the cups!
So Wenger blames tiredness,etc for the draw. I am not a coach but it’s very easy to frustrate the gunners.When the gunners get to the third of the pitch,as is normal,they will indulge in a series of passes.
All the other side has to do is wait for a gunner to lose possession,inevitably, and hit a long direct/diagonal pass. With the gaps and with time,the other team can hit on the break and score.
That is the difference between Arsenal and other top teams. When the latter break they do with devastating speed. Witness RVP’s goal against Chelsea.Three to four passes at the most which can catch defenders.Until the gunners can attack with speed,they will find
w inning games tough.Even not so quality teams know how to break out speedily after a corner kick has been foiled.
Villa pressed well. Not just on Santi but on the players who were his first and second outlets. We need a player who can run past defenders in those circumstances, Jack or Diaby, to counteract that.
It’s not a loss, but it feels like one. A draw can often be a great result, a fact that the villa fans will agree with, but we should be punishing teams in the relegation zone. They didn’t end up in that position by playing well, right? They are down there because other teams have beaten them, why couldn’t we?
I totally agree with IF @47, professional athletes should have a bit more life in them, two games a week isn’t a big ask!
I don’t feel that negative. To me it was like the draw at Bolton last year. Not at all one that feels like a loss.
I think I’ll mostly stay off the Arsenal internet until Wednesday then?
(and I say that because people were all dooom&gloom after that draw).
Can’t for the life of me understand why gunners need a scapegoat every time we don’t win,arron Ramsey is not that bad of a player,if I was watching the same game I thought he had played ok had a couple of stabs at goal,far from tripe good honest lad who will come good if he gets game time.
Consistently inconsistent. Possibly the best phrase have heard to describe the Arsenal, not only of today but of the last few years. If we are honest I do not think any of us can say with any certainty what Arsenal performance we will witness pre match. At Villa we had two shots on target. Hardly a stat that would lead us to claim that we deserved anything more than a point.
We suffer, as we have for the last few years with the lack of quality in the depth of the squad. If Giroud does not come off then who doe we have to replace him? How many game changers or match winners are there in reserve or on the bench? None of this will be new. The fact is this season will be like being on a rollercoaster but with a blindfold on. There will be highs and lows. There will be thrills and spills. The trouble is that we will not really have an idea when any of them are coming next.
The Ramsey criticism is harsh but understandable sadly. You are right holic, he was no better or worse than Arteta or Cazorla. However, there previous performances have earned them more tolerance and leniency than the young Welshman seems to have at the moment.
We need to keep going until January. In January we need to continue getting rid of the deadwood and we need a few quality additions. In the coming weeks I would also like to see the little Russian play more of a part. He might frustrate to the max. But he does have quality and he has something that at times we really lack.
On to Everton. Let’s hope that this is one of the highs rather than one of the lows.
http://www.francefootball.fr/#!/news/2012/11/25/101804_ibra-le-meilleur-depuis-17-ans.html
Ibrahimovic as good as Guivarc’h, heh
Consistently inconsistent
We’re a Theo Walcott-team
Interesting views on young Aaron and many seem to feel that he’s a liability which I don’t entirely see like that at all. His effort and desire to create openings and killer passes cannot be questioned, but the only criticism that i would level at him is that he dwells on the ball far too long too often in dangerous positions rather than play the simple ball and very easily get-rid! But then again, how many in the current squad do that too?! He’s young and still learning! Remember Diaby?!
This current side and squad does not have a definitive style of play or personality as yet and the changes that Arsene keeps making, or has had to, have been disruptive in all areas of the pitch both in defence and in attack. This side lacks consistent incisive attacking play and pace in the middle and final thirds of the park, and when Theo doesn’t play, it’s painfully evident. In addition, many of these players seem to be less comfortable on the ball under pressure than in previois years. Opponents far too easily and readily close them down as they dwell on the ball and are unable to move the ball with the quick one-touch passing and movement that we are all accustomed to from Arsene’s teams. One could argue that many of these players are nowhere near as technically competent or quick-of-thought-and-foot to play this style of football and perhaps Arsene needs to appreciate that more and change his stubbornness of formation during matches now that he has an out-and-out target man?! However, many managers and teams know that Arsene will never change his style of play to suit them and for it to work successfully in these matches where teams are well organised and prepared for us, you either expect most of your players to play very well to create and make a fist of it on the pitch or you make the changes to make the other side have to come up with a new strategy mid-game rather than on their training-field.
Yet again after a disappointing result, all is not lost this season but if Arsene doesn’t realise that he has to dynamically and radically change “things-up” during matches with this squad of players, rather than keep plodding away with the same monotonous style and strategy, it becomes incompetent in its predictability and rather insulting to our opponents. COYBG! VCC!
Tiredness: Agreed they should be able to play two games a week and they did, most of them. But when your opponents have had a week off, it’s going to show – inevitably.
Weather: Again, heavy weather is bound to make a difference, especially to a team who concentrate on a short-passing game. But ball control and weight of pass judgements are also affected. You only have to recall Wojo water-planing out of the penalty box to appreciate how difficult the conditions must have been.
That said, it was a below par performance. Theo’s importance to the team becomes more evident every time he is absent and even previous critics like me have to accept that – I’ve come full circle.
I did think that Ramsey and Ox tended to slow the game down a lot yesterday but that hasn’t always been the case. The scapegoating of Aaron really pisses me off, but it seems to be a characteristic of some so-called fans to pick on one player and make him the source of all problems. I remember it way back with Jon Sammels in the 70s. I guess it happens at all clubs. And can we please stop this crap with “we never win when Ramsey starts” – it’s been proved wrong so many times only someone with a very small brain would still be peddling it.
Ollie – We are a THeo Walcott team. Imagine where we’d be now if Gervinho had stayed fit and Wenger had stuck to his stupid and stubborn non-selection policy over Theo. Giroud would not be enjoying a growing partnership with him, for one thing, and may still be struggling for goals and confidence.
I know not many people rate him, or do so grudgingly, but if he’s as bad a player as some think, and despite that he’s our most important performer and w lack any real threat without him, it doesn’t say much for the rest of this team.
Rewind to early August 2012, when we had such a wealth of midfielders at our disposal (8 or 9?), that selling Song to Barcelona was a no-brainer.
fast forward to 25 November 2012: Diaby, unfortunately is never going to play regularly for Arsenal; Rosicky is just back training with the team; Le Coq hasn’t impressed and was poor against Fulham; Jack is being slowly (and appropriately) rehabilitated to the team; Frimpong will not make it as an Arsenal player; The Ox has been poor all season and Ramsey is not quite there.
I think it unfair to locate blame in Ramsey for all of yesterday’s woes. He is often a marker of a dysfunctional team and not necessarily the cause. I think Wenger got it wrong playing The Ox and Corporal Jenkinson together. They don’t have the experience and didn’t combine to give Villa’s young LB a difficult time.
Gibbs was great in the first half but was less of an attacking presence in the second half. That meant we had two flanks misfiring in the second half.
I have three big problems with this squad.
1. Gervinho and Arshavin shouldn’t be at the club.
2. We only have one centre-forward.
3. If Jack isn’t playing, neither Le Coq or Ramsey have the positional sense to consistently receive the ball in the right place from Arteta and as a result, slow the game down.
I am also worried that Wenger is claiming the team are tired after playing midweek. I was at the Montpelier game. It was hardly played at breakneck pace!
For my money, Arsenal always seem to be one bad result/performance away from a ‘distaster’ ( I won’t use the favourite media phrase of crisis). One week we believe the boys can finish top four, the next collectively we feel we have no hope. I thought Ramsey was our best player going forward yesterday – at least he tried to engineer attacks and had shots. Many may not agree but the way we approach games in a real worry for me; we never impose ourselves territorially away from home and therefore we never camp ourselves in the opponents half as Man U tend to do. So-called inferior sides are never under long intense periods of pressure when they face us – Villa at no time yesterday had to ‘defend their box’ with 10 men behind the ball. This is the main reason why are away form is so poor.
I shudder to think, Nonny. Although I still believe the ‘stubborn non-selection policy over Theo’ is a media-invention…
(and I hope he stays, naturally, though I’m struggling to believe he will. I’m not blind to his faults, but I believe he’s improved a lot and I have found ‘new’ things in his game this season that I have liked)
Fair review Holic.
We missed someone driving directly forward from midfield in the PV4 mode, like AD2 was doing at the start of the season and that LJW10 adds occasionally.
We also had indifferent service from the flanks for OG who had one of his best games yet, despite not scoring. It was good to see Gibbsy back but we do need to use Poldi differently.
I am not amongst the Ramsey critics – he works hard, constantly makes himself available to the man on the ball and needs a consistent run in the MF to find his match sharpness – but that is unlikely to happen.
We do need a result on Wednesday or the noise from the Trolls and Mongs will become insufferable. ;(
Wednesday is massively important. A poor result and performance will just add to the numbers of those planning their protest march on Saturday. That just breeds more negativity and does no one any favours.
Having watched the whole match (on telly rather than a poor stream), I come back to an old theme – the team plays to AWs instruction, using his structure and his wishes only (he looks tired stressed and frustrated on the side lines because it doesnt work)
The Ox, Rambo, Pod were playing in a restrained position, with little allowance to change zone, and demonstrate their wider competences
Our defence was generally competent apart from coping with the dropsy of Agbanthewhore
As is so often the case, our play was along the ground, close short passing, with little forward progress. (Where are the midfielders who look up and play quick lobs over the top to front runners (OG and LP) , both of whom I saw waving for exactly this sort of pass – which was never given.)
Every opposition knows that the block defence with targeting of our DMF will work, unless we provide the over the top ball to fast wing and centre forward areas, which stretch their defence
The stats which show good passing are misleading because more often its between defence to midfield and back again, whilst the forwards run back and forwards with little chance of receiving the ball
If there is no change, then Everton, who are much stronger going forward , will walk all over us
Got no problem with Ramsey. People who reckon he did n’t try yesterday are one-eyed at best.
Although Ramsey is poor and imho brings nothing positive to the team his continued selection is not his decision.
It is Wenger alone who continues to select him and persevere with many other sub arsenal standard players (at least the Arsenal standard of the previous Wenger teams).
It is painful to see a man who I respected so highly and whose utterances had me hanging on every syllable reduced to pitiful and petty defence of his selection and tactics.
I’ve been pilloried in here for using the term ‘sinking ship’ but that is exactly what we are, holed below the waterline and sinking ever so slowly. It’s almost imperceptible on a weekly basis but over the course of each season we’re a little lower in the water.
Who is to blame? THE BOARD!
Just as Ramsey is not responsible for his continued selection Wenger is not responsible for his continued stewardship.
A hierarchy exists so major decisions (although sometimes unpopular) can be made for the greater good of the organisation in the long term. Until the board takes decisive action, either in the form of replacing the manager, or giving the manager an ultimatum, a target, (perhaps even support in the form of a David Dein?) expect to see more mediocrity and underperformance compared to our resources.
Finally if you disagree with me please try to deconstruct my argument or offer real alternatives as opposed to questioning my support as per last time I posted a similar comment.
Geoff.
The board must certainly take a portion of the blame, mistakes at executive level meant that we missed the boat when it came to certain commercial revenue meaning that we are now playing catch up.
However, the board do not consist of football men, they are a hands off board, they get on with the commercial side and let Wenger do the footballing side, I do believe that’s what we all want right? Wasn’t there concerns raised (at the time) that a new regime would interfere with what went on on the field and that we didn’t want that to happen?
Would you prefer that the board picked the team or meddled with selection policies? How’s about a mad Rusky telling Wenger who to buy and play?
Don’t get me wrong, I’m with you to a certain extent in feeling that we’re not (here it comes again) as good as we can be and that’s partly due to the board, however over the past two seasons AW has reinforced the squad at a considerable price. Arteta, Santos, Park, Mertesacker, Podolski, Carzola, Giroud, Gerviniho, who all have varying degrees of success, so it’s not like the board haven’t given anything back.
Yet, we still have players that offer absolutly nothing, too many out on loan, we are still relying on players who are constantly injured and we have a guy like Chamakh who can’t even make it on to the bench for an away game at Villa even though we have no other recognised striker in the squad, and before somebody says otherwise, NO, Gerviniho is NOT a striker.
We appear to have rigid tactics and formations that when nulified leave us lacking in a plan B and over the last few months we have players who look jaded, bereft of confidence and to quote Le Boss, “have forgotten how good they are”.
Is it really the board we should be blaming?
I’m not trying to doom, nor am I calling for heads to roll, just offering a different perspective.
I guess we all know how reliable press reports are but being linked with a bid for Stewart Downing does little to silence the decenters??????
Again, why is the focus on Ramsey? He is a symptom not the cause.
Poldoski, The Ox and Jenkinson offered very little movement or penetration either. It was a very tentative performance. However, Giroud showed some wonderful moments of class.
Geoff, I cannot disagree. There is clearly malaise and lethargy at Board level. The question I cannot answer is whether it has now spread across the whole club or whether Arsene can revive a Premiership challenge with the injection of some expensive new treatment in the form of a top attacker to complement BHF and Poldi and a strong/driving MF enforcer.
Geoff, there’s a line attributed to Einstein that insanity consists of doing the same thing repeatedly and hoping that there will be different results.
However, not having partaken in the abuse last time you posted, perhaps my comment will achieve the change you hope for.
I would be delighted to deconstruct your suggestions if you had made any. You provide an argument that the board is responsible. What do you suggest is done? Please note that “sack the board” isn’t a good enough suggestion, it has to be along the lines of “replace the existing board with A, B and C”. Similarly, “Kroenke should stump up some f***ing money” doesn’t cut it since the board, and certainly the fans, are pretty much powerless to influence that. Finally I would regard “Sell out to Usmanov” as a genuine suggestion only if you can persuade me that the odious Alisher would really put his hand in his pocket and that acceptable players are available.
For myself, I have no constructive suggestions to offer. My own belief is that sticking with the current board, Arsène and the current squad is not only the best option available but a pretty damn good option on an absolute scale.
COYG
Downing?
Hadn’t heard that?
FFS Arsene.
I just saw that Downingt link;
http://www.mailonsunday.co.uk/sport/football/article-2237965/Arsenal-set-make-10m-swoop-Liverpool-flop-Stewart-Downing.html
Holy shit, if this is true then plot has been seriously lost.
Seriously though, not a player I would be excited to welcome to the Grove.
Unsurprisingly, after a goaless draw, the KJH rumours gather pace;
http://www.mirror.co.uk/sport/football/transfer-news/klaas-jan-huntelaar-is-keen-on-a-6m-arsenal-1454174
I’m torn about this one, but 6mill would be a snip for a proven goalscorer.
So, all of a sudden we believe something we read in the Daily Mail? Speaking of lost plots…
COYG
Sack the whole lot of them!
We tied an away game in a very competitive league.
Bring in a crazy Uzbek gangster. Pay over the moon for Guardiola. Pay 100 million sterling for Neymar and Falcao. That will fix it!
And if we don’t win the quadruple with that, fire that lot and do it again!!
I am Tired of supporting a club that tries to live within their means!!
Tongue meet cheek.
Are we all frustrated and think things can improve, you betcha.
Going psycho on each other and the team, coach and board will not change anything. The board are not going the fire AW. Nor are they all going to step down. If it makes you feel better to write that every time we don’t win a game, then you better copy and paste it here every 10 days or so cause it will happen. Look at west Brom. They are playing as a team and the supporters are behind them. Funny how that works. We will drop points. We will probably never see the Invincibles again. Use positive karma that things will improve. Enjoy the ups and downs of sports.
Credit goes to Downing’s agent to convince the journalist to write up the story.
Watching the Swansea – Liverpool game.
Considering they sold two of their best players and their manager has no experience managing in England, how do people think they run their club compared to AFC?
How come they manage to recruit first and second choice goalkeepers who are as good as, if not better, than ours and can kick a ball in a straight line?
How do they manage, despite their turnover of managers, not to have a squad brimming with players who either make minimal contribution or are sent out on loan until they are sold off / their contracts expire?
Just thinking aloud
baff& H2H&others: Downing? FFS, we were linked to Bridge last time around.
It’s just the usual press bollocks, why even bother commenting and acting all mad about this sort of totally empty ‘rumours’?
Seriously, get a grip. We’re linked to Falcao, it’s unrealistic, we’re linked to Downing, it’s equally cretinous, not something to comment about.
Just ask yourself the question. Nil nil at Villa. 20 mins to go and chasing a result. Who would you prefer to see coming on? Gervinho, Coquelin or a Huntelaar?
We just have to hope the Downing report is just paper talk and no more.
The board in my humble opinion have become massively complacent. Since Dein left Arsene has not had a wing man. Perhaps more importantly he has not had someone to push him or to question him.
Steve T: honest answer to that question: Gervinho.
Seriously.
I know the Daily Fail is crap and I probably shouldn’t be so gulable, but even the thought that Downing could be anywhere near our squad is pretty scary.
Although, to be fair, since Huntelaar isn’t here so you’re introducing impossible in the equation, I’d have said ‘someone else’.
Or Wilshere, to be even fairer.
And fuck fuck fuck, Montpellier score as I type. Bollock.
Jez @60; David @61; & Cognac @65,
Good points and totally agree about the right flank and the middle of the park. Jenkinson and Ox both looked very rusty and like they hadn’t been playing regularly, or playing regularly together; which they haven’t!
If we can stay less than 8 points behind the league leaders until the end of January with a few additions in the transfer window and Theo signing a new contract extension, this campaign could still be something very special in all of the competitions that really matter!
More guile and pace is needed in the centre of the park and on both flanks and it’ll come if we can still maintain the pace regardless of our inconsistency. However, with Mercenary City and the Chavs all but out of the CL, I hope that their relegation to the Europa league still will be enough to keep them pre-occupied, stretched and squad fatigued wrt the domestic competitions.
DanC, City are even unlikely to make the Europa League, no?
Ollie. We will just agree to disagree. I see Gervinho warming up and I’m sad to say that it does not inspire me one bit. It is more just wishful thinking.
gunning for the swansea/city daily double, just for the comeuppance factor
Theo must stay and sign if all that Arsene says about wanting to keep him is to be believed. This contract rebellion is the final true marker of how serious the management and money-men at our club really are regarding the direction they are financially taking our club! Theo is arguably our most commercially-viable asset as a player and losing him now would be a major nail in our up-coming commercial coffin.
Wrt “we should spend more money on transfers, buy better players, etc, etc”; let’s just look at Dortmund and Schalke in Germany and then make such comments. Trev wrote a post about “responsibility” a little while back and that’s what is needed throughout Arsenal right now! From the board, the manager, coaching staff and, most of all, the players they must all show us why they are there representing us!
No major purchases are required just better back-up and a more professional work-ethic and individual and collective focus in attitude that does not border on the current weak mental strength and complacent arrogance in body-language. That is the cause of our inconsistency.
While I’m at it. I don’t think anyone will come in during the January window. The only thing that would make me change my mind would be it we sold Theo in the first week.
As far as I recall, we haven’t made any significant signings in January since Ars&egrace;ne signed Diaby, Adebayor and Walcott on consecutive days a few years back.
So, as far as I’m concerned, it ain’t gonna happen. If it does, I will be extremely surprised and absolutely delighted.
COYG
Ollie @85,
I hope you’re wrong as that’s actually where they belong; Thursday night football on 5-live!
Forget Feo, he’s gone.
*Defence mechanism in full effect, fear the worst hope for the best*
DanC.
“a more professional work-ethic and individual and collective focus in attitude that does not border on the current weak mental strength and complacent arrogance in body-language.”
Good points all, but do we really need to look at Dortmund and Schalke as our only models in this area? How about Stoke, Norwich, West Brom, Newcastle or Fulham, not to mention Manchester United??
Oxon: Arshavin, surely, was supposed to be significant ?
Bollocks, Montpellier win and Bordeaux, therefore, aren’t first.
Shit weekend of football, I preferred the previous week….
We have been sniffing around Downing almost as long as we’ve been trying to sign Frey, supposedly. It says everything about the useless twat that Liverpool are using him at left back and playing their left back on the wing today.
If we sign Downing for £10m it is a fucking joke though. £10m plus wages on someone who can’t score goals nor provide assists, but we can’t find an extra few grand a week for a player we already have who can do both.
Mental case club if it happens.
If we sign Downing AT ALL it is a joke. For £10m or on a free.
Jaysus, Nonny. I thought of all people you wouldn’t be getting your knickers in a twist regarding a bollocks story…..
Good point Ollie. I could claim that, strictly speaking, Arshavin wasn’t signed during the January window
, or I could just admit I’d forgotten him.
COYG
Two things (excuses) that I don’t really get from modern football:
i) Fatigue due to playing twice a week.
Aren’t these guys highly trained proffessional athletes?
ii) They’re not used to playing with each other.
I get the fact that new additions need to be bedded in, but surely that is what training is for? Someone mentioned above that Gibbs and Ox didn’t click. Have they never trained together? Do we not play matches with various combinations of teams in training? If not, why not? Surely these guys play with each other (oo-er) every day, day in day out all the time. It shouldn’t be too much to expect that players coming into the team know what to expect from their teammates.
*crosses the ball, Downing-style, heh*
Heh, proper Downing, scored when I didn’t mean to
H2H. Surely Wolfie would be able to tell you whether the players are playing with eachother in practice every day? If so, I might even suggest they should put an end to it.
Well in Ollie
Can’t remember Downing scoring too many.
He may of assisted by accident a few times though, which means………
Nooooooooooooooooooooooo.
I am Stoowart Downsyndrome.
with you there H2H@99
Incredible (in the original sense of the word)
Bt8B,
Of course you’re right but I think the Germans play more attractive football!
Ollie @100,
Downing-esque in its brilliance!
We don’t play well because the players have all played so much and are fatigued? Then we lack cohesion because they have not played enough????
Is it any wonder that us fans are somewhat perplexed with some of the stuff that goes on at the club?
Actually, I think he scoreed two goals this season (or one at the end of last season?). Which prompted me to say the end of the world was nigh, but it looks like other things are even MORE improbable!
Cheers, H2H!
Isn’t complaining that players who train every day together can’t properly anticipate what team-mates will do in match conditions rather like arguing that can’t claim “I didn’t know what you meant” is impossible when both parties claim to speak English?
Just saying like.
COYG
Real lost away yesterday. Fatigue.
Bordeaux lost away today. Fatigue.
Maybe there is a little bit of something about it.
Although surely they should be able to pace themselves better, presumably.
The weather may not have helped either.
Although….I don’t know. Any other excuse? Phase of the moon?
Geoff. We are nowhere near what we should be but I don’t think we are a sinking ship. I think we are taking on water at a far too rapid a rate but there is still time to get the buckets out and restore us to the once proud vessel that Arsenal Football Club should be. I think more are starting to realise now that papering over the cracks may look okay in the short term, but in the long term is not even close to the solution.
@Ollie 109
Hormones
Re: Oxon Gooner @108. And we were having so much fun, why do you have to complicate things with academic arguments.
Are match conditions different then? Didn’t we train all week in a monsoon, knowing the weather forecast?
Are they all on the rag Ollie?
I’ll buy into that excuse, bunch of bitches.
Heh Bath.
How do you make a hormone?
Don’t pay the slag.
heh baff&H2H
If Wenger tries to sign Downing then my mind thinks back to when I was boy back in 1996…I was on holiday in Spain and saw in a morning newspaper that Arsenal were to make a £5m bid for one Stuart Ripley – that day was a Friday, Bruce Rioch was sacked the following Monday. Any attempt to sign Downing should be viewed as Wenger’s Stuart Ripley moment!!! Again, as I tell fellow Gooners, throwing money at the team won’t solve our faults on its on as I think Wenger has a tendency more often than not to sign square pegs for round holes.
I was trying to be more delicate, H2H
Heh @114.
Haven’t heard that one in 30 years, H2H.
Yeah, I remember my dinosaurs vet telling it me, way back when.
A highly competitive and entertaining match I thought, despite really atrocious conditions, and at the end of the day a draw was a very fair result.
Villa reminded me of the Wengerball 3 team when our average age was twenty-three. They have some talented youngsters there and won’t be in their current position in the league at the finish. They played as well against us for 90 minutes as they did against Manure for 45 – a game they should have won.
It’s great to see Wojciech back between the posts. His save around 80 minutes would likely have beaten Don Vito. It’s easy to see why Clichy went to sit on Citeh’s bench. He could see that Gibbsy at his best is someone he cannot compete with. He can go on to be even better than Cole (once he’s grown into his body). Sagna is the best right back in the country at the moment and Arsene’s acquisition of England’s new right back for 1M is a master stroke. Jenkinson wan’t beaten once yesterday.
An imperious performance by BFG yesterday. A masterful tackle in the box when a micron less accuracy would have resulted in a certain penalty. Kos is coming back slowly to the excellence he demonstrated last season. A few more game alongside the BFG will sort that. (I think TV5 is now our reserve LB)
Ramsey was the best of our three in MF yesterday. He came close to scoring on three occasions but has to curb his tendency toward the Hollywood flick in favour of some Denilsonesque simplicity. His constancy of drive and endeavour is a delight to see nevertheless. Cazorla’s high pace, high intensity game means that he is the most likely to need breathers. He more than most is suffering from the absence of Diaby and Rosicky and it showed in some pretty shocking passes to Villa players.
Podolski had another poor game I’m afraid. He doesn’t have the technical skills that Arsenal requires. His defensive work is fine (as long as he doesn’t try to over complicate it) and he can shoot like a cannon. He’s a liability in a midfield build up and I was surprised that Arsene didn’t substitute him for Gervinho at half time. Gervinho needs more games and is a much more creative force. Great to see him back, he is quite likely to start at Everton, and played wide with Theo on the right, will bring service of the standard that the excellent Giroud requires to net the 25 goals he’s capable of this season.
A draw at Villa and at win at Goodison is a good four points on the back of a, unique in England, thirteenth successive CL last stages qualification. Rosicky back in a fortnight and Diavy for Christmas. Looking good for top three, one trophy and 25 OllieG goals.
The Ox seems to be a very humble and intelligent kid so I hope the hype has not gotten to his head as I think he has struggled this season, thus far. When he’s had his opportunity this season, he hasn’t grasped it and as such he’s made the re-signing of Theo appear even more significant.
Surely we’re not going up the Downing street hoping to find a prime player.
Don’t think there’s a Chance e’ll er, come to us – wouldn’t want to blow the budget on him ! Anyways, he’d find the Champions League far too taxing.
Looks like a good debate – again – going on above. Will be back to read it properly later.
Good skim through “geoff” and H2H though, Danc C and Oxon.
We haven’t had a decent 10 since Dennis – Trev, so maybes he could play there???
I’m with Ollie tho – silly football season paper talk nonsense, shurely.
Sack the bored!!!
Agreed BtM except that maybe Podolski does have the required skills if he could use them in the right position.
I refer you to Morecombe and Wise, re Andre Previn.
“I used all the right skills but not necessarily in the right order”.
AL – Daily Mail – say no more, son !!!
one small pace backwards ? excuses excuses excuses.
You know what? I’m amazed. This bar is normally the sensible place.
Yet, all this talk about Downing that I don’t find on the normally sillier arseblog.
Oh the shame.
‘Sack the bored’ haha, well played AL.
Now a little somethink to take the blues away…
Grand Prix time, fuck yet another cuntfest.
An air-strike on stamford bridge – anyone???
That’s just the effect that Downing has on folk, Ollie.
Normally I wouldn’t give guff like that a second thought, but we’ve been down this path before with (alledgedly) wanting him.
Plus I’m a bit bored.
This Grand Prix is very interesting so far.
Ollie @ 133 – oh, they’ve picked cunterry have they???
I’ll get my Khaftan
The grand prick, tee hee.
An air strike at the bridge? Torres miss kicking again?????
I know which one’s more likely, Steve T
Heh ST – with him in that head-band get-up shurely it can only be a question of time
AL. He’s got to get close to the ball first.
I must have missed it while out of town. Did DiMatteo do something wrong or was this just another case of Abramovich twitchy finger syndrome?
True – It’s a very peculiar looking sort of sulky i want my ball back non-performance so far, ST
Blimey – chelski fukwits holding up “Rafa Out” posters and waving ‘em at the cameras at corner-kicks. That’s entertainment!
All round class club that. No doubt.
8ball@112 Sorry. I’ll try to keep my liking for rigour under better control.
I think Torres was just booked for not interfering with play
From the BBC website:Harry Redknapp returns to rescue Queens Park Rangers. I could accept “Harry returns to lead QPR” or “Harry returns to try to rescue QPR”, but “rescue”? Oh well, thank heavens for the BBC’s proud reputation for impartiality and fearless investigative reporting.
I think it’s probably from Machiavelli’s The Prince that when a state faces internal dissent you should seek an external enemy against whom the people will unite. Thank heavens for the BBC in general
.
(Thinks: I wish I’d concentrated more during history lessons, or failing that, had a halfway decent history syllabus.)
COYG
I expected that draw at the Bus Stop today. These are the two teams likely to have (bought) the chance to finish in greater debt and above us in the league, so good result for The Arsenal.
I fancy we’ll be four points back by Christmas and our first team (that has not yet even played together) will take things forward from Januaery with a couple of new additions (one of which I sincerely hope will NOT be Humtelaar and one of which will certainly not be Downing).
We played City better than anyone else has this season and would have beaten Chelski with Wojciech in goal.
150M Emirates deal. New kit deal coming. 5pur2. 13th Straight, never previously matched, CL qualification. Good away draw at Villa Park. Magic week.
Don’t forget the conquering of the Indonesian market BTM? World domination just around the corner. Bring it on.
Last night here in London. Leave tomorrow. Sad sad sad.
I’ll be back. The itch of watching us live has only gotten more intense. I am pretty sure penicillin will not cure this itch.
The Great BTM: Eternal Optimist, Master of Spin or The Emperor of Perspective. Ha! I think a hybrid of all 3. Love it BTM! Gunners4life!
Steve T@110: agree with you.
Oxon Gooner@72: sticking with Arsene and the current board is the best option?
Only if you want more if the same.
The same combination responsible for the demise over the last 3 seasons.
I respect your opinion and I would love us to be successful with Wenger at the helm but that just ain’t gonna happen anymore, he’s a sad parody of the omnipotent Arsene we once knew.
Geoff@151, and you too are entitled to your opinion, but I’m curious as to what it is. I understand that you want change. That’s a perfectly sensible approach when things aren’t going the way you’d like. (Incidentally, things aren’t going as well as I’d like.)
What I’m not so sure of is what change you want. Obviously, you’re entitled to come on here and say that you want things to change. Such is your right, and on balance, I would probably defend it.
In order really to catch my attention you need to say what change you would like, and if possible to explain how that change would improve things.
In your 151 you seem to be suggesting that we should ditch Wenger. That’s a perfectly reasonable suggestion. I don’t think it will improve things. As a matter of interest, who do you think we should appoint instead? Bear in mind that your proposed replacement must be currently available, since any compensation to his current employers would need to come out of the fund which would otherwise be spent on player contracts – I assume you want us to strengthen in January. Consider also that any replacement manager would be reporting to the same board that you argued so strongly in your 67 have to bear prime responsibility for our current situation.
Just saying.
COYG
Oxon – if you are looking for a replacement for AW then ‘arry should be available in a couple of weeks
First start for Barton in Ligue 1 tonight.
Safe travels, NorCal!
A good one off twitter :
https://twitter.com/GarethDParker/status/272782313379729411/photo/1
cognac@153, or we could wait another couple of weeks and Rafa will be available, or even – and this would be my choice – we could stick with Arsène
COYG
PS Have a good trip back NorCal
Excellent pic Ollie
Oxon. Since when is it adding rigour if you say “Just saying like”?
Just trying to keep up with trends in the halls of Oxford.
Ahh, 8ball, 8ball. Sadly out of tune with modern academic trends, I fear.
Wow.
AW pesser was off.
Lookit. We are either in or out. Too much negativity.
Everyone take a deep breath.
You love the club. Yes. But what does the hate and snipping really accomplish in the end? Answer – nothing.
Support. Stop the bithing. Im guilty. And im going to get behind the lads. Yes … Even Ramsay.
Well played Homer@161. Sign me up.
ST@147 – in my other life I’ve been working on conquering the Indonesian market for two years now. There isn’t another on the planet with its demographics. I’m making great progress – and my only gripe is that it has taken Arsenal so long to wake up to its potential.
Never mind, retirement beckons and I might just offer my expertise to Highbury House. I have some cunning schemes in mind and they don’t ALL involve me lying on the beach in Bali being massaged by one of the local Balinese beauties
(with Her Nellieness right alongside, of-course!).
Cheers oxon.
and BtM – sign ME up for allof that!
Cheers holics
BTM. You are clearly 2 years ahead of Ivan. Perhaps you should apply for his job on your return to Blighty? You would get my vote.
I trust you and the family are all well?
Balinese beach beauties BtM ?
Have you informed the Copacobana crackers currently craving your attentions in Block 91 ?
Well, back home again after having spent a couple of days in what also feels increasingly like home: London. That, and a couple of hours in a very very rainy Birmingham of course.
To summarize it all: good times were had, many beers were drunk and then we were stood in the pouring rain for 90 minutes. And then for good measure had a few more beers and a laugh. Cheers to everyone who contributed!
And while it wasn’t the best of games at Villa Park, like the Holic in his report I can not agree in any way that it was for lack of trying. We were just not good enough, and that happens. This season was always going to be a rollercoaster ride, I’m not jerking my knees because we drew 0-0 away at Villa who I belive will do better and better as the season progresses.
If nothing else, we kept a second consecutive clean sheet and are, if I remember correctly, still the second meanest defense in the league.
Safe travels, NorCal – a pleasure to have met you and your kids!
BTM….cunning plans indeed, though I would hope they would include lying in a quiet room being massaged by a Balinese beauty without her Nelliness alongside. Aah those magic fingers…..if Balinese men had the same magic in their feet, sign them up for the gooners straighaway. We’d be ahead of the game again.
Cheers, Lars! Having missed on this jaunt, hope to see you again soon.
Have a safe trip back Norcal….try to avoid the monsoon season on your next visit.
Safe trip back NorCal.
Flying Emirates I hope – taking every chance to bolster the Player Transfer Account. Tell the kids to look out the window – they might see Theo on the wing.
Ok – coat please.
http://until-rafa-goes.co.uk
You got to love Chavski fans. Replacing a lucky novice with a manager who has also won La Liga twice and frequently got the better of Mourinho.
Maybe Gazidis’ strategy for this year, as well developing relationships with countries with dodgy human right’s records (http://www.hrw.org/world-report-2012/world-report-2012-indonesia) includes factoring in 5pur2 persevering with AVB and Chelsea going into meltdown again and Arsenal achieving third place with an even more mediocre team than last season.
Niccolò Machiavelli would be proud of that.
Actually the weather was better than expected save the trip to Rainingham. We had a good time. The kids are ready to get “home”.
Great to go to two games and see and meet some fellow Gooners and ‘Holics. It will hopefully become a yearly event for me going forward.
LongWind,
A real pleasure and opportunity in going to the emirates with you. Cheers. I hope things remain positive in your life.
Lars,
Glad to have met you and glad you made it home. Until next time, cheers.
As for the Villa game, the conditions were poor. The field was slick and we just didn’t pull it off. It happens to all teams. I understand the frustrations that boil under the surface of all Gooners right now. It is there for us all ( except maybe BtM) but jumping on the back of Ramsey every time he plays or calling for the head of the board or AW every time we don’t win is really counterproductive.
Cheers ‘Holics , I’ll see you next time.
No day is wasted when you’ve managed to work both Einstein and Machiavelli into drinks.
Night all.
COYG
“Just saying like”
Blimey.
As one of the great philosopher’s of our time (Ian Dury) once wrote,
“Ain’t half been some clever bastards”.
Hope to meet you next year, Norcal.
Glad you enjoyed the trip.
http://www.dailymail.co.uk/sport/football/article-2238376/Arsene-Wenger-responds-Arsenal-fans-criticism.html
Check out the above. I know it is in the mail but look at the first photo. Anyone you recognise???????????
Answers on a postcard………
From left to right. Hear no evil, see no evil, speak no evil. There was me thinking I was the only one who thought we had problems?????
Cheer up people………
Re: The BBC headline, “Redknapp returns to rescue QPR”
How about these more realistic alternatives:
“Redknapp returns to rubbish QPR”
“Redknapp returns to ruin QPR”
“Redknapp return offers false hopes to QPR”
“Redknapp return will forever link tax evasion with the name of QPR”
I would so love to have my words rammed firmly down my throat as Wenger works his magic once more.
I said the same thing last season too and was desperately hoping to eat humble pie.
That won’t stop me watching the Everton game this week and cheering our boys on but I just don’t believe anything Arsene says anymore.
Last year we were in a mess, we went into the season with just one striker and Wenger got lucky that he stayed injury free for virtually his first full season.
Did he learn? Did he hell, he sold our one striker, replaced him with a poorer one and here we are with just one striker again.
How anyone can defend Wenger is beyond me. What will it take for your opinion to change? A finish outside the top 4? 5th? 6th? 8th?
To me we’re going backwards every year.
Of course posting here is not going to change a thing other than give my thumbs exercise and vent my frustration a little and for the record I love Arsene too, he’s given me the greatest football I have ever seen my team play, guided us theough a magical inbeaten season and made us the talk of Europe as well as establishing us as one of the leading clubs in the world.
All that was achieved with vastly inferior resources than we have now. We played breathtaking football, I was excited, we challenged and aimed high.
Spot the difference.
Steve T: heh
Tabs must have told the guy next to him he can’t give him a lift home!
Geoff. We don’t really have one striker. Podolski waits in the wings, having led the Bundesliga in goalscoring multiple times I believe.
I won’t argue with your other points, but we aren’t spending what Man City, United and Chelsea are spending so are we really supposed to be challenging for the championship? The Premier League is not set up like the Championship, the Bundesliga or Ligue 1 where underdogs like us actually have a chance at winning the league.
Simon Bar Sinister and the Big Dipper Machine cannot dry up all the water forever.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xhvZYULhy3Y
Lars @ 167, great to meet you and glad you got home safely
NorCal @ 173, great to meet you also, hope to see you the next time you’re over and give my best to the kids, may you and your family go and travel safely back home. And btw, just call me… Wind
Nice spot ST – caption competition
Drama Queen : F*ck me. We’ve only gone and drawn with Villa away from home! We’re doomed!
TaBS : 150M Emirates deal. New kit deal coming. 5pur2. 13th Straight, never previously matched, CL qualification. Good away draw at Villa Park. Magic week. Cheer yourself up, man – we’ll have haddock on the way home.
The Ramsey stuff is getting old. He finally played in the correct position against Villa and had the most shots (and arguably the best match overall) of our starting midfield trio. If Jack’s 100% he becomes a good sub to have for now or player to rotate in. Resting Jack versus Villa made sense before KO and then when Ramsey doesn’t get a few assists it is somehow his fault?
The clean sheet was the best part of the weekend – it’s great to see Gibbs and Szcs back and add Sagna to that back five and I still insist it’s stronger than any of the teams above us. Let them play together a few months and see where we stand.
Seeing as Arteta is seemingly going to play 60 matches this season he probably should have been captain – still not convinced TV can manage the role nor is he a natural for the starting 11 when we have 3 quality player for those 2 spots in central defense. Per and Kos are the best two based on this year and arguably last year also.
So long as we beat Everton the two games will have brought the 4 points required, and Moyes’ oldest problems (lack of goals) have returned as usual. We’ll win…come on you lot!
Maybe the most revealing thing about this article is that it was written before Abramovich fired Di Matteo, not after.
http://www.independent.co.uk/sport/football/news-and-comment/james-lawton-open-letter-to-abramovich–do-you-give-a-damn-over-this-ugly-descent-8277952.html
What a find that is, Steve.
Banged to rights he is, guilty as charged
I seem to have missed the bit when Barton should have been sent off.
Morning all.
Haha, great spot at 177, Steve T. Nearly didn’t recognise him: never saw him with such a neat haircut before
His riveting conversation is obviously impressing Blondie in the hood.
I am with BTM. That has to be a caption competition.
Steve T @ 177.
Brilliant. I knew he was a Daily Mail reader
but now he’s doing gigs for them?
Media whore.
Blondie is so wrapped up she looks like it is about to snow???
Caption # 1
“If we don’t score in the next 5 minutes I am getting into my Speedos”
http://www.arsenal.com/news/news-archive/szczesny-everton-game-is-a-six-pointer
I’m like Szcz, I don’t think it was such a bad result. Again same as Bolton last year, and same over-reactions.
I do, however, hope that what follows is as good as after Bolton last year.
I’ll freely admit I have more doubts this time though
haha zico
The bloke in the middle……
“98, 99, 100, coming, ready or not.”
Has no one spotted Blondie in the hood?????
Zico, you are spot on. All this time he has been giving it large about The Mail, and all along he has been on the payroll??????
Gives a nice ball across the middle and then Goes ……
On a nine hour plane ride…..
Caption # 2
Blonde : “if we score in the next 5 minutes, I’m going to snog that bloke beside you….if you think he looks worried now…..”
But has just enough time to tip it in the net.
Thx Zico
Well in NorCal, safe flight!
Here’s where I stand: get a top four finish this season and then look to step on over the summer with some smart signings and no transfer profit.
Top four is a perfectly good result with this squad, given the number of new players we’ve added to the squad in 18 months, Jack making his way back from injury and the Ox learning his trade. It’s also a good result given several years of net transfer profits each summer.
However, it shouldn’t be the limits of Arsenal’s ambition. Not with the money starting to flow in. This summer Arshavin’s contract is up. We get another chance to move on Chamakh, Squillaci, etc, thereby freeing up the wage bill a bit. It’s a terrific opportunity to add the players we badly need: a top class DM, a reliable left back to compete with Gibbs, another centre forward, an experienced keeper willing to play back up.
There’s no point barracking this team because they’re not going to win the title. They’ve patently not been built to win the title.
But that has to change this summer. We’ve been going backwards for three or four years – we need to turn that round now.
But between now and May I’m 100% behind the lads we have. A top four finish is well within our ability (plus maybe a cup).
COYG
‘Morning ‘Holic & ‘Holics.
Eye-popping link on Arseblog this morning of Arsene’s post match presser. No wonder it wasn’t featured on Pravda.
Warning! Only click if you want to get angry:
http://www.thesun.co.uk/sol/homepage/sport/football/4663420/Aston-Villa-0-0-Arsenal-Match-report-and-pictures.html
I don’t want to get angry so shall refrain. Thanks for the warning, TS!
Caption No 4:
Blonde: “This just can’t get any worse”
Wolfgang: “You’ve got to make the most of life dear” drops hand and pinches buttock…!
Morning ‘holics….
N7 Gooner@202…Well said. Agree with every word.
Steve T, cheers for that link!
We were stood in the front row in the pissing rain and were frustrated but at no time did we do anything but support the players. The chap with his head in his hands is me by the way, that was probably after Koscielny had missed his chance.
…and I just got a text about it from a UK number that my phone could not match against my contacts list – has any of the Holics changed his/her number recently?
geoff @ 151 The same combination responsible for the demise over the last 3 seasons.
sorry…….what demise are you talking about exactly ?
Heh Lars, I cannot see the bulge of the wallet.
Maybe the caption should be:
Lars, “Oh no, I’ve forgotten my wallet”
Tabs, “FFS, I’m going to have to buy the drinks for all these hard-drinking Swedes tonight.”
Ah Lars, I was wondering if you were in there somewhere, but you’re bloody hard to recognise in that picture!
geoff how old are you ?
when you say demise what do you mean buddy?
has the company “arsenal” NOT improved the last 15 years?
has the brand name “arsenal” NOT experienced a meteoric rise in its value and popularity accross the world ?
do you mean that the team not winnign trophies for 7 years is a “demise” ?
do you know that arsenal has gone for larger periods than 7 years with nothing to show for it ? and we didnt have a stadium to repay back then, nor did we have to deal with competitiors who can outspend us for any position/any player/anytime
if a drop from pos 1&2 to pos 3&4 in this modern era of distorted markets and while the club is still repaying its infrastructure investments is viewed by you as a “demise” then forgive me for saying this … : you are not very bright and shouldnt talk about arsenal.
Tabs – The acceptable face of The Daily Mail!? Who’d have thought?!
And Lars – a media cover-up??? Well played Sir.
N7 @ 202 sounds like mighty fine perfectly sensible stuff.
But as the new deals are front-loaded, and if that front-loaded dosh is set to more or less cover the loss AFC’s football business stuff currently incurs each year, the club could perhaps begin the stengthening this squad needs in January – no?
Never easy i know, but not impossible. And if said strengthening went some way, however small, towards helping us secure champs league qualification at the end of the season then the new money wouldn’t have to be used to cover the 25/30 mill shortfall a potential non-qualification would lumber us with. A virtuous circle/dial/square; though obviously not an exact science etc.
Psed there’s an experienced left-back chelski’s new coach (driver? We all know it’s not him that picks the team – thus i hear from ITKs he gets made to drive the bus – he looks the part anyway) more or less made available at the weekend.
Up The Arse
if again you or anyone esle feels large enough and knwledgable enough and experienced enough to pass judgement on arsene wenger then you will find me in fornt of you doubting you and your words.
crititisisng and offering opinions is one thing but to think YOU OR ANYONE ELSE CAN JUDGE WENGER….hahah you poor boys ..sit down for f*cks sake and let the professionals do their work…yes?
Money-raising scheme:
£1 every time AL types ‘Psed’.
This time next year, we’ll be millionaires.
Loving Tone’s twitterwork again today.
Psed – nonsense, i could do it in 6 months
heh
And hah, from latest tweet, I am guessing Timmeh did a cunty link/comment to an article that got Tone going.
Haha, great link Steve
As ‘Holic says, I’m bang to rights.
I think I’ve just told Lars that we were gonna have to drink more Stella after the game!
Outdone in the Drama Queen stakes by Lars.
Gutted!
heh Wolfie
And for all you moaners out there, wait til you’re the Poster Boy for The Daily effin’ Mail. Then you might really have something to moan about!!!
Bloody great day out on Saturday. Just needed a goal to make the day perfect.
The funny thing about the picture in the Fail is that tabs actually said “you know what, if Arsenal score at this end we’ll be on the telly!” during the second half
And as was said@224, all the day needed to be perfect (despite the relentless rain) was an Arsenal goal.
Heh Lars, I think that picture is right at the end when Coquelin fired it across goal.
Yesterday was a bit of a write-off!
I was thinking it was the Koscielny miss but both you and Liz (and the chaps behind us) seem to not be looking towards the Holte End so you’re probably right.
Yesterday was a bit of a write-off, but the Resorb did the trick as usual so at least no headache. And being very, very tired meant that I could sleep my way through a large part of the flight home. Cloud, meet Silver Lining
I got that Lars is the guy holding his face, but who is tabs in the picture?
Pray tell
Ah, got it now. From Lars’ post
Well I never
Ollie@216: just had a look at WST’s Twitter rant and it was a genuine pleasure to read.
Christ, after watching that video…. lacking a little bit the sharpness my arse. – sharpness +quality
We were still better than Real Madrid, Nonny
.
So in this age of internet anonymity I make it that only tabs, Trev and Dr Feelgood have been revealed to the world at large on this blog.
Lars does not count on the basis of his “I’m too ugly to show my face in this here picture” stance…..
Time that a few more were outed, if you ask me….
Lars,
ignore 234 – the sound of a bitter man who missed out on the largesse of the famous wallet…..
*Goes to check twatter*
223-224, 234-235
At least I only have one name.
If you haven’t already, worth a look. Big Dave speaks out. (And I absolutely refuse to make any kind of cheap-shot gag along the lines of “Seaman covers the manager’s back” type of thingy. Absolutely.)
http://www.skysports.com/tv_show/story/0,,12384_8281501,00.html
heh AL
Zico: heh, no offense taken, hopefully we’ll be able to make up for it in January!
(and I have actually been seen on several pics linked to from the bar, as has of course the Holic himself)
@237 Heh Andy
AL
I’m with Dr Z. More people need to be outed
I’m staying in both my closets, me.
heh, Andy
…it was a good point considering the midweek fixture we had, travelling away, the weather conditions & Villa were coming back frm a thrashing had a full weeks rest and a lot of fight in them…We’re lucky we didnt lose any players to injury because those were the ideal conditions for tht. So 3points against Everton later this week and thats 7points frm a possible 10 which cld move us up to 4th if other results go our way…some stats I jus read, all top European teams playing in the Champs-lge struggled this Wknd with exception of Barca (dont count Man-u & a few others coz they rested their main squad players in their Champs-lge fixture) so the fact tht we did not suffer any injury & got a point is nothing to moan abt, if you’re still moaning abt it now then “YOU DONT KNOW WAT YOU DOING!!”. . . The striker situation will be solved come January, I’m made to believe tht the stupid Board wont Veoto’ Wenger from a big signing so the likes of a Cavani or Huntelaar maybe on the cards….lets see wat happens then, worst case scenario is we have MLS star back for a month. . .
Too right Zico @234.
The first thing Wind said to me as I went to introduce myself at the bar in The Tollie was “oh yes, I recognised you from those pictures on the blog”.
You, me and Tabs it is by my reckoning.
Plus Holic’s back and Lar’s ‘real’ wallet.
@ 240
Facebook doesn’t count.
I had to make myself scarce from that medium when Roxette turned up wanting to be friends (a proposal that could only end in tears for everyone within a 10 mile radius….)
I’m sure there must have been other pictures on the drinks.
Also, Wind can still make mistakes when comparing twitter pictures, so you were lucky, Trev
Did she try and poke you, zico?
I do agree that we have been consistently inconsistent for most of the season. I also opine that we don’t move the ball as quickly as we usually do, on the average. As much as a draw is good, like Jenkinson said, we could’ve or should’ve “nicked” a goal. Everton’s match is going to be difficult but with rested players I think we’ll just be able to “nick” it. I still believe there’s silverware somewhere this season; that will be a good kick in the backside for the critics!
Several of us also appear in one of Hayley Wright’s video blogs thingamies – having a jollie under a brollie outside the tollie.
However, wild van Nistelroys COULDN’T get me to reveal who was seen, and in what blog (mostly cos i can’t remember).
Psed – it appears i forgot to psed. Sorry Ollie.
Ollie, with a poisoned stake, yes.
You may have been off your trollie, AL.
Pardon the creative spelling.
May have been off your trollie?
Basket case, that one. Fact.
The short of memory may have seen pics of Robert Pires, Gianfranco Zola, and Jean-Pierre Papin with one of our number this very year.
Oops, pardon – yous could well be right.
Ahem – “off one’s trollie having a jollie under a brollie outside the tollie.”
True, ‘holic 256 (though I don’t remember the Zola one)
Joey Barton now speaking with a French accent. What an utter Bell.
http://mobile.footmercato.net/p/news?id_article=96064&id_next_article=96074
It isn’t a French accent, it’s fucking weird though.
And Zee, supermarket gag. Asda be one of the finest i’s ‘eard.
I’ll get me carrier bag.
And another fowl supermaket pun flies the CoOp
Supermarket puns? Aisle be back for more.
Little by Lidl the puns are getting worse
liking French Joey a lot – merci tabs. Here’s hoping there’s plenty more where that came from
And on a different note, check-out those supermarket puns from OG and The O. Cher-ching!
Ah well, I’ll Wait rose tints on, for our next stunning performance at Goodison.
Returning to Premier League matters, from yesterdays results….
Sains bury Newcastle United
I thank yew
heh, good one again, Oxon!
Afternoon all.
193zicoinexile
Caption # 1
“If we don’t score in the next 5 minutes I am getting into my Speedos”
Would explain why Lars was covering his eyes.
====
Various Hehs above from the usual suspects.
I’ve been outed here on a link from AL (some time ago) OK, it was an image from the early 80′s, but it was me all the same. A more recent image is not exactly hard to find on here. If memory serves, there has also been shots of Ollie (Arse 5′s), Wind (with Sol Campbell), Lars (from a friendly) and Snir (from his last tour)
H2H, that was kinda the point
H2H: aren’t you outed everytime one clicks on your name? Or am I guessing that wrong?
Ah, I’m guessing that’s your point in fact
‘H hope you don’t mind. Here’s a link to a well-writ blog that picks up on, and shakes down current Arse matters.
It’s pretty long, the extended metaphor may not be to everyone’s taste, and of course not everyone will agree with the conclusions it draws. But IMHO!!! It’s well worth a read – if you have the time.
P’raps the anti-Arsene oriented chanting at the weekend coupled with the journos baiting of AW post-match – will prove a tipping point, equal to, though absolutely in the opposite direction of the tipping-point that seemed to be provoked by The Ox’s substitution against MankU last season – and the dutch skunk’s subsequent questioning of said substitution. (Full-stops are for cissies.) He is ours after all.
http://PoznanInMyPants.com/2012/11/25/concordia/
Psed – Spar kling stuff OG
Penny has dropped, Zico and Ollie.
It’s well worth a read – if you have the time.
Woolworths a read, surely?
Your cleverly disguised puns are good though.
Oh yes H2H, i remember – you with a bunch of ‘olloway ‘erberts at ‘ighbury, tucked in down the front at a corner-kick – i think. Yer actual film from The Big Match, wasn’t it?
Mind you old son a lot of Bloody Mary has passed under the bridge (of your nose, straight into your mouth and down your gullet since then, i reckon – as with many of us. Amen). I bet not even Wind would recognize you in the tollie from that footage.
Like it Ollie, though you seem to be branching out into department stores.
Which main mean the pun is either floored – or else you’re taking onto a whole new level
Pardon “which may mean” – apologies, ’twas undeserving of repetititititon
AL, I hardly recognise myself from then.
Oh and “it”, oops. Apologies etc.
H2H, me neither. Though mostly cos me eyes are going and i’m too tight and lazy to get glasses – other than the other sort of glasses, obviously.
Hotel and Wigan away tickets sorted for me and the kids. A proper daddy away trip. I just hope we don’t end up looking like tabs. In that liv he looks like he had just been Apple bobbing in the chip pan.
Heh, my eyes started to go a few years back, I delayed getting googles way too long too. I can hardly see a thing without them now.
However said life begins at 40 was a lying C U Next Tuesday.
However = Whoever.
AL @ 273
Once I got past the hyena/lion metaphor, I found that piece quite inspiring.
I particularly liked :
So while your flirty eye is a-wandering around the room, remember who brought you to the dance
We are all football managers, but there’s only one Arsene Wenger.
Anyone on here seen Life of Pi?
And who spilt their pint
Evening
Time to think about recent lack luster performances and the thought of we can only play one game a week without getting tired is the oldest copp out in football.
I am so sorry that I have trained for 3 days this week for a total of circa 9 hours *if that* but im tired. If they said I leave the house at 6.30am and return about 7.30-8.00pm depending on traffic 6-7 days a week I would have some sympathy for them, but they dont and I do !
A simple we were very poor and will improve will be acceptable, just tell the truth. We dont need I saw a magpie so we played badly Bulls**T !
Gervinho, AA23 add nothing, AA still at the club tells you all you need to know. If he was on form for the past two years he would have been sold and gone. We have far too many players on great wages who are not hungry and very very average.
My frustration at this Arsenal side is mounting every game I see. One of the plus points for this season is not been offered a contract he wants to sign ? Well unload the deadwood which there is far to many to list as im sure we have our own lists of deadwood which may not all be the same, however quite a few names may appear on all the lists we make. Then you could offer a better contract.
A Gooner very bitter and twisted at this moment, sorry.
Nice pies up there, I hear, Steve T?
Ollie @ 248, oi! You’d mistake your doppelgänger for you I bet (with a few pints down the hatch at least
)
I was about to intervene on the subject of who’s known by face in the bar regarding 234/246, but H2H @ 269 knows
I saw tabs on Thursday pre-haircut I think, what a difference it made in the picture, you know what to do when you want to go into hiding
And good old Lars as well, didn’t recognise you in the 1st picture at all and barely in the 2nd
Good to see Liz as well, and I remember the blonde next to you in the 2nd picture from the Tollie on Thursday as well 
And the real wallet, I could sing an ode about the Wallet…
Wind, are you calling me Andy Goram?
Mainly in response to Arsenal1971@289.
I’m not sure that I actually have a list of deadwood I think we should move on. I don’t see sufficient games in full to be able to form an properly informed opinion, and highlights – even if the weren’t presented by the Bunch of Chaps(tm) on MoTD never tell anything near the whole story.
However, I seem to recall that after we started work on the new stadium at Ashburton Grove it emerged that we’d also established a new pay strategy whereby we were trying to get together a group of young players, tie them up on longish-term contracts and let them grow to maturity together.
It was always a risky strategy and it turns out not to have worked. The funny thing is that I can’t remember any of the major opinion formers in the Arsenal fanbase saying, at the time that it was a bad idea and we should do X, Y or Z instead. (I’m always happy to be corrected when factually wrong.)
It’s much more fun not having to take the difficult decisions and stand by the results isn’t it? (Incidentally, that also applies to not having to actually write a long piece every day or two. I have the greatest respect for those who manage it, even if I regularly disagree with several of them.)
COYG
No such thing as a bad pie Ollie. Trust me….
Ollie, the French Red-Headed Andy Goram, you heard it here first folks…
Watching from afar, and not having read anything close to all the comments above, did anyone else think that we missed Theo?
Pace introduced late can unlock a game like Saturday’s in my opinion bald, Theo on would have been preferred to Gervinho in my opinion.
Some serious lurking going on tonight
Not lurking – just a brief visit as I have an early tee tomorrow – and I’m GMT + 2!
Shoots…
…and it’s in, apparently!
300?
*Does lap of honour and retires to bed*
Bah!
Great assist, balders! Good finish, Lars!
BALD!
WAKE UP
Damn, missed my old mucker. Let me try top…
Oxon@293: the pay strategy like the youth policy was adopted in the same vein as the front-loading of the commercial deals, to provide a degree of certainty to the flow of cash in and out of the club during the transition from Highbury to the Emirates. I don’t really think there was much talk about it either way at the time, if memory serves.
The property deals did not net the anticiapted amounts; those receipts were never in the Business Plan as such, but the overall downturn and its affect on the property deals definitely spooked the board in my opinion. Been super cautious in last two years. That can be held / argued against them, no doubt. Proof of the pudding will be next 3 to 5 years if commercial income continues the up tick. No excuse for not spending now, even if there was one.
Missed a punfest ?
Oh super! Mark it down as a missed opportunity. More-is-on the way, I’m sure.
So while your flirty eye is a-wandering around the room, remember who brought you to the dance
Then chat up the bird with the biggest tits.
Heh, Nonny
Same as it ever was.
Once the biggest tits have left the room, obviously.
That Joey Barton interview was hilarious. Exclusive video here
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Y9YViHbaAWM
AL @ 273:
Wonderful link and interesting read. Thanks.
Hunter 209, 212, 214 et al
Wonderful reposte – agree totally…!
Oxon @ 293 & Esso @ 307
Wonderful points and remarks.
I think Oxon, the over reliance on the youth project was extremely adventurous and a bold move to make while borne out of economic necessity. And y’know, Wenger almost succeeded with the 07/08 team which should have won the league. And while it ultimately didn’t succeed in terms of trophies, the entertainment has always been magnificent.
Same too with point Esso makes about the stadium. I remember thinking at the time how courageous it was to develop the property yourself – and by cutting out the middleman – make even more profit! But so many people have been crippled by the property bust, that the club came out the other end is testament to its courage.
New stadium, wonderful football philosophy, consistent presence in Europe, financially sound and a manager who is probably too classy, too intelligent and a little too French for the football industry in England..! While there have been mistakes its hardly a crisis. In fact, we occupy a space where many clubs would like to be I feel..!
Some people also seem to think Wenger is tightfisted. Reading Auclairs book on TH14, Auclair suggests the opposite and that he is in fact a larger than life individual citing for example, that Henry’s signature at the time, would be worth about 26m in todays money. He also contends that he knows of no better manager in football who could manage a club with limited resources than Wenger and is bemused by the criticism he gets. Soo too does Patrick Barclay in his piece in todays Standard. Somewhat more considered and balanced opinions than the tabloid scum who attacked him in the press conference. I was saddened to see that it rattled him a little too. Made me think that a point in time will come when people will regret incidents like that.
All this “tired after two games in a week? Try doing a real job” stuff does my cabbage in.
Fatigue affects players from all clubs in similar ways. Pretty much all modern players say they struggle with two games a week. They can’t all be lazy. It might just look like a bunch of running around but the physical demands of the modern game are huge – these are athletes in peak condition (except Santos), giving their absolute all for 90 mins (except Arshavin). The recovery periods are considerable and the wear and tear of match day action is a real concern: just look at what happened when we overplayed Jack two years back.
Any time you play midweek and the opposition doesn’t, it helps them. Statement of fact.
We need to learn to rotate our players (and have a good enough squad to do so without shitting bricks). It’s the only way to minimise injuries and ensure there is gas in the tank come May.
Part of the lack of acceptance of player fatigue is the fact that it’s a relatively recent development, at this level anyway. It’s instructive to watch the ex players discuss it on the various footie shows: the likes of Barnes and Hansen dismiss it as laziness. The more recently retired confirm that you cannot keep playing two games a week for very long without performance dropping off. Never forget: top flight football is a different sport to the one Hansen played back in the day, where players could be on the pitch hungover all to hell, or even still half cut, where they ran less and jumped lower.
Yes, some players are lazy, but the broader “should be able to play two games a week” argument is nonsense, and so is the “play your best available XI” notion. Things have moved on. It’s a squad game now and we need a better squad if we’re going to compete.
Rant over.
Joe – that’s spot on.
We should be rallying round the manager after those tabloid mugs tried to rile him. Two wins and a draw in seven days – evidently not good enough for the geniuses at the red tops.
Yes, he makes mistakes. No, I don’t know what that sub was all about. But he’s earned a bit of fucking respect. Especially from know-nothing keyboard warriors who wear fucking Alice bands at the weekends.
Glad you found it interesting Joe
N7 @314.
I agree and disagree in equal measure……. I’m really suffering from the Andy Gorams lately.
Arsenal strive to be a top club, we’ve been in the CL since Jesus had acne and we’re expected to have a decent run in the domestic cups and give it a good go in the PL. We also want to attract the top players who are invariably Internationals.
This means that we know, and have known for years that we will be playing twice a week, it goes with the terrotory, yet we always seem to be just a little short. Our best starting XI can mix it up with almost every team on the planet, BUT with one or two injuries we lack the back up to be real contenders and that is what worries most (I think.)
N7 again
Somehow I missed the last scentence of your post.
I blame it on the too much drink I’ve had.
Evening all. Preview will be a late one tomorrow as I have an evening meeting to attend.
What I forgot to ask is which of the usual suspects are going on Saturday, and are any of the travellers going to be there early doors?
If not, I may have a lie-in and aim for the pub at midday…
H2H
That’s why we need to improve the squad.
So that players can take a rest without it crippling our next game. Cazorla, for example, has clearly needed a day off since Norwich. A breather might add significantly to his performances – just look at Mata, who had a rest near the start of the season and came back into the team absolutely blazing. Arteta is another one.
We don’t nec need two players for every position, but we do need options. And we can’t keep rolling out a squad that contains this many players who are rarely fit, alongside players who are simply waiting out big contracts.
Individual players can’t continually play two games a week, but we need a squad that can, because as you so rightly say, we’re Arsenal and we’re a big club that should be competing on all fronts.
H2H
Whoops – posted before I saw your second missive.
We’re like the Laurel and Hardy of Arsenal blogs here!
Hunter, Joe, re Geoff’s comments.
I’m sure he doesn’t need me to, but a word in defence of Geoff.
Unusually, Joe, I am going to disagree with you that ‘hunter’s’ comments are a ‘wonderful reposte’ to Geoff’s comments.
It seems fairly obvious to me that when Geoff uses the word ‘demise’, he is doing so in the context of a decline, or failure, of the team in comparison to the achievements of the teams of the first half of the naughties decade, who were winning titles and cups, not to mention the Invincibles.
It is hard to see how anyboby could argue against that.
It may well be the case that “company” Arsenal is now bigger than before the move to the new stadium. But while I share a fair chunk of the optimism of BtM, it is also true that we have now been promised more than once that the club, and the team, is ready to deliver. Do we, today, look any nearer to delivering on the pitch ?
I think this is the gist of Geoff’s comments, and I apologise now if I have misinterpreted.
I don’t know if you have met and spoken to Geoff, but I have. He is a genuine, long time Arsenal fan, and not some unthinking reactionary.
Hunter, I have to say I do not enjoy the condescending and threatening tone of your comments too much. If you read Geoff’s comments, he makes it quite clear that he was, and remains, a Wenger fan, and he would love to see him succeed with Arsenal again.
On the basis that he has voiced a critical, but non-abusive, opinion of the current state of affairs, you feel entitled to tell him that he is “not very bright and shouldn’t talk about Arsenal” and that he should “sit down for fuck’s sake” and let the professionals get on with it.
In which case we may as well close this whole blog down.
Opinion “buddy”, since that is a preferred term of yours, is what places like this are all about.
Last time I checked, I believe we were all entitled to one.
Evening Holic,
I’ll be there on Saturday, probably about 12.30. But I don’t really influence drinking schedules, eh ?
Hello Trev.
I have removed Hunter’s more extreme views. He should worry more about the Greek economy than digging out Gooners on blogs I think
You certainly do influence schedules if you plan early arrival. Clearly this is not the case
Cheers Holic, see you there.
Two posts here on the science of fatigue in football. If you don’t know the Science of Sport blog, it is written by two medics who specialize in it, and who, in athletics, their primary sport, are considered world class experts. They know their stuff. And can write about it in a way the rest of us can understand.
http://www.sportsscientists.com/2010/06/physiology-of-football-profile-of-game.html
http://www.sportsscientists.com/2010/06/football-and-fatigue-discovered.html
If you don’t understand why fatigue costs games after reading these, you never will.
1970-71
16 players
56 matches
Gluepot pitches
Three games a week
Drink and fags
Food and training regime that was stone age compared to today
Medical and physio facilities that were stone age compared to today
Won the double.
Fatigue my arse.
I don’t completely buy the fatigue factor. These are not marathons that they are running every 3-4 days. They train everyday and should be in peak shape. The wear and tear of matches is greater than a training session. That all being said, Nonny, if every team plays a similar schedule on similar pitches either hungover or still drunk then it doesn’t matter. If however a team plays one game a week but plays against another team that is on their third game in 10 days than there is an advantage.
Look at Chelski last year, they played well in the FA cup and champions league but sacrificed the league. Man shitty was out of champions league and thus was allowed to conserve their legs for the league.
Staying in all Four competitions takes its toll. You have to have a deep squad to pull it off, we unfortunately don’t have a deep enough squad and haven’t for a while and it shows in our end of season swoons. That is collective fatigue over the entire season. Not because we played 2 games this week, but rather 2 games every week for 3 months.
Fair Point Trev.
Of course – I have not met Geoff, nor have I met Hunter, but knowing your comments and fairness Trev – I have no problem in apologising if my support of Hunter’s comments were in any way meant to be disrespectful of Geoff’s. They were not. Nor have I disrespected anyone on this blog, ever, to the best of my knowledge and I can only take Geoff’s comments on face value. You are completely right about Hunter’s evident lack of respect and the manner in which he voiced his opinion and if my post was seen as an endorsement of that, then I apologise again because I had not intended it to be seen in that light.
The elements where I disagree with Geoff’s take on things, and yours to some degree in your later post, have more to do with the substance of his post rather than the form of Hunter’s.
When you support Geoff’s logic and speak of a decline in the team and compare those teams to the earlier successes – then that interpretation must also, I feel, be tempered with an appropriate degree of patience and understanding.
We chose to build a stadium for the long term future of the club. We chose, naively, to tie ourselves into long term deals on the commercial front to fund that investment (something Edelman paid the price for as it was largely his responsibility, not Wenger’s). We chose to develop the Highbury property directly ourselves and undertook the risks and consequences of that choice. It was the right and courageous choice at the time, but since the worldwide property drop, this project ended up just about paying for itself, when a year or two earlier – it would have yielded massive profits.
Contemporaneous to all this, we went from being one of the two most attractive sides to play for in England to now being further down the pecking order because of the emergence of Chelski and Citeh of late. Would Michael Essien really have played for Chelski were it not for the fact that he was earning a multiple in wages? Would Ashley Cole have left were it not for the fact that Chelski doubled his salary?
So we build a magnificent stadium and we funded it organically.
We made a cock up of the commercial agreements to underpin that and we’re tied into that until 2014.
We made reduced profits (than expected) from the property portfolio.
And the Oligarchs and Sheihks have entered the market offering salaries up to £300k per week..!
So in order for Wenger to compete with all this, its takes time and patience because unlike other clubs, he actually has to build a team from within. Not every player he signs works out. But many of them do. And in 07/08 we came tantalisingly close. A team Wenger rated as technically better than any he had been involved with before! His words, not mine! The last few years have seen the disintegration of that team. Some players left for money after being poached by the clubs who want to destroy / replicate / attain what Wenger has achieved. Some left to go home. Most of them had given substantive time to the club and for varying reasons, they WANTED to leave. When you build teams organically like this – there’s only a specified amount of time that players will commit, so its not an easy task.
I think Wenger is building his fourth team now. The spine of a team is emerging Schez – Verm – Per – Caz – Jack – Artheta. We’re definitely short a player or two, (but not much more I think, apart from shedding some dead wood). It takes time for a team to come together and this one is bubbling along nicely from where I sit.
The reason we have high expectations of the club, is because of Arsene Wenger.
And I don’t think there is any other manager in World Football who could have sailed the seas we’ve sailed, remained competitive in the process while delivering CL football and overseeing to complete transformation this club has undergone, other than Arsene Wenger. I remember the 07/08 team cost something like 30-40m to assemble. Ferguson, Abramovich or the Sheihk could spend that on one player alone and more!
I’m all ears if anyone makes a substantive case for another manager? Its easy to criticise but I really don’t think people realise just how lucky we’ve been to have had Wenger and appreciate the job he’s actually done. I fear only when he’s gone will his era be truly respected. I only hope the new commercial deals will give him a little more competitiveness to copper fasten his legacy with another trophy or two. Because I find it difficult to think of anyone who’s going to fill his boots…!
The key issue game by game, is not fatigue absolutely, but relatively.
Nonny, they are not running marathons, but many of them are running half-marathons, though as the links above say, that isn’t the right way to look at it as they mix up fast running, sprinting and jogging over the 90 mins. But they are still averaging sub-seven minute mile pace and even elite athletes wouldn’t do more than half a dozen half marathons a year. One every two months. Not a couple a week. Nor can you compare the pace or strength of the game today with that in the 1970s.
Joe, in terms of most games played, the 07/08 team was
Almunia
Sagna
Gallas
Toure
Clichy
Flamini
Hleb
Fabregas
Walcott
Bendtner
Adebayor
All played 38 or more games in all competitions.
Gilberto, Eboue and Senderos played 30+
Diaby, Rosicky, RvP, Denilson, Aliadiere 20+
Another test case to use for testing whether the supporters booing the club they support will have beneficial or detrimental effects on the players’ performance. I think the effects aren’t likely to be too good, but what do I know?
http://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/0/football/20495520
312 Nonny: stop! (147th time I have seen this linked)
Having now clicked on the link, yes, I suspected yours would be a different one
Trev – a short note about respect.
I respect anyone’s right to express an opinion. I hope I have always shown that respect, and apologise without reservation to anyone to whom I have failed to show that respect.
That doesn’t, however, mean that I necessarily respect the people expressing their opinion. I don’t know any of them well enough to have developed any respect, or for that matter any lack of respect. Again, I apologise to anyone to whom I have been personally disrespectful.
Finally, it certainly doesn’t mean I have to respect the opinions that are expressed. I don’t have to agree with them and this place is better than most in acknowledging that fact, but it’s possible to respect an opinion without agreeing with it. I hope that I can, and do, respect opinions that conflict with my own when those opinions are properly expressed and I can understand how they’ve arisen.
If any poster here wants me to respect their opinion – and I can’t actually think of any reason why they should – they have to express and explain them clearly. If I don’t understand those, I will question them. If I disagree with them, I will say so. I may express a contrary opinion, and I may express it forcibly, that’s my right as much as it is the right of others who disagree with me. I said at the time of the “you guys” letter that I see nothing disrespectful about disagreeing – it’s all in the way you do it.
So, if you don’t understand what I’m saying, ask me. If you disagree with what I’m saying, say so. But, if you want me to respect your disagreement, then you have to explain it. I’m sorry if that’s unacceptable.
COYG
N7 314, top post. You can see it across the board and in other leagues, fatigue is not an Arsenal-exclusive ‘excuse’.
And by board I don’t mean Ivan&PHW
heh at Laurel&HArdy.
‘holic, 12 o’clock for me, which is one hour earlier than usual (train was a lot less expensive)
I’m with Nonny on this one.
Pampered modern footballers, with their oversized headphones and no grasp of reality.
Tired? Pah.
Brass Bales forecast for the weekend, I believe.
Excerpt from an e-mail I got (from a Barça-supporting colleague):
Last Sunday was pathetic to hear Mourinho talking about the homage for his 100 matches in Champions league or to say that his players are tired because they have played twice in the same week jajajajajajaaaaaaaaaaa
heh, oops.
Barça had more time to rest it has to be said!
Feo back in the squad for Wednesday. Don’t tell Nonny
Hark! Was that a pin dropping?
Shh
*tiptoes very gently up to the bar and whispers quietly to the barman to pour me a pint*
Hard to keep that wallet quiet
Sorry Ollie, didn’t mean to wake you up!
WAKEY FUCKIN’ WAKEY!!!
Excellent stuff from all of Trev, N7 and Joe above.
Joe, a fantastic distillation of why our football club will be much poorer off once Arsene finally decides to call it a day.
Heh at Blogs
Fananylsis
Calling all Red Members
Just completed a questionnaire re: our membership. It seems that The Club are “concerned” with the number of empty seats on match days . One of the questions was ” How would I feel if my access to tickets was limited to the Ticket Exchange”!
You can imagine my response! Yes, Silver Members would have access to more tickets BUT Red Members would virtually be excluded from the “A” fixtures,where ST holders usually make an effort to turn up and the members who use the phone to buy tickets would be in severe difficulties.
I am not a second class supporter of this Club and never will be. As most of you know I am in my 53rd year of attending games but this latest ploy of the Club has made my blood boil !
I dare say I will calm down later but what will this lot come up with next!
We need to quash this idea before it takes off.
Opinions eh?
Kos was a bit rubbish when he first came to the Arse and took quite a while to acclimatise. He was very good / excellent for most of last season. This season he started off a bit rubbish and has slowly got better but his concentration levels are still way off. Torres made a mug of him – yes, that Torres. Against Villa he went to sleep again and only saved a likely goal opportunity by picking up an unecessary yellow. Has any other Arse player scored more own goals per ratio of games- stats anyone?
My point is not to denigrate Kos – his commitment cannot be faulted – but rather as a point of comparison with Vermaelen. He has also turned in some average performances this year ( Utd. obviously) but has also played a fair chunk of time out of position – left back – for the good of the team even though clearly not comfortable in this position whereby his natural instincts lead him into central positions. Vermaelen’s commitment can also not be questioned but many now seem to think he should be behind Kos in the pecking order of centre backs.
That’s a big call when not so long ago Vermaelen was everybody’s favourite Verminator. He’s our captain – shouldn’t we be supporting him?
Is Kos really that much better – I don’t think so.
Can’t believe that we are talking to Jack Wilshere about renewing his contract.
Has no one told Gazidis that he’s not even in his final year?
Sack the bald.
Theo back in the squad? *cancels night out* ANYBODY GOT A STREAAAAAM?
NoosaGooner,
“Is Kos really much better?”
In a word, yes. In my opinion of course.
Dr Z
Vermaelen would be a first pick for me if he were at the top of his game.
Sadly, since he came back from his long-term injury he has not demonstrated the same form as he did in his first season.
Koscielney was our best player last season apart from the Dutch skunk and, given a run in the team, will in my opinion get back to the same level this season. He makes mistakes but generally has great recovery that gets him out of some tricky situations.
The real problem with TV is that Wenger arguably made a mistake making him Captain and thus making it difficult to drop him even although his form is short of where any of us would like. If fit, I think he will always get selected – time will tell.
On present form, I would agree with tabs, yes, he is better.
Can’t disagree with any of that Dr Z.
I would however maintain that Kos at his best is a better defender than TV5 at his best. Even in his first season, I felt his rampaging runs forward (and goals) disguised some fairly ordinary defending at times.
That’s not to disparage TV5. At his best he is a huge asset, it is just that given the choice I would plump for Kos.
Unless there is injury or some big mess-ups from either the Bfg or Kos , I can’t see AW changing the central defensive partnership, captaincy or not.
It’s a weird one, Delia, this season, apart from the first game, I’ve got all my tickets (for me and other people – got 4 for Spu*s) through Tx.
Partly because I couldn’t be on-line at the right time, partly because I wasn’t happy with the selection of seats first time around on ‘normal’ sale.
I haven’t received any questionnaire from the Club though.
Noosa: yes, Kos is a much better defender than Vermaelen IMHO.
Or what tabs said at 356
http://www.football365.com/news/21554/8289193/Clattenburg-And-Bruce-Buck-Meet-To-Shake-Hands
This makes me sick.
I believe the captaincy has always been Wenger’s great weakness. I’m afraid I haven’t been convinced by any of his choices.
I felt that PV4 was a great player who sought to encourage the team by providing an example; I preferred the TA4 “shouty” model of captaincy.
I wasn’t a fan of TH14 as captain for reasons that I’ve mentioned before.
I doubt many would argue against a proposition that Gallas was a disaster, and I thought that making Cesc captain was as much to keep him at Arsenal as it was about him being the best available captain.
It’s hard to know what to think about last season; at the time it seemed that Voldemort was doing quite a good job promoting team harmony etc. etc. but then he stuck a knife in us all.
So when I heard that TV5 had been appointed to the armband I was encouraged. He seemed to tick most of the tentative boxes I have drawn – shouty, good (very) rather than great (sorry everyone, ill-informed, personal opinion), defender rather than attacker (he can see most of the team in front of him while he’s doing his job – more ill-informed personal views). It’s a great shame that he’s lost form/confidence.
Arguments about captaincy are trotted out regularly in Cricket and contracts are drawn between the approaches taken by England and Australia – England: Select a captain. He’s selected automatically. Include him in decision-making. Australia: Select 11 players. Make one of them captain – I suspect that there’s no single answer that’s right all the time. (If there were, everyone would do it that way and there’d be no argument.)
I don’t understand why, but it seems that the captaincy is important. About the only constructive thing I can suggest is that it might be better if less fuss were made about resting the captain; some sort of acceptance that players lose form ocasionally and that it’s better all round if they are allowed to regain it slightly away from the spotlight. Sadly, that’s not going to happen.
Damn, mine @ 362 was supposed to be surrounded by
<removes AKB teeshirt to reval…>
and
<Puts teeshirt back on>
but wordpress ate them.
COYG
Deal?
Mediawatch, and indeed most at F365, are not terribly big fans of booing. We particularly disapprove of the booing of Rafa Benitez by Chelsea fans before he even had a chance to take charge of a game.
We thought that the request for an apology would eventually come, but we were quite surprised from whom said request did arrive.
“I think (an apology) would help for some fans,” said chair of the Chelsea Supporters’ Group Trizia Fiorellino.
Okay, Mediawatch isn’t technically authorised to negotiate on behalf of Rafa Benitez, but how about we propose a deal – when Chelsea fans apologise for singing ‘Anton Ferdinand, you know what you are’, then Rafa will apologise for the awfully mean things he said a few years ago.
Deal?
Also, an underrated part of Ms Fiorellino’s statement came in the comparison between Rafa and another man who has paused in the little seat next to Roman Abramovich:
“He’s said he was trying to defend his club at the time but (then Chelsea boss Jose) Mourinho was the master of that and I don’t think he ever directly ridiculed supporters of another club.”
Ah yes, Jose Mourinho. King of dignity, and definitely not management’s most successful wind-up merchant. Definitely not. Oh no.
Boom. Just to add fuel to tabs’ fire
Actually, this is the real bit for tabs :
McGarry: Not Made For Twitter
We’ve said it before, and we’ll say it again – some people just aren’t made for Twitter.
Ian McGarry, former journalist and currently Robbie Savage’s sidekick on BBC Radio 5Live, got involved in some ‘banter’ with John Cross on Twitter about the transfer of Wilfried Zaha to Arsenal, as detailed above:
‘I thought Zaha had already signed for Barca/Real Madrid/AC Milan/Juve/Bayen Munich/PSG/Man Utd/Man City/Brazil’ said McGarry.
The joy of Twitter is that anyone can chip in with their own contributions to any particular debate, and Ed Malyon, a rather good young journalist who works for The Daily Mirror and The Guardian among others, did just that, reminding McGarry of the time he tweeted in May 2011:
‘Hiddink will be coach of Turkey until after June 4th qf. Then be announced as Director of Football at #CFC followed by Van Basten as coach.’
Our memory is hazy but we’re not sure all of that prophecy came true. Still, at least McGarry took it in the spirit it was intended, replying:
‘Hi Ed. Come back when you’ve worked at the top for two of the biggest selling newspapers in the world for over 10 years. Cheers.’
Oh. Malyon replied: ‘I look forward to it. I wonder if Van Persie will have signed for Man City by then.’
BOOM! HEAD SHOT! McGarry had better have something really good to come back with this time. So he asked what our young hero was doing last night (he was at his dad’s birthday party), to which he struck back with:
‘That’s nice. I was broadcasting to 1.2 million people with Michael Owen and Robbie Savage. I don’t even know who you are.’
So there you have it. Unless you were bantering with Mickey and Robbie on the wireless – and crucially unless Ian McGarry has heard of you – pointing out that a journalist got some stories wrong simply isn’t valid.
We’re going to be sporting and not point out all the other stories McGarry has erred on recently. Although if you were so inclined, you may wish to Google his name along with ‘Chelsea’, ‘Roberto di Matteo’ and ‘Luka Modric’.
What tha?
Work, now ?
At this time of day? Oh shit it’s 6am. I must be home.
Cheers all.
Next time I’m traipsing around the world, drinks on me.
Heh Ollie,
Chelsea – Ubercunts.
McGarry – Ubercunt.
‘Nuff Said!
“The ex-Arsenal and West Ham midfielder Stewart Robson is excellent in his role as ESPN’s Italian football co-commentator, delivering sharp tactical insights while the match is still in play”
- Michael Cox for the Guardian (http://www.guardian.co.uk/football/blog/2012/nov/27/gary-neville-punditry-sky-bbc)
Right.
Going to bed.
Good to hear you’re back in one piece (apparently…
) NCA.
Yeah, Toby, that particularly sentence in an otherwise decent article got me utterly confused.
Glad you got home ok NorCal.
Toby, I agree with Ollie on that article. Good piece I thought. Shame the writer had to go and spoil it with the Stewart Robson nonsense.
Kos v TV5 is silly. Why fabricate a conflict where none exists?
Haven’t people screamed for years – We Need Cover at CB!! – and now that we have it (Cheers to AW), it just more over analysis. its a great problem to have, i’d think.
Kos took a little while to adapt to the Prem. Not as long as many in hindsight remember. Anyone else remember Kos, in like his 1st or 2d match, vs. Liverpool, subtely picking Torres’ pocket when he was nearly in on goal (and back when Torres was actually a goal threat)? He did it twice that game, actually. I saw and said, yep … AW does it again!
TV5 was a revelation when he joined. Nary put a toe wrong his first season. He’s had a bad injury, and he’s regaining his form. Let’s give the man some slack and, as someone said above, he’s our captain – let’s get behind him!
Noone in their right mind could possibly question the dedication of either player. Let’s all take a breath and put the video game controllers down, eh?
Different topic: who else besides me is totally psyched to see Rosicky back in full training?? Great player.
Cheers holics!
Err Homer, with all due respect and tip of the hat etc, no-one was “fabricating a conflict”. People were just expressing opinions as to who is the better player/has the better form.
Nothing wrong with that. Surely that is the point of a football blog?
Homer, I’ve never made any secret of my admiration for Rosicky, so that’s at least two of us.
tabs, you forgot to add that of course Squillaci is better than either
Ollie, I think your post was truncated. Surely it should have ended “…Squillaci is better than either a poke in the eye or a slap in the face”?
I didn’t know such a thing existed, until G4L’s recent tweets: I’m an AKALBAHHF.
heh Oxon, that works
Ollie@377: Qué ?
tabs, fair enough.
maybe i’m a little edgy, what with all the negativity lately.
email, blogs etc. are funny. hard accurately to convey context and tone, as I did poorly there up above. no offense meant. A drink on me – as I, myself, unwittingly, stirred up controversey. How ya like that for irony!!
Ollie, you bettered all of us. Squillaci! I had such hopes for him. Lyon, Sevilla, and a few caps (I think) and a tall, rangy sort.
Oh well, back to work.
Joe – a true gent as ever.
No problem here, at all, and an excellent post from you @329.
Oxon – completely agree with your @335.
Your questioning of Geoff’s comments was totally different to ‘hunter’s’ “your stupid and f*ck off” approach.
NorCal –
With you on the fatigue issue. We are not talking about you and me playing here. These are men in their twenties and early thirties whose job is solely to be prepared to play football twice a week, with some of the best facilities on the planet to help them do it.
As you say, everyone on the pitch will be similarly fatigued at any given point, given your provisos, so all the first sprint vs thirtieth sprint comparisons become a little bit irrelevant.
Personally, i think that if players are so in need of a rest by October / November, then maybe the preparation is not right.
For example, Jack Wilshere has been seventeen months in preparation to come back to the team. Sure, it has to be managed, but if there are really any doubts about his fitness he shouldn’t be there at all.
Right, work for me. Good afternoons, Gooners.
Indeed, Homer, he sounded like the type of signing Per is. If you know what I mean.
I’d agree with your fatigue point if it was only affecting us, Trev, and to be fair, not that long ago I thought the same ‘pampered, übertrained athletes should be able to complete two games in a week at the top level’; but I’ve come around to the idea that this fatigue thing isn’t bollocks, as it truly seems to affect a lot of teams.
I have little doubt though that mental fatigue is being added to the physical one for that.
Finer machines than ‘you and me’ also need finer tuning.
http://www.premierleague.com/en-gb/news/news/joint-statement-chelsea-premier-league-pgmo.html
No apologies. Did they give money to the FA for the statement?
Fuck that slimy Bus Stop.
I too am a AKALBAHHF.
Thanks Gingers.
Homer @380 No prob mate, have a Beer on me (well Lars actually
).
On the tiredness issue, I tend to agree with Ollie that fatigue, mental more than physical, does play a part, though as Lars mentioned on saturday, I think AW does himself and the team few favours by often mentioning it both pre and post game.
Seems to me that by constantly referring to it he (a) places the idea of fatigue in the players minds and (b) gives them a ready get out if things don’t go to plan.
One of the few things that Arsene gets wrong from a pschoanalysis standpoint in my view. Nor is it a new thing. Arsene spoke about tiredness just before we crashed out of the FA Cup and Champions League in 04. Wrong then, wrong now imho.
As for Chelsea, I echo Ollie’s Bus Stop sentiment.
How much pressure was brought to bear on the officials for that “joint” statement?
Scandalous.
Won’t happen, but I would love it if Clattenburg delivered a big “Fuck you” and sued.
tabs @ 386 totally correct re points (a) and (b) and something you never hear old whiskey-chops resorting to.
Still a AKALBAHHF though.
In fact, I’ve just proved it.
drinks for the forever spot-on tabs.
I am not completely saying fatigue is not a factor. I agree with Tabs that AW does no one any favors by mentioning it repetitively. Where I think it is most valid is the collective fatigue of the entire season, week in and week out. Fighting on 4 fronts is bound to take its toll. Then add in internationals and the travel and I can see that it has an effect. Where we have failed to deal with this in years past is the inability to really rotate the squad. The corporate cup is the only competition that we show much rotation. I hope we get rosicky and Diaby back in time for the festivus season and January and February when we have really struggled to rotate in recent seasons.
Oh and Chelski are an absolute disgrace on the game.
NorCal,
Relying on Diaby’s fitness?
That way lies madness – trust me, I’m an authority
Dr Z,
Not asking to rely on his fitness at all. But since he is all we’ve got, I just hope he can rotate in for a few games. Our chronically injured have added significantly to our fatigue.
This is all making me tired.
Mourinho mentioned fatigue at the weekend. Gillot too. I’m sure a few others too though. I agree no need to rehash it constantly, but it’s not really a Wenger-specific either.
It’s just that people jump on it.
Personally, NorCal, I’ve gone to the point where I’d rely more on Obiwan Kenobi than Abou Diaby for help.
Obiwan, you are our only hope.
Heh Ollie
A quick trip to Twatter and I understand.
I too am an AKALBAHHF. It’s always nice to find a catchy acronym for one’s opinions. I hope to find one someday.
Ollie,
Looks like the youngsters have an Iwobi on the bench tonight. Will he work for Kenobi?
Or even Benik Afobe……lobs it upfield to the big beefcake…
….who heads it back into the box for the on-rushing……..
Come to daddy!
Heads it down toward the spot….
Ghosted in by the king of the lurks….well in Lurky.
Lurky, you devil you. Well in.
I was just heading it out of the net and back to the center spot.
Norcal…401 tabs spot – the place to be, apart from close attendance to Lars wallet of course.
Heh Cheers Dr Z, and thanks for the drink Ollie
AKALBAHHF ? Count me in!
Well in Lurky, but Up knows @404.
A hearty pat on the back to NorCal
Hmm… AKALBAHHF?
Arsene Knows A Lot But Arsene Has His Faults?
If that is what it means then I am in!
Thanks for the assist Uplympian, I spotted your run NorCal, but I am selfish when on form
Nice lurk, lurky!
Lars,
Second Arsene = admittedly.
Very close though, great effort. I had to cheat and go and look on Twitter.
TABS and Ollimeister Flash.
I agree with both of you regarding the article. I really enjoyed it before that sentence came. On the other hand, it might be so that I don’t like him down to having my red tinted glasses on? Perhaps mancs feel the same about Neville, even if I really find it hard to see that being true.
Regarding Neville, he’s already gotten enough praise around the Internet, in the papers and even on this blog, but I really do enjoy him immensely as a pundit.
tabs: ah, I did think it was a bit repetitive. “Admittedly” sounds a lot better.
BTW Tabs, I have a certain picture of you accompanied with some kind of a wallet with hands instead of face as a desktop background (I cannot help my self, sorry Lars
). It will stay there until we win our next game. Which will hopefully be tomorrow. Superstition, I can’t help myself.
Off to a dull as dishwater meeting. Preview will be late tonight, I’m afraid
perfect lurk, oliva.
Good luck, ‘holic.
Toby, I think there’s a massive difference : while I have not benefitted much from Neville’s punditry, and especially wouldn’t watch a Mancs game anyway unless they’re playing us, I very much doubt that he spends half the time slagging off Old Purplenose….
Ollie,
I think that was exactly my point – fatigue will affect all teams, not just us, so why is it constantly raised as an issue by our manager where others don’t seem to.
Anyway, it’s all pretty well covered above by others so I’m going for a lie down.
I think part of my point is the others seem to too…
Lie down good until tomorrow, heh
Zico @ 352 – haha!
Psed – Am liking AKALBAHFF – tho like Lars’s version better. It read weller – i reckon.
Oops “HHF” that’s betterer
Toby – Agreed on Neville, he’s excellent. As regards Robson he clearly has a personal agenda with AW, so I don’t think it’s your bias but Robson’s own bias at play in your assessment of him. The fact that nearly all Arsenal fans can’t bear him says much I think.
Lurky @413 Haha, Desktop background? Poor you! Though thinking about it, you only have yourself to blame. Let’s hope we win tomorrow!!
Rosicky baaack in full training ..thats all I have to say:P looking forward tomorrow, beating Everton would give us good confidence boost and put some pressure of our backs, so lets do it lads!
A 7.15 tee-off is tough when you are GMT+2.
Bed-time.
Night balders!
As opposed to the weekend when I had a bad feeling, I just have a good feeling about tomorrow.
Everton’s attacking style with Mirallas (or Coleman or Naismith if Mirallas is still injured) and Pienaar would do us good.
Hello Snir. May your feelings lead the way!
>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>
Coleman is playing a RB this season. Mirallas is still injured apparently, so it leaves Naismith as a RW, which is good imho.
Fellaini will be DM I guess because of Neville’s injury, where he is less a menace.
Theo could do wonders tomorrow considering attacking tendencies of Baines.
The bad thing might be the rain though, which will suit Everton’s long-ball style. But, I must say that I have a funny feeling that it will be our style tomorrow too. Long balls at Giroud as a focal point and long through balls behind the defense for Theo, why not.
Tough one this one, but I am less nervous then with Villa. A good sign.