During The War…
Mar 8th, 2013 by 'holic
These quiet weeks are a mixed blessing. There is time to dig out the old videos and dvd’s, and trawl YouTube for golden moments from days gone by. Football, music, and childhood cartoons. They’re all there if you look hard enough.
Watching once more those I grew up cheering on keeps the mind working overtime. A random thought develops. I calculate that in fifteen years I will have been around for half of Arsenal’s existence. How scary is that? Very is the answer, trust me.
I remember ‘holicdad telling me about the days before I was born, recounting tales of the great players he saw, and passing on the books that were my education. It seemed like Arsenal had been around for ever. The grainy black and white images of grounds south of the river as well as Highbury. I read the books as others read the bible, or classical literature.Β Danskin and Humble, Norris and Chapman, Whittaker and Allison. I soaked it all up, and became forever addicted to this club that has similarly hooked the majority of you.
I have been extremely lucky to share that passion with a diverse set of characters down the years. Some of the supporters I shared different eras with stay in the memory alongside the great, and sometimes not so great, players I have had the fortune to witness. Many I could still put names to, and others would be recalled only by the name of the place where they lived. Every now and again a familiar face from many moons ago is recognised, but we are of an age where that recognition is not always mutual!
We recount tales of laughs and scrapes in days gone by. The old football specials always provoke a yarn or two. We talk about the pleasure of watching Charlie, Liam, Rocky, and Wrighty. We snigger about ‘turning into the old man’. Then thoughts turn to today, as mine have now.
I should be writing up a preview of our FA Cup quarter-final. Never again let me hear anyone complain about the end of season fixture pile-up. That only happens to teams in the hunt for prizes. Instead I am thinking of the people I share new experiences with in a new stadium.
I really hope the younger ones get to enjoy the pleasure I have gained following Arsenal, and soon. I hope the older ones, me included, get to act half our age again singing songs of triumph in the pub after more silverware has been landed.
Most of all though I want to see the back of breaks like this. International breaks and cup upsets, be away with you. Give me football to waffle about, not ‘all our yesterdays’.
286 Responses to “During The War…”
Bang! Good to live this side of the Atlantic!
Holic, thank you. You’ve reminded me of what matters. And I just dusted off my ‘Centurions’ DVD for a looksy! (I also will have a watch of my 1970 World Cup Final- not Arsenal but fun to watch!)
Salud! Glass of tinto, if you’re interested.
*doffs cap.
Top shelf again sir.
I too am feeling pretty lost without a game this weekend to tide me over. 10 days is waaaay to long at this point of the season.
Scramble for fourth.. Top post holic!
We had the best of it – from the spectator aspect. I’m afraid the Emirates just does not cut it compared to the Highbury experience. It’s not the Met band I miss nor the Glasgow Rangers bi-annual pre season “friendly” with their drunken supporters corralled on the North Bank periodically raining bottles on the helmet less Gunner fans behind that goal. I do miss the camaraderie and the deep appreciation they felt, win or lose, being able to see their own special heroes like, Joe Haverty, Alan Skirton, Charlie George, Georgie Armstrong, Liam Brady, Tony Adams and Dennis Bergkamp. All pulling . some exceeding – their weight for the club.
biennial
Rangers 67. Don’t remind me Peter. π
SlΓ‘inte.
Top ten?
Great post ‘Holic.
A break in action gives a different perspective to Friday nights while watching England struggle in New Zealand to save a test match. kinda sums up where we are as a club and suppoters. We turn up every home game optimistically longing for a return, or even a sight of the green shoots, to years gone by. But not the 10 years ago, when a double was almost becoming the norm, but the team of 3-4 years ago would be great, times when i had great excitement and undoubted belief that our team could deliver, but eventually settled and accepted that we didn’t get the luck of the draw or a break to win a match and that next year will definitely be our year.
Am I alone, in already looking to next season for the motivation in what we could potentially achieve, in terms of squad to assist me in deciding whether to renew my and my wife’s Club level season ticket for the 5th year.
Is this just a phase us supportors are going through??
Nice post Holic, sad weekend.
Doesn’t seem long ago that BtM was telling us we were still in four competitions. Struggling to make a fist of one now.
Still, much better preparation for next season is already being organised with hours and hours of flights across Asia culminating in Vietnam.
In the years of your post, players used to train by running up and down the steps in the stands. Now it’s up and down the steps of aeroplanes taking them to far flung corners on shirt selling missions.
Let’s hope they build up enough fitness that the league is not lost by early November again.
But don’t put your shirt on it.
Sorry an’ all, but Blackburn in action tomorrow has quashed the spirit a bit.
Bloody hell.
That post Holic, was indeed the mutts. I don’t think that there could have been any better for me to halt on from you, stellar stuff π
I’m going to miss this place for the next 3 months especially since it became so integrated into my daily motions & routine, but for the greater good, sacrifices have got to be made π
Thanks for the well-wishes and the support in the last bar from all of you, it means more than I can put into words. :’) Holic, I will do my utmost best with steadfast resolve to come back more educated (Y)
See you all post-exams! π
PS – Good luck to you in your degree PiK, I’ve only got A-Levels to make it through π
PPS – Posting this temporary goodbye and giving my thanks doesn’t count as ‘not lasting’ Trev! π
Yes it does. π
You’ll never stay away three months.
You should never count on passing a maths exam. π
Fine writing, maestro.
I’ll drink to that.
Great post ‘holic, your ability to write a post out of nothing is second only to your ability to vividly recount past events. More power to you, sir.
Trev, I envy your pun-ditry skills.
I’ve really struggled this week to fire up any enthusiasm after the defeat last Sunday. It’s been a hugely disappointing season but one that hasn’t been a surprise and that’s the saddest thing of all. For the first time in 16 years no- one takes Arsenal seriously. I’m getting stick from people who support garbage teams that just wouldn’t have had the front or the opportunity to ridicule our team before. But despite the fact that we will finish in the top 6 we have had two awful cup defeats against teams we should have murdered and as for next Wednesday I’m thinking damage limitation.
I will always be immensely proud of being a Gooner but in past seasons we really have had current justification for that pride even if we didn’t win anything.
I find myself in an odd position that I want us to usurp Man United as the top self- sustaining club in England and see us compete at the very top level in Europe and of course at home. I don’t want us to be owned by a Qatari consortium. ‘ Our Arabs are richer than your Arabs’ . But I have been depressed that Kroenke is in for the long haul because I have lost faith in him,his board and sadly his management team. I tend to look at facts and statistics and make conclusions in what I do on a daily basis and if I apply the same logic here I see a great club in decline. The rubbish being spouted about players is just that and I fear that it has to get a lot worse before it gets better. That said I shall be a regular at the home games and at the London away matches but we need more change than I fear we are going to get. I need only to live another couple of years to be alive for half of Arsenal’s existence and you like to think that the really great days will be back again. We are all too addicted to leave the club or to love it any less but at the same time I really want more change than I think we are going to get. I hope that doesn’t make me a bad Gooner.
TTG.
Being worried or concerned about something you love can never be a bad thing, sir.
And that piece Sir Holic, is what sets you apart from the others. No one else does it quite like you…
Wind, gonna miss you. You always bring such energy and good cheer. Good luck son!
‘holic … while cleaning the office between meaningful drinks, and in light of your not having spotted the ‘reigns’ error in your Chapman piece in five years, perhaps you would also like to look at the seventh para of this otherwise immaculate conception and change “Still without Chapman the home team appeared to be cruising at 2-0” to “Still without James…..” ?
Then please delete this post. π
Oskar
Much as I like to look back, I am having increasing difficulty in accepting the credibility of the public statements of the Board and Arsene.
When they start to use the economic strength of this club to get us back into contention then I might start to get behind them again.
We cannot give strong opposition a 2 goal start and expect to get a result- and increasingly, after selling our most creative players, we don’t.
I have major doubts that Arsene Wenger will ever be able to solve our defensive weaknesses- defensive errors appear to be built into the DNA of his team. We see virtually the same mistakes being made now as we did by different players 4-5 years ago. It isnt co-incidence.
Arsenal this year seem to be a team that can either attack, or defend, but cant do both against opposition that can do both. Our striker and midfield options are not potent enough to make possession count against well organised defences.
It seems obvious to me that Arsenal need a different top coach in charge and that we need to make major changes to our centre back, midfield and striker options but most importantly of all to our style of play.
“Management by hand grenade”?
Sounds perfect for Chelsea. Abramovich chucks one at the manager, and the manager chucks one at Abramovich. π
Whoops forgot the link there. Maybe the reference will be a little clearer with this:
http://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/0/football/21700237
I’m sure AW, not to mention 99% of goonerholics, would agree with you that ‘we need to make major changes to our centre back, midfield and striker options’, gerry. But do we want to sell out to achieve it? I don’t. Football in England has changed dramatically in the past decade or so, and if we are losing out it is principally because Arsenal remains true to its principles, while others have sold out. Our squad is financed the old-fashioned way, by taking in money at the turnstiles and through commercial marketing, and spending only what’s left after all other expenses have been met and prudent investments made.
Others prefer a method Americans would understand … by spending more than you take in, and hoping it will all work out in the long term. America manages its economy that way, by simply printing more money when they run out. Now we have football clubs doing it by allowing oligarabs to dictate how clubs should be managed. Certainly I envy the success they’ve been having, but would I feel much sense of achievement if we had to buy it? Sorry, I wouldn’t. I’d feel slightly dirty.
But then perhaps I’m just old-fashioned. I look at the way other clubs are derided and how gifted players’ have their names substituted with crude soubriquets in just this blog (which I rate one of the more intelligent and articulate) and wonder whatever happened to friendly rivalry? Maybe I’m some sort of traitor, but I can watch Gareth Bale score yet another immaculate goal and admire it. I just wish he was playing for us!
I believe it’s just a matter of time before the current vogue of football clubs being big boys’ toys turns to one in which they are bought more for investment. And the need to balance the books will then become de rigueur. Am I dreaming?
Oh, and what we need most essentially at this time is a striker who can put away a better percentage of the chances created than those we have currently. In that regard I don’t have a real problem with our midfielders, although an Iniesta or a young Yaya would be nice. Likewise our defence has conceded less than both Tottenham and Man U, and only a goal or so more than the other two above us, so they cannot be that bad!
Oskar
Think this was ripped off from yesterday’s drinks and not properly credited. https://m.facebook.com/story.php?story_fbid=464514656955683&id=1481840726&__user=733824975
Good read again today ‘guv.
The Bears on the North Bank before my time, but I do remember Spider’s testimonial against Celtic. Pure 24 hour madness and on a weekday as well.
Morning all, thanks for your kind words again.
…and your sub-editing skills, Oskar π
Morning Esso, not proud to admit I missed the testimonial for such a stalwart, but rather pleased I did, by all accounts π
I saw you out the other night
I saw somebody hold you tight
Roxette, I wonder who it could be
It was so dark I couldn’t see
But I know it wasn’t me
When I tell you it ain’t right
I know you’ve got to agree
I followed you into a show
The band was playing rock’n’roll
Roxette, I didn’t need to seek you out
The music played so loud
That I could hear you through the crowd
You was telling everyone
About a new guy you’d found
Roxette I gotta go away
And leave you for a couple of days
Roxette, I don’t want no more of your tricks
I’m gonna get some concrete mix
And fill your back door up with bricks
And you better be there waiting
When I get my business fixed
I love Twitter apparently I’m a Dick and a cry baby for not paying 200 quid for a 50 quid Munich ticket. I can feel the tears coming …..
Enjoy the Wilko gig tonight, zico!
What a night it will be. Jealous as hell…
I agree with arseblog, no need to go nuts over a banana.
*applauds Uncle Albert’s effort to write a blog*
π
What kind of idiot does the schedule at BeInSport? If their programme is true (and I have no reason to doubt it is), they will be showing Bayern vs DΓΌsseldorf.
While Schalke vs Dortmund is on at the same time. It’s not even on one of their other ‘Max’ channels.
Totally fucking idiotic and senseless. It’s like showing Man U vs Sunderland instead of Spurs vs Arsenal, or something.
Ryo makes his comeback from injury by being subbed on in the 40th minute – and gets carried off on a stretcher in the 70th π
Poor Ryo. π
My late new year’s resolution: see more of the films of George Sanders.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/George_Sanders
Wigan winning today means that we will face Everton on April 16, very tempted now to do the Norwich/Everton home game combo. Shall look into the possibility of that in the coming days.
I might do that if I can take holidays around then, Lars.
Have to admit I fully expected the game to take place on the 17th though π
Really sad for Ryo, lars. I still have high hopes for him.
Yes got a ticket at FV Munich and German Beer here I come
I feel a 3-0 win coming on I’m usually lucky and my winning streak should now restart seeing as the last away CL match I went to was Milan last season …
That’s some luck you brought to Milan then, Austrian π
Ollie yep great day out long drive home though and the most strangely designed stadium I’ve ever been to needed oxygen to get to the top away section
The pleasures of watching players like liam wrighty rocky are long gone just like singing songs of triumph after winning silverware thats something the younger ones will never experience as long as this manager remains is in charge.
‘dave, dave’ sounds like a scratched record.
PSG are 1-0 down at home to Nancy (bottom team) at the moment, heh.
I think he has a terrible stutter, Ollie.
Austrian, great news re Munich. Have a cracking trip. π
Gah, terrible news about Ryo, ffs I hope its nothing serious, poor guy.
H2H
Thanks for your kind words last might I had tuned out by then.
What a pity we are not still in the FA Cup. We would have a real opportunity to do something. Still onwards and upwards he says unenthusiastically!
Oh well, looks like PSG are now 2-1 up, quick brace from that Swedish geezer.
Bordeaux game is tomorrow, naturally, due to Europa League.
Ollie @50, as if we didn’t know it was bound to happen after your 46.
Come on the Nancy boys …. oh….. π
How did that cracker of a manager Moyes and landrup do today?
Oh they lost to “lesser” competition? Weird
Hope Aston villa does enough to stay up. Young team that works hard.
Cracking result for the Albion, Holic (and not a bad result for Annan either btw) – see what happens when you concentrate your positive vibes on just one team. π
heh Cent @ 52, true enough π
Bath knows π
I went up to the ground today expecting to see us play Everton. Waited until 3.00 pm but nobody else showed up. Bummer.
Breaking news for haddock aficionados. The Chip Inn Fish Bar in Holloway Road has been trumped. The North Sea Fish Restaurant near St Pancras is now sitting proudly at the top of the Gret British Haddock Premier League.
Lars, Ollie, Austrian – are we planning a HolicAwayDay beer in Munich? I arrive on Monday. Always happy to buy. Cough.
Don’t be scared, Holic. Being around for half of Arsenal’s existence feels pretty good, especially when swallowed down with a beautifully fried haddock π And, in retrospect it’s good for your longevity.
Everton knocked out by Wigan? Wenger aht. Moyes in. Ha!
zico
i hope you had a cracker night
mind you – how could it be other
god’s backin band on bbc4 just now
all hail
lou reed on now
what is it with him and bob dylan singing live
all of a sudden they get the urge to attempt vocal gymnastics a three day camel ride away from the original less than tuneful version they wrote and deemed good enough to stick on vinyl
it’s a good boot in the arse i think is required
oh sweet mother of god
patti smith
never got her
nor indeed did immac apparently
she’s a less talented less influential hairier joey ramone lookylikey
oooh now
john cale
now we’re cookin
david byrne on now
radical departure for him
still craving attention with his big samuel beckett haircut
bit earnest is this fella anthony ?
my vote is in
yes
v.
oooh
the strokes – good tune
all over
and god’s backing band got just one song
‘take it dee dee’
isn’t bbc4 great
was forced to watch it cos of the digital switcheroo
great stuff
‘part from the stingey ramones allocation
1 2 3 4 !
fuckadiddledumpling – i could reach the hundred on my own
π
nope
couldn’t be arsed
but i’d do a dennis with an extra spin iffin i did though
bye bye
i’ll end on 69
Who can drive faster: Santos, Bendtner or Tevez?
http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-manchester-21716343
Cheers, can’t be arced! You have been doing yeoman’s work there. π
arsed. Can’t be arced of course.
eveningslashmorning bt8
howdy
i can be arced
blew the leccy in my whole house – some would say my house is a hole – i would disagree – ’tis a work in progress – and thanks to herself for recharging the battery on the wee dongle internet thing – so i can talk more shite than is good or erasable
but i blew the whole leccy and fried a few cables
i overestimated what was needed
not to mention there is a fight outside my window
a big fake loud one that the wee girl is trying to stir up
unfortunately these tend to end up badly
.
iffin they were watching roxy on the telly just now
they’d be better people
the loud one just asked why her other half was such a loser that he couldn’t find her shoe
she’s screeching down the road a wee bit now
here’s hopin she gets taxi wise
π
what a shower !
i should be snoozin’
gerbilly
armageddon
ARMAGEDDON !
Multiple hehs π Can’t stop giggling (damm Interdull) π Well I may as well as add to the madness at this fine watering hole, but a big hi to Zico is in order, so hey Dr Z π Anyway, did some one lose an ‘r’… I’ll just put it on the bar π Hint: Twitter , TaTa π
BtM@58: no concrete plans have been made for Munich yet. The Swedish delegation will be arriving on Tuesday at around 2 and me and Ollie have said “let’s be in touch when we get there”, and that’s about all that has been decided at this point. Send me one of those electronic mail thingies and let me know what your mobile number is and I’ll text you when I know more about where we’ll be.
Austrian: good news on getting the ticket! If you feel like saying hello in Munich, the Holic can give you my email address so we can find each other.
TMS will also be in Munich, as will washedupinfrance, I believe.
Is that some record number of ‘holics at an away trip?
Drunkards, the lot of you π
How’s Innis, ‘holic? π
Holic @ 47 Cheers I will
Holic re Lars @76 would be great to finally meet some fine fellows from this great establishment if you can send me Lars email that would be great. Cheers
Lars @76 Many thanks for the invite will be in contact
It is done, gents.
Many thanks Holic, looking forwrd to meeting all. Cheers
Safe drive, Austrian, hope the weather won’t make it too complicated!
Question (for Wind, mostly? π ). Is data on Blackberries fucked again? I haven’t received any e-mails since yesterday, including one I forwarded from home address to work address….
Afternoon All,
Great stuff ‘H. Here’s to singing a triumphal song or two in the Tollie before too long.
Weekends just ain’t the same without the Arsenal. Who to plump for in the Cuntacular (crude sobriquet? Quite possibly π ) at 4 today? Would I rejoice more in the filthy Mancs being dumped out of two comps in 5 days, or the continued implosion of Chavski whilst fat Rafa fidgets? Win win I guess.
Poor old Ryo. Hope it’s just a tweak. He had a couple of lovely moments in the first half when Wigan were bossing it.
Hope you enjoyed the Wilko gig Dr Z.
Cba – Multiple hehs. π (especially the Patti Smith jibe lol)
Austrian – Well done on getting yer ticket, have a good one. Watch out for those Swedes though, they’re trouble! π
Bordeaux vs Bastia at 4pm UK time, tabs, no other game to watch π
Haha good thinking Ollie.
Allez les Girondins!
Damn..thinking of it now I realize that Bayern away actually was a game I could attend should I go for the tickets..since Munich is not that far from Prague ..bugger.
Afternoon all,
Bloggs is on good form today despite feeling very much the worse for drink.
In the absence of anything meaningful to say, I will attempt to finish off the joke he may have been trying to start, by offering –
Let’s squeeze those Bayerische pips so hard on Wednesday that they let out a little German whine.
Other offers gratefully accepted – anything to brighten up a non-existent weekend in the Arsenal calendar.
Here’s hoping Suarez can outdive the crude sobriquet from T*ttenham this afternoon.
I would repeat my “simianulation” joke but it would look like boasting.
Hope you kop it Spuds π
ps – it would have been nice if PCs and Apples could have cooperated a little better in the way that capital letters and the delete function works. Swapping between/over is a bloody NIgHtMArE π
‘sup ‘olics.
My Sports channel doesn’t deem the FA worthy of coverage so I’ll have to suffer through the first half of the Toon v Orcs, before switching at half time to watch the poo v dispicables….. Who’s briliant idea was it to schedual games that overlap??
I had a footy free day yesterday, behalf from skimming through MoTD. Nothing really on there to get the juices flowing.
Typical that on the day we were supposed to play Everton they get turned over by a relegation fodder team, but by all accounts (I haven’t seen it) Wigan weregood value for their win…. Moyes’ the man, Eh?
Eandy, did you just only now revise your geography? π
I remember a time when I had to switch from AZERTY on a PC to QWERTY on a UNIX machine and vice-versa.
Everything’s AZERTY here now, so I’m only struggling when I use computers abroad.
Knoz zhqt I ?eqn Β§
Sorry, should have been
Knoz zhqt I ,eqn Β§
Is that the language they speak in Prague?
…Wins the ball in the defensive third and advances upfield…
…beats one…
…Beats two and lays it off to…
ME
H2H, you must be in your pub because i can see you’re well Inn.
Me coat sir…
Heh Cent.
I thought there was a lull, I was wrong:
well in H2H!
Cheers Ollie, but you’re not completly wrong.
There is footy on the tv, as I related to earlier, I’ve got Daft Pardw’s v Darth Pullis’ mobs on the box and I couldn’t be less interested if I tried.
A lull of sorts is definetly upon us.
Ollie @85 could be interesting maybe a bit of snow on the way Tabs @ 87 cheers will keep my eye out
Crouch is a lanky streak of cheating piss.
Gawd, I can’t fucking stand Stoke.
Btm @ 54 indeed lovely german beer look forward to meeting up and I hear you have a large wallet π
Oops btm @58 I meant
107 : has he nicked Lars’ wallet? π
No ,I think BTM will be celebrating the period of Lent.
If Lars will lend his wallet.
Filthy Scroungers
“Spurs β still building for the future, a year after the offshore-owned club secured Β£27m of taxpayers’ money to make their new stadium project “more viable β¦ we cannot be expected to do this single-handedly”. The next piece in the jigsaw: offering Gareth Bale a reported Β£40m contract β doubling his current Β£75,000 a week.”
Q: If you spent 50 million quid on a backup striker who last demonstrated any semblance of confidence three years ago what would you call him?
A: Falta Towers, perhaps?
Suarez 1-0
Get in there! Come on you Scousers
Hopefully the start of the annual LWCs shit out.
Gerard just cunted Bale.
Benitez hearing it from both sets of fans at the same time. Good stuff. Well, not really from his perspective. π
Fuck, LWC’s equalise.
Ha ha. Stoke lose in the last minute.
H2H, Stoke losing late is, as a general rule, a good thing and today is no exception.
I was happy………..
But then Sp*rs scored, π
Well Ollie,
Switched Scousers vs Spuds on 4 minutes ago and Spuds have bloody scored aleady.
Bale pretending to have been hit in the face to get the free kick and ….
Coutinho can’t continhuo
Who is playing striker for those c@nts, Vertongen?
NorCal. I’m not sure, but Glen Johnson is one of their best players today.
2-2
2-2 at L’pool !!! π
Haha, Liverpool gifted an equaliser by Lloris π
Stewart Downsyndrom did his best to shoot at Vertonghen but somehow managed to miss both his legs
Gerrard lumbering around like an old dad playing in the park.
Did I mention I hate Asshole-Ekottou
Heh.
Pen to the Scousers !
Pelanty for Liverpool…
3-2
3-2!
Good old dad ! π
Now watch Liverpool give it away in spectacular fashion to give Bale an easy goal.
By the way, Sturridge is utter crap.
Think you’ll find that’s Slurrydge Lars. π
Liverpool in full panic mode, they are going to fuck this up.
Slurrydge? I’m afraid I don’t get that one π
And so the collapse begins. π
Game done.
The LWC’s and Orcs lose.
Makes me happy. π
Slurry Lars is a word for crap / manure – pertains to animals.
Didn’t think there was an English word you didn’t know. π
Bordeaux win, Spurs lose.
A much better Sunday than last.
I see Trev was trying to be the new me at 122 π
Bottlers.
Bwahahaha.
Better put on some extra wheels spuds, they may get wonky down the stretch.
Wonder what sage advice Parker has now.
Trev, there are a few words I don’t know but they are probably not worth knowing anyway π
But I should have figured “slurry” out, though!
Could get better, Ollie. Manure gone from 2-0 to 2-2 v Chavs. With a bit of luck, one more trophy that Van Plonker isn’t going to win.
Also, looks like we will see how good Evertons backup keeper is.
Howard going to be out for a while.
Come on replay!!
Tired those pricks out!!!!
Great Grammar, NorCal. π
Why are you talking about your Great Grammar NorCal ?
It’s Mothers Day here. π
RvP was pretty crap again for the part of the game I saw. He hasn’t scored for seven games now, I believe.
Replay’s fine. Not a bad day of football.
Sadly, in tonight’s game (Lyon vs Marseille), both teams cannot lose π
Really don’t know what result I’d prefer. Bordeaux too far now, but I’d like Lille and/or St Etienne to pip either or both teams later on in the season.
Sounds like one of those – hope for giant meteor- situations Ollie.
Poor old spuds….note this day. They have a lot of nasty games to come.
Pity we couldn’t have got Vertonghen. He is like Vermaelen was three years ago. The movement of Suarez was too much for them. Pity we didn’t have someone with that movement last weekend. Not at bad result at OT either. And Micah Richards is joining in the summer. It must be true I read it in the Sun
Heh, Trev.
It’s shitty grammar day here in the states!
I know it’s hard to tell when that is based on most of my posts.
Indeed, H2H, it looks like cuntfests are like London buses. Seriously, this season, the number of them happening on a same day has been ridiculous.
Sadly though, looks like the meteor had its chance and blew it by choosing Russia on a random day.
TTG. I agree that someone made a massive fuck up by letting Vertonghen slip through our fingers, he would of prefered to join us (according to local media here) but wasn’t prepared to be played out of position.
He’s always been rated higher then TV, sorry to say it, but he’s a way better defender, always has been.
*Most people, here in the media and even Ajax fans, were extreamly surpised that we took TV over JV way back when. When the rumours first broke that a Belgian defender from Ajax was about to join the Gunners, most assumed it would be JV.
Doesn’t surprise me Ollie.
Nowadays cunts are everywhere and multiple. π
H2H that’s interesting it was exactly what an Ajax fan I know said to me when he looked like he was coming to us.I think Ajax fans couldn’t believe how well TV did in his first season for us.
Now it looks as if we had beaten Blackburn we might have had a stroll to the Cup Final. Just like if we’d beaten Bradford!
Ok then, flights booked for me and the missus to attend the Norwich and Everton games in April!
No it doesn’t TTG.
Assuming that if we’d beaten Blackburn then we’d have drawn Millwall, and then possibly Wigan is rather silly.
That’s not how the universe works.
We may or we may not, nobody can have any fucking idea, but assuming that you just replace the balls is silly.
It’s a different universe, not reality.
Good stuff, Lars.
Ollie knows @167!
Ollie- that’s way too philosophical for me. Life.the Universe and he Arsenal.
just saw niall quinn’s satellite broadband company ad on telly
yup – that niall – q-sat apparently
good grief
is trev there for some puns
liam broady ?
All you need to know is there, TTG : 42 π
Heh. ‘Evian sort la tΓͺte de l’eau’ – they won 5-1 yesterday.
Trevtastic
Wat-er great pun
H2O should know a good water pun when he drinks one up.
Although it gives me no pleasure at all to reveal how childishly I enjoyed the ‘Pool / Tots match, I’ll do it anyway. A grown man, laughing at the failure of others. What a sad bastard I’ve become.
Well, it all went swimmingly for them.
IF: there is never ever any circumstance when you have to feel guilty of laughing at Spu*s losing. Especially at them losing from a winning position.
I suppose they (Evian) will all get drunk later.
Colour me sad basterd.
Another sad bastard here Imp Fail. π
Sorry Ollie but the French water pun has escaped me ? ;(
Hey, am I supposed to be doing broadband or water puns ?
Could somebody let me know ‘cos, dam I need to channel some thoughts.
perrier groves
doesn’t make sense but made me smile anyway
π
Ollie and Trev — thanks for your support — you are right of course.
Now liberated from any guilty feelings whatsoever, may I propose a toast; To LFC – Purveyers Of Fine Remedial Tonic. Cheers.
John Trevolta in action.
Ollie@178: and even more so after losing the winning position due to a comedy of errors for both of Liverpool’s late goals π
Haha, nice one cba, made me smile too π
Trev: ‘Evian get their head out of the water’. Thought you were bilingual now with your jaunts to France.
Although I realise you might as well speak Catalan over in that area π
Yeah, I wish Ollie.
Everything there ends in “eng”:
Vingt = veng
Demain = demeng. Etc etc
And I struggle with Francais at the best of times.
German is ok but French is a nightmare of forgotten vocabulary and pisspronunciation. π
haha, South West accent, innit, Trev?
Treveng, all is well that engs well? π
Cheers ‘holic,
If you were nae a part owner I would’nae have got the gig on Friday night.
http://www.stirlingalbionfc.co.uk/commercial/
Oh putaing cong.
Very clever, Andy Goram π
One bad result tonight, as Atletico looks like they’re going to lose 1-0 at home.
Meaning Real are back in second place. Bah. It was nice while it lasted.
Lyon vs Marseille is still 0-0 with 2 minutes to go.
And so it ended. With Barton a possible man of the match.
Started from the back, went all the way up, waltzing through the opposition, and now, it’s time for someone else to take the glory.
*crosses*
BANG!
Tabs it?
And on that note, I’m off to bed.
Well in Lars!
To all who asked about last night – it was indeed emotional. I nearly bleeding missed it too – a story for The Tollington. π
The weekend was made complete with a bout of schadenfreude courtesy of the neighbours from the swamp.
Yes, count me amongst the sad bastards π
Missed? Jebus, that would not have been good. Hope it was a cracker, Dr z.
Sp*rs lose. Good for at least 100 drinks right there. π
Trev,
Thanks for your comments from the post before the previous and apologies for not getting back sooner (I have been rather busy). I think you know by now good sir that any post I ever address to you or indeed anyone on this site is always meant with the utmost of respect.
I am fervently of the opinion that Kronke has not allowed the squad to deteriorate. The club pays Wenger some 7m a year to make the footballing decisions. The decisions are his and his alone. Kronke has explicitly stated that he has never refused a request for money to be made available. Wenger has stated unequivocally that he has enjoyed the full support of the board. In more recent times since we have completed the stadium, the accounts, the statements from Gazidis and the chairman, the independent analysis by people like Swiss Cottage and the words of Wenger himself β have all made it abundantly clear that there is money there to spend and that the decision to do so is Wengers alone. It is not Kronkeβs fault that the team has deteriorated due to a lack of investment. From where I sit, its all down to Wenger. And why should Kronke get involved in the football decisions as to who is bought and sold? Isnβt that what Abramovich does? Is that what we want?
As for what heβs βin itβ for β on one hand you say that businessmen are always in it for profit β yet on the other hand you ask this question? One of the kernel rules of business is to always take a profit, then why has he not sold out? Why not sell to Usmanov or the Arabs β heβd make an absolute fortune as is. He could crystallise that profit right now! Why not load the club with his debt instead of funding it out of his own pocket? Why not take huge dividends to which heβd be entitled? Kronke is 65. Wenger is 63. Both men are multimillionaires. Could it be that leaving some sort of legacy might be more important at this stage in their lives than earning a quick buck?
Ttg:
I respectfully disagree with your post at 367 from previous previous. I disagree with it on almost every possible level with the exception that I do think you might have a point in that a bolder manager than Wenger might be needed to implement the required change considering this tenure at the club.
You mention that your friends in the states describe Kronke management as being βmediocreβ.
From where I sit β I see a man who silently became a 10% shareholder in the club amidst allegations that βhis typeβ wasnβt needed or wanted round here. To then becoming an integral part of the lock down β to outmanoeuvre and freeze out Russiaβs richest man. He obviously developed personal relationships with the other shareholders, especially Fisman. So much so β he has been trusted as a custodian of the club and its future when Fisman made him majority shareholder. He has appointed Gazidis who has since renegotiated the Emirates Sponsorship deal amid strong rumours of a new shirt deal in the midst of a historical backdrop of commercial ineptitude and negligence.
Now I donβt know how Kronkeβs businesses in the states are run β but these moves and manipulations certainly donβt strike me as the actions of a βmediocreβ man.
Swiss cottage?
Joe, made me laugh even though you never meant to π
Andy Goram – bleedin’ marvellous, it was. 8)
Joe,
You are welcome to what are very considered opinions and I am entitled to believe that Kroenke is regarded as someone who will never develop a major winning franchise in the States. He has a string of average teams in different areas . Your praise for Gazidis who has assembled an extraordinarily expensive marketing team to position one of the stellar names in English and possibly world football at a level that only reflects what they should have been earning for years is wildly premature. He has overseen a significant rise in salaries to very little effect and allowed key players to enter the last year of their contract. He is also thought by a number of people at the club to be a much less deft negotiator than David Dein.
Kroenke has benefited from not being as scary as the Uzbek and if PHW invests his faith in you it is hardly a sign that you are either competent or visionary.My info on Kroenke comes from friends who are both Englishmen living in the States and US sports fans who know much more about Gridiron and Baseball than football and none of them have much of a regard for Kroenke. Mediocre was a deliberately pejorative term because I want an owner who invests more than money in the team I love.
Why is he not taking a profit? Because he wants to build a legacy at a club he hardly ever comes to see- really? Or because he sees huge commercial value in owning a franchise ( that’s what the Americans call it) in the capital of the country with the richest League in the world. With the new TV contract Arsenal are hardly going to dip in value so I think his decision is based on sensible pragmatism.
Interesting on MOTD2 to see them praising Spurs for being brave and playing a high line when we were castigated for exactly the same thing last week by Hansen. With players like Sturridge and Suarez running in behind I thought they almost equalled us in defensive incompetence the only difference being than Vertonghen recovers much more quickly than ours did last week.
Joe,
Thanks for the reply.
I admire your optimism regarding our owner, but have to agree with ttg, who has saved me a lot of time by writing his reply first.
I bow to his knowledge and contacts within American sport and agree with his analysis of the English / home situation.
I take your points regarding Kroenke / availability of funds / relationships with other shareholders, but I guess it all comes down to interpretation.
What I mean by that is that there has, for four years, been a huge discrepancy between what Arsene Wenger has said he intends to do in each transfer window, and what he has actually done.
Assuming he is not repeatedly deliberately lying to the fans, there do not seem to be too many explanations for that.
To my mind, things are not quite as straight forward behind the scenes as we are led to believe.
It is only a gut feeling but there it is.
On the occasions we have bought players, the cost of doung so has been almost exactly matched by departures at the same time. I can’t remember the last time we had a net spend during a season.
Maybe it is all down to Wenger, we’ll just have to agree to disagree.
Personally, I think ttg’s point about legacy is an excellent one.
Where is the evidence of any relationship between Kroenke and The Arsenal to make me believe he is trying to create a legacy ?
Joe and TTG,
I was one of the ones that joined in on the “mediocre” discussion.
I agreed that most of Kronke’s American franchises have performed in the mediocre to poor range with his ownership. That is not all down to him. I also tried to clarify where American sports are different than world football. Specifically that we have a ” playoff” system in almost all of our major sports that can reward mediocrity. When I say mediocrity I mean that a team with a winning percentage of .500 can get into the playoffs and possibly win the whole thing. It is one that does not crown a champion based on their entire season but rather uses a regular season to determine seeding for the ” cup” competition that crowns the champion. Another stark contrast in we have franchises and no relegation. You finish last? Well, you actually get to stay in the league and you usually get the option of drafting the best young talent first.
All of this makes for a very different sports environment here in the states.
Where do I think that leaves ol’ Stan? Well. I think he is in it for the long term. I think he sees his sports teams as a ” safe ” investment where the valuations on the teams are always increasing. He has made his money (and he is married to a Walmart heiress) so theses are places where I think he feels he can invest and watch a steady maturation of his money. He probably won’t take money out of the club or saddle them with debt because he doesn’t need to. He has working capital and is not overly aggressive.
I think he would only consider selling if he thought the valuation was significantly overvalued ( see the BS number “reported” by the consortium) or if he no longer saw a long term rise in sports team valuations ( not likely given people’s need for this mode of entertainment).
I wish we had was someone in the clubs management that had the business knowledge and showed some passion and desire to kick on from here and get things right. Reshaping the team every year is not working.
Hey Trev.
I guess I too agree with you. Stan wouldn’t be viewed as a problem ( I my eyes) if we had a more vocal passionate front man and a more transparent idea of what the hell is really going on at the club especially with the transfer budget.
Ttg:
Thanks for your response.
My praise for Gazidis emanates from the sheer ineptitude and negligence that this club has tolerated over its non existent commercial policy by comparison to other clubs with far lessor profiles. Why should we now criticise a man who seems to have allocated the appropriate attention/resources to addressing the problem – let alone yield results in the process..!! In terms of gauging this as βextraordinarily expensiveβ then please tell me exactly what aspect of football be it wages / management / sponsorships isnβt expensive or evenly remotely exists in the normal world? Iβd love to know!
In relation to the significant rise in salaries – this really is down to Wenger. Gazidis mentioned at the last AGM that there was a lot of fat to be cut on this front β and I believe he is silently driving that in the backround without putting Wengers nose out of joint publicly. We can certainly pay larger wages to top players β but not when we have sub standard players being paid large salaries in the backround. This βsocialist policyβ was down to Wenger β no one else!
Kronke benefited not because he wasnβt as scary β but because he read the situation better and had better personal skills. Some people say that the majority of big decisions in companies are based on emotion and not on facts/figures. Kronke completely outmanoeuvred Usmanov β and that was no fortuitous accident.
βOr because he sees huge commercial value in owning a franchise ( thatβs what the Americans call it) in the capital of the country with the richest League in the worldβ
Firstly β Iβm indebted to you in pointing out to me the definition of a Franchise (as the “Americans call it”, without your tuition β I would, no doubt, have struggled!). But donβt you think itβs an enormous risk in these times to think that Kronke could just turn around the capital club in London, a club that has never won a champions league, with an ageing manager, a squad needing serious investment amidst a climate of economic and financial turmoil? Wouldnβt it really be easier to crystallise the certain hundreds of millions in profit? Especially if you were so remote from the club as to not attend its games or so (un)certain in relation to the potential digitalization of the club with super normal TV profits in the future?
I am, btw, glad you mentioned Dein. As a matter of record – I have very fervently been in the minority pro-Dein camp on this Blog as many will attest.
Trev,
I do not bow to the βfriends of Ttgsβ or indeed his own knowledge of American Sports. Norcalβs following email outlines a different account. You just simply cannot compare English soccer to Amercian baseball or Amercian football at a performance level. You can say, as I have, that Kronke has a reputation of being a long term investor β and that simply is a fact. But to suggest that the performances of his βFranchisesβ in the states will reflect on how Arsenal will be run β is premature, disproportionate and unfair.
βWhat I mean by that is that there has, for four years, been a huge discrepancy between what Arsene Wenger has said he intends to do in each transfer window, and what he has actually done.β
I think Wenger is financially prudent and somewhat conservative and this is down to the Germanic influence of his Alsatian upbringing. I think that in many situations he has tried to purchase players and has been gazumped or let down or both. He wonβt overspend β and has a tendency in sticking with pre-existing players, a policy which has, largely worked out until now (arguably). The transfer market is a highly volatile place that is susceptible to the change and whims of Oligarchs and Sheihks. Last season he reputedly put 40m on the table for Mario Goetze after Cesc left. I ask you, how more ambitious could you possible be than to put that amount of money on the table for such a young player? Do you seriously think that Gazidis or Kronke influence who is brought in or who goes out? Do you seriously think Trev, that Wenger would tolerate that, even for one second?
In saying that I don’t entirely disagree with you. I just think Wenger changes his mind far too often – but then again there are so many other variables that change as well! But one thing I do believe: only one person makes the call as to who comes in or who goes out in this club – and that’s Wenger..!
Kroenke is just looking to flatter his portfolio. He made a bid on the 4th of March for the ‘Outdoor Channel’. Which features among other pastimes, the hunting of Lions, Cheetahs, Elephants (all endangered species). Steam is rising from my fingertips. Big sigh. TTG, wholeheartedly agree, I want someone who loves the game and appreciates our club’s rich history and tradition. And would it also be too much to ask, if that person were also humane.
Abb. Speaking of steam rising from your fingertips, what is that rising from the striped orange and white pole thingie.
http://www.slate.com/blogs/browbeat/2012/11/23/what_is_the_steam_rising_from_below_new_york_city_streets_our_latest_what.html
Certainly not steam coming out of Stan Kroenke’s right nostril??
Hey 8ball π His net worth is 2.8 bil. He is thought to be America’s 8th largest landowner (864,000 acres) and yet he doesn’t make the list of the top 50 philanthropists in the US. His charities include Gridiron and supporting Republican ideology. He is a collector of hunting trophies and sporting clubs, what a guy. To be blunt, Arsenal is his Viagra. Enough said from me π
Morning all,
Another work week beckons for some of us, even if the rest of you are gallivanting off to Munchen.
Hello abb.
Sounds like our Stan is silent for all manner of reasons…
Just a work day here, ‘holic, although it might be a busy one π
Abb “I want someone who loves the game and appreciates our clubβs rich history and tradition”
Well we all want that Abb. In fact, ideally – I would not want anyone owning the club at all..! Its the fans who will forever own the Club in that context irrespective of who the majority shareholder is!
But I’m no voicebox for Kronke. I’m just pointing out that some of things he has done so far to date – are not as bad as others who have taken over high profile clubs. And I say that irrespective of his views on endangered species, political persuasions or whether he flosses his teeth or not……..!
Abb, interesting stuff on Stan the “Man”.
If he doesn’t start sorting our club out he’ll soon have a white elephant to add to his collection.
And as for shooting Cheetahs, he could start with Gareth Bale.
Seems Silence may not be quite so golden when it comes to our Stan.
It’s all snowy’s fault anyway, Trev. Top man ruining the club.
Snowy aaht!
Morning All
Trev @ #211 – I think Kroenke is very much trying to create a legacy…. for Josh and Whitney Ann.
I have a good vibe about Wednesday, just a feeling we’ll do something a bit special although I very much doubt that we’ll progress to the quarters.
Up The Arse everybody.
Joe @ #220
Good points although I’m unsure about SK’s oral hygiene practices. He is almost angelic in terms of his ownership when compared to Gillett & Hicks, The Glazers, The Venkys, etc.
The chances of a genuine football enthusiast or even a Gooner owning our club ever again are probably remote. I think the same is true of fan ownership. We crossed that bridge a long time ago.
I don’t know, TS, if all the billionaires decide to walk away, fan ownership may be the way forward, seems to be working fine in Germany.
(if I had the money though, of course I’d try to buy the Arsenal, but there is absolutely no scenario that makes it possible, even if I were to play and win the Lottery, it wouldn’t be enough money, heh!)
Surely the Silent can do far better on his choices in the barbering and tailoring areas. I refer you to exhibit 1:
http://images.teamtalk.com/07/10/800×600/StanKroenke_579514.jpg
You will not that exhibit 1 does not address the issue of the Silent’s oral hygiene. However I refer you on that score to the earlier statements of Witness Abb.
Or was that Joe who brought up the issue of the man’s despicable oral hygiene? π
Trev, you will laugh and I don’t know how I did it, but my keyboard has gone qwerty on Word (not on Firefox though, as you can see π ).
Don’t remember how to get it back to azerty π grrrr
Ollie- Yes, in that or a similar ‘major shift’ scenario, then schemes like fan ownership could emerge as a way forward although the damage caused by all the money pulling out of PL football would probably lead to some significant damage i.e. there may not be that much left to salvage. Personally, I hope for some kind of compromise scenario where the super-wealthy and fan ownership organisations can co-exist for the long-term benefit of the club. Actually, all I really care about right now is how we’re going to re-build/re-shape our squad into a highly competitive one.
Heh! @ 8ball.
TS @ 224:
Thats exactly my point.
In retrospect, I think we were fortunate to get Kronke when you look at some of the morons out there. Or to put it another way which might be more accurate, I think Fisman chose Kronke after careful deliberation!
Anyway – the prospect of having an owner who has been a life long fan might not be so romantic or be the best thing for the club. Take Piers Morgan for example…… We could replace the scouting network with some phone hackers and have an X factor competition to bring in new recruits…! Piers could be a “Judge” on the panel…! Afterall, this self sustainment lark is boring and somewhat passΓ©.
Joe
P.Moron is a hot-air specialist. A commentator. A sound-byte perfectionist. Thank Dennis that he will never put his money where his cake-hole is, not that he has that kind of wealth.
My thoughts exactly TS..!
Liking your thinking Joe !
I suggest you refer your phone hacking ideas to Feelgood – although he’s probably doing it already.
As for your “Take Piers Morgan ……”
No!! You take him ! π
TS, I actually share your positive thoughts about Wednesday.
Ollie, if you can’t manage a keyboard, what hope for the ReSt oFuS ?! π
No RibΓ©ry tomorrow.
I mean Wednesday π
Massive heh @231, gave me a right good laugh.
Ollie, well technichally you were right@235 – he won’t be playing tomorrow either π
“Technichally”? It seems watching LFC-Spurs yesterday gave my writing a Scouse accent…
Calm down Lars, calm down, calm down π
Ehhhhh, oooz tha’ Shweedish fella torchin Scouse den ? π
Afternoon all,
Good stuff above from all sides of the debate – Joe, Trev, NorCal and Ttg.
I have to agree with TS – I think the horse has bolted in terms of Fan Ownership, at least in this country.
As regards our current ownership, I remain firmly agin Usmanov for reasons that have nothing to do with what he may or may not do for Arsenal.
I can’t say I think much of Stan, both in the lack of transparency in his vision for Arsenal going forward, or his syrup.
Whilst I don’t blame Stan for not inviting the Uzbeki to the table (why invite someone in when all he wants to do is piss on your chips?), the current stasis that the stalemate between the two provokes is clearly unhealthy.
I suppose the optimum from my point of view is for a third party (presumably arabs) to buy out both of our shareholders, and hope that FFP has enough teeth to prevent them from turning us into another Chelsea/Man City.
Anyways, … count me in for the Band of Brothers who really enjoyed Liverpool’s win yesterday. I was absolutely amazed at the reaction of some (on twitter) who said that it was futile celebrating unless we win next weekend. That might be so, but next weekend will look after itself, for better or worse. In the meantime we need the LWCs to lose. They lost. I celebrated. Good also to see that the defeat drove Monkey boy to drink.
https://pbs.twimg.com/media/BFCEgQqCMAA1jhD.jpg
Brings a whole new meaning to “out on the piss”!
I also have the same feeling as TS re the game in Munich this week. We are always at our best with our backs against the wall. To qualify for the next round might be a stretch too far, but I think we’ll make a game of it, and win on the night.
You heard it here second π
Or you are turning into Shteve, Larsh.
@ various re fan ownership:
If that legendary wallet of Lars’ is left alone for a while ….
But I can only dream.
Happy Mondays to y’all.
Big chuckle at Swiss Cottage, Joe, but other then that a great post.
Excellent retorts from Trev & TTG, with a nice mediation from NorCal.
I must say I tend to side more with the opinions of Joe on this one. I can’t see that SK has done much wrong since his takeover, bar not being the most gregarious chap in the world. I’d take him over the Venckys, Glazers, Fenways or Oliegits any day of the week.
The late Mr Fiszman sold his shares, two days before he passed away, to SK because he belived that Arsenal would be in good hands under his stewerdship, that’s a pretty big vote of confidence if you ask me. SK used his own money to buy those shares, not by leveraging the club and to my knowledge is yet to take a penny out. His major problem is perception, what with the ticket prices rising and the quality of the general fare on show decreasing…. But is this his fault? I think it isn’t.
He doesn’t interfere with team policy, on any level, he leads that up to AW. Maybe (and this is pure speculation) he refused to sanction a ridiculous pay rise to keep RvP happy, but I very much doubt it even got that far, skunky wanted out, skunky left.
The one factor that makes it hard to truly decide who’s to blame about our decline in fortune is the whole smoke and mirrors around the percieved transfer chest. How much can we realisticaly spend? None of us know, but the noises coming from out of the club is that there has always been money to spend (mirror), but then comes the Wengerism, only on super quality (smoke). Confusing and frustrating in equal measures.
I strongly believe that this is the bosses team, he signed the players, trains them and picks them, as far as that is concerned, if we fail the buck should/must stop at him. That said, I believe the board is still 100% behind him and it would take a major fan revolt before anything would change.
The one point (from Joe) I slightly disagree with is with regards to the effectivness and impact that Mr Gazidis has had. Admitedly he took over from a team that did virtually nil, yet I think he should of achieved more with the time and recources he’s had. It may not seem it at the moment, but we are still one of the biggest names in football on the planet, commercialy though, we still fall short.
heh, great pic, tabs.
(and thankfully blogs and his larger audience made that point about enjoying Spu*s defeat too, oh hang on who am I kidding? Of course the Daily Mail has a larger audience! π ).
Backs against the wall Wolfie ?
That’ll ruin your fun. π
Souvenir of my previous trip to Germany : )
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=j6Lk7pMxynM&feature=player_embedded
heh Trev
Fair enough H2H.
It’s all really been said. For the record I was against a mega rise for RvP, and don’t want Olliegarchs either.
The rest is just repetition – I’ll spare everyone that.
Heh Ollie π
Off to read Blogs now, always a voice of reason that lad. Has The Daily Mail got a bigger readership than Blogs? Must be pretty close now I would have thought.
Heh Trev π
Tabs,
Wouldn’t ever want the petro dollars involved whether they be Sheikhs or Russian Oligarchs. These people have spent their lives living in a bubble because they’ve always got what they wanted or walked over people to get it. Abramovich has interfered with the way the club has been run and his involvement has effected the game as a whole and not for the better. The Sheikhs have committed huge sums to the Eastlands project but everything associated with the club – the players, the mascot (Vieira) and the Manager cut pretty nasty and pathetic figures. No basic values or philosophy……..no class whatsoever. Not a fit for AFC methinks.
H2H,
I take your point about Gazidis – if anything, I would have been somewhat critical of not reigning Wenger in somewhat and diluting his power at the club. But the truth is, no one knows exactly what goes on behind the scenes. In relation to the newer deals – in this regard I do feel he has been dealt a pretty poor hand in that there was little or nothing he could have done to change things earlier considering that most of those deals were already in place and tied down until 2014. But at least now there seems to be some serious movement in changing all that!
tabs
Heh! @ Bale’s drinking habits.
Yesterday’s loss for the Middlesex Apologists (copywright @arsenalgent) was indeed worthy of celebration. What’s not to like?
We have 5th in our hands. We might get 4th or even 3rd but the only way we can do it is if we finally put in a consistent run of positive results and if the other two clubs lose and draw a few games each.
Therefore, like you, every time one of that lot slip-up, I’m going to enjoy it, not that I need much of an excuse to enjoy watching Garottenham Hotsbale (copywright @arsenalgent) or the Bus-Stop Dwellers struggle.
Frank frank @244, Lars’ wallet does NOT need to be left alone, even for two seconds, for it to be able to buy Arsenal. If the big man wills he will do it.
Yep, agreed with Blogs. I would even go further. As Ollie and I discussed on twitter last night, Tottenham losing is always a source of satisfaction, even if we were both mid-table, and nothing rested on their result. The way I see it, the only reason that Tottenham exist is to give me an excuse to celebrate when they lose.
Much as I hate to admit it, (and don’t tell Lars), I am more pessimistic about overhauling Tottenham this time round than I was at any point last season (including the 15/20 mins that we were 2-0 down to them at the Ems). AVB is a very different beast to a self-promoting self-excusing twitchy one, and I struggle to see us garnering the necessary wins (8?) from our remaining 10 games required to overhaul them. I certainly haven’t given it up, anything can happen, but it certainly looks a very steep mountain to climb right now.
That said, it is worth remembering that whatever happens, whether we get to celebrate St Totteringham’s day or not, some flags will never be taken down.
https://pbs.twimg.com/media/BES5dKgCIAAuBTL.jpg
Tabs,
π @Bale drinking.
I have to admit to wondering what the hell you must have googled to find that ?!?!?! π π π
All mountains look steep from the bottom Tabs.
Just wait ’til we’re half way up.
Work for me ’til 8.00.
Laters Holics π
Araight, araigh, araiiight… ‘ere’s me twobob’s weerth of openien, liche:
Why would anyone not be happy about Spurs losing yesterday? If we want to finish fourth or even third, the teams above us have to start dropping points for us to even have a theroetical chance to do that. And when it’s Spurs and through one gigantic goal-keeping cockup and then a stupidly conceded penalty, how miserable must you be to not find some enjoyment in that? Maybe (even probably, in all honesty) it was all for nothing but at least we got a bit of a laugh out of it.
Joe,
I don’t disagree with you re the petro dollars, hence my FFP caveat. I’m not as sure as you however that there is such a massive difference between Kroenke and those you describe. I am grateful to him for keeping Usmanov sidelined. That’s about as far as it goes for me though.
TS,
Completely agree.
Exactly Lars.
I don’t get the people that can’t celebrate a Sp*rs loss. Do you hate Christmas too? How’s about puppies?
I watched the game live, I enjoyed the Tots defeat so much that I watched on MoTD2 too, I even listened to the so called expert anaylisis. Suffice to say that it gave me so much plesure I was even (just about, mind) able to tolerate the so called comedian and Jason Roberts. I was one happy sad basterd.
Please note the format of the cover photograph π
http://www.visionsp.co.uk/gloryglorynights/
Sad basterd here too. Watched parts of the game despite getting the Malocchio from Ivana since it was my daughter’s birthday. Always love to see those fools cock-up.
Cheers all.
Everyone going to Germany, have a blast.
The Arsenal – Bordeaux connection;
http://www.premierleague.com/en-gb/news/news/2012-13/mar/french-politicians-impressed-by-arsenal-stadiums.html
Olliegarch, heh. Aww, come on, you’d accept me if I were a multi-billionaire π
tabs 255 at the start, indeed. Sorry was too busy to re-specify it, but that indeed needs to be added to blogs’ bit.
I’m with you no the rest of the post too.
I have full confidence in Spu*s dropping more points, but I don’t have much in us getting the necessary points, simply basing myself on the season’s performances thus far.
Hope I’ll be proved wrong.
Trev, the Bale picture was on twitter π
THanks for the link, H2H.
New Bordeaux Stadium could look very good.
Although unlike Highbury vs The Grove, it’s moving to a completely different area.
Indeed Ollie, completely agree.
Tottenham ain’t all that (even though they should have won y’day). The big question is whether we are good enough to take advantage of their slip-ups.
Any kind of result in Munich this week would be a great morale booster for the challenges that lie ahead.
Nice link H2H.
Allez Les Girondins!
Joe
Firstly my apologies for a slightly (and unwittingly) pretentious phrase about franchises. I did not mean to imply that you would not be aware American sport was run this way rather that because there is a more dispassionate approach to ownership the owners treat clubs more like commodities,
I was very much coming from the same direction as Trev and I was endebted to a very helpful outline from NorCal who made some great points about US sport which while we may know don’t always occur to us as a reason for different thinking. I’ve often come across this in business too.
I do sense some shared views. It looks pretty damn obvious to me that since Dein went the club has lost a lot of desire and direction especiially in football terms and I also believe Wenger has veased to show the sort of desire coupled to dynamism that we need,his judgement seems very inconstant. I’m amazed to read “Arsenal scouts have been despatched to watch …. whoever it may be when the player has been in our sights for years. He signed Freddie Ljungberg on the basis of seeing him roast England on the TV the week before. That sort of spontaneous judgement seems lacking to me now .Perhaps Dein was someone who could galvanise or buttress Wenger’s judgement? Anyway that sort of fast on his feet reaction will be needed if we are to grab some of the best bargains in the window
I suddenly find myself selfishly happy-ish about the FA Cup, as it looks like I may have to be in Qatar earlier than I wish, so would have to miss Wigan anyway…. Hope they win the Cup π
I hope I can make QPR away….
http://www.francefootball.fr/#!/news/2013/03/11/144549_un-match-interrompu-par-une-fouine.html
If you haven’t seen this ad for gloves, you must see it now π
Haha, excellent Ollie π π
Brian Mcdermott sacked by Reading apparently.
Another absolutely fucking ridiculous decision made by a football Club owner.
9 games to go! Tossers.
I’m not sure what these chairman expect from their managers, it’s not like he was given a blank cheque book and told keep us in the division at all costs. He worked on a shoestring and had a team punching way above their weight. They did better then a lot (including me) expected.
Just goes to show, be careful what you wish for when it comes to who runs your club.
McDermott sacked? :s
Football really is mental.
Can anyone explain me how Tony Pulis is still in a job?
Not me.
Pullis has got all the Orc army brainwashed into thinking he is doing a good job. He talks crap and has them believe that he is punching above his weight even though he has a net spend more than Arsenal the past few seasons.
Shit football with shit results they deserve him.
To get rid of Pulis, I believe a ring has to be thrown into a certain fire…………..
I’m not sure though.
What can we learn from Chelsea and Reading?
Well, how’s about not to go Russian into managerial changes.
McDermott is an ex- Gooner who has done a fine job at Reading. The problem is that the financial attractions of being in the Premier League are so enormous that club owners put all their chips on someone coming in and making an enormous difference.
Reading haven’t got the quality to stay in the EPL imho but they have improved significantly and have a great chance to come straight back up as they have not spent stupidly this season. Adkins was also sacked very unfairly by Southampton and frankly clubs who behave like that don’t deserve a great deal of sympathy.Redknapp may save QPR but if he doesn’t will they be another casualty of the ‘ Arry jinx? Pity it never happened to Tottenham .
Re: Ollie @274. Some people seem to think a fouine is a weasel. However, those in the know seem to disagree saying it is rather a stone marten.
http://dictionary.reverso.net/french-english/la%20fouine
Either way, I wouldn’t expect Gervinho to be able to handle one of those with any poise whatsoever, with or without gloves. π
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