O2, Don’t Misread The Signals
Oct 30th, 2013 by 'holic
So any post-match fears were well-founded. Chelsea arrived, not with the development squad promised by their slimeball of a manager, but with a first team squad eleven and a plan designed to wrestle the initiative from our first team squad eleven.
In the world of petro-dollars and gazfunds we know who assembles the stronger secondary line-up on paper, but that needn’t have been the deciding factor tonight.
Arsenal fielded an aggressive midfield of Aaron Ramsey, Jack Wilshere, and Tomas Rosicky, supplemented by Santi Cazorla on the left. There is little point bemoaning the absence of Arteta, Flamini, and even Diaby. That combination should have had the quality to open up better sides than the one Chelsea fielded on the night.
That it didn’t got laid firmly at the door of Mathieu Flamini and Nicklas Bendtner. In the modern day there must be reasons and scapegoats. The absence of the former and the admittedly poor performance of the other provided the easy appraisal of a bad result.
Let’s accept on the night that had we produced the performance Chelsea did away to a top, top team then we would be drooling about our prospects. Such praise would be dangerous based on one performance. Let the deserved blue triumph serve as motivation to secure the win when we come face to face at Christmas and valuable points are at stake for the major prize.
Chelsea can field a team under such circumstances that cost more than our entire squad, but to use this as an excuse is to miss the point that they are no more match-fit than those we fielded. Tonight we could have competed better, and the fact we didn’t will be one for Arsene and his staff to work on before Liverpool arrive for the clash of first and third in the Premier League on Saturday.
I’m not sure Liverpool could field a first choice midfield to match Ramires, Essien and Mikel. Tidy defensive shields all, which tells you much of Mourinho’s tactics tonight. We’ll give him this one, and mug him later.
Perspective is required right now. Saturday may or may not lead to a different assessment of where we are. What happens in the new year depends on so much more than we might believe tonight.
One competition down, three to go.
We ARE top of the league.
370 Responses to “O2, Don’t Misread The Signals”
not sure why, but more than a little disappointed with the outcome. didn’t get to watch it, but from all i was hearing and reading, chelsea won at the canter. maybe worried about what it really says about our squad depth and that we are depending on bendtner as cover right now for giroud.
Well said Guv. Agree with every word.
Apologies, I am a tedious obsessed wanker who won’t go and visit my doctor
Excellent perspective as ever, ‘holic. The important thing is for the players to keep perspective and their eyes on the bigger prizes.
Not fussed about the competition too much but we seemed overawed and lacking in cohesion tonight. I saw quite a few goal-scoring opportunities present themselves but with the players up top being so static tonight they went unconverted. It was like the worst of 2011-2012 season when we just passed the ball around the 6 yard box until we lost it without even having a shot on goal.
I was surprised to see Ramsey and Wilshere starting tonight because I felt fresher players were definitely needed in midfield.
The most disappointing thing is not losing but the way we basically gifted goals from our own corner (wtf, again?) and from a situation that should have been dealt with much better.
Ah well, no new injuries and a chance to get at Liverpool this weekend and show them who’s boss!
We spoke about perspective recently when talking about our impressive start to the season. Our last 2 home games have seen us play 2 top sides. On both games we have had the majority of the possession. What is a concern is that over both games we have managed only 3 shots on target in total. Something that needs to be addressed I would suggest??
I think what rankles most in the defeat is that it was at the hands of Mourinho. A bad defensive error and a good strike was the difference between two not unevenly matched teams. If that had been a league match that ended 0-0, it might have been considered a fair result. But Mourinho knows how to throw a wet blanket over a game. I don’t think it could be said that Chelsea won at a canter, but equally they never really looked like losing. But this was the phony war. Wait until the league games.
CoR, I, too, would have liked Hayden to start in midfield and one of Ramsey and Wilshere to have been on the bench.
TGSTEL was a disappointment. Body language looked woeful, and an almost penitent desire to pass the ball even when a shot would have been the better choice. Made one realise how good OG is at the lone striker role.
Apologies, I am a tedious obsessed wanker who won’t go and visit my doctor
Stealing monikers now. Do fuck off.
Sorry Holic. I’ll take my card, but MNB is like Joey Barton, too stupid to know he’s the idiot.
A response against Liverpool is what matters. Anything but a full flowing effort and all the critics will circle. We won’t win every game but it is time to rally the troops if we are serious contenders.
Ok Holic, I see what you did here. You exposed our excuses in a very cold and clinical manner. And what’s even more chilling, is you are absolutely right. On paper, it looked a very decent selection. Should have done better. Then, towards the end of your piece, the right side of your brain kicked in (just in time), and you gave us hope 😉
For how many years will being naive in our defensive frailties and repeating the same mistakes be acceptable.
1,2, 5, 9 years or is this just a continuous excuse.
How long will wilshires poor decision making and poor passing be acceptable…. Until he is 35 or longer.
How many years and how many mistakes can jenkinson make while he is learning not to be naive ….. Until he is also 35.
Wenger is a slow learner also.
He has had 9 failed years to produce nothing except a great purchase in Ozil.
Apologies, I am a tedious obsessed wanker who won’t go and visit my doctor
Apologies, I am a tedious obsessed wanker who won’t go and visit my doctor
I don’t like Bourinho, and I dislike it even more occasions like these, but like someone said above, this is a phony war, and we’ll trash them 5-0 (I would like us to, it’s not impossible). To the Big Three.
Apologies, I am a tedious obsessed wanker who won’t go and visit my doctor
Won’t the real H2H please stand up, please stand up! The doppelganger is getting boring.
Öskar
Apologies, I am a tedious obsessed wanker who won’t go and visit my doctor
As long as we keep making schoolboy errors we will come up short in these games.What Wenger fails to comprehend is that Mourinho knows exactly how to nullify Arsenal and he should shake it up a bit to surprise him.Te top,top teams simply doesnt make as many grave mistakes as Arsenal both the first and the second goal were avoidable but this is Arsenal so why not serve them on a platter.Our defensive prowess has been lauded lately but it was nothing compared to Chelsea last night they defended like we wish we could defend.
Danish gooner you are spot on. Wenger is so predictable and he makes out players styles so predictable only the midtable coaches and lower dont figure it out.
Mourinho and klopp and ferguson eat his plans for breakfast
Danish is back.
That can only mean one thing……
I’m afraid some of the comments made above really do show why the democracy of the internet is so wrong. Dome people are wholly incapable of forming any kind of logical argument. And it just becomes tedious for the rest of us.
That Chelsea team was frightening – 10 changes and they fielded basically a first XI. Wow.
What I liked when Giroud came on is that he had a crack on target at the first chance he got. NB didn’t do a lot wrong, but he lacked the want-to-score that strikers need, which was the same problem with Chamakh.
What’s clear now is that Jenkinson won’t be our long term number one, unless he does a Ramsey. Which is possible of course. A willing squad member – our own Steve Harper if you will.
Chelsea are outright title contenders with cover (hell, even double cover) for each position on the pitch. On a knockout cup they will always b favorites, but in a league where u take a game at a time,, well, thats a tad different… depth matters but no more than consistency. Man u have being winning it on second gear for years. Its not all despair;
for once i agree with piers morgan to sell TGSL on january 1st and get a suitable cover for giroud.
Top of the league
heh, good pun ‘holic
What a load of bitter claptrap. ..you were well hammered in frknt of your quiet fans…I swear I saw Ozil and Giroud..out and the rest of your first team..losers
Cheers ‘holic.
Oh and jizzed on Broom Handle. Answer me one straightforward question;
Where were you, when you were shit?
Mouthy no class, no mark wanker, like the rest of your must have the numbers muppets.
I know it’s been said already, but I’ll add my tuppence….
No idea why first team players (bar Santi) were on the pitch tonight for a nothing game against what was clearly likely to be a better XI. This was an evening for second stringers to play their way into form, and for the over-stretched first XI to put their feet up and take a well earned rest. The game at the weekend should have been the focus.
Instead, we ended up with Jack, Rambo, Ozil and Giroud all out on the pitch, risking injury and knackering themselves to chase a lost cause, in the hope of extra time, which would only have knackered them even more.
We have still not learned when to rotate. I love the manager, but he needs to be more pragmatic in these situations; assess a run of tough games and decide that one needs to be sacrificed for the good of the rest. Or that a draw at home against Dortmund would have sufficed. We don’t need to go chasing after a win every time, we need to be a bit more savvy than that. Personally, I’d have played the tea lady last night.
Beyond that, I thought the players all worked hard and I’m loathe to criticise them. I’m just glad we didn’t pick up any more injuries, because we are looking really stretched going into a vital period and the prospect of, say, Ramsey tweaking a hamstring is actually quite scary at this juncture.
On to Liverpool then. Massive game, massive opportunity to stamp our authority on the title race. Also a huge game bearing in mind the two that follow.
COYG
Heh @ “hammered”
At least we’re not owned, staffed and watched by utter cnuts. You can shove your oil money up your arse sonny Jim – you’ve won feck all that wasn’t won by cheating, whatever you might tell yourselves. Come back and talk to us when you’ve won major honours without the benefit of a massive dirty cash enema.
Your club icon is a racist inbred, your manager would be at Utd right now if they’d have had him and your stadium is a crumbling shithole.
Well done on last night.
Eloquent, eloquent N7 @ 30 🙂 Nicely put.
Can’t add to Holics point of view. Interesting atmosphere in the ground. I wonder if opening up the top tier of the Clock End was a test of future plans to relocate visiting fans up there? Caused a huge queue of Chelski fans outside the ground before kick off and a fairly massive smelly outpouring at the end, closely akin to the mess in my neighbors back yard when his septic tank overflowed last August.
Soft goals to lose and sharper shooting necessary on the night. We weren’t without chances. The more important games start on Saturday. Be there or be square.
Surprised to see Jack and Rambo in the starting lineup. Like N7 says, I would just let the young gunners play along with maybe TR7 and Santi.
It is natural to think chelsea is superior to us because they won. Actually apart from the 2 avoidable goals, its is quite a even match, though their passing is better. Fabianski does need to make a save apart from their goals.
I notice that we lost our calmness without Per. Vermalean seems to want to do more on his rare opportunity, but he is too aggressive.
Jack is not doing any better than a Esfeld or Zalalem , so it is a pity he wasted his 90 min of stamina , better saved for the Lpool game.
The mix of half first teamers with half youngster is not good. We should start all youngster (with TR7 and Santi). Maybe their youthful fearless spirit may return a better result.
It is a blessing in disguise that we lose this one, the only regret is that we waste the energies of too many our first teamers.
Looking forward to Saturday.
I really really hate Chelsea and everything they stand for. It was only the League cup but there is no denying that yesterday hurt
It was disappointing, but I’ll take last night over a Bradford/Birmingham situation any day. Now to take down Hannibal Suarez and co on Saturday.
I cannot get my knickers in a twist about this game except that I hate to lose and I hate to see Maureen happy.
However but for Jenks’ error gifting them the goal and allowing them to control the manner of the subsequent game – parking the bus, blunting our (admittedly TGSTEL52-blunt) attack and hitting us on the break (Maureen’s default position v Arsenal for years), we went toe to toe with an expensively assembled team who on the night played well, produced one excellent goal and deserved their win.
TGSTEL52 looked unfit and ring-rusty and ultimately dispirited. His time at Arsenal is long since past and we have to hope that we don’t have to rely on him again this season.
In truth we do not have the squad to compete on 4 fronts. I was surprised that we played such a strong midfield but Arsene clearly knew Maureen was never going to play kids and it was vital we did not sustain a morale-crushing drubbing.
On to the real competitions. It’s vital we beat the Mugsmashers on Saturday and get something from the Dortmund game next week.
Courage mes braves.
baff knows
We truly are the worst defensive ball watchers and non player marking team in the epl.
Hence our constant school boy errors that lose us the big matches.
In the last few losses this season just watch jack watching the ball and following monreal across and leaving a huge hole in the middle to cause the first howling mistake by jenkinson (again) also watching nothin and fabianski not even moving in such a dangerous position.
Against dortmund, watch gibbs completely out of position so badly he cannnot even make an attempt to stop the score due to ball watching nothing.
Vermaelen always ends up going to ground from being in the wrong position for ball watching.
I coach 12 year olds not to do this, how do millionaires get it so wrong so often and not get benched. Amazing.
Like others on this forum it is really becoming very boring and painful to watch arsenal continue to be less then equal to the real top shelf world class squads.
Very depressing evening which underlined to me the fact that we don’t look tactically cute against the best teams. Until we beat a top side the flat track bully tag will persist and with some justification.
The really big error which was made in the very odd summer transfer window was not to recruit a top striker. The Arsenal world and his wife know this but it does suggest to me that what eventually transpired was serendipity and not planning. We didn’t plan to recruit either Ozil or Flamini but at least we reacted to their availability. I suspect Wenger was urged to buy Ozil by the Board – he’s too conservative to do it on his own.
The other question is Sanogo.A lad with an appalling injury record who has already been out for most of the season. Hopefully he is not another injury prone wreck from Auxerre. However good he is I hope we didn’t bank too much on him deputising for Giroud.
I said all I wanted to say about Bendtner last night but his languid approach to the game, lack of pressing, appalling first touch and general lack of any menace underlined he is coasting through his career and we need to offload him. Players like him poison the atmosphere at a club and have a negative effect in young players. Frankly if we cancelled his contract in January I would not shed a tear.
Wenger and Bould have to work on the psychology of the team this week. Put Tuesday behind us as a blip or an irrelevance and look to find a way if screening the defence effectively without Arteta. Suarez and Sturridge await and they are much better than Eto’o and Ba!
Yes Aussie, we clearly are. Not Sunderland or Palace. Arsenal.
Dear God.
@ TTG
I think Arteta is available at the weekend – one match ban served last night, unless I’m mistaken.
As I said to last night, I hope that result is seen as just a missed opportunity and not as a backwards step, it was a game with not too much really riding on it, Liverpool will be the game that they were focusing on and although I was surprised how many first team choices played, none of them really looked like it meant a lot to them either, and I reiterate on Bendy…..never………ever……EVER! play for Arsenal again.
On a side topic, I’ve known for some time that Arsenal fans in general and ‘holics in particular are a cut above the norm, and arsabeatbarca is most definitely one of the nicest people I’ve ever had the pleasure of chatting with.
Hopefully one day I will get to chat with a few more of you in person.
And into town I go, have a good day fellow gooners.
I thought that Jack played well last night, at least he played better in this position than on the wing.
When a team is closing you the middle of the pitch, you either try something from the flanks (which we aren’t no good at), or you try to dribble or pass quick one-twos through the middle.
That is what Jack was trying to do last night. If only he had someone like Flamini to cover him and Ramsey, there might have been a different result.
Look forward to that DG.
How much are we missing flamini right now…….
The rest has been said well by others.
We need klopp or someone who actually has a football strategy.
We are at best simply a slightly better then upper mid table team.
Every time we play the top sides we collapse under wengers
“No strategy” strategy.
Chelsea simply made us look like what we truly are –
A good quality top 4 or 5th spot team.
We will continue to have big long term injuries for key matches as wenger rushes unfit players back after we get beat by the top teams (again).
It will be interesting to see our defense handle suarez…..
‘We are at best simply a slightly better then upper mid table team.’
I think a Swansea fan has wandered in here by mistake…
Aussie talks like a lite version of someone else. Know what I’m saying. Tiresome at best.
It does my head in losing to that bunch of gold diggers, especially with Maureen at the helm. But then again he can call up an entire 2nd XI that can match our 1st team, and he will never countenance the thought of losing to us in a knockout, which is why he put out such luminaries of the Chelsea youth system such as, er, Eto’o, Essien, Ramires and Mata.
Anyway if we’re going to lose to them, let it only be in the CoC, I really hope we can up our game against them in the league.
Meanwhile, bring on the Pool. Can’t WAIT for this one.
BREAKING NEWS
All over the world there is a tidal wave of previously withheld emotions coming out. The joy of finally having something to moan about is causing widespread euphoria and reports are coming in from places as far apart as Denmark and Australia of dancing in the streets and incessant hammering away at keyboards.
There is widespread concern that this situation may escalate, but when asked about these latest developments, Mr G. Holic of Swindon University calmly replied “oh, don’t worry – Arsene will soon shut them up again” and proceeded to sip on his lunchtime pint of Guinness.
Jesus christ. Some people really will never be happy, will they?
Yes, yes. Rubbish against the big teams. Just forget that our long run of glory stretching back to last March included wins or draws against Bayern, Napoli, Spurs, Liverpool, Man Utd, etc.
Apparently the only ones who count as “big teams” are Chelsea and Dortmund. Oh, and don’t forget Villa. They must be a big team if they beat us, seen as that seems to be the only real qualifying characteristic.
Glad the BBC have got their finger on the pulse!
Apologies, I am a tedious obsessed wanker who won’t go and visit my doctor
Well, shit. How am I supposed to restrain myself from responding to such a skillful piece of trolling?
That ‘BBC report’ just made my day. Excellent stuff!
N7, did I ever get to tell you about the ‘Ignore shit till it fades away’ theory?
@ Cent
I hear ya – but it can be hard to do when my buttons have been so expertly pushed.
Seriously; a man on the internet is saying things that are wrong. How am I supposed to just ignore that?
N7, I admit it can be hard to ignore these things but when you understand the fact that these things have no interest in debate and are just trolling for the sake of it, you will then realise that they’re not worth a second of your time.
I’ve already forgotten about it.
Mickey Mouse cup, who cares, and we need to concentrate on the real Mickey Mousers on Saturday.
Could be a pivotal evening, even although it won’t be against a big team 🙄
zico knows @ #57. It’s been a bad news tourno for The Arse too many times down the years. Still, losing to that load of c*ntnuggets is slightly less embarrassing than crashing out to Bradford, I suppose.
The befores and afters made last night’s trip to The HoF very bearable. Having to listen to a bunch of chavvy twatspatulas sing “where’s your European Cup” took the shine off it.
Onwards and upwards to Saturday. Bring on the bin-dippers.
UTA!
N7, ‘man’ is an assumption too far.
N7
You are quite right I meant to put Flamini who is so key to our solidity. It will be a different game on Saturday and a good win will lift us. We are in a great position in the League and I think Chelsea will be the toughest opponents we will face this season. I fancy us to do well at United and in fact we will do better away from home because it suits our style . I remember very dark periods in seasons that ultimately ended in glory. I’ve wiped last night from the memory hard drive.
BBC knows!
Oh, wait. What?
Thank you, ‘H. Onwards and upwards, hopefully by Saturday at 7.15pm. For the less technologically/neurologically “ept”, what is the clever title pun all about please? I can see that Ollie has got it … :-).
TTG@38 on NB23. What a great idea – pay him off and let him go and find out what other clubs think he is worth (although I suspect he did that this summer). Or just go and get drunk in his sea of mediocrity.
All this talk about him having worked so hard to get fit etc etc was really exposed last night. If he’s fit, he’s useless – if he’s not fit, then he shouldn’t be wearing the shirt.
Jenks had a bad night too – not just the mistake on the back pass – he looked like he was struggling. Yet on other, bigger, occasions he’s really amazed me, so I’m happy to give him more time. His heart’s in the right place, whereas NB has no heart.
Let’s hope the first teamers had one eye on Saturday and were holding something back.
Whilst Mata’s goal came from a cracking shot, I doubt he would have been allowed it if Flamini or Arteta had been there. It came from exactly the area that they usually patrol.
But the worrying thing was the few real chances we created. Some improvement needed.
I’m struggling with it too, Poppet, but then I’m not technologically ept at all. 🙁
To beat a JM team , you either need
a. quality of the players Barca have
b. Very good wide players who can stretch them.
Without either of these it was always a no-go. A little disappointed with Bendtner but he was against one of the best CB pairings in Europe.
UTA.
Mourinho is an oxygen thief, is my guess (the title) 😉
Depressed, thank you! and we both agreed Pangloss was so very kind with his offer 🙂
Top work from the regulars here. Witt and brains.
I think Jenks, when called on last season, adapted quickly and generally did very well. His crossing was actually far better than Bac’s and his determination when attacking down the right wing was excellent.
Bac is still the better defender and, as such, has denied Jenks any playing time so far this term. Consequently, he was a bit off the pace and unsure of his touch last night.
We constantly hear about the importance of confidence to any player, from Fabianski to the mighty Özil. So give Jenks a break. We have seen this summer that inadequacy will no longer be tolerated in the squad – with the exception of Bendtner, who is only here because noone else across the European continent valued him as highly as he does himself – so someone clearly believes that Jenks currently looks good enough to eventually make the grade.
He is unlikely to grow in confidence sitting on the bench though, so he has to bide his time and we have to support him when he gets his occasional chances. Talk of getting rid of him at this juncture seems a touch premature, to be polite.
I hate losing to Che£ski, as we all do, because of what they represent, but I don’t wish to spoil any more time thinking about them.
Their arrogant executives, their spiteful, moaning manager, and their racist and chavvy players all deserve each other. Best to leave those to it that Cashley hasn’t managed to shoot.
Sajit – the issue is not the quality of the opposing CBs – the issue is NB’s inability to even let them know he was there, as we have seen with him so many times before. Yes, he’s scored some good, important goals for us on occasion but overall his performances show a player who is either not up to scratch or can’t be bothered.
Or both.
Poppet, the way I see it: O2 is the score, but also a mobile operator?
And so the signal(i.e. reception) is not always good?
Although it’s just about having O2 and a pun with signals rather than about bad signal.
Not so very technological 😉
That’s just the way I saw it, apologies if wrong, only ‘holic can tell us.
+ Trev (when the punmaster doesn’t get it, I fear I am completely wrong)
Good to hear Trev :-). *removes dunces cap*
You’ll be right Ollie, I’m sure, thank you – it makes sense now :-). I’m going to stick with thinking of it as a technological ineptitude, as that requires less introspection than my other option ;-).
Nice summary ‘h!
For all the doubting Thomas’ (and I don’t mean Michael) let’s wait till the Mugwashers post-mortem! Trolls and part-timers can just feck off!
This first 11 and the current squad are good enough to seriously challenge on only 2 fronts this season and not all four (i.e. the EPL and a “genuine cup”)!
Maureen is arguably the biggest cunt but so is Brendan Rodgers, so stuffing the deluded Mugwashers, remaining on top of the pile will be the perfect “pick-me up” tonic on Saturday before Dortmund away! COYBG!
Good report holic. Once more, sanity in a world gone mad.
Cheers, barman.
*now I am confused, heh*
Trev @67, well put lad!
The adage “practice makes perfect” applies in all areas of life from what I’ve fathomed over the decades! Now I think of it more deeply, so does the adage “use it or lose it”! Corporal Jenks will come good that I’m darn sure off! All the raw material is evident!
Hey Ollie, 0-2 =02 Very good! 🙂 Plus the techno stuff!
Please holics, wit is spelled with one ‘t’. But then YOU already knew that!
For all the doubters, the double is still well and truly on this term so man-the-feck-up! 😎
Woman-the-feck-up too! Alright Wolfie?! 😎
Hi ABB,
I hope that you are feeling well today.
The genius of Ollie eh – it makes total sense now :-).
xx
Right you are Dan C ! 🙂
Honestly, when we get our trio of awesome fire power back, we’ll be unstoppable!
Hi Abbs, how’ve you been m’dear? 🙂
Oh Poppet, didn’t see you pop up! Very well I am. Our visitors here gave me a good laugh! And Ollie is always one to learn from 🙂
Hey Dan C, always good to hear from you! You make proper sense, sir 🙂
Hi abb, if you want to learn nothing, I am good to learn from 😉
‘Poppet pops up’, on the other hand, is a good sound.
Cheers, glad to hear you’re well.
Heh Abb and Ollie – happy to provide alliterative entertainment :-).
Ah, it’s all clear now !
Thanks to our telecommunications expert for the technolOlliegical explanation. 😉
You too mon amie!
We’ve got a crackerjack couple of weeks coming up and they’ll tell us a great deal about our boys, good and bad! I’m opting for a good two weeks from what I’ve seen so far this term! Victoria Concordia Crescit!
@ Trev, Heh! TGSTEL-sque in it’s understated sharpness! 😎
New position on the board of DL Holdings,
Director of TechnOlliegy. 😉
Cheers DanC. 😉
@88,
Keep up that optimism – we’ll be DanCing in the streets. 😉
Afternoon all.
Yes, it’s me, and not that sad shagwhizz slurper mnb.
I didn’t particularly enjoy what I saw (admitedly not the entire game) last night, I wouldn’t say we were outplayed, more like nulified. The Chavs surrendered pocession and just let us come, but we lacked punch. That they just snubbed us out was pretty worrying, but not the end of the world when we consider certain members of the team.
I think it was a mistake putting so many first teamers in that line up, I understand Santi and Rosicky. Ramsey, Wilshere and Kos not so much The substitutions baffled me too, I really could not see the sense of risking OG and Ozil, two players that have looked jaded, for the sake of a twenty minute run out. Yes, it is good that Wenger took the tie seriously, but at what cost? Surely it is time to learn that sometimes you may have to lose a battle to eventualy win the war. If the introduction of the afore mentioned seemed strange, bringing Park on threw me completly through a loop, maybe AW thought it would send the Chavs into a state of shock rendering them unable to carry out basic functions, it certainly worked for me, unfortunatly against them not so much.
I am not going to go into knee jerk reaction, I think Aussie and Danish are the kings of the Ol’ Mother Brown Can Can and have shown when it comes to having a good old moan to push their own sad agenda they are the (helmet)cream of the crop. Spare a thought for these poor individuals, it must be absolute torture for them as fans of a club that are sitting on top of the league, I mean, can you imagine their pain? It must be excrutiating.
Would that be technollielogy director Ollie with the fetching Brollie that is partial to licking lollies?! Gollie me!!!
Hey Ollie and Poppet, rays of sunshine, both of you 🙂
Trev @ 92 OMG!
Was just at Chelsea, on twitter. Juan Mata is a class act. Gave his teammate (the one with the very long name!) all the credit. Hope he considers his options and finds a club that will treat him with some respect.
Very nice and succint summary H. Nice one´
Nudges the ball forwards…. (are we playing that game still?)
H2H @93
I can understand your concern in risking the first-teamers but I truly don’t think that any of the regulars, especially Ramsey and Kos, (and those that were subbed-on) really exerted themselves last night; they’ll be fine for the weekend. In addition, that lack of exertion was manifested in there being no “edge” or bite in the game from those lads (only 2 bookings both from Cuntski)! Onwards and upwards for the real matches! If a good DM had played last night the Cunts would never have scored; would’ve gone to pens! An outcome that I’m relieved never transpired!
Dr C We can multi task here. Nudges ball forward to …
H2H, hope repairs are going smoothly for you. xx
*kicks ball(s)*
Totally agree with H2H@ 93.
Just to add – we have an atrocious track record with injuries over the last 7 or 8 years. We all scratch our heads and wonder why it might be.
I honestly think that last night we got a bit of an insight into what might be causing part of the problem – when we should be resting players we choose to roll the dice instead. It’s only two seasons ago that we lost Andre Santos, at the time our only fit LB, to injury in a meaningless dead rubber champs league fixture he should have been nowhere near.
If we don’t trust the real fringe players enough to play in an early round Carling Cup game then let them go and replace them. Either way, let’s make sure that the likes of Giroud (whose fitness is critical for us and who has worked his nuts off since August) gets a full breather on occasions such as this and doesn’t even kit up.
Nice report ‘H, and top work to end up on an upbeat note.
Bad day at the office, (always tough when you fall behind to a Maureen side), but nothing more than that. It is not the end of the world, we have bigger fish to fry, and Arsene looks to have got the cooking oil bubbling nicely from where I’m sat.
When all is said and done, win lose or draw, we are still The Arsenal whilst Chelsea still have about as much chance of attracting the definitive article to their name as I have of becoming head of The Temperance movement.
On to the Mugsmashers.
And hope all well Abb.
tabs in the tabs position? Who’d have thought?, heh
Well in N7.
Good form on that assist Ollie! N7, nice one 🙂
Tabs, we are so happy to see you here!
Heh. Tabs as the head of the Temperance movement … I agree – no chance, forget alcohol, this is based on the hard time (aka spicy language) I was very pleased you directed at Mourinho yesterday from our handy “we’re behind you” seats – what a sight those matching tracksuits were …
TaBS. You weren´t rude to Maureen were you? Oh shame on you…
All about timing for the elusive 101 position Ollie. Well in N7 but the glory is mine 🙂
Hi Abb 🙂
Heh Poppet, couldn’t resist a few choice words aimed in Mourinho’s direction, the utter tramp. He definitely didn’t pass muster on the Wolfie fashionista test last night did he, and the point obviously needed to be made forcibly to him. You were a very bad influence on me in that regard 😉
Ooh, missed a lot today. All the best ‘holics have been here.
Excellent.
I shirley don’t know what you are talking about Tabs … I’m known for keeping my negative opinions to myself ;-).
Yes I noticed the demure way you dealt with the Chelsea fans Poppet 😉
Hey ‘H, saw you had the usual infestation from Canada last night. Looks like he is finally reaching some level of self-awareness given the repeated proclamation of his own need to see the Doctor 😉
Ollie assists and TaBs in the glory position (something he learned from Wolfie perhaps ) – the world has returned to its equilibrium.
I’m a bit late in my comments from last nights game – when you are retired you are far too busy & don’t have the time of you workers to spend at a keyboard 😉 – it was indeed a disappointing result but when you play with blunt instruments against a ultra defensive set up / mentality, it’s always going to be up against it.
I intensely dislike the special one and hate losing to them, what a perfect combination of him and Chav$ki, an utterly classless organisation and the absolute polar opposites of our set up.
The slagging off by some of Corp Jenks is absolute cock, he like any other youngster finding his way is bound to have an off day or two, especially when you don’t have a run of games to find a rhythm. They must have short memories to forget the good performances he has put in over the past year and they are probably the same people who were saying Ramsey should be nowhere near the team just a few weeks ago.
Lots of good comments from H2H, Dapper Dan, TTG, N7, CG and too many other regulars to mention. Excellent punnery form from Trev and good to see Abb on top form as well.
Agree with Dapper Dan C, I intensely dislike David Brentan Rodgers after a summer of his bull shit and look forward to stuffing his words so far down his throat they come out of the other end ( positive re-cycling).
Back to our maestro’s headline, O2 b a ……gooner 🙂
I might have been Dr C 😉
Mesut Ozil later told reporters, “I gave my jersey to Mourinho because he’s the best coach in the world and I love him like a father.”
Somebody should have a word with this fella. First of all, you don’t give an Arsenal shirt to a man like Mourihno. Nevah!
And secondly, Jose is not the best coach in the world – Wenger is.
@Uply,
Thanks fella!
I agree too regarding Corps Jenks; he’ll come good just like our Welsh Wizard!
@SSY,
Ozzie’ll appreciate Maureen’s true cunterry soon enough! It’s inevitable!
He seems to have one hell of a stutter, TaBS. 😉
O2 punnery? A possible alternative/additional explanation….
O2, O2 B, O2 B A…..
Gooner.
Then again, perhaps not.
I think Ollie’s tuned into H’s frequency and has got it nailed, or fixed, or possibly mobile.
Holic – Haha 🙂
N7@100: but is that cause or effect we are seeing? I’m saying it’s the latter. Walcott, Chamberlain, Podolski, Flamini and Arteta were all sidelined for injuries or suspension. And several of the younger players who could have played were also out or just back from injuries like Eisfeld, Gnabry or Zelalem. Pretty much all season we have played with what we have had available, we’ve had a rather extensive injury list since day one.
While I didn’t want, for example, Ramsey or Özil to feature at all last night we couldn’t have put out a team that was too inexperienced because then Chelsea would have hammered us and the resulting negativity surrounding that could have been quite bad. Where we could rotate last night we pretty much did, i.e. goalie, three out of four defenders and with Ryo and Bendtner in attack. Rosicky is also a squad player – in fact, of the players who started last night only Ramsey, Kos and Cazorla are automatic choices for the starting XI when we play our strongest team. I think it’s a myth that Arsene doesn’t rotate, in fact he has often been criticised for rotating too much (remember the draw away at Wigan a few years ago where he made nine changes to the team that hammered Chelsea just two days earlier? Fuckin hell, he was slaughtered by many for that – me included, I might add) but yesterday I don’t, with the benefit of hindsight, think he had much choice but to play the team he did. He rotated as much as he could while still playing a team that had a chance to win the game.
howdy ‘hol and ‘hols various
loved the
mickey take of my writing splurges
trev
i am humbled by your wordshithery
really am
good souls – us gooners
good souls , us lot
and
the ‘holics
none better
i did mean smithery
but
now that i think on it
oh
and just saw
the main man tabs name
so must
back drink for a chuckle
howdy tabs
Howdy Cba, the poet of the Emerald Isles.
How’s tricks in your neck of the woods? I trust you have managed to avoid any further random dog attacks since you were last here?
alls well tabs
alls well
good to say howdy
if i don’t get to break virtual bread with trev or ‘hol or abb or lars or bt8 or uplymp or wind or ollie or h2h or zico or saints preserve us i can’t remember
say hello for me
under the brolly at the tolly
up the arse
We shall certainly all raise a glass to you Cba.
…and then spill it 😉
Whose round is it? 😛
Oh, And Lester’s then 😉
heh zico
Can’t believe it took you lot 24 hours to figure out the O2 in the title. Of course, it’s taken me 25. So far. 😉
@ Silly Old Yella – the Ozil quotes floating round today are reportedly either made up or from back in 2011. Pay them no heed.
@Lars – great post, agree with a lot of it. My concerns last night were Rambo and Jack starting (jack may not be first choice just now, but with Flamini out for three weeks he is one of very few central midfielders available to us who might actually start the big games), and more specifically to throwing on Ollie and Ozil to chase the game.
I do agree re: cause and effect, very hard to tell one from t’other. But what’s the point in players like Frimpong and Hayden being in the squad if they can’t be involved in games like last night’s (Chelsea or not) when the pool of players gets stretched?
Sorry, “Silly Second Yella”. Long day, no offence intended!
The corporal had a bad game, and made one nightmarish error. Happens. Especially to young players who aren’t established in the side. He’ll get over it and so should we.
I was wondering if Klopp’s signing of a two-year contract extension to 2018 might be a prelude to AW signing a new contract that would also take him to 2018, retirement and bring Klopp to the Ems.
N7, I, too, was for playing more youngsters yesterday. Apart from giving some senior legs more rest, they could have brought some youthful exuberance to the team. It would have been tough for them against the midfield Mourinho fielded, but they would have battled, and won’t learn if they don’t play.
Well what did the Wenger believers make of that? What weak, limp, timid display, being there I was disgusted. Yet again we fail against a big team. Deluded fans say it was only the league cup and that we have bigger fish to fry, but bar three starting positions that 11 is a good as it could get (for me no matter who plays in goal and defence the quality level is pretty similar) for us and we barely tickled that lots tummies.
That was a strong team put out with a few exceptions and we were inept. And what did the best attacking midfielder in the world do when he entered the frey for the last thirty mins, precisely nothing. The atmosphere from the home fans was so subdued, probably because most realised that Arsenal are unlikely to be able to challenge beyond 4th place. The goals conceded were woeful – the lack of awareness shown for Mata’s goal was shocking.
NBN – Many are making the Klopp / 2018 / AW replacement link.
I’m not so sure he’ll be the chosen one (no Moyes punnery intended). I’m also not sure that AW wouldn’t try to go beyond 2018 if circumstances were favourable at the time.
Anyway, that’s all end of season talk. I’d like to see us win something between now and then.
UTA!
Lars @ #118
Absolutely bang-on. Great post. If only football writers and analysts in the meeja were half as considered as you are….
It was only a matter of time before David Bentley showed up on here.
HEH! N7 knows.
Ollie, Dr Z – Hehs, bang on 🙂
Oh Dave … we’re so so shit, woe is me, it’s the end I tell ya, the end.
Abb, it’s a lot of mess to clean up, but I’m getting there, thanks.
Uply, I agree on the Jenks bashing, but fools are as fools do.
Lars, nice post, I like it, although to be completly honest I sway more towards what N7 says. As said, I would of prefered as little of the first team, and as we’re so light on numbers I include TR7 and LJW among those, to have featured last night. If we are we really so low on reserves then that is something to worry about as we/ve always been a club that brought through, or at least gave a chance to youth, especialy in that competition.
Howdy ho cba.
Nice to see tabs and Ollie back too.
Rodney Marsh on David Beckham starting a new MLS club in Miami:
“I would say this, if David Beckham has got $25 to spare and he’s trying to make money, I would recommend he gets on a plane, goes to Las Vegas and puts $25m on red.”
This from a man who knows something about the drawing power of soccer in Miami.
Good tip about the red though. 😉
Greetings to all those who head up the alphabetical soup (abb, cba, etc.) and also to the more alphabetically challenged. And greetings to tabs the numerically gifted. Never did anybody have such a nose for 101. 🙂
Hi all just popping in to send a bunch of virtual flowers to abb get well soon.also great been top of the league just hope we can up our game for Saturday after the palace game where the spark seem to fade a bit.finally you know when we lose and the brigade come out and they start knocking arsene it’s reminds me of the life of Brian..what have the Romans ever done for us??
None taken N7, I AM old but I’m coughing somehow, sorry, coping.
There are pictures with Mesut and Jose, petting – like pictures, after the game, with Jose holding our shirt. Maybe Mesut didn’t say those things but he gave him the shirt.
I don’t remember seeing that Dutch skunk rushing into the loving arms of his “father”.
AW took the bitch from De Kuip and made him a footballer. And she sold her ass for cash and the ugliest football shirt there is.
David.
Those of us daft enough to have any faith in our manager are to blame for yesterdays defeat. So on behalf of us all I’d sincerly like to apologise for an inept display and your feeling of disgust.
You being an “authority on all things Arsenal” (your words) deserve better.
Ozil should be sent back to Madrid because he’s obviously crap, not only did he fail to spur us to victory in a half hour cameo last night, but he failed to make it on the highlights reel on MoTD last weekend (again your words) what a total no mark he’s turning out to be.
I’m sure the irony is not lost on a chap of your intellegence, that loves nothing better then to spout his anti Wenger agenda, complaining about the lack of atmosphere in a stadium he claims to be at.
I wish you well “cheering” our team on to under 4th place so you can come back at the end of the season and prove all us no hopers wrong, I’m sure you’ve already got a whole bunch of “I told you so”s in a bag ready to hand out to anyone fortunate enough to cross your path. But maybe you won’t have to wait that long because as we are struggling (once again your words) on top of our CL group at the half way stage, then we’ll probably be elimanated after the next game.
SSY.
Loath to say this, but RvP has never been anything but complimentry about Wenger. They embraced at Old Toilet last season.
H2H @ 144. Excellent!
epic post H2H.
i’m taking notes on how to do sarcasm right on the internets.
a drink on me, if you please.
Thanks H2H and bang on @144. Still, we’re all deluded eh 😉
8Ball @141 – Haha, first time I’ve been called numerically gifted but I’ll take it. 🙂
Cheers Cent.
Homer, sarcastic? 😉
Indeed we are tabs sir, total no hopers.
Yet to see the game, but from all the reports, it was one of those days.Am not surprised though. Sincerely speaking I didn’t see us winning this one but expected a better shift. Am one of those who believe we need about 3 signings in Jan and offload NB52. A good defender of Per’s quality, an experience DM and a proven striker will help us. We lack depth n this area.
Really downhearted lossing to the twat Josift Maureen. Hope we can pick up ourselves before Saturday and give the world a class act.
And thanks Guv’nor for this bar, sometimes after games like this you still give us drinks and recipes out of this world. No doubt, boys are born, Real men are made. No blaming of anybody, the lads must be down too. Get behind them!!
G’nite ‘hölics & ‘hölicës
Hull have taken the LWCs to extra time.
Maybe their moaning fans and our moaning fans should get together for a big circle jerk.
As the Chelsea fans sang “where’s your….” and “eight years…”
I can’t fathem how people can gloss over last night. This is now our longest run of competitions without winning one (33 and counting). Should we beat Liverpool it will prove nothing as we should win that encounter, especially at home. And I did predict we won’t get out of the ECL group. Be realistic, this Arsenal squad is slightly above average – I maintain the 2007/08 team would beat this year’s version. Against the very best, as with last night, the team is not good enough – and results sadly prove it.
Arsenal could be described as a flat track bullying machine. And sorry but Ozil’s contribution last night was awful, that can’t be argued with.
Oop. Hull winning now.
We’re counting competitions not won now?
*sighs*
N7@151: heh, cheers for giving me the biggest laugh of the evening 🙂
Oh David, bless you son. Round 2 shall soon commence. Looking forward to some spirited debate! 😉
cba, Garsguns and 8ball, thank you xx
Just want to add how special today has been here at the bar, so many terrific holics visited. We don’t take your presence for granted. Good nite everyone.
Oh so Chelsea fans were taunting us? Zzzzzz.
Chelsea fans and players taunting us over trophies won over the last eight or so years is like Peter Stringfellow gloating he’s had more luck with women than I have – it’s not exactly difficult to do better when you’re playing with a marked deck.
H2H @144, nice work. Seemed a little ironic though …….
Wow David, I thought I was the DepressedGooner, cheer up bud.
We are top of the league, we still have players coming back from injury, there is a chance of further squad strengthening in January.
Despite the thin squad we have a nice confidence around the team which has been missing lately, and I for one will keep my negativity in check until the situation goes all cowpat on us.
Keep the faith and remember, we are gooners and owe it to the players (Except Bendy) to keep our support going strong.
Bloody knackered today holicpeoples, so I am calling it a night early, good to see you about today abb.
And apologies to Pangloss who did make a fantastic offer, I did not mean to slight you earlier by seeming to ignore you, I merely meant that I had chatted properly with abb and it was very nice, I hope one day to chat with a lot more of you and meant no offense.
David,
This is probably a waste of effort but this whole “haven’t beaten anyone yet’ thing is a bit lazy and a bit daft.
It is a Lily White Stick being used by the Tottnum biased media to beat the Arsenal with.
Last night’s Arsenal Injury Ravaged 2nd XI vs Che£ski Financially Doped 2nd XI was really an irrelevance, aside from the need to avoid an absolute drubbing.
Since March we have lost one league game and one game to last season’s Champions League finalists, which was admittedly a strangely subdued performance.
In the meantime, we have beaten Marseille away, torn Napoli apart at home, and beaten Tottenham. The same Tottenham that pundits were seriously suggesting could win the league when the season started. So the “haven’t beaten anyone” line really is a bit lame.
We have had a fairly comfortable start to the Premier League season, but Arsenal do not compile the fixture list themselves. Sterner tests begin in a couple of days time.
They may prove you right. Hopefully we will see you back here if the reverse turns out to be the case.
I maintain my stance on Wenger’s failings. My 33 no trophies not out was a cheap dig but it does highlight the glaring fact we are a giant club vastly underachieving part due to the manager. We are top of the league but let’s wait for 19 matches, then 29, not 9.
cba,
A very good evening to you. A real pint will be raised to you indeed.
Trev
No written view is ever wasted. Beating Tottenham is no yard-stick as in what some 25 years they have beaten us twice at home – enough said. No the yard-stick is against Man u, man c, Chelsea,and in Europe against the likes of Dortmund. I can’t get excited about beating the likes of Norwich and Palace as quite frankly it should be a given.
Depressedgoonner
Love the comments but please do not knock Bendtner – two fans behind me had to be separated last night when he was subbed. Very disturbing
Yea, Let’s wait for 19 or 29 matches to see if we’ve improved but let’s not wait that long to moan though, it makes total sense.
I’m not moaning sunny, merely stating an authoritative view based on accurate assessment.
please do not knock Bendtner
And yet, it’s ok to knock Wenger when we are top of the league?
Very disturbing.
Oh fuck.
Italic fest. 😯
David, again.
So if we indeed. as you have so boldly predicted, go out of the CL will you be happy? Will you release a sample of love juice, comfort in the knowledge that your Mystic Megism is at full strength? Is it more important to you that you are proved infailable at the expense of your (supposed) team?
Eight years without a trophey, yes indeed it is, but why?
I bet according to you it’s that evil self serving manicial Wenger?
It is, isn’t it?
Come on, dont be shy, enlighten us, let us bask in the glow of you knowledge…..
What? Oh, hang on! You’ve already told us that it’s his doing, well, allow me to retort.
The face of football has changed, the goalposts have not only been moved, they’ve been hidden, sprinkled with magic pixie dust and transported to a galaxy far, far away. Money has come in and changed the rules. Look over those eight years and see who has been wining those 33 and counting titles, domesticaly not many teams, mostly the ones that have moved the goalposts. The team that Chelsea put out last night was accumalated with more cash then most clubs could dream about splashing on a whole squad and then some, this was their B team. If you cant grasp this then I feel sorry for you. (well I dont really).
I am not above questioning AW, I’ve done it many times on these very pages, I see nothing wrong with others criticing him either, many fine ‘holics here have done so too. But for you it’s so black and white, why is this? Why are you so against him? Did he step on your blue suede shoes? Kill your cat? Or maybe ignore and repel your pleas for affection? WTF?
The man has his faults, but the fact that he has been able to keep us anywhere near the top, with the restrictions he has (now becoming obvious) had is nothing short of a miracle. Look at Man U, SAF is gone, who the hell wants to go and play for Moyes? Not as many that would come and play for Wenger, that is now becoming (for them) painfully obvious. This is the first season that the purse strings have been loosened, give him a chance, but remember, there are still others out there that can outspend us until FFP kicks in (Don’t hold your breath on that though)
I’m not going to try too hard to change your opinion, it’s your perogative. But coming here spoating your one eyed agenda, with your I told you so’s and seemingly rather being proven right then wishing the team succes is not going to endear you to many here.
Have a drink on me and think about it.
Italics, I’ll try this.
Thinking is for the logical and open minded people.
Did it work?
NO, fail ok how’s about this
TEST
I’m going to get a red from the Barman.
But he’s asleep at the wheel….. 😉
OK, zico, you have to close them.
(no +’s ofcourse)
Like this?
David, we are also a “giant club”, partly due to the manager
No, feck it.
I’m off – tell him a big boy done it, and ran away…..
A forward slash, before the i, inverted with < thingys
I’ll try then.
Hollway2netherlands, dear boy, pipe down,stop reaching for big words via your pocket thesaurus and breath. Its late I an English evening for me to enlighten you on where Wenger is failing but think of last night. I sat near the press box last night to mix with the lower-tier crew and just before the second goal Wenger was signalling for someone to be stationed in the def.mid position, no matter that he had failed to place one on the pitch. As that throw-in was taken he was still pointing as Mata effortlessly moved into space all alone, caressed the ball,and scored. Wenger saw the floor, tried to direct thee troops but alas too no avail. The fact he sent then out devoid of correct personnel for some positions is obvious and aided therefore the downfall. Hayden should have played ad the midfield was unbalanced without him.
Ooh, you’ve really broken it. 😉
Typos due to this bloody predictive text on this tablet. And before some pundit on here utters that Hayden lacks the experience to have player last night, the point could be made with much merit, but that has not held Wenger back previously
Friends, Romans, countrymen, lend me your, eh standard font……
Or if Roman your non-standard font…..
Jeez Holic, it’s hurting my eyes, make it stop…..
And to the dude that mocked me for knocking Wenger and not Bendtner well here is how it is. The whole Bendtner situation is down to Wenger who sanctioned his wage packet, can’tnow get rid of him so now has to play him as his bungled transfer policy over the summer has ensured this situation has come to pass. Akpom should have started last night as similar to Gnabry, the lad looks as if he has the ability to hack it at the top level
Hard to fathom what you meant with all that david. “Its late I an English evening for me to enlighten you on where Wenger is failing”, sorry, lost me there mate.
ps, if you are trying to patronise me by messing with my monniker, may I point out that Holland is a part of the lowlands and not another name for The Netherlands, consider yourself “enlightened.
ps, it’s an hour later here.
Don’t go messing with authority-boy, H2H.
He’ll turn you into a squiggly font.
OK that might’ve been me…..
Heh zico
=====
Aah, the stank is back, I’m out.
Nighty night all.
*sigh*
We’re at the stage now where a small section of the support don’t care where we are in the league, or what our recent results look like. They just want the manager out.
They’ve been banging the drum for too long to change direction – they’re not looking to be proved wrong, they’re looking for validation. And they will moan and moan until he’s gone.
Sad to see, it really is.
I repeat: *sigh*
And, indeed: *eyeball roll*
end of squiggly font?
still testing, like the man from Thunder Bay.
Tabs, numerically gifted is what you are. Quite a number would be Wolfie. 🙂
I don’t see the point of the League Cup, whatever it’s called this year. Whoever owns it (I’ve no idea, does anyone?) should can its present format and reinvent it as an under-21 competition. Or possibly an Olympic format with 2 or 3 seniors included. Right now its just a waste of time cup no-one really cares whether they win or lose.
In my opinion.
Öskar
Ping
So who forgot to close their tags?
Well in, Impec1. Lovely slanted sot.
…er, slanted shot.
Also a pair of lovely slanted shots by Oskar @199 and Cynic @201. Remind me of the one Nacho allmost scored on Tuesday night.
NBN, I imagine a slanted sot is a fellow who has nearly drunk himself under the table?
Is this the end of italics reign?
If not, then I will revert to being bold
*Enters the italics fest*
Ok H, I’ve tried.
It’s down to you to bend everyone back into shape 😉
It’s down to ‘holic to straighten things out
Morning all,
Slante. 😉
I am leaning towards agreeing with you on that, Trev
It seems we’re all a bit bent out of shape this morning.
Depends on your angle of view, Lars
Is this a sign that we are signing Lars Bender?
Who is this Italic???? Is it another new signing???
ST@214
Dunno.
Must be a Serb.
Hehs! 🙂
Interesting views above. I have often been critical of the club over recent years and the way we have been run. But to criticise after our second string and lost to the petro dollars second string is not a view with massive perspective. I would suggest that we all know the squad needs strengthening and I for one hope that the Özil signing is just the start.
Trev again makes a very valid point. The financial goal posts have changed. It is not a level playing field anymore. I have bored many with asking us to be the best we can be. I have often been critical because I think we have fallen well short of that. I would suggest that today we are moving a lot closer to actually being the best we can be than we have for a long time. It’s not perfect by any means. But judging where this club is against a financially doped Chelski is just not getting the point in my humble opinion.
Is there a name for characters slanted to the left? (antitalics?). We need that to get it straight.
Good, balanced piece by arseblog this morning.
I’ve already had a yellow from ‘holic for responding inappropriately to Dave so I’ll ignore the one-eyed, patronising ………..
Italics – how about this?
Followed by this.
Nope – that didn’t work. Over to you ‘holic.
bt8b@208: 🙂 Reminds me of the old question, what’s wrong with being drunk? To which the answer is, just ask a glass of water.
Well said Steve T.
Where’s the plumber?
I know the smell is awful, but let’s not let one cunt spoil it for us, if we do then he/she/it wins. I can’t be having that.
Former Manchester United team-mates Gary Neville, 38, and Ryan Giggs, 39, are opening a restaurant in London which they say will be “inspired by the game”. On the menu will be gourmet chicken and mushroom ‘pot noodle’ and a half-time orange.
Full story: London Evening Standard
—–
I wonder if they’ll also have a room in the back where you can bang your brothers wife?
H2H wise move to place their restaurant in London as it will be much closer to their fan base 😉
freebie takes his name from his backside which he willingly passes around at parties.
H2H
Or bring along your granny. She’ll come out of there with a suspect grin on her face 😉
Waynes World, excellent.
Going through my old Arsenal DVDs and there is a great quote from Arsene.
Talking about going onto the pitch at Highbury, but equally applicable to the Emirates I think.
“Through there is glory, but also torment”
It is an off the cuff comment but perhaps indicating just how much it really does mean to him being the manager of such a famous old club as ours.
Hmm I see the debate has been taken over by our serial miserabilist 🙁
Trev, N7, H2H (again) and SteveT – fine work fellas.
Did have a full reply for young David, but I lost it waiting for the italics (Played Dr Z! 🙂 ) to clear.
Probably just as well 😉
I stayed well clear last time when he informed us how wrong we were to even hope that we may qualify from our group in the CL.
But I succumb to my own weakness’ this time around. 😉
Haha, I could understand why mate, especially if you had your thesaurus to hand 😉
Ltes have a go at cleaing this <i>italics</i>
Any good?
Sigh, try again.
Vaguely epic fail, then.
Pangloss
I like it. It will probably look straight to me when I get home tonight 😉
A victory against the Scousers will cure all that ails – italicized or not.
A momentary diversion to Spanish futbol. Just had a look at the table in La Liga and Betis are in real relegation danger. They are trailing even Elche, the club of such Mala Leche that Leche is misspelled in their name. 🙁
Twice in one session.
Remarkable even by your record z 😉
Jeez, the epicness of my fail @233 was that I failed to spot it had been successful.
You just can’t get the staff…
COYG
No it hadn’t, you can get the staff. Thanks ‘H
Nice one ‘holic.
Fixed like a Serie A game. 😉
heh H2H
🙂
Doing a bit of back-drinking and it’s depressing to find out that being top of the league and looking in better shape than we have for years is actually making some people moan MORE.
Still, what did I expect? A bit of perspective? Some considered opinion? Silly me, I forgot that one exit from the CoC at the hands of a financially-doped juggernaut spells the end of our season before Christmas and while we’re, er, top of the league.
Ah and of course that league position means nothing because we’ve only played inferior teams that we should comfortably spank every single time we play them. Man U, City and Chelsea never, ever lose to the clubs we’ve played so right now we’re only as good as them. Or not as good. Or something.
Really, some people should have to pass a test to prove that they can handle independent thought before being given a brain.
It will be remembered as the great italics scandal of 2013.
I would be suitably impressed if I knew how the feck I managed it once, never mind twice, H. 😀
zico,
Surprised you didn’t italicise that “twice”.
Or not. 😉
Cheers Tabs.
“I would be suitably impressed….etc” was a direct quote from Rox, btw. 😯
H2H….you named after the proposed high-speed rail line? 🙂
Care for round 2? I note not one person challenged my view of the inept defensive display the other night, rather they elected to sling mud over my carping of the Wenger-meister who never corrects his failings (the intro of Flamini apart)
By the way, excellent point made by le grove site today over the lack of youngsters that seem to be impressing so far this term.
No, I’m not, but thanks for asking.
@David
I almost don’t know why I’m bothering to respond, but of our two best young prospects Gnabry has broken into the first team (it’s a measure of his success that he was rested midweek) and Zelalem has been injured and is currently ten years old.
Le Grove remains a total bellend. If we play a league cup team of kids he’ll complain that it reflects the shallowness of the squad and Wenger must go. If we play a league cup team of internationals he moans we’re not bringing kids through and Wenger should go. If it rains, Wenger should go. If he leaves his man bag at home, Wenger should go.
I make it a rule in life never to listen to anyone named Peter who asks you to call him “Pedro”. It’s a sure sign that the person in question is a bit too “wacky” for me.
Enjoy your miserabilism. Meanwhile, I’ll celebrate us being top of the prem; thank goodness that wins against the “small” teams yield just as many points as wins against the “big” teams, eh?
N7=hero
N7, anyone who cites le grove is pleading to be ignored on here.
The “authority” is clearly gate-crashing simply to get a reaction and hopefully will sooner rather than later fuck off back amongst the pond life that live halfway up Pedro’s rectum.
Is Zelalem really only 10? 😉
That’s so kind of you, Dave, thanks for sharing Le-grove’s wealth of knowledge with us deluded souls, we are all clearly dying of thirst as a result of our inability to drink from the fountain of billshittery he exudes. Thank you once more.
Of course you know I meant ‘Bulshittery’ in my last paragraph.
2nd to last line even.
A Serb ‘ic’ you reckon Trev? You’d know, you’re our pun-gent in residence, you old tart. 😉
Öskar
Gents let’s raise the level of this. H2H come on son let’s get the ball out.
I wish people on here would stop mocking the views of others, it lack respects and the editor-in-chief of this site should be doing their duty to curb it. Yes I know about Gnabry, I bemoan wenger for not utilising him enough. No the real issue is for years we have had a poor number of youngsters coming through. The likes of Frompong, Lansbury, Bartley to name through were totally mismanaged by Wenger. All three had the raw ingredients to be good squad players for us it can be argued yet Wenger was reluctant to try them. As I stated here a while back, he has mismanaged now the career development at arsenal of Miquel and Franny C to.
Akpom looks a great prospect, could he do a lesser job than Bendtner I wonder? Eisfeld is never involved with the first team squad, the list can be extended further.
As for the views expressed that we list to Chelsea due to their money is for me wrong. In terms of possession and shots the other night the two sides were pretty equal. The differences were due to team setup, lack of organization and awareness at key moments, not selecting a few players for certain positions. That is nothing to do with money, more strategy, selections, and tactics from our manager.
If I’ve done typos in the above apologies, I can’t be bothered to re-read
N7 @248
I am glad you bothered to respond, it made my day.
Who is the numpty who wrote comment 250??? Telling me too f off, so classy, what absolute cretin you must be. What a clown you are, chump
David.
I’m busy at this moment (it’s called a life) I’ll come back to you later.
OMG! Can’t wait to actually have time to read all this chatter. Just a scroll troll, me 😉 David, you have reinvigorated the holics!!! Till tomorrow chaps. Play nice 🙂
Don’t worry Im sure your life so action-packed… whatever tosh.
I love the communist mentality of this sit as differing views are not accepted and thus ridiculed with inane insults thrown by people who hide behind code-names. Utterly shameful but so typical of this country’s current society
I prefer “fuck off” to the passive aggression and deeply misplaced superiority complex that you regularly demonstrate David.
Team Fuck off. Well played Dr Z.
Arsene mismanaged the career of many young players?
Of course that can’t be said for Fergie, who managed to turn some young players into great stars. Some of them are still fresh in my memory. Forlan, Obertan, Djemba Djemba, Roy Carroll, Veron, Bebe.
More recently he flourished the careers of Cleverly, Young, Hernandez etc and made them real international stars.
He even managed to develop Kagawa from relatively unknown chap from some unknown team in Germany into world beater.
Fergie is the man. Wangner AAAhTTT!!
@David
A genuine quote from Pedro Le Grove: “If you don’t like the opinion, don’t read it”.
Those who do not show respect cannot demand respect in return. He’s a bellend and you know precisely the response it will get when you raise his name here, which is presumably why you do it every time you visit.
Comment 262, one word to describe you: wanker
I raise the site name due to it being one of the 3/4 Arsenal sites I check out before my working day begins.
I love the fact this exclusive club mentality dominates on here, its so tragic. Do most of you lot extend this thought process to other of life’s aspects. If you support the loopy left labour party you think all Tories are scum, hmmm?
🙂
Lurky, I was not comparing Wenger to anyone else. This mith that he is a believer in youth is to some extend a smokescreen that has be manufactured over the years. Aside from the likes of Cole, Cesc, Wilshere, Ramsey, Wallbanger, not many of the youngsters have been retained. Some where vastly under-used, others let go way too soon.
Yes, yes David – exclusive club mentality, great tragedy, etc, etc.
Best run back to the wholesome boys and girls over at Le Grove, that bastion of tolerance and inclusivity.
Maybe you can collectively light a candle or two and pray together that one day those beastly posters here at Goonerholic learn to live their lives with open hearts and a spirit of universal fraternity.
Tell Pedro to fuck off while you’re there.
Takeabowson, hurling insults from a computer, what a person you are! Prick.
Yes I have lowered myself to your scum level.
N7 you are fast turning into a grade A wanker with your rants.
I don’t feel Wenger is the right man for the club, why demonise me for that? Free speech anyone? How about generating respective debate? Then again, maybe not many of you seeminlgy have the loaf to appreciate the true meaning of both concepts. Sad times.
David,
I was going to take the time to write a reasoned response to your @255 that seems to lack any sort of basis in fact or logic.
But when you start quoting Le Grove as a source of excellent opinion, I realise that fact and logic are two qualities that are unlikely to make much impression on you.
The only time I visited that site, they were reluctantly accepting that they would have to celebrate our home victory over Man City.
You will find differences of opinion on this blog all the time, just not a lot of folks who are prepared to succumb to a tedious, repetitive agenda of “Wenger must go” at every suggestion that everything in the club is not 100% perfect.
Calling people communists because they refuse to agree with you ?
I guess we’re back to that ‘logic’ issue again.
Harsh words from such a high minded poster.
I don’t believe I’ve said anything insulting about you David. Perhaps you could do me the courtesy of not calling me a wanker?
“Hollway2netherlands, dear boy, pipe down,stop reaching for big words via your pocket thesaurus and breath.”
“Deluded fans say it was only the league cup and that we have bigger fish to fry,”
But you’re right David, I started it. You are, after all, always right.
Trev,
I have two degrees in historical studies – I used the term relating to communism as it has a totalitarian under-current, a bit like this site. Because I differ to most on here about the Great Wenger (who was great up until a few years back) I get castigated. Any that can’t be denied.
Oh and I never said LeGrove is an excellent source – it merely offers a different view point, like Arsenal Truth, which has a right to be given and respected.
If Wenger left tomorrow I would be the first to celebrate what he achieved prior to 2011. But from a historical viewpoint his reign at Arsenal will not be a total glorious success, and I want to go partly to ensure that critics can’t pick anymore holes in his reign.
And David, there are some on here, respected posters who do question AW’s continued tenure, but do so with a respect for those that don’t.
If you think that any of your posts demonstrate anything other than your profound need to demonstrate your superior analysis from your “seat near the press box”, (greater actually than AW’s according to your @182), then your lack of self-awareness is off the scale. Bravo!
Heh but what do I know. I’ll go and join N7 in the “wanker” club. Haha.
That was said in total jest. There were no words uttered, it was all above bored and meant as playful banter. YOU began with the rude words sunshine (if you are female I apologise) and lost all levels of self-respect in the process.
Im never always right, just most of the time I guess (note the level of jest for goodness sake). And again, no one has challenged my assessment of the other night.
*no rude words uttered
David,
@246, “excellent point made by Le Grove …… About lack of youngsters” etc.
And I notice you forgot/conveniently left out Szczesny, Gibbs and the more recently joined Oxlade-Chamberlain from your list of youngsters who have made it into the current first team. And yes, I do realise The Ox joined us at a much later age than Szczesny and Gibbs, but he was still very much a youngster.
Suppose ‘fact’ is the issue this time.
Ah just patronising self-regard rather than “rude words”.
Gotcha. How lovely.
Actually I dont have a seat near the press box, I choose to sit on the lower tier for league cup matches as it offers a different perspective than from the upper tier where I normally reside when I get a ticket.
By the way why does everyone stand on the lower tier, it is so tedious trying to view the match when people are up and down constantly for no valid reason.
And I offer a wholesome apology for the unacceptable words I have used of late towards you both. The point I was trying to make was not done very well, I fully realise – I bit like Wenger’s defensive strategy when teams break from our own corners.
(.)
Trev, thanks for brilliantly picking holes in my written scroll. Oxo was purchased, but I hold my hands up about WS and Gibbs. Eitherway, I was more referring to those that come up through the youth system.
N7 Gooner: wholesome apology offered. I was getting rather het-up at the timeby needless ill-judged phrases. I conceed I was totally bang out of order.
I did offer an apology above but did not directly reference it to yourself
David, My opinions on Arsene are very well known and although some agree with me, many more disagree, but the major point we all agree on is polite intelligent and humorous discourse, I am of the opinion that Arsene either had his hands tied by our financial constraints and refused to admit it publicly or he believed that the team we had (have had) would be good enough to win us something.
Now this season saw a seismic shift in his thinking, please don’t think this is something he did on a whim, this was a masterstroke of transfer activity and I do genuinely believe that future windows will see more top quality players coming to join the cause.
It does alter my own personal opinion on Arsene as he now seems to be embracing the things we as fans have been pleading for, for many years now, The ability to retain key players and bringing in better players than those we allow to leave.
This is the only football forum I post on as I respect the members and the guvnor, having spent a long time reading posts before jumping in, my social skills are not the greatest and my own darkness (hence the name) sometimes clouded my thoughts but I was never treated with anything less than total respect.
We treat others as we would like to be treated ourselves bud.
Depressed, very well said, sir.
Well tonight has gone fucking well I see.
David, no problem with you arguing your case, as you know. Big problem with personal abuse of those who disagree.
No posts have been removed tonight because I am in a fucking good place right now.
Don’t fucking change that, thank you.
OK David, I’m back.
My real name is Paul and if you want to know what I look like or what I do just click on my alias (the red name), and all we be revealed.
I was going to lay into you, lower myself to your level, call you names like jizz juggler and cuntbucket, but I see you have back peddled faster then Lance “I’m going backwards on drugs” Armstrong, so I’ll refain from the nicities.
However, you have called me out, so here I am.
You claim to be an Arsenal supporter, but you do nothing but whinge. You claim that you go to games, but, as far as I can tell you take absolutely no pleasure from your visits to the HOF. So why bother?
You make claims that you are seated in close proximity to the press box only to contridict yourself a few posts later.
Why?
Are you trying to impress us?
Us, a sad bunch of wankers who are blind to the faults of our club? Pricks that are being bambozled and led down the garden path by that master of deception Wenger?
Why would you bother with such imbeciles as us?
You curse us down, yet you yearn for our approval, why?
You constantly ask for answers to the questions you pose, even when the querys are dumb and have already been answered in full, yet you neglet or refuse to show us the same courtesy.
You claim that you are a regular at the Grove, good for you, in light of that “fact” you have been invited to share a drink, in the flesh, with a member of our inner circle, Steve T, an invitation many of us would give our right nut for, but you flat out refuse, your reason was that you were scared that he would throw said drink in your face, again, why? Are you really so obnoxious that a grown man would waste good alcohol tiping it over you? Come on, get a grip.
You try to patronise me because I have the name of a foriegn country in my monniker, yet your command of the English language is dreadful, not only typos, but common usage, I know, mine is bad too, but I haven’t lived in an English speaking land for around thirty years, what’s your excuse?
I will refrain from taking this any futher, out respect for the guvnor and for myself, I will gladly discuss with you, “the authority on all things Arsenal”, the state of our club in the flesh as I will be over for the Southampton game, don’t worry I think any spiledge of drink constitutes alcohol abuse, so you will definetly stay dry.
Waiting for your reaction.
Paul, aka H2H.
ps, quoting Le Grove will not win you points around here.
‘holic, glad to hear you are in a good place, if I have been out of order then I whole heartidly apologise, please feel free to call me out for it if I have offended our broke the rules.
Godnight all.
Never say sorry H2H.
‘holics know why.
David is entitled to his opinions, guys, however little evidence he can provide for them. And there’s precious little to support his condemnation of Arsenal’s youth academy.
I prefer to rely on the opinion of analysts such as the Bleacher Report which less than a year ago had Arsenal’s academy among the ten best in the world … http://bleacherreport.com/articles/636914-top-10-best-youth-academies-in-the-world/page/2
Or Phelan Murphy’s analysis which has Arsenal at #6 in the world … http://www.givemesport.com/341093-top-10-worlds-best-youth-academies
Or The Coach Diary … http://www.thecoachdiary.com/the-top-youth-academies-in-the-world/
etc etc etc (there are many such if you bother to look for them)
I also have my doubts about David’s understanding of the whole role youth academies play, in particular Arsenal’s. I would refer him to page 28 of the ECA Report on Youth Academies in Europe … http://www.ecaeurope.com/Research/ECA%20Report%20on%20Youth%20Academies/ECA%20Report%20on%20Youth%20Academies.pdf … where he might be surprised to learn exactly what goes on within Arsenal’s set-up quite apart from the prime emphasis on football.
Öskar
‘My comment is awaiting moderation’? What’s that all about ‘holic??
Öskar
Oh dear, oh dear. Don’t let this place go like the Arses please! If it means taking it down for a bit (only the comments obviously) to preform the cleansing of the augean stables, then so be it.
Also when people start claiming to have two (not one) degrees in ancient history it really is time to head for the hills.
Morning Esso,
Moderation back to normal soon.
Oskar, Just going to check. You’ll be back in no time.
Morning Squire. Ignore me, I’ll leave this all in you very capable hands.
H2H – looking forward to shaking hands and having a pint at Southampton game.
Oskar: if you include more than three links in your post then it is automatically classed as potential spam and is placed in the moderation queue.
H2H…..wonderful riposte and likewise DepressedG. Glad the Guv’nor is in a good place, hopefully an even better one by sat evening.
Esso…..294 spot on…my eyes rolled.
No pre-assisting on my watch 😉
Bang……
I have absolutely no idea who I thank for the assist. The assist may even go and this may become the back of the net moment and my bang will become the assist?
Oh no, that will mean I have self assisted when all I was trying to do was be polite and say thanks for the assist????
This is all too much. I’m off for a lay down.
Some spamming cunt I reckon Steve.
Very well put Esso.
Funny how on Halloween that MNB was more prevalent. Coincidence???? I guess not.
According to the Daily Fail, Monaco,the latest financially doped ,oil rich club are waving £34 m at us to take Theo off our hands. Several things amaze me about this the first of which is that a club with much more money than sense chooses to employ Claudio Ranieri as manager.
The report apparently then says if we play hardball they will throw more money at us.
Note to Arsene- please play hardball. This would put Theo into the price range of Ozil which is frankly ludicrous. Monaco must have driven a very large bus through FFP because they only get one man and a dog,probably a chihuahua , at their matches. How does that work?
Football is seeing utter madness and price inflation that knows no bounds.
Fond as I am of Theo( in a very manly way of course) we ought to take the money and run if they really are offering that. But frankly the story is drivel.
Fine response H2H @288. Eloquently done mate.
I look forward to buying you a pint at the Tollie before the Southampton game aka TaBS’ birthday party.
TTG@305 – I’ve not hitherto been Feo’s biggest fan but I’m not sure that now is the time to let him go. I suspect that his pace now fits perfectly into our midfield’s creative passing style. I think we will see a much more productive striker replacing the wayward winger.
Well mr Holic – What a sad day for this previously most enjoyable site.
No longer does it seem that a different opinion to the regulars “holics” is tolerated without being cast as a troll of either spurs or others.
This is my favourite gooner site and i have enjoyed reading it every morning for many years as my first read.
Unfortunately i feel that some of your “regulars” seem to have become the self anointed moderators of other arsenal fans like me who even dare question anything about the club at all.
I just finished reading one of this blogs site headings above called ” about us” to see what started your blog and about the site.
Most enjoyable and admirable.
Suggest some of your holic regulars should read the “about us” link above to see why the founder formed this site.
Seems all they want to hear is how wonderful we are cause we are top of the league after a few rounds without even playing the top 4 yet.
How quickly they have forgotten the last few years that are now stretching onto 9 trophy less years.
They seem to enjoy comments such as :
“Arsene knows what he is doing even though we’ve won shit for 8 straight years and lost fab4, rvp and other top players who lost interest”
“Losing to chelsea is ok because we are top of a more important league”
“Our rotation policy is fine”
“We have beaten all the big teams in the past year”
“Jenks is a fine young kid”
“0ur academy kids are all awesome”
“Our defense is fine”
“Our continuous long term 3 week injuries are fine”
“Wenger is a great tactician”
I think what is now lost on this once great blog and on some of the regular followers is the enjoyable past time of being involved on this site and feeling part of the site even though your opinion may differ.
Why cant we come here to one of our favourite arsenal sites and enjoy your commentary and toss a few thoughts around.
Some very loyal arsenal fans simply want to question a coach and a system that allowed utd to smash us 8-2 last season and yet the only real change made is the fantastic purchase of mesult Ozil.
We also think meeting chelsea and other top sides like dortmund are important markers For a club like ours.
Why is questioning a 9 year losing streak of trophies being so disloyal to our great club or even arsene or the team players or being betrayed as a troll.
It doesnt mean i dont drag my arse out of bed everytime arsenal are shown live in australia on foxtel at the most ungodly hours week in week out from pre season to the end.
Mr Holic – i have enjoyed your blog and my connection to this great club through your blog and i sincerely hope you continue to allow different opinions on this site otherwise we all may as well just read the arsenal home page where everything is wonderful and rosy.
I am nothing more than a passionate gooner who wants the best for our team and fantastic club “but still wants the ability to ask questions from you and your regulars who are obviously local to arsenal FC and very knowledgable about the club over many years.
Anyway just my thoughts at the end of this long “drinks” section and all i guess i can hope for from you and your regulars is to feel like this is an arsenal site where i can enjoy expressing my opinion.
Aussie gooner.
Bath,
I am very much with you on Theo but every man has his price although his absence on Tuesday was keenly felt. With my business head on I wonder if a ridiculous bid would not tempt Wenger to sell with young Gnabry coming through from the Academy that Le Grove disparages so much!
My instincts tell me Gnabry will be a better player ultimately than Theo ,who is also very injury prone. But you make an excellent point about Theo’s style which fits in well with the likes of Ozil and Ramsey. The good news is The a Daily Fail are never right so it’s all THEOretical ! ( see what I find there!)
Sorry did there! Bloody iPads !
Aussie Gooner, absolutely spot on, top man/woman! I take my hat off to you, what a super post indeed. It need to be said, and I am glad someone else did so. At the end of the day we all want the same thing: Arsenal to win every match they play. But the team has failings, some are extremely obvious, and people should be allowed to express their views regarding them. I shall be interested to see how others respond, should they elect to do so.
I am guessing you are based Down Under, if so, enjoy the Cricket during your summer, and please may your fellow countrymen give Stuart Broad the reception at each test he deserves after his appalling antics from the series a few months back!
By the way, always love watching the Aussie Open in January – Melbourne always puts on a super tournament.
Austria, I don’t know how much you read of what is posted here but you clearly haven’t noticed that there is quite a wide variety of opinion in here and the club certainly does not escape all forms of criticism. But what most of us don’t appreciate is people coming in here all high and mighty as soon as we have a bad result and don’t show up at all when things are going better. There has been plenty of criticism towards the club and the manager here from pretty much everyone.
A few of your points:
Some very loyal arsenal fans simply want to question a coach and a system that allowed utd to smash us 8-2 last season and yet the only real change made is the fantastic purchase of mesult Ozil.
Really? The ONLY change? Come on. You can’t even believe that yourself. Cazorla? Podolski? Giroud? Monreal? Have you not noticed that in the past eight or so months the team has started to play a lot more defensively at times?
Why is questioning a 9 year losing streak of trophies being so disloyal to our great club or even arsene or the team players or being betrayed as a troll
It’s all in how you do it. Personally, I have little respect for the opinion of anyone who doesn’t say jack when things are going well and then shows up to moan and groan whenever there is a bad result.
Furthermore, if you can’t see the progress the club has made in the past year or so then you need to think again. New commercial deals are kicking in and for the first time in a few years we have some serious financial muscles. We have a solid foundation to build on on the pitch, and while we aren’t there yet we are much closer to the absolute top now than we have been for a few years. Can you really not see the improvement?
“Our continuous long term 3 week injuries are fine”
Really? Do you actually believe we are saying that? Have you missed the long debates we have had on this topic and how we find it unacceptable that we have all these injuries? Have you completely missed the sarcastic posts from many of us every time the almost legendary “three weeks” verdict is delivered? If you have then maybe you should start reading a bit more of what we write before passing judgement.
H2H, good day to you
I shall respond to your post after my working day is complete. I have read through your scroll and will offer an olive branch to try and bring about a truce.
First of all, I can honestly claim, to respond to one of your points here and now, I have never come a cross a message by someone offering to meet with me at the Grove, I ceraintly have never refused. However given the ‘love’ that is afforded to me on here the risk assessment for such a rendezvous probably would be in the danger zone. Also, I have never bought a drink in the place, nor food, as the prices make Starbucks/Costas look cheap, and to be frank, I spend enough on tickets and rail fares, and I would feel the need to purchase a drink for whoever I ran into. Also, after a match I like to head straight out of the capital. Please note, I am not summising that your chum is a voilent person, nothing of the sought.
I value your response and again, I wholesome apologise for the unnessary exchanges of the previous evening.
Best Wishes
What is the collective noun for donkeys?
They’re assembling, I tells ya…..
There’s commenting and then there’s shaping any old presumptuous crap to suit one’s own tired agenda.
The tone of this place is well established. People coming in here with a massive holier than thou attitude and a gigantic straw man in the shape of the extremely tired ‘oh you not even allowed to criticise Wenger’ scarecrow is at best tiresome, and at worst aggressive trolling rubbish.
Comment away, as that’s what the pair of you seem to call it, but please don’t be surprised when other members of the establishment call you out for what you really are.
@314 Zico A cuntbucket of donkeys, I would posit.
Sir Holic
I did offer my apologises last night to those involved for my language. i realise it does not paint me in a good light. If Bendtner can learn from his errors, so can I. But when unfairly abused I will retort, but I realise two wrongs do not make a right. From here on I shall refrain from poor use of English language.
Kindest of kind regards
I knew, that Esso would know 8)
Just to throw in my 2p worth completely unnecessarily in the great debate…
I notice that David appeared the other night on Wednesday and was pretty much ignored by all and sundry.
So he returned on Thursday, full of praise for H2H who had decide that it was worth his time trying to argue with him, and suggesting that everyone else was unable to answer, or unwilling to admit that they agreed with him.
At this point many others stepped forward and attempted to respond to David, who turned around and complained that there was no diversity of opinion on this site or that he was being ganged-up upon.
Am I alone in thinking that David exhibits sometimes a little lack of consistency or even conectedness of thought?
The most remarkable thing was how one of our very own appeared on a flying visit and actually encouraged David’s “contributions”. Very strange, say I.
Bring on the ‘poo.
COYG
Easy fellas.All this was my fault as I have been away for a few days and couldn’t keep the usual handle on what was going on.
I reckon we are all a bit stir crazy after Dortmund and Chelsea. All opinions welcome here if proffered in civility.
The guvnor is back and ready to mark his territory.
Cheers.
Maybe H, but I’ll say this – your prerogative to get rid of it;
@316 David.
It really does n’t matter what you say now or how you say it. Your promotion of ‘Arsenal Truth’ as an genuine alternative viewpoint marks you out as clearly insane. Anyway, your spiel feels somehow familiar, sure its been here or other places before under a different disguise. I dont believe a word of what you say because I find the persona you have tried to create, not least the aspect of having 2 degrees, I presume one at Masters level, in ‘Historical Studies’, a subject, I (B.A Hons. History London 1981, a Desmond admittedly but a proper fucking degree for all that) have never heard of, and of course seats by the press box whenever required, as complete fantasy. Consequently I pay no heed to what you actually say. You’re just dull. And boring.
Hmmmmm
We were doomed when we were, what, 17th in the league, and we’re doomed now we’re top of the league.
Doomed, I tell ye……
Thank god for recreational drugs *
*available at your local D L Ltd outlet for a handsome premium.
Just finished back-drinking. So many great drinks above and of course some not so great ones to balance things. Special mentions to H2H, TaBS, Lars, Esso, Oskar, Zico,Ttg and the Governor himself.
AussieGooner, I will add to what Lars and Esso have said and assure that when ever you cme here with objective criticism and opinion you will get an excellent reception.
I believe what we genrally frown at, and rightly so, are people who come here hurling insults, demeaning and taking cheap shots at Arsenal people and their achievements.
I see Pangloss snuck in while I was typing, good stuff you write too.
David,
On the subject of invitations to meet people who frequent this site before or after a game, you said:
“I have never come a cross a message by someone offering to meet with me at the Grove, I ceraintly have never refused.”
I may have my facts wrong, but didn’t H2H offer that exact invitation to you just before the season started? I seem to remember the reply was something like, “No thanks, I’d only end up throwing my pint over you”. Hardly the most civil response to a genuine offer of a reasonable discussion.
I’m not on here every day but that’s the last time I remember hearing from you (if that was indeed you). I feel some people may object to someone ‘turning up’ to moan, disappearing for 2 months then reappearing just to moan again – they might be seen as ‘foul weather’ fans, just as people who see everything as rosey don’t come across as reasonable either.
Pangloss, you are entitled to your views on me. I seek no approval, if people want to debate with me, then feel free to do so.
I just love the circling of the wagons attitude, those not in the inner-circle can just…no doubt my memebership forms will never land in my inbox.
Pangloss, if you have more admirers on here then me then hey, congrats dude – a Blue Peter badge should be sent your way. 🙂
That’s banter is it?
By the way I find it hard to understand how you ‘seek no approval’, yet the other day were blethering on about being due apologies from regulars on here, after our loss to Dortmund, which of course you predicted.
As mentioned by others, some consistency in your attitude would go a long way towards reforming peoples’ opinion of you. However I doubt that bothers you anyway.
Fuck me, I’m out of here.
Music — its resonance with us often being as much visceral as it is intellectual — is where you can find instantly recognizable depictions of certain archetypes, especially the ones close proximity with whom — real or virtual — can actually make you sick.
Was looking for a piece of music that best paints that archetype, nowadays listening habit mostly being Jazz and post-tonal Classical couldn’t find an easy one, then I remembered this quite brilliant (in the context of its genre) song from my teen-age metalhead days. The lyrics goes …
“You just stood there screaming,
Fearing no one was listening to you.
They say the empty can rattles the most.
The sound of your own voice must soothe you,
Hearing only what you want to hear,
And knowing only what you’ve heard.
You, you’re smothered in tragedy,
And you’re out to save the world.
Misery,
You insist that the weight of the world
Should be on your shoulders.
Misery,
There’s much more to life than what you see,
My friend of misery. ”
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QEai_y0NZpk
I’m going to copy what I posted earlier as respect seems to be drifting away like the intangible vestige of humanity it is.
David, My opinions on Arsene are very well known and although some agree with me, many more disagree, but the major point we all agree on is polite intelligent and humorous discourse, I am of the opinion that Arsene either had his hands tied by our financial constraints and refused to admit it publicly or he believed that the team we had (have had) would be good enough to win us something.
Now this season saw a seismic shift in his thinking, please don’t think this is something he did on a whim, this was a masterstroke of transfer activity and I do genuinely believe that future windows will see more top quality players coming to join the cause.
It does alter my own personal opinion on Arsene as he now seems to be embracing the things we as fans have been pleading for, for many years now, The ability to retain key players and bringing in better players than those we allow to leave.
This is the only football forum I post on as I respect the members and the guvnor, having spent a long time reading posts before jumping in, my social skills are not the greatest and my own darkness (hence the name) sometimes clouded my thoughts but I was never treated with anything less than total respect.
We treat others as we would like to be treated ourselves bud.
DG @ 330: “We treat others as we would like to be treated ourselves”. Key to life, really, and if I may, the reverse: “We are treated by the world the way we treat others” …
Good Dr @ 331
Sadly that does seem to be the reality at the moment, why I repeated my post.
oh Olivier, silly you:D https://scontent-a-lhr.xx.fbcdn.net/hphotos-ash3/1422433_10151821241302713_143366985_n.jpg
Fellas, line in the sand now please.
If you want to argue with each other take it to places that is deemed acceptable.
Thank you.
An excellent analysis — by Tim Stillman in arseblog — of Flamini’s role in improving our play on both wings. Urge everyone to read it…
In any case I am am now off to the pub. Won’t be a heavy night of drinking or anything, but a nice few hours in the company of mates made through the Arsenal. Not too shabby for a Friday evening. Cheers!
Have a good one Lars. Best to Kris if he is there.
Cheers Lars and cent for your comments.
I appreciate not being called a swansea supporter or a troll for my comments by you both.
Points taken and agreed on improvements such as financials, Cazorla, and our recent run of better form. I was being a bit generalistic. I guess i have not taken the chelsea/ dortmund losses as well as arsene seems to have.
I am a keen reader of the site and do not always comment when things are going well. True. But usually that is because others (regular holics) such as yourself usually cover that commentary very accurately so not much to add.
I do understand when non regular posters (but regular readers) such as myself only comment on negatives or losses it can be seen as a foul weather support, but the truth (i hope) is arsene in the last few years and some of his decision making seems to bring out the worst in how i feel about the club and our squad, even though arsene has also brought me all of my happiest arsenal moments also.
Maybe i will try to take a few deep breaths after any future losses (which i hope will not be for the next week), and not hit the keyboards so quickly at 4am local aussie time after one of holics balanced posts. Dont quite know how he does that.
I will also take up your point on posting more when we do well in future. I sincerely look forward to posting early this sunday morning (aussie local time) after a victory over Liverpool.
David is write he has 2 degree. Everyone knows wegner must be remove
Aussie
Good for you. That’s the way I handle it as well. I’m reading almost everything on here and sometimes I feel it is better if I just keep my frustration to myself.
To everybody else, keep in mind that it is not the same to argue in here or face to face. A whole different sport if you ask me. So much is missing when “only” written.
And then there are some real trolls that in my opinion can just effff off. What do they get out of it? I don’t and probably never will understand.
One more thing, united we should stand behind our team and manager.
I don’t mean that we have to agree with all Mr. Wenger is doing. But come on, somebody tell me who would be the better choice for us right now at this time.
Afternoon gooners.
Esso, Bath, I can hardly wait too, gents, I’m like a kid counting down the days to Christmas.
===
Aussie, Lars has responded to your post better then I could, like he states, there are many differing opions here, I think there’s hardly one amongst us who haven’t questioned AW in the past, especially over the summer period, I know I was questioning his ability to take us forward
I also can’t imagine that there are fans here that wouldn’t love us to win a trophey, ofcourse we would, but don’t cart out the whole nine years bollox, it’s lazy, its turns a complex issue with many factors into a black and white stand off. Plus, the high expectations we have are mainly due to the man in charge at the moment.
I also have my concerns about many things, I don’t think we are quite where we should be, but we are making progress, the club seems to have turned a corner, financialy, and they seem to be making all the right noises and putting their money, literaly where the mouth is, I am willing to give them a chance.
I may be guilty of making a snide comment in your direction, that was wrong of me. You have your opinions and you are entitled to them, apoligies.
One tiny point though, Manure did not give us a hiding last season.
========
David, apologies and olive branch accepted.
++++++
I started typing this quite a few hours ago, but stuff got in the way.
A good evening everyone here , guess most are virtually done with work this Friday. By the way, TGIF. A bit of trolling awaits me this weekend as I intend to visit the intimate shrine throughout, obviously under the blackmail of pints. Never intimidated, never chicken hearted.
Meanwhile, I’ve enjoyed reading all archeological historical pieces as lifted from the Roman papyrus of the upteenth century. Nice, or they all look nice.
Now to the business of tomorrow, I’d like to see a team as this
Szczeny
Sagna Mertesacker Koscienly Monreal
Rosicky Ramsey Arteta Cazorla
Özil Giroud
I’ve been dying to see a 4-4-2 like I said a few drinks ago. I also reckon a Nachoman goal anytime soon. While Gibbs gets some rest and maybe starts on the bench.
What do you think hölics & hölicës?
DG@329. Great post, mate. Well worth posting twice.
Lars @311: Oh I wish I could be so articulate and coherent in my own language! *Doffs cap*
Dr Faustus @328: Nice musical reference. You must have an encyclopedic memory to pull that one out of the hat!
@ 333
Why draw a line in the sand when there’s one on the glass table? 😉
There isn’t a line on the table Dr F. It’s gone.
Who’s been in the bar since 321?
*sniffs*
🙂
Arsenicdaemon
Good team but I think he’ll go with Gibbs. I like TR7’s energy and positive approach and think LJW will start on the bench. I’m told Poldi may return in which case we can dispense with TGSTEL. Hope Gnabry can return to the bench
Rumbled…..
TTG knows.
Heh Kow Chin is on the drinks too? 🙂
TTG, Gnabry is ruled out for tomorrow’s game.
Like Arsenicdaemon I prefer Gibbs to Monreal, but would like to see the Monreal/Cazorla partnership on the left side once in a while.
Must say that I liked what I saw from Monreal against Chelsea, especially in attacking midfield. Last year Gibbs was offering much more offensively, but this one he is not joining the attacks that often.
I think there are two reasons for that.
The first one is caused by the fact that we are scoring first in almost every match, so there is no need for him to burst forward.
The second one is that we are usually relying on our right side when attacking, which is a very strange tactical decision for me.
That’s because I think that Sagna going forward is more risky than Gibbs doing the same.
Also Gibbs can dribble past his opponent, something Sagna almost never does, has a better cross, and is capable to drift inside the center if needed, something Sagna NEVER does, meaning extra midfielder for us in attacking third (the way Barca and Bayern use their fullbacks).
Thanks to Trev and Bath, hopefully the season ahead provides us all with great performances to unite goonerdom 😉
Intersting points Lurky.
I’d say Sagna has 10 xs the positional sense of Gibbs, is flat-out just a better defender, and though he’s not got the motor he used to, he’s still quite fleet of foot and can get back – and get back right. Gibbs will no doubt continue to improve but he’s just not defensivley at the level of Sagna.
And, with the cadre of attacking mojo now in the midfield, that added body from the back seems less needed. And Ramsay has stepped up in a big way, the he hadn’t up until the last 10 or so matches.
Don’t get me wrong, am a huge fan of Gibbs. But this may be one reason, or at least, my hackneyed rationalization for what you describe.
And I think against Liverpool, solidity at the back will be key.
Suarez and Sturridge appear to be clicking nicely and that is a threat. In fact, the only real threat.
And for the above, i’ll admit to being an unabashed Sagna fan, so … grain of salt with that post, eh?!
And I really despise Liverpool, Stevie Me, and that whole unwarranted air of supperiority when it comes to anything football.
I like 3-1 to the good guys from London.
Thanks fellas.
Appreciated.
Cheers Homer.
Sagna is better defensively, that is where I agree, and that is why I think that he and not Gibbs should be the one forming the three CB partnership in the 3-4-3 formation (or 3-1-5-1) when we are in possession.
I think that is more suited role for player of his qualities, than the role of a stretching-play back/winger he has. It was a role where Sagna was just great two years ago, and is still good against average sides.
But against sides that have tricky and pacey wingers and forwards he must stay in defense to avoid situations like the one from which Dortmund scored their second goal.
That is why I think we should consider changing our attacking approach and start as many as we can from the left side. We might need a different approach than the current which will not include crosses from Woj to Sagna don’t matter how useful they are.
We must play with the ball on the ground, and build attack from the left through the middle with Kos protecting Gibbs place and Gibbs in much more advanced position on the pitch than Arteta.
If Clichy can stretch the play for City I don’t see why Gibbs/Monreal can’t do that for us.
Good call there Lurky.
I think Sagna has until the last couple of games, been back to close to his best going forward but there is no doubt that those fractures and anno domini have taken the edge off his top, top performances at both ends of the pitch. He still remains our top RB by a long distance.
Harder to call between Monreal and Gibbs though that’s because Gibbs has stepped up defensively since the tail end of last season. No question though that he is not getting forward as much as he was and whether it’s tactical, the price of better defending or just a bit of match fatigue, it may be a justification for a break and an opportunity for Nacho. However I think Gibbs will get the call.
Cheers, Aussie, here’s to three points tomorrow(or next for you).
A REAL football pub atmosphere, cheers fellas. Great debating and some heated exchanges (being a gooner is an emotional rollercoaster!) What we aren’t able to experience here, is the devilish grin, the twinkle in the eye or in some cases, the sad countenance of some …
>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>
Anyone going to the game tomorrow other than me and TS? Tollie afterwards?
Cheers H2H
Snide comment a thing of the past just as Lars calling me “Austria”, not Australia. (Hopefully received as sarcasm from a new commenter Lars).
At least one great things us Aussies and the regular holics seem to have in common is to discuss all things arsenal whilst having a beer at the pub. Only difference is our beers are a bit colder.
I look forward to being a more consistent and regular provider of my arsenal thoughts on goonerholic on both good and not so good days.
Go the gunners.
Nice calls Ttg & Lurky, I’d really want to see Monreal operate with Santi on that left flank, like you rightly observed most of our attacks have been via the right, which is not only strange but appalling. It makes us too predictable. Secondly, Nachoman’s lethal injection would come in handy when pushing back the SAS combo. He’s more physical and takes no shit like lé Flam. He’s also not short of what to do upfield. Giving him a run of games would also help Gibbs rest well and wake up better, like it happened between Szczy & Fabi last season. It would also ensure Monreal isn’t match rusty. Can’t forget his fighting spirit on the pitch on his debut game. I strongly believe this game could be like that.
Just watching the BvB – Stuttgart game further strenghtens my belief in our squad. They’re only a bunch of mostly average players who understand their responsibilities, are ready to do it well and have hunger for success on the pitch.
COYRs!
ah! Forgot to acknowledge bath @358
G’nite goonerverse.
Porco Rosso
That was not me, i would never say that. For a start I don’t drink beer, so I would never offer to throw it over people as its not the done thing, lets be honest. I may be many things, but I am not anti-social in that manner.
You are confusing me with someone else.
Quelles sont les modalités??
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