Reasons To Be Cheerful – Part One – A Guest Post
Mar 30th, 2014 by 'holic
Grateful thanks to Takeabowson for stepping into the breach at short notice, particularly as it dawned on him he might be commenting on a proper hiding. Fortunately that didn’t transpire. Thanks TaBS for helping out again.
“Bit busy tomorrow mate. Do you fancy writing this one up?” asked the Guvnor over the pre-match pints.
Rueful grins were exchanged. The prognosis amongst the conoscenti for a successful afternoon was that it would take a significant realignment of the stars for Arsenal to take anything from a City side fresh from emphasising their local hegemony in Manchester with some style. I hesitated. Writing this one up looked to be something of a poisoned chalice, and having vented my spleen somewhat after the anaemic and one-paced display against Swansea, I could only do “Desolation” once in any given week.
“There’s a pint of lager in it for you if you do …”
Well there’s an offer that I usually (always) find difficult to refuse. The deal was duly sealed with fingers firmly crossed.
As team news filtered in, it became clear that Arsene had resisted any urge to make what limited changes his injury-ravaged squad afforded. Sanogo, Kallstrom and Gnabry all remained on the bench, with Podolski for Oxlade-Chamberlain the only change to the starting eleven that had looked so flat against Swansea. The message was clear – We go with what we have, with Arsene’s renowned faith in his players once again to the fore. There were, however, two significant changes to how the team set up, if not to personnel. Cazorla was restored to a more central role whilst the more mobile Flamini rather than the ailing Arteta was given licence to play the slightly more advanced role of the double pivot. Both decisions would yield dividends.
Initial impressions appeared to bear out pre-match concerns. City dominated possession in the opening quarter of the game and knocked the ball around with a swagger and a confidence that has been so sorely lacking from our game in recent weeks. Twice they were able to make significant inroads down Arsenal’s left in the early stages, and when Podolski was carelessly caught in possession on the quarter hour mark, their goal duly arrived, care of two passes and a helpful riccochet from the post. 1-0 down then, and at that stage it looked like it might be another long afternoon.
This was the moment of reckoning. Would the goal provoke another implosion of confidence that we have become used to watching when Arsenal are up against title challengers? Not a bit of it. Roared on by a nervous yet defiant home crowd, Arsenal began to feel their way into the game. With our big German effectively marshalling the troops at the back we remained solid and cohesive, and that sense of solidity began to spread throughout the whole side. Though genuine openings remained scarce there was a willingness on the part of the boys in red to mix it, to go toe to toe, to compete, and to show that they would not be lambs to an oil-funded slaughter. This was to be no abject surrender. Half time arrived with the score still at 1-0, but there had been enough to suggest that hopes of a comeback were not merely the preserve of the fanciful.
A Podolski cross had had the City rearguard panicking. Rosicky, injecting drive and momentum at every opportunity had taken a tumble in the area, and whilst Dean was probably correct in his assessment that he had gone looking for the outstretched leg, I’ve seen ‘em given. Flamini had had the ball in the back of the net, the linesman’s flag cutting short the premature celebrations. Still behind then, but City knew they were in a game.
Two crucial minutes in the second half changed the game. Sczcz spilled a cross and the ball thankfully rolled just wide of the post. A second City goal at that stage would surely have put the game to bed. Having used up a life, Arsenal seized the momentum. First Cazorla, back to his very best, stung Hart’s hands with a fizzer and then with Arsenal keeping City firmly on the backfoot with a fine passage of one touch passing we got our reward, Podolski’s cross swept in with some aplomb by Flamini. His celebration said it all. Enough is enough. The frustrations of the last week were to be banished.
The goal was more evidence of that old adage that goals change more than the scoreline. Belief flooded through the side and it was Arsenal who looked the more likely side to go on and win. It was crucial that we scored again whilst on to top. The opportunity duly arrived. Cazorla played Podolski in but his shot found the inside leg of the fortuitous Hart and went the wrong side of the the post. It was to be the closest we came in the remaining half hour of a thoroughly absorbing contest to turning one point into three.
Back in the Pub, the mood was in stark contrast to the one that had followed the draw on Tuesday. It has been a while since a home draw has been greeted like a win, and though there was a little frustration that we hadn’t managed to turn such a full hearted display into victory, the performance was such that it will hopefully give succour for the rest of the Season.
Reasons to be cheerful then? Certainly. Will parts two and three follow as we head into season-defining games at Goodison Park and Wembley? No idea. Time to buckle up and keep singing Gooners.
Slainte.
365 Responses to “Reasons To Be Cheerful – Part One – A Guest Post”
First???
Wohooooo:)
Sidenote: a few minutes in and the Tots are already one behind
Great write up, tabs.
LWCs look like they might get another sparking here. Happy days.
Superb post by the way Tabs!
We sure saw the exact same game.
2-0!
I’d advise everyone to tune into this game.
We’re not catching Liverpool, but we can watch Spurs being humiliated.
We need a damn striker next season..a proper one this time!
Three things certain in life: death, taxes, and LWCs are pure crap.
And yes he’s an odious cheat, but Suarez is a hell of a footballer.
Tottenlol! Still can’t believe they paid 100 m quid for those shite players
Just read that in Sweden a fan has died after a fight between “supporters”!
Sad day for football!
Out of words and depressed 🙁
Top work … And all that with a hangover! 🙂
Why don’t you so called arsenal blogs do something useful and fight back against the anti arsenal media especially sky they hate arsenal
Sherwood watching his minions from the stands, not the touchline.
Will have to buy his tickets in the not-so-distant future….
We might catch chelski but this season i think pool’s running away with it, they are closing in on city’s GD!
Here’s hoping we win all our remaining league matches!
Cheers for that Tabs.
Will – keep taking the pills mate. This IS an Arsenal blog. Nothing so called about it.
Excellent review, Tabs (i.e. I saw the game the same way). We really need to carry this momentum into the next couple of games; bring Everton’s run to a halt and then sweep into the FA Cup final.
Momentum is such a huge thing in football as Liverpool are proving, vital for them the much lesser fixture demands and for us the injuries we’ve endured. Our response against City worlds apart from Chelsea capitalisation. Whilst we’ve conceded 18 away we’ve only conceded once against the top sides at home. Surely that says a lot about our approach as much as anything. Now let’s get the extra forward options we need, more numbers, skill, pace and build again. It was a huge relief to see us playing so well again. It looked like our season could implode further and further, that bodes well for the the FA cup and also the fight for third, City and Liverpool are gone but Chelsea are there to be hauled back, a team with no strikers.
Tabs
Brilliant write – up. It might have come from the master himself!
I really enjoyed the game . I had been very pessimistic beforehand. It sounds like I was not alone! It was clear though that we had tightened the midfield and with players like Santi and TR7 on top form we are a match for anyone. I feel less confident with Koscielny out but we were very solid and as Tabs said, with Flamini making a nuisance of himself in midfield where we contained YaYa Toure well and they were sorely missing Aguero they were most dangerous when Silva had the ball .
Without sounding like a stuck gramophone record the one thing we were missing was pace especially through the centre where Giroud managed to make DeMichelis look like a greyhound. Theo caused them major problems in December and I was surprised Ox wasn’t brought on earlier. One got the impression a point suited both teams although failing to win actually made both sides less certain of future success. The clues from them were the replacement of Navas and Nasri by holding midfield players ( or in Milner a sort of holding player) whilst we only brought on Sanogo at the death. Our YaYa ( this was the first time in over a thousand Arsenal games I have observed two YaYas on the pitch!) looked more of a handful immediately than Giroud had and might have been worth trying earlier. But I was happy with a point given the sort of alternative scenarios we have seen recently. I felt I could believe in the team again and Inrealky do believe IF we can get players back we could end the season very well.
@Darren B
There’s also another team with no strikers….
Allright ..allright.. I’ll show myself the door.
😀
Up The Arse!
Very nice write up, TaBS. Pressure to deliver clearly drives you (“What’s that, Her Nellieness? – It’s the pint of lager that drives him? No, surely not. I don’t think so.)
Great atmosphere in the ground – I think our fans helped to lift the team.
Minus our top five, Koscielny, Wilshere, Ozil, Ramsey, Walcott (and Diaby, of-course, can’t forget Abou) Arsenal still proved equal on the day to a Citeh squad assembled at massive cost and remunerated weekly, to a man, at a rate that only the Milk Sheik’s wealth can sustain. That must really piss Mansour off. He must crave the only signature he’ll never get – Arsene Wenger’s.
Great day out. Off to Goodison next weekend for a little more of the same please.
And St. Totteringham’s Day will be here before you know it!
Heh! lets go! Mong alert.
Big Bear. Pea Brain.
YOU WILL WIN EVERY GAME 10-0
DELUDED MONGS
SPENT BILLIONS AND NOW BEING CHASED BY SOME PENNYLESS SCOUSERS
JOKE OF A TEAM
We spent billions? This is getting better and better.
In fact I actually think its quite a good piss-take. Hats off to ya BB!
Does a Big Bear talk shit in the woods? Or is he at home?
Boring 😉
Text speak is the mark of an absolute wanker. And a joke. Which is getting less funny admittedly.
It would appear that Big Bear is nothing more than a little grizzly. Kindly do not feed the intellectually challenged.
Ta 🙂
Be very afraid Gooners were are coming to get you, we will do you at Goodison next week and then we have a much easier run in! Not forgetting we have a game in hand at home to Palace! 4th is ours for the taking, be very afraid!
Noted. You missed 1 mate as well.
Hahahahahahah load of jokers around tonight. Easier run-in. Suggest you actually go and read the fixtures.
I’m off wont feed the trolls anymore. Promise.
35. How long have you been in the PL?
M’s Minion, are you serious? If someone would ever beat us to fourth I’d rather it be Everton.
Then again, I permit such feelings precisely because I know you’ll never do it. 😉
—–
Holics, those 2 points dropped to Swansea are biting us in the arse.
Nice one Tabs, well worth a lager that mate.
Something nice to study, phoning up a buddy
Being in my nuddy
Saying hokey-dokey, Sing Along With Smokey
Coming out of chokey………For those that get the reference. 😉
Great result yesterday, just what the doctor ordered in performance terms, just begs the question to why this set up (predomintly Flamini) didn’t get to start in those wretched away games, but that’s water under the bridge now I suppose.
Next up Everton, in what will be a very difficult game, the guy above may very well be a happy juice filled, half chewed and puked out, turd flavoured toffee, but amongst his retarded rumblings there is somewhat of a coherent point and that is that Everton are hard to beat up there in the blue area of Bindipper County. We;ll need to bring our A game, hopefully we’ll have a few of our players back. (everything crossed)
Bring it on.
That’s not what I asked.
You’ve never won a title that Blachburn have.
You slate our record in a tournament that you’ve never fully qualified for.
You want to have a meaninggul discussion then you’re welcome, you wanna be a prat then jog on.
What 8, 9, 12, 21, 24 said. Especially 24.
Minion, in case you haven’t noticed, Palace just beat Chelsea. Damn, and I thought the Blue Scousers had more sense than the Red ones. Not today!
Retweeted by lasagnechef
Now Tottenham @NowTottenham · 35m
BREAKING NEWS: The fight rumours have been confirmed. The reports are SHERWOOD has punched a player in the face in the dressing room. #COYS
Wow!
Good stuff, tabs. It was a good game and we could just has well have won it. Everton are storming ahead behind us and we’ll have a game on our hands next Sunday, that’s for sure. We’ll need at least a point to not have to rely on others for remaining in the top four, not quite what we wanted but there we go.
As for “who do I prefer to win the league if we don’t” debate I must say that after some consideration I really don’t care too much. If Liverpool win it there’ll be endless gloating and people will use it as a stick to beat Arsene with but would that really be any different from today? It would just be a slightly different stick and a different set of gloating fans. And to be honest, if Liverpool win it then for all the money that Chelsea and City have spent they will stand there with only the League Cup between them (no, I don’t think Chelsea will win the CL) which for me would be a good thing. And it would leave Chelse with precisely fuck all which would leave Mourinho stewing in his own bile which can never be a bad thing.
And of you think we’re smarting because we won’t win the league (let’s face it, we won’t unless something very very drastic happens) then think of how Manu fans must feel. Not only are they having a stinker of a season, their two most hated rivals are both fighting for the title…
Excellent report, tabs.
I’ll buy you a lager for that myself, mate.
Sorry I couldn’t witness that gutsy performance in the flesh.
Not yours Wolfie, the players’! 🙂
Been drinking in the snug instead of the lounge.
Senile old twat.
Some amusing tweets going around about Sherwood decking, allegedly, Michael Dawson.
For amusement I’ve looked at a few Tottenham message boards. Interesting that Levy seems to be the butt of their anger. I’m amazed this hasn’t happened before. He has had a lot of money placed at his disposal and failed to find a manager that he can work with who knows what he is doing.And his transfer activity in pre- season with Baldini who was hailed as a genius looks farcical. £100 million pissed up the wall. And they laugh at Wenger. What they ought to give for the stability and success he has given us!
Everton game – players back? Who? Haven’t heard anything about Koscielny but none of the others are going to be back, if the AFC site is to be believed.
I see Barkley went off at half-time at Fulham with calf trouble which would be a major loss for them. According to the Guardian report, Fulham outplayed them in the first half, although possession stats of 40-60 tell another story.
We just need to extend Saturday’s second 45 minutes’ performance to 90 minutes. Not losing will be great – a win would put the speculation to bed, given our respective remaining games.
Still a bit nervous about which Arsenal will turn up but I don’t expect them to blow it now.
Isn’t the UK on Summer Time yet?
Posting times are two hours behind CEST.
Whoops – no it’s not – my mistake.
TABS
Hats off for this post! Whadeserve at write up and Holic no disrespect 😉
Brilliant idea anyhow! 😉 Both deserve credit top notch stuff!
*What a great write up
Bloody phone typing
What’s the difference between Batman and a scouser?????
Batman can go places without Robin.
Aaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaa.
😀
Great stuff, Tabs.
The crowd sounded great on TV too.
Just showed yesterday, not only how much better Arsenal are when they are that positive, but also how jittery Citeh become when a team really presses and attacks them.
They were hacking balls away during the second half in true old ‘anywhere will do’ style.
Great performance and we are left to wonder what an Ozil and a Walcott could do to Clichy and Demechelis ……..
After the weekend we have 5 remaining games against teams currently 9th, 11th, 14th, 15th and 17th in the premiership. Everton have both Manc clubs, Southampton who are in excellent form and Palace who beat the chavs.
If we display anything like yesterday’s form for the remaining games Everton will be more likely looking over their shoulders at Man U than worrying about us.
Öskar
Indeed Oskar,
But good old Auntie Beeb loves to make it sound like Everton have already won all their remaining games – as do Sky – as does most of the Press – as does etc. etc. etc.
Well stepped into the breach, tabs, nicely crafted.
But ‘Cazorla, back to his very best’? He was rubbish again in the first half, indecisive and giving the ball away with failed passes, or simply dispossessed. Better in part 2, I agree, but even so ‘his very best’ is still a long way off, imo.
His failure to score more regularly is also a worry. Not alone there of course, as our goal difference reflects. That Rambo is still our second highest goal scorer says it all really.
Öskar
The Drmic rumors really hots up tonight, as Mathaus once again confirmed for Bild that the deal is actually done for 8m and he will be an Arsenal player.
Don’t know if it’s true and I must admit that I’ve never seen the player in a game, but there were some reports since the start of this year that he is a one to watch.
This is the newest and the best video of him out there and it is evident that he wants to run behind defenders and has decent speed and trickery, so I can see why Arsene might be interested.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8F1VtEx74Y0&feature=youtu.be
Serves you right for listening to the BBC, Trev. Commentaries on Arsenal World are far more balanced. Strange that!
Öskar
Great write up Tabs. Reasons to be cheerful indeed. Quite different from Tuesday night when it was What a Waste.
The stereotypical game of 2 halves for me. I arrived at the ground with 5 minutes to spare. The team news was no real surprise for me. The team at the moment virtually picks itself.
The first half I thought we were very poor. We could not keep the ball, we gave it away far too cheaply and for me we did not really compete in any area. The Citeh goal was a collection of errors. Again we gave the ball away. Both full backs were again caught too far up field and when Silva finally poked the ball on from a few feet they had already managed to get 5 in the box. The first half finished without us having one shot on target.
The second half was a totally different affair. Full of guts, heart and spirit. I have no idea what they put in the half time jelly babies but it worked. We deserved our equaliser and Poldi should gave done better with his shot that hit Hart. I thought that if anyone was going to get a winner it was us but after the Chavs got dinked at Palace I guess neither side will be too disappointed with a point.
It was interesting watch yesterday. I have felt for sometime now that tactically we have been a bit naive. I can’t quite work out what goes on in our midfield. At times it is almost a bit of a free for all. I don’t get how we play five in midfield but still rely on both full backs to supply the width? All it seems to achieve is making the middle of the park very congested and leaves us extremely vulnerable to the counter attack. See the Citeh goal. Ollie G has been slaughtered on here recently but yet again he was let down by his team mates. I lost count of how many times he had to battle the likes of Kompany and Co alone, only to win the ball, look up and not see a team mate anywhere near him. As we all know he is big, strong but lacks pace. Considering all of that he has very little chance of being productive if the midfield are still 20 yards back.
I don’t know anyone that was not worried in some way pre kick off so I will happily accept a point. I thought that Tommy R was massive yesterday and closely followed by the BFG and General Flamster. I know Sanogo is young and only recently joined the party but I struggle to see what he actually brings to the table. He played for approximately 10 minutes yesterday. He touched the ball 3 times with his head and once with his left breast????? I have no idea of he will ever be able to make it here. Normally you see something that gives you a bit of confidence but at the moment I am just not getting it. I hope that it is just him settling in.
On to Scouse land at the weekend in what is a must not lose game. Unfortunately our previous efforts have now made it into that. I guess it tells us all something if we feel both happy and relieved with a home draw?
A final word about the crowd. I thought the support was immense on Saturday. It was a great atmosphere and I’m sure that makes a big difference.
Onwards and upwards boys and girls.
I have never heard of Drmic and I have never seen him play. You would have to say that at his age he is one for the future. You have to hope that there are other irons in the fire and not just this one. That’s assuming there is any truth in this story at all. There was a period last season that we were signing Higuain and Suarez if we all remember??????
http://www1.skysports.com/football/news/11095/9241491/transfer-news-josip-drmic-denies-arsenal-deal
Make of it what you will.
True about Higuain and Suarez, Steve. Far more likely that we’ll sign a Drmic no-one has heard of, aye.
Öskar
Nice write up tabs 😀
He will never admit that he signed until the transfer period begins officially. Neither will us. Vultures are circling. Lost count of times similar situation happened in the past.
Anyway, he has his desires, that’s for sure:
“What will happen in the future, I don’t know. Any boy dreams about playing for Arsenal.”
What is more interesting is that from what I’ve seen in the clips, he actually reminds me a lot of Draxler. Two footed, great first touch, decent speed, trickery. Draxler is little taller but I got an impression that Drmic is better in the air.
Add to that the price which is much, much lower, our interest doesn’t sound that strange.
I must say that I take these you tube clips with a pinch of salt. If you play in the top flight you must be pretty shite if someone can’t 5 minutes of when you were good to make a compilation. His goal scoring record looks good this season
Like all things, when it’s officially announced I will believe it.
No one heard of Anelka, Vieira, Koschielny or Fabregas either.
Many had doubts about Henry, Bergkamp or Mertesacker, like they have doubts about young Sanogo.
The future will tell, but don’t disqualify any player, particularly if you do not even know what he looks like. If Arsene is the best in the world at something, it is finding a talent, I don’t have any doubts about that.
Who is disqualifying a player????? All I have said is that I don’t trust you tube clips of anyone as a true reflection and I will believe it when it’s made official. As I have also said, if there is any truth in the rumour then I hope it is not the only iron in the fire.
Steve T, chill mate, I was responding Oskar’s presumption that
“Far more likely that we’ll sign a Drmic no-one has heard of, aye.”
That’s a disqualification. I am not saying that he will going to be the next Henry, because I haven’t seen him play yet, but to say that he is no Higuain or not good, only because no one has never heard of him, is strange, especially when it is Arsene that picks him.
I was only asking for some patience and perspective.
Apologies Lurky. I could not work out where that had come from.
I still don’t trust you tube compilations though.
😀
No worries, neither I trust them, especially after seeing that in some clips Denilson looks like a Makelele. But sometimes when you don’t have any other options to see a certain player, they are the only source of info. As I said, I wanted to check Drmic only because the rumor was strong tonight. I liked what I saw and no matter if we sign him or not, it is clear indication what type of player the club is after.
Draxler, El Sharavy, Drmic, Suarez, Griezmann.
Left wing, pace, two footed, ability to play as a lone striker if needed, ability to dribble his marker, outlet.
Who would be the least intolerable candidate, in your opinion, to win the league if we don’t win it (yes, there is still a chance, however slim that might be)?
I would have liked to say I don’t care and they all can go to hell. However on second thought I would rather it be City. They have a manager who is somewhat likable as far as opposition managers go, and if we exclude that Marseille scum a few players I rather like (Kompany, YaYa, good old Clichy, Aguero).
The London inmates are of course out of the question. But I equally abhor the idea of Pool winning the title. The over the top fawning and glorifying and unbearable revisionism of the last few years that would ensue alone are enough to make you sick, and not to speak of having to hear the virtues of Rodgers and Gerrard being extolled ad nauseum (pass me the bucket), but also the fact them winning the title would mean they would be more of an attractive target for prospective players in the same price range.
About the Everton match, maybe a bit of tweaking in formation is due?
Martinez would go with high defensive line — in Theo’s absence oppositions perceive this as no-risk — and given how we have sleepwalked around recently in big away matches they would try to force the issue earlier. I think we can exploit that better by playing Poldi through the middle and having Ox on the right wing. Ox on the right would ping Baines back more, and Poldi through the middle means we wouldn’t play the hold-up game (it was noticeable in City match Szczesny has gone back to use Sagna’s heading abilities as the outlet from the goal-keeper which was our strategy in pre-Giroud days with Sagna knocking back to Theo) but will push up our attack minded midfielders closer to Poldi trying to release him or Ox at the earliest opportunity. Poldi won’t have to do much defensive work a la Giroud — a bit of a loss in set-pieces but we can manage that — but would need to focus on staying on-side and running behind the defenses. He will then get enough chances to score.
Rail: name your sets of ten Jeffers. Also John W. Henry is hardly a pauper.
Nice summary TaBS, pretty much how I saw it! Atmosphere was certainly a positive which drove the lads but unfortunately that extra bit of attacking quality wasn’t available to take all three points. Would’ve liked to see Al-Ox on for the final 25 mins instead of just 10 mins to exploit a tiring Clichy; he looked dangerous immediately when finally brought on pitch.
Dr F @69, agree pretty much with all of your points! Citeh for the title if it’s not us as the scousers winning would be an utter wankfest from all and sundry in the media. As for the Chavs, they’re just cunts and a season of blankness upon the return of their “chosen one” will be sweet schadenfreude!
Regarding Ox on the right against Everton to pin Baines back and ensure that a deep backline is maintained, agree too. Coleman on their right will prove a real threat but I’m not too worried about the toffees away as we always do pretty well up there! COYBG, it’s the business end of the season! Top three, at worst, and the FA Cup! Up the Arse!
Dr. F: the first Citeh player I would sign is David Silva, despite our riches in midfield. Then, Kompany, despite Mertecielny Then, Aguero and Negrado. Then Yaua Toure, the fit Diaby. The rest of hem, meh.
Lurky@63: spot on. AW makes good players great. Arguably, there isn’t a manager who has a better eye for potential talent than him. YouTube highlights are just that, highlights.
DKG: here is our projected return from injury rota:
vs Everton
Montreal
vs Wigan (FA Cup)
Ramsey
vs West Ham
—
vs Hull
Ozil
No return date
Koscielny
Miyaichi
Wilshere
Walcott
Diaby
Rail and other deluded ‘pool supporters, so when’s your new “Never Walk Alone” home due for completion? It’s going to be interesting watching you balance the books and compete whilst building that.
Just FYI before you spout anymore sh**e about transfers, in the last 2 years ‘pool are the fourth highest net spenders in the EPL behind the two Manc clubs and the Chavs! So stew on that for a while before mouthing off again.
Even with all the extra CL money, will your squad be large enough with the necessary quality to contend with two big matches a week next season after a World Cup year? No more 6-7 day rest periods between matches laddie! We’ll find out soon enough if you’ll be another CL one-season wonder like the LWCs were and if Rodgers is going to be another Redknapp in the making?! It’s going to be fun watching your burnout next season! 😎
Cheers Tabs. Luverly report.
On the Tottnum front they are looking on target for a bottom 13 finish. Being attached to unlucky numbers seems to be their lot in life.
NBN @ 75: Fully agree with you about Silva. The silkiest and the trickiest in the Spanish line-up after Iniesta (the illusionista moniker I really like 🙂 ).
Ya Ya is more well-rounded and accomplished than Diaby, but you can argue that it is really hard to evaluate Abou given his lack of consistent run.
I am not too much of a fan of Negredo (neither of Illorente). Negredo is a better finisher than Giroud but overall he is not that much of an improvement (I know it is highly debatable, I just think with enough rest and break Giroud would have looked as lively and fresh as he had started) . Aguero, of course, liked him from those Atletico days.
Speaking of Atletico, it would be amusing to see how much money would they will get out of Diego Costa and whether Arsenal would be in that chase (don’t think so). That club has created a business model around finding great strikers and nurturing them and selling them for a great profit. 🙂
Hang on, Lurky, I wasn’t disqualifying Drmic. Just stating the historical fact that AW signs many more unknowns (to us anyway) than established stars. Clearly, despite some obvious exceptions, he has been right most of the time. If it’s true we have signed Gospodin Drmic then I assume he has a very good reason for doing so and I’m as keen as anyone to find out why.
That said I’d still be marginally happier to be starting next season with a Suraez or Cavani up front than someone known only to AW and his scouts.
Öskar
Dapper @ 74: I am a Boston resident, and just because the city’s favorite sports team is owned by the owner of Liverpool I have enough yankee friends with not much of background or knowledge of football (aka ‘soccer’) who have become by association Liverpool fan, have learnt all the cliches about Liverpool and its ‘glorious’ history and just like the rest of the oldies coming out of the woodword with their run to the top cannot stop talking about a new ‘dynasty’. Puke.
Like you I think top three is still highly achievable if we take care of our performance.
NBN @ 77: No return date for Kos is worrying. He generally returns quickly from injuries. IMHO, our player of the season (closely run by Per).
@82: …”coming out of the woodwork…” even. And also to clarify, I have nothing personal against yankee Liverpool fans and old Liverpool fans…just their pathetic delusion of grandeur …
With Suarez almost certain to leave in the summer (and Sturridge and Coutinho getting offers from bigger clubs?), not to mention Stevie G entering his dotage, it will be interesting to see how quickly Pool go backwards next season regardless of where they finish this one.
Inevitably the ‘feeder club’ tag will get switched to them as we complete our transition phase and re-join the big boys.
Think about it, rail. 😉
Öskar
We are the Arsenal.
They (all of them – including Mickeys, rail) are cunts.
Sounds like reason enough to be cheerful.
BMBD
Dr F: I agree with you regarding Pool winning the league. as far as I’m concerned, they have had it easy. No European games or travelling, which helps in the planning and preparation for the weekend games, and of course, less chance of players getting hurt or getting tired etc. Like last year, they relied on Suarez. Without him they wouldn’t be much. And Brenda Rogers, last year seemed clueless, when it came to rotating players and tactics, when Pool were playing in Europe, that’s why they only managed 8th place in the league. Also, have a look at Pool’s favourable fixtures. Just before the New Year, they played Chelsea and Man City back to back, lost both games. They don’t have to play another top 5 side, back to back again this season, even the Chelsea/ City reverse fixtures have been separated. And lets not forget the small fortune they have outlayed on players in the last 5 years either!!
Oh!! forgot Pool also got knocked out of the Domestic Cups fairly quickly too, so even more, less games to play.
We all play the same number of games ffs rail. You’d have a good year, thanks to just one player. Now please consider where you’ll be without him next season.
Back in the pack.
Öskar
*you’ve had…
Yeah … and we’d be last if everyone else played better, aye. Sorry rail, it doesn’t work like that. You get to be where you are by being better than those below you. We didn’t beat the spuds three times this year by being inferior to them … duh.
We even beat Pool twice out of three this season. Go figure.
Öskar
Morning. Nice to see you up early H with the shake and vac and the Hoover. The place looks and smells better already.
13 years ago today Rocky made his sad and extremely premature departure from this world. A sad and tragic loss of a wonderful man and a great player. Time to raise a glass to absent friends and give thanks for all the joy he brought to us during an all too short a period.
“You do the shake and vac and put the freshness back”
😆
Nice write-up tabs, you added some detail to the mental picture that I had to paint myself after missing the through looking for after Rossette.
A highly creditable result given what had gone before it (not to mention the difference in squad size and depth). Before the game I said a draw would be a good outcome, and so it proved.
Onto my main point.
Now this will be a red rag to certain bulls in the bar, but dare I suggest that they only escaped a beating because the title pressure is off and 4th is almost guaranteed? I ask because it is that pressure element that appears to weigh so heavily upon their minds, but when there’s much less at stake we tend to see more liberated, if relatively inconsequential, performances. As further examples I put forward the results of our 2nd leg ‘exit games’ in the past 3 CL campaigns.
…missing the GAME…it should read.
Salut Rocky! You’re much missed!
Dr F @79, that’s not at all surprising to hear. Let’s wait and see where those “glory-hunters” go to this same time next year!
More convinced than ever that we totally pissed away a title that we should have strolled to if Arsene had been serious about player recruitment in the summer. Özil was a delight, but basically just something that came along at the end of Bale’s musical chairs – that isn’t careful planning and execution, it’s high quality opportunism. We needed more than that.
Add in a couple of decent attackers and solid midfielder to this squad. Show some pragmatism when needed against the better sides and enough firepower to punish the little ones and we would have pissed away from the 3 ahead of us, who can each only do 1. It is a horrible indictment that with all our quality we never really did either.
Injuries have hurt us, but that’s what happens when you have only 1 player with pace. Verging on criminal negligence that we started the season with 1 winger and no strikers of any real quality, top quality.
People can prattle on about other teams spending power, but a team with Clichy, Demichellis, and Hart at the back was vulnerable. That midfield is Silva and Toure and filler. Don’t get me started on Liverpool. There is a reason a team now 9,567 points off first pissed the league last year – it is there for the taking if you have any balls. Do we have any balls anymore?
Sort it out this summer please Arsene. (Before you go commentating.)
UTA.
I was just talking about Rocky’s son yesterday, playing for one of our local clubs, with one of my mates.
Long live the legend! 😉
With Bendtner and Sagna off. Sonogo and Jenkinson apparently out on loan and Arteta playing his final year you’d assume in a reduced capacity… I say we need 6 players at least: centre-half, right-back, pair of plums in midfield, winger, striker, striker.
With that in mind, I’d be pretty excited if we could wrap up a 21 year old striker for the rumoured £5mil who is on his way to scoring 20 goals in a serious league. That’s a good start. We will need another though and to keep Giroud.
Sickening to hear the boss praise our “courage” for coming back from the 6-0 defeat with two home draws that killed our title challenge. Disgusting stuff.
Courage is not getting humped 6-0 by a Maureen team.
That’s put a real spoiler on the day at 9am. Nice. He can do one with that sort of crippled logic. Urgh.
Morning all. Thanks Steve. I have left the window open so the last lingering whiff of bitter Cannuck is dispersed.
Boom
Tabs
Great write up !
The journey to Everton seems less daunting after our 2nd half performance and an eliment of belief has now crept back into the team which can only be a good thing.
Flamini needs to be playing every game, when he hold the captain to get back I must admit a smile crossed my face. He is the man we need in the trenches as the Pl draws to its conculsion. Love his passion and drive.
Cheers
Porco @ 92: Good point, but I would like to qualify that recently we do well under the ‘underdogs’ kind of pressure where we must need to prove others wrong, but not as a favorites tag-holder where there is a lack of self-conviction (most abundantly demonstrated in our subdued performances against what really is a mid-table ManU team this year). The last two seasons our sustained run at the end for the top four was full of mental fortitude demonstrated under real pressure from all quarters. However in those runs we really believed that we deserve to be in top four, for the PL run-in I think some players were not fully convinced about our own credentials.
Tabs,
Singularly the most impressive part about that piece was the lucidity and accuracy of your cognitive abilities to manage to even write it in the first place given what had passed in the proceeding 36 hours. I arrived very early to LHR – a flammable cocktail of fluids and gaseous ablutions. Security checked my passport and then took my pulse!
I had a wonderful weekend. I would just like to extend my most sincere gratitude to Snowy, Helen, BTM, Lars, Holic and the inimitable Tabs for their hospitality and the sense of inclusion that permeates everything about what this blog and club is about. A special thanks too for all the Arsenal Sweden contingent who generously provided a ticket for the U21 game and proved to be such a wonderful bunch throughout.
As for the game itself, it was great to restore some pride and hopefully we can stop the bleeding now and make the most of the remaining fixtures to consolidate a top 4 finish and hopefully an FA cup title as well.
Heh @ Joe
Been there, done that. (pulse thing).
Have we signed anyone yet? Did the transfer window open?
on another note…seems to me that Boss is looking quite dispirited..his post game interview, and other subtle signs, make me think that he is quite getting over it all…I think the 6-0 tonking really did it for him…whatever one thinks of his team selection, the team really let him down that day, and they should be right ashamed of themselves…also, the endless bitching on him in the media must be exhausting…so it is understandable…his thanks to the fans after the city game seemed very heartfelt, but that Chelsea thumping shows in his demeanour, at least to me…so it is sad to see…
everytime I pass by on the 91 bus and see the stadium, I think what an amazing stadium Boss engineered..something on a par with the very best in the world, a home for the club to launch victories in the future…maybe he feels he is not up to taking the club forward anymore, but really, what an achievement! would be nice for him to reap the fruits of this sea change for the club, but somehow me thinks he is not going to sign…hoping to proved wrong as I believe the old dog still has a couple more tricks to play 🙂
Well said Tabs. Must be a reflection on my weekend that I am just now reading it.
I hope this second half display put the confidence back in this group. We are coming to the tail end of a brutal stretch of games and the end if a season and Cup competition. Can’t stop now still things to play for and secure for this season and next.
Confidence. Let’s make good use of it and make it last.
*Raises one for Rocky.
Joe, what an absolute pleasure it was to see you again. You are a gentleman and a welcome calming addition to this bunch of debauched ne’erdowells 🙂
Afternoon all.
Due to all our injuries it may not be a bad idea to bring this Dr Mic geezer in. 😉
The medical staff could use a little freshening up, right H2H.
And I raise my glass to young Rocky as well.
With Dr T on the morphine and Dr Z being Dr Z, I’m sure the whole quackery’s spirits are high……..
With the emphasis on high……….. and spirits. 😉
All’s well in the Golden State I hope mate.
Back home in Stockholm now, a great weekend as usual and upon landing I realised it is only just over three weeks until I am back which is always a nice feeling.
Joe, thanks for all the beer (ok, and the good company as well 🙂 )
End of March and we are looking at a mega-mahusive 6 pointer in the race for 4th. It wasn’t supposed to be this way. Dark times.
Puno, before you end it all, have you had a look at Everton’s fixtures ?
Fuck me. Do we have to do the doom and gloom in here every fucking day now. Apologies for the language but fuck it. El Puno, you’re entitled to your opinion and all the rest of it, but fuck me you don’t half drone on. About the same stuff. Over and over.
Gone.
118 – Made one post since 9am fella and it was one and a half lines long. Get over it.
117 – I have no doubt we will finish top 4, was more a comment on how badly this league campaign has fallen apart for us. (Sadly, we didn’t just run out of legs, but took several real beastings on the way, making it feel all the worse.)
Good news if Arsene has signed his deal already, the fact that stain ANR is reporting it as an exclusive makes me worry though, he always gets everything as wrong as possible… :/
All we really need is a draw at Goodison Park to keep them at arms length. After that on to Wembley and an, on paper anyway (yeah, I know) easier run in.
A question for the cognoscenti: when was our last season that was better than this one?
I’d imagine it’s got to be 2007/2008 at the very latest, and that’s leaving aside the possibility of a cup.
Here are the league points totals for each season since the Invincibles. Note that we’re on 64 points right now, and if we keep accruing points at the same rate we have to date we’ll finish on 76:
2013 – 73
2012 – 70
2011 – 68
2010 – 75
2009 – 72
2008 – 83
2007 – 68
2006 – 67
2005 – 83
We appear to have been on a gentle upward trend since 2011.
I guess the answer to my question is that the next 8 games (hopefully it’ll be 8 games!) will hold the answer.
***stops singing for a moment to buckle up as instructed•••
But resumes singing immediately. 🙂
It’s been a really good season, far better then most friends or foes would have thought at the begining of term. However, due to raised expectations, many are dissapointed at the moment, which is understandable.
I really think we should wait until the actual end of the campaign to judge it, because there are still so many twists and turns that may (possibly) occur, We are mathmatically still in with a shot at the title, therefor also the double. we could finish higher then last year, we could get a cup, we could end up with bugger all.
Best to wait until passing judgement.
Good point sat,was a tad worried we may be handed a spanking but the lads done well and could have quite easily nicked it and with Chelsea getting done made for quite a good day 🙂
RIP Rocky,absolute star of a player and as a Man, Gone but never forgotten.Is it really 13 years already,
Howdy hol an all
long days
lifes a cunt
buried a friend
lifes a cunt
ooop de doop
life motors on
Professor Longhair
on
to
sideways
the. swipe
.
Condolances cba.
Thanks fellas for the kind ones.
BtM@20 – Lovely to see yourself and Her Nellieness on Saturday. Her Nellieness knows re the pint of lager 😉
Dr Z@28 – Bastard! 🙂
Joe @103 – Haha, cheers Sir, it was a bit of a struggle to write anything yesterday truth be told. Great to have finally met you and thank you for your wonderful generosity over the weekend. I will look forward to the next time.
Apologies, cba, I was typing at the same time. Condolences for your loss.
I do see one rather big worry for us for Sunday. Flamini is one card away from his tenth, which means a two-match ban. He has to get through both the Everton and Wigan games to avoid a ban for his tenth. I do hope this doesn’t mean he’ll be too cautious v Everton.
Very true H2H. Let’s revisit in May, by which time we’ll hopefully be celebrating our best season in nearly a decade!
cba, didn’t see your post before writing mine. My condolences for your loss.
ah
smudge. Nudge
the big man
would not take
sympathy
when
he was
verbally terroris’n
mind you
them that
believes
say a wee prayer
for john
Top man
Ah – cba, sorry to hear that.
Lars.
I believe we’ll need him more against Everton then Wigan. With all due respect to the Championship club I think the most important thing we need to bring to that game is a winning mentality/attitude.
I’ll drink to that N7 mate.
Prayer’s not my thing, so I’ll raise one for John instead. R.I.P.
hols made a great haven
i dont know him
or you
doesn’t matter
A tough one, cba.
Sorry to hear it.
top man ‘holic
Cheers trev
hope yer advancing
like a goodun
and
thanks
all you closet LWCs 😉
(seizures an effin an blindin 😉 )
🙂
good people
are
good people
.
love this place
H2H: we certainly need him more v Everton, and that is precisely my worry. He can’t run around fearing a yellow, if so he will be of no use to us.
Cba. Sorry for your loss. Can’t imagine what that feels like.
124 – Lots and lots of people saying this was our best chance to win the league in a decade given managerial changes at 3 clubs ahead of us last season. 4th, if that is where we finish is the very least we were expected to get. Given the £100 million in the bank and the abject capitulations alone the way, tough to see we made the most of our opportunity.
10 days ago we had the chance to break Mourinho’s unbeaten home record in Arsene’s 1000th game and basically take pole position in the title race. 2 points out of 9 and a 6-0 humiliation later and we went from promising season where we could go close to glory to a sorry regression to also rans who really look nowhere near the pace… With £100 million in the bank.
Lars.
I don’t believe holding back or “fearing a yellow” is in Flamini’s pschy. He collects them like some folk collect stamps. He’ll do what he has to do regardless.
cheers h2h
ye’d need a.big glass
and a ru bber liver
to have kep up
wi thon eejit
had a good innins though
all things considered
fuckin oul bastard
H2H: I do hope you are right, and to be honest you probably are too.
Condolences, cba.
BMBD
Evening Holic,,
Is it the usual address for emails with attachments ? 😉
Lots and lots of people saying this was our best chance to win the league in a decade given managerial changes at 3 clubs ahead of us last season.
If you mean at the begining of the season, then I never met, spoke to, or had contact in any way shape or form with a single one of them…… Hold up, that’s a fib, because Snir and BtM on here said we’d do it, but that really was it, a grand total of two people,(from my experience).
If you mean later on, then yeah, ok, I was one of them.
I agree with you on the lack of investment, but please don’t fall into, and neverendlingy repeat, the “£100 million in the bank” scenario. It’s a myth. An amount dreamt up by people outside the club pretending to be in the know based on nothing but their own calculations. I’m not disputing the fact that there was money to invest, but I don’t know how much that was and neither do many others. But that ship has sailed now, the time to bang that drum again will come in a few short months
I never realisticaly thought we’d beat the Chavs at the Bridge, too many key players missing. I was however hoping for a better performance, we all were hurt and felt let down with that one.
As for glory, there’s still the FA Cup, it’s not the PL, granted, but it’s still the most important other domestic trophy and a chance to get a particularly nasty arse monkey off our backs. It could even serve as a springboard to greater success. That’s the way I like to think about it.
You can see it all as failure or you could try to keep some faith that it will end with glory, pessimest v optimist. Your choice, ofcourse.
Sorry for your loss, cba.
151 – I was one of several optimists I spoke to pre-season who really fancied our chances and thought 17/1 before a ball was kicked or Özil signed was an absolute steal. Ploughed into it to. As did many of my friends and a fair few market traders I chat to on my wanders. (I did base that on us getting some fire-power though.)
Don’t get distracted by the number, £100 million or not, as you say we had bundles to invest and sat on it. After what happened the last 10 days I think it is about the right time to dwell on that. We can clean the slate and look forward after the season.
Lastly, there is nothing to do with optimism or pessimism in analysing our implosion across our last 3 league games. It is just realism, based on what happened, including a terrible beat-down by some historically c**ty c**ts. This will really take some getting over. No point hiding from the facts of it, sadly.
152 – Nonsense. Ramsey was a beast and his engine was sorely missed. If you think his contribution can be measured just on goals you are missing a lot of really high quality midfield play mate.
Theo is different gravy, he was a massive loss. Terrible, terrible decision to enter the season with only 1 attacker with any real pace in the squad though, ruined us. No idea what AW was thinking their. Crushed us ultimately.
As H2H says, we could have done better in our investing of whatever cash is available. As to people throwing about the 100mil figure, both Chelski and City have averaged about 100mil on transfers over the past 4 to 5 years, and I guarantee at least one, if not both, will not win the title. The Spuds spent around 100mil last summer and they’ve gotten worse (which shouldn’t be a surprise to anyone).
Investment for investment sakes doesn’t guarantee anything. It has to be smart investing. And that still doesn’t guarantee anything. It just pushes the odds a little more in your favor.
El P, don’t get fished in by that guy, he’s just trollin’.
Good points, ecg.
Spurs shot their entire Bale wad and look worse then last year, a flashing warning sign if ever there was one.
159 – Valid point on Bale etc. Spending on shite with a 5 year contract is worse than sitting tight for sure. I wonder if the whole “deadwood” thing made AW over cautious? Having waited 2/3 years to finally shift a bunch of contracts he would never let near the team, he thought better of it. No Squillaci or Park to fill out the numbers this time. That only makes sense though if you do move at some point and get it right…
Be a very, very interesting summer. We have means and needs and a manager who knows it all better than anyone else. He wants to win, I can’t wait to see what his plan is.
Great match write up from a man who until now I’ve always thought was to blogging what Christopher Biggins is to mixed martial arts.
Yep, coming to the end of the month. Too close to April Fool’s day for comfort now.
Mel – haha, Biggins is a bit of a star in the Kung fu world I hear 😉
Would you just go in the mean time? You really are tedious. Wenger in or out may not change any of that. We are a good team in a league with 4-5 other good teams. No guarantee of beating anyone week in or week out. Don’t support AW, awesome. But no need to come in here week in and week out spouting the same rhetoric and expect anything to change.
Did you but some new bed sheets? Or does it still say “Wenger fuck off” on it?
Did you “buy”.
Cba- so sorry about your mate. As I grow older its a more frequent occurrence to bury close friends but that doesn’t make it any easier.
I spoke to a friend of mine who is an LWC aficionado.
He commented that even with half a team against Citeh- and that’s what we did have, we looked excellent in the second half against them. His last comment was ‘ If only we’d had Wenger instead of changing inferior models every couple of seasons’
An honest admission and one that is more meaningful as this guy hates Arsenal!
It will be interesting to see how United cope ( or don’t ) against Bayern. I can’t give them any chance over two legs given the strength of the respective mid fields. I also think Chelsea have it all to do against PSG
Oh thank God, bring back “the truth”.
Just move on. Job done. We have heard it all.
Really looking forward to the youth cup semi-final.
I really think Chuba Akpom has a big, big future for us. Honestly surprised he hasn’t played more for the first team this season. Would love to see him play the last 2/3 league games of the season if we can tie up a top 4 spot early. Not been this excited by a prospect since Wilshere was coming through.
Chelsea loss? Already over it. Shit happens. Regularly.
Onward and upward.
COYG
Flamini yellow against Everton?
Means he misses Wigan and West Ham.
I can live with that.
So can he, I think.
Yellow cards are not a problem.
Another injury could be though.
With no sign of anyone coming back, we’re running on empty.
cba, my thoughts are with both you and your friend. So sorry to hear the news.
cba Condolences for the loss of your friend, trust the wake did him proud.
Trev… Hope the recovery is making progress.
TaBs….a bit late but thanks for stepping in with such an excellent report.
The training at the Daily Fail is showing progress 😉
TTG, can’t see Manure getting close to. Bayern. The Chav$ki match with
P$G is more difficult to predict. P$G are playing in a relatively weaker league, and Ibrasonofabitch apart, the teams are more closely matched.
cheers fellas
and
uplympian
you’re not wrong
we sent him off
laughin cryin drinkin
.
sorry for
bringin the bar down
i dunno
anyway
cheers again fellas
gooners
top people
‘holics
best o the lot
oh
and
sorry tabs
just read
effin crackin write up
you’re quite the late sub
a 78min special
is ‘hol french ?
@El Puno
At least get your facts right. We kicked quite a few balls, 3 league games and the 2 CL qualifiers, before Ozil had been signed.
You don’t remember that twat with his A4 ‘Spend, Spend, Spend’ banner at the Villa game then?
Let’s not get carried away with that £100mil to spend figure. That probably includes salaries so the amount available for transfers would be half of that at best. Or half what the spuds spent last year for zero result. Or half what the chavs have spent every year since their mafia boss came to do his money laundering.
More important is who we should buy with what we have, and that means, first and foremost, as it has been for years now, a class striker. Two fullbacks would also be nice. I see Moyes has visions of Coleman and Shaw … why haven’t we? And a Vieira type with captaincy potential would complete a very pretty picture.
Always providing we can keep the nucleus we have fit enough for a whole campaign.
Öskar
So apparently Cygan is due to join the Arsenal board of directors.
Just hope they haven’t scored an own goal with that appointment.
Check the date, Porco…
Oh god…shoot me now.
😀
Serves me right for only reading the first paragraph.
porco 🙂
mind you
i’ve got a load
of
bubbles for spirit levels
if yer interested
On this day a link to my one and only April Fools post, which reeled in more than it should, including one who should definitely have known better 🙂
http://goonerholic.com/2009/04/uefa-madness-as-champions-league-fan-quotas-proposed/
Also, to those who have my mobile number, it will be out of use until a new 4G ready sim turns up in the post. Long story.
If you need to get a message to me email goonerholic(at)virginmedia(dot)com, or dm me on Twitter.
Thanks.
173 – Esso, you seem to have missed the point of what I wrote, the dickhead with the “spend spend spend” sign is of absolutely no relevance. Certainly some people were grim on our chances, that walloper clearly amongst them. That does absolutely nothing to change the fact that many people were bullish pre-season. So we should have been.
Every side has flaws, Chavski’s brutally exposed away from home of late as they struggle to score. City’s defence has been a rolling a joke and bad pony-tail all season. (Clichy FFS?) This is why a very limited scousers side were able to hang around long enough to make a run, (as we exposed twice at home.) We had a great chance. We blew that chance. We did it spectacularly and painfully. Injuries are no excuse for the zombie show at Chavski, none at all. We need to man up figure out what went wrong, starting from last summer and put it right before next season kicks off. If we can’t do that, sadly, it will be an ignominious departure for our great, great manager.
166 – If you think losing 6-0 to a bitter rival managed by a c**t of historic proportions is a regular event I think you are watching too much fare from the wrong end of seven sisters. That is not what we should expect from The Arsenal. Badly let down by team and manager that day.
Thought the Arseblog piece today on Giroud was pretty fair and balanced. Odd that there was no mention of his stripper in the team hotel pre-match and how that might be adding to his fatigue and loss of form, does suggest that his dedication to the team effort might not be as “honest” as suggested.
Fair points overall though, as he says, if you expect a top quality striker Giroud will disappoint you. I have come to expect that, The Arsenal have always had one since I started watching, going back to Alan Smith.
I also think we should buy 2 strikers in the summer. I don’t see a future next year for Sonogo in the side, he needs to do his finishing school on loan.
UTA
@Oskar
Shaw and Coleman would cost the better part of £50m between them, assuming we could fight off Utd and Chelsea. That would basically be our summer budget gone, to strengthen in areas we’re not actually that weak.
Personally, I’d take Gibbs (who has been superb at times this season despite regularly having players in front of him who don’t track) over Shaw, who is 18 years old, has had one good season and is totally untested at the very top level.
We also need to factor in that it appears that Bellerin has a big future at right back. Doesn’t mean we don’t need cover if Sagna goes, just that it’s maybe not something we should be lashing £20m on, and that’s quite probably what Coleman would cost.
Striker and defensive midfielder, please. That’s where the big cash has to go.
A top striker and powerful holding midfielder are the priority and absolute minimum. A further top CB option and an experienced back-up goalkeeper are pretty damn essential as well. Happy to leave the names to AW.
Spot on N7 / Bath.
And I’d probably say a winger as well to give us more pace and width.
But the overall change in the squad will be greater, like it is every season – its just that only the big name additions get noticed and not necessarily the other players in the background.
For example, this season, I think we are going to loose Bentner, Park (who has a contract until 2015 and could be paid to leave at this stage), Djourou, Miyaichi, Kallstrom, Coquelin, Fabianski, Vermaelen and possibly Sagna. Diaby’s situation will have to be reviewed also though I’ve a feeling we’ll see how he fairs for the start of next season before making a call on him as he has a contract until 2015 anyway.
And then we could well see players like Bellerin (who’s already making the first squad and could pose a question over Jenks future), Akpom and Campbell being considered.
Last season we cleared the decks and brought in one world class player and missed out on a striker. So there’s big changes ahead this summer I feel.
CL qualification is essential to all plans though.
I would guess that unless something unexpected happens, the only changes to the first XI will be at DM and CF.
Maybe a right back if Sagna goes. Maybe a left winger (Draxler), but even then I think they’d be in a queue behind Santi, for now.
Centre back and reserve keeper also both necessary, but I’d expect us to address these relatively cheaply.
Keep hearing about these people who expected us to walk the title back in early August.
Can we get some of them in the bar? They sound like born Sunny Siders and exactly the types we could use to counterbalance the occasional invasion of gloom in here.
184 – Completely agree. I’d add a pacey wide player in with that also though, given how badly Walcott’s injury hit us.
Best back 5 since the Invincibles this season, in my opinion. (Gibbs is superb.) Flamini and Arteta been fit all season basically. Yet we keep imploding at the back and our goals against column is getting really ugly?AW needs to have a real look at why this is happening and get it sorted.
We ship goals for two main reasons into opinion. Our midfield is totally unbalanced and we encourage both full backs to charge on too much. I will never understand why with 5 in the middle we rely on our full backs for any width. Both go bombing forward leaving us extremely vulnerable to the counter.
The midfield is not balanced. We have, and have had for sometime now far too many players who want to play just behind the forwards. We have no genuine width. The only genuine holding player we have is Flamini. For all his tenacity, heart and commitment Flamini is just a good club pro. Don’t get me wrong, he has been great this season and I love him to bits. But he is not and never will be world class. The one thing he has done is highlight how much we have missed that sort of player. The only real box to box player we have is Ramsey and we have all seen what a loss he has been.
For me this is an area we need to massively address.
Hi All
We are starting early on transfers this season ladies and gents as there is alot of football left to play in which no players can be signed. So we have what we have and August is along way away at the moment.
I agree there will be a cull at the club but seeing as we are carrying more deadwood than most PL teams *hence the huge wage bill* this will do the club no harm and maybe show some players that coasting on 40k a week dosent mean for life.
This weekends game is of paramount importance and i for one cant look past that game. After a sterling come back against shity im sure it wasnt only the supporters spirits that were lifted. A very timely improvement as Everton are in fine form and dangerous.
To be fair to us it has been a fairly good hunting ground in the past few years but history means nothing and this will be a massive test for the lads and i hope they are more ready than in past important games.
That is unfair, im sure they were ready but not able to cope and collapsed. everton wont come at us in the same way chelski, shity and the pool did so composure in the early minates is of great importance. If we dont treat the ball like a hot potatoe in the middle of the park i think we have a great chance of sealing the 3 points will be a massive lift going into April.
The fixtures beyond Everton on paper should be games we would be expected to win and yes i know about the swansea game. A game you would have hoped 3 points would have been secured. Confidence breeds sucess and we are due some sucess, a nice big silver trophy in the form of the FA cup sounds about right.
I hope the team is up for the fight as much as the fans, here`s hoping.
Cheers
@ 190
I’d agree with that Steve.
I’d also add that we sometimes show a bit of naivety in our approach to big away games. We don’t need to win these in the first 10 minutes, yet we start as if we’ve five minutes left to nick a winner.
Settle in. Sort your shape. Keep hold of the ball. Silence the crowd. Go from there.
And if we start shipping goals then for god’s sake all get yourselves back behind the ball, keep it really solid for ten minutes, stop trying to play such risky passes and build a platform to go again. Don’t pour forward as if the only thing that’s gone wrong is that we were insufficiently reckless.
Personally, I think it will make a huge difference if we are able to bring in a top class DM to patrol the front of the centre backs. If you re-watch the opening of the game at Stamford Bridge it’s scandalous how frequently Per and Kos were left trying to deal with an unmarked midfield runner advancing on them, while spare blue shirts looked to buzz in behind. Even more scandalous that it kept happening even after the first two goals.
These are relatively basic issues to correct, and I’d hope we do the work on it over the summer. There’s the germ of a very good back line in the current side – they just need proper protection and a bit more common sense in big moments.
“I’d also add that we sometimes show a bit of naivety in our approach to big away games. We don’t need to win these in the first 10 minutes, yet we start as if we’ve five minutes left to nick a winner.”
Agree totally.
Personally, if we actually had any forwards I wouldn’t mind seeing us play a 442 sometimes.
Who’s watching Bayern vs Manure tonight then?
Definitely watching the Bayern game.
Important to remember: we need Utd out of this tournament ASAP, or there could be some very nervous weeks ahead of us.
I really liked that comment earlier where it was wondered what is the mid field set up to do in games. i mean seriously its plain obvious that they are told go and play and react as per the situation, that will never work, where is the discipline, where is the tactical know how. I am sorry boss it doesnt work like that never will.
Midfield is our life line and they can be the killer to, good day means we win, bad days means we lose and at times terribly.
Flamini for all his bravado is not the answer, we need discipline in his position and he is not the answer. He goes roaming around and his covering back leaves a lot to be desired, same with mikel, there is no discipline between them and i think that is where we get caught out every time. An opposition team knows what to plan when they play against us easily, pressurize the spine and they crack, full backs are good but they are susceptible to pace, dont allow their mid fielders time on the ball and their forward doesnt have pace so its ok if you play the high line. have we changed anything on this? no.
Arsenal cannot keep blaming injuries, our tactics are not in place, wenger always says his team is good enough to beat anyone and he doesnt need them to worry about the opposition tactics or players, wrong boss, we need that in detail, we need every minute thing, we need the analysis and data every game, every player, every damn thing, its a research based sport, not just a game.
I am worried about pool, they have the league in their hands, they need to lose or else they may just win the league because i sense city dropping points soon, pool winning will be an insult to us, they have a half decent team with a clear run in and no injuries, we always seem to have injuries in buckets and never see the return of a player early, cant see why this happens everytime.
I hope we approach Everton away in a similar manner to our approach to Bayern away.
Keep it tight.
Probe when in possession.
Be clinical when the chance comes.
If we go behind, steady the ship and work our way back in as we did v $hitteh.
None of the cavalier crap from Anfield or the Bridge – where did that come from anyway?
N7, do you mean you want them to be out so they’re fresher and they have a better chance of doing damage to our rivals?
*Dinks the ball up the line for a willing runner*
Boom!!!!
Well in Porco
Porco @ 198
If by some miracle Utd were to win the Champs League this season then 4th place would not qualify us for the competition next term.
Same scenario that befell Spurs two years ago.
I’m hoping Utd take a battering this evening to make the issue entirely academic.
Well in, Porco!
Bayern will be a very big let down if they give Manure any sort of hope for the second leg.
Surely this Manure team cannot go the whole way?
I did however say that of the Chavs a couple of seasons ago.
MUMBD
Cheers for the applause (I did the 100 as well so I’m feeling extremely smug).
N7, I’m suddenly bricking it – I hadn’t even considered that eventuality! On the plus side it does give me a real reason to watch the game tonight.
MUMBD! Spot on.
Hopefully, Bayern will do a job on them. If Utd somehow squeeze by them they’ll only be three games away from well and truly dicking our entire season.
Afternoon all.
A1971.
Not so sure we’re carrying more deadwood then other clubs, even though admitedly TGSTEL is a whole petrified forrest within himself.
For example, did you know that the chavs have 28 players currently out on loan? That’s a lot of timber.
Speaking of those horrible bar stewards, there’s a story splashed over the front page of NL’s most popular paper, about how Vitesse Arnhem (football club) aren’t allowed to finish in the top 2 in the Ere Divisie due to instructions from “London”.
For those that don’t know, Vitesse is nothing more then a feeder club for CSKA Chavers, it’s major shareholder a dubious figure and close friend of RA. UEFA rules state that no owner can have two clubs in the same competition, so Vitesse qualifying for the CL is not permitted from the bosses in “London”. Some of the board are glad to tow the line, transfering their best players out (ie Bony). Although others, including managers (Fred Rutten) and boardmembers have spoken out against “London”, stating that the sporting interests of the Arnhem’s club should be put ahead of foriegn interests. Now there are allegations of individuals threating to “cut off the fingers” of boardmembers, plus other assorted threats. A nice juicy scandel that should keep the footballer writers busy here for quite a while.
And hard to believe as it is, this is not an April Fools bit.
Vinay, why would Liverpool winning the league be an insult to us?
H2H: sadly, I am not the least bit surprised. Money has, quite literally, corrupted the game.
bath: one major difference between ManU and that Chelsea team is that Chelsea had a defensive strength that ManU seem to be lacking rather completely. That doesn’t stop me from worrying, however, so I really want Bayern to stamp their authority on the tie as quickly as possible and make the second leg as much of a formality as possible.
H2H. Like Lars, none of that shocks me in the slightest sadly.
I would hate for the scousers to win the league. One, they won’t ever shut up about it and two because their back four and midfield aren’t a patch on ours. It would just make me even more annoyed and frustrated that we failed to deal with the lack of strikers issue when we had the chance.
We need City (never the chavs) to win the league, so we can all moan about how they bought it.
If the Mickys do it, then the moral high ground goes out the window, plus, like Steve says, you’d never hear the last of it.
Trivia question: if you are in the Quarterfinals of the CL, what’s the minimum number of matches you have to win to secure the big ears?
Answer: 1… Due to away goals rule, you can draw all four of the games prior to the final, and if you score more goals away than at home, or win on PKs, you’re in the final, which is a crap shoot. Park the bus, win on PKs. Wouldn’t put it past either Mo to try this.
That’s why you need Bayern to just go out and do the business from the off tonight.
I honestly believe that if you took Suarez out of that Liverpool side they’d quite probably not be in the top four.
The guy is a freak of nature. He’s probably going to crack the PL scoring record this season, despite having missed the opening run of games due to his ban.
He’s making players like Sturridge and Sterling look like world beaters. He’s arguably the most purely destructive player the Premier League has seen since Ronaldo.
As much as it turned into an almighty balls up this summer, we were right to try and sign him. I will be amazed if Liverpool hang onto him.
To be pedantic, you actually don’t have to win any.
If the score of the final is level at the end of added time, the winner is decided on penalties, but the official score is recorded as a draw.
Sorry about that.
Steve/H2H: Liverpool fans go on about how amazing they are anyway, so what would really be the difference? 🙂
I think it’s between City and Liverpool now and it is not too far-fetched to assume it will be all but decided at Anfield when City come to visit. Both teams have matches this weekend that they should be winning, City have Southampton at home while Liverpool travel to Upton Park (and I must say I think Liverpool have the easier game here as Southampton seem to be in really fine form, that they lost at Spurs was just down to complacency and a rather large slice of crap refereeing) and then the next weekend it’s the Liverpool-City game.
H2H
Didnt know the chelski had 28 players on loan *Fuck* that is alot of wages. That is horrendous !
I suppose a better way of putting it is that we may have a tendersy to hold onto players who are clearly not going to make it at Arsenal, and i dont mean 18-20 year olds who show all the talent in the world and never deliver. I mean players who keep getting extensions on the hope that they will turn into the player the club had hoped for.
We dont have a history of letting players go *on a free* and then they turn into top PL players. Im sure that is a worry for all clubs around the world.
Its just that we have one of the highest wage bills and yet we all know that the squad hasnt got huge depth to it at all. The 2 dont make sense ? Small first team squad, prime example Bac playing CB and no real proven ST other than Giroud. The only conclusion I can take from this is that we are paying far to much money to players who infact are not really proven PL players.
I could be wrong but I dont think we have players on £200k plus per week as that is not inline with our wage policy. So if anyone knows the answer to where all these wages go too.
Cheers
Manure wont win the CL !
You heard it here first.
I don’t understand why everyone is so sure of a Suarez departure over the summer. He’s signed a new and highly improved contract, his dream is to play in the CL, which L’pool can almost guarentee him, and by all accounts (here in NL) he is settled and happy (his family too).
Ofcourse he’ll be linked with Real all summer long, but that won’t mean shit if L’pool don’t want to sell and why on earth would they? They kept him last term even though he was considered a liability, I can’t see them caving this season either…….. the year after that though…. maybe.
N7: I agree, no Suarez and no top four for them. I keep hearing this “but he was suspended for many games at the start” but he wasn’t, he’s only missed five league games all season which were all at the beginning of the season.
And like you I’d also be surprised if he is there next season. He is, after all, 27 now and this summer may well be his last chance for a properly top-money move.
@H2H
I agree that it’s not a foregone conclusion, but I would imagine that larger predators will now loom into view. His goalscoring record is preposterous and he’s kept his nose clean this season. Even if the likes of Real don’t come calling it’s not beyond the realms of possibility that an oil club closer to home might chance their arm – depending on how seriously they’re taking FFP, given his likely cost.
A lot also depends on what Suarez was promised in order to induce him to sign the new contract, and whether the new contract includes a bona fide release clause.
Ultimately, if Real want him, he’ll be gone – it’ll just be a question of how much they get for him.
He may well be induced to give them one season in the Champs League, but I’m not so sure he’ll be amenable to that. It’s not a Bale scenario, where he was 22 and had his whole career ahead of him. Suarez is 28 next season. If he turns down Madrid now then they may not come calling again.
I hope for our sake that he does go, because if Utd sort themselves out then it could be proper five way scramble for those top four spots next season.
Ah – Lars got there first with most of my points above. Well played!
H2H: his new contract may very well contain a much more water-tight release clause. Also, in addition to what I said in my drink just after yours, it may very well be Liverpool’s last chance to get top dollar for him. Will Real/Barca/Whoever be willing to shell out upwards of a hundred million euros in the summer of 2015 for a player who will turn 29 the coming season? It is also entirely possible that Suarez will never again be anywhere near the season he’s having now and despite what they may have said last summer Liverpool desperately need money if they ever want to build that stadium of theirs.
…and then N7 filled in with what I just filled in with 🙂
I find it really hard to imagine that in the space of a month Rodgers took Suarez from “F**K YOU – I’M LEAVING AND I’M TALKING PUBLICLY ABOUT IT” to “let me sign that new extended contract and knuckle down for the team” without some sort of promise about what might happen this summer coming.
Heh – great minds, Lars!
A1971.
I think the “fact” that we have a small squad is also a myth, we don;t have the depth of the Oily basterds, but neither does anyone else.
Look at L-pool (sorry) they’ve only used about 13 players over the last few months, but they’ve only really been fighting on one front.
Our wage bill is probably the 4th highest in the PL, which perfectly fits our status. We don’t have players on the two ton mark, but Ozil makes a pretty penny. We’ve got quite a frw players on the 60k plus a week, that’s a shitload of money, it’s value has just been diluted because of the wages you hear players like Rooney on.
Sagna (allegedly) will walk after turning down an offer of around 60k a week, because (again allegedly) he feels that is insulting. There’s not many teams in the PL who pay even more then one or two of their players that, some not even one. When you think we have TGSTEL sucking 52k a week from our recources it’s enough to make you go potty.
Footballers are so far exclude from reality it’s unreal. The wages are sky rocketing out of control and as far as I can see it can’t keep on going for for too much longer, the bubble will inevitably burst in the end. We’ll see who’s left standing after that.
N7: I’m not at all convinced ManU will sort themselves for next season. They have huge holes in their squad and I doubt they have the money to fill them all, at least not in one summer. They basically need a whole new back four, a defensive midfielder, at least one striker and at least one winger. That’s seven players right there and they also need to get them to gel very quickly even if they do get them all of the requisite quality.
Fair enough N7, Lars.
We’ll have to wait to see what summer brings.
I still think they’ll struggle slightly next year if he stays or goes.
There’ll be enormous expectation, were has been almost none this year, plus the added burden of weekdays trudging through Europe, which again has been absent this term.
@ Lars
I think they’ve a tough job ahead, but you never know.
They probably won’t have the distraction of European football (although no one seems to have noticed that they’re now within 2 points of Spurs), which will help them just as it has Liverpool.
They definitely have some goals in them, and a decent keeper, so if he can sort out their defence I guess that anything is possible.
@H2H
They’re also due a few injuries.
You hear a lot of “oh, we were without Sturridge for a bit”, but I don’t think they really know what injuries are.
I’ve not heard much “out for the season” coming from Anfield of late.
H2H
A very fair point about Lpool, I suppose when the Pl is the only weekly intrest you have squad rotation is not needed.
TGSTEL on 52k a week is enough to make you loose faith in humanity, on the up side he will be at Real or Barca next season *in his mind*
The wages at the moment are madness, if you get payed £100k a week I think you should show us the cure for cancer.
Is the Liverpool situation really down to only having to fight on one front?
I seem to remember plenty of past seasons where scousers were consoling themselves after another cup exit that it allowed them to focus on the league, and then they proceeded to be poor in the league.
@ Porco
It’s not purely down to fighting on one front, clearly.
They have some very good players – I think Henderson is having an excellent season and must be one of the league’s most improved – they’ve had a bit of good luck with injuries (usually a prerequisite for a serious crack at the title), their manager is decent (much as I hate to admit it) and they have a striker who is currently scoring at a faster rate than Ronaldo and Messi.
Lars, Man U can fill all the holes in their squad, but it won’t matter as long as Moyes and his backroom staff are in control.
No matter how fragile the squad was that Fergie left him, the irrefutable fact is that they (Moyes and co) has taken a team that won the league (rather easily) and turned them into an outfit scrapping for an Europa League placement.
Long may they reign. 😉
@ N7
I just can’t bring myself to even watch them. As they keep winning and the meedja seek to cram themselves even further up the Pool’s backsides, my animosity for them grows daily along with my fervent desire to see them fail, and fail hard.
And all of this is without their fans giving it the large. What amuses me is them talking about the title when they have 6 games to go, like it’s some kind of straightforward task. There are many, many things that can go wrong between now and then.
The end of the season is actually shaping up quite nicely.
It’s a difficult one.
On the one hand, I find it hard to root for an oil club over anyone. I’d rather someone won the title fair and square.
On the other, all this “we’re going to be champions” stuff over the weekend…. Plus: Brendan Rodgers.
I think it’s academic anyway. I’d expect City to close it out from here.
Manure have quite a few holes to fill in there team, it could be a while before they pay the CL a visit again.
Lpools rise isnt only down to just fighting on one front but it has made the world of difference to them and thier team as fatigue and injuries havent played there part as much as the other top 3.
They would have played about 16 less games than the other clubs around them, including travel ect. If that isnt a massive help i dont know what is ?
I think its highly probable that Suarez will be sold when Real come calling.
And Liverpool will get enormous money for him .
They’ll need every penny of that to strengthen the squad. They have largely been fortunate not to have been competing in Europe this season. And I think Lars is absolutely right when he says there’s never been a more opportune time to sell Suarez. He’s arguably been the best player in the world this season and has almost singlehandedly been responsible for Liverpools title push. I don’t think they’d be anywhere near the top 4 without him. Just goes to show how right Wenger was pursuing him and how right Liverpool were not to sell.
As for the League I still think it’ll be Chelski who’ll prevail I’m afraid. We almost managed to beat Citeh this weekend with 5/6 first team players missing. But I feel Chelsea have the players to turn over Liverpool at Anfield.
Joe
The thought of chelski winning the title feels me with dred, i hope your wrong. The special kid bashing one cant win the league in his first season back it just cant happen.
The man is too distestable to even mention. Fuck he is a cunt !
Shity or Lpool if not us, just not him.
Mourinho the absolute worst of all worlds.
I am already looking forward to a summer spent chuckling at his failure to win anything this season, and plentiful deployment of the phrase “should have stuck with Benitez”.
’71,
Yep, I hear you. Outside of Arsenal, I would prefer to see the Scousers win it rather than either Chelski or Citeh. Simply because it would be a victory of sorts for a proper club football. But how I feel and what I think are two different things.
I just can’t believe anyone seriously thinks ManUre can win the Champions League. Are people here honestly suggesting that ?
Oh yeah, April 1st.
Ok, as you were ….. 😉
Agree Joe
And, much as I despise what Citeh have done with all their oily money, it has to be ANYONE but Mourinho to take the league title.
That horrible little stain would disgrace the bottom of a toilet bowl.
Im with Trev
City title now please. *washes mouth out*
If Suarez goes that makes 4 clubs around us who will be investing in the summer, so we bette move quick an get it right or we will be treading water again in 12 months.
Comments above on the defence and need for some plums in midfield all spot on IMO.
Let’s hope that the investment is all Spurs-style.
Suarez bought for 25mil after selling Torres… Carroll May have flopped, but hard to say scouse mugs not reaping benefit of aggressive transfer policy now with LS, Sturbridge, Henderson, coutinho all doing well
246 – would be lovely. My nerves are shot right now though, so I’m scared we won’t keep up or if we go in will end up with more bang average filler a la gervinho giroud rather than more BFG’s 🙁
Have faith, El Puno.
There are no guarantees in football, but the omens are good.
Until last summer, we pretty routinely spent zero net each summer. Whatever money went out had to be recouped from player sales.
Last year marked a sea change in that regard – we spent £30m net (still not huge, but a damn sight better than nowt) and chased proper top class players for the first time in a decade.
I would expect that we will see similar this summer. I don’t think it’ll be a £70-80m spend, as some are forecasting, but I think there will be some clever player sales and sensible acquisitions – maybe one biggish signing with a handful of smaller ones, probably no more than 4 or 5 in total, as tends to be the way. A lot might depend on whether £30m was the actual budget last year, or if we kept some cash back (as I know has been suggested).
After years of having no transfer budget, I think it might take 2-3 summers of this type to get us properly competitive for the title, and that’s with clever management. While we now have money, I’m not sure we have wave a magic wand and fix all your problems type money.
I’ll be interested to see what we do. I don’t think we’ve a huge amount to fear – certainly not in comparison to the years of parsimony from which we’ve just emerged.
Let’s wait and see what occurs.
Cavani making noises he might leave PSG. Not happy with playing wide.
Doubt we’ve the cash to fend off what would presumably be a long list of suitors, but someone might end up with a hell of a player.
I think it’s a bit wide of the mark to say that the bindippers haven’t suffered from injuries, they had their entire back line out earlier in the season. Flanagan was far from a starter a few months ago, but has came in and done well, Their CB options have been switched many times. They’ve indeed had less injuries to contend with then us, but fuck, so has everybody else. Our injury list is beyond comprehension and the sooner that inquiry begins the better.
On their transfer policy. Only half the players you mention (247) were brought in by BR. I think his biggest achievement is getting Henderson to look like a player and not the muppet that played under the previous regime.
If you look at the rest of his transfer dealings then there’s not much to get excited about;
Fabio Borini
Joe Allen
Oussama Assaidi
Nuri Sahin
Samed Yesil
Philippe Coutinho
Luis Alberto
Iago Aspas
Simon Mignolet
Kolo Toure Man City
Aly Cissokho
Tiago Ilori
Mamadou Sakho
Victor Moses
Aggressive, yes, but a lot of meh in that lot at a cost of approx 95mil
What do you think he’d do with 100mil?
I wouldn’t lose any sleep worrying about it. 😉
Interesting new video. Sagna/Giroud partnership
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AmZnPpHdOOg
Some really shocking stuff.
Interesting, Lurky.
I get so frustrated with Sagna hitting the first defender, I was surprised to see that many really good crosses.
Lurky.
Please don’t take this the wrong way, but youtube clips like that are fodder for the hard of thinking.
Any knob that has the time or inclanation can make a compilation to convey a certain opinion. I’m sure that if I could be bothered I could manufacture a clip with Ronaldo and Messi misplacing passes and pushing shot’s wide or over the target, add a melodramatic soundtrack to it and it may very well convince a few divvys that Cr and Leo are a bit pooh, when nothing could be futher from the truth.
Should OG have done better with a few of those crosses? Very probably so, but at least he’s getting himself in the right position to have a go.
A few goodies up there, H2H.
Much as I lost respect for Bayern after our games with them this time round, I do hope they absolutely wallop ManUre tonight. That is purely anti-Manc, not pro-Bayern. 😉
Cheers Trev.
Everyone suddenly becomes more appealing when they’re up against the mancs or the chavs. They are like the beer googles of the football world. 😉
Trev,
same here. I thought that Sagna’s successful number of crosses overall in his Arsenal career, was far less than I saw in that video 🙂
H2H,
agree on youtube clips H2H.
And I like Giroud. But, there are some worrying, I mean Sunday League-level worrying misses.
Anyway, I posted the video, mostly because I was amazed by the quality of Sagna’s crossing. Plenty of technically great crosses.
I was amazed by the quality of Sagna’s crossing. Plenty of technically great crosses.
see how misleading that damn youtube can be. 😉
Hehe, exactly!
@El Puno
I don’t miss the point very often, and I think I’ve got yours. Thanks.
@El Puno
Not at all sure, you’ve got mine. Or ever will do.
Esso,
You do realise you could have taken several hours and 16 screens to make that point ?
I’m with you, mate. 😉
Trev,
You have mail.
Evening Esso et al 🙂
Back- drinking at pace. N7 has been on fire all day.I agree almost exactly with where he feels we need to strengthen.
Also agree with Trevor Re ManUre and the CL. There is absolutely zero chance of them winning it. They will be pulverised tonight, pulverised at home and that will be that.
Interesting to see Arsenal’s PR department briefing their favoured journalists on transfer pots. I trust Arsene to spend it wisely but desperately hope he foes spend it. Often a loaded Wenger is an indecisive Wenger
Cheers Trev, hope you’re bearing up mate.
Wotcher ‘holic. A sad, sad day, but at least we’ll see the sun come up tomorrow.
Also just found out I’ve got a good chance on me Silver as have got the requisite number of credits via Yorkshire connection; however can only apply online personally not via YASC. I have no fucking log in (through never using it) and Internet banned completely in new job! Triste la guerre! Anyways given it up really was looking for 4 for Big Yin and wee Chappers etc.
Really wasn’t impressed by Citeh at the weekend. Very dependent on Aguero now that Negredo has blown up. Chelski are scum. I’d prefer Liverpool to win it of the three but I hope they draw a lot of the games and we come up on the rails.
Oh it’s past 12 o’clock. Better be the Scousers then
Bayern lucky there. Never a foul by Welbeck.
H2H: All the Bayern players had stopped when he took the shot, and Neuer didn’t even try to save it. Not at all sure it would have been a goal if the whistle hadn’t blown.
H2H I think he blew for a hand ball
Aaah, cheers Lars I haven’t got the sound on so didn’t hear when whistle went.
Still looked a harsh decision though.
If it was for handball, (I concluded it was for high foot) then he was totally wrong.
Bayern very lucky there
Looked like the ref called it for the high boot, not handball. Welbeck didn’t protest too much either.
Lots of possession but not too many chances for Bayern. ManU have had the best one when Welbeck was through on goal but shat himself and finished even worse than the Ox did v Spurs – at least the Ox managed to get enough power on the ball for it to actually go past the keeper.
If that was the case then my bad thought it was for a handball
Just saw the replay obviously i wasn’t paying attention 🙁
251 – Fair enough on that, some totally pissed away £££’s in that list. Unlike the scum, got lucky in places with the scatter gun approach I guess.
The Moyesian Revolution is half complete. The ball is in the air a good 50% of the time.
For fuck’s sake, Bayern…
Shots from distance? When were the rules changed to allow that? 😉
Guardiola with his boring football. Bayern aren’t even half the team they were last year. Fully deserved United lead.
Barca behind too.
United are twice better without RvP in the team.
Get in!
Pigmounter equalizes.
249 – Irony in where we find ourselves, or I guess more accurately how I perceive where we are right now. The club has never been in a better position to succeed in terms of structure: stadium, manageable debt, new commercial deals kicking in etc etc. Thanks entirely to the brilliance of Le Boss we managed to build the infrastructure for a team established in Europe’s 10 finest, without doubt. After years of bullishly defending the manager through that process, we are now at the point where we can truly expect to compete at that highest, highest level and for the first time in 17 years I’m having doubts about the great man.
It can’t take us 2/3 years to get competitive in the domestic league again and him to still be there. We were competitive for most of this year, so that has to be too long. We should be genuine Champs League challengers in that period. Just look at what Atletico are doing tonight and you can see what a genuine plan well executed can do for you. Bit like watching Graham’s cup teams this lot.
We will see, but it no longer seems inevitable to me that we will get it spectacularly right and the genius will get his great ending, that he so richly deserves.
How old is Goetze, 14?
Porco: 22, they just said on the telly 🙂
Bayern finally get an away goal; whew!
Atletico doing just fine at Barca.
Shit. The. Bed.
What a goal for Barca.
Lars, I just thought he looks like a fresh-faced private school kid who just combed his hair and put on his school blazer after playing for the 1st XI against St Dunstan’s from up the road.
Mummy’s here to pick him up in the Range Rover and drive him home to Chiswick.
FFS, Schweinsteiger sent off…
Holic,
You have mail, x2. 😉
Cheers.
This is decent fun, if you’re that way inclined: http://bleacherreport.com/articles/2013048-20-players-arsene-wenger-must-consider-with-reported-100m-transfer-windfall/page/21
El Puno,
I heard from a good source almost two years ago that new commercial deals would be in place by 2014, and the club would then be looking at a very serious amount of money to spend.
I’m not going to say how much on here but why don’t you just relax.
The commercial deals have materialised, I will hope, with optimism, that the spending money does too.
If it doesn’t, there is not one thing you or I can do about it – other than depress the hell out of everyone in the bar for the next five months.
I think Esso was more or less saying some of that earlier. Hopefully, I have comforted you a little but, please, give the dooming a rest.
Cheers. 😉
294 – Not exactly sure what “dooming” is, but it seems fairly straightforward to have doubts about what is going on after a 6-0 humping in our biggest game of the year in the midst of our season unravelling. That is just what happened. You can’t possibly be upbeat about it. (It has been clear for years that our money situation would improve now to.)
One way of not getting depressed by doomers is to put them on your “don’t read” list.
Didn’t see either of tonight’s games, but how many Diegos do Atlético have?
Puno,
Of course I’m not upbeat about the Chelsea game – i wrote quite a bit about what I thought were our shortcomings after our three collapses.
But neither am I going to spend the next five months boring everyone to death with my fears of what might or might not happen in the summer.
That’s what I meant by dooming.
I think it was H2H who said “optimist or pessimist” the choice is yours.
What I’m saying is that the potential is now there. We didn’t make the best of it last summer – I can’t alter that. I will just hope we now have the real means to do something about it.
For everyone’s sanity, that will be my last offering.
Dkgooner,
Enough to populate an entire Costa ? 😉
😆
Look at that, the original laughing ton.
© ®H2H. ;)
Interesting stuff above, especially around the spending money and our recent lack of activity.
I read somewhere that our net spend on transfers since 2006 is £11 million. That’s £1.25 million a season. Less than the money made on one match day. Something to consider when people think we did not have money to spend.
This summer will be an absolute bun fight. You can rest assured that the mancs and chavs will both be spending big. I can’t imagine Citeh being shy in the markets, nor will the scousers. All this in a World Cup year.
Whatever we plan to do the plans need to be firmly in place and the groundwork already completed. Sadly, I’m still far from convinced that we have the board and team in place to close such deals and get the players we need. I’m more than happy to be proved wrong I might add.
No support for my suggesting we go for Coleman and Shaw then? Two proper backs who know when to defend and pick their moments to go forward judiciously. Your preference is for two tearaways who have been caught out of (defensive) position more times than I have fingers and toes to count on? I can’t believe Per/Kos would agree. If either could deliver reliable crosses I would see some value in their marauding, but they rarely can. We need backs who can defend more than auxiliary attacking midfielders, of which we have a plethora.
As for Suarez I read Rodgers saying he could be ‘the first £100mil man’, which suggests strongly that he doubts he can hold on to him.
Öskar
No-one seemed interested when I mentioned Manure winning the CL scenario several weeks ago, and the need for us to ensure 3rd in the premiership. Now it looms as a possibility. And no more unlikely, imo, than the chavs beating Bayern in 2012, and far more likely than Pool winning in 2005. Both of them finished outside top 4 in the prem in the year they won the CL.
Be very afraid.
Öskar
Oskar @ 304: Given the alarming rate in which your worst case scenarios are all coming to fruition — Rambo’s injury, goal differences, ManU winning CL — may I suggest that whatever voodoo potion you have drunk recently (or in the last fifty years) it is time to un-drink that? If ManU wins CL and we miss out because of that I will hold you singularly responsible for even thinking out that possibility. To say is to make, word is the god. 🙂
Un-drinking potions is a rather esoteric practice known only to a secretive sect of women in a village a few miles cart ride away from Port-au-Prince, the ones claiming to have mastered those in New Orleans are surely faking …
Shoot the messenger why don’t you, Dr F! I don’t recall predicting Rambo’s injury, but goal diff was on my mind all through the period when we started cruising after getting to the front. While others were happy to win and conserve energy (I think that was their justification) I was concerned about GD being a factor come season-end, and it certainly now is in the fight for 4th. Not to mention slacking off in the Swans game costing us points…
I don’t, however, subscribe to the notion that ‘to say is to make, word is the god’. If that were true Gemma Arterton would now be my mistress with Emilia Clarke lined up for a threesome.
I admit I may have drunk some dodgy concoctions in my youth and in various impecunious phases of my life, but my imbibing now is confined to only the finest wines, cognac, scotch, gin, coffee and even my tea is the expensive ‘white’ variety. Although you now have me wondering whether white might have any connection to white magic.
I must do some research, and in the meantime desist from predicting anything but the most optimistic future for our beloved club.
Arsenal to finish 3rd, AND win the FA Cup 6 nil.
Öskar
PS: I’ve never been near Port-au-Prince or New Orleans. Katrina was none of my doing, nor was 9/11 or the Asian tsunami and Diana’s death in a tunnel never even occurred to me as a possibility.
In fact the only thing creepy about my past has been my choice of wives. Both delightful in their way, but curious nonetheless, insofar as both had a Christian name, a middle name and a maiden name and each of those names had six letters. Yes, I married a 666 … twice.
Öskar
Nice post TaBS, good on you for stepping into the breach with promise of lager 😉
Holic and cba, my belated condolences on the passing of your respective friends. Prayers said for both.
Oskar @ 306: “If that were true Gemma Arterton would now be my mistress with Emilia Clarke lined up for a threesome.” Your life isn’t over yet, and careful what you wish might regret it, careful what you wish you might just get it. 🙂
Threesomes are rather boring after a while, once the strangeness wears off and you make strangers out of lovers. 🙂
“but my imbibing now is confined to only the finest wines, cognac, scotch, gin, coffee and even my tea is the expensive ‘white’ variety. Although you now have me wondering whether white might have any connection to white magic.” — Expensive has got nothing to do with magic, I like my Cordon Bleu and my Romanée-Conti, but sometimes nothing quite compares to the memory of a salty buttery yak-milk cha that you get for free after a long trek when you arrive at the local monastery, or the cup of freshly brewed blue-mountain coffee that gets served with the Ital food in a ramshackle Rastaferi joint off a walking path …
So yes, the origin of the magic of your dark premonitions must have been something that you have now willfully forgotten. 🙂
“Arsenal to finish 3rd, AND win the FA Cup 6 nil.” More like it, and why not higher up in the table? Impossible? Nothing is. 🙂
Dr F – Romanee Conti? Wasn’t he a left back for Torino back in the ’80s known mostly for his lack of pace?
ecg @ 310: I meant the famous Bourgogne vineyard’s consistently delicious offerings. 🙂
The only Conti footballer I remember is Bruno Conti, one of the key members of Italy’s 82 WC side (my first world cup). I think he later also managed Roma.
Oh, that Romanee-Conti. Unfortunately those tend to be above my pay grade.
I remember Bruno Conti, and of course Paolo Rossi. The 82 world cup was the first that made an impression on me.
Romanee-Conti we can agree on, Dr F, but I have graduated from the manly Martells I drank in my middle years to the more delicate Delamain Vesper I favour now (cheaper too, though that wasn’t the driving force). Still, you sound like an agreeably knowledgeable chap and I will do my best to predict only bright and worthwhile events in your future.
Meanwhile I’m puzzled about what could possibly be boring about a threesome with Gemma and Emilia, and now undecided whether I should predict one or not. Decisions, decisions… 🙁
Öskar
I liked the look of Marc Bartra who came on as sub for Gerard Piqué at CD in the CL today. Just 23, has represented Spain at every international level including the national side, but sits behind several others in the Barca pecking order. Could be a good one to replace TV5.
Öskar
Is the discussion above about arsenal and arsene spending Money on new players next year, based on any new information from the club or inside contacts, or is it just fans biggest hopes.
What makes anyone think next season Arsene will all of a sudden act very different from his natural disposition of being against spending or “overpaying”.
315 – Hard to see Arsene ever “overpaying” really, as much at it might seem to make sense to us. Spending thing more open though, we were always pinching for the stadium up until last summer, so the justification is gone now. I’d agree with Steve @302, competition will be fierce for name players, so we need to be smart and move fast for whatever our scouts recommend so we get them signed before others can get involved. Huge test not just for Arsene, but Gazidis and Law as well, seems to be a style well outside their comfort zone or previous experience. Finger crossed etc.
http://metro.co.uk/2014/04/02/younes-kaboul-ready-to-do-a-sol-campbell-and-join-arsenal-from-spurs-on-free-transfer-4685883/
No idea if there is any truth in this but it’s worth an airing for the comedy value if nothing else.
Fear not, everyone. We’ve been linked with Kalou this summer!
I will say only this: if his signing prompts Arseblogger to write amusing posts like today’s, I want that guy signed before I get home tonight!
@Aussie
The fact that he broke our transfer record three times over last summer?
Porco: I can’t remember the last transfer window where we were not linked with Kalou.
And if Fabianski is leaving in the summer, we will surely finally see the arrival of Sebastien Frey. 😉
Dkg,
Some follow-up to your Diego query last night.
They may have had so many Diegos due to some sort of kit sponsorship deal ……
They seemed to be playing in Dieglo yellow. 😉
SteveT@317: That was certainly one of my favourite April Fool spoofs.
The other one was Arsene’s little joke about Abou Diaby coming back before the end of the season.
Yesterday back in training, tomorrow “suffered a set-back”.
Oh, I see Bloggs mentioned Frey as well. Great minds …… 😉
Moving fast unfortunately means paying good bucks up front which would usually mean overpaying a bit to keep the player off the market.
The fact the ozil deal was so late realy makes you wonder if it just happen to fall in place more by ozils unhappiness rather than arsenes shrewd business strategy.
Wouldn’t mind kaboul as a 4th choice if he’s free and fit. Tommy V Been dodgy and we could get a few quid for him I sold and get a younger player to develop.
Interesting to see what we do in defence. 4 of the back 5 locked in for next year, but potentially very little depth if Saga and TV leave and Jenks goes out on loan. Manager might be able to indulge his eye for a bargain and a young player and still really strengthen us in long run.
325 – we needed 3 players and we ended up with 1. It wasn’t shrewd.
Do big signings only count now if they’re part of a shrew business strategy?
For those worrying we still don’t like spending: last summer we bid big money for Higuain, Suarez and possibly Bender. We spent big money on Ozil.
You can pick away at each of those facts if you want (“not big enough money for Suarez – hur hur hur”) but the fact is that our approach to the market clearly changed last summer.
328 – that’s true. In fairness to the management team, wasted money is worse than money in the bank. Just about striking a balance between patience and competing now. We should be able to compete now. I’m sure they will get it right, just tense and nerve wracking hoping this is a plan coming to fruition an not just a reactionary bargain hunt. (Can we say ozil was a bargain at that price? Seems fair to me…)
Bartra had really good game yesterday. Kabul for free, well, why not.
But, if I am Arsene, I will spend a fortune for Atletico’s Miranda. That’s of course if Vermaelen is leaving which I highly doubt.
I thought that too DK, until I saw that the article was dated today????
Aussie. Do you honestly think that Özil was a serious transfer target in the May/June???? I certainly don’t. I think that one fell into our laps somehow. All of that said I’m delighted he is an arsenal player.
Our recent transfer window dealings have been a total shambles. I have always believed that there has been money to spend and for some reason we have chosen not to spend it. We have needed “3 new players” for as long as I can remember. I have always said “evolution, not revolution.” Sadly for me at least, I think we need quite a major overhaul if we genuinely want to dine at the top table again.
All in my humble opinion of course.
http://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/0/football/26852466
BMBD, anyone? 🙂
No doubt Barca will appeal and there will be some compromise somewhere. It could be very interesting though. Puyol and Valdes are already on their way out.
SteveT- at first I thought some of the other bids were smoke screens for ozil as he seems to be the type of player arsene likes.
More of a cesc replacement than a Rvp replacement.
Ozil is one of my favourite players but I really think he should have stumped up 5 or 10 mil more for suarez and we would be laughing at the figure now and 5 or 10 points clear of the pack.
Extremely por business to bid the $1 over the base price and especially to Henry who hates Stan Kronke from their baseball duels.
N7 – big bids are not big buys.
There is a massive difference.
Arsene is like the always present pain in the arse at an auction, always has his paddle up in the air, but never buys the big stuff, always second tier as DRF so aptly described our squad.
@ Aussie
We have been over and over and over this.
If you believe a player has a £40m release clause and are bidding on that basis then a £40m+1 offer makes perfect sense. Anything else would have been pure foolishness.
We can sit here with the benefit of hindsight and say it was daft, but based on the info the club had it was the most logical course of action and precisely what any sane business would have done in equivalent circumstances.
There is absolutely nothing to suggest that Liverpool would have been willing to sell for an extra £5-10m. Once it became clear that the clause was not water tight the game was up. It’s as simple as that.
I also don’t understand your logic re: Arsene. Here’s your comment:
“What makes anyone think next season Arsene will all of a sudden act very different from his natural disposition of being against spending or “overpaying”.”
If you don’t think that Arsene making multiple player offers at £25-40m represents him acting differently from his natural disposition against spending then fair play – maybe you know something the rest of us don’t about a bunch of similarly massive offers he made in previous summers.
You can try to obscure the facts by suggesting that they weren’t “serious bids”, or that bids aren’t buys, but all that demonstrates to me is that you have your view and you don’t intend to change it regardless of evidence to the contrary. That’s entirely your prerogative, of course.
Steve: Arsene tried to get Özil even before he moved to Real so it’s not like he hasn’t been a target before. He’s stayed in touch with him through the years and we know (think he’s even said it himself actually) that Levy tried to stall the Bale deal long enough for the Özil deal to fall through which to me indicates that the deal was in the making far earlier in the summer. Deals of that magnitude are also very, very rarely done quickly so I actually do think that Arsene must at least have known there was a possibility to get him long before we got him. I don’t believe for one second that Arsene had no idea he would be available as late as two weeks into August. I’d be very surprised if that was the case.
Afternoon all.
So, Salomon “Hasentgotta” Kalou is back on the radar.
What ever happened to Bevan and Alistar Hurrah, that’s what I want to know.
That’s Bevin.
And I am out of contract. 😉
http://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/0/football/26852466
Apologies for double posting links
My humble apologies Mr BevIN.
So Spurs are flitting in 2017.
Despite not yet having planning permission.
How does that work, then?
http://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/0/football/26847888
Well they made a profit of £1.5m this year, that amount should be able to get it all sorted. 😉
Seriously though, it all seems highly speculative, more info;
http://www.tottenhamhotspur.com/news/financial-results-shareholder-and-stadium-update-020414/
Love this bit from Levy;
“We have come far in the last decade – we have raised our expectations from a Club aiming to be in the top half of the table, to competing in Europe each season – to the point at which we find ourselves disappointed if we don’t make Champions League.”
That’s a shed load of dissappointment. 😀
Zico,
Same way as they’ve been expanding/refurbishing/moving for the last five years. 😉
Was that announced on 1st April by any chance ?
That’s actually the only date that anyone takes them seriously, Trev. 😉
Fancy PSG tonight, think the chav go for a Jose special bore 0-0 an come unstuck.
Looking at World Cup bets… God I’d love Baloteli at arsenal. Spunk some green on him for goals.
Spain still the bet outright I reckon.
Put a few notes on Argentina, got a much easier draw then Brazil and Spain, although it is hard to look beyond the hosts.
What I was talking about yesterday;
http://www.bbc.com/sport/0/football/26847853
On the club’s news that more FA Cup Semi Final tickets will be made available to Silver Members who’ve attended 10+ games & Red Members who’ve attended 14+ games between 13/08/2011 and 25/03/2014…
Counted up my attendances yesterday in confidence as a Red Member only to find out that I’ve only got 13 attendances in the time period with my 14th for the West Ham game this month falling outside of the required time period… :’) Fml.
Gonna give the box office a call tomorrow morning and see if there’s anything that can be done I guess… Anyone got a spare 10+ Silver or 14+ Red that I could borrow perchance as a backup option? :p
H2H, saw that link also. The radio silence from Chelsea is pretty damning in my opinion.
Well, there you are, H2H.
If you allow fixers to start taking things over, don’t be surprised when they start fixing things.
352 had some messi/Spain action as well, he could go for about 17 goals in the group alone.
we have the players in ozil ramsey cazorla to spray the passes around. need a world class speedy forward to calmly put them away.
need Arsene to work his magic again. not fair we have had to play in 4 competitions with one hand tied behind our backs. aka a lone striker.
Good luck Wind.
Indeed Trev, The KNVB (Dutch F.A) are going to have a long hard look at the whole situation, because it’s becoming tantamout to competition fraude.
We’ve had midfielders creating no end of chances for years now, DB10. Özil and Cazorla are just the latest additions. Our problem has always been the lack of a classy striker to convert a higher percentage of those chances.
I like both players, but the former remains a luxury we didn’t need at the price. Unless the transfer fund is a bottomless pit (or unless Özil could score more regularly) we’d have been better off saving that £42.4mil towards the striker we really need.
Öskar
Hi All
Regarding strikers I believe that we need an out and out finisher, I like Giroud but it does make us a little one dimensional. Giroud works perfectly if you have willing runners off him which of late we don’t.
He is a massive asset to the club but not good enough as our only option, Sanagoo is in the same mould and the talent is there but again not ready for the PL as of yet.
We need an all rounder who can make things on his own and still feed off through balls. Grioud doesn’t have the pace or movement to do this, but would be great coming off the bench when searching for a goal.
Who that striker maybe I don’t know, well I do but unlikely to come to Arsenal.
Cheers
Two oil money clubs meet tonight. They might have some similarities, but take a quick look at starting line-ups.
Special Once decided to play with no striker.
PSG have three in their starting line up.
I can only hope for football to win. And Terry to score an own goal. And Special Once to kick some ball boys. And Hazard to brake both legs, nothing major, maybe couple of years injured. And Ramirez- Ivanovich fight that no one survives.
I’d like to buy Kaboul as well. So as we melt him down for glue.
I am so lucky to have some good friends around this blog. One of ours, Trev, has produced tonight’s piece. Thanks Trev. Enjoy all. >>>>>>>>
Nice on, Trev. Thanks.