What Did She Wear, Poldi?
May 17th, 2014 by 'holic
“What would it mean to be part of an Arsenal team that could end this nine year wait for a trophy”
Is it really that long? Thank you, professional inquisitor number one. Lukas Podolski is presented to the press ahead of the FA Cup Final.
“It is important for me, because I know the cup games are not only important in England, but in Germany as well. I play in a cup final for Bayern Munich against Dortmund. It’s always a big cup.”
Here is a senior international who goes into a huge weekend knowing the importance of the occasion to the supporters, but unsure of his starting place. What must he be thinking? At the bit of training that we see he is in high spirits and a major contributor to the positive mood in the camp.
There are those present seeking the sensational, and asked directly “Lukas, last month you spoke of your unhappiness at your situation at Arsenal” and without hesitation comes the response.
“I’m never unhappy, I always happy.” I love hearing that.
You know he is. Wherever his future lies we are extremely fortunate to have enjoyed his time at Arsenal. Right now, like everybody else, he is focused on the Cup Final, and winning it before heading off to the World Cup.
“The FA Cup is the biggest cup with the biggest history in the world. Of course, when you win the trophy, and go there, to the national team, of course we (with Ozil and Mertesacker) feel better.”
So will we send all of our World Cup performers to Brazil in such good spirits? Surely we have the ammunition to deliver the morale-boosting triumph at Wembley today?
With most now available for selection Arsene has decisions to make, and most significantly in midfield. I am convinced, contrary to what I said in this week’s Arsecast, that Wojciech Szczesny will keep goal, in front of a back four of Bacary “we want you to stay” Sagna, Laurent Koscielny, Per “BFG” Mertesacker, and Kirran Gibbs.
My guess at the midfield is Aaron Ramsey and Mikel Arteta, behind a trio of Jack Wilshere, Mesur Ozil, and Santi Cazorla. Olivier Giroud has to start up top. How unlucky is Poldi, as well as Tomas Rosicky if I am right? Bollocks, I am probably wrong.
What of the ‘holic pound, I hear nobody ask 😉 Because we are such hot favourites the odds are horrendous, in my eyes. One High Street bookie offers me a tidy return if I am right to be bullish. I’m on 30/1 for a 4-1 to the Arsenal in ninety minutes, even though I accept the opening forty-five could be tense and nervous as Hull attempt to close us quickly and deny us space.
Whatever. This has been an astonishing season. One like no other for sure. Come seven or so tomorrow evening (our time!) I pray the tears of joy are flowing. If not then I am sure we will address the alternatives next week. Tonight, we are Arsenal, and we are most concerned with…
WHAT DID SHE WEAR?
Have a fantastic day, ‘holics. I will think of you all tonight, you can be sure of that.
339 Responses to “What Did She Wear, Poldi?”
Raising the FA Cup!!!!!!!!!!!!!
I’m going with a Poldi start and Jack off the bench. I think the first 20 minutes will be hand-breakish, then an Ozil/Rambo moment of magic will open the flood gates.
Looking forward to celebrating at the bar later in the day!
COYG!!!!!
Up early this morning ‘Holic.
Is there a game on today or something?
In 4th!!!!
Holic up early. Or late. Or … Or somewhere in there!!
For me poldi has to start. Period.
Putting jack in ahead of him would be madness. And a bit too contrived what with the WC coming up.
How many goals in the fa cup run for poldi … 6? Start him. And my teo cents – the club must hang onto him.
Again?? These posts are coming faster than London buses.
well, north London busses, bt. west London busses are often parked.
and I won’t be in SFO, sadly. my 16 yo son wants to watch the game with me, and he can’t get in to Maggie’s. we are having a small thing here. hope your pop is ok.
holic I was dreaming of 3-1, but at 30 4 sounds pretty good!
she wore a yellow ribbon…
I heard you could get 400/1 on 5-2 with Aaron first to score. I liked it.
What a bet Lulu 🙂
Poldi instead of Wilshere anytime.
she wore a yellow ribbon in the merry month of may!
I can’t sleep at all ugh
“can’t sleep, bed’s on fire, don’t touch me I’m a real live wire…”
Paddy Power are offering 150/1 on 6-1. Gotta be done.
Quest que c’est, scruz?
I am electric with anticipation.
COME ON ARSENAL
I’m feeling a repeat of the final vs Southampton. Now, what’s my backup? Koscielny to score first at 33/1?
Poldi is taking a page out of Keith Dover’s fashion book I see, wearung that vest of destiny 🙂
I’m excited for the final but wrecked after pulling an allnighter to get artwork done for an artshow today. Going to be doing live sketching in about an hour as well. Hopefully I’m not too wasted to support the Arsenal!
No predictions from me, just hoping for us to break this duck of ours.
UTA
Guv’nor – That was a fantastic piece. Thank you.
Woke up early, dammit, but spent the last 40 mins back-drinking so am now on schedule. Many thanks for the different versions of Nessun Dorma. “Vincero” indeed – or to be more grammatically correct, “vinciamo”.
And for whoever posted the Clint Eastwood clip, I offer this one:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZNC3kH5YUlw
(Just in case you were wondering what happened to Cantona.)
So, I head off into media lockdown as today is the day that Oxonne’s 91 year-old mother is discharged from care following a fall that led to a broken elbow six weeks ago. I have a two-hour cross country drive to look forward to, followed by an energetic morning sawing up some rather nice furniture that the charity shops won’t take. Then it’s out with the red carpet and a tow-hour drive home before curling up in front of a recording of the whole four-and-a-half hour ITV show. I’m hoping against hope that there’s a happy ending to both parts of my day.
I wonder whether our friend in the meejah have finally overdone this “N years since lifting a trophy” bollocks. Yesterday’s phrasing – I think “Will Arsenal finally manage to end their 9 year 11 month and 25 day wait for a trophy” – comes very close to appealing for a sympathy vote. More “Injured hero Arsenal have chance of redemption” than “Playground bully out to mash plucky little Hull”.
Only ten more hours and this will all be moot.
Come on you Gunners. Win the next match.
And congratulations to all Norwegian gooners on your country’s 200 years of independence.
howdy ‘holic and ‘holics
holy fuck
we’re here
.
sturdiest liver
picked out
nerves rattlin’
pint settlin’
cows mooin’
house jumpin’
.
now
.
hurry the fuck up would ye
.
.
Bring on Fuckin’ ‘ull
.
.
COME ON YOU RIP ROARIN!!!!!!!!
.
#SHE WORE
#SHE WORE
Bring it on! COME ON ARSENAL!
I can’t think of anything else
4-1 I will take that !
COYG !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
…and when he saw the F.A. Cup, he said I’m having that!
Ohhhhhhhh!!!
Good luck with the pound, ‘Holic. A 3-1 win would do us nicely, and especially if we get an early goal to calm the nerves. I see the punters, though, expect the game to go to extra time.
Enjoy the day, holics, wherever you are, and whatever you are wearing…
Midnight Kick Off here in Oz, should be well primed by then!! Feeling very confident about this final, 3 – 0 to the Mighty Arsenal.
Nice one, Guvnor. Great series of posts. 😉
WE’RE THE FAMOUS ARSENAL
AND WE’RE GOING TO WEMBLEY
🙂 🙂 🙂
Lovely preview Holic. Expecting a good win inspite of our propensity to commit Hari-Kari of late. Travelled upto Reading celebrating my twins birthday…maybe a 2-0 win on the cards!
Suitable pub will be sourced shortly.
Lets just do it Arsenal, time for the drought to be banished to history.
#She Wore…
#She Wore a….
I was bumming around in the last bar….amateur .move.. 😉
Landed in Alkmaar in a top Irish bar, Mervs, with a couple of mates and the AZ foriegn legion supports club.. Guinness, Strongbow and Murphy’s on tap, I’ve had a pint of each to warm up.
Watching the Scottish cup final first, a nice little starter before the main course.
Come on you Gunners.
Cheers for the preview ‘holic.
For what it’s worth, I’d start with Poldi.
H2H….a proper Irish bar having Murphys and FA Cup with gooners playing – life doesn’t get much better.
Poldi should start & 2-0 win will do very nicely thank u very much.
#She wore…
#She wore a…..
Hello Holics,
Im a drunk broken mumbling jittery wreck right now. Memories of Brum 2011 just not going away..
Wish all of you have a good one
Let’s do this
Great preview Holic as always kind Sir!
I have just cracked open my first Tyskie of the day! A lot more getting chilled in the fridge 🙂
Feeling few nerves tickling there and there, one thing is for sure 100% commitment is what I want to see!
Come on you beautiful Arsenal!
Off to the pub to ease the pre-match jitters…
Arsenal starting XI: Fabianski, Sagna, Mertesacker, Koscielny, Gibbs, Arteta, Ramsey, Cazorla, Ozil, Podolski, Giroud Subs: Szczesny, Vermaelen, Rosicky, Wilshere, Monreal, Flamini, Sanogo
Yeah!
COME ON!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
😀
So Fabs starting it is then, interesting decision, come on lads!
Yes – very interesting. I would have given it to Woj because he is the future and it makes sense. But Arsène is a man of honour and he has clearly given his word to Lucasz that he will play the Cup games.
Can’t say I’m concerned as far as the game is concerned but I wonder how Woj will take it. He’ll get a medal but it’s not the same as having played.
feel the magic in the air 😀 come on you rip roaring reds
Fab in goal. Never in doubt.
I love Arsene so much.
Any lesser manager would have played the established No.1. Wenger opted to keep his word to his man, and future backups will take note that as long as they put a shift no-one will cut their stride in competiiton they’re assigned to.
Now let win the match in style!
So, Ox didn’t made it, was really hoping to see him as a sub if things doesn’t go the way we like it.
Cheers Uply.
They’ve got Magners too.
Proper! !!!
Whoever plays in goal fully behind them! Come on Lukasz don’t disappoint us!
Fab in.
If it goes to penalties we’re sorted. .;)
Greetings Holics from Wembley on the day we win the FA Cup. I can definitely confirm that she is wearing a yellow ribbon and this is the Merry Month of May. The rest is written . Enjoy!
TTG
Have a great one my man!!!
Let’s go Gunners!!!!
Just found out my new neighbour is a Gooner! Ha ha
Come on Arsenal!
Wow, what an atmosphere!
Time to shine boys
HERE WE GO…..
Come on you Redsssssssssssssssss!
Fuck !!!!
What the f#$k
This certainly wasn’t in the script!
Need to respond come on lads!
What the fuck are doing?
What the fucking fuck
We need to get stuck in we have nothing to loose now!
Is this real
This is turning out to be a nightmare
They use the simplest tactic of pressing Arteta and we nave no answer to that.
Get in. Santi1!!!
Ooooohhhhhhh
Come on u gunners! Blast the Hull out of them..free kick in a good position!fuck yes Santo!!!!!
Let’s go. Wake the fuck up
Thats better!
what a goal by Santi!
Fucking Probert
not even a yellow?
Cmon boys
Giroud?!?!?!?!
Fucking hate this Probert fella, fucking hate him
Probert being way too lenient
Prober is a CUNT!
We need to score before HT
Come on Lads! Come ooooooooooooooooonnnnnnnnnn
Bacary can you cross the fucking ball for once in your life
Good result considering we were playing with 9 players and a goalkeeper.
In the second half it would be nice for our sake Ozil to finally decide is he playing or has taken a weekend off.
Well I don’t know what to think at this point. Sort it Arsene.
This looks like birmingham all over again…stage fright!! Unfreakingbelievable!!!!!
The first 15 mins was nightmarish, what a strike for Santis goal but what the fuck were we doing at the start of the match?
I am little ball of nerves right now, sort it Arsene, whatever HT speech you are going to make, just make sure they go out and repair the damage they have done at the start.
Let’s not give them any more dead ball opportunities…that was always the risk and we paid twice.
Huge 45 minutes ahead. Stand up Arsenal
Have faith! We will prevail but we need Ozil to turn up and personally I would like to see Wenger in the technical area once in a while. If we can control the ball and improve our movement up front we will cut them to pieces
We’re still in it.
#keepthefaith
Don’t do this to me, Arsenal, not again!!! PLEASE!!
We’ll do it 4-2
Typical big game start for us
2 nil down after 10
Defensive naivety matched with stage fright is a poor combination
Arteta showing his age
Hull setting out to upset our rhythm and they have
I would kill for a proper winger. The crowd they’ve gathered in middle is impressive. One good dribble at the wing and we would go through on goal.
Terrible start. I don’t know what happened. Thank God we have guys like Santi. We could have scored the equaliser afterwards. No, I have no doubts we will win this one. I am just slightly concerned that as the game progresses we might get more nervous. Quick equaliser is needed. Come on guys! This is our well deserved trophy…and…yes…we will win it. Envy those who will witness the parade in person. 4:2 for us in the end!!!
The second half is maybe the most significant in Arsenal recent history. All the stakes are on this result.
Same can be said about Ozil. It is time that he show himself in a game of such significance and do something for the team and for himself.
I believe in you Ozil, don’t disappoint me.
This match is crying out for Jack Wilshere.
COYG!!!!
Cant believe we havent come out of the gates pumped and full of brimstone and fire.
Its fucking hull FFS
We look half asleep
c’mon, we can’t loose this, ramsey ozil giroud, someone needs to stand up
Had Giroud won a duel today?
Giroud is having a mare lurky
An absolute mare
This game is crying out for Giroud to be subbed
Ramsey seems very quiet
Can’t believe how badly we play. We are going to need enormous luck to wint this.
Lets go
Not a penalty?!?!?!? FUCKING CUNT PROBERT
it’s a penalty, who is Probert
sanogo!?! what the …
Handball ffs
Penalty number 2.
how on earth was that not given?
Penalty number 3.
FUCKING CUNT PROBEEEEEERT
Cmon Lee wtf
Is this cunt out of his mind?????? A fucking stonewall penalty
That was the 3rd penalty denied
Get in. KOS
Get in
KOOOOOOSSSSSSS
And this is RED CARD for the GK in my book.
We certainly like to do it the hard way
Ffs gibbs r u kidding
WHAT THE FUCK GIBBS????????????
Fucking choker
Oooo gibbs.
My granny could of scored that
Fourth penalty, Probert is a joke, I give up
Ref having a howler
Infeed that’s 4
Ozil ffs
+5
Its right there for us…take it
Some of the worst refereeing I’ve ever seen in my life.
fuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuccccccccckkkkkkkkkkk.
come ON you red mothers…
Extra time.
It’s ours.
#keepthefaith
no doubt. 3 stonewall pennos and cards missing. bad game, lee.
Agreed Lurky.
And the commentary on BT Sport.
Neil Warnock and Michael Owen. They couldn’t have chosen two more biased commentators if they’d tried. 4 penalties denied and the ref was right every time according to Warnock.
Gives Northerners a bad name.
Athletico champions.
In honour of Lonestar…..
BMBD
You missed one scruz.
Huddlestone on Giroud.
The Spud’s handball.
At least two on Santi.
We should have the class to take this now
Does Probert get paid more for extra time??? Because he has blown two stonewalls….
Those cunts are on the back foot now.
COYR
We need the spark of tomas
Can we get more unluckier than this?!?!?!
Really don’t understand how aren’t we 3 up front at least.
Believe boys
Ramsey having a mare.
Why have we slowed down to hulls speed and lack of quality
They are out of gas.
Sanogo is working hard; needs polish.
Surely sanogo or og can knock one of these chances in
They practice shooting on training?
Nerves
We will score here at our end
Here we go jack and tomas
Game winners there
What the fuck is wrong with Ramsey?!?!?!?
Yes
FUCKITY F
UCK FUCK GOAAAAALALAALALALALALALAL
Wooooooooooooooooo
Finally………
Yes Yes Yes.
Keep it tight now!!!
RAMMSEEEEEEEEEEY
Defend defend defend
H2H: #keepingthefuckingfaithman!
AMAZING!!!!!
sitting here alone in front of my tv …. choking up now !!!!!!
Sanogo is all elbows
2 nil down
3-2 up.
That’s the way to win cup… .
Flappy WTF…
Nearly a flappy
I was expecting more of this “golden moments” from Mert this season to be honest, we are lucky we didn’t got punished.
FA Cup final record for most coronaries!
Fab great save
FAB
Great save Fabby
YEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEESSSSSSSSSSSSSSSS
Fuck YESSSSDSSSSSSSSSSSA
Congrats ‘Holics.
Huh what a game I am all sweat.
YES YES YES YES
Fuck Michael Owen
Fuck Neil Warnock
Fuck Lee Probert
yes. fucking 9 years. well done lads.
YEEEEEEEEEEEEESSSSSSSSSSSSSSS
A trophy
Unbelievable
Hfgkgftsgfeghcjfkisuyqaafsdjrkjcgstwqnfmgkgvcfdgdhjkshcvbxsdfasgruijcvzfvxbcxjndshbgvsdreweiogndgvszscsjjkgfkgiudegffsgerjfrfjjfkdkfgkkgklkf
YYEEEESSSSSS!!!!!!!!
in tears, drink, and beyond happy…
drunk.
No one deserves the winning goal more than aaron.
We did it…what a relief. First trophy as a supporter.
What a feeling! Yes!!!
We are the mighty Arsenal …
There is only one Arsene Wenger!!
And take that you all fucking naysayers in English football… Giroud and Sanogo are going to fuck up your ‘physical’ defenses next season …
me too.
First trophy as a supporter.
This could have been 6-2, not one, not two, four penalty decisions not given.
Guys I aplogise! Management at home 🙂
CCCCOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOMMMMMMMMMMMEEEEEEEEEEE
OOOOOOONNNNNNNNNNNNNNNN
AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAARRRRRRRRSEEEEEEEEEENNNNNNNNAALLLLLLLL!
I’m crying…………..
I love you Arsenal!
From Hapiness! BTW
WENGER AAHHT!!!
It’s 9 minutes since we won anything.
🙂
Arsene: “We wanted to make history tonight and win the game and we did that in both ways – how not to start the Cup final and how to come back.
I think it was a turning point in the life time of this team – to know they can win in that way was really important today.
It would have been terrible [to lose] but we came back. I’ve praised the spirit of this team and they showed that today.”
Did I just see ‘holic kiss Arsene?
FINALLY!!!!! DRINKS ON ME whoaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaa
I love Wenger. We all know he has his faults, but he’s of a vanishing breed: a Man of Honour. So happy.
Great comeback, great win! Chuffed to see Arsene overwhelmed with emotion.
Finally we ended the drought!
Also enjoy this ‘holics! This place is filled with gooners who ooze class. Time to fucking soak this in
Cheers
Oh, brother…
@192 Well said mate! Oh…this feeling…after so many years. Unbelievable! Let’s hope this is indeed the turning point. I love Arsenal! Gooner forever! I wish I could hug you all here one by one.
It’s been 9 minutes since we won a trophy.
Wenker aaaht.
and we’re arrrrsenal, arrrrrsenal fc, we’re by far the greatest te the world has ever seen…
the
*last time seen drowning in booze* AND ITS AAAARSEEEENAAAAAL AAARSEEENAAL FC!
Not bad, that.
Not bad at all.
boy, she’s wearing that yellow ribbon now…
Did I just see ‘holic kiss Arsene?
No, that was Steve Bruce
*runs away*
(sorry H) 😉
YEAHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH!
WE DID IT!
TAKE that BUS PARKERS Of the world!
😀
That was some monumental stamina by Rambo. Yes he missed a few passes and some chances that he has been otherwise scoring but to be able to make a run like that in the 114th minute after running up and down all throughout the match, just phenomenal.
And Sango, what an astute sub by Arsene!
…and FOCK THE REF!
Disgraceful display if ever there was any!
If we didn’t win it, the ref would have had some explaining to do. Four blatant penalties …
Rambo: “Over the last couple of seasons we’ve been under pressure and stick for not being ruthless and not taking opportunities but the manager has always believed in us. This for Arsene – and we now know he’ll put pen to paper.””
Steve Bruce:
“I didn’t think the first one was a free-kick and the second goal was a goal-kick not a corner. But it’s not the time now to whinge. We are totally disappointed because it could have been one of those memorable FA Cup wins where the underdog goes and wins it
Really? REALLY NOW?
i am just sitting here teary-eyed. I am so happy for Arsène, and the team , and all of us. such a great win, such an amazing club.
Dr. F: Arsene’s substitutions were perfect today indeed. He got it spot on.
Over the Emirates Stadium, where the game was being shown on a big screen constructed on the pitch, the final whistle prompted a pitch invasion.
I’m not quite sure what the Arsenal fans did when they got on there. Hugged the jumbotron? Kissed the man in charge of the giant remote control?
———
This one was for the FANS, PLAYERS AND MANAGER!
😀
Ahhhhhhhhhh
It’s now been one hour since arsenal won a trophy
BB @ 209: Just hilarious, four fucking penalties not given. Never ever seen anything quite like that …
Warnock and Owen did their best to ruin it for me. But they never came close
Dr F @208 nicely posted
LET’S FUUUUUUUCK!
WE’LL FUCK ANYTHING THAT MOOOOOVES!
HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA
Faustus – I am equally flabbergasted (boy is that word awesome), we could maybe argue about the pull down of Giroud, even though I have seen them given, but the three others were as stonewall penalties as I have seen in a very long time.
When Gibbs did not score and Giroud hit the bar I was dreading the worst but cue Welsh Jesus. Funny thing that, I have been just listening to latest Arsecast hour or two before final and Martin Keown was talking about how fitting it would be for Aaron to cap his incredible season by becoming the hero of the final, and he did.
Glorious, glorious day.
Congratulations too to whoever maintains the Arsenal FC page on Wikipedia for getting it up to date already.
Arsenal haven’t done the double for 12 years.
Wenger AHHHHHHHHHHT
Eandy @ 217, I was beyond being flabbergasted, I was outright disgusted.
🙂
But hey, they can’t keep the Red-and-White down now, can they?
Giroud and Sanogo didn’t score anyway but the energy, attitude and no little skill they showed was impressive. Ozil & Poldi played it safe for my liking. Both Per and Fab had moments, but Kos was just impeccable on both ends of the pitch.
Santi’s early goal was just very crucial to be able to come back…
DocFaust,
Exactly, it was farcical refereeing! The amount of blatant fouls not given was getting criminal to say the least.
Even the neutrals here were incredulous! What of the blatant handball penalty too, clear as day. But for brucey to say they deserve those decisions, i think it’s a sign of pure frustration. Especially since i can’t remember a team losing in a final after going 2 nil up in the first 10minutes.
Methinks our luck has changed at last! Despite the twelfth man in black firmly against us we have prevailed.
Now i hope wenger puts pen to paper and keep Sagna while getting a proper backup striker! We will firmly be in the running then!
Watch out next season, we will be coming through with renewed confidence and fighting spirit!
goonsterham@215: I had to stop listening – just left the headphones on the chair beside me so I could hear the Arsenal fans.
Great to see the Guardian match report congratulating us – oh wait:
‘it is debatable whether being pushed all the way by Wigan in the semi and now Hull in the final amounts to the sort of success that can be crowed about.’
Never mind the teams we’d faced earlier, or Wigan winning at Man City (or Hull beating their beloved Liverpool on the league this season) – all I have to say in reply to this prat is, we won the FA Cup, so fuck you and goodnight.
word, Charlie. now the stick with which to beat wenger: it was only Hull.
This bar is a fucking fantastic place… I read the comments almost for every post by holic but usually don’t comment cause most of the times I don’t have anything new to add to the deep and passionate and classy discourse…
But I just couldn’t stop myself today… FUCK YEAH… AM so happy that I don’t have words… CHEERS to everyone… And yeah thank God that In Arsene We Trust… Those 9 years have been worth it… Ramsey a boy in whom Wenger put his faith when so many voices of dissent were around…. So typical of the classy man that he is and therefore so fitting that Ramsey it was who scored the winning goal…
Anyways enough said… Off to get drunk now… And have a great night of celebration everyone… Arsenal FA Cup CHAMPIONS
exactly scruz, I have already stumbled upon comments like “Arsenal should not get carried away by winning the trophy the likes of Wigan and Portsmouth won recently”..conveniently forgetting that we have beaten Sp*rs, Liverpool and Everton along the way.
But I am not going to have this day ruined by some fucking halfwits ..we are the Arsenal, we are the best, we are the Arsenal, so fuck the rest!
dk, yes, football has a serious commentary problem.
Could I care less r
Whoops. Meant to say:
Could I care less right now? Nope.
Especially happy right now for the long servants who’ve never lifted a trophy here: Bac, Rosicky, Vermaelen, Fabianski. Shots of little Thomas and Sagna celebrating were what brought the most emotion for me. And the boss of course, who true to form deflected all praise onto his players. Never one for the limelight. I love him.
Eandy @ 226: Arsene and Arsene NEVER get carried away. If some other club had pulled off this 17 continuous year of CL, a new Stadium and then now the FA Cup after a short hiatus the collective orgasm of appreciation in the media could have been heard even by the dead.
This was the stick all the fuckers used to beat up us with, despite all our other areas of success and progress, and do NOT hesitate to throw it back to them.
Hehe yeah Faustus,
but I am sure they will just find another thing to throw in our faces. I bet it will be the “Arsenal have not won the league in xy years” now.
And in the end it is funny to see ManU and Liverpool fans squirming and being bitter in overall XD
Never in doubt.
Always keep the faith: one Arsene a Wenger.
COYG
Arsenal match-winner Aaron Ramsey speaking to ITV: “I get emotional thinking about it. We have conceded early in lots of big games this season, but we showed great strength of character to come back and to score the winner is something I have dreamed off.
“This one is for the manager and the fans who have already believed in us, even when things have not gone well for us.”
Arsenal midfielder Tomas Rosicky on BBC Radio 5 live: “It is difficult to describe, we have been waiting a very long time for this moment and it’s finally here. It’s very exciting. The whole club needed this trophy and finally we have got it I hope it will help us for next season. Some of the players have never won anything and this is the first time for them.”
Arsenal manager Arsene Wenger speaking to ITV: “We wanted to make history tonight and win the game and we did that in both ways – how not to start the Cup final and how to come back.
“I think it was a turning point in the life time of this team – to know they can win in that way was really important today.
“It would have been terrible [to lose] but we came back. I’ve praised the spirit of this team and they showed that today.”
On his future: “I always said my future doesn’t depend on this but I always wanted to stay.”
Arsenal midfielder Jack Wilshere on BBC Radio 5 live: “It’s amazing, I’ve won the FA Youth Cup before but it’s nothing like this – this is for the fans. You could see at the end a few players had injuries but we dug in and carried on. All the credit goes to the boys – it was easy for me to come and help us get across the line, but all credit goes to them. It’s been a long nine years for the fans- they fill the Emirates every week and this is for them.”
Arsenal midfielder Mikel Arteta on BBC Radio 5 live: “It’s unbelievable, when you go 2-0 down it is really rare to come back and win the Cup. It has been a long time and hopefully this is the start of something really good. The start of the match was shocking, you would never expect to start the game like but we showed the character desire and spirit of this team to put it right in the end.
“Aaron Ramsey has been the best player on the pitch when he has been fit and he was the right man to score. It had to come sometime. Today was the day and we have done it.”
Arsenal defender Kieran Gibbs: “It’s a great achievement, we’re very happy. It’s been a long time coming and it feels like something the boys have deserved throughout the course of the season. This silences a lot of people and now and can move on as a team and as a club.
“It was such a bad miss – I’ve seen that moment 100 times in my head and it didn’t go like that. It’s done now and obviously we want to build on this for next season, but for now we will just enjoy it.”
Arsenal defender Bacary Sagna: “We have been waiting for this moment for too long. It is great for Arsenal, it was a very hard game, we started badly but showed desire to come back and it is a victory for everyone. The fans really deserve it and we want to share it with them.
“Every single game was a final this season, we had really hard moments together and today again we showed that mentally we are strong. It is a moment to share with the fans.”
Asked whether today was his last match for Arsenal: “I don’t know to be honest, as everyone says I have been talking with the club for a long time and we will try to find a solution, but I don’t know what that will be.”
————–
Sorry for the long post but thought we might want to read some reactions.
😀
Haha! I say fuck them! We are the FA Cup Champions 2014! COYG!!!
What did she wear 🙂
Holic, did you really kiss Arséne?:D
Barcelona announce Gerardo Martino is to leave the club after just one season in charge.
This after Atletico won the league with a draw at Barca.
Hands off Wenger !!! You have been warned !! The DNA isn’t compatible!
BB – great compilation. thanks.
‘desi’gner gooner,
Looks like you have plenty to add – and very good stuff too.
Love Arsenal, me ! 🙂
She wore a yella ribbon, ‘holic.
Hey, Holic. It’s done ! 😉
Compare our joy today to Bayern’s at winning the German cup. Another meaningless trophy for the bullies of the Bundesliga. Won against Dortmund, their nearest league rivals (fully 20 points behind), whose best player (Lewandowski) will be theirs next season. Fuck em
She wore blue velvet.
Oh, fuck…
# score I made a t
Cheers Impec for noticing.
Even at two nil down it was NEVER in doubt.
In fact, at that very score I made a €300 bet, (which was just a little bit more then my tab at the time) that the Arsenal would be victorous. I also said (ie put my balls on thr line) t the winner would come from the midfield.
I’ve just got home a few hondred richer, but more importantly, rid of a humongus cunt of a monkey off my/our back,
I’ve even left with a clean slate from the local constabulary. (more on that tomorrow).
2 nil down
3 – 2 up
That’s the way to win the cup!!!!!!!!!!!!!
H2H. Dutch constables must be lenient folks. 😉
UTA Cup Champions.
My report from a delirious Maggie McGarry’s bar in San Francisco will be forthcoming later but what a glorious day for me, the Bay Area Gooners and the Arsenal. 🙂 🙂 🙂 Life is good, sometimes. 🙂 🙂 🙂
By the by,
It may sound petty after the fact, but……..
The ref was a f’ing joke.
Ridiculous offciating!!!!!
The yellow card was trapped in his pocket for way too long, and I lost count of how many penalties we should of had.
I know it seems futile now, but still.
Wenger on winning the FA Cup and Ramsey
http://www.arsenal.com/news/news-archive/20140517/wenger-on-winning-the-fa-cup-and-ramsey
8Ball.
Lenient would be one way of putting it, incompitant would be another.
Like I said, more on that another time.
A word for Yaya Sanogo. Bringing him on when Arsene did was a risk but it paid off almost immediately. We dominated from that point on, and though Sanogo did not score he threatened throughout his stint, even managed to throw his weight into several key challenges. A new dimension that we sorely needed, and congratulations to the young man.
I am being told that not since 1966 did a team, Everton overturn a 2-0 deficit to win the FA Cup.. coincidentally, also 3-2!
Wow.. many would have bet against us after being 2 down ..and Lost!!
😀
Did anyone else see Sanogo going round disrupting everyone’s interviews? It was hilarious – he was so happy – totally out of control. Sagna gave him a look which said, I’ll be glad to get away from YOU.
Maybe he’s our lucky charm. Just arrived from France, and we win the Cup in his first season. Can’t get rid of him now.
Shit refereeing.
Shit commentating.
But we are the Arsenal so fuck ’em all.
Hey, H2H,
I said to Mrs Trev this morning – not that she’s even remotely interested – that Probert could be a problem.
He was the fourth official who reported AW at Old Trafford for the ridiculous water bottle kicking incident and he seems to have had some sort of problem with us ever since.
More importantly, he is one of those officials who doesn’t seem to understand what is going on in the game.
Rosenior on Sagna was actually a bad challenge – late, and could easily have been judged as ‘from behind’. And we – and Koscielny himself – can be happy that the defender’s leg wasn’t badly damaged by the goalkeeper’s studs-up flying lunge at our second goal. The same tackle from any other defender should have been at least a yellow card.
And as for all the missed penalties ……….
Today is the beggining of a new era for Arsenal. I can feel it.
So, so happy, I am going to sleep like a baby.
How’s that, Lurky ?
Big toe in your mouth and wake up with your pyjamas full of pooh ? 😉
No pyjamas tonight Trev, pampers on the menu.
I’m off to watch the game again, this time with me mates.
They’re not Gooners but they are happy for me and also, for some reason, drunk.
I can hear them –
“Silly, who’s that fat bloke running around in ugly grey suit?”|
“That would be Steve Bruce.”
“Why is he so ugly?”
“Don’t know, mate. Let me watch the game, will ya.”
“What’s with the suit, Silly?”
“Don’t know. Let me watch the game.”
“Where’s Pires?”
Hilarious!
Bless ’em.
Following my missive from Wembley just after halftime I nursed my phone’s battery so I could record the lap of honour and the presentation. Apparently we hadn’t won a trophy for nine years but hasn’t seen this mentioned anywhere.
I felt like death at the end of the game. It was football at its most visceral but we were much the better team even though we had many players off- form, were nervous defensively and gave them a two ( nearly three) goal start.
Two things swung it for us. One that we scored our first goal before half- time and two that Wenger made excellent substitutions. Young Sanogo is a work in progress but I can see something there that could become. special. Rosicky did superbly when he came on and Jack added composure and industry.
There were negatives. Ozil should have done much better, Giroud was frustrating and Arteta started awfully but when we look at the honours board around the Ems next season it will say FA Cup Winners 2014. Let’s just enjoy that for a while
Cheers Trev.
The only decision he got right in almost the whole game, imho, was to award the free kick in the first half that Santi scored the wonder goal from, other then that the game should be used for a referee’s training course to teach incumbants how not to officiate.
We still won though.
#keepthefaith
Goodman H2H indeed…!
Kept the whole bar going all day long.
What a day……
Just what a day……..
I’m gonna close off a long, but excellent, day as I’ve got a few, extremely (for me) important meetings tomorrow (over a few hours)
I’m sorry to say that it’s been a good few hours since we last won a trophy……… @everybodyaaaaaaht
😉 🙂 😎
Cheers Joe, my friend.
Talk about winning it the Arsenal way, that would be the ‘make your fans lose 2 years off the end of their life through stress ‘ way.
I still salute all of you who kept it together at 2 down, I’ll confess I was not with you, not one step of the way. But we did it. The monkey is off our back (if I ever see that obnoxious primate, I’m going to beat him like a ginger-headed stepchild).
Nice to see the press are already trying to sneer at us for ‘only winning against Hull’ – good going, Guardian, you’ve just lost a reader for tomorrow’s paper run. Bellends.
Enjoy it, chums! COYG
How many years since Hull won a trophy?
I tell you, ttg, that sat at home, without delirious Gooners all around to celebrate with, I felt like death at the end too.
When Ramsey’s goal went in, I sat stunned with a curious mixture of relief at finally having done it, disbelief and tension in case we still managed to throw it away – which we nearly did !
The joy at being winners again is still oddly subdued, partly due to not being able to go, and partly by being subjected to yet more shit from Fatty Chiles on ITV, like “the pressure is really on them now to go on from here and actually win the league”.
True enough, perhaps, but you could hear the rehearsals of lines to beat us up with until that target is achieved.
I think I’ve missed the camaraderie of the real mates made in this bar for too long. The real joy of being winners will doubtless force it’s way to the surface when faced with a mix of Chelsea, Tottenham and Yanited fans again.
Celebrating with the background noise of the ‘meedja experts’ does rather temper the joy with a dollop of anger.
Going to watch the highlights now, and concentrate on some happy winner’s faces. And none moreso than that of one Arsene Wenger.
He’s the specialist in failure, Jose – you’ll remember. 😉
Heh, Porco !
At 0-1, I said to my daughter that we’d still win it.
At 0-2, I said that’s ok – it’s still very early and at least we will now have no choice but to go for it.
Always thought we’d do it – but it did get bloody tense ! 😉
Joe,
Two fine young men from Co. Meath were my neighbours at Wembley. Like most of your countrymen they were a delight to be with and read the game very well
Well that was some game to watch four hours after the event, having successfully avoided hearing anything about it as it was going on.
The two Hull goals both seem to me to have a certain amount of luck about them. For the first, Tyldesley eventually admitted that, just possibly, Huddlestone’s “pass” was a hideously wayward shot. For the second it struck me that Fabianski was incredibly unlucky – he was flying across the goal to make a save but the ball hit the post and he had to divert left to avoid knocking himself out on the same post. It took him half a second to disentangle himself from the net and that, sadly, was half-a-second too long. Of course, you could argue that the corned from which Koscielny scored the equaliser should have been a goal kick, but we wouldn’t want to go there, or think about the penalties that weren’t awarded, would we?
Can someone explain the “Wenger is stubborn” catchphrase to me, please? Is this a reference to his retention of the Dutch skunk when rational men all over the world knew he was never going to recover from all his injuries? The failure to get rid of Tomas Rosicky when he was injured for all those years? Aaron Ramsey? Abou Diaby?
And finally (for now)… People seem to be saying a lot of nice things about Sanogo – I agree with them. Somehow, whenever he got the ball, I seemed to expect him not to do anything with it, but once he grows into his body (and assuming he manages to stay reasonably fit and healthy), then boy is he a prospect!
The Pangloss Award for Wenger Ahhhht drinks goes to Gooneraside@188.
Where’s Lars’s credit card when you need it?
Oh well, the barman seems to have lost concentration…
*vaults over the bar*
What’s everyone having?
dk@249 Yes I have seen that and it was hilarious, although Sagna was really really pissed off with the young man lol, he gave him one of those deathstares he has reserved for Adepaymemore and RvC.
But it was so nice to see, and I agree with everyone saying that his performance has been very good. Work in progress but there is something in the young man, hints of Adebayor but without being cunt.
Haha @Pangloss. I’m drinking some two buck chuck and a load of Bells amber ale, all the alcohol in the house at the moment. It’s working out just fine!
First trophy as an Arsenal fan. Feels amazing
Home from Wembley via the Tolliw.
Fuck me, that was sweaty.
Onwards.
baff knows.
as does goonsterham, every drop.
my comment is awaiting moderation? that’ll be a while 😉
If the gentlemen of the press would now care to start their clocks on the trophy droughts of Spurs and Jose Mourinho, that would be grand.
I’ll do the maths: six (6) years and two (2) years respectively.
Specialists in failure.
Arsenal have not won a trophy in 5 hours – OFFICIAL.
On another note: congratulations to Simeone and his courageous Atletico for winning the La Liga!
Costa is out most likely for the CL Final, but it would still be a tough game for Real!
Next season that is the other final we would also be playing in!!!
Never in doubt. Probert had to keep denying us penalties just to keep it interesting. Either that or he lost his whistle.
Öskar
“In my experience, crowds are at their best when their team is losing but playing well, which is one of the reasons why coming back for a 3-2 win is my favourite kind of score.” – Nick Hornby, Fever Pitch, 1992, p. 227.
‘holic, how does Ramsey’s goal compare to your all time favorites? What. A. Day.
Only one trophy in ten years? Not good enuff!
Öskar
She wore a New Jersey, ‘holic.
Öskar
Hoisting my 7 year old daughter in the air as the final whistle went is something I will remember forever. Journalist’s moronic comments will be forgotten instantly. Great Comeback. Great Day. COYG.
I’m watching the BT ‘ highlights’. What a dirge they make it and if brains were gunpowder Warnock couldn’t blow his head off. He is so pathetic commentator mainly because he does not know the rules. I think we should have had at least two stone walkers and could have gas four. War nock wouldn’t have given any of them
Interesting to see Stan in the box next to Greg Dyke. Nice of him to come.
do do do…do do do
do do do…do do do
aaron ramsey!
Just in from the day out that was the 2014 FA Cup Final. Not had a chance to back drink or read anything.
The first 10 mins were a shambles. Play our strongest team???? It’s all I asked. I thought for the first half we were poor. The Santi free kick aside I don’t remember their keeper having to make a save.
A scrambled equaliser summed up the way the game was going.
Rambo with a third with a real bit of quality rightly sealed victory.
Top day out. The final highlight came during the presentation. As the trophy is passed around it reaches Kos. He doesn’t raise it but passes it to big Per so that that two can lift it together. Team spirit of the highest order.
Back in the morning when the nurophen kicks on
17 – 72 – 109
Magic numbers.
Arsene’s expressions at the end told their own story. A long long time has passed since this proud competitor had the chance to celebrate a success like that, the gratification of a trophy, with his team. Relief, joy, vindication, and just pure pride in the team. And the post-game interview? Crediting the team for everything.
The day he retires not only Arsenal football will lose a brilliant manager and an authentic human being. Not a single manager now out there who behave with this much of dignity.
Team talk: http://www.arsenal.com/news/news-archive/20140518/arteta-boss-team-talk-helped-swing-it
My blood pressure has finally reached fairly normal levels, my blood alcohol level is adequate, and I can finally type without my hands shaking. Other than the 3 goals it wasn’t pretty, but at the end WE WON THE F**ING CUP!!!!!!
Thinking back over the past 9 years and remembering the tough times, losing our best players, bringing in the flea market players, and the tough defeats (including 3 this season), I am so very happy for Mr. Wenger who has endured (imho) an unreasonable amount of criticism with class and dignity. And for all those players who have given their all, especially Sagna and Arteta, who may not be world class stars but are the ultimate team players and deserved the chance to hoist a trophy as they move into the twilight of their careers.
I am optimistic about the future of the team (a sunny-sider forever) and looking forward to next season and hanging out at this amazing bar!
Cheers!!
So the punters were right about extra time.
But I always thought that once we got a goal back we’d go on to win it.
And as Ozil and Ramsey were anonymous in the first half, they were like having two extra players in the second half when they showed up.
Lovely. Just lovely!
What a time to be alive 😀
Great atmosphere and justice at long last!
Thank you Gunners & Gooners. Thanks Le Prof!
Onwards and upwards next term! Up the arse! COYBG!
The big winners tonight is Arsenal and Arsene Wenger .
The big looser tonight is Mister Jose
The English people , with all its widsom and fairness , know deeply the contribution Arsene Wenger brought to the English football and the EPL .
The guy is unbelievable , he stick to his principle , plays Fab and Sagna , although this is their last game .
Say what you will about Arsene, but that man does have a big dose of Integrity and Honour! He sticks to his principles and perseveres, very rare to find those types today.
How’s this for a record, last time Arsenal sacked a manager – 18 years ago!!
Long Live the Club, the players, the manager, the fans and this absolutely wonderful Bar!!
🙂 😀
Feels..unreal
I love you ‘Holics.
Yes, I’m drunk. But that doesn’t make the sentiment any less true.
Yes, H2H, BMBD indeed. I think I can give it a rest for a spell.
Congratulations Gaffa, it’s been a long time coming. Thank you, sir.
nice, lonestar…
did anyone else have a fear when they showed arsenal being engraved on the cup 5 minutes before the game was over? damn nearly swallowed my glass when fabs ran out of his box and hull nearly equalized!
wonderful experience last night streaming this and the atletico’s game on two computers..
anyway just wanted to comment on what a top guy Arsene is to have played Fab in this game..delighted for both of them
scrub you are not the only one with your heart in our throat in the last 5 minutes. For almost the whole game the song in my head was “The Hard Way” and that’s really what it was.
scruz turned into scrub by blasted spellchecker
bt8b, me too. ever so nervous, watching for probert to blow that whistle.
how was it at Maggie’s? good crowd? worth a 90 minute drive early one morning to partake?
what a day
FA cup goal!!!
scruz Maggie’s was a blast and I’ll try to post a “Maggie’s Report” when I get back to Minnesota n a couple of days. Only my second time there but a memory of a lifetime. A “Wembley West” if you will. 🙂
Here’s my soundtrack during the game. Cheers.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WMRtRAzVMpo
And well in with that Ramsey-like wonder goal. I’d love to meet you at Maggie’s some time, I’ll just have to give you a bit more notice when I’ll be out here next.
ecg … re last drinks, I’ve had two Lotus Elans, the first was a 1963 which I bought c1965. Then, after a lifetime of company cars, I bought a 1973 Plus2S130 during my midlife crisis about 20 years ago. Sadly it spent more time off the road than on it with a catalogue of problems, and I traded down to a Citroen DS4.
My daughter actually passed her driving test in the latter Lotus when she was still 15 (which you could do here up until a couple of years ago). In fact she also passed her advanced drivers test in it before turning 16.
Just brilliant cars to drive.
Öskar
I also noticed Kos raising the cup with Per, Steve T. All class that man.
Öskar
Okay, so whaddya reckon we could get for Özil if we offloaded him right now? Yes I know I’ve been accepting all the excuses for him and trying to be hopeful that he had a bright future with us … but enuff is enuff. He’s the biggest waste of money ever spent by Arsenal, imo. Worse even than Franny Jeffers.
Öskar
QUALITY !!!!
😆
Oskar, and do you trust Wenga to make the appropriate replacement? It’s not beyond him to go and use that money to get another Ramsey – or a Cazorla even worse – for a 4.2M. I don’t see the point of it sadly.
Cent @ 174 heh at that post. Also loved cba’s sturdiest liver picked out – so perfectly phrased.
H2H – great confidence and am looking forward to the reports of the day from all the ‘Holics. TTG, Trev, Dr F., Pangloss, BB, Eandy, Lurky, (forgive me if I’ve missed all the other ‘Holic’s great posts) have all captured the day, the match the occasion and the ref (hard to believe he’s now FIFA badged) wonderfully.
Scruz @ 294 absolutely shat myself when I saw that.
Love you all, ‘Holics
Pics of the celebration! : http://www.arsenal.com/news/news-archive/20140517/celebrations-gallery
Check out the one with Cazorla kissing Ramsey’s foot!!! 😀
Almost forgot what it feels like, thank you so much boys for this win!
I woke up with a hangover that is from another dimension but am still smiling 🙂
Scruz @294, my heart skipped several beats at that, the only moment I was like “what if we don’t win?”
No idea if it was self protection for my nerves but for the whole game I was sure we will come out winners.
To all of you gooners out there, enjoy this beatiful day!!!
Barman, I’ll have a beer to kill this headache 😉
What a final. What a comeback. What a team!
They broke the duck and this can still only make them more relaxed when in similar situations in the future I reckon.
I watched the match half drunk by myself at home, as there is no Arsenal pub in Kobe. I trembled and smoked in uneasy anticipation until the final whistle and even when it went, it still didn’t feel real. When the team all lifted the trophy then, and only then did it hit home.
Arsenal went and won the FA cup for the 11th time, same number as Man U, and more than Liverpool and Chelsea!
Bliss, just pure bliss…
Some of us just stepped into another phase of our Arsenal experience. Same for the players. For, surely this triumph means more than a cup victory for all of us.
Can’t trade this feeling for anything!
Oskar/Grav Lens
You want to start a conversation about that now of all times? Let’s just bask in the glory of the cup (and the sun) why don’t we!
I might post a few more words later, but all I will say for now, is young Master Gibbs – way to give this old guy a fucking heart attack!
…..and Gibbs must score…… *
Still love you for the two goal line clearances though, Kieran.
* Google it youngsters – replace Gibbs with Smith
Beautiful and sunny morning here in Macedonia. Slept like a baby, as I promised, going to have a nice breakfast and a cup of coffee in the yard, but no cigar as I quit them three weeks ago.
Only half an hour to do that, then of course I’ll watch the parade live on Arsenal Player
http://www.arsenal.com/news/news-archive/20140518/watch-the-parade-live-on-arsenal-player.
Maureen, kind as ever, loaned his bus, Mr. Abramovich don’t sack him please, he is doing a wonderful job.
After that I am looking forward for a new post from the Guvnor and reports from everyone that were at Wembley.
Such a day to be a gooner.
I appear to have woken up in the tollie 😉
What a day!! Truly truly wonderful. Couldn’t help welling up when Aaron scored. Never seen celebrations like it.
One Arsenal. One Arsene Wenger.
Off to the parade. Have a great day ‘Holics!
Just got text from my Chelsea fan colleague who hates Arsenal, but he hates Arsene more. He told me the funniest thing ever, that he supported Arsenal yesterday, because Arsene would stay if Arsenal win the Cup and that would be a good news for Chelski.
So desperate. So fucking desperate, I died laughing.
I text him that I believe him that he supported Arsenal, like I believe Mourinho’s press conferences.
Got totally pie-eyed on pimms. Don’t they make you suffer, even called Gooner Kevin at the game, at half-time, urging him to sing louder,got completely carried away.
Can’t understanding the Officials missing two blatant penalties and had Probert dished out yellow cards in the first half, for some of the vicious tackles, we might have played with more confidence.Hull’s rough house tactics put us on the back foot from the off.
Arsene’s subs delivered and there were numerous spurned chances before Rambo eventually got the vital winning goal.
Well done everyone, just wished I could have been there.
Have fun at the parade for those of you going.
COYRs
Lurky your mate has it back to front, if Wenger left we really would be a bona fide laughing stock.
All that’s been guaranteed with that win is, er, we got a trophy while they won precisely fuck all! Oh yeah, and that we’ll be a much bigger threat next season.
Careful what you wish for!
“BOILLLLLK
Woke up this morning still drunk, had to start work straight away in the heat of the beer garden and you know what??
It’s all good, ‘cos we won da cup!!!! 😀
Exactly Porco.
I expect much more self confident, more assured and more relaxed- with a handbrake off, approach from Arsene from now on, regarding everything Arsenal related including transfers this summer.
I expect him to be more determined, more resolute and why not more brutal this summer. I expect Arsene 10 years younger, but 10 years wiser.
Deadly combination.
Lurky and porco, I hope you are both right and your/our/ the clubs future expectations are met. Yesterday was a great way to kick start the future of the new arsenal.
I also hope that arsene gets some big confidence and belief back in himself and he does indeed rip that god damn handbrake out of the club for good. I was truly starting to dislike that handbrake.
Also, liking the word brutal as used above for next season for everything we do from here on, beginning withe the transfer window.
Thundertinygooner
I’m watching the BT ‘ highlights’. What a dirge they make it and ……
I’ve just watched the highlights too ‘Charisma Bypass and Colin *anker’ Keep talking lads its hilarious….
Ronnie
Morning has broken. The sun is shining. The world feels good. Day 2 of the new era.
Ronnie: I make it a rule to watch games whenever possible with the commentary in a language I don’t understand. Makes the commentators so much more intelligible.
Hangover part 69.
Watching parade.
Once again, but somewhat unexpectedly, I managed to bookend the season.
I sat high up in the Clock End in August on the first day of the campaign and witnessed a clusterfuck of a day end with howls from the stands and brother turning upon brother. At the end of the final, Final day, the family were all reconciled, there were tears, and 9 years of pent-up frustration gave way to unbridled triumph.
And was there ever a more worthy candidate than Aaron Ramsey, to deliver the coup de grace to the corpse of our so-called under-achievement? The brightest of stars in our firmament, this boy was richly rewarded for hard work and resilience, and in the right place at the right time to deliver a “get it right up you” moment to Piers Morgan and his ilk.
My good friend, N7, stated right from the word go, that 4th place and a trophy would be secured this season, and that this would be progress. And it is. There were bleak times, when I felt we were as far away as ever, and where only the comfort of a cold dark rum and an even darker room could anaesthetise the pain, not least after the maulings at both Anfield and the Bridge. But yesterday made up for it.
Yes there were players who didn’t perform as well as we would like, and team selections we maybe did not agree with, but when push came to shove, as a team they dealt with the disastrous starting position they had contrived to put themselves in. They did indeed demonstrate, mental strength. And surely, there is no one out there, neutral or otherwise, who could claim that we did not deserve to win? That despite encountering a match official who was determined to court controversy by ignoring serial blatant time-wasting and at least two stick-on penalties, that we were the team that created the chances, and the biggest danger to our goal was ourselves?
Santi’s goal was all important, particularly because it came before half time. Had we gone in 2 behind it would have re-energised our opponent. Having got back to two each, I think though, the moment that will stick longest in my memory (the winning goal excepted) will be that Gibbs blast over the bar. I was right behind it – there was nothing more expected than the net rippling when the ball fell to him in that position, and yet, it didn’t happen. And when Giroud’s header hit the bar, I then heard the nagging doomer at the back of my mind suggest, “the Gods are still fucking with us”.
But Aaron fixed that for me. Aaron fixed it for all of us.
The importance of this win will hopefully change the mindset of the team. It would be way too much to ask for it to change the mindset of some of our supporters and it will never change the mindset (read narrative) of the media. The clock is ticking before the phrase “only one FA cup in the last nine years” is heard, in fact don’t bet against hearing it on Match of the Day on the opening day of next season.
We have already ruined one set of stories for them yesterday, salivating as they were, when we were two goals behind. We can sustain a league challenge not because we won a cup tie we were expected to win, but because the players have been freed from their own psychological demons, and have united a fractious fan base, however momentarily. We will need more. Reinforcements on the playing side and a reappraisal of our medical team for starters. But that’s for another day.
Enjoy the present – we deserve it.
It should also not go unreported that the day was also a great success due to the intervention of Goonerholic and major contributions by some other top Holics. You know who you are. I am writing this as my plane is flying over London on the way home. I have great views of the Emirates where nearby the party no doubt continues, and then bank left I pass over Wembley and think to myself, I will hopefully be seeing you again sometime, preferably sooner rather than later.
Well said, Zico. Top post.
Winning stuff is hard.
Premier League Managers 2013-14 who won something
Manuel Pellegrini
Arsene Wenger
Premier League Managers 2013-14 who won nothing
Neil Adams
Sam Allardyce
Steve Bruce
Paolo Di Canio
Ryan Giggs
Ian Holloway
Mark Hughes
Chris Hughton
Michael Laudrup
Paul Lambert
Malky Mackay
Felix Magath
Roberto Martinez
Pepe Mel
Rene Meulensteen
Garry Monk
Jose Mourinho
David Moyes
Alan Pardew
Mauricio Pochettino
Gus Poyet
Tony Pulis
Brendan Rodgers
Tim Sherwood
Ole Gunnar Solskjaer
Anyone else having a feeling that Olivier Giroud is not present at the parade?O.o
Is that not Giroud on the left of this picture?
http://www.mirror.co.uk/sport/football/news/live-arsenal-fa-cup-bus-3560782
Just back drunk.
So many excellent posts. Cheers one and all.
Watched the match with some old friends in a pub packed to the rafters with gooners. We all saw the same game.
That old sinking feeling – WTF are you doing arsenal … Spotting hull a 2 goal lead ? Then The santi goal. The Kos goal. And Aaron fooking Ramsey.
Pandemonium. Screaming. Beer flying. Totally overcome. Mostly drunk. On guinness and emotion. The from Total strangers. Hugging. Kissing. (Some actually women too). An all night party. What a day. What a win.
Now Flying home with a Blinder of a hangover. Voice gone.
Holy cow. I still havent the words.
Fine post zico. Good to see you yesterday. Sorry the post-match rendezvous didn’t happen.
Have a good summer.
It goes much further than the stupid rhetoric of looser and winner .
Last night , we saw the triumph of a man of great dignity , he stand against all adversities to help out the career of Eduardo and Ramsey and of Diaby and also of other players , even Walcott . These players in difficulties , he stand firm to help them , perseveres and finally they reward him with this win.
That is enough for me to tell about a man , there is no more to say
Thanks NBN, I just failed to see him on the podium in front of Emirates crowd.
Anyways what a day it was yesterday, I watched the game in the solace of my room, in front of computer watching the stream.
As many said, rollercoaster of emotions, Hull going two up was really nightmarish start and I admit that my heart was really low at that moment but when Santi scored the screamer I started to believe again.
When Aaron scored the winner and ref eventually ended the match it was feeling of a great relief at first ..and then it took a while to sink in that we have actually won it. I drank a lot of beer afterwards to calm the nerves and celebrate.
Next time I probably need to fly over to London to enjoy the atmosphere to the full extent.
Want to re-live the experience?! Download the match at :
http://releasebin.us/294629/fa-cup-2014-final-arsenal-vs-hull-city-hdtv-x264-wnn/
🙂
Am still in New York, missed all the craziness and media hype pre-match, but gotta say – congratulations first of all to the Boss, feeling really happy for him (after all, it was all the screaming about him towards the end of last season and the Aston Villa beginning to this one that got me following the Arsenal story) and whatever happens in the future, he really really deserves this so much – the negative media spotlight on him never stops, the vicious and bitter words of Maureen are childish and given too much attention but are enough to test the patience of a saint! secondly, congrats to the team for this, they found a tough spine in themselves to come back from 2 down in such an important match and this will help them tremendously in their future growth, thirdly, congrats to ‘holic and this bar for keeping a lively and informative debate going – long may it continue and I can’t wait to take up again in the new season!!
Can’t wait to see the match when I’m back in lovely Crouch End next week!
Lastly, can we please shore up defence next season just to keep my ticker ticking…striking will take care of itself if that part of the house is in order imo 🙂
Well done Arsene and Arsenal!
Classic jack: https://vine.co/v/MHWwmh6MbXL
and getting up at 3 am to watch the parade not being an option, I found this page to be a fun review: http://www.mirror.co.uk/sport/football/news/live-arsenal-fa-cup-bus-3560782#
ohhhh, to be a goooonerrr!
Many thanks for the link Scruz…. laughing out loud at some of the antics!
YEahhhh We DID IT!!
😀
>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>