Welbeck In Contention
Oct 1st, 2014 by 'holic
Happy eighteenth anniversary, Arsene. A potential banana skin of a night became a celebration not just because Galatasaray lined up with an untested formation, but also because those in red and white displayed a sense of purpose and commitment. Almost down to the bare bones, we shall worry tomorrow morning about Alexis’ ankle. His contribution tonight, alongside Mesut Ozil, gave us hints of what lies in store in the coming months. A new team is coming together, slowly but most definitely.
However, it wasn’t Ozil or Alexis who claimed the man of the match plaudits. Danny Welbeck has divided opinion since his deadline day capture for £16m. That looks absurdly good value for an English international striker when you look at the fees paid for one or two other young English players (Luke Shaw *cough*). Manchester United fans must have loved sitting in their front rooms watching their old boy playing in Europe tonight and doing so well.
As a contest it was over by half-time, but that doesn’t mean it wasn’t a game to raise the blood pressure. With Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain and Santi Cazorla to the fore in the opening exchanges we showed an appetite sometimes lacking on our frustrating days. Gala threatened on the break, but in truth looked a little lightweight with little support for the experienced Pandev up front. The difference in attacking options were demonstrated little more than twenty minutes in. Alexis played Welbeck in and a toe poke before Melo could intervene put us ahead.
On the half hour he doubled his productivity for the night, shrugging aside Melo again to finish in a style compared to a Highbury legend. Let’s take it easy on that front for his next hundred, or maybe two hundred goals for Arsenal, eh? The name Melo is cropping up time and again. Remember some berating Arsene for not signing him a couple of years back? He should have walked tonight for a savage two footed lunge on Alexis. Quite how he got away with only a yellow card was a mystery to all who witnessed it. Alexis was withdrawn in the second-half and shown with a precautionary, hopefully, ice pack on his ankle. We’ll need him on Sunday.
Before the half-time cuppas’ were served (ok, it is specially prepared energy drinks now) we had a third. Alexis was played in by Ozil (I thought they couldn’t play together?) and for the third time the ball was slotted inside the far post. The ‘holic pound would have rewarded handsomely at 45 minutes. It was fatally holed just seven minutes into the second-half when Welbeck started and finished the flowing move that saw us four to the good. It was Danny’s first hat-trick in senior football, but all the signs are that more will follow. His speed of thought and foot were impressive tonight. Repeat that on Sunday please, young man.
Of course on an evening when an opponent should have walked for a savage foul, we were bound to lose our Wojciech for another ill-judged but not not malicious challenge. Let me say here I have no problem with the red card he received under the present guidance to referees, but it is ludicrous that Melo should have stayed on the pitch tonight when Szczesny was sent off for a challenge that did not threaten serious damage to a fellow professional. These inconsistent and incompetent referees need highlighting too.
The result of the Pole’s rashness was an appearance from the bench for David Ospina. Beaten from the spot he may have been, but as the nine men ahead of him regrouped he gave a solid display and even produced one save ‘for the cameras’ as the old ‘keepers would say. He will have another opportunity to impress now at Anderlecht in three weeks. Could we be witnessing the arrival of a new number one? We shall see, but not at the bus stop in Fulham on Sunday, I suspect. Nor should we.
So, let’s take a deep breath and think what this means. We have a home win in the Champions League, and so we should. Two more and a performance in Belgium or Turkey (or both) and we are last sixteen material again. I mentioned bare bones earlier, and certainly we are not far from that, but Tomas Rosicky was a second-half substitute tonight, and impressed. Jack Wilshere too. The earlier summons for Ospina probably denied Lukas Podolski a run out. First impressions tonight are, should Alexis not be ruled out, that we have a starting eleven that can give it a go at the bus stop on Sunday. Confident? Not particularly, but the Arsenal have given me some unexpected boosts down the years, and this weekend provides yet another opportunity for them to surprise and delight.
What say you?
484 Responses to “Welbeck In Contention”
First…Hatrick!
Up the Arse!!!
second (danc on the double!)!
My sentiments exactly, ‘Hols.
Cuppa please maestro. 🙂
And a pint of whatever Welbeck is having too. 🙂 🙂
All New Worlders in the top five. We’re taking over?
Off topic but quite possibly of interest to the lawyers in the crowd, especially those interested in questions of comparative law (Europe-U.S. comparison in particular):
http://www.newyorker.com/magazine/2014/09/29/solace-oblivion
Not to mention the Internet, privacy, and other non-football issues that may be of interest. Now back to upping the Arse …
8th?
I thought I might get cut off in the previous drinks – and I did. So –
Thought I’d leave the match review entirely to Holic and restrict myself to a description of the scene around The Emirates tonight.
Last summer I decided not to risk taking my daughter to the Emirates Cup when Galatasaray were invited. Tonight the decision was well and truly vindicated.
It was like travelling back in time to the seventies.
I had decided to dodge the South Bridge to the stadium as the away fans are always massing there when I arrive and there had been a fair bit of skirmishing going on even at the Fenerbache game.
On the walk from Finsbury Park, cars parked in front gardens on Isledon Road had been decorated with stickers announcing “Gala Ultras on Tour”.
Sirens wailed and police cars and ambulances raced past throughout the walk and, as I neared The Tollie, police vans and ambulances were preparing to take away culprits and, I presume, victims, although I didn’t actually see them as doors were being closed.
And so to Hornsey Road where a column of police vans and more ambulances tried to restrict the Turkish mob to half the width of the street. Galatasaray flags waved, flares were thrown, smoke bombs went off, fireworks thudded in the tunnels, and the mob slowly approached the stadium.
A young couple walking just ahead of me stopped to weigh up their chances of getting through. I decided that the smaller left side tunnel looked relatively empty, kept my head down and went for it. The other couple apparently decided not to chance it, and had disappeared to find another way round.
Everyone will have seen the flares thrown during the game – forcing the match to be temporarily stopped. Galatasaray should be either thrown out of the competition or made to play their remaining games behind closed doors.
At the final whistle, riot police with dogs lined up in front of the away section to keep the yobs off the pitch.
As I walked back to Finsbury Park, police vans and ambulances continued to speed along the Seven Sisters Road in the direction of the stadium.
This might represent a “bit of fun”, as someone said, in the Wild West, but these fans continue to be an ugly, violent mob that has no place in football, or any other sport.
I hope all the other Holics – and other Arsenal fans – got home safely.
Brilliant performance by the team.
And many thanks to ManUre for Danny Boy. Absolute bargain !
Cheers guv’, I say, bring them on.
We’re unbeaten too, right!?
Records and runs are there to be broken, the idea that the Chavs have the best or tightest defence in the league is a myth. All we need to do is tweek our tactics a bit and our pacey forward line could have us watcching JT grazing on the cud again.
You may call me a dreamer (deluded even), but if you can’t get excited and a little bit optimistic after a performance like that, then what’s the point of it all?
Welcome home Danny, you’re now at a club that will help you realise your potential.
Up The Arse!
Great run down Maestro!
Next Sunday beckons and I hope we can do a repeat of tonight nothing I wish more!
Trev, H2H, I hear ya!
Thanks for the report Trev.
Glad to hear you got home unscathed.
H2H
Nothing wrong with being a deluded believer! And so em I!
Bring that beer tap over please! 🙂
Good write-up, Holic. Spot on, I reckon. 😉
Or the old worlders aren’t yet back from the Tollie, bt8b.
Nothing much to disagree with there, ‘Holic, though I don’t know what else Szczesny is meant to do in those situations except go for the ball. The Gala forward was through and in front of goal. Not much standing tall and narrowing the angle to be done in that situation. Of course, Woj does have to get to the ball first if he is going to go for it. As soon as the Yilmaz was able to toe poke the ball wide of him, there was only ever going to be one outcome. And look at how Yilmaz drags his trailing foot to make doubly sure: http://arsenalist.com/f/2014-15/arsenal-vs-galatasaray/red-szczesny-with-a-straight-red.html
Yes, Gala was denied a goal scoring opportunity, but the award of a penalty restored that. To your point, a spot kick and a yellow should be punishment enough if the keeper hasn’t been reckless in going for the ball. The referees’ guidelines are ridiculous as written, and especially if a two footed arial lunge that results in the opponent needing at the very least a huge ice pack merits only a yellow.
Quit talking, I’m trying to read you lovable mutts!
Holic
Thank you. For this place. For your measured inspiration and sense of humour (Twitter!)
Now to read more … 😉
Got lots to say! 🙂
Cheers, H2H.
Hope you’re well, mate.
The team played well today. The back 3 of Galatasaray were running all over the place after the first 20 minutes. The Sky commentary was OK but they spent too much time criticizing Ozil who played well, IMO. It was good to see Welbeck score and show that he is developing a degree of comfort with the Arsenal players around him. Of course, Chelsea is a different story…but let’s cross that bridge when we get to it.
Good Match review Holic. Excellent performance from a balanced team selection. Santi seemed well at home in CM position and the front 3 had a dynamic game throughout. Welbeck is looking more & more like an Arsenal player both in skill & temperament…looking a steal at £16 m.
Shame about the disgraceful behaviour of the Galatasary followers ( they don’t deserve to be called supporters) – hopefully UEFA will take action but don’t hold your breath. Glad you got home safely Trev and likewise to all those who attended the game you kept safe.
I think I’ve been well-documented on here as a big advocate of the Welbeck deal and Welbeck as a player in general (even before he’d got off the mark against Villa), and I recall being mocked for suggesting he’d score 15+ goals this season, but I don’t want to dredge up that old argument, as he needs to build on this form steadily through the coming months…
Instead the two players that caught my eye were Cazorla and Alexis. Both started on the bench v Spurs (any correlation to the partial sterility of our 1st half performance there?) Anyway – I see real merit with Cazorla in a more central role (possibly in rotation with Wilshere?) His close-control, ability to pick the right pass, and to not overindulge when in possession is as important as being burly and knocking ppl about in the middle of the park. As for Alexis….positive, dangerous, a relentlessly optimistic footballer – a joy to watch!
Good golly Dan Welly…! After making Özilla my motm against the spuds, today I have to recognise Danny’s heroics. Top finishing for all three of his goals.
It’s perhaps a tad churlish to add that the Galahs were pathetic in the first half and we could have had six, but MOTM to Danny without a doubt.
Özil on the other hand had another of his trademark “I really don’t want to be here” displays and was shown up badly by the hardworking Alexi and Ox. Lots of good work by BabyCham up and down the flank, with the odd bit of silliness he will hopefully mature out of. Both the CDs were strong, Flam secure enough. Good to see Jack proving his fitness and TR7 looking sharp.
Definitely a boost for Sunday, although no way will Maureen make it as easy for us as Prandelli. Let’s hope Alexi’s ankle recovers and no mysterious ailments occur unexpectedly in what’s left of the squad.
But as for Sir Ches… absolutely no need for seeing red, and to give him a sharp reminder I’d consider giving Ospina a run in the 1 shirt to prepare him for the Anderlecht game. Perhaps not against the chavs though. He did well today, but juuuust a shade of rust reflecting his lack of game time. Definitely a good reserve to have picked up for peanuts.
Roll on Sunday and let’s take the fight to them!
Öskar
I’m fine Trev, cheers mate.
I agree with you on Welbeck, Gregoire (I enjoy your posts btw), great signing. Can do all the things OG does, plus has pace. His movement before the third goal was outstanding.
I think I may of sussed out why many might not rate Ozil as highly as we in mainland Europe do, it’s because of the extreamly poor quality of the English speaking commentary teams. I usually watch games on Dutch channels, but the game wasn’t on here in the Lowlands, so I streamd via Sky… Holy crap, that side kick (Tony Gale?) was just terrible, he was talking like Ozil wasn’t in the game at all, when he was clearly one of the best and most influential players on the park.
Kudos also to Santi whom I managed to forget in my previous. He looked very good in the middle today and worked well with Flam beside him and all those ahead of him. Just a tad slow to shoot on a couple of occasions, but worked hard all day.
Öskar
Özil was in the game on the mainland, H2H? Funny that, cos he never was on the ESPN coverage!
Öskar
Oskar,
You’re entitled to your opinion on Ozil, but were you actually watching tonight’s game ?
Everyone around me in the stadium was buzzing about Ozil and the fact that he is pure class. I don’t know what you saw on TV/stream but to say he had an “I don’t want to be here” game beggars belief.
He was all over the pitch, never stopped running, has superb vision etc, etc …..
Probably not much point saying all this. You really need to see this guy live rather than on the telly.
Then ESPN sucks too.
Did someone mention Mourinho ,in our moment of GLORY! Pffft, given him a full length mirror Sunday, he won’t be able to take his eyes off it! Now, regaining composure, will continue reading THe Bible, written by YOU all 🙂
Good report Holic. I would defend the referee on Szczesny ‘s sending off as he had little option under the rules but he was ridiculously lenient on Melo. Otherwise the ref was infinitely better than Oliver on Saturday .
There are those in this bar who castigated Welbeck and wrote him off after the Dortmund match. Hang your head in shame he is going to be a very big player for us. His movement is infinitely better than Giroud’s and he has pace and strength and great composure when finishing. I think he is a brilliant buy and for the first time we were able to see Ozil, Welbeck and Sanchez playing in harmony together after settling into a rhythm that was understandably not there against City. Very good performance all round . Young Chambers makes the odd mistake but is hugely promising and has a great attitude and Koscielny was brilliant again.
I was at the other end to the Turks but as a veteran of Copenhagen in 2000 I loathe their fans and I hope the flares and general bad behaviour will see them banned. We have a job on our hands to beat Dort,und but will sail through the group. Sadly we have to go to Istanbul which is a trip few would consider undertaking.
Trev obviously saw their fans at their worst tonight and several on my train home were complaining about the behaviour of the Turks and some rather apathetic stewarding. I hope UEFA show some teeth
OTD
Sorry you are completely wrong about Ozil he was excellent and received a standing ovation on his withdrawal.
Oskar,
I also watched on ESPN and Ozil had a very fine game. Either your plasma was pixelated and needs attention or maybe you’re on a wind-up? I have my suspicions.
UTA.
And you too are entitled to your opinion Trev. What I saw on TV was in full HD on a 50″ screen, and I am quite certain I had a better, closer view than anyone at the ground. I also had the advantage of pausing and replaying anything I wanted to check.
Özil contributed very little bar one assist, and continually held up play or lost the ball. His passing game was also astray.
Öskar
The applause was for Jack coming on, Ttg. Fans relieved to see he was fit.
Öskar
OTG
you are asking for it! 🙂
Kind of looked the same from 42″ TV too 🙂
Is there a doctor in the house?
😉 😉 😉
Wellbeck will be a player for us I reckon…
H2H
Depends which one that is…
Great report Holic.
And nice report from the Stadium too Trev. I can appreciate you fears over your daughters safety about attending the game – what makes me wonder is why some of the regulars at the bar would even contemplate going to Turkey to watch the next leg!
I mentioned to Bath sometime back about the importance of attaining some balance by ensuring we only had one box to box midfielder. Tonight we were forced to play with Oxlade in that role and I, (along with Gregoire it would seem), was immensely impressed with what I saw. I’ve noticed a real sense of maturity in his play and with his turn of pace – I really think that he is going to become the midfielder par excellence at this club. It was a joy to watch him stretch the play and interact with Ozil, Sanchez, Danny and Caz. If we approach the game at the weekend with the proper focus we can really give them something to think about.
And a word too about Welbz. The way he took those goals tonight was genuinely impressive by any standard. And the lads has buckets of attitude and work ethic.
And every time I see Alexis Sanchez I seriously pinch myself in disbelief that he’s ours.
This team will gel eventually. And when they do, Wenger’s 4th team will be something very special indeed I feel.
Ttg:
“His movement is infinitely better than Giroud’s and he has pace and strength and great composure when finishing. I think he is a brilliant buy and for the first time we were able to see Ozil, Welbeck and Sanchez playing in harmony together after settling into a rhythm that was understandably not there against City”
Couldn’t put it more succinctly myself. When you consider it, Chambers, Sanchez, Debauchy and Welbz represent a 40% change in our outfield first team – and that’s huge. So it will take time to gel and bed in players. But how exciting it will be when it really clicks!
Will be watching the recorded game later tonight with the intention of seeing both what OTD and TTY saw in Ozil’s play and then posting my verdict. Should I measure my TV too? 😉
The first time I got home late and turned on the game just as Ozil was being withdrawn. Imagine my surprise to see us leading 4-1 while playing with 10 players.
Well I’ve got a 60″ plasma and Özil looked bloody superb on there !
And my plasma is bigger than yours, so I win.
Much less square and backwards passing tonight, Joe.
The ball was moved more quickly too.
Really good signs tonight.
I was hoping for a decent game this evening, and that certainly didn’t disappoint. Apart from Sir Chez’s unfortunate blip, and the occasional misplaced pass, that was class from start to finish.
I don’t give three tenths of seven twelfths of fuck all of a shit that it was ‘only’ Galatasaray. That was great.
Welbeck, Sanchez, Cazorla and the Ox were absolutely on fire tonight. A bit like the pitch. And as for Mesut, well, just magical. When he was subbed I have no idea how loudly he was lauded in other parts of the stadium, because frankly I couldn’t hear over the applause and the ‘we signed Mesut Ozil’ singing from the North Bank faithful. The way he can pull a defence out of shape, keep the ball under sustained pressure, and still manage to find a genius pass, is a thing of immeasurable beauty. I’m not really one for stats but I’d love to know how far he ran tonight, because he kept popping up exactly where he needed to be. Extraordinary player.
I hope against Chelsea we will start with this attacking four. Their two CBs are not the fastest and so the defense would be able to ill afford to push up against our pace. As a result the base of their midfield would have to drop back and they would have to rely more on counter-attacks and long distance through passes from Cesc, both despite being genuine threats are relatively simpler to defend against (needs organization and positional awareness) compared to the high press (needs good close control and athleticism from everyone to defend) on our back line which is when we start to crack.
Santi has been understatedly magnificent in the entirely unfamiliar role of a deep midfield player. He has spent his career playing either #10 or the forward in either wings. Despite being so small in stature he could be very hard to shake off the ball because of his two-footed magical close control. With tactical discipline and sharp awareness about how the game is unfolding in front — there were a few fantastic cross-field passes to Alexis and one of them almost put him through to goal — he was instrumental in our quick defense-to-attack transition. Would love to see him more in this role.
Trev Right you are @ 45.
Looked like a proper team tonite. Which is just as encouraging as our win (and important). Sobering on scene reporting by you and ttg, glad you fellas made it back safely.
Oskar, agree with you on Santi. But not Ozil. Been following him a long, long time. Not flashy, understated. His control of the ball, visionary passing, and humble manner set him apart.
Delia, Lars, Esso and Snowy (previous drinks), good stuff
Lurky, Our protégé, Gervinho has received high praise, from his teammate Totti. We were right about him, all along 😉
Lots more I want to comment on. But RVP is on my mind.He didn’t back track, like Danny does, did he. xx
About Ozil today: from whoscored.com stats, total 84 touches, made 65 passes, 92% passing accuracy, with 5 key passes.
Second highest passing accuracy (Per highest with 97%), most key passes (second is Welbeck with 2) and second highest total passes (Santi is highest with 75) and second highest touches (Santi tops with 103). Ozil left the field 15 minutes early, of course.
Ozil was fouled twice, dispossessed twice and had only two turnovers. Welbeck had four turnovers, Alexis had two, they were not dispossessed.
Not at his magnificent best, but an excellent performance.
Not that anyone here needs reminding, but thought would be worth sharing anyway:
http://www.espnfc.co.uk/club/arsenal/359/blog/post/2063490/the-18-points-of-arsene-wengers-18-years-at-arsenal?
Yes Snowy! Btw, the Turks were much improved in the 2nd half. Arsenal fans are hard to please 😉
And Tottenham fans say we are ‘obsessed’ about their Club. Right they are. We’re a neurotic bunch, aren’t we 🙂
Dr Faustus @ 49 Nice work. What say you Oscar (smiles).
really happy for welbeck, looked like he had ice water in his veins when taking those. i think his movement is indeed much better than giroud’s, and the kinds of goals he’s scored are completely different from those that our injured forward normally scores. as i’ve said before, i think some of our struggles are down the fact that we’re not used to playing the way that welbeck prefers and are still trying to play with a hold up guy. might have something to do with ramsey’s form as he was key to our interchanges with giroud.
have to say that ozil looked pretty solid for me. he did have a couple of lazy moments, but i still think that he was generally about unplayable when moving the ball around. cazorla was snappy as well and looked like he was really enjoying his role. i’d like to think that he’d be in the side for chelsea, but he might be on the bench for the same reason he didn’t start against spurs, see the 92nd minute challenge. i really think wenger was trying to counter the size and strength of the opposition.
chelsea will set about barging us off the ball and generally being quite foul-ly in the same way that city’s midfield was. going about beating them will be a different matter altogether, but it is true that they are not as tight at the back as they’ve been in the past. we will have to play within ourselves and probably keep the fullbacks in our half of the field (hopefully chambers will keep his hands down at the right time). being able to hit them on the counter will make a big difference. i do think that someone should go about shutting down cesc. do that and work on stretching the field vertically as well as moving the point of attack quickly. the slow build up will play right in to mourinho’s hands.
can someone please explain this? santi had a shot on goal near the end and was contacted by keeper who definitely put him off though cazorla got his shot off. the result was a clearance, nearly off the line. honestly, how is this different from what happened with our keeper? the clip is on arsenalist.com.
also, this was interesting.
http://www.sport1.de/de/fussball/fus_international/fussball_international_premierleague/artikel_961262.html
from what i know, this reporter is no hack. doing tactical video analysis with players for the first time? say it ain’t so.
Someone (me) failed to record the game so I won’t have the opportunity to enjoy our best win of the season so far, nor to render a verdict on tonight’s Ozil controversy. Think I’ll have to put some trust in the eyewitness accounts of TTY and Trev, not to mention the others who watched the game on plasma TVs that were almost as large as OTD’s. 🙂
great summary holic and plenty of other good posts on a top night of arsenal football.
the 4-2-3-1 as hoped is much stronger defensively to assist flamini / arteta physical weaknesses. Well done Arsene good decision and team set up.
Santi linking up with Ozil and passing the shit of the opposition is becoming absolutely magic to watch. We would have had our 5th created by these two if only Danny had seen the end ball was destined for TR7 who was unmarked out wide in the box.
Alexis and the Ox had blinders due to the constant stream of quality balls from Ozil and santi.
Danny, not much left to say that hasn’t been said except any hat-trick is amazing and he is just like a free gift from manure.
thanks LVG – you fucked up there son… “he doesn’t score enough goals will haunt you for a while yet’
Young Chambers looks as if he has been around forever. Very cool and calm and skilful young man. doing the RB role as a fill in with ease. He has much bigger things in store for him than RB it seems.
Ozil had a fantastic game (again) and was everywhere. The qualities he has always possessed such as vision, precision and ball control are surely a sight to see for any football fan to enjoy (except Oskar).
Oskar – there is no way under any circumstances on any day of the year that Jack is anywhere near Ozil’s level of positive impact to this side in any facet of the game. in fact as someone else rightly said in earlier drinks, it is noted that some of our best most recent efforts are when the team does not include Jack. 10″screen or 50″screen – Ozil is a fantastic footballer and I am glad that none of the TV critics who no jack shit about football rate ozil as it will stop others from wanting him…
Aereas for improvement:
Chezza – showed his immaturity and his lack of confidence when coming out. He has done this many time previously and I just don’t understand why he makes the good move to come out but does not go for the ball with intensity. As others have said he leaves the refs no choice but to red card him as last man. I will admit I have never been a fan of his and tonight shows another example of why. He is simply a huge liability and has an ego of himself way beyond his abilities. I would imagine the back four would be none too happy with not taking the clean sheet as fully deserved.
Flamini – it is clear to see that his best days are behind him as his turn of foot and ground speed to recover are gone. Galatasaray caused little danger except when Pandev was easily able to run around him.
last but not least – great effort AW.
I truly felt sorry for AW tonight as a coach who has seen his newly formed team finally click as one unit on all cylinders and Chezza has to go and spoil his own personal party.
You have the goalkeeping answer AW and he was on the pitch tonight and he isn’t polish.
Cheers Holic!
Enjoyable watching. I think anyone denigrating Ozil’s performance belongs to the Tony Gayle school of punditry. Nuff said.
Hmmm. It seems I hold our most expensive ever player to a higher standard than others here. For mine he continues to disappoint. Size isn’t everything, Trev, and I maintain that TV gives a much better view of most things in a game, although a player’s positioning can be difficult to judge.
As for stats, Dr F, please don’t get me started…
Perhaps I exaggerated a bit by saying Özil wasn’t in the game, but he definitely had that ‘don’t want to be here’ attitude for most of the second half before he was subbed. Perhaps he thought he’d done enough in the first half and deserved the hottest water in the showers.
Let’s all wish him a blinder on Sunday. 😀
Öskar
OTD – Every game sees you launching into Ozil and I think that your opinions are now clouding what’s really taking place. He very quietly and very calmly dominated the middle of the pitch, always available, always dragging their players around and supporting Welbeck’s very apparent and useful floating striker role.
I’ll agree there have been games where he’s looked sub par but this wasn’t one of them. I fear you want him to be someone he’s not rather than appreciate what he is…
i was, I admit, underwhelmed with the signing of DW.
No way did I believe he could turn us into title contenders.
I also noted that I would be glad to be proved wrong.
He is setting about that task rather well.
Good lad.
Great result, great performance. Chuffed to bits for Welbeck, took his goals brilliantly and was obviously bang up for it. This may look a silly statement come May but I don’t think it’s beyond the realms of possibility that he’ll out score Falcao, assuming he stays fit.
For me, the only blot on the evening was Wenger, who continues to insist on turning up at the stadium and watching the action from pitch-side, thereby depriving himself of the superior tactical view available if he just stayed at home and viewed the game via a large TV. Move into the 21st century Arsene!
The same goes double for all those fools who gave the departing Ozil a standing ovation. If only those mugs had the benefit of a big plasma they might have seen the truth. In fact, isn’t it about time we started broadcasting the entire match onto the big screen in the stadium? That way everyone could see the truth and the boos would ring out loud and clear.
Well, well, well
With respect to the game against the chavs, I cant remember the last time we were so overwhelmingly the underdogs.
That can only work well for us. to go there without any expectations. But I am sure some of our players will be hurting being seen as having no hope against the chavs.
Fingers crossed for some good things coming our way on the weekend.
My ghast is flabbered all the way from New Zealand.
Who knew they had plasma screens? 😛
Oskar- as you know I enjoy all your honest say it like it is posts. Tou also know the main area where ou and I disagree is ozil and jack.
I think ozil is the neez knees and you think jack is te future.
For the sake of his debate, let’s say that ozil did think he had done enough after we were leading 3 nil in a champions league midweek match on he first half and took his foot off the pedal a bit in the second.
Given we have a big match in 3 days is that wrong anyway?
Sounds like a fair and reasonable thing to do once leading comfortably as we were.
He is a creator, the playmaker, the starting pitcher if you like. His job is to make the difference and others such as the strikers and the backs can see the match out IMHO.
He did his job and made plays that allowed others to finish the job off.
Job well done I say by providing enough quality assists to be 3 nil up at half time in an important CL match.
In my books he deserved an early halftime shower and let young jack come on and run around the field for a bit and run into a few opposition players with the ball as he enjoys doing.
Trev/OTD
Sorry but many times during my teenage years I had great comments about the size of my ‘ plasma’. 75 inches at the very least.
In the interests of balance as someone who berates Wenger for leaving holes in the team ( which I think is fair comment) he should be congratulated for the quality of the players he has actually bought. Debuchy didn’t make it onto the pitch but Welbeck, Sanchez who is a quite superb player with an incredible work ethic, Chambers and Ospina were money extraordinarily well spent . From what I saw of Debuchy he is too. I have been most impressed with him. We certainly haven’t overspent on any of them and Welbeck is an absolute snip.
My view is that given our options and seeing what I did today Santi is an extraordinarily effective and committed central player but was quite exhausted at the end . My view also is that young Coquelin might have it in him to play in the defensive midfielder role with a little bit more mobility than the Flamster who is as genuine as they come but looks always like a man frantically in search of a yellow card.
Oskar’s plasma highlighted clearly from umpteen thousand miles away that the chorus of sustained booing for that waste of space Ozil who had stood rooted to the spot all night was thankfully drowned out by euphoric acclaim for Jack. It’s so easy to mistake these things when you are in the ground. People must have been saying ‘ Ozil you waste of space, get off the pitch at once’ , rather than ‘ Mesut in the last three games you have played brilliantly, worked your socks off and made the whole team flow much better in a more central role’. I’m deeply grateful to the esteemed Tony Gale who is up there with the greats in the pantheon of football punditry……….Savage, Claridge , Garth Crooks and Phil Neville for pointing out the error in my thinking and those of the 60,000 plus in the stadium denied the opportunity to study it on plasma from around the world- although to be fair the plasma next to me in the ground put even the size of my teenage er…plasma to shame. Obviously the contrast and definition must be sharpened up in the Antipodes
Aussie @ 184 in the last drinks after our fourth goal –
“Cmon AW get 3 of our most deserved off”.
If Arsene had indeed followed your tactical advice and used all our subs at that time, who do you suggest would have taken over in goal once Scez had departed?
I think perhaps Mertesacker – he’s the biggest. Maybe he could have thrown a couple of jumpers down and asked the ref if he could play as “rush goalie”?
UTA.
hey Zico – try to get out more.
Ive lived in five countries – all of them superior to the UK!
Wouldnt move back to Bighty for an Emirates season ticket!
Wrap up warm,and take a brolly!
NZ’s as far away from Britain as its possible to get on this planet, and for a very good reason.
It keeps the fuckin’ riff raff out.
@55 Aussie, spot on, we saw the same game.
Oskar, Ozil had a very good game, his performance yesterday was a joy to watch. Recommend that you watch the game once again and I am sure you will agree as he is much better at this number 10 role, then when he was wasted on the wings.
Arsene really nailed it with Cazorla instead of Wilshere behind him. Wilshere can learn a thing or two from Cazorla’s intelligent display and it would be a very big mistake if he starts vs Chelsea instead of the Spaniard.
Interesting comments (http://i.imgur.com/ljoZ8Uw.jpg).. wish i had a plasma…
On second thoughts…. (http://i.imgur.com/ZcOZB.gif)… and your guitar too!
😀
Bring on chelski, we’re going to give ’em heck.. time to put the arrogant dour one in his place!
Noosa – given our current injury pile and the impressive and seemingly safe score line I did think it maybe a good time to play a bit of protection for any 3 of our best in readiness for Sunday v chelski.
I was wrong noosa to not anticipate such a foolish and poorly timed passage of play from our young goalkeeper (again) who continues to amaze with schoolboy mistakes.
I should have known better as arsene surely does.
Holic: Danny Welbeck has divided opinion since his deadline day capture for £16m. That looks absurdly good value for an English international striker
Could not agree more. Down the pub last night I spoke to a couple of friends who support ManU, and they just can not believe ManU let him go so easily. He seems to be starting to find his place in our team and is starting to form an understanding with Alexis and Özil. It’s quite nice to have some pace up front again, I must say!
Trev@9, great post. Those Gala fans just can’t behave in a civilised manner. They were, according to reports, at one point also pelting the Club Level sections right above them with bottles and assorted other throwable objects.
Oskar: I also had the advantage of pausing and replaying anything I wanted to check.
“Honest gov, if you press the pause button you can see he’s not moving at all!”
Aussie: I would imagine the back four would be none too happy with not taking the clean sheet as fully deserved.
You mean the same back four (well, Per and Kos mainly) who were all caught flat-footed on that one occasion and allowed the one on one v Szczesny to happen? I can guarantee you that not a single one of them will be blaming Woj for that penalty. He had to come out, he was a fraction of a second late. That’s all there is to it. If he hadn’t come out it would probably have been a goal anyway.
***
Anyway, a really good game it was. You can argue it was “only Galatasaray” but you can only beat what’s in front of you. Sunday is another matter and different kind of team we are facing, but unlike last year when we had little to no space at all up top we now have Alexis and Welbeck who can all run any defense ragged and where last year Chelsea (and to a certain extent Liverpool, for that matter) could just simply isolate Giroud and wait for us to give the ball away they can’t really do that this year. On the other hand, they do apparently have some Spanish chap who’s quite comfortable in possession so that gives them an advantage they didn’t have to the same extent last season. We have to admit that they are the most likely team to win this game but like Paul I refuse to give up before a ball is kicked. And besides, if we could beat them 5-3 a couple of years ago playing Djourou at right back and Santos at left back then we can beat them now too 🙂
And to clear up any confusion, the Paul referred to in my drink is H2H – not sure why I all of a sudden used his real name but there you go 🙂
Heh @ BB hahahahaaaaaa looked painful though!
Lars
Lets not forget Shalke04 went up there and managed to get a draw so why can’t we win up there? Anything is possible on the day and if the footballing God is on our side we can beat them!
UTA
Oskar,
The size of your plasma becomes far less important if your vertical hold has gone. Maybe that’s why Mesut looks horizontal to you ?
perfect analysis
Heh @Trev 74
H — nice report.
*silently watching…
Lars- as I said in some detail, szcez’s problem is when he does come out, he doesnt go for the ball (ever). He just slides out leaving the refs no choice but red.
Woj’s best goalkeeping moments are on playstation or xbox.
The boy doesn’t have the mental toughness for the top level.
He has always been a weak link unfortunately.
Ospina will take his spot in time without issue.
Nice report guv’nor. Less nice from Trev, but only because the events he was reporting on were so unpleasant.
It is nice to see so many good things said about Santi in the middle of the park. It strikes me that not only do we have a somewhat talented collection of midfielders, we have a bunch of players there who are all familiar with operating in both central and wide positions. I can imagine circumstances when that will come in handy, and it may even turn out to be essential that we have so much experience and flexibilty in the squad. I regard that as an excellent piece of long-term planning by the manager.
Just saying.
Roll on Sunday.
COYG
Brilliant post to a happy game. A game which panned out exactly the way we had all hoped for bar the penalty and sending off but then that’s a small post script to the beautiful story.
Oxlade Chamberlain and Alexis Sanchez for me were the stand out performers. Danny was terrific and for me what would have been the highlight of his game was the goal he did not score, the one where he took the ball from our half, went past two defenders with sheer pace and would have scored but for a tangling of his legs.
Ozil was good but not great. The thing is we all expect so much from him everytime he touches the ball that anything less than great is a let down. But then he is Mesut magician Ozil and no one else is.
Woj i have made my feelings clear. I think he is a good gk and not great and all great teams need a great one. I do not want to elongate the discussion about him and hence rest my case. Same applies to Famini.
Sunday will be different it has to be. Chelsea wont allow space and time for the likes of Santi, ozil or sanchez, that is where the plan B needs to come in place and hence i sincerely hope it is being worked at. Ideally the start is crucial and for once i hope we take the lead and then see what those idiots are capable off.
It will also be touted and billed as the clash between the past and the present. Dna versus the magician. It is not, it is a fully fit chelsea team against a depleted Arsenal team, even though it cannot be used as an excuse.
Come on Arsenal, it is time to take the monkey of the back, we have to beat mou and his men, what better time than now when no one is giving us an iota of a chance.
I think it’s a bit funny how this useless keeper we have managed to keep the most clean sheets in the entire league along with Petr Cech last season. There is a really Cloud Cuckoo Land idea amongst many Arsenal supporters that somewhere out there, there are keepers who never makes mistakes but no such goalies exist. Woj is a really good keeper and if Ospina (who really should not have conceded that second goal v Southampton, btw) is to replace him he’ll have to play quite bloody well.
There is a touch of Henry about Welbeck, but it’s combined with shades of Gervinho too. His burst clear in the second half, spoiled by a clumsy miscontrol when he could have scored a superb goal for example.
And he even has a terrible hair cut as well. Like a tramp who fell asleep in a skip and climbed out before the maggots could finish eating his hair.
THis is an affectionate rather than scathing post though so…
I have to say he has been impressive since he arrived. Work rate, pace, goals, tracking back… and unlike some of our players (hi Santi) he doesn’t seem to be terribly uncomfortable in that ridiculous tight shirt he is forced to wear. 🙂
Spent a decade and a half at United but already feels like he’s an Arsenal man far more than he ever was theirs. Frank Stapleton in reverse.
Hold on fellas. We agree Ospina, made some gravity defying saves. So that should support my view that our opponents were not utter sh*t. You simply can’t have it both ways! 😉
Pangloss, a nice cup of tea with a moist scone, (the kind that melts in your mouth) awaits you. So true @ 78 about our manager. 🙂
Vinnay, I see you have come down from our resounding win, quite abruptly! 🙁 Now just as sure as John Terry was born to ,win trophies (yes he said that), you can bet AW has a Plan A,B and C against Chelsea, for crying out loud!
IF @ 67
With a climate to match Scotland’s? You’re having a laugh, right?
As for keeping the riff-raff out, how do you explain Oskar, then? 😛 😛 😯
Thanks, abb
*brushes crumbs from chin*
You’re welcome Pangloss!. I’d been eyeing it for awhile, resisting the temptation to scoff it down myself ☺
N7@69, zico@63, ttg@65, Lars@71 – hehs! 🙂
Lars @71-
“but unlike last year when we had little to no space at all up top we now have Alexis and Welbeck…………”
There are ‘some on here’ who are doing their best to prove they have quite a bit of space up top 😉
Trev: heh, bit of a Freudian typo there on my part, perhaps!
Did somebody mention moist scones ?
Funnily enough, I offered Lady Nina one of the very same only yesterday. She declined the offer though – said she would prefer a nice sloppy muffin.
A fine baker, though, is Lady Nina. I’m particularly partial to her black forest. Goes nicely with a cream horn.
Carry on, everybody …..
Cynic@81, you made my day with that one. Am here laughing my ass out and people are looking at me like am some crazy bloke. Funny real funny.
Hey Lonestar!
Sorry I missed your drink yesterday, I just darted in and out of the bar before running to a meeting. 🙂
Married life is not bad but not too much has changed though to be honest!
Apart from Welbeck’s individual contribution last night, what was also so good to see is that he gives the whole team some shape and purpose.
In recent seasons, games against the top teams have seen us wending a sideways and backwards route down the pitch, giving the impression that “we’ll just keep passing and passing and see what turns up’.
By comparison, Bayern Munich, Barcelona and, dare I say, Chelsea appear to have a plan and a system to implement it. Welbeck’s pace and movement makes him such a natural focus for our attacks, and last night the midfield started to move the ball much more quickly in trying to open up the way to find him.
Apart from brilliantly timed runs through the opposition, he is also strong and technically good enough to make a good target man and hold up play.
If he can do all this stuff consistently he may well finish up emulating the bloke we’re not supposed to compare him to. 😉
Do we still play silly games here?
@91
Nagged before and nagged after.
We know. 😉
I just realised that if we win our next two games v Anderlecht as we should do, then we are most likely already through to the knock-out stage with two games still to play. If we get those six points it would mean Anderlecht can’t reach us, and if Dortmund take at least four points v Galatasaray as they should do then we can not finish lower than second.
Lars: Arsenal look to be in good position to advance to the knockout, but the real concern is to finish first in the group. Given the current GD (BvB +5, Gunners +1), and with BvB already winning away in Belgium, likely have to run the table AND have a couple of cricket scores vs. the Belgians to do that. Can only expect a tight win at home against Dortmund, and a more difficult away match at Gala. Klopp will be ruthless in their other matches against the minnows.
Lars – We have Anderlecht and Liverpool face two games against Real Madrid, having blown last night and struggled to beat a team of painters and traffic wardens
🙂
As someone elsewhere said, they have a manager who spent a small fortune having a perfect set of teeth constructed but he can’t even open his mouth when he talks.
I don’t quite know what he’s getting at there but it made me laugh.
Bay J’.
If we are level on points with Dortmond, aren’t the games against them the first counted?
For example, if we beat tem 3-0 at THOF, then we finish above them.
(not 100% sure)
To all the Goalkeeper afficanados.
Could you please explain to me what Woj was supposed to do?
We gave up possession cheaply in midfield, leaving a CB (Kos) out of position, meaning that one pass split our defence leaving the striker on a one on one with our keeper who was brutaly exposed.
Was he supposed to just stay on his line?
He came out, as he should. to try to narrow the angle and get the ball, he missed by a fraction, due to the speed of the attacker, who did everything right by drawing the foul. Woj even tried to pull his arms back in after he realised he wasn’t going to reach the ball.
Yes, by the letter of the (stupid) law it’s a red card, but again, I ask you, what was he supposed to do?
James Olley talking shite in the free newspaper again!!
H2H@98: Yes, you are right. The head-to-head matters first then the overall goal difference. Similar to La Liga.
Dortmund is having a rather tough-ish time in the Bundesliga, they also have an injury ravaged squad and by the time we meet if we are fit and flying high on confidence on the back of a few good results, outdoing them considerably (3-0, for instance) in Emirates may not be that absurd a proposition as it seems now.
Bt8b.
Shame that your recording failed, but don’t forget the entire match will be available for viewing on the ArsenalPlayer on dotcom from Saturday 23:00 (U.K time)
Well worth a peak.
Aaah, thank you Doc Faus’.
I knew I’d get one right in the end.
H2H@99: I think the criticism (including mine) on Szczesny is harsh for that penalty, but expected for a #1 in a team fighting for the top prizes. The history also plays a part, him already having seen a red card for something similar in CL in recent past against Bayern.
If the game were at 0-0 or 1-0, and this had happened, and we had dropped point because of that incident then we would have not had the luxury to be so forgiving.
Technically speaking, you are probably right that there was no other blatantly obvious option, maybe he could have just timed his block better or anticipate the fact that the player would attempt to draw a foul and just halt his charge a fraction. I guess abilities like that come from experience and a bit more maturity, but goalkeeping is such a thankless job that even the minutest miscalculation would always receive harsh criticism.
@81. Cynic please do not criticize Welbeck’s haircut. It is what gives him the power.
Amen, Zico @94.
@91. Good to hear that CoR. Just remember to keep mama happy…even if it shortens your lifespan (I currently am on “borrowed” / extra-time myself); what with Ebola now in Dallas, I might not have all that long…but I keeps mama (and BLG) happy. The boy will just have to fend for himself.
Aussie, mate, I feel you are too harsh on Chezzer. He’s a quality keep. A midfield that cherishes possession is a keeper’s best friend. We didn’t cherish possession last night on that one instance.
Ospina, worringly, has a bit too much flash (but I believe he is quality as well). Let’s not tear down our players, when our boys succeed, I am happy.
When I am happy, I grumble less about the management’s purchases.
When I grouse less, mama is happy. When mama is happy…I, sometimes, am made happier.
See how I depend on you?
UTA
H2H thanks for the heads up on Arsenal Player. Will Welbeck’s hair still be in place at 23:00 Saturday U.K. time? 😉
@107. Flawless argument. 🙂
H2H and Faustus: you’re right, head to head in the group is the first tie breaker and a +3 margin or better over BvB in the Emirates match is doable, but Dortmund is very experienced and the kind of side that can punish you if you get greedy. Recall last year’s home match against them where their late counter gave them all three points. And yes, they seem to have less talent than previous years, but Klopp seems to have their CL act together and is using Kagawa properly after ManUre did their best to ruin him.
I have a confession to make. I have been seriously mistaken about the value of attending football matches in person.
I have attended almost all home games this season and as a result, have been impressed with Ozil’s constant movement off the ball making himself available in build ups, often not receiving the ball, tracking back and being an integral part in many scoring opportunities. My only criticism of him has been his wimpishness in a full blooded tackle but then he is not alone in that regard.
Little did I realise that I may have been seriously misled by my view of the whole field from my North Bank Upper perch. What a waste of money that season ticket is.
Last night, I was unable to meet up with some fine folks for pre-match dinner and attend the match in person.
I was deeply disappointed that I could only watch the game on a plasma screen from the sofa. How mistaken could I be?
Little did I know that this is by far the best way to assess not only the game but also the individual performance of players despite the moronic level of analysis by Tony Gayle.
I did not take advantage during the game of the pause and rewind button as I thought it might interrupt the flow of a most enjoyable match. However I am gratified to learn that my assessment from the television pictures beamed through the Sky Satellite and edited in West London that Ozil made another significant contribution last night until he tired is the definitive analysis.
Well, well what do ya know?
Bayonne Jean: I must say I’m not overly concerned with finishing first or second at this stage. Yes, we *may* get a slightly easier opponent in the first knock-out round, but there are no guarantees for that even if we finish first. For all we know, Bayern could finish second in their group and we get drawn against them if we win our group, as could be the case with Barca.
Cynic: Liverpool certainly have their work cut out for themselves if they want to qualify. Losing both matches v Real won’t in itself mean they are gone, but that’d most likely mean that they could not afford to drop any points in their last two games.
@72. Just wondering, Lars. What’s your real name then? 😉
Lars @ 71: Santos was flying high at that time, scoring goals, doing that strange stabbing tackle with unnerving regularity, dancing jigs, speeding cars. I liked him, he didn’t eventually fit with the physicality and pace of the English football at the end, but there was a certain jouissance in his game, a feverish “ha ha, that was fun!” playground scream that for a while we all had found rather infectious in an otherwise gloomy time.
8 ball, that’s for me to know and you to find out 😀
No Faustus. No jouissance whatsoever. Simply a ponderous lumbering oaf without an ounce of common sense.
Strange stabbing tackle, I’ll grant you.
bath @ 116: 🙂 But please go back and read all of our comments here after that Chelsea match. Most of us liked him at that time. I realize his performances dropped significantly in his second season, but for a while he was fun to watch.
Maybe I have blocked out too much of the awful in favor of the few minutes of joy from my memory. 🙂
Jouissance? Bath I think it is where horses jump over increasingly high obstacles. Feel free to consult me anytime on diction, grammar and vocabulary
Scared me rigid, frankly. Though I must admit I was watching the games in the Emirates rather than with the benefit of a plasma-screen enhanced medium.
TTG, I did think it was a somewhat overflowery term for a big lump of Brazilian meat.
Dr.F- Santos was a cult figure in his first season with us and even the size of his tummy was a source of amusement and affection. After that season one of the consonants changed as we took a couple of beatings in which he was sadly culpable but he did score at Chelsea in our 5-3 win
It’s hard to let go… http://www.espnfc.com/blog/the-toe-poke/65/post/2067075/the-football-association-reckons-welbeck-still-plays-for-man-utd
😀
bath @ 110: “big lump of Brazilian meant” bath? I hope you are not alluding to those typical callipygian beauties from Brazil… 🙂
TTG @ 122: Cult is about right. Apparently he has joined Pires in Goa. They were both probably misguided by the statistics of how many Goanese can actually speak Portuguese. 🙂
And Gibbo called for England duty.
Good luck! Really, good luck.
And us fingers crossed.
AW on Welbeck after last night’s game: “I didn’t know he was so quick.”
Or maybe he just didn’t “see” it. 🙂
Still can’t believe we got Alexis.. watching his runs and work rate.. absolutely phenomenal!
Seems like our understanding is getting better, hope we can get a good run of wins. And of course, our dreaded injury list be a thing of the past, this in my humble opinion has been the top cause of our collapse.
Looking forward to a win at chelski, just the tonic needed to jump start our title challenge!
😀
@124. Never been to Goa but have been told it cannot be beat for food or beaches or beauty so I wonder if any of those factors went into their choice of Goa FC or if they just wanted to play for a club with a short name. Hmm.
Look I must say before tonight there has been little bit criticism that this season we have played with the pause button on, footballistically.
But on last night’s performance overall I feel that out dual interlaced optimal motionflow core showed enhanced vision, and the contrast with before could not be clearer. Our ambition is always to play with top, top picture quality, minimal buffering, and high definition in all areas of the pitch.
And as for the foul by Szczesny, I did not see it.
Thank you for your interest in our TV repairs.
Arsène’s Plasma
Massive hehs at Arsenes 65 incher! 😀
Tres clever.
if there’s one thing this place lacks, it’s people with an understated, or dry, sense of humor. subtlety, you know?
Oskar and Arsene’s 16′
We know what you’re talking about:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NeaYRmiWME4
As I said during the game- Tony Gayle is a cretin. Unfortunately too many people are unable to analyse football for themselves and believe whatever the commentator says. H2H made a good point that this may help explain some UK perceptions of Ozil.
Possibly the most infuriating aspect of TV coverage is the insistence on showing replays of interesting incidents WHILST THE BALL IS STILL IN PLAY. I could not give a toss about seeing Schezza make a save from four thousand angles whilst the game is still on. Suddenly we have a freekick deep in their half. What happened? The last time I saw the ball it was in the keeper’s hands. How did we get a freekick? Oh, wait, here comes the replay.
Morons are editing the coverage. The silver lining is that I get so angry at this idiocy that I often scream abuse at the TV- which, at least, drowns out the commentary… And round we go.
Oskar, I prefer watching us play live and feel I get a better perspective when I am at matches. I will join you in wishing Ozil a blinder against the Chavs.
Look I have been in this job 18 years. I do not have to justify every broadcast meteorological phenomenon of my squad.
😉
@behind the 8 ball but gunning for glory, i can vouch for Goa for 2 reasons.One i have been there multiple times and 2, i havent seen many other places to offer an alternate.
The criticism of Woj apart, i love that Sanchez guy. He is exactly what you want to see in a player or atleast in most. He is all blood and thunder and the man has an attitude to match. Love him to bits.
Ox again the same thing, I personally believe he is more talented than Theo and that is no disrespect to theo. Ox is a more complete player and boy if he stays fit, he will be some player for us and dare i say for England.
City and pool again show that just reaching Ucl is not enough, you should know how to sustain. Also for all those who say oh same old Arsenal, they qualify, finish second and go out in the knockouts, well offer that now to the likes of city and pool who have spent millions, they will bite your hands off.
Can we please beat chelshit this weekend. I mean its been sometime since we won away against a big team and a win against those sick people, will be the perfect way to start putting things on track. Please boys.
Hehs
ttg@119 – My mum’s mum thinks she’s Pol Pot and has banned loganberries. Can you help?
COYG
Arsene’s 65-incher: Mine is much bigger than yours.
Heh @ Arsene’s 65 incher and Pangloss. Loganberries indeed. Are raspberries not capable of giving enough jouissance?
Look everyone thinks they have the biggest plasma at home…
I watched last night with half a dozen mates, equal mix of Spurs and Arsenal. Ozil is a fabulous footballer was the view of all. Reminds me of Modric in many ways the way he moves the game on.
That is a yellow card from OFCOM for bringing televisionisation into disrepute. Any more of that and you’ll have to watch the rest on a 26″ cathode ray set from 1986. Without the remote control.
I am the law. Oh boy! Ehh… I mean OBEY!
Dave, you always make a lot of sense when you come here to visit. Are you sure you actually do support Spurs? 😉
Hello, couldn’t help noticing a bit of Plasma interest on these ‘ere pages, and thought that I would take this opportunity to do a bit of self-promotion. I need a good home to go to, and I promise if you pick me, you can turn me on baby.
So without further ado, and cognizant that this is no place for false modesty, my very considerable attributes are as follows ;-
1. Look at my size baby, just look at my size. I am as big as a football pitch, and almost as big as New Zealand. Never again miss any part of the football pitch when you settle down to watch your favourite football team in action. Never again be mocked for saying that your TV view of about 20 square yards is better than those old-fashioned technophobes who actually attend the stadium and crow about seeing the bigger picture, the idiots. Never again be roundly condemned for missing the selfless running, the exquisite passing, and the mercurial vision of everybody’s favourite German.
2. Bang up-to-date cutting edge and completely exclusive to me, the new “crowd motivation” button. Oh yes, never get caught out again making ridiculous statements about a crowd’s motivation for a standing ovation. This revolutionary new feature flashes up immediate and 100% accurate information at just a touch of a button on why a crowd stands and applauds, on why the man in the black is called a wanker, and why the crowd is getting behind the team. Never again make fatuous and ill-conceived statements of certainty that a standing ovation is afforded to the substitute rather than the departing player. Don’t be that fool.
3. Songs in the crowd? No problem. Every time the crowd sings “We signed Mesut Ozil” with frenzied and joyful abandon, I’ll provide the beautifully backlit words on the screen for your singing pleasure. Lose yourself in the moment as if you are really there.
4. I work best when I am turned on (don’t we all). I am fitted with a huge mega watt revolving light siren slightly bigger than the Antipodes Islands that goes off each and every time you forget to turn me on and which can be heard from Wellington to Christchurch, and seen as far away as Singapore. No more excuses for forgetting that you have forgotten to turn me on and then going on to make increasingly silly pre-prepared statements at odds with any reasonable view of the game.
5. Very reasonably priced at £20,000. Installation costs £500,000. Almost as expensive as a season ticket. Never have to listen to ticket-holders harping on about putting your ‘money where your mouth is’ again.
6. Suitable for TV warriors everywhere. Large living room essential.
Go on make my day. Give me a home.
Hahhhahahahahahahahahhahahahahahahahahahahahahahhahahahahahahahha *breathe* hahahahahhahahahahahahahahhahahha *deep breathe* HA!
Everything’s bigger in Texas:
http://www.star-telegram.com/2014/03/19/5663810/tms-unveils-big-hoss-a-tv-that.html
65 inchers and 100 yarders can put that in your pipe and smoke it…
UTA
I call false advertising on that plasma, sure it looks good on one side BUT.. http://i.imgur.com/d4a7J.jpg
😀
So we’re culpable now for the flares that were thrown ?! :
UEFA view it as the home side’s responsibility to search supporters for any illegal items before they come into the stadium.
“Arsenal: Insufficient organisation (art. 16 (1) DR)
http://www.espnfc.com/uefa-champions-league/story/2067279/arsenal-among-several-clubs-under-investigation-for-champions-league-crowd-incidents
————————–
Incredible indeed! Although “Insufficient organisation..” could be said for some of our match results… let’s not be guilty of this against chelski!
🙂 😀
http://www.secretsofthefed.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/02/150-inch-PDP.jpg
Well, yes @143, I have Christmas plasmas to buy and these fines cost me…
@145 your oversized plasma I think has little bit head up the arse niggle, which sounds very un-com-fort-able I must say 😉
“Insufficient organisation”? Sounds like we need some labour unions to step in. Maybe some librarians. too.
Loving the Plasma and the 65-incher 🙂
Lonestar. Re: “Nine Alamos could fit inside the screen area of Big Hoss TV.”
Should that not be Nueve Alamos? 😉
Hehs @Phil N’Dowd. Completely N’gog at the size of your plasma.
TV people please read GSD @133 and stop missing live game coverage. We do not want to see replays, shots of WAGs in the stands, or anything else that is not the game itself that we are trying to watch. 🙁
Catalan,
I’ll take your @93 at face value and say that some of us would definitely play silly games here, but it has become increasingly difficult of late.
Do feel free though – always up for a bit of silliness.
Apologies if I missed the point ? 😉
*casts vote immediately for the Trev/Catalan silliness party*
😉
Silliness? Count me in!
In all forms, shapes and sizes…
Now imagine a link to John Cleese walking to work.
*Feels incredibly old, used and inadequate*
@159. Don’t feel so bad B&W. I remember your best days. 🙂
https://shakyghost.files.wordpress.com/2012/03/groucho.jpg
I make a claim for the medium for your most creative interpretation of the form of any squad member, provided you can arrange my wires appropriately in your living room.
At points where the wireless (different from what you are used to) reception fails you simply need to make it up based on your well-founded and unshakable previously established judgements about any individual. Feel entirely free to excoriate them with your inner hatreds.
Rearrangement of my wires may re-establish reception after a variable period of time.
If you really need a plasma element, nip down the blood bank and nick a few bottles to bathe in. It’ll enhance your sense of superiority.
Silly party?!!!
Hell yeah, wake up the Quackery.
*the boys are back in town blaring on the speakers*
Time to get Wolfgang’s balls washed and dusted
Carlos come hither ol boy, master says the Silly Games are coming back!
Where to start… Well, actually they have already started.
Has Dr F brought the happy pills?
Pleased to report the match seemed fine from where I was sitting, I only got told to sit down twice last night, is this a record?
Disgraceful scenes in the away pen, I’m outraged that UEFA deem it appropriate to charge us with “insufficient organisation”. UK is not a police state yet and without body searches what chances would the stewards have had in tracing the flares. A number of Gala fans were removed by the police, I only hope they were detained overnight in less than 5 star surroundings.
Gooner Kevin and I walked up from KingsX without incident and the entire Gooner complement for the 22.14 made the train unscathed.
Let’s hope that Alexis has no reaction to that quite dreadful assault by Melo, at the time I feared the worst. Nothing more to worry about then, only injury prone Gibbs in the England squad!
Roll on Sunday. COYRs
Pills, capsules, caplets, powders, liquids, injectables, snortables, lickables, stickables, smokables,uppers, double uppers, poppers, droppers, hoppers, midnight cowboys.
The quackery is getting its hair did. 😉
Can you reassure me that there’s some plasma left?
Ah plasma,
A tricky little number she is. Likes to be tickled by the slightest electric charge. She’s a chameleon if you coax her just right. She offers an almost as good “as there “experience but unfortunately falls short.
What I can promise is a mind bending experience that will make you think you see reality. It comes from the Land if Oz. We call here Ruby Red.
Wots all this bloody plasma talk?
I thought this was a football site?
The weekend must be almost here if a silly party has broken out. Ruby red grapefruit Norcal? Somehow it doesn’t sound like it …
Not grapefruit. But we can add flavoring for a cost. 😉
Re the Ozil debate, I have a lot of sympathy for those disappointed in his apparent attitude . Yes he is sublime with the ball but his lack of effort to regain possession relative to our other newish talents stands out like a sore thumb.
If we want to go further than the last 16 in the Champions league we either have to have Real Madrid’s money or a bit more of Dortmund’s work ethic.
Since we don’t have the former we must rely a bit more on hard work to take us forward.
This brings me to what grates about Ozil . Winning back the ball requires a team effort and means we can’t afford to carry anyone who doesn’t put in a full shift . Unfortunately I rarely get to see our games live, but it seems clear to me from the telly that Ozil doesn’t chase back the same way as Alexis, Welbeck , the Ox etc do and his general body language can be very negative. What message will this give to say Walcott when he comes back ? Will he be tempted to copy Alexis’ attitude or Ozil’s ?
NorCal @ 165 – overall I think this list shows exceptional mental strength
Trevor. Always face value 😉
I have no point. I have no agenda. I like being silly. Retro silliness. It’s the new daft.
Seems like we’ve stirred a little revival … Dr S, Crystal set, dr sleep, and the John Cleese chappy.
Marvelous. 🙂
@ 165
20% and I’ll keep my lawyers off your back! 😎
Pen v Scum
Golazzo
Oh Dr FeelGod,
I love it when you’ve got my back. 20% ? Don’t short change yourself, Love.
PT
So our sublime playmaker can only specialize in making plays? Perhaps he should grit his teeth and shag a Granny?
Punch a DJ? Send his mum down to Waitrose?
PS … I bet you never liked David Gower either
Kisses
I was offered a 50″ plasma television for £1 – but it had a broken volume control.
I accepted the offer though – well, I just couldn’t turn it down. 😉
Catalan – about time too. 😉
Trev. Golden
Vintage Ade in the closing minutes at the Lane there… 😉
And vintage Trev @ 179 😀
Yes Trev. It’s been too long.
Hi snowy, hope you avoided all the nonsense last night.
184 …hear hear!
Heh, bath 🙂
Great to see some regulars back. Please keep winning Arsenal 🙂
Hear what Up? 🙂
.Am I on the right blog. Remember landfills are full of electronics, so hold onto what you got. Save the planet!!! See what you started, Oskar. 😉
Finally all our Docs are ‘in house’. Bout time, cause my own pill stash has been depleted for quite some time. Welcome back Norcal!
Delia, can’t believe that Arsenal has been found at fault for the actions of a few tossers!
Peter Hill-Wood, How does Lady Nina keep her figure. Sure she must have a ‘special’ exercise routine. Please share 😉
Lars, Dr. Faustus and H2H. Totally agree with you about Woj, he simply had no other choice but to come out. Pretty brave, too.
Dave, can you recommend a quality Spurs blog, so I can visit?
Holic, I think you have lost the bar to Plasma. What is going on people??? How does winning a game turn into a discussion about plasma, you guys are unbelievable lol!!!
Trev @ 185 – Indeed I did – was at the supporters club rather than the Tollie before the game so missed all of the ‘fun’…
Didn’t get to the Tollie until after, by which time all that was left were a lot of drinkers with footage of the event on their mobile phones. Arseblog News has shared a link if anyone wants a bit of a flavour of what it was like.
All it takes for evil to triumph is for a good men to say nothing.
Enough, I say.
ABB ! Maybe be the sweetest lady on the Internet.
Or at least you WERE!! Is that a racy undertone I detect in your posts?? 😉
Hey Dr C, Most certainly IS! Haha. Good to see you here, Dr C
Now whose behind some of these monikers! Need to know ☺
Switching gears. Matt Foley you posted a link to an article that seemed to upset you. I couldn’t get it to translate into English 🙁
Please tell me what it’s about. Very curious, mate.
Right then, let’s score a goal here team.
*passes it wide to Ozil and continues the forward run*
Grand to see the bar back to its best.
Plasma all round.
Good time to set goals, ha ha! Plays it forward to …. Sanago! 🙂
Reckon these plasmas are overrated. Crystal set was the cat’s whiskers.
Bang?
Well in Pangloss.
For a minute there I thought we were actually gonna have to wait for Sanogo himself to score.
Aint nobody got time for that!
Evening abb. Don’t worry about who is behind the monikers, just enjoy 🙂
Wake me up before Sanogo…
arsabeatbarca,
Lady Nina keeps her figure, so she tells me, with four sessions a week of extreme violin playing.
Behind the door to the room she has set aside for “making sweet music” the sessions sound quite frantic indeed. She has a rather handsome young instructor who can be heard encouraging her to “fiddle like she’s never fiddled before”.
They then usually move on to what I assume is her elbowing technique as I hear her breathless cries of “IN – OUT, IN – OUT !”
It seems to be a mutually beneficial form of exercise too, as the instructor normally appears afterwards to be just as hot and sweaty as Lady Nina.
Eh Holic! 😉
Pangloss, see that scone didn’t weigh you down. Well in!
GSD and LoneStar, It’s amazing our depth. We have Sanogo Think about it holics, we are truly blessed 🙂
Peter Hill-Wood, I commend you on your prompt reply. All this talk of 65 inches, well, you know (chuckles)
Nite everyone!
Remember, you can argue with me, BUT you’ll only win 😉
Miss ABB
Racy? Yaya appreciation?
Perhaps we could find you a job at the NYYNPP ?
Chucklin’ 😉
The most repulsive thing you could ever imagine is the inside of a camel’s mouth. That and watching a girl eat octopus or squid.
Some smashing photos here from last night. Daily Mail link warning, for those who prefer not to visit that site.
http://www.dailymail.co.uk/sport/football/article-2776817/Arsenal-4-1-Galatasaray-Danny-Welbeck-scores-superb-hat-trick.html
Actually I didn’t mention plasma, not in this drinks round anyway. But not mentioning something never stops people for quoting you, aye.
With all the dissension I decided to watch the game again, with little different result from my perspective. To be crystal (since several here appear to believe I said Özil was utter rubbish, which is something else I didn’t say) my comments about him looking like he didn’t want to be there referred to the second half only. He played well enough in the first half, but not well enough, imo, to be lauded with the extravagance many here have applied. In fact half a dozen players had more influential first halves than he including Alexi, Ox, Santi and Danny. And frankly my mother could have had a good first half against an extremely poorly set-up Gala (and she’s been dead these 21 years).
But in a game of two halves he just cruised around in the second. And for Aussie (#64) to seriously ask … What if he “took his foot off the pedal a bit in the second … is that wrong anyway?” Of course it is wrong Aussie, to the extent he does it anyway. My idea of an Arsenal player is one who is wholly dedicated to the cause, not a prima-donna who think’s he’s special. But then you think he’s the “neez Knees” so I guess that explains something.
Ttg, you were quite correct, and I apologise to you for my kneejerk. There was good applause for Özil when he was subbed, which melded into the equally enthusiastic applause for Jack.
Can we move on? I did after all name the guy as my motm quite recently, and of course I want him to succeed. I just think he can do better.
Öskar
Pangloss
Loganberries phhh!
My players only eat Broccoli and steamed cabbage . This gives them heightened Jouissance but they find it very hard to keep friends and the team coach needs a good spraying with Mesut’s after shave.
Sadly our North London neighbours couldn’t repeat our success and make it a week of Turkish delight. Shame!
Still available. Still very much needed it appears.
hey Zico.
Climate to match Scotlands?
Here in Auckland we have long and beautiful summers (as one would expect of a location at 36 degrees south- Algiers is 36 degrees North).
Palm Trees and other exotic species abound, the South Pacific is just gorgeous and the culture is based around an outdoors lifestyle – winter here is akin to an English summer — if your gonna poke fun at something try and do the research.
Oscar is many things, but not riff raff.
Where are you “in exile” – Southend?
oskar@210 – We were 4 nil up in a midweek fixture with a big game on Sunday. what do you expect he should do.
I think he showed why he is a model Professional.
One of the reasons why I believe ozil is a top class pro is his ability to make the difference when needed, put in a big shift when needed and put in an efficient shift when suitable and come out the other side uninjured week in week out over an extended period of time.
Arsene once suggested that is what he liked about Andre Arshavin was his efficient use of energy. Ozil is a clever full time pro who has played at the highest level in his professional career week in week out. How many games in a row has Ozil played since his arrival. A lot more then theo, jack, gibbs and Aaron put togeather.
If you use Jack as an interesting comparison, he goes into every tackle at 100% and runs with the ball at oppositions at 100% and he also gets clattered at 100% every match week in week out and will have his career shortened due to this style.
I think some of our young guns such as aaron, theo, ox and jack could well learn a lot from Ozil to extend their careers and minimise their constant and consistent injuries.
Our team is all the better for Ozil and he is showing why he is one of the best in the world and the team is learning slowly how good his vision of the game is.
I went to NZ once…. It was closed!
Plasma TV? Pfft. ’50 inch hd television’? Stuff and nonsense. Wireless? Ridiculous techno nonsense. Buy an actual ticket for the ground? Hahahaha, you won’t see, hear or sense an actual thing.
Nope, the only way forward is analysis by bird. Get the best in-match updates from me, Pigeon Pete. Birdseye view of all the matchday goings on delivered straight to your door via a little message wrapped around my devilishly handsome beak.
Only takes 2 months for a round trip to New Zealand. 5 in play updates only takes 10 months. Want to form a risibly premature opinion based on one game and stick to it come what may? Fear not, Pigeon Pete is the analysis service for you.
Call for Welbeck to be dropped on nothing more than ill-informed nonsense and a bit fed up of the brickbats that come your way when he scores 4 in 3 and proves you completely wrong? Easy. Make sure you wait another 10 months before the next match report.
Want to repeat again, again, again and again, the same tedious criticism of a wonderfully gifted midfield genius safe in the knowledge that you can easily ignore any or all of the more considered argument/data that might contradict your prematurely formed and risible bias? Fed up that you have to give back-handed compliments to the lazy little fucker when he completely debunks your drivel? Easy. Pigeon Pete will starve you of all salient info for 10 months.
Want to make a statement about in stadium reaction and are miffed that those who were, you know, actually there, have completely discredited it such that you have to make some half-arsed backtrack but can’t bring yourself to admit that you made a complete tit of yourself? (Know how you feel, us pigeons hate the tits btw, useless little worm-eaters). Worry ye not, Pigeon Pete’s analysis sticks only to the game. The crowd clearly don’t know what they’re doing or why they’re doing it, so why should we care.
Job, as they say in the pigeon world, done.
Pigeon Pete – the analysis service that allows you to form a premature opinion and stick to it, come what may. You know it makes sense.
aussie @ 214: Excellent observations about Ozil’s game intelligence, efficiency and the consequent longevity of his career.
In one of the recent columns in arseblog — I think it was the rather excellent tactical analysis column — the writer mentioned Ozil’s vision as “seeing a frame within a frame”. Probably a bit tortured metaphor, but the point is a very relevant one: the ability to see many different spatial patterns of possibilities unfolding in front of him and execute accordingly.
There are two aspects of his game though that I think make many honest observers of the English game a little skeptical about him: (a). he likes a side-kick or two in the middle of the pitch to feed him when he has already taken on some fantastic position giving the impression that he is not working hard to win the ball himself and (b). for a player of his technical ability and preternatural understanding of the game he doesn’t score that many goals.
The (a) is again all about efficiency. In that way he is comparable to Iniesta who for all his extraordinary abilities not the hurrying pressing player that many of his Barca team-mates are and he has always liked to receive balls in positions he has already taken on, which so clearly sets him apart from Messi who has typically enjoyed the direct runs and dribbles (though played much more subtly in the last world cup) . Ozil is not going to press and hurry and sacrifice the fantastic positioning he gets to, but I think he is now surrounded by the right types of players who will make sure that he gets the ball when he has positioned himself accordingly. Santi has been a fantastic “feeder” to Ozil in the last couple of games and that is an aspect both Jack and Rambo can emulate: get an understanding of Ozil’s positions and recognize when he is in his threatening zone (which would often look innocuous to the opposition defense) and feed him the ball.
The (b) I think is a genuine flaw in his game that he can and should improve upon, significantly. Arsene himself had alluded that a few times, saying Ozil would be getting more goals. In his younger years he had probably more of an appetite for scoring but now he enjoys the orchestration part so much more that this is an area he had left neglected a bit.
Lonestar@107 – Fair point about our midfield losing the ball in the first instance with the one on one with Woj and the penalty.
However, once woj is in a one v one situation, he does not attack the ball with any intensity and by coming out and not attacking the ball, he simply leaves the ref with no other decision as the last man.
those circumstances require the keeper to commit 100% to coming out and at worst committing 100% to reaching the ball first.
In this instance he doesn’t touch the ball at all nor does he actually attempt to reach the ball.
anyway, we had a top win in the end.
The pigeon knows.
I agree Aussie.
Comparing Özil with Arshavin, Aussie? Even I wouldn’t do that!
PP, Please don’t invent things I have posted. Nowhere have I said Danny should be dropped, only that I’d prefer to see him played as a winger with Alexi leading the line. Sanchez IS our leading goal-scorer this season in case you don’t know, despite playing on the wing most of the time. Yes, Welbeck has scored 4 in 3 games and his goals against Gala were beautifully taken. But Gala weren’t providing much opposition, in the first half anyway.
Öskar
Be careful, Dr F. When I complained he didn’t score enough I was howled down by people with stats showing how brilliant he was in every other way and that he wasn’t needed to score as well. 😉
Öskar
In every battle in history there is a turning point….
A moment where the eventual winner can look back and say that this was the time that the tide turned…….
Well, this is the time!!
A lot has been spoken over the “original posters” lately, far be it from me to blow my own trumpet, but I know for a fact that I’ve been here longer then most, that doesn’t mean that my opinion carries more weight then any other fine posters on this, the most excellent of, sites, but none the less I’d like to make something clear.
Our fine host has always held us up to the highest standards, not surprising, because he himself blogs (for lack of a better phrase) to entertain us with posts of the highest calibre, never judging individuals and always posting with a view to the “sunny side”. (which has somehow become a badge of dishonour from the cunty (sorry) among us) of the Arsenal experience. That this great man, whom I’ve had the priviledge of meeting in the flesh, has considered packing it in, is an idea that I personally believe to be unthinkable and has caused me a great deal of pain.
I have met and have an excellent friendship with many gooners worldwide, thanks to Mr holic, Lars accidently let slip my real name, (it’s Paul for all you sleepy heads) in a post not too long ago, Why? Because we have met, shared a real drink and supported the Arsenal in real time, an experience that I hold dear and one that would have been impossible without the influence of this unique site.
So this is a warning…..
By all means have your say about all things Arsenal, our host encourages it, but please stop with the boring naratives, ie this player or that player is shit because., blah. blah. blah.
Stop with the broken record bullshit, because quiet frankly it is about as exciting as watching paint dry or (even worse) listening to Michael Owen.
Support the team you profess to love…. This may be a sweeping statement, but it seems (check the posts if you don’t believe me) that the further away you are, the more bitchy (and when I say bitchy, I really mean cunty) you are. Maybe, go and check out your local team and watch them live to give yourself a greater understanding of the game… I do it too, I have followed ADO Den Haag and AZ live over the last 20 years, horrible football, but live is always better then watching on TV, unless ofcourse you have a 50″ HD plasma (sorry OTD, but you asked for it. 😉 )
Most of all stop being a moany cuntbucket, leave that to the Manure “supporters”. We (a select group of like minded individuals) are watching you…..
And we will call you out on it.
This bar must prosper, we will insure that it does!!!!
Have a drink on me.
Cheers.
Paul (h2h@hotmail.nl) aka H2H
Oh, and Aussie, being “4 nil up in a midweek fixture with a big game on Sunday” didn’t stop Alexi, Ox and others working their guts out for more. Give me that kind of player wearing an Arsenal shirt any day.
We started our CL campaign with a loss, and while I don’t think we have much to worry about making it into the knockout stage the opportunity to boost our goal difference (currently +1) should always be taken. Switching off isn’t on, imo.
Öskar
Goal difference won’t matter unless you beat the team you are level with head to head.
And that’s the truth!!!
Unless your big arse TV says otherwise.
Pour one, smoke one, sniff one…. But by all means lift one for Paul (aka H2H). I’m with you brother.
Cheers all.
And thanks to Holic. I have met and enjoyed the company of many fellow Gunners almost exclusively because of this site. If you can’t look at football and enjoy it with your mates then did it really happen and was it really worth it!?!
Again, I raise my glass to those I have met and those I will meet in the future.
Thanks
Very sincere post H2H (I’ll stick to the nom de plume), but not quite sure what it was all about. Never really read ‘Hols to say he considered shutting down the bar…
But, what the hell…if we’re getting all Braveheart, then let’s cry havoc and loose the dogs of war.
Norcal!
How’s lil’ Poldi?
Lone star,
All is great,Mate. Little Poldi is still lighting it up. We are considering moving him up to U-10 next season ( he just turned 7) because he needs more team play.
How about your 2? Did the move all work out?
I’ll give you a shout next time I’m in Texas.
Eat a Fletcher’s corn dog for me. 😉
The dogs of war are loose my Lone Stared friend……
Check out the Guv’s post from not too long ago if you don’t believe me, the cuntitude had almost reached levels that even he, the most tolerant of hosts, found hard to swallow.
Hope that your little lady is doing the bizz in her footy league, keep us posted please.
Dr NorCal. Your’s is one of the friendships I cherish and one that would of never happened unless our friend ‘holic had introduced us.
I would much prefer to watch live any day, H2H, but the commute from NZ makes it beyond my budget, sadly.
I mentioned the large screen (never used the word ‘plasma’ in this round) simply to make the point I that was getting a good view of the game, not watching on an iPhone or whatever. Watching live, as I say, is always best (even just the dreadful mess of a team I support here in Wellington called The Phoenix) but if you want to analyse the game then TV will give you closer coverage, replays, several angles and slo-mos which give a better understanding of how and why whatever happened all day. No atmosphere of course, made worse by inane commentators who, in the case of ESPN, are usually further from the action than I am, but you can still see the action better than anyone at the ground. If only we could have the option of crowd noise and no commentators on TV…
For the record I have supported our team probably as long or longer than anyone else in this bar, and god knows the disappointments I’ve endured, steadfastly, over the years … some lasting for decades at a time! And yes, I’ve always been critical where I deem criticism is due. I see little point in lauding the team’s play or that of any individual in it when I believe it can be improved on – especially when I see players underperforming. And that is my opinion of Özil. He has so much more in his armoury than he shows us. And I get frustrated watching him.
But there’s always light at the end of the tunnel (even when it’s a train coming the other way) and he is playing a bit better this season than last and hopefully there is even more to come in the future. I just don’t get how many people here think this is as good as he should be.
I once described Alexi as a super creative Ray Parlour. I just wish I could see more of Ray in Mesut.
Öskar
Mr the Dog.
I don’t always, actualy rarely, agree with your opinion, especialy when it comes to our fish eyed friend, but I do respect it.
However, I feel that you are expecting thunder and lightning every time that he touches the ball due to his price tag, but, that isn’t going to happen.
To be honest, I didn’t truly appreaciate Ozil until I saw him live, he makes so much happen off the ball, it’s unreal.
Check this out, maybe it will change your mind:
http://www.fourfourtwo.com/features/ozil-ronaldo-and-footballs-distrust-introverts
Oskar,
I get that you are an “effort man”. The more running around and pressing and effort the better. I get that. But not all players and people are high tempo gregarious people. Saying that Mesut doesn’t try hard enough or give a shit ( I know, not your exact words) is you projecting your thoughts and biases on him. I don’t know him any better than you do, but you don’t become a professional athlete by being abject and “lazy”. Ozil will never be a fire and brimstone kind of player but I can guarantee you he is absolutely world class and has made our team that much better.
Thunder and lightning is not what I expect, H2H, just a bit more interest in making the slide-rule passes he’s capable off rather than the soft option back or sideways passes that rack up his stats for starters. Or a bit of effort to retrieve the ball when he’s lost it instead of looking fed-up and watching it go. And definitely more effort to get into scoring positions.
I know he’s capable of more and, I suspect, so do a lot more Arse supporters. As your link says (post Besiktas), “… as they queued at the Tube afterwards, the satisfaction of many Arsenal fans was tempered by one thing: a consensus that Ozil contributed “absolutely nothing” to the victory”. So I’m far from alone it seems after all? When you have a consensus that leaves the gainsayers in a minority doesn’t it? Hard to believe that in this forum, where everyone but me reads his game so expertly apparently.
But I will agree with AW’s comments later in the piece where he says that watching the match again later you do see more of Özil than you saw in real time. I found that watching the Gala game a second time. But I still saw a very uninvolved Özil in the second half. Aussie suggests that he’d done enough in the first half to merit taking it easy, but that just doesn’t sit well with me. Especially when I’m quite sure he didn’t do as much as several others.
Yes, NorCal, I agree he’s world class. He just chooses to limit what he produces of it to often. Something his previous managers have also been exasperated about at times.
But I seem to be alone with my thoughts on this subject here … as I am with many of my opinions! Ah well. Up the Gunners!
Öskar
When asked how they could have improved upon their World Cup winning team, the German manager opined that he wished he’d had Ray Parlour instead of Özil.
Cristiano Ronaldo (does he known anything about football? im sure hes got quite a large plasma) was only calmed down from his huge strop at the departure of Özil by the promise that Real Madrid would be signing Ray Parlour to replace him.
PS which bit of Ray do you wish was inside Özil? And would Both parties consent?
Either you don’t know who Ray Parlour is, Melon, or don’t know what it meant to him to play for Arsenal. Suffice to say I wasn’t comparing their football skills.
You coulda been a contender, MB, but joking about an Arsenal legend isn’t going to cut it.
Öskar
Beat me to it, ‘holic? 😀
Öskar
Can someone help me please? My 12 year old has just bought FIFA15 Ultimate Team and is trying to load and play it on his Xbox 360 but is now claiming that there is some technological problem being able to play tournaments against his mates and do live transfers from an Xbox 360 rather than an Xbox 1 or a PS4. I know this is not a tech blog but this is the only place I regularly go to talk about football and in the dim dark past I seem to recall people talking about FIFA editions. Or could someone at least point me to somewhere to go for an answer?
Ever since Last Tango In Paris I have had trouble with the censors.
Infamy….
Yes george Armstrong.
Greatest Rort ever.
Xbox 1 and Xbox 360 games are not compatible and your son along with many others cannot play games on Xbox live as hoped with the different x box versions.
You are not alone and there are a lot of confused and disapointed kids and parents alike who have shelled out $500 for the platform only to find what you have today.
Sorry for no better news.
Some bad news here… http://www.espnfc.com/barclays-premier-league/story/2068267/arsenals-aaron-ramsey-to-be-sidelined-6-8-weeks-by-thigh-injury
🙁
*rubs shaven head as fights the mental demons. Decides to kill a few villagers…*
IF @ 213
You’ve got me bang to rights – my research was done by proxy. (One of my fellow travellers suggested that only Scots could emigrate to a country with a climate as miserable as their own). 😉
I appear to have hit a nerve, so in the interests of peace, love and understanding, have a drink on me.
There’s a real one waiting on you at the Tollie should our paths cross for real.
BB: 6-8 weeks is actually more like good news. I expected at least two months out and was set on three. It’s never good when a player just stops, sits down and immediately calls to be subbed so if it turns out to be the more positive end of the scale and it’s “only” six weeks then I would see that as a bonus. Not that I ever expect any of our players to return ahead of the initial prognosis…
Posted without comment…
http://www.101greatgoals.com/blog/lazy-mesut-ozil-was-3rd-in-distance-covered-during-arsenal-0-bayern-munich-2-graphic/
So, if as been admitted, he has improved this season…..
Freedom! Thank you the Certification Board! 😉
H2H @223. – well said, sir !
It was a bit of a shock to see Holic ‘considering his position’ the other day – but then again, perhaps it wasn’t.
I told a few Holics at The Tollie last week that I hadn’t posted anything for five or six days and I was thinking I’d maybe drop out altogether.
I missed the fun we used to have in discussing the Arsenal in this bar, and was fed up with the constant tub thumping at both ends of the supporter spectrum.
I know I had started to fall out with one or two posters as a result. However, it’s not my blog and not my place to police the content. So rather than cause the kind of aggravation that the Guvnor clearly can’t stand, I thought it would be better to go in case I was becoming part of the problem.
The last couple of days have seen a remarkable change in tone though, and the reappearance of some badly missed old monikers. Wit, irony and, dare I say it, sarcasm where deserved have returned.
I would miss this place hugely. The Guvnor has created and maintained the best discussion forum out there and because I love it, the last thing I would want to do is damage it.
Let’s hope the old faces remain and with it the better humour they bring.
Cheers Holic – don’t give up mate ! 😉
Mesut Ozil not the same player as Ray Parlour SHOCK.
This casts doubts on the obvious pride and energy that Ray showed playing for AFC.
Apparently.
In other news: David Gower was shit at keeping wicket.
…and now Arsene is rubbishing the 6-8 weeks reports in his press conference. He says it’s 3-4 weeks, and if those 3-4 weeks include the time he’s already been out then he could actually be back after the interlull.
And you’ve got to love this bit about that Spanish chap:
Wenger on Fabregas: “Everyone respects Cesc here and I want him to get the reception he deserves on Sunday”
Let’s just say that “the reception he deserves” is quite open to interpretation 🙂
(I actually don’t think too many will boo him, I get the feeling most people have already moved on and are mostly a bit “meh” about it but I guess we’ll see on Sunday)
Trev …. can I join your faces? 😉
We´re on a mission…..
I liked the “reception he deserves” too Lars. Classic Arsene.
@ Lars
Wenger expects Ramsey to miss FOUR weeks.. good news then, not as bad as expected!
And some unexpected news from Man U : Radamel Falcao agrees personal terms with Manchester United ahead of potential £43million move to Old Trafford
If that’s true, then they are going for broke! If they don’t qualify for CL for two consecutive seasons, methinks they will be in huge trouble financially…
😀
Don´t go Trev. Just because I rarely post (can´t argue with stupid) I am still reading!
They definitely will, BB. It looks more and more like they are going for broke (yes, pun intended!) and throwing huge money at what they perceive to be the problem. They simply
Oops, premature “Submit Comment”-pressing there 🙂
They simply have to make the top four this season or they will by all accounts be in some seriously deep shit financially.
… and THAT would be a terrible shame
*evil laugh*
Lars, I think the Glazers have a plan. It’s called more debt. They’ve paid it down a bit. Now they’re going to build it up a bit.
With their turnover they can easily service the interest repayments even without CL income. Although at some point the whole thing will unravel when the big salaries, transfer fees and mandatory repayments exceed income, I don’t think it’s going to take just two seasons out of the CL. Their international merchandising operation is colossal.
…Ah the proverbial Manure! 😀
On another note, chelski seems ripe to be taken down, almost everyone has written us off and they’re flying high at the moment. Underdogs we be but our latest result may just give us a boost in confidence. Welbeck does have pace and apparently composure to finish too, he’ll get or make a few is my bet.
Costa is due a red card or a hamstring soon and it’ll be an opportune time to happen while playing against us.
Two weeks ago and I would not have been as confident… but how times change, the team is more cohesive and gelling despite our injuries and I fancy we have a good chance of winning this one.
Am really looking forward to the match!
😀
@ bathgooner
If am not mistaken, read somewhere that their jersey sponsorship revenue will be halved if they do Not qualify for the CL in the next two consecutive seasons.
They may indeed need to play those in-season-overseas-revenue-generating matches to make up for it 🙂
BB were you ever on The Happy Train?? You should have been!
CG@ 254
Years ago my old man gave me a piece of advice I have never forgotten…
“Son, never argue with an idiot. They will bring you down to their level and then beat you on experience.”
Glad the bar is a little more upbeat/irreverent and its always better when we don’t take ourselves too seriously.
I, for one, know that the value of my opinions and four dollars will buy me yada, yada, yada…
bath: yes, they can service the payments right now but like BB says it has been widely reported that their revenue will take a massive hit (though I don’t think it’s as much as a 50% cut on the shirt deal) if they don’t qualify for the CL this season. The proposed mid-week friendlies also certainly do point to them being in a bit of a panic about their finances.
Oskar @221
Shall I put you down as a ‘maybe’ for the service then? Very sensibly priced, just a bit of bread and water will do me on arrival. Check out our special offers, they last even longer your opinions, though admittedly we don’t broadcast them as often.
Making things up? Chirrupy apologies if I misread one of your posts, (I am after all, only a pigeon), but as Basil Fawlty was once heard telling some teutonic diners “You started it!”.
Mr Melon – Very good work calling out the lemons. Us less bitter fruits must stick together.
Now sprinkle me with honey and marching powder.
I liked it better when Melon was moderated. 😛
Lauren
Genius is never truly appreciated by all 😉
Pear … I´m a dead movie star! WTF are you talking about fruits for ?? 🙂
PS… when and where for the honey and marching powder??
If Galatasaray are not banned from taking travelling fans to away games in UEFA competitions for a significant period, there will be more scenes like we saw on Wednesday and damage like this:
http://www.offthepost.info/blog/2014/10/photo-galatasaray-fans-rip-up-more-than-100-arsenal-seats/?utm_source=feedburner&utm_medium=feed&utm_campaign=Feed%3A+offthepost%2FTLAa+%28Off+The+Post%29
Utter vermin. A disgrace to the nation that brought the world the shish kebab.
Melon – Marching powder always available round at Raisin Parlour’s place. He gives it to you free as long as you don’t ask him to get inside Melon Ozil. Says that kind of fatuous suggestion would be like comparing apples with .. ahem .. pears. Doesn’t go down well at all. Poor old Kiwi Fruit got himself banned for that very offence.
Pigeon Pete – 🙂
Disgusting scenes, bath.
It was Arsenal’s fault though and we’ll be punished by UEFA ………..
What’s going on ?
If we´re going to have a fruity family, I´m assuming that I´m The Godfather?
Pear,
Are you Fer Mentedcider in disguise?
I want to be Pommie Granite
For Fig’s sake everyone.
You guys are mad.
Never thought I’d be the one saying this, but don’t all you fruits go gang up on Oskar.
He makes one helluva devil’s advocate.
Norcal – it’s State Fair time. Corny dogs and funnel cake.
Peanut butter jelly.
Peanut butter jelly.
Peanut butter jelly with a baseball bat.
H2H, Baby Lady Gooner is scoring goals for fun against older girls. Thanks for asking. She’s also a bit of a kung-fu fighter…i’m gonna have a problem marrying her off. she’ll be cute no doubt, but is a bit of a tomboy.
😉
Bath, you soppy date ! 😉
http://www.mirror.co.uk/sport/football/news/danny-welbeck-fee-16million-disgrace-4370912
————-
Aha..hahahahhaaha! 😀
Good debate above from the usual fruit and nut mix. If I may be so bold as to summarize.
1. Szczesny awesome.
2. Ozil awesome.
3. Only one team in London.
Only when I’m left in the sun for long periods Zico. Transformation is remarkable.
Melon is clearly Godfather of the Fruit Party.
Excellent summary from Bearded.
Trev, don’t you go raisin that old chestnut. 😀
Old, bath ?
That’s my currant favourite. 😉
Get thee out of the punnery.
Wouldn’t dare to point out that somebody mispronounced loganberry. Nefarious motives?
I think the loganberries have all been transformed into jouissance to tickle the palates of the intelligentsia.
You fruit poofs don’t cut it.
We got roughage and sophistication . and if some of those stewards had eaten their carrots they might have seen some of those flares the Turks carried in. Veg rules
I can see the vegetable mob are getting a little uppity. They need to behave…..
This talk of vegetables puts me in mind of the Tottenham Christmas Dinner rather too many years ago now.
That dodgy old blighter Terry Venables had taken the whole squad to dinner in one of London’s finest.
After a respectable time for the manager to peruse the menu, the head waiter approached and enquired whether he was ready to order.
“Yes, I’ll have the Beef Wellington, please,” said Venables.
“Very good, sir, and how about the vegetables ?” asked the waiter.
“Oh, they can have Fish and Chips !”
😉
And what of the turnip, Lady Nina’s rumored favorite? Even more to the point, who could begin with broccoli and carrots in any consideration of roughage and root vegetables? Fish-eating vegetables? I never heard of such a thing!
You guys really should squash all this veggie, fruit, and nut talk…
Lonestar. Who brought nuts into it? 😉
Don’t eat Broccoli at Chavski. Its brain food and John Terry would have no use for it
Cubby.
I’d love for us to share a beer.
But I feel we’d be melancholy ……
My plums are bigger than yours.
Re: M. Brando, “The most repulsive thing you could ever imagine is the inside of a camel’s mouth. That and watching a girl eat octopus or squid.”
It turns out there are quite a few options for viewing the one on the internet, such as:
http://www.photomazza.com/IMG/jpg_Anatomia_boccale_di_un_Camelus_dromedarius_c_Giuseppe_Mazza.jpg
But seeing a girl eat a Per Simmon could upset the balance altogether. 🙂
http://www.mirror.co.uk/sport/football/news/arsenal-forced-replace-over-100-4373784
We didn’t score enough goals against them…
My friends at Carrington and Old Trafford know me by the name ‘Wayne’, but this is my real birth name – and as my ex-colleague Welbz has spoken so well about your club in recent weeks, I thought I would come out safely in these liberal environs.
Getting the third goal of the bar? I do not BELIEVE it!
Dribbles…
Dromedary, get that thing out of your mouth!
….. Past the celebrating turnip….
Nice to have you hear Mr Wiggon.
If you could clean the lavatories we’d be frightfully grateful 🙂
Oi, Melon – who are you calling a turnip???
I know you heard “hear” , but I said “here”. These cotton wool rolls play havoc with one’s annunciation …
Rooting for you Lars xx
Food Fight!!!!!! 😉
Aha! For a fellow colonial that was quite sharp, Dr NorCal
If there is a ladies lavatory, preferably for senior citizens only, then I’ll happily clean everything up inside – vegetable, animal, mineral – it’s my forté. Just don’t tell Colleen…
Hmmm…. I admire your kink. Depraved as it is, Mr Wiggon.
Reminds me of the mid 70’s and a pack of unsalted butter…
Of course, I added my own seasoning soon enough….
I think you fruits have been prancing around here far too much. I agree with Cubby. It time real vegetables added a bit of fibre to this establishment.
Sliced carrots, cucumbers and celery on the bar with a jouissant cheesy dip.
Ivor Wiggon after the Granny Smiths…
Well I never 😉
Fruit turns to alcohol. Vegetables to compost
Snowy @ 313 – that’s your story and you are sticking to it, I presume?
Arty. I suspect you are not a fan of the juice. Am I correct?
And good question to Snowy. I suspect he has
Melon @314. Have you never heard of whisky and vodka?
Yeah. But I never watch serials
I’m so confused. I don’t know which team I am on….fruit or Vegetable?
Is there any grain of truth that if I flour then I’m a fruit ? I semolina someone telling me that was the case.
Have I landed in a parallel universe?
The behaviour is the same but most of the personalities are new.
Is there really another bar like Holics?
Evening all.
@319. I’m just beginning to think I recognize that style…. 😉
They’ve just been waiting to get out, bath. 😉
Go on, Catalan, spill the beans – pun intended – I haven’t a clue …..
*raises eyebrow à la Ancelotti*
Trev, I think they’ve been queuing up to get in since they fell off the wagon to Iceland.
Dr C, I’ve always wanted to be able to do that. I tried really hard to develop that skill as a teenager and failed miserably. I think it might require special wiring of the upper branch of the facial nerve.
I’m confused …. Iceland ? 🙁
I’m sick of these young upstarts like Oliver and Clattenburg trying to tell me what I can and can’t do on a football pitch. I long for the days of the old school authoritarians – David Celery and Paul Gherkin, and of course my ex-manager, Ol’ Tomato Face himself…
Trigeminal or corrugator, bath ?
That is the question.
Ivor, have you finished Colleening the toilets ?
Guys, it’s almost Sunday. Anybody have an ideal what should be our starting eleven. Any chance that we go five across the line and use just Welbeck upfront or Alexi. Really would not want us to get blown away. A draw will really be a great result, but if we win even better.
Trev wins the internet!!!
Trigeminal indeed and I nearly corrugated my face trying to do it.
Surely Iceland is a possible destination for a wagon full of fruits and vegetables. The shop not the island.
Hello San Antonio.
Can I call you SA?
I also think 5 across our goal line would be advisable. Does that include Woj? 🙂
Hey Melon,
Fine words butter no parsnips.
I know what you like to do with butter
Or we’re you referring to a Robbie Fowler line? In which case it would be a wrap
Hello Cubby you flowery beast
Colleened indeed….Louis’ just had the van Gall to call me and tell me I’m needed back at Carrington to help with shooting practice for our new striker. What a Foul Cow that Colombian money-chaser is!
Sorry, bath – bit slow there. 🙁
Right, I have a wolf to take for a walk.
Trev, I always suspected you had a thing with Wolfie. 😉
SAG,
I think Wenger won’t consider three at the back especially as we only have four “senior” defenders! My guess would be
Woj
Chambers, BFG, Kos, Gibbs
Flamini , Wilshere
Ox, Ozil, Sanchez,
Welbz
Gibbs and Ox might swap places because the referee can’t tell the difference!
I don’t fancy Flamini there and it might be he will risk Diaby. I’d prefer Coquelin and I also thought Cazorla was excellent on Wednesday but he will go for Wilshere.
This is the team I think he will play
Sadly I don’t fancy our ability to stop them playing so we will have to outscore them
What’s all this talk of football when we’ve got fruit and veg to discuss?
TTG, you might well be right but I suspect he might start with the same 11 as he did vs Gala.
Diaby is a non-runner as deep MFer. In any case he’s injured again (hip). Coquelin has clearly convinced neither Arsene nor his loan clubs so I can’t see him anywhere but the bench.
We need to be strong.
I’m with Cubby on this issue. I think you’ll find this is a fruit and veg bar now. You can take your football talk somewhere else and please keep your balls off the allotment. 🙂
Lovely to at last see this place overrun by old fruits. Mission accomplished.
Walkies with Trev? I’ll put my diamond encrusted collar on for you especially. Treat me like a bitch big boy.
Melon@334, why not, SA or SAG It’s all good. Thanks I really think Wenger will need to change tactics this time around. Can’t be 2-0 down in 20mins, and everyone will need to work their socks off to get anything out of this game. And as someone said in earlier drinks, if Schalke can get a draw, we should be able to get same result too.
bath, I think Jack will start although I’m not sure whose place he’ll take.
Ttg@342, why not use Coq and Flamini behind ozil. And Wilshere can start on the bench. Flamini will need all the help he can get, and Wilshere to me is not disciplined enough to render that kind of help.
Wolfgang, do I need to point out the obvious?
Wolfe is challenging my throne as King of Fruits???
I am more worried about Hazard, than I am of Fabregas. I sure hope he has bad game on Sunday, maybe he will be overwhelmed with emotions and feels he is playing for the wrong team.
Surprise me Sweetpea.
This place back to normal at last.
All aboard the Happy Train.
Your position as King of the Fruits is assured Melon. I’ve only ever wanted to be a Queen.
Everyone knows I am the biggest cock around here.
Oh, crap. HAVE, ffs. HAVE. *must learn to avoid Freudian slips*
Heh @ Wolfie. Never bettered.
There is a game this week?
Let’s call the whole thing off. 😉
or was that buttered?
must check with Melon Brando on that one. 🙂
Phil.
Be assured. There are FAR bigger cocks than you in here
Someone call for a big drunk cock?
Forget those side dishes. The main course is here!
Without wishing to make a meal of it (much) I think this line up could be a bit tasty:
Wojciech Szczespea
Callum Champers
Pear Mertesacker
Laurent Cos-lettucy
Keiran Ribbs
Matthieu Flambéni
Chianti Cazorla
Mesut Ouefzil
Alexis Sandwichez
Alex Oxtail Chamberlain
Flanny Welspeck
David Semolina, Mackerel Wilshere, Francis Coqauvin, Vanilla Podolski, Ragout Diaby, Joel Campbellsoup and, erm, Nacho Monreal on the bench…
Ragout Diaby being of course a stew made from many different body parts, all a bit broken 😉
Heh Snowy. Good work.
Good menu Dr Spin, keep up the good work.
Why, thanking you kindly
Bloody starvin’ now…
lies on the bed in the corner, softly singing “ahm a melon collie’s baby…”
Been a long time since the bar was this much fun, who knew fruit’n’veg could actually be a good thing?
Very true Lars.
Its supposed to be good for you isn’t it? Five a day and all that. 🙂
I think it all started with a chick called Logan Berry.
Some video from the Tollington on Weds. night
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zScrKLLnrYo&feature=youtu.be
Did we really get Welbeck from Manchester United for 16 million? This could really work out quite well for us. *Knocks on wood.*
Your teeth are made of wood?
‘Allo ‘allo.
Can I play up top?
Bachtrian and Dromedary.
Please try not to annoy each other, as we wouldn’t want you getting the hump.
Hope you have a real blast on Sunday Holic! Was never (ever in their fucking dreams) like going over West Ham, but could still get a bit spicy.
Give ’em hell Boss!
*Applauds all involved in the fruit and veggie’s show*
This place feels like our virtual home once again!
And so shall it remain.
Thought of a more aesthetically and subliminally pleasing line up:
Flamini
Alexis
Chambers
Kieran G
Cazorla
‘Hacker’ Wilshere
Erzil
Laurent
Szczesny
Ertesacker
Alex Ox-Chambo
🙂
Vertically sound, Snowy.
Never a cross word. 🙂
Ha Ha.
Didn’t have the right initials to spell ‘JOSEISACUNT’ unfortunately.
All that money in the bank and Wagnar can’t even sign someone whose name starts with a ‘U’
Wagnar AAAAAAAHT!!
😉
Blimey, looks like there was a Goonerholic trip to Covent Garden market today. Must be a Guinness world record in pun..ditry 🙂
Ha ha ….Top notch Snowy.
Snowy 383 looking for U. Perhaps Arsene with his penchant for signing old centre backs, he could re-sign Ian Ure, aka Ian Urinal to those who had the pleasure to see him play. Amazingly he was sold on to Manure, a perfect match. 🙂
I’m ready for Chelsea!
Hahaha 😀
A squad that’s feeling pretty Romanesque.
Me too, Fruity.
Some of these are unbelievably corny.
Heh @ 385 🙂
I just realised that Abou Diaby is the longest serving player we have on our books at the moment.
And Theo Walcott is the next.
Coincidentally, Diaby has spent the longest amount of time in the treatment room.
And Theo Walcott is next.
(That second fact is a guess) 😉
Now I dunno about fruit n veg but the great Escoffier himself called me ‘The king of herbs.’
I’m often a bit late to the party but sdill, It took me no thyme to work out what he mint by it.
Sage words, Parsley. Cumin old bean.
Sage words there Parsley…
*looks on proudly*…..
snowy – 🙂
Bah – 394 beat me to it!
Snowy playing ketchup…
That was really for your whole ‘menu’. 🙂
Oh, I’ve scored.. and the band plays my theme tune in celebration.
On a tuber.
Time for bed.
😀
Top stuff you nutmegs!
See you later chubby. The rest of us can corianderscussing this amongst ourselves.
Cheers Trev. If only I could have thought of something food based for Nacho eh?
😉
And well in, the tubby cruciferous one!
Pass the balsamic chaps! Some creamed potatoes wouldn’t be amiss. The creamier the mashier!
H2H. Would that be one hump or two. Quite an important question, actually.
Snowy@383
We’ve got bugger all defenders. Get Uply to take his boots along to the bus stop and u mite be able to make your dream team…
Dromedary. H2H will want one hump if he’s a proper Bachtrian, as you well know.
Tea Lady please don’t insult me. Proper Bachtrians want (and have) two humps with or without their tea. Don’t know what H2H will have though.
Hello playmates. I have a long history of adding a bit of spice to events. Ray Parsley just can’t keep up with me. 🙂
I haven’t been so set upon by fruits since I wandered into Wellington’s Rush Bar* by mistake one night.
I feel a bit like the guy whose mother called him a son of a bitch.
Öskar
* yup, a gay bar
Some Nutmegs won’t go amiss on Sunday 😉
I’ve plum forgotten what started all this. Lettuce get back to Sunday puhleeze!
Öskar.
Not to be (too much of a) pedant, but wouldn’t that be “Bactrian?”
Alternatively he can just sign Uplympian.
Everyone’s a critic… : http://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/0/football/29485408
Barton is many things, BB, ‘critic’ is one of the mild ones.
Öskar
That was in reply to 385. *makes a mental note to always refresh before posting*
Amazing posts all day. A fruit juice on the bar for all involved! Assuming that doesn’t count as some sort of weird cannibalisation for some of you.
I clicked on that bbc link without realising it was anything to do with joey Barton. Oh well. You can’t expect anything else from the man- a realistic expectation is key here.
If you order the turd sandwich don’t be surprised when it tastes like crap.
Damn. I lost my capitals somewhere down the line there.
iLonestar. I looked it up and you are correct.
http://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/bactrian%20camel
I would offer an excuse for misspelling my own name, but I am just a dumb camel. A handy excuse. 😉
For those who say a camel cannot correct it’s own mistakes I offer this proof. Go camels!!
Bachtrian.
I’m amazed you can type at all. Excellent work that camel.
‘ Ere who’s this Chubby Broccoli trying to muesli in on my ( cabbage) patch. I will set about you with a stick of celery son. So lay off and find yer own bleeding name.
Fecking liberty. I’ll give you peace and harmony if you nick my identity yer fat git. We’ve had them all on here tonight even those football idiots trying to talk about some game on Sunday. Who ‘s interested in that?
Now if you behave her selves I may give you a recipe for a quickie er ….sorry a quiche.
Bachtrian. I suppose you to be a classical camel?
Too many similar names on here for my liking
GSD,
He was probably suffering from fat camel toe trouble. 😉
I’m wondering if I don’t know the true identity of Cubby Broccoli.
Come to that, I’m wondering if I do know. 😉
Trevor 427.
Haha. On that note I think I will take my leave. Night all.
Maybe not. My phone wants you to be a Trevor apparently. Still, I suppose you could go by all sorts of names. Wink.
Everybody knows dromedaries are much prettier. And less chubby too. 😉
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7_Axli2C5ew
GSD. Dromedaries are the classic you want. One hump is really all you need. 😉
Özil to stun Chelsea. That is stun as in “phaser set on stun” but if Chelsea resist he will be forced to consider to change the setting to “kill” and to show no remorse.
Anybody for making Barton and Mourinho eat their words in one giant step?
http://www.dailymail.co.uk/sport/football/article-2780249/Arsenal-no-spine-character-Arsenal-manager-s-rivals-Wenger-toast-says-QPR-midfielder-Joey-Barton.html?ITO=1490&ns_mchannel=rss&ns_campaign=1490
I’d rather see them eat their turds, 8ball. So long as they do it out of my sight… 🙁
Öskar
The women have a very good point in my opinion. The men’s world cup wouldn’t have considered it.
http://www.bbc.com/sport/0/football/29453614
Hold on hold on. You say we are playing against those cunts from the bridge this weekend? Those bastards are full on selective vegans. Their coach, Eyegauge Fucktiño, has been in cahoots with Monsanto for years. That self serving turnip strokes his own carrot more than Peter Rabbit. And don’t get me started on their “captain” vegan. That fucktard is a convicted vegan but yet they deny that there is veganism in football? Next they will deny that they swap DNA with each others Punnett squares.
Can’t stand that drivel.
Piss off you fucktards.
Usually I feel the urge to post, but sometimes I just vege out and enjoy.
Go bar.
UTA COYG
Barton is a cock what can I say perhaps Moreen has been sponsoring his drug habit!
Veggy News – Arsenal to Set Their Stall Out.
Tomarrow sees us move on from last week’s game against the Spuds to play the Chives at Stamford Bridge.
We can’t deny that Moaninho knows his onions but tomarrow there will be a turn-ip for the books and an Arsenal victory as we knock three in the onion bag.
Goals to come from Welbeck, who’s a very strong runner been playing in the wrong position at Old Trafford where he just couldn’t grow, despite all the ManUre on the pitch, and Sanchez looking his usual sproutly self.
And lettuce hope that Flamini is on his best behaviour watching his peas and cue’s with the referee, as we don’t need to be playing with ten men again.
That’s shallot for now.
😉
I hope we can recreate the great days of Jalapeño, Zucchini and Good old Arty upfront but good as he is Arty chokes in big games.We have to pepper their goal on a chilli afternoon and our boys must ( o) live with the big boys. O for old Big Radish leading our attack when we beet everyone. Still as long as we don’t leek a yammy goal we can squash them and keep pumpkin away . But don’t bet your monthly celery on it
I find it hilarious that this game has being touted as the dna boy game, his past to his present etc. Also about mou having the number of Wenger. It is a football match between 2 teams of which one has had a better start than the other. So lets stick with that, shall we.
Yet in reference to the dna boy, all his and his manager’s sweet talk is horse shit. I hope he doesnt celebrate says mou, dna boy says Arsenal is always in my heart. Grow up both of you, we aint falling for such stories anymore.
Mou also taking pot shots at Wenger even when he congratulated his 18 years by saying it takes a great club to actually allow him to be there for so long, again who is the voyeur here, all the time that little pony piece of shit keeps talking about us and Wenger.
My only concern tomorrow is we should not lose. We need the momentum and if we win it will be fantastic but we should make sure we do not lose.
At times the gung-ho approach needs to be curtailed. Last season i felt that is what we did. We just went to surprise them by an all out attack and it may have come off if Giroud had scored but then once they scored, we continued doing the same which was suicidal. I sincerely hope we do not do the same mistake.
Flamini has a big role to play and i hope Bouldie has a word with him informing him about his real duties than the all action no substance hero he tries to be.
Who plays along with Flamini? Jack??? again Matic will have him shadowed all throughout the game and Jack should be well aware that they will work on his nerves. I believe Jack will come through but then he needs to be careful.
Overall this is set up for Sanchez, he is the one player chelsea will dread more than even Ozil. He is a big game player, he loves challenges.will be up for it and will give it back to anyone who dares him. Come on Alexis pull up those shorts as high as you wish but make sure they lose all their balls.
I don’t know why we should feel hurt in any way because of Cesc!?
Arsene is right it hurt us the most when he left for Barca and that was a turning point in his career! We needed him then most then ever and he came up with some DNA bull!
Say what you say he’s on the other side and as that despicable cunt would say no more love when you join direct opposition! The end of love story, he was silly enough to leave in the shit! Fuck him he’s blue all over for that!
I have not forgotten how much it hurt me at the time! Even my missus laughs at me now because of it! This is turning into a JOKE!
Move on respect him as a human nothing else! Great guy to have but not on our side any more and who would have thought in blue hey???
UTA
I apologise to Cunny, I mean Cubby, for using a name similar to his. I had not back drunk and did not realise the name was already in use.
Despite the new moniker, I am not typing this with my eyelids from a hospital bed.
Funny thing is his DNA didn’t last as long as his Arsenal love!
Afternoon ladies and gents. And fruit, veg, salad and any other comestibles who might be venturing in.
Anyway, this:
http://www.mirror.co.uk/sport/football/news/kenny-dalglish-chelsea-vs-arsenal-4374157
As soon as Spain ended in on international stage Cesc ended at Barca!
Snowy great article
But we are here because the world is a different place these days!
ATG – I was particularly stunned that King Kenny managed to write the whole article without the words “five times” at any point.
Incredible scenes 😉
Snowy
What can you do?
Arsene is great manager despite the fact I always think his tactics are a bit of miss fit! We love stability yes but we as fans want trophies!
I think especially young generatiobns will not understasnd and
Apologies that was going to make the world spin….
Arsene is great manager despite the fact I always think his tactics are a bit of miss fit! We love stability yes but we as fans want trophies!
I think especially young generations will not understand how Arsenal work! But we enough in the tank to beat those people up the road!
Apologies about those spelling mistakes!
Sunny ways awaiting Holics preview!
It’s like the reunion of the cast of One Flew Over The Cuckoos Nest 🙂
Love it. Barking the lot of you, still 🙂
Preview this evening Arthur…
Birds now, Holic ?
Asking for trouble ! 🙂
Swimming now – then Snowy’s link. 😉
Trev I’m sure you take to swimming like a duck to water. You’ll soon be crow-ing about your lengths.
Did someone mention birds?
Are pumpkins fruits?
Vinnay@443, the all attack approach will be our greatest problem. I hope Wenger just tell the guys to hold stead for the first 20-30mins, and see where we are before going crazy. If we go all out and don’t score in those minutes,better believe we will get caught out and they will score. Flamini don’t even need to cross the mid point just stay back home, he gets too excited and just join the attack,knowing full well that he doesnt have the legs to chase back. I won’t start Jack, will prefer carzola to start and the Ox.
Happy Birthday super Tomáš Rosický !
A glimpse of an excellent career that could have been one of the best:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2cBSVcwmas0
Re: Doctor Faustus’ Rosicky video.
A W E S O M E
Dr F @462. Excellent video! Wonderful, wonderful player that could have been so much more without the injuries. Always forward-thinking and driving! Could have been a worldy! Still has at least two more years to offer us if we’ll managed.
Doc F@462, great video. I couldn’t but think of what a great player both him and Diaby could have had if not for injury issues. Diaby was such a great talent too. Videos like that reminds me of why I fell in love with this great club. Thank you Mr. Wenger and happy 18th year anniversary. Let’s hope you get a better present this time around.
Great post from H2H.
Only met him briefly at Southampton game last year, but proud to have shook his hand.
Meant great career. Stupid iPhone
You say it’s my birthday? I hope I don’t spoil the surprise.
That was a great compilation of my goals. I would have been that much stronger if I didn’t suffer a few bruises. Rice now I am ready to go. Too bad I didn’t get to score again against that fertilizer up the road. It was a vegetable medley of wins last year against that lot and my favorite was knocking them out of the Farmers Almanac Cup win a picked that Rose in the middle of the park.
Lettuce all get behind the team, and root us to further success. I shallot stop trying until we get things just ripe. Weather I’m Home red or golden yellow, I will fight to the end.
Caprese
😉
These are sad times.
We have sacrificed the nobility of collective happiness in favor of selfish hedonism. And yet you all — not me, as you can read in my moniker I am no more — are afraid of your own transgressive psyche, the sheer terror of wisdom it might bring, in favor of banal erotomania of fruits.
I was going through the various ramblings written here, and I notice how the word jouissance — oh, how I loved that word — is being abused again and again without any acknowledgment to my fantastically original extrapolation of jouissance to trans-pleasure pain and even “kastrationsangst”, to quote my favorite Viennese doctor. Shame, I had thought by now everyone would have had me on their shelves.
I always underestimate my ability to be unreadable. Such humility, I must praise myself.
Anyway, the reason I dropped by. My supernatural pun-o-meter had registered this web-site as way off the chart. So even though I care a nought about your sport — my idea of sport is to play with my patients’ exquisitely fragile minds, and once in a while if the fancy strikes me to extend the field of play to someone’s exquisitely sculpted body — I thought I am obliged to draw your attention to the potential of totally losing your marbles if this carries on.
Don’t get me wrong. I love my puns and wordplays — and sometimes others’ too — but I have seen way too many otherwise ordinary punsters who were very easy to be convinced of the need to be put away in my sanctuary. Permanently, even.
Don’t let it happen to you.
And before anyone objects to my immortal name being one alphabet short, unlike those hacks Deleuze and Guattari I don’t consider my self to be teeming with many animals, so no plurality here.
I will pay you no more visits. Don’t call me. Not that I can be found anywhere.
JLG: we see right through you.
Lonestar
Pumpkins is vegetables geddit!
Fat Cabbage
Glad you know your place son. Apology accepted
JLG
First message on here Ive not understood a word of. Not so much Highbury Corner as Pseud’s Corner
Happy Birthday Tomato Rosicky! Glad you didn’t get the pip with all those injuries
A W E S O M E
in Czech according to Google Translate*** seems to be:
Ů C H V A T N Ý
(*** has been wrong before) 🙂
JLG – that’s the spirit! Seems like you’ve been drinking too much of the stuff 😉
Excellent article by Matt Hughes in today’s Times confirming that Fabregas spent a whole season agitating for his move to Barca and finally effectively went on strike as Steve T has previously observed.
Interestingly it also suggests that Arsene has said that the Chelsea move was a done deal in early 2014. I presume that came out at yesterday’s presser.
Anyway, we are done with him. Let’s hope he doesn’t hurt us tomorrow.
COYG.
Bath
Yes the Hughes article was confirmation of rumours coming out of the club. And added to that we had the weasel Nasri agitating for a move as well. In his dignified way Wenger has indicated that the Fabregas chapter us closed. Tomorrow let’s hope he is outplayed .
i’ll drink to that ttg.
Attention shop a ‘holics 😉
As you can see we are running a special on mixed nuts.
Please don’t squeeze the melons, as they tend to bruise easily.
Now, it has come to my attention that a few bananas have gone missing! Your pockets will be searched at check out. 😉
Yours Truly,
Farmer Dave (Spud Fan)
Who’s this Cesc everyone keeps talking about?
Farmer Dave,
Can I have two peanuts please? I need them to go with my peacock.
I haven’t had any bollocks for years. Please send them care of Le Grove. Thanking you kindly.
Dave.
Thank you for the consideration!
Also …. Don’t twist the melons. Man.
*giggles and waves
looks lovingly at the bumper crop of corn(y) in the market today. 🙂
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