Gap Year, The Real Charity Shield, And Clare’s Cup Final Show
May 21st, 2015 by 'holic
The early evening often revolves around the email accounts associated with the blog. Like the posts you don’t read in the drinks, there is a healthy spam content involved. So if you are after any particular dodgy medications or would like to share the wealth of Iraqi looters and Nigerian princes just drop me a line at mugpunter@plummail.con. The spam filter on the blog is considerably more aggressive then that on the mail account, so fortunately involves less furious bashing of the delete key.
Then occasionally the Arsenal drop you some morsels, and not just the football-related information. That’s the stuff you might read on the website after three goalless home performances in a row. It’s what Arsenal are good at ‘doing’, but they tend not to blow their own trumpet enough. For example, the Arsenal Gap programme.
The Arsenal Gap programme is now seeking applications for the 2015/16 intake, starting in August this year.
Participants learn to coach with the Arsenal in the Community team in north London before having the opportunity to travel abroad. Gappers are trained to coach football and teach English in local schools and projects, before being given the opportunity to apply their new skills to community programmes around the world. Over the past nine years, participants have contributed to projects in 19 different countries. Coaches are currently based in Italy, Singapore, Vietnam, Australia, Bahrain, Greece and in destinations across Africa, with more exciting locations planned for 2015/16.
Applications for the August 2015 intake are open until the end of June. It is expected that places will fill quickly, so aspiring coaches should submit their application forms as soon as possible. The scheme attracts school leavers in the main but is open to everyone over the age of 18.
For more information and details on how to apply click here.
The Arsenal Charity Shield
Then there is the good work undertaken by the Arsenal in the Community team. As part of their charity fundraising they are hosting a charity football tournament at London Colney on Saturday 6 June.
Eleven-a-side teams of all levels are invited to apply to take part. Entry per 15-player squad is £750, so £50 a head. All money raised goes to the Arsenal Foundation. More info here.
The Clare Balding Show
It isn’t just Arsenal who get in touch. BT Sport are offering readers the chance to apply for tickets to the live recording of Clare Balding’s FA Cup Final Special next week, Wednesday 27th May at 7PM.
They would love as many Arsenal fans to be in the crowd wearing their Arsenal shirts as they can fit in the studio. If you are around London next Wednesday then check out the details on the link here.
If you go do let us have your best pic from the evening to share with all of the other ‘holics here.
Thanks all.
85 Responses to “Gap Year, The Real Charity Shield, And Clare’s Cup Final Show”
Nice one Holic. Arsenal should get more credit for their charitable activities but I suspect the club prefers to stay below the radar.
Dodgy medications?
Me?
With my reputation?
In other news, there is a faint whiff of rocking horse shit Holic and I am on the case. 😎
Good stuff Feelgood 🙂
Thank you bath.
Here’s hoping we are all enjoying Saturday week.
IF in previous drinks,
Your offer of early morning company and homebrew is indeed tempting but unfortunately I will be back in the land of Oz from next Wednesday.
Thus the exploratory delights of your beer fridge must be saved for another suitable occasion. Thanks again for the offer.
Cheers.
UTA.
Holidays,
Very informative article – thank you .
Another proud reason to be a Gooner!
My Wembley ticket arrived today;)
Holic
Apologies my spellcheck is a disaster.
Holidays indeed
COYG
Excellent project. Great idea and sketching really good to get involved in. I will have to prime my two in anticipation.
Do you think I could have a gap year before I turn 60? 🙁
Great article Holic.
Hope all is good with you & yours.
🙂 thunder T
top man 🙂
At your age Holic every year will seem like a gap year.
Great picture up above and it sounds like a great cause.
Interesting comment, Failage, about me being wise after the event … considering how many negative comments I have had from others regarding my persistent calls for rotation over the past several weeks.
Do please try and keep up. Although, if as you say “I won’t be indulging in conversation with you again – know it alls make me sleepy I will try and ignore you too.
Öskar
On that theme, ours is a great club
http://www.arsenal.com/news/news-archive/20150521/-1-million-raised-for-save-the-children
One but also admire Arsene’s willingness to represent the club and be the spokesperson in all matters. Polyglot, polymath, incredible work ethic.. Sort of a renaissance man of football 🙂
We used to donate directly to STC, I think now onwards we will do it through the Arsenal foundation.
We got really lucky when AW chose N London for the next stage in his life. No real opposition in the district of course, but imagine if he’d chosen Liverpool or Manchester!
Nah … as if a poly-the-lot would have looked anywhere other than the world’s finest city in which to live for a couple of decades (or more) anyway. Everyone should do it. I really must return one day…
Öskar
Oskar @ 16: What I read about it his decision had also a lot to do with his friendship with David Dein and our former vice-chairman’s half a decade-spanning courtship of Arsene when he was at Monaco and then in J-League … 🙂
Uplifting post,’Holic. The club showing yet again that it is a cut above.
And what a smart way to be on the lookout for any aspiring talent.
I saw that Steve 😉
£50m Barcelona bid for Ramsey? Do you think they’d fall for it if we gave Abou Diaby a crash course in Welsh? I mean there’s the obvious physical difference but we can talk our way around that one somehow.
Tell them he’s been on the growth hormones over the summer or something.
What? There’s something else that will give it away?
…and so it starts
Thanks for that link ‘holic – young Anicoll5 is intrigued at a year abroad teaching English ….. to the Australians 🙂
TR7
🙂
cba I see what you’re on about.
http://www1.skysports.com/football/news/11670/9859964/arsene-wenger-confirms-midfielder-tomas-rosicky-will-remain-at-arsenal
Thanks Holic,
Good to hear about these things.
Should point out that Tottenham, of course, also do a
Mind-The-Gap-Year every year.
😉
Ramsey to be the first Welshman to join Baa-celona ? 😉
No other Welshman – Sheep jokes are i plied by the above post.
Naturally.
Or unnaturally.
😉
Implied.
The other ridiculous rumour touted above is that Ttg actually has a spillchucker. 😉
bt8 @24,
I hope it’s true that Tomas Rosicky is staying and I hope he gets a hell of a lot more playing time than he did on Wednesday night – or, in fact, during the rest of the season.
He and Theo Walcott really worried the Sunderland defence with their direct running on Wednesday – something we need a lot more of against massed defences.
Oskar – don’t you dare ……….
Nice in here on your own, innit ?
Afternoon young Trev. Hope you are well.
Tollie bound on Sunday?
Wemberlee bound in a week?
I have been watching a TV show featuring ‘The Hellfire Club’- a Satanist gang who commit violent ritual murders. As a group, their initials are T.H.F.C.
Coincidence?
Barca wants Rambo?
How about we say 100 million and Messi in exchange?
That’s crazy, you say? Well they did pay Inter 75 million + Eto’o for Zlatan.
Messi is even a better player than Eto’o, so only stands to reason they would pay more to take him off their hands.
33 @GSD
Hahahahah! Perfect!
On another note.. glad that Tomas will be staying!
😀
Trev — Rosicky’s appearance numbers are surprisingly low this season. Last season it was 25 + 14, this season it is 8 + 16. So, though he was introduced as a sub similar number of times 17 less start-up without having any long injury based lay-off is inexplicable, given that whenever he started he always played well (except for the League cup loss).
There could be two explanations: either he was suffering from medical conditions/personal problems etc. that the club didn’t make public or Arsene wanted to form a few new partnerships in the squad that he thought starting TR7 in more matches would have hindered.
If the latter it would be hard for Arsene to convince Rosicky to stay. However next season we want to make serious attempts at both PL and CL and I guess an argument can be made that his experience would be needed in key moments especially in later stages of CL, and Tomas would want to definitely be part of that.
What a great way of ending his Arsenal career it would be if we can do a PL-CL double. 🙂
Apparently we’re after Juve’s Vidal… So soon?
*gets coat on the way out*
trev ?
.
wafflin away in the bar
on yer alonio
.
wouldn’t catch me meandering thusly
😉
.
i blame clive
.
FREE THE RAMBLERS !
welcome trev
welcome
.
if nothin ye’ll take the bare look off me
.
i look forward to arse-cringingly uphill flowing nonsense drinks aplenty
.
.
cheers buddy
always knew ye had it in ye
BAAAAAMMMMMM
the big FOUR ohhhh !!!!!!!!!
take that as lesson no. 1
lesson no. 2
know when to shut up
yeah
vital that
vital
*’re-iterates*
Trev
A spillchucker? And spoil the creativity of my iPad? How dare you.
I’m guilty of premature verification . Had it since my teens
1
two
Baaaammmm
50
on bastardin fire here
.
thierry mouthed off about me too
.
.
in your face smartyscoreypants
.
.
dubbins boots for war
.
i’ll bust his legendary face if he steals my ton
*dinners near ready*
.
.
yeah
fuckin lucky titi
.
.
silly wee boy
hmmmm
jalfrezi
lesson no.3
don’t do up above
.
🙂
.
god bless all here
😉
he ain’t choosey
.
see ya
cba’s heatmap must be mental!
*Columbo’s*
.
🙂
give us a nudge when ton-wise
nudge not nodge h2h
sheesh
😉
If Thierry Henry said that about me I’d bust his chops, I would. After he signed me an autograph first and taught me how to score 30 goals a season. 😉
Satay here cba.
Easy tiger 😉
http://m.youtube.com/watch?v=eNlttjSGIs8
.
🙂
you too
hol
oooh
Burritos
thought that would be burritos
unless they are really fat ones
Bath,
Yes, I’ll just be looking in at The Tollie on Sunday – from the wrong side of the railings though as I’ll have my daughter with me.
I was quite looking forward to a get together but couldn’t turn down a ticket for Erin after all she’s been going through. I think she deserves a break and a bit of fun.
Maybe Esso, Patrick and we two can have a pavement party ……
Looking forward to Sunday already and a double Tollie day.
Trev, hope to bump into you and Erin beforehand. I hope her spirits are high. As you said, sometimes you just deserve days like this. Best wishes to you all.
Pavement party indeed Trev…!
Hope you both enjoy the day.
With a name like Erin, she can’t do much wrong 😉
Wouldn’t dream of it, Trev (#30). Now where’s that emoti with the halo…
Öskar
Does TR7 staying suggest we might be getting his fellow Czech, Cech? Not my ideal choice, but a step up from what we have, and good business with the cost balanced by what we’d get for Sir Ches who would surely leave.
Might also leave cash for a decent upgrade somewhere else, that is after a world class DMF which remains the priority of course.
Öskar
Leaving aside the virgin stuff in this crackpot story
http://www.bbc.com/sport/0/football/32841434
David Luiz has apparently got religion since moving to Paris.
The only way I can think to explain it is the stress involved in getting the sh*t kicked out of you by the Germans.
Uh, oh. Silly season seems to have escaped from beneath the rock and is creeping it’s way into the daylight. Time to start prepping for a couple months of hibernation. After the FA Cup win, of course.
COYG!
Heh @ Trev! Done a few pavement parties over the years (always decant the tinnies into a burger king drink carton, otherwise the bouncers come and have a go), but not this Sunday I’m afraid. Our footie season is done. However Worthing CC U11’s vs Lancing is on at 09.00. I’ll have me pencil sharpened for scoring duties.
You want to bring your boots on Sunday Esso, you might get a game? We are crying out for someone who can score.
🙂
Shame, Esso, maybe next season.
Enjoy the cricket, mate.
Cheers Steve T.
We’ll probably be there fairly early so might be able to meet up for a cup of tea (!) if you have Stevette(s) with you. Otherwise over the railings I’m afraid.
Jose Mourinho is quoted this week as saying he will not walk away from Chelsea. Maybe not like last time then?
http://www.independent.co.uk/sport/football/premier-league/revealed-the-real-reason-why-mourinho-left-chelsea-403727.html
Well played Arsenal, although they should let some of those coaches stay in Blighty where there is real need for those with know how. 😉
GSD, I saw the show to which you refer, Gotham I believe, made me grin.
I am honestly not getting all the “Cech would be an upgrade on Ospina” talk.
Oh, and not forgetting “Ospina done at the near post again” stuff.
Against Swansea Ospina was left exposed to the header by Gomis, won almost unopposed against Monreal.
Against Man Utd he let in a shot from 6yards by Herrera who had been left completely unmarked by the post as the cross came in.
The first thing to look at in both instances is how we hardly ever seem to stop the crosses in the first place. Then, why are we leaving players unmarked, 6 yards from goal, in line with our posts.
Would Cech stop these shots ?
An almost irrelevant question if we defended properly in the first place.
Courtois was brought into the Chelsea team for a reason and my most recent recollections of Cech in the Chelsea goal are of someone who was getting a lot of criticism for the amount of set piece goals Chelsea were conceding.
I think Ospina has brought a lot of calm to our back line and has generally performed excellently following a very fine World Cup. The defending in front of him, especially when Coquelin is not there, still leaves plenty of room for improvement at times.
Would I ditch Ospina for an ageing check ?
No, sir.
Trev: Ospina has improved considerably lately, if that is just a purple patch or a truer reflection of his capacity remains to be seen. If Woj does leave I’d be happy to see Cech signed but I’d much rather keep Woj (unless he’s gone complete off the rails, of course) because if he finds his feet again we already have our top, top keeper right there.
To clarify: I don’t think Cech would automatically make Ospina second choice.
Think we’ll have to agree to disagree, Lars.
For me, Woj is at least as “vulnerable” at his near post as Ospina and is a constant accident waiting to happen with his Almunia-esque dashes off the line.
Like you, I thought he was going to be a top-top class keeper but he does seem to combine his on-field mistakes to some plain daftness off it, like on-pitch selfies and smoking in the showers.
Goalkeepers need to be super cool characters and I don’t believe he is.
@78,
Then I don’t think he’ll come.
He’s not going to leave Chelsea’s bench to sit on ours.
Trev, but that is pretty much what I mean with my “unless he’s gone completely off the rails” bit. In the periods where his focus has been right, he’s been really, really good. After all, he kept the most clean sheets (shared with Cech, funnily enough!) in the 13/14 season and made several key saves to win us points (Palace away when down to ten and 1-0 up, Sunderland away I think it was, kept us in the game at West Brom where we got a point in the end but could have been down and out long before the final whistle etc) so if he gets back to that then we have our top keeper. And to be fair to him, he hasn’t once moaned to the media about not playing so maybe what’s happened in these past few months is what will finally make the penny drop – although I do would like to point out that that is based on hope and wishes on my part more than anything. It would be such a shame to have invested so much into his development and have come such a long way only for it to be ruined by him disappearing up his own arse.
Lars / Trev,
Intelligent discussion on the GK situation.
Very hard to be critical of Woj’s on-field performances this season considering that he has been without Kos and Le Coq for quite a considerable amount of it and as such, he has not been afforded the same protection that Ospina has had.
I rate both GK’s very highly and because I’ve seen Woj much more, I would say that I find him to be quite nervy at times – and that this can just be a consequence of young shoulders at a big club trying to relay a sense of calm and control. Sometimes it works with Woj and other times it doesn’t. Far too early to judge Ospina but his height will always be called into question in much the same way it was with Cudicini and with Shay Given in recent years.
For me, I would have Cech in a nano second. He is a top class keeper and one that has done it all. He’s at the right age, at the peak of his powers and brings a bundle of experience from having won PL and CL titles. He would strengthen the defence and there is no doubt in my mind that it needs to be strengthened significantly. While I take Lars point that we should have beaten Swansea had we taken our chances – we should never have conceded that goal I feel. And we got away with it against Sunderland too, who had some chances clear through on goal where it was almost easier to score! I also feel that Per Mertesacker has had a very poor season by last year standards and that Gabriel has been bought to replace him and not just to provide cover in that position.
Interesting to note Phillippe Auclairs thoughts on Cech on too on Fridays Arsecast. It was compulsive listening if you have 30mins to spare.
Agreed on the whole, Trev.
I don’t get the “Ospina done at the near post” chat on the United goal. He had the whole goal to cover and if he’d been more on his post, he’d have left the other side much too open. It was a decent volley and he had no cover.
The header was a bit more his fault as he didn’t move his feet, he tried to do it with a looooong dive. A quick step to his left and he’d have saved it. Not mobile enough on that goal, those are saves you have to make if you’re a top keeper.
But overall he’s done very well and should stay in the side for the cup final
Trev
Hope you and your daughter have a great day tomorrow and she continues her recovery. I hope she sees some Arsenal goals for a start!
Nice analysis by you and Joe on the goalie situation. I have lost a bit of patience with Woj and thought the goal he let in during the semi was a real error. Ospina is decent and has done little wrong. But I am with Joe. Cech and Drogba won Chavski the CL and he still has great presence. But I don’t think Chavski will sell him to us and if they do I’d smell a rat.
A well- connected friend of mine feels that the two current bits of gossip about Schneiderlin and Martinez have something about them . We shall see
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