The Time Is Now, And Dig Deep For GSD!
Jun 7th, 2015 by 'holic
The first weekend ‘sans Arsenal’ is all but a memory, and a very strange one at that. The pining for the Gunners didn’t really kick in on Saturday. Let’s face it, how many Saturday games do we have these days? Besides, I had an expected battle about a broken Hoover to deal with. I emerged with a replacement far less stressfully than I had anticipated, so thank you Currys for that.
Of course it was also Champions League Final night, and so a fresh meaty pizza with tzatziki and a few bottles of Bass helped to ease the nagging ache as once again two teams other than Arsenal contested that object of long-term desire otherwise known as Big Ears. 2006, seen just the once and never again, was never far from the mind as Barca once again justified favourtism.
I read elsewhere, from more than one source, that we are lightyears away from the last four in this season’s competition. Although our usual early exit suggests that is so I am not convinced. Yes, we certainly need to strengthen in a couple of areas, but with the strongest team currently available to us I really believe we could have beaten Juventus last night. It is of course something easily typed, and can never be tested.
Yes, it is clear that Barca are on a different plane to the rest of Europe this season, and they have surely the most potent front three on the planet right now, but nobody exemplifies the fickle nature of Lady Luck more than them. Never have they retained Big Ears, so next year would be a good one to play them in the Final! (Yes, that was tongue in cheek.)
If the Champions League went to the best team every year then a host of teams (Porto 2004, Liverpool 2005, Chelsea 2012, and in European Cup days Steaua Bucharest and Red Star Belgrade, among others) would never have got their hands on the trophy. That we haven’t when those have will hurt until the wrong is righted.
This is a particularly important summer. We have the guts of a very good side indeed. Real quality in the likes of Koscielny, Mertesacker, Ozil, Cazorla, and of course the irrepressible Alexis. Balance is provided by a very impressive British core of Rambo, Jack, Theo, the Ox, and Danny Welbeck. There is real potential in the likes of Hector Bellerin and Francis Coquelin. Nacho Monreal has come on in leaps and bounds. Olivier Giroud needs to add consistency to be a beast of a striker.
So how far away are we really? A world-class goalkeeper would be a dream signing before we get under way again in August. Per isn’t getting any younger so maybe a centre-half to supplement he, Kos, and Gabriel? Someone to challenge or support the Coq at the base of the midfield, and another true goalscorer to similarly challenge or support Giroud. The money is there. The wage bill is likely to be trimmed further this summer. This is what we were told the move to the Grove would provide in time.
That time is now!
He’s One Of Our Own
Now I know a number of you are much entertained by Gunnersaurus Stunt Double in the drinks, and a select few had the pleasure of meeting him in the Tollie earlier this season. He is vibrant company, and despite the somewhat undersized dinosaur costume he wears, is very level headed.
I say level headed, but the bloody idiot is intending to jump out of an aeroplane in his dinosaur costume for C.H.A.O.S, a wonderful charity that “gives around 100 children each year the opportunity to truly be children for a week where they otherwise simply would not be able.”
The camps provide children with a safe, nurturing, learning, loving and most importantly, FUN environment where they can just be kids. They learn a great deal about a new environment, team work and how to look after each other through team games, nature walks, camping, and beach activities. Many for the first time in their lives!
So could you follow the example of the wonderful Abb and sponsor the mental sod. You will find the link here. Why anybody would choose to chuck themselves out of a perfectly serviceable flying machine and put his faith in a sewing machine is beyond me, but is certainly worthy of our support.
Thank you, ‘holics.
119 Responses to “The Time Is Now, And Dig Deep For GSD!”
First drink, unless someone mugs me whilst I type.
I don’t really care about the CL to be honest. If the rumoured price hike from BT to pay for all of this extra football, most of which is dross anyway, is true I won’t be watching our games anyway.
The pips can only squeak so much, BT bastards!
Agreed maestro. This is a big summer if we are going to move up to the big boys again. Buy well and we will certainly compete for the top honours. I’ll leave the choices to he who knows better than I do.
I hope we don’t all come to regret an apparent green light for transfer speculation. Otherwise, good to see a new posting. I didn’t watch thr CL final, but gree up disliking Italian footbsll more than Spanish, so for me, and notwithstanding Lonestar’s signature the right team won. About time we had a proper crack at it again. Something to look foreard to after we show the Aussie’s how to play Test Cricket over the summer.
COYG
Woefully late observation I know, but re-watching the FA Cup final yet again tonight (nothing better to do and, after all, isn’t that the prerogative of the winning fans?), it’s obvious that Monreal – apart from one wayward ball as the half time whistle blew – had a faultless game. His first touch was consistently excellent, his runs brilliant, his work rate 100%.
I know other teams might have posed him more problems, but I think he was outstanding and remains unsung.
What say you?
If Arsene sat on his hand all summer and did nothing I wouldn’t be at all surprised.
We we’re desperate for a striker, centre half and def mid all last summer, Had Giroud been injured a week later we’d have been in serious trouble, had we pushed hard for a couple more, we certainly would have been closer to the chavs, had we bought a striker the year before we possibly would have won the league.
We’re in good shape for another top 4 finish, Arsene talking this cohesion nonsense makes my blood boil, we stumbled upon the side that played with good consistency for most of 2015, who would of thought an aggressive, athletic-ball winning midfielder would have added balance to a fleet footed, lightweight midfield?
Arsene talking at the beginning of the season about the challenge of fitting so many similar type of player into his midfield? Why would you set yourself such a stupid challenge? Why not just set yourself the challenge of wheeling and dealing to put a squad of balance in place to compete?
I’m a massive Arsene Wenger fan, but he’s nowhere near ruthless or decisive enough.
I love Coquelin, but go and get him some direct competition without being stingy on price, get Schneiderlin before Utd do.
I like both our keepers, but if the chavs are stupid enough to give us Cech, get it done.
Our forward line is decent enough…but it’s still some way behind Europe’s elite, I get that any top class forward that becomes available will be hard to acquire, but we need upgrades even if that means sacrifice, it’s time to get serious about winning the big ones rather than just sitting there hoping it all magically clicks into gear.
Good piece ‘Holic, and I’m in agreement that we’re extremely close to competing really deep into a Champions Lge tournament.
As for transfer business we need to do, I’ve a feeling I’m in a minority here but I wouldn’t be hugely concerned if we didn’t add a goalkeeper to our ranks this summer. Szczesny is only 25, and needs more time to see if he can come back from his poor year – I’d probably even give him the #1 jersey for the start of the season as incentive. He’s got so much talent and Arsenal have invested so much time in him, that I can’t see Wenger letting him go with the reasonable chance that he goes on to become one of Europe’s best keepers at another club for the next 10 years. Ospina is the perfect foil to Szczesny really – very calm, great temperament, instils confidence in the defence – and can comfortably step into the breech if Szczesny isn’t able to maintain top, top standards.
The only two areas where I’d be looking to do any kind of business (but substantial business at that) would be top-class cover/competition for Coquelin at DCM and one more striker. If we want to win the title and challenge properly in Europe, we can’t go relying on Flamini/Arteta should Coquelin suffer injury, suspensions or lose form. And though we’re blessed with creative midfielders and inside-fowards aplenty, a more predatory alternative to Giroud would top the squad off. Not an original suggestion, but my preference would be Higuain – he’s 27, not too old, not too young, he’s got a better than 1 in 2 record wherever he’s played, and scores all types of goals. People will say, won’t that crowd out Giroud, Welbeck and Walcott etc, but it’s a long old season – injuries are bound to pay a part – and I think it’s proven that consistency of performance and a winning mentality grow from having a stronger, higher calibre squad.
Oh – and good luck to GSD!!
“That we haven’t when those have will hurt until the wrong is righted”
An excellent article spoken from the heart in your usual candid and straight-forward way.
The thing that really rankles with me is that Wenger could one day step down and never win a CL. He has given so much to football and to this club that I feel it would be a catastrophe if he didn’t win it.
I would agree wholeheartedly that we might have beaten Juve last night, but I don’t think we’d have beaten Bayern. I honestly don’t think the CL was won last night, it was won when Messi lobbed Nauer from all of 15 yards. Obviously Messi is one of the games greats, but we need someone capable of unlocking teams like that when the moment requires. Giroud is not that player I feel.
I find myself agreeing with Gregoire a little in what he says. Although I do think that we will pass on Schneiderlinn primarily because I’m not so sure Wenger thinks he’s worth that type of money in light of Coquelins stratospheric emergence. And as much as I think Woj will stay, he is still very young. There’s a serious problem when a kid like Woj thinks its perfectly acceptable to light-up in the dressing room after having a bad day. So for me, I’d sign Cech everyday of the week.
But the primary focus has got to be a striker – and I can’t see Benzema leaving RM so Higuain has to be a real option I feel.
If Porto, Poo and the Chavs can win the thing then form is far from the only criterion, as you say ‘holic. If it was we’d have won it with the Invincis and again in 2006. Just bad luck (and some poorly-timed form lapses) has kept us CL-less, and this could be corrected with the players we hav, with some luck (and some better-timed best performances).
But better players than we have are always welcome and a keeper, CD, DMF and anyone who might ‘suddenly’ become available (as Özil did) would be welcome.
And ditto the ‘good luck’ to GSD. I just hope he remembers that the dinos became extinct when something fell out of the sky!
As for trusting his life to a sewing machine, I’m reminded of a particularly hairy inter-island flight I once took between Oahu and Maui in Hawaii, in something called a Mitsubishi YS-11, something I thought at the time sounded more like a sewing machine. All flights around the Hawaiian Islands tend to be turbulent due to the erratic air currents but this one was particularly bumpy. So much so that the hostess refused to leave her seat to serve passengers and her announcements were delivered in an hysterical manner guaranteed to scare the lights out of, well, me anyway.
Öskar
Oahu!
Gezundheit!
Maybe GSD could borrow the Gunnersaurus costume* from the club, if he promises to clean it out afterwards.
*I’m sorry if that’s a reveal along the lines of “There’s no Santa”** for some of you.
**Doubly sorry if you didn’t know about Santa!
/killjoy
Ooh!
A smattering of transfer talk!
My opinion (and I do not expect everybody to agree), is that we need cover for Coquelin. In the same way we finally have adequate cover at full back. Another player of like ability who can cover.
Just a small point about the CL league.
Yes, the Scousers and Chavs are now salivating over the fact that they have both one the competition. This is despite the fact that one is now an irrelevant has been club and the other has no relevant footballing history prior to 2000 (2004-5 to be exact), ‘dis-respectively’.
So if they start, just remind them of thee above. I’ve got more to say, but they are not worth me wasting my breath! The above facts are enough!
…and until Maureen reaches a CL final with the chavs, he can shut up an’ all!
Up the Arse!
GSD, a great initiative! I will put in a donation once I’ve typed this drink up 🙂
DAF, I agree that Monreal was excellent in the final. I think it did him a lot of good to play in the middle for a while, that seems to have developed his game.
Incidentally, I rewatched the entire 2014 final this weekend the best thing about it was to hear how increasingly bitter and disappointed Colin Wanker (who was co-commentating for BT Sports) was every time we scored and even more so after the final whistle. He kept banging on about how it shouldn’t have been a corner when we made it 2-2 and every time a Hull player went down it was a nailed-on free kick but every Arsenal player was just a diving cheat. Michael Owen came up with the rather innovative claim that when we switched to playing two up top it would somehow be easier for the Hull back three to handle than having only one player too look after. His rationale for it being easier to be three against two as opposed to three against one was that “now they know who they’ll be marking”. One would assume that even for three against one they would have been talking beforehand about who of the three had the main responsibility to mark that one lone striker…
I also do not think we can win the champions league in the near future. Sadly Wenger may not win it ever or atleast with us and i do not see him going to any other club after he leaves us.
To win the champions league we need game changers, players who can win games on their own when nothing is happening or it is two even sides slugging it out. Of the current lot, it is only Sanchez who can do it and thats too less to win a trophy of that magnitude. Plus the teams who can win will only get better, so as much as it hurts, we cannot win the ucl in the next 2 years atleast.
Pool sign ings and milner and a lot of the so called Arsenal fans are already crying hoarse as to what are we doing. Simple answer, we are relaxing and taking our time off for its just been about 9 days since we won the cup and ended the season on a high. Also those 2 are pool standard players and not our level, no chance.
Re: Oskar @8. That Hawaiian Islands stewardess you mention. Not Tim Sherwood by any chance? 😉
Oh, and Good luck GSD. 🙂
Oh, and Nacho rocks. He should probably be sitting back relaxing about now in his despacho with a cool glass of gazpacho reflecting on his excellent season and getting ready for the new one. 🙂
Liverpool sign Danny Ings to be the new Rickie Lambert. Revolving door.
Nice job GSD! Will definitely contribute to what looks like a great cause!
Which drop zone will you be making your jump from?
Vinay@13: agree with you about the ‘Pool signings. Both are solid top-half-of-the-Premiership-club signings, but no more. Anyone who thinks Ings would be an upgrade on Giroud is probably dumb enough to make the jump with GSD, but without the parachute…
Might be worth remembering that Giroud scored as many Premiership league goals last season as the much vaunted Eden Hazard and more than Rooney, Ings, Benteke, Bony, Lukaku and some Dutch bloke.
Podolski, 30, has one year left on his Gunners deal and says he would be happy to stay at the London club next season.
“They are a great club and I think I can help them,” he said.
“Things can always change, but if needs be I will remain at Arsenal next season.”
———–
Yes… come backk….. best left foot in the business!!!
Do come back Poldi and pick up your ticket for the Eurostar.
It’s been a strange season. Last season, we started like a train, led the table for an awfully long time before injuries caught up with us and we faded away. On a positive note we won the FA Cup after a making really horrible start in the final. This season, we got off to a horrible, injury-hit start, before going on a good run only to fade away rather worryingly towards the end. On a positive note, we retained (!) the FA Cup with a certain amount of ease and style.
Last year I set some five objectives for this season and said that “Failure to achieve i) would be a disaster. Achieving fewer than three of items ii)-v) would be very disappointing. Achieving all of ii)-v) would be a success.”
Well, I think i) has been achived – the club continues to appear in good financial nick.
I don’t think ii) was achieved, and can’t imagine there will be many here who would disagree.
The first leg of the Champions’ League tie against Monaco was probably the most disappointing match all season, but it did happen in February, i.e. after Christmas, so iii) was achieved.
Third place in the table secured qualification for next year’s Champions’ League, so that’s iv) achieved.
As to v), I refer readers to Mr T Sherwood of Birmingham B6 who will be pleased to confirm that Arsenal did, in point of fact, win a trophy.
So, in summary, according to some fairly objective criteria I don’t rate 2014-15 as successful, nor as very disappointing which is probably how I’d rate it subjectively too.
I’ve been looking at these objectives since April 27, the anniversary of my original posting. Back in April, I thought that the judgement of “very disappointing” if we’d failed to achieve three of ii) – v) was a bit harsh, and I would only have been “disappointed” if we hadn’t retained the FA Cup. After the home defeat by Swansea and the goalless draw with Sunderland, I would indeed have been “very disappointed” if we hadn’t beaten Villa, but we did. As I said, a strange season.
I’m going to ratchet up the objectives slightly for next season:
i) The club to be in sound financial state at the end of the season and to appear likely to remain so for at least a further 10 seasons;
ii) The team to be involved in the League title race well beyond Christmas;
iii) The team to get to the last 8 of the Champions’ League (last season the objective was “to be involved past Christmas”, i.e. to get into the last 16);
iv) The team to qualify for the Champions’ League 2016-17;
v) The team to win a trophy.
As with the season just past, failure to achieve i) would be a disaster, and failure to achieve at least three of ii)-v) would be very disappointing.
COYG
Still think we should have blown Swansea and Sunderland to smithereens and walked away with second spot sewn up. So much momentum ground to a halt so quickly and even worse, Oskar proved correct that we should have been starting Theo several if not many weeks earlier. Strange old season indeed.
Pangloss @ 22 — It is very reassuring to know that like the rest of us you are occasionally prone to the random categories and criteria. 🙂
This one — “The club to be in sound financial state at the end of the season and to appear likely to remain so for at least a further 10 seasons” — in particular is profoundly confounding, especially the “likely to remain so” part.
Who knows which way the world’s finances would be snoring back then? And whether this little bubble of excesses where the top football teams revel would remain so? 🙂
Unlike some fellow fans I am not at all concerned by transfer activities. Other summers I would at least be interested in knowing once a week if there is a new signing but this year I don’t really at all care. Not because I don’t think we cannot get better in terms of playing personnel, but simply because I am confident Arsene has got this one covered. A brief look at our signings and internal promotions last season and … yes, he has this one covered. No worries.
Rather, I am looking forward to the no-longer-so-fabled next level from many of our players. My turn to indulge in random listings of five such, with apologies to Pangloss. But I will be all Panglossian and not all Martin-esque.
Ox: To me the most promising of our British Octet (Jack-Jenk-Gibbo-Theo-Danny-Rambo-Ox-Chambo, did I miss anyone?) and if stayed fit would become one of those once-in-a-generation player. Has everything, the finishing is a bit raw which would come with time, but the combination of abilities-intelligence-discipline at that age is rare. The season was shaping out well for him before the injuries started to come, that run-and-dribble to set up Nacho at Old Toilet is one of my favorite moments of the season.
Coquelin: FA Cup Final was a brilliant demonstration of his abilities on the ball in addition to the tidy disciplined ball-winning side. Some of the forward passes were beguilingly well-seen and well-executed. A player who is definitely learning everyday at the training ground.
Bellerin: A most memorable debut season. Would FA sanction Arsenal fans for racism if we call him The White Cafu? He will have a fight at his hands for the position as I believe Debuchy would showcase his abilities and experience next season, but looking forward to rapid growth of possibly the most promising talents to come through the youth team since Jack.
Ozil: As much as the sublime moments on the ball and the behind-the-scenes orchestration, the times when some of the moves didn’t work out were an equally enticing glimpse into the things to come. Santi-Ozil-Alexis-Rambo with some more pre-season tuning would run rings around most defenses in Europe, not only England. In TV they will often show Ozil & Alexis in deep discussions entering the ground after the half-time, indications that they are still trying to arrive at a balance where each can best facilitate the other’s fundamentally different playing style. A classical conductor and a modal Jazz soloist learning to make music together … once they get their groove going I think we would see some of the best footballs in Arsenal colors since those days.
Rambo: Injuries, a bit of cockiness and indiscipline at the beginning of the season, and having to play at an unusual position I think he will eventually love to enjoy whenever given a chance meant a relatively quiet season from one of the best box-to-box MF in world football today. But there were some brilliant performances in between and some extraordinary goals, none less than the left-footed thunderbolt of supreme technical quality at Turkey. Hopefully the niggling injuries are fully behind him and time for the world to really take notice. Around 2011 the patrons in the media whorehouses guffawed when Arsene said that once Aaron starts scoring he would be unstoppable. Looking forward to the unstoppable Wales wizard.
Still seeing Özil through rose-coloured specs, Dr F? 5 goals, 6 assists and not one motm performance in 30 Arsenal starts? That’s not even an average playmaker’s stats. He’s a very talented player, but rarely shows it sadly. I much prefer him playing LW, allowing Alexis to play more centrally.
And much as I like Belle and Ox I rate the former behind Debuchy (for at least one more season anyway) and Ox as not in the race with Rambo, Jack and Theo (injuries notwithstanding).
You also know I believe we can do better than Le Coq. An excellent stopgap who continually surprised, but he falls short of the Vieira, Gilberto, Petit standard we really need.
What would life be like if we all agreed, aye!
Öskar
Hello Holic and Holics!
First, thankyou so much to Holic who has got behind my (trouser-browning) plan to help CHAOS out by jumping out of a plane. The kind words and the people he has got the link out to have been amazing. My hat goes of to a scholar and a gentleman. Cheers H.
Secondly, thankyou to all you amazing Holics who have looked at the page, sent messages of support and even reached into your back pockets to boost CHAOS. I am profoundly touched. Many of you have never met me face-to-face and CHAOS is an extremely small charity I would be very surprised if anyone has heard of before- so the response has put a smile on my face that just won’t budge!
This place is the absolute bees knees!
@Snowy. I’m jumping in Salisbury. That is also where I hope to land…
only to fade away rather worryingly towards the end
Still think we should have blown Swansea and Sunderland to smithereens
Like I said at the time (at least I think I said it in here as well…), those last few games had nothing to do with fading, it was an increased focus on the cup final as we already had third all but sewn up. And we created a shit ton of chances v both Swansea and Sunderland, we had a total of over 50 attempts in those matches and we also created enough chances that we could very well have won v ManU as well. The ball just didn’t go in, which happens at times but I can all but guarantee you that if we really had needed to win v Sunderland we would have because then the focus would have been greater.
And we only recorded the biggest FA Cup final win in 21 years and battered Villa in a game we could and perhaps even should have won with an even bigger margin. Oh, if only we hadn’t been so poor towards the end of the season… 😉
The usual differences of opinion floating around? Normal happenings inside the bar.
No unrealistic transfer aims at this stage? Sounds cautious. What a difference two would-class signings made to our squad. Just makes everybody step their game up. We should still reassure ourselves with another ‘world-class’ signing and I think it should be defensive. Just somebody, to help the boys ‘step their game up’ defensively.
I am sure the transfer team from the last two seasons are hard at work.
A spot of fantasy league football anyone?
😆
@28 – Misread that as jumping IAN Salisbury.
That’d make him spin.
The Rosicky thing is a bit odd but extending a contract doesn’t have to be a mutual thing if the option is written in.
It’s a completely different league I know, but a local non league club optioned a further year on a player’s contract and he wanted to cancel that, so he’s “signed” for another club but the FA have enforced the rights of the current club to extend the deal as agreed in the original contract. So he’ll have to be bought out for a mid four figure sum, which is a lot for a team with a playing budget of £600 a week.
In Rosicky’s case it seems a bit shoddy to sign him on if he’s not likely to play. I hope we let him go for free, if he lines himself up a deal in America. If he wants to stay in the Premier League though, give us £5m 😉
One thing I really really would hate to see is watching Tomas playing for another PL team and I think that it is very unlikely to happen. I think he still has it to play for us and he knows that too.
So should he move inside PL he would only opt for team with at least similar ambition as Arsenal. So that is not going to happen as he is so tied with Arsenal it is just unthinkable. If he moves, I suppose it might be to Spain for example, which would be excellent option for someone of his ability and tenacity. He makes players in PL look slow, imagine the contrast in other leagues.
I hope that if he stays, he plays..otherwise it is very unusual move from Arséne who always loved Tomas to bits and would be sad end to his Arsenal career.
I agree to Oskar on all the points he mentioned sans Ozil, Ozil for me is either mis understood or we are expecting something that he is not. For me he was magnificent in the finals, just mesmeric to watch him find pocket of spaces for the likes of sanchez,ramsey or a cazorla to run into. He is always that type of a player, makes the game simple and i believe that needs a very special player to do so.
Rosicky should leave, fine player but he knows deep down he wont get much playing time and even when he does, he cannot last 2 full games in a week. He will always be remembered but he is done.
Do we need a striker? yes please, add in a dm and a gk and we are set for the league.
Disagree strongly that Rosicky is done, based on the outstanding quality of his performances when selected last season. Also, since when do we need a squad player to play two full games in a week?
Eandy. I’ve heard there is a plain in Salisbury so maybe you should try to hit that rather than any surrounding hills, mountains or peaks. 😉
Sorry, GSD not Eandy.
Would that be at Nethers GSD?
Either way, it doesn’t matter where you land so long as it’s under a flat and level canopy, away from obstacles and (preferably) into wind 😉
Hope you have a fantastic day Sir – but I warn you it can be very addictive!
haha bt8, chugging me from the plane are you? 😀
Yeah Snowy, Nethers it is.
I have heard this sort of thing can be addictive once you have the flavour and I will rule nothing out. But I will be surprised if I do it again ever/anytime soon. I’m not built for flying, although I imagine that will not be a problem. I am fantastic at falling though, which I believe is all that is required…
I hope you land where you are supposed to and don’t end up exploring the Nethers region.
*boom boom*
Eandy, Didn’t mean to pull you into any danger mate. 🙂
Personally I’ve never jumped at Nethers GSD but it has a very good reputation so I’m sure you’ll be in great hands.
If you can afford it (no idea what these things cost now as it’s been a few years since I was last in the air) but if you can, do get a video of it – trust me it’s an experience you’ll want to relive, if only from the comfort of your armchair…!
One of the nicer things about knocking around drop zones is seeing a load of terrified tandem jumpers all heading off to the plane with their instructors, then seeing the massive grins on their faces as they walk off the landing area 15 minutes later 😉
Blimey I’m getting all nostalgic now – might have to dust off the rig, get it in for a service and get back in the air myself…
GSD,
Been a bit preoccupied for a couple of days and then I find this ! Or these !
Transfer speculation from Holic, and a plan to jump out of a plane from your good and barmy self.
Well, I have met you and I’m still prepared to donate. Hope you’re still around to collect !
You wouldn’t catch me jumping out of a plane – if you see what I mean 😉
Cheers Snowy. I contacted them earlier about the video. I will try to attach it to the page somehow so that everyone can have a looksee at my petrified boat.
Walking off the landing area with a big grin sounds great! It’s the bit before I am slightly more wary of…
Heh,
Snowy’s going to dust off the rig and give it to someone to service ……
Ooo-er ! 😉
Trev, I believe the internet will do its magic and collect on my behalf whatever happens…
But I bloody well hope that I’m around at the end of the day too!
Increasingly Eastern Tinge coming to the East End.
http://www.bbc.com/sport/0/football/33062196
At least they won’t be so slovenly now they are rid of the Allardycian one. 😉
GSD,
You are bleeding mad mate but the very best of luck to you. Britain is made up,of nutters like you and so are its orthopaedic wards. I wish you the very best of luck. It is quite obvious to me you are a top man and as I wing my way up North tomorrow I will look upwards for falling dinosaurs. I have invested in your folly.
As for the season, the more I think about it the happier I am. It started with too many injuries and not enough centre halves. It finished gloriously although our late home form was patchy. Monaco was a massive disappointment. We could and should have beaten them. Juventus in the last 8 would have been a fascinating fixture. Big hope for 2015/6 is that our injury problems continue to reduce . But it will not be good enough to rest on our laurels with the best of our existing squad. We need to increase the marginal gains in key positions. That creates energy and competition in the squad and makes a difference at the top level. To be more successful that means at the very least a top goalkeeper and a top striker. Wenger has shown super judgement recently and I rely happily on him to do the same again.
Take a big nappy GSD!
This may not affect too many people but it should be widely publicised.
BT has confirmed that broadband customers will be automatically signed up to its new £5-monthly sports package.
The telecoms giant is launching a revamped BT Sport channel in August, which includes BT Sport 1, 2 and ESPN among others.
While the service will be free to those who already take up BT’s TV packages, broadband-only customers will have to pay £5 a month. Up until now it had been freely available.
Anyone wishing to avoid being automatically charged will have to contact BT and ask to be switched to the company’s BT Sports Lite package, which offers fewer channels but remains free.
Cynic, I understand that BT are also discriminating against customers who already subscribe to BT Sports through a Sky box but who do not also take the BT package of landline and broadband.
They too will have to pay £5 per month extra to see CL games.
As I am in that position, I am considering cancelling my BT subscription entirely.
En route now. Bricking it. Tight, dark undies in place.
What maniac came up with this plan anyway?
Gulp.
Joe above at number 7 said he’d sign Chech!
At the moment it appears as though the current situation is:
De Gea – Real
Lloris – Utd
Chech – S*#rs
😆
However Chech to Arsenal is building momentum!
I love transfer windows. 🙂 They are very unapologetic! 😉
Anyone care to insult? I mean comment! 😆
Safe landings, GSD
Best of luck GSD, and most importantly enjoy the jump!
Cech – meh.
UTA.
*Takes measures to prevent the spread of avian influenza.*
(Tottenham Hotspur reference intended.) 😉
GSD. Take heart. I’m sure afterwards you will have a memory that is much more pleasant than the actual experience. 😉
What would be the game plan behind signing Cech? He is 33, so has, say, two or three seasons at or close to the top. It is a fair assumption that he won’t move to a club where he won’t start. He could stay at Chelsea otherwise. So what would those two or three seasons of him being our first choice buy us?
Our inventory of keepers comprises Ospina, 26, Szczesny, 25 and Martinez, 22, in the first-team squad and Matt Macey, 20, Ryan Huddart, 18, Josh Vickers, 19, Hugo Keto, 17 and Deyan Iliev, 20, at the Academy.
The questions, to my mind, are:
(i) would the 33-year old Chelsea no 2 (and I describe Cech thus to make a point) be an upgrade on Ospina or Szczesny for next season and the one after, when we will be pushing for silverware and need impact signings for the first team. Cech is undoubtedly past his peak, but even in decline is he still at a level above what we now have and, more generally, would his experience of winning cups and titles f benefit the defence as a whole;
(ii) would Cech prove to be a sufficient senior-pro figure to push whichever one of Ospina or Szczesny is kept as Cup keeper to top class level over the next two or three seasons, or would they be better honing their craft by playing regularly, given they are both still among the leading keepers in the Premiership, if not Europe;
(iii) has AW decided that the long-term future is neither Ospina nor Szcsesny but Martinez, who is highly rated within the club (or one of the Academicians). In that case Cech is the stop gap until they are fully ready; but
(iv) if AW has lost faith in Scszeny, in particular, and bought Ospina to give Woj some competition that would keep him on the straight and narrow, would we be better off buying a top younger keeper rather than Cech? Possibilities could be Yahnn Sommer (26) of Borussia Monchegladbach and a Swiss international and Anthony Lopes (24) of Lyon and Portugal. AW might also be tempted by a lesser known and thus cheaper up-and-comer such as Benjamin Lecomte (24) of Lorient, where AW has previous, or Roman Burki (24) of Freiburg and also a Swiss international.
Ned, speaking hypothetically, if Cech (sorry not Chech) arrives, the logical shuffle would have to be Cech, Woj and Martinez out on loan.
To me the rest would work itself out, re; the rest of your welcome debate.
😉
If left with that decision, Wenger would be left with a headache on his hands.
The question then would be, would it be a headache worth having?
Hypothetically of course!
I would be very surprised if we signed Cech or are even after him. I, like most others, used to be convinced that Woj was on his way out but at this point there is very little to suggest he is. The season ended well over a week ago and if there really was something going on we would most likely have heard a lot more rumours about suitors for Woj’s services and we would have done so long before the final. And yet the only thing we’ve heard is Woj very unequivocally saying he wants to stay for many years. He’s also expressed his gratitude towards and love for the club and the manager both before and after the cup final. And if Arsene and him had fallen out so catastrophically, would Woj have been allowed to play in the cup? Also, if the Soton game was the straw that broke the camel’s back, why wasn’t he sold in January? That game was January 1, so there was the whole month left to sell him and go with Ospina/Martinez for the rest of the season.
Do I guarantee that he’ll stay? No, because you can’t do that with any player. But like I said there is currently very little to suggest that he is on his way out.
A dinosaur jumped out of a plane.
AND LANDED SAFELY!
Wherever you’re jumping from today I wish you all happy landings of your own…
ATTENTION VIRGIN MEDIA TYPES
Premier Sports, which has the rights to the Copa America this year, has been added for free to the Virgin XL bundle for two months.
Footytastic
Woohoo! Excellent, GSD!
Ned,
Entirely agree with all of your points above, although I must admit to not knowing anything about any of your suggested younger possibilities.
Martinez has been around a long while now if they really have serious doubts about him. I’ve only seen him a few times live but he has always looked a “proper” keeper to me when I have.
Lars,
Can’t disagree with any of that either.
I guess, one way or the other, a decision must be imminent.
Arsenal has officially released Abou Diaby and Ryo Miyachi. No shocks there.
Well done, GSD !
Did you manage to drop faster than Tottenham in an average March ?
😉
Very best wishes to Abou Diaby.
A potentially fantastic player struck down by a thug who now works in a call centre.
Never thought I’d see the day but Abou Diaby won’t be an Arsenal player (or casualty) next season. So sad his talent never really came to fruition as an Arsenal player but if he can avoid further injuries and revive his career elsewhere I’ll be the first to cheer him on.
Good luck to Abou, hopefully you will make it somewhere else, such a shame how one cunt of a player can wreck career of one of the brightest prospects of his generation.
His performance against Lpoo two years ago will be one I will always remember as the most vibrant portrait of what could have been. Genuinely sad for him now.
Trev. I dropped as fast as is physically possible assuming one obeys the laws of the universe.
So, no, not faster than the spuds. Wink.
Heh@70!
Eandy: agree about that performance at Anfield. He was absolutely fantastic in that game, but mostly it now just serves as a very sad reminder of what could have been.
Exactly Lars, but I would have not been surprised if he flourished as a player in warmer climate and less physical league even now, ie Italy or Spain. He is 29 but still has some years of good career in him I guess.
Ryo being released is another one I am kinda dissapointed about. Shown some glimpses of real class when he was on loan at Bolton.
Good luck to Diaby, and good luck to Ryo. I hope Abou would be back at mother Arsenal in some capacity or another in the near future…not only a superbly talented footballer but also a fantastic professional and a great role-model.
I guess Ryo failed to make the final steps…whether for injuries or lack of motivation. But he is only 22 and still has enough time to build a career.
@59 was meant to read Cech, Ospina, Woj and Martinez out on loan. But I am sure this is something the intelligent eye picked up on, giving me no need to explain. But as I am a courteous individual I thought I would address it anyway. 🙂
Congratulations, GSD. Down to earth, but not with too big a bump, I trust.
Trev: I understand the club considers Martinez a keeper in both senses, the one to succeed whoever is our No 1 over the next couple of seasons.
Matt Macey is probably at the head of the pecking order among those playing for the U-21s/U-18s. It is a talented group, by all accounts, but at that age it is difficult to know if potential will turn into a distinguished goalkeeping career. Josh Vickers is one who won’t make it though. He is on the released list.
Which brings us to Diaby. Very sad for him. A tragic reminder of the fragility of a professional footballer’s career.
Full list of players released on free transfer:
Ajayi Oluwasemilogo Adesewo
Diaby, Vassiriki Abou
Jebb, Jack
Lipman, Austin
Miyaichi, Ryo
Ormonde-Ottewill, Brandon
Vickers, Josh
About Cech: last time we had signed a past-his-best-but-once-a-world-class player (not talking about the lovable Israeli) from the blue scums hoping his experience and know-how would help us…he had turned out to be a disaster. As a player Billy Gallas probably had more solid performances for us than we can care to remember now, but overall as a leader and in terms of his influences he was a disaster and a bit of a disgrace as well.
Not saying history would have to repeat itself, but just an indication that these types of signings do not always work out and when they fail they leave a deeply destabilizing influence.
So, agreeing with NBN — if we must refresh our GK roster, we should go for players at their prime or entering their prime.
Eandy @ 72: Agree with you about Ryo. Even in his first season out on loan at Feyenoord he was more of a success than this season’s loan at Twente. But he is only 22, and hopefully will fashion together a career that does justice to his abilities.
Wow sad to see Diaby leave. I am grateful I got to see him play. Also a shame about Ryo too.
In regards to Martinez, I have heard that he is a highly regarded player at the club. However, hypothetically speaking, if the club are genuinely seeking to sign Cech, You would imagine that Martinez would get the short straw. By this I mean the only viable option would be out on loan.
But good points raised and appreciated about this matter, above. It confirms my thoughts as a fellow gooner.
Silly season is upon us! 😉
Well done GSD, you crazy dinosaur you . Terrific effort mate.
We once took a goalkeeper from a London rival who was deemed past his best. Pat Jennings was his name and he was a replacement for an excellent goalie in Jimmy Rimmer.
The other relevant example was upgrading Lukic for Seaman. That didn’t work out too shabbily either.
I’m for getting Cech because he’s a better keeper than Ches or Ospina. I also bid a fond farewell to Abou. Poor lad who could have been a remarkable player had his career not been halted by a Sunderland thug.
If anybody is interested in the development of yet another player linked to Arsenal, in Jackson Martinez, I understand that the following extracts from a statement by his agent, Luiz Henrique Pompeo, has been released today :
“Jackson’s future is already pretty much decided…
Things should be clarified in the next few days. He’ll go to a big European club, which will be announced as soon as the contract is signed.
“From what’s been agreed, Porto will receive the €35m (£24m) from the release clause.
“Negotiations have been underway for a few weeks, there are still some details to be sorted out, and then Jackson Martinez’s departure from Porto can become a reality.”
Just an additional note from me here. To my reckoning, this does not sound like an Arsenal type transfer statement. But, of course, I could be wrong!
😉
gsd
good fuckin bloody man yerself
i have no plastic paying powers
never did
hopefully never will
.
have given a coupla bob
just now
in yer name
after school yoke down next near us
.
if anything
it keeps the curnaptious wee shites
outta me gun sight
.
yer a good soul
and
why wouldn’t ye be
.
‘holic has some gooduns in his armoury
.
.
UP THE ARSENAL AND ALL HAIL THE ‘HOLIC
Well done GSD. Glad you are in one piece. Happy ending.
Good luck Abou. Sad ending.
Cech, for me, at this stage of his career is on a par with Valdes and Casillas. Undoubted quality but what would their motivation be ?
I just hear the words of George Graham whispering a warning –
“Never buy a player on the way down”.
No, I do NOT consider the current Arsenal to be a step down from any of them, as a club, but in terms of what they have won recently, you have to wonder what they would be out to prove by coming to The Emirates.
Personally, I don’t want to set out on a new, genuine challenge for the game’s top honours with someone else’s cast offs.
Brave new world and all that …….
howdy bath
.
does curnaptious need explanation
no
😉
nope
.
sassenachs !
.
.
.
howdy trev
might tap yer knowledge again
mate o mine
too sprightly to try out a new knee without waiting
70s
been scolded
been told
extra 2 months physio
evening cba
I must confess ah dinnae ken fit curnaptious means.
Is it the same as fashus?
I was aye bein’ ca’ed a fashus loon fan ah was a wee loonie.
‘holic
oil !!!
baffs had a stroke
Big Up the Dino Nutcase! Top work Fella! Proud of ya.
Do we really think that a GK is declining @ 33..??
I don’t think so.
Lehmann was 33/34 when he arrived at AFC and played for 5 seasons. Top keepers reach their peak at this age. Its probably the most important position in the team where experience really does count.
Phillippe Auclair spoke about Cech a few weeks ago on the Arsecast and he was effusive is his praise of him. He said Cech was one of the very best GKs in the world and comes with a reputation of being enormously dedicated and being a real leader. He also mentioned that he thought Courtois was just a freak of nature and that is was unusual to find two superb GKs at the one club.
So I think there’s room for both Woj and Cech at the club. I can’t see Wenger throwing away the time he’s invested in Woj to date. If anything, Woj should look upon it as an opportunity to learn more. I really think any possibility of signing him should be met with an automatic “YES Please” as he’ll improve the side.
Is curnaptious just carnaptious for people not of the Scottish persausion?
AH! Gye crabbit.
Agreed Joe @ 89. I’d take him for £10m and expect at least 3 good years with mentoring and development of young Szcz.
don’t ye start statistically wadin’ in ned
and let’s face it
scotland is named after an irish tribe
yeah
bla
pict that outta the net
😉
and we’re still trying to drive them back into the sea! 🙂
I can’t believe that people are actually engaging with “our mutual friend”. Silence is golden. You know it makes sense.
In other news, well done GSD.
COYG
*pedalos triumphantly*
I thought it would be a coracle, cba.
Joe@89: That was my ‘senior pro’ question above. With the transition from Per to Gabriel likely to be starting next season, having that sort of leader at the back may become a more significant factor.
There is no doubt that Cech was one of the best keepers in the world. Or that he has some good seasons left in him. But over those seasons will he be a better or worse keeper than Opsina and Szczesny? Cech played so little last season, it is difficult to make a judgement.
BOOOOOOOMMMMMMMM !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
*holic adjusts/redacts as the tonly appropriate requires*
tap in
I would like to thank cba for the bloody great assist. To fire a shot of such power from a coracle with pedalo attachments is a feat of Messi-esque talent.
well in
bath
.
deserved
.
outclassed i was
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
bafftard
grrrrrrrrrrrr
So why isn’t it called Gaelland, cba?
Well in for the ton, Bath. Very nonchalant finish.
Rare footage if cba’s pedaloracle https://youtu.be/NVYQO-C8s0o
ned
ha ha
*stifles chuckle*
.
gay land ?
oor scoootie brethren’ll be ahn yer case
yer cruisin’ fer a five foot four an a half bruisin’
http://m.youtube.com/#/watch?v=-Nt7PWtgOPI
http://m.youtube.com/#/watch?v=zyr8snd9mTA
another genius scot
http://m.youtube.com/#/watch?v=sjmgjBcgIsw
where’s Fay fay ?
Fay’s fay Fife
aaaaaaaaahhhhhhhhh
REZILLLLLOOOOOOOSSSSSSSSSSS
Not being technologically savvy I don’t have an explanation for it but NBN’s link in 106 comes in fine but cba’s links above only bring up an undefined youtube page that gives no indication of which video is intended to be shared. Maybe NBN’s link works because of something to do with the dot in youtu.be?
http://m.youtube.com/#/watch?v=Ia8v9FioFBg
http://m.youtube.com/#/watch?v=cJuNWzgUNfQ
8ball
.
drunk arsehole
.
scottish bands 30 odd years ago
more than
more
bought the gooduns
not the
yeah
bla
.
anyhow
.
http://m.youtube.com/#/watch?v=tVFpEfFPHrQ
.
pull in shit pints fer shit wages
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KlJSbPZmMp4
The scumbag Mourinho says one minute Cech is for sale because he’s powerless to stop it, then he wants to swap him for our players , then that he’s not for sale. He’s an arrogant , venal egotist whose word is as reliable as a Southern region train service. Bollocks to him.
the mighty esso
on ye go big man
🙂
Cheers all, and now for >>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>
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