Gunners Self-Destruct In Zagreb
Sep 16th, 2015 by 'holic
Arsene opted for a little rotation in Zagreb as expected beforehand. David Ospina, Mathieu Debuchy, Kieran Gibbs, Mikel Arteta, Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain, and Olivier Giroud were recalled. Chelsea too, with one eye on Saturday one suspects, also made six changes.
Half chances were traded in the opening minutes as both sides looked to test the full-backs. From a ninth minute corner Giroud brought the best out of Dinamo goalkeeper Eduardo. At the other end Pjaca twice drove the ball high, wide, and handsome.
In the eighteenth minute Oxlade-Chamberlain crossed to Giroud who headed against the post and then pulled the rebound wide. A stupid booking for dissent followed five minutes later. It would prove to be significant.
Within a minute Dinamo left-back Pivaric took advantage of a napping Ox and Debuchy. Ospina blocked the initial effort at his near post but the ball rebounded off the Ox and into the net. Arsenal were again making hard work of a match in which they were firm favourites.
Alexis popped up in the box a couple of times but by hook or by crook the home side kept him at bay. Giroud then compounded the foolishness of his first yellow card when he blatantly tripped Pinto as Arsenal cleared a free-kick. He could have no complaint about the inevitable second yellow and subsequent red card. The half-time whistle provided much relief and the chance to reorganise for the second half.
Just over 1400 travelling Gooners urged their team to “Come on Arsenal” as the match restarted, but with the half barely a minute old Soudani, as had Giroud earlier, hit the post and put the rebound wide.
In the 54th minute the assistant’s flag denied Mesut Ozil an equaliser following a wonderful run by Alexis. The decision looked debatable to say the least.
Shortly after that it was 2-0. Fernandes got a step ahead of Laurent Koscielny to head home from a corner. Kieran Gibbs half-hearted attempt at the near post didn’t help.
Arsene’s response was a triple substitution. Francis Coquelain finally replacing Arteta, while Theo Walcott and Joel Campbell came on for the Ox and Gibbs.
Alexis, hungry as ever for the ball, blazed a free-kick over the bar but the Gunners were vulnerable to the counter attack and Ospina had to be alert to deny Zagreb a third.
With twelve minutes remaining we were back in the match when Coquelin won a defensive header and Alexis sent Theo scurrying through the inside-left channel to score. Some will suggest, a little lazily perhaps, that it was too little, too late. It was something on which we could have built, but our best chance was lost when Eduardo claimed a hopeful cross from the head of Koscielny.
There remained time for Ospina to produce another remarkable save in a one on one situation, the last action of the night.
Arsene will get criticism for his selection tonight and as long as that doesn’t escalate into abuse it will be justified. With Bayern Munich in the group we have made qualification for the last sixteen much more difficult than it should have been. Giroud too will rightfully cop some flak, although he is a man in desperate need of an injection of confidence.
Having rested so many tonight we now need to put in a performance at the bus stop in Fulham on Saturday. Only that will deflect some of the negativity that is around right now.
Book Launch For ‘Arsene Wenger – The Inside Story’
For those who, unlike me, do not have tickets for the Oval on Thursday night there is a book launch at the Tollington, rapidly becoming the venue of choice for Arsenal-related book launches.
John Cross of the Mirror has written the latest biography of Arsene Wenger, and has been closer to the Arsenal manager than most during his tenure. John shared some of what you can expect to read in a recent A Bergkamp Wonderland podcast, which also featured a blogger who will be familiar to you!
If you are within reach of the venue I can recommend going along. It’s buzzing on book launch nights, and you can get your book signed by the author on the night. The kick-off is at 6.30pm so perfect for a post work relaxer!
139 Responses to “Gunners Self-Destruct In Zagreb”
Bad night but we are the Arsenal we always do it the hard way. We will be fine, another second place finish in the group me thinks.. Next on to the bus stop let’s go COYG
Hello darkness, my old friend…
Foot firmly in sight, double barrel loaded, aim…… FIRE.
Bah. So arsenal. So so Arsenal!
What I saw of that was shite. Oh well, win the home games, get a point somewhere away and that should be enough.
As usual on a bad night can we refrain from quoting post numbers please, just in case one or two have to be binned.
Thank you.
Well written, Holic. Tough to watch that one. The team selected should have disposed easily of a very average outfit. Giroud’s red card was the killer.
Well said @ 6.
Sorry sir, couldn’t resist. 😉
At least, tonight’s game is a confirmation that we as fans worried to much.
After this performance it is evident that indeed there was no available player in the world who would improve our current squad, so no worries on that front.
H2H 🙂
Evening BtM, and thank you.
Very frustrating H
Even with 10 men we had more shots overall,and more shots on target than Dinamo.
Perfectly good goal disallowed,which would have levelled things up,and then a poor 2nd goal to concede from a corner.
Players do daft things in the heat of the moment,and Ollie joins the Club.
But still,this is an unacceptable result.
Dinamo had to get through 3 rounds of qualifying to reach the Group stage,such is the low level of regard for the Croatian league by UEFA.
Did Arsene take them too lightly. ??
I can understand making some changes,but replacing 4 of your back 6,including playing 2 full backs who have had no game time this season.??
When the Ramblers went undefeated and did the treble in the Golden season of ’68,the one part of the team that was sacrosanct and our Manager never changed was the back 4,unless forced to by injury or incarceration. !!
Arsene could learn a lot from reading the best selling book on that season called ” We did it our way ”
The Title of which i might add,was nicked by a certain singer who shall remain nameless,who had a world wide hit with it.!!
Such is life.
On to the Bridge.
I can’t believe all your Rallying comments. That was garbage, giroud is useless, Wenger makes no changes until it’s too late. He rests Cech (why) and as usual blames the defeat on the ref. we now have no recognised forward for the olympiacos game which is just incompetence. And Wenger says that their were no players good enough to improve our squad during the transfer window. IMO we are now just a money making machine, there is no pressure on Wenger from the board because he and them are doing very nicely thank you, us the season ticket holders are told to get behind the team and not vent our views and I have had enough. Shocking performance and no excuses, Zagreb cannot believe they won and were there for the taking. The last time we played there with a very average team we won 3 0 which shows just how far we have fallen.
Bobbins.
i’ll leave the post match analysis to the grown-ups.
Bobbins, I say.
There were several lessons from that match. I expect more thoughts will come although it is painful to look back at a game and a performance like that.
I think it is as ever a measured and sand report which our host specialises in and which makes this a sensible place to debate and post. Frankly I disagree that the second yellow card for Giroud was justified. It was a forward’so tackle and a soft sending off but he had been so poor beforehand it made little difference. I thought Walcott took his goal excellently and was a threat from the off.
One big finding for me was that we hugely missed Coquelin. Arteta wasn’t match fit but he is a different player to Arteta and we needed Coquelin’s dynamism in intercepting and blocking. He does much more than the basics in that role and performed creditably after his introduction.
The second goal was awful defending. OK Giroud might have been there if he had not been dismissed but it was a basic near post header. Ox was awful and was asleep for the first goal.
I thought Ozil worked hard but neither he nor Alexis looked able to turn things around and Santi for once was shoddy in some of his distribution.
At least a 2-1 defeat gives us some hope if we have to get a better head to head against Zagreb. They may give Bayern a hard game isn’t home but we are playing for second place already and that’s depressing.
This was a game we could have won. I agree with BtM about the quality of the Zagreb side and in his team selection Wenger underestimated them.
We have moved on from the window but a player like Cabaye ( £10m) would have been very useful tonight and Ayew ( free) would have given us do much more than Campbell was able to give us from the bench.
Looking at Flamini and Campbell on the bench, one knows they are just with us because we couldn’t unload them. They are not going to help us this season and it’s depressing that they had to be options tonight.
Wenger is a sensible man and will face this defeat with an appropriate reaction but momentum moves quickly in football and Saturday looks a different challenge now especially as I suspect that Ramsey is injured.
But it’s one bad game. You’re likely to have half a dozen a season and we have had two already.
Sometimes you lose when you play well. Tonight we were much poorer than we should be.
So zicionexile, rather than being patronising why not make a valid comment.were you pleased with that performance? I have been a season ticket holder since the days of hillier and mcgoldrick but at least then we weren’t paying 1.5k for a ticket and our manager did not take the p… Out of us. We are all mugs, how can gazidis go to the supporters trust and discuss how we have strengthened our squad? 14 players out, 1 in and we are told what great business we have done. Really???
14 players out is only relevant if any of them are first team squad members and, more to the point, knocking on the door of the first team.
A measured if somewhat reserved assessment H, if you don’t mind me saying? I thought it was an embarrassing shambles. Arsene was complacent with his team selection and personally I think that was inexcusable. Why take the risk?
No complaints about the sending off from the refs perspective. Giroud was high and late. A forwards tackle maybe, but we would have been screaming blue murder if we had been the victims and the opposing player did not receive a yellow.
You finally realised how desperate we had become when Joel Campbell got an airing. I look back at all of those who felt we had done the right thing in the transfer market and ask you to think again. Because if you honestly believe that their is no outfield player out there that was available and is better than dear old Joel then I can refer you to a good doctor.
Onwards to Saturday. God knows what that will bring. It has to be the most unpredictable of games.
Clive. Tales of The Ramblers always brightens up a dull day.
Steve, I’ve no problem with you expressing your view. It’s totally understandable. I would prefer we didn’t start personalising stuff though please.
Thanks.
And Steve T, good evening mate.
You know full well we are not looking at whoever might be better than our fourth choice striker. 😉
Mind you, our best started tonight and unless he gets giant slices of common sense and confidence we are in the deep doodoo.
Girouds card was detrimental but he got exactly what he deserved for his petulance and thoughtlessness. He wasn’t alone though in playing poorly – I thought Arteta, Campbell and Gibbs were just awful and had performances that raised some serious questions. For example, I know we all had concerns about Arteta but some felt that he might have been capable of doing a job against lessor opposition. Well tonight we played lessor opposition and he just wasn’t up to it! And I feel that Gibbs can’t be trusted to play at full back either. He actually ducked for the corner at the front post that led to their second. Look at the replays – its unbelievable.
I agree with Clive – changing the back four is one of big no – no’s in most team selections but if I’m honest, with our experience and talent – we still should never have been in trouble against a side like this. To loose against such an average side is just unacceptable. Watch Bayern play this Zagreb side – they’ll win comfortably in both legs doing the bare minimum. Yet we continue make sure we make it as difficult as possible.
Good evening sir.
My point about transfers has been made in previous drinks. We have had more than enough opportunity to improve this squad, but for whatever reason we chose not to. Many proclaimed that they were happy with our dealings. It will always be a total mystery to me. Nights like tonight don’t help me in a way to solve that mystery. Perhaps we should just sign Scooby Doo and be done with it.
I’ve had it with this OG or Theo nonsense. After today I’m more than ever convinced that having them compete for the CF position is half the cause of both snatching at chances and generally under-performing in front of goal. Play them together ffs, and tell Theo he’s a winger first and foremost, an opportunist striker second and striking off OG’s hold-up play third.
How Ox gets into the starting XI ahead of Theo continues to mystify. In the interlull he played 157 minutes for England to no effect whatever, while Theo played 23 minutes and scored twice. Not to mention he scored a hat-trick the last time he played in Zagreb.
I fear my doubts about AW’s latter management years are re-surfacing. And as for the weekend this effort may have played straight into Moaninho’s grubby paws…
Öskar
H. I have been thinking about the point you made above. We in theory have four main strikers at the club, if you include Theo. 3 played this evening. The only one missing is Danny W.
Good enough for The Arsenal??????
The prosecution rests.
Good measured report ‘Holic really. I had bad feelings as soon as I saw the line up. Too much rotation at once and with too many players who had not yet played this season. I still think Arteta can be useful but he needs Rambo’s turbo next to him, pairing him with Santi wasn’t going to work against this hungry bunch. Debuchy and more so Gibbs are rusty, both can play much better than that. Besides Giroud the most disappointing for me was Ox who I feel is too eager and ends up frustrated very quickly during his last few games.
Now once Theo and Coquelin were involved we were another team and for someone playing his first minutes of football this season I thought young Joel showed some lovely skill, on the night he was better than Ox.
Oskar: I don’t understand your reaction? Giroud lost us the game and the minute Theo was on the pitch their defenders were all over. If anything was proven it’s that at the moment Theo is our best striker. Ollie’s confidence is shot it will take him time to recover but his performance tonight won’t help.
Four strikers? OG, yes. Theo and Alexis are wingers. Santi is, or should be, a playmaker. Jack, Ox and Rambo are attacking MFs with defensive responsibilities. Özil and Danny can’t make up their minds. Campbell isn’t qualified to be anything, and the youngsters could be anything but this is no time to be taking risks.
That makes one out and out striker only, imo. I can’t believe Theo’s contract demands he only plays CF, and the sooner he gets told that experiment has failed the better. I just fear he will get left out altogether if a striker is brought in, when he is currently our only forward in any kind of goal-scoring form.
Still, it’s months before the next window to find the best combo of what we have, and there’s a lot of talent in the squad which just needs to start gelling as we know they can.
Öskar
I can’t be arsed to look for it at this time of night, but I recall Arsene saying once something along the lines of changing more than three players in the team was not good.
On the evidence of tonight he isn’t a bad judge.
Joe, I hear you re Gibbs. Not only did he duck, but he wasn’t even looking at the ball. How on earth he got the start over Nacho is beyond me.
Fair comment Matt. I just think OG is reacting badly to the him-or-Theo-for-CF competition, and that is the main cause of his frustration and lack of form. I believe the two are complimentary rather than competitors and should play together.
Öskar
Cheers, Holic.
So tonight was supposed to be our ‘easiest’ away fixture of the group stage.
As usual the manager decided several of our second string would be able to “win the game”, and so he changed three of our back five, four of our back six, including the defensive midfielder.
As usual this backfired and resulted in an incoherent performance and a defeat.
As usual we will now contest second place in the group and run the gauntlet of a proper super power in the first round of the knockout stages.
The club captain played tonight, a rare occurrence over the last couple of seasons, and proved that he is well and truly past it. Fortunately, those of us who claimed that a defensive midfielder to truly conpete and provide back-up for Coquelin was our top summer transfer priority, can rest assured that there was no-one better than Arteta (or Flamini for that matter) on the planet. At least we know then that defeat was unavoidable as there simply isn’t anyone who could have done a better job.
One could have expected Giroud to knuckle down and be absolutely determined to prove his value to the team tonight. If he is a man in need of a confidence boost, he is least likely to find it in the stand when our next match comes around.
As usual we failed to make a statement away from home in Europe and are left to realise that our squad players are not quite so peerless in the world as we are led to believe.
Every season sees the same strategy with the same result.
Predictable and depressing.
Matt,
Arteta is the club captain and has jyst been given an extended contract i believe. He should be able to play his position regardless of who is next to him,his status in the club suggests HE should be the one providing direction and help, not the one who needs it.
And I don’t know if Gibbs is rusty but I do know he is not a good defender. Neither is he anywhere near Monreal’s level – at either end of the pitch. If rust is the problem, an away Champions League tie seems an odd time to get the WD40 out.
Annndd Chelski with the big win after Arsenal embarrass themselves again – right before we pitch up at the Bridge on Saturday.
Ohh yess!!!…things going to plan then.
Agreed Holic re Gibbs.
I honestly thought I was seeing things and had to rewind it and watch it again to believe my eyes.
Compliments to you Matt – a good post.
I’ve long been a fan of Oxlade, but tonight I can understand perfectly why Wenger prefers Rambo on the wing against the stronger teams.
Arsene is often criticized for not rotating and when he shows some faith in his squad and we get an awful result, he’s slaughtered. He probably over did the rotation but the players need to deliver when given the opportunity. Reading his post match reactions, it seemed like he was willing to take some responsibility for the bad result due to not getting the team balance correct.
The players who got the nod today, should have been able to get a result. Nevertheless, it makes no sense lamenting about the transfer window as that’s done and dusted for now.
Guv, the boss just chose to give Monreal a breather ahead of the derby game, as without a doubt, he is now the first choice left back.
I don’t want to be too harsh on Giroud but he strikes me as being too thin-skinned and emotional for such a big strong footballer. He needs to develop a thicker skin and get on with the game, as I noticed that his form plummeted massively after Thierry’s comments last season, as if he took those comments extremely personal.
Impec1.
Really good points. Especially about OG. He’s need to get his head right as its clearly not.
IF … big IF … he turns it around and knocks in 25 goals this season, the “he’s not a striker” nonsense should stop. Here’s hoping he improves.
Evening Trev, et al. 🙂
Okay, I saw a funny one on the Guardian:
This is what happens when you don’t use your Coq.
Yikes … and with that, exit stage left!
Use it or you lose it as they say Homer. 🙂
I feel very sorry for Arsene , he put all his trust on his players and this is what Giroud repay him .
This guy doesn’t understand what is important and shouldn’t play again for Arsenal .
Odd kinda religion they practice down in Geogia.
http://abcnews.go.com/US/103-year-woman-banned-life-long-church/story?id=33803540
Just sayin’
Fair report ‘h.
Inevitable result because of Arsene’s perennial arrogance and complacency.
Complete arrogance and complacency in both team selection and tactics.
Ridiculously naive and insulting to the 1,000+ travelling fans and our opponents who haven’t lost a home match in 11 months. Incredible!
I really don’t get this “gave him a breather/rest” nonsense. This is mid September, not mid December. I know we are a fragile outfit but do we need to rest so many this early on?
Spot on Trev.
Joe: Thanks!
Impec1: Excellent points, especially regarding Giroud. I did not make the connection with TH’s criticism but it’s obvious now.
Oskar: You are probably right regarding how competition with Theo may affect OG. Now I have always had belief in Theo as a striker and I hope this will be his season to prove he can excel there. If it’s at the expense of Giroud becoming stand-in so be it. I understand those who don’t have my faith in Theo may see things differently.
Trev: Yes getting a stand-in DM to replace Flamini would have been a better move. That said Gilberto was good next to Paddy but a midfield of Gilberto and Pires would have been slaughtered. Coquelin is Makelele on speed. He’s the only reason we can afford to play with two playmakers. Arteta never was that kind of player. Maybe you’re right about him being past it, hopefully for us you are off by 9 months but what’s sure is that Arteta and Santi together in the middle makes as much sense as Gilberto and Bobby.
Arsene got many things wrong in the line-up with too much focus on Saturday’s game. We’ll see soon enough if the risk was worth it.
Dear Steve
No I wasn’t happy with the performance – I thought it was Bobbins, and said so.
For some reason you seemed to think my comment was aimed at you, and got all upset on the internet – never mind.
Couldn’t face the Bar after seeing the result yesterday evening. This morning’s back-drink showed the essential soundness of that decision.
The same tired old Monday morning quarterbacks making the same tired old points in the same tired old ways. I trust you will afford me the same privilege.
We had a bad result after a bad performance. Wenger made some changes that didn’t come off. Get over it. The performance in this match may affect the next. That effect may be positive or negative. Mourinho is a cunt.
Roll on Saturday.
COYG
I thought we were shite, more or less top to bottom.
There’s definitely an element of hubris contributing to the defeat, both in the squad selection and individual performances. That said, the XI we went out should have been capable of doing the job: this time last year the likes of Gibbs, Arteta, Debuchy and Giroud were first-teamers.
Far too much to criticise, but let’s do edited highlights.
Giroud – I don’t care what’s going on with him, he needs to sort it out. He’s always been prone to a funk, but that was a petulant, selfish, nigh on unprofessional performance, and it cost us. Second yellow card was extraordinarily harsh in my book, but he wound the ref up and then have him and excuse. He needs to take a look at himself – wallowing in self pity will not get him his first choice back, and I suspect he will now spend a while in the doghouse.
Arteta… that was the kind of performance many of us had feared, and it does look like his legs have gone. That said, I’m loathe to get on the back of a player who’s just come back from ten months out. I think pairing him with Cazorla was a terrible idea – the pair were desperately short of mobility all night. Arteta needs to play alongside Ramsey, Coq needs to play alongside Santi. That’s how it looks to me.
Kos had a weirdly shakey game, while I thought Gabriel was one of our better performers, despite the massive rick at the end. Ozil was in and out. Alexis is worrying me – he appears to have mislaid his mojo. Ox needs to get his head down and start taking his opportunities.
I do worry that, of the front four who started last night, Giroud is in a funk, Ox is far from a regular goalscorer and Ozil doesn’t get as many as he should. That’s a huge weight on Alexis shoulders. The good news is that theo seems to be coming back into the goals – we will need him to.
One of the most distressing aspects of last night was our shape. From the sending off until the subs, we seemed to lose it completely – Alexis shifted inside and Gibbs appeared to assume responsibility for the entire left flank. Ox, of course, needs no invitation to come inside, and Kos started to stroll out of defence to help the midfield. It looked a complete mess, and was horribly reminiscent of the lack of control with which we chased the game against Monaco last season – that sense that we need to win it in the next five minutes.
The whole affair also felt like a terrible echo of last winter, when we struggled with injuries and lack of cohesion. Last season we had the excuse of new players settling in and a World Cup summer. I have no idea why we look so half baked this time round.
In fairness, I should add to all of the above that the ref was shit. Their first goal was offside, he disallowed a perfectly good goal for Ozil and the second yellow for Giroud was extremely harsh. He also fussed over everything all night in a manner entirely unhelpful to a team chasing the game.
So, there you go; we were shite, we need to sort it out fast. Onwards and upwards.
COYG
Pangloss @44 said everything I wanted to.
I agree with N7’s analysis and thank him for the effort.
Where are my manners? A fine report, Guvnor, which bodes well for the bar’s tenth year in the top flight. Thank you once more and always.
Andy Gray, who like all commentators prefers to speak in the ‘language of football’ rather than get bogged down in trivialities like verbs, tenses or even sentences, managed years ago to get in a muddle over the word ‘rickety’ and think it means ‘full of ricks’. He began using it as such and hence the word ‘rick’, meaning a mistake, has been born. To the best of my knowledge it is not a word. You will not find it in dictionaries anywhere. Baffling.
Do I want a Scot making up words and smuggling them into popular usage? Bobbins I do.
Pangloss,
I rarely get involved in post match ‘analysis’. The Guvnor generally says exactly what I would and makes a much better job of it.
It was not the loss last night but the nature of it. Too many changes, too late substitutions, stupid attitude from some players who should know better.
This, as you have reminded me amongst others, is a forum for ALL opinions regarding Arsenal. So last night this ‘tired old Monday morning quarterback’ made a few negative comments, without a single word of profanity or abuse.
As you said, sir, “get over it”.
Would that I could meet such unnecessary defeat with such languid acceptance.
Haven’t read yours yet, N7.
Later, work now.
Good morning,
I guess we made the same mistake again.
We had one eye on the Chelsea match, instead of concentrating fully on Zagreb.
With all due respect, the Zagreb side that played yesterday nicked that result.
I was out in a pub last night, but form what I saw, the Ox should have been nowhere near the back post, on the wrong side of the player. I will need to see what happened again before consuming as many draughts as yesterday. But then it was 1-0.
The ref obviously got the Giroud decision wrong. However, I think I heard somewhere that Grioud was given a second yellow for descent. Really ref? After he played the bloody ball fairly? Okay…
In summary, one mistake at the back cost us our 3 points. Have we started to worry about this so-called ‘d*ffic*lt r*n’ I have heard being made up? One thing I must admit, and that is that even I didn’t see this game coming.
Remember, our aim is the league and Chelsea’s is the Champions league. That is clear to anybody. But that does not mean we can afford to piss away potential easy matches.
Last night was a wasted opportunity, to balance the second so-called ‘s*cond str*ng’, because to win serious trophies, we need everybody to be singing from the same hymn sheet. But this can be a little difficult if players do not get many games.
Catch 22. Think we need put it behind us and push on, quickly! We’ve got a league to worry about!
UTA!!
Excellent measured report ‘H and quick off the mark as well!
Some top posts as always from the regulars. Sadly we appear to be slowly dropping downwards in our European forays. Another lack lustre performance away to a “lesser light” – Groundhog Day comes to mind.
The management and the players, despite all their champions league experience, seem unable to put on a professional performance in these games. And the same platitudes will come forth – lets have less talk and more walk from now onwards.
The season is still young with lots to play for. Onwards & upwards.
These are the post-match comments from Mamic the Dinamo Zagreb coach who hadn’t lost a home match in 11 months up to yesterday. Oh and just for the record, he’s a rather good mate of Slavan Bilic the West Ham Manager and Coach!
I reiterate; completely arrogant and complacent in both our team selection and tactics! An utterly predictable result and performance that we’ve seen many a times of a season!
“Arsenal is one of the best teams who ever played here and they did exactly what we agreed they would do.”
“We thought it would be very important to close the middle, to stop the fast passes. That’s what we did and it’s nothing new.”
“We have already seen other teams who beat Arsenal use the same tactics. This is a good way to beat them.”
“Arsenal has top four top international players, and other top players compared to Dinamo, but they are not world class. We just concentrated in not letting them come to the ball. It was probably one our best games tactically.”
Mamic is a dickhead and knows shyt about football, all he knows is making money from player sales.
Stoke tried to close the middle and stop the passes too. In fact every team, that faces Arsenal tries that every game.
The problem yesterday was that Debuchy and Gibbs are tactically inferior to Bellerin and especially Monreal.
As our midfielders tend to cut inside the middle it is the fullbacks that provide width in this team as we all know. Bellerin is not the most experienced player in the team but he is surely our fastest one, so he can control that right side on his own with little help of Coq when needed. Last night’s combo of Arteta and Debuchy is nowhere near doing it.
On the left side you usually have Monreal who is not the fastest or strongest player on earth, but is very intelligent and picks his runs cleverly. Gibbs is one average leftback who offers nothing in the offensive department and very little on the defensive. He is useless. We might consider selling him and buy a backup LB this January.
As for Arteta, all I can say is that we are Coquelin injury away from ruined season.
Lurky @54,
Ok, so who decided to drop the first-choice fullbacks and then, once again, not recognise this tactical deficiency in their replacements attributes? Were the replacements ever ordered to maintain the width if they didn’t recognise it themselves? Just as a correction, Monreal and not Gibbs played in our first home game of the season when we lost to Mamic’s mate Bilic.
Danc, don’t overestimate Bilic, please. Capable manager, but not even close to be a tactical genius. He has a good team this year and usually have a good start wherever he is in charge. Wait to see him under pressure, his collapse is almost Giroudesque.
Against West Ham, it was Monreal at LB, I never said he was not. The problem at the left side that game, was the absence of Alexis, not the presence of Monreal.
Yellow for descent? Is that a new way to say simulation? I heard he was given a yellow for dissent.
Not to say I don’t know what you intended GT. 😉 I am sick and tired of these soft red cards in the Champions League. What a fixed farce, all orchestrated by the Sepp Blatter wannabe.
There are games and then are games likes this one. Poor is an understatement for we were that and more. Would we have won 11 vs 11, i doubt the win, maybe a draw. We just did not turn up for the game and everyone is to blamed for that, least of all the boss.
The sad part is chelshit up next and it is conveniently set up for them. Everyone will expect us to turnaround and react and play as if there is no tomorrow. Mou will say the same to his team, frustrate them and they will crumble. He will simply say get the first goal and sit back. Arsene and the boys need to be better, far better to be with a chance of winning the game. The strategy is simple for those sick retards, do we have the know how to beat them at their own game?? it doesnt look like if we judge by yesterday’s performance.
I am sorry if it sounds like i said so but then i have been saying this all along, we needed a DM an upgrade to Coq if possible but atleast one more there for Arteta and Flamini were never the answer. Gibbs is positionally poor and there is nothing that has changed towards it.
All in all what is most worrying we seem to have such terrible performances every season/ is this is a mindset or a lack of desire? Who takes the blame for this cannot be a recurrence.
Lurky,
I never said that Bilic, nor Mamic for that matter, is a “tactical genius”. The fact that they are not is precisely the point I’m making. It would be far better if they actually were “tactical geniuses”!
When you are arrogant and complacent it doesn’t take a “tactical genius” to beat you. Only an average disciplinarian!
Vinnay-
Remember Arsene said there was no one out there that could have improved the club. What a joke. No one better than Arteta and Flamini out there really? Wenger and the board are too smart for their own good. Same old story am afraid. Goodluck to the boys on Saturday because we will definitely need it to get anything out of that game.
bt8 –
I knew something was up when I saw the predictor on my mobile phone screen show up! 😉
But as for the YC – Pure bollix mate!
N7 couldn’t agree more.
Ref didn’t help one bit and the second was very harsh, OG on the other hand should have worked it out himself that after his antics on the first yellow he should keep himself on his toes.
Hopefully they will learn from this rather lethargic performance the slow start to these competitions doesn’t do any justice for Wenger and for his sake I hope his troops are ready to take on the challenge from now on, to be honest I think the team that went out on that pitch yesterday evening completely ignored their opponent and thought it would be another walk in the park. It’s a shame because we always come back here and moan that it’s the same as last year and yesterday was exactly just that.
Now bring on Bus stop in Fulham!
A Moan, as explained by the Oxford English :-
1) A long, low sound made by a person expressing physical or mental suffering.
2) A complaint which is perceived as trivial and not taken seriously by others.
I suffered from #1 while I watched the game and from #2 reading some of the above over reaction.
Thanks for the sanity Holic.
Onward to the bus stop.
UTA.
ATG
The last post not directed at you – our respective moans crossed.
UTA.
N7 @45 – agreed, very good stuff.
Does that include you and/or I in the moaners and over-reactors ?
Don’t know and don’t care. It was reasoned, accurate and non-abusive as, I hope, was mine.
If people just shout ” oi, some of you” from the back of the playground all the time, it’s hard to know whether to respond and to whom.
http://arsenalist.com/f/2015-16/zagreb-vs-arsenal/alex-oxlade-chamberlain-own-goal-1-0.html
Offside goal, will anyone argue??
Oi Trev,
I’m not including you in any moaners / over reactors club unless you clearly show that you want to be. If so, you must try harder than simply being reasoned and non-abusive – that won’t cut it. You’ll have to be more whiney and show more perfect hindsight.
Also you’ll need to vote for your preference in the club’s theme music which is currently split between –
1) Mony Mony – Tommy James and the Shondell’s ( not Billy Idol’s nonsense)
or
2) D’ya Wanna Be In My Gang – Gary Glitter.
Let me know your preference or if you’d like to suggest an alternative.
Cheers.
UTA.
DM upgrade over le Coq. Hmm … Head scratcher there. And who might that be – of the available players?
I think that should read – another DM to give him competiton and isnt a step down in quality and ability when he is rested or injured.
Its one game holcs. Annoying as hell, yes. Feels like same same old, yes. But lets not call for mass team rearrangement on one result. OG, Debuchy, Gibbs and Alexis had stinkers. Very unlikely that happens again.
Most club supporters i know dont pull this hand-wringing, off-with-his-head! stuff after a loss. (Football manager, the video game, has made impatient twats of us alll.). Its one game. As said above – onward and upward.
Not hugely concerned by yesterday’s result. It didn’t tell us a huge amount we don’t already know, and over the course of a 50+ game season we’re going to lose a few and turn in some indifferent performances (it’s human nature – even Barca will lose some games this season). I’m not going to be one of those who can’t wait to vent on the odd occasion we lose. Constructive analysis is one thing, but some people I think are generally disgusted that Arsenal have deigned to fail to provide that weekly gratification fix of a win that all ‘super’ clubs now expect. Just b/c you pay over 1k a year in a season ticket doesn’t insulate you from the realities of the odd defeat, and the realities of coming up against other excellent sides in tough domestic and European competitions. Fair enough, if we finish 10th in the league and last in our Champions Lge group, then that’s not commensurate with the large investment Arsenal expect of their season ticket holders, but one defeat means nothing – we’re still more than likely to hit our realistic objective of ‘improvement’ i.e. finishing in top 2 of the Prem, and trying to better a R16 finish in the CL.
And I don’t take anyone seriously who uses insulting, hyperbolic language. Someone called Giroud a “useless” footballer yesterday, which completely devalues the merit of any argument they might have (he may have had a dire game and is going through a tough run of form professionally, but anyone with 60 goals in 109 games for us commands our base respect). Not to mention a certain contributor who revels in using derisory, withering language to describe Ozil and Welbeck among other players…
For those commenting on a game they even didn’t see or clearly weren’t paying attention to, Giroud’s first booking was for descent, in other words for acting the knob, and it was totally deserved. To be honest, I wish more referees in the PL would do the same because too many players get away with their spoiled petulent attitude and it’s ruining the game (one of many things that is, alas).
From that moment he is walking a tightrope and needs to use his head, he did not. He’d obviously pissed the ref off, if he’d just got to half time things may of calmed down between himself and the official, but no, he let his emotions get the better of him and made a rash challenge, an unnessacary lunge on a player who was in no danger of going anywhere, giving the ref the perfect opportunity to send him packing. Dumb, dumb, dumb.
Mr Wenger bemoaning the standard of the officiating was (IMHO) pathetic. Maybe he wasn’t the greatest, but he didn’t put that team out and Zagreb were ahead before OG went into meltdown. It’s not the ref’s fault that we seem totally incapable of adapting to situations or make in game changes. Why didn’t we change things up at HT? Why did it take so long to get Feo on? Why didn’t Coq come on earlier to sort out the defence/midfield? What TF is the point of Campbell?
MOOOOOOOAAAAAAAAAN!!!
H2H @71,
Spot on 100%! A “moaner’s” Guiness to that fella Barkeep!
Up the Arse!
2 FA cups on the trot plus every pundit expecting us to challenge for the title: it’s as if becoming more successful sends more and more into meltdown every time there’s a freakish result. I’m with Gregoire on this one.
Also the tired old tropes “same old same old” and “groundhog day” are lazy and lame. We never read “we dominated them from the start and won soundly same old same old” or “Wenger moulds a winger into a lethal striker, groundhog day”. Find something original to say instead.
I find the “why did Wenger rotate?” kangaroo-court criticisms particularly amusing! Damned if he does (b/c some of those players didn’t perform on the day unfortunately – though how was he to know/predict that beforehand?!), yet he’d be damned if he didn’t – especially if players on the ‘edge’ got injured or ended up fatigued for the biggie on Saturday.
To me, it’s pretty common sense that it was logical giving Ospina, Debuchy, Gibbs, Arteta et al a game at this relatively formative stage of the season, and I know it’s not ideal when we lose, but at least we’ve learnt that these players are 2nd choice for a reason, and that rotation might need to be tempered more if at all possible in the weeks and months to come.
N7 pretty much sums up my view too so I’ll just refer anyone interested in my opinion to what he said at or about 45.
N7 @45,
Sorry, just noticed your post on the back-drink! Superb and 100% spot on too! A “moaners” Guiness to that fellow too please Barkeep!
Up the Arse!
Dapper Dan …..don’t forget a drink on the bar for the moaners about the moaners 😉
What N7 and H2H said is good enough for me. Another Moretti please barman.
I really don’t get all the criticism. Before the match everyone said Wenger had to rotate (“What’s the use of squad depth if the replacements don’t get playing time?”) The only real lesson is the guys on the outside looking in just did not do enough…they had a bad night. So the rotation didn’t work as expected. I think it is down to the players not Wenger. It’s time for these well-compensated men to start performing consistently.
Giroud was silly. Gibbs was gunshy. Ox and Debuchy were lackadaisical. Time to grow-up boyos.
I am more concerned that we can’t depend on the understudies. What will we do when Wenger’s played the first-teamers into the ground; since he’s been pilloried for rotating. That’s the coaching concern I have.
Roll on Saturday. As long as we play alertly, aggressively, and intelligently, we should be ok. A point at the bridge is quite good to me.
Finally, for once in a long time, I agree with Oscar. Get both Giroud and Theo in the same line-up with instructions for Theo to be a winger first, opportunistic striker second.
Come on you Reds.
BMBD
Barkeep, you heard Uplymp’! And put those moaners’ pints on my rather-fetching Dapper-tab that you’ve appropriately placed next to my in-house cravat and smoking jacket! Open up the Cookies & Cream too! But none for Wolfie if he’s still got that pink Summer thong on! It’s Autumn now! 😎
Feo14 will become a world class striker if he gets a chance! He’ll score 30+ this season and I’m willing to put a couple of my Saville Row cravats on the line cos I’m that confident in the young boy-man!
Howdy Dapper DanC, Lonestar and other stray holics. 🙂
Having at last analyzed the Dinamo Zagreb match “very well” Arsene Wenger pin-pointed the tactical genius of the Zagreb manager for playing the ever-popular Crozillian Eduardo as their surprise goalkeeper. Adopting a Texas twang, Wenger added “It confused the hell out of every last one of us.” 😉
Pictures of Eduardo, then and now:
http://i.dailymail.co.uk/i/pix/2007/06_03/EduardoDaSilva_468x631.jpg
http://www.record.xl.pt/storage/2014_8/ng0B1290EC-EE3F-4897-B576-E55DF6EBE0D1.JPG?type=big
Gregoire, Matt, Lonestar – nice job guys. The team that Arsene sent out should have been able to get a result.
He made a judgment call to rotate and it didn’t work. The second string players got an opportunity to show that they were ready to be called upon, but didn’t respond to the challenge.
I just hope the people saying that it was nonsense and stupid to rotate, aren’t the same ones complaining about running the same players into the ground and injuries in a few weeks. COYG!!
and if water was dry
ye’d all have serviceable trousers knickerwetters
i know i said in the past
here like a real bar
it is
without the repercussions
and god bless here for it
but
some conversations
jeez
akin to going to see black lace
them not playing agadoo
and you getting the hump
.
i wanny hear ramblers’ tales
i wanny hear nonsense
i wanny hear ARSENAL !
.
the big girls apparently have enough blouses !
.
ahhh
fuck off ya tarts
and
ps
gsd
houl yer wheesht ya wee skitter
er al do yer windies
Its just five weeks into the season, so I really didn’t see the need for rotation this early on. We underestimated our opponents simple as that. Most of the players had an international break and didn’t even play a lot of minute for their countries. I still don’t think we should have rotated that much for our first match in the group stage. Forward and onward next match please.. COYG
Willian and Pedro are out for Chelsea so there’s that.
I was just getting over the West Ham result then came this. Last season we had awful performances at Dortmund, Swansea, Stoke, Southampton home to Monaco and Tottenham.
We have great bouncebackability although I don’t think it will help us on Saturday. Playing at home against Maccabi was a massive advantage for Chelsea. We will be significantly more tired.
We have to find a reason why we suddenly implode even if we then correct the fault….for the next seven games or so.
I think on nights like last night the lack of leaders is an issue, as is the fragility of some players and the sheer unprofessionalism of the Gibbs behaviour for their second goal- a basic near post header.
I will still turn up to see them week after week whatever , but I fear we haven’t got the squad good enough to challenge for the title. A pity because I think we could have
last paragraph 100% m’lud
obviously not the turning up bit
finished whittling mittens for the younguns
something funny
gnight
I look at the headline and wonder how many times one has seen the self -destruct in it. I could count on hand if it was holding a calculator, to quote a sitcom character. Some great points by the regulars, esp. the one WD40 by Trev. Spot on. Why test your players on an important away game? But this is not the first time the players have let down Wenger, and it won’t be the last. For some reason, God knows why. they seem to think they can look on ‘smaller’ teams and get properly whacked. But they don’t learn. Hope Alexis doesn’t have a second season syndrome. Not sure about the bus stop game, Moronho hates Wenger and will do everything to win this, it’s down to the players to show have they have a pair and repay the faith the manager shows in them over and over.
CBA
The jury ‘s out this season.
Judgement Day tomorrow
Chelsea’s going down
Mourinho banged to rights
The Bench will retire- well Flamini anyway
Justice will be done ⚽️
It’s always interesting after a game like that to see how people react. It’s also interesting now to see that many are placed into different sections. There are the moaners, the Monday morning quarterbacks and those trotting out the same old stuff again and again. Then there’s the oh dear, never mind, it’s only a game types. The deal with its and move on mob. There’s the same old same old Groundhog Day merchants. A right royal mixture. But, amongst all of the different viewpoints, feelings, emotions etc, there is a feeling that no one has expressed? Not one person has appeared shocked or surprised by the events of Wednesday night. Call it what you like but we have all seen that sort of performance and result so many times over the years that it is almost accepted as a bi product of what we are. Perhaps we should be asking, why are we not surprised and isn’t it about time that something happened to change it? Or do we just sit back and accept it as normal service?
Steve T: Change what? Do you think there won’t be any bumps on the road with a magic manager? Should we get Klopp maybe, he did so well at Dortmund. Or a Van Gall clone who’d only need 300M quids investment after sacking half the players? I bet Mourinho’s going to be free very soon and he’s interested so him then? What is your magic solution, do tell us please.
Again and again you keep moving the goalposts which in turn fuels your own frustration. At the time I took a break from the bar you were up in arms about us not winning silverware. We won 2 FA Cups in the last two seasons, the team keeps getting better to the point were the majority sees us as challengers. Did that make you happier? Quite the opposite I would say, if I recall correctly you were so riled up to the point of taking a break yourself. The more successful we are the the more upset you become. Why are you doing this to yourself?
What we’re really missing is an inspirational captain who leads by example. Who wouldn’t tolerate that kind of performance.
Öskar
🙂 thunder T
.
here’s hoping
here’s hoping
90 minutes hard labour !!!!
sorry for stepping on yer toes m’lud
but
“that’s ma rulin'”
“breaking twonks inna fulham”
http://m.youtube.com/watch?v=OgtQj8O92eI
the lassies in the hats ?
now that’s a back four
the offside arms up in unison
aaah
happier days
;(
Matt. It’s really really simple for me. Be the best you can be. I have listened to excuse after excuse for years now and quite frankly I’m bored stiff with it. I also know from those that sit round me that the majority near me feel the same. We pay silly money to watch games. The club had yet again increased all of the prices within the ground and for what? To see the same old failings.
If you are happy with everything then fine. I respect your opinion. But I’m not sadly. A change? Who knows? Perhaps the club suffers from a large amount of complacency from the board down?
cba. I call foul!- You’re not a Scot!
But you can consider my wheesht houled…
hate to agree steve T
heartbreakin’ stuff
hate to agree
hate it
from the board down
and
the bored up
but
like nothing else
i am the eternal Arsenal optimist
to be any other way
i dunno
i just can’t
ding
dong
Oskar- Totally right. For all the world-class players we’ve had since Wenger started the one we have always missed the most is Paddy. Even on his worst days he refused to give an inch. And he dragged the rest of the team up to his level.
*hides the ref’s red cards*
Like you CBA, all I want is the very best for my club. The club I have supported since before I could walk.
That’s all.
The refs fault again CBA. He has missed it totally.
Well notched sir.
🙂
Steve I totally see you’re entering the red zone. It’s not as many people as you claim though considering the results of the last AST poll:
84% of AST members agree that Arsene Wenger is the right person to manage Arsenal Football Club (10% disagree and 6% have no view)
76% of AST members are satisfied with Arsenal’s football performance in recent seasons (10% not satisfied and 14% neither satisfied nor dissatisfied).
It doesn’t matter if you or I are in the majority since none of us has any influence whatsoever on what happens on the pitch anyway. Like most I’m not happy with everything but silverware is sweet and if the trend continues there’s more on our way.
The standard you set can only make you unhappy. Do you know of everyone who’s the best they can be all the time ever? And for a club the best you can be means win every game in every competition. What’s the point of imaginary goals that can never be reached and will only leave you frustrated?
Matt. The best you can be is making the best of what you have. It is not just about winning or trophies. With vast amounts of cash sat doing nothing and obvious weaknesses that we have all alluded to I would suggest that as a club, we could and should be in better shape. As I said, just my opinion.
I have said for ages that I’m far from convinced that the owner and the board have the same interests of us fans. It’s a business to them all. A money making machine. I have never called for the manager to go and I don’t envisage a time when I would. But I do not think he/we are as effective in our dealings since he lost his right hand man. The big problem is that the 4th is a trophy ethos is exceptionally lucrative to those in charge.
Matt. You are the last person I would have expected to quote the AST.
🙂
‘hol
i’m a man of peace
lord knows i am
but you feckin stole me ton
expect a rap on yer dooor sunshine !
Get in!
Morning all. Personally, I’ll worry about the Chavs tomorrow, today is all about the egg-chasing. You going tonight Steve?
consider yerself the proud owner
of a fat lip and a thick ear , gsd
try starting a camp fire song
from the boot of a car
and
Up
before ye ask
twas a late night
😉
The problem with trying to be “the best you can be” is that several other clubs around us are also doing the same thing. And in some cases, given resources, their “best you can be” is better than our “best you can be”.
Doesn’t excuse the other night’s clown school performance, but which English club are we supposed to want to exchange places with?
Utd – who haven’t won anything in a few years now, also lost in midweek to unfancied opponents, finished behind us last season and missed champs league football the season before?
Chelsea – sat on even more cash than we are, and currently one place off the relegation zone?
City – who have won precisely as many trophies as we have in the last couple of seasons, and who struggle in Europe just as much as we do?
There are things I’m disappointed about. I think we could have had a better summer, and I reckon we should be looking to kick on this season, and there are early signs that we may struggle to do so. But I choose to view these issues in their broader context, which is that we don’t have it so bad all things considered, and that things strike me as being on a general trend of improvement – there are ups and downs, but the line on the graph is broadly going in the right direction.
I also think it’s worth bearing in mind that this is an online message forum, not the Arsenal boardroom. Some people choose to moan and groan; that’s their look-out. Others attempt to cheer each other up; I think that’s equally fair. But nobody should delude themselves into thinking that the serial moaners care more, or are having some sort of positive impact on the club. We’re all fans, all just rubbing along as best we can and reacting to the bumps in the rollercoaster in our own different ways.
COYG
N7.
“The problem with trying to be “the best you can be” is that several other clubs around us are also doing the same thing. And in some cases, given resources, their “best you can be” is better than our “best you can be.”
N7, I love your posts but there lies the problem. I don’t really care too much what others do. It’s not an issue for me. I’m only concerned with what we do. If we genuinely are the best we can be and we come up against a superior opponent then so be it. That is sport. That is the competitive battle. If that’s the case then you hold your head high, take it on the chin, shake hands and move on. If that happens then I don’t have a problem in the slightest. But for me, we are nowhere near that, and that is the source of my frustration.
Morning Snowy. Yes, I’m very pleased to say that I am there. Lower tier, entrance D if you are near and fancy a pint. I am bringing Ben with me and so very much looking forward to it.
Moan maybe the wrong word. Disappointment said aloud maybe putting it in the right sense. What happens after a loss or a draw is a reaction far more animated than after a win. A win is taken for granted, a loss or even a draw is like how could this happen. I also am among the ones who lament but never will i give up or accuse blindly.
Chavs are a pain, they are everything i despise off and yet deep down i am not sure we can beat them tomorrow. Isnt it time that we did??? Why does it take such an enormity for us to beat our rivals. 9 years since we had beaten united at OT till Danny scored, city some years as well till last season, chelsea was last beaten at the bridge 5-3 right. I know its tough away but why such a gap? Is there so much of a gap between us and them now that it is being said that if Arsenal beat chelsea, it is an upset.
Arsenal and Arsene need to win tomorrow. It wont impact much in terms of the league but it is far more than that. We need to win big games, we need to show we are on level par and can beat anyone anywhere.
Expect the same team as the one that started against Stoke. I would just tinker one thing though. Play Ramsey next to coquelin and rest Santi. Theo wide right, Giroud upfront. Ramsey against azpilqueta is not going to work for the chelsea man is excellent in one on one defending. He can be beaten by pace and who better than Theo.
Win this one Arsenal, we need it desperately.
@ Steve
I hear you. I think that’s where our approaches differ; for me, context is incredibly important, and you only get that by looking at what our rivals are doing.
I do share a lot of your frustrations about where we are at the minute, for what it’s worth. I’ve been fairly forgiving in previous seasons, but I feel that our position is different now (in terms of the quality of the squad and the cash that is clearly – beyond debate – now available) and we should be looking to step up to that next level. I suppose my own expectations and demands are rising accordingly.
We may yet take that big step up in the weeks ahead, and tomorrow’s game is a prime opportunity, but right now its feels very much like Autumn 2014 all over again, as the squad struggles for cohesion, particularly going forward.
Top news Steve – will try and track you down later!
Mourinho will be desperate not to lose the game so he will pack the bus as usua and try to catch us on counter attack. It’s nothing new so I say we pack a bigger bus too. I rather we play to a draw than lose this game. No over playing shit. Just be smart, I mean other teams have gone there and either win or draw why can’t we do it.
Cheers for the assist Boss. Pure magic.
*wonders why it’s dark and my legs are so cramped*
I will start both Theo and Giroud. And if we get a chance just put it in the back of the net please. We are not going to get eight chances to score one goal.
Steve, Snowy:
When the wheels eventually fall of the English Chariot – and Ireland progress to the latter stages, you might keep an eye out for tickets for me please?
Cheers.
J.
N7@112, final sentence. Hear! Hear!
*orders drink for N7*
Will do Joe – there were still some Ireland v Romania available last time I looked. And of course if you have a couple of grand to spare, there are probably some still hospitality packages available for the Final 😉
puttin’ “be the best you can be”
in the dog house
always thought
was an exercise in smartarsery
.
i know here is a haven for heavyweights
but the pedantics of it
is odd
“be the best you can be”
without deconstructing the learned shite outta it
is not an inflammatory statement
.
show us yer ya yas !
Only teasing about the Rugby Snowy – I’m really looking forward to it. Its a great game and it should be a great tournament too. Playing in England is almost like a home venue for the Irish too!
Usually we don’t “turn up” for Rugby WC’s but there’s real hope over here that we’ll put in a good show this time round as the coach we have is one of the best in the world.
as an indication of the bulletin
of bullshit
shelf stackers in HOMEBASE
are called
replenishment colleagues
.
the whole world is turnin to buggery
Just re-watched the first 25 minutes of the Community Shield. I hope tomorrow’s referee is ready to penalise dirty play in the center of the park by the likes of Ramires and Ivanovic. Santi Cazorla’s achilles tendon seemed to have been the target.
Off to Twickers for some egg chasing. Thoughts of the chavs will have to wait a little bit longer.
Looking at Chelsea’s shirts I can’t help but wonder at their fascination with tyres. Why not boot opening devices or windscreen cleaning prouducts?
I dunno.
Its a sport innit?
Nothing is gaurunteed.
Paddy aint coming back.
There was and only ever will be
One St Dennis and one Thierry
So lets stop whinning, shall we?
Just win the next one.
Your point of view doesn’t stand up to much scrutiny, Steve T. You can’t make the ridiculous demands you make after every defeat without some sort of context. Arsenal FC don’t exist in a ‘vacuum’. Earlier in the month you couldn’t name a single player to *improve* what we already have (remembering last year we finished 3rd and won the FA Cup), you critique every losing performance by listing what went wrong (anyone can do that after the event) – yet you’re never willing to share those these amazing insights before the game. Management would be an easy lark if Wenger could do it the Steve T way – rewind time!
And what is ‘being the best we can be’ precisely? I’d say anyone of intelligent disposition and some understanding of what’s going on around the UK and Europe would say a top 2 league finish and improvement in the CL would be a more than acceptable end-result considering the calibre of teams domestically and in Europe, and that they’re all now flush with cash (we aren’t the only ones) hence why there are less transfers than ever before. By all means, if we have a rotten season and don’t meet those objectives then I’ll back you, but getting histrionic after the odd isolated defeat isn’t really constructive. Also, and I mean this in a nice way, you mention your frustration with the way football is going. Has it ever occurred to you that quite rightly you’re falling out of love with aspects of the game, the vulgar price you have to pay for a season ticket, and that is souring your expectations of what Arsenal should be doing?
I seem to have upset cba. *puts in gum shield* 😉
Bt8 – maybe parking sensors would be apt ? 😉
I hadn’t picked up on that, Holic.
Could, but won’t, start upsetting a few myself with some of the condescension in here lately.
I’ll make sure to keep it to “some in here” so as not to get a virtual cheese roll lobbed at me bonce ! 😉
Just beat the Cunts please ! No more no less needs saying 😉
And Come on the Red Rose – Live a Wilkinson Kick from Twickers so will be a fun few weeks !!
Up The Arse !
*lobs cheese roll at Trev’s bonce*
Ouch!
Turns out it’s a virtual bar, real cheese rolls ! 🙂
Now for the hard work. Four pint preview with the RWC opening ceremony on. It could get weird! 🙂
*orders drink for Gregoire*
*buys replacement cheese roll for GSD*
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