Justice At Last And That Protest
Apr 27th, 2016 by 'holic
The last day or so has finally seen one of the great injustices in this nation’s history overturned. The extent to which the establishment covered up what really happened at Hillsborough has been out in the open for a while now, and nine good people and true delivered the justice denied to so many for so long.
For those of us who were there in 1973, and the Tottenham fans in 1981, and indeed the Liverpool fans just twelve months earlier in 1988, all will have had an appreciation of the events of that day. Hillsborough was an accident waiting to happen. Easy to say with the benefit of hindsight, you may think, but no less painful for the survivors and the families for that.
The responses of the home secretary and her shadow today are welcome. Theresa May said that prosecutions could follow on charges including criminal negligence and perjury. Andy Burnham said the Hillsborough cover-up had been “advanced in the committee rooms of this House and in the press rooms of 10 Downing Street”, whilst calling for those responsible to be brought to justice.
Now let us pray that the establishment act quickly to right the wrongs of twenty seven years ago, and ensure those responsible, and still alive, pay for the mistakes of April 15th 1989, and the ensuing days,weeks, months and years. They must not be allowed to escape the correct punishment according to law.
The Protest On Saturday
This topic pales into insignificance somewhat in the light of what else has been happening in the same timeframe, but the planned protest organised by Red Action and the BSM on Saturday is provoking some harsh exchanges on Twitter. I would defend anyones right to protest, peacefully and with civility, and fully understand the feelings that made people feel that such action was necessary at this time.
For me I think the timing is not the best, and the call for change too vague. But mine is only one opinion and is worth no more than any supporter of Red Action or the BSM, Gooners all. And that is what I wish all at both extremes of the arguments would take onboard. I say that because a very good friend of many who read this is reconsidering taking his son on Saturday for fear of what may happen if the hotheads on both sides of the fence do not act peacefully and with civility. That is an awful state of affairs to have reached.
At the end of the day we all want Arsenal to succeed and prosper. We wouldn’t be football supporters if we agreed on the route to that destination, but the days of forcing your will on others at the game is in the past. Please don’t drive yet more fellow Gooners out by your thoughtless actions at the game. Please think about that on Saturday, whatever you believe is the way forward, we are all for the Arsenal.
Thank you for reading.
101 Responses to “Justice At Last And That Protest”
Saul best goal for AM v BM cheeky
From previous drinks.
@Cynic and all the kind folk with wise words.
Thanks mucho! I was re-evaluating the decision anyway, as when I broached the subject with Esso Jnr (aged 12), his reaction was immediate and vehement – “Dad! Don’t let a bunch of retards tell you what to do. And anyway I’ll be with you. No one is going to say anything to us.’
So looks like I’ll have to go then, innit.
And Cheers H! See you Saturday!
Need reinforcements for next season??
Better Call Saul..!
😀
Amen to all you said ‘Holic. You have a gift with words my friend – are you sure you’re from North London and weren’t adjacent to the blarney stone? 🙂
Esso to repeat from the last drinks, enjoy the day. I’ll be thinking of you there with your son while I’m there with mine.
Come on you Gunners!
I thought Spuds are bunch of retards…and cunts.
Not Gooners
Live and learn.
There’s good and bad everywhere. And that was n’t his meaning.
Nice one, ‘holic. Justice deslayed is justice denied, as I think the saying goes and 27 yesrs is quite a bit of denial.
SSY, that sounds like the extreme viewpoint I was referring to. Gooners abusing Gooners is absurd. the vast majority will allow people to have a different view and accept that, but there are a few out there who are closed of mind and on a short fuse. That’s a dangerous combination.
Thanks Esso. Look forward to seeing you there.
Esso – you’re only going because you’re scared of a 12 year old 😉
Aren’t we all though.
I love this Atl. Madrid team.
You have mail, Cynic.
This Athletic Madrid team is not anti football at all. They may be getting outplayed by Bayern but this is not Jose Mourinho level of negativity. Therr quite a lot of positivity in their game too.
You have a reply with a new link that hopefully works!
Larry- that’s exactly what I have been trying to tell some Arsenal fans here. If we defended even half of the way they do, we will be playing in the semis right now and PL would have been in the bag.
Their entire game is based on defending with the odd counter-attack. The only thing that makes their games interesting is the opposition, they play the same style most of the time in their league against minnows and it’s dreadful to watch like their game against Malaga.
And Simeone is a nasty cheater. Good thing he won’t leave Atlletico anyway.
Heynckes’ Bayern would win this tie but they have regressed under Guardiola, they don’t dominate the same way. Still an open tie.
Matt- am not buying that argument at all. We have to agree to disagree on this one. They could have won by 2-0 if Torres attempt didn’t come off the bar. Then the tie would have most likely be done.
Simeone a Nasty cheater? Ok.
Or have drawn by 1-1 if Alaba’s attempt had not careened off the bar. It is a game of inches sometimes. Usually, even.
Point well taken about Atletico though because they tough games out for the full 90 minutes plus added time which judging by Arsenal is not an easy thing to do.
Atletico able to keep a clean sheet against Bayern without Godin is an impressive feat. Saul’s goal was one to make a jealous guy of one C. Ronaldo.
Fine words Holic about Hillsborough and the protest.
I was at Hillsborough at that end in 1973 and thought it was awful, exactly as you describe. The policing wasn’t brilliant then either
As for the protest it will depend very much on the game. If we are winning 5-0 you won’t hear a whisper. If we are losing or its 0-0 it will grow out of frustration. I shan’t be taking part and neither will anyone near me or who I know.
I’m with Matt on Atletico in fact the two semis are the most boring games I’ve seen for ages. It’s anti- football with some talented forward players. And Simeone ain’t on brand for Arsenal. He’s a spiv
TTG, so who is a brand for Arsenal?
TTG, so because there was no goals in yesterday’s semi it’s somehow a boring game. I didn’t think it was the best, but boring that’s a bit of a stretch I think. I love Simoene, although I can tell most fans here don’t like him.
To Joe/N7 from previous post
Many thnks for your kind words.
As to Saturday and the protest,
I have to confess to my younger brother being a member of the Red Action group.
He is a long time season ticket holder and doesn’t miss many games,and is no less passionate about the Arse than i am.
He is just choosing to air his views on the Club, and in his eyes the lack of progress, in a different way to me.
I love him though,and defend his right to do so.
He is quite a few years younger than me,so missed all the barren years in the 60’s when for Gooners,the joy and excitement of following your football team was in very short supply at Highbury.
I wonder what we would have thought of 10 yrs of top 4 football back in those days.
I am all for the right of individuals to voice their opinions on causes that matter to them,as long as it is peaceful,well signposted in advance,and doesn’t infringe on other peoples rights.
I will be watching with great interest on Saturday,to see the extent and the numbers involved,and whether they are gaining any traction compared to last seasons similar action.
My brother is adamant that they want the protest to be entirely peaceful,so let’s hope common sense prevails.
As for Simeone and the mad people in the bar that hold him up as a successor to Arsene,he is Maureen’s younger bastard cousin,and i want him nowhere near the wonderful old institution that is Arsenal Football Club.
Word, Clive. Thank you. 🙂
Good stuff ‘holic!
Whether it takes one day or 27 years, true justice can prevail and the lies and deception of all the Hillsborough perpetrators will be exposed.
I am so very proud of the Liverpool supporters’ families and loved ones of the 96 deceased and of the injured 400 that kept up the fight to expose the truth after all of these years. They are an example to all of us not just as football fans but, more importantly, also as human beings.
The 96 that perished can now finally Rest Forever In Eternal Peace, the 400 injured can be righteously cared for for their courage throughout all of these years, and “The Establishment” that attempted such a heinous and inhumane smear and cover-up campaign for over a quarter of a century, can be rightfully punished and held fully accountable.
As for the protest on Saturday; Stan and the Board will probably just tell Arsene to “let them eat cake”. Let’s see if the Red Action group like the taste of that…
Up the Arse! Only Arsenal Football Club Forever!
SAG,
I’m with you on Simeoné and i’d gladly have him at the Grove. He’s clearly a disciplinarian and tactician who knows how he wants his teams to play without the ball and that can only be truly appreciated by footballing purists. Nothing wrong with that at all in my book.
I’m pretty sure that he’d be able to more than mix-in an extra bit of attacking flair with the typical defensive discipline if he was at a club with more money available to spend.
Dapper Dan. Does Arsenal have more money to spend than Atletico Madrid? Griezmann apparently got a pretty good deal from them and wasn’t Arsene trying to bring him to Arsenal at the time? Or did he move to Madrid for the tapas?
Dapper DanC,
I guess most fans don’t want a disciplinarian and tactician at the club. They want a coach that will tell the players to just go out there and play as the game dictates, and we wonder why we seem to be in the same situation year in year out with different sets of players. Some fans don’t like his style of play. My question is what’s Arsenal’s style of play?
Arsenal has stagnated for years and Arsene can’t even take the right decisions now. He can’t win the league again given another ten years. He’s lost it and he must go. ABSOLUTE POWER ALWAYS CORRUPT. We pay him 8m a season to bottle it every season. We’ve even fallen behind Spurs now.
Some poor decisions last summer were:
Given one more year to players who have lost their legs; Arteta and Rosicky. Flamini not the right player to play for the club.
Refusing to buy an outfield player
It’s Arsenal FC not Arsene FC
It’s time for him to pack up and leave else next season will be terrible for him. He’ll see no peace.
He’s already destroyed his legacy. Arsenal FC was and will continue without him. He should take the honourable decision now.
Otto Rehhagel was a great manager with teams playing typical german style as in solid, powerful and dominant football. Went on to manage Greece, looked at the available players and given the lack of quality, made them play catenaccio/anti-football so successfully they ended up winning the Euros in 2004. He was a great tactician, adapted to the type and quality of his teams and their opponents.
In contrast Simeone has a team full of attacking talent, in a league with 10-15 cannon fodder teams, some of them with League One budgets. What does he do? Has his team systematically play the same modern day catenaccio. Play Barcelona? Anti-football. Play Malaga? Anti-football. Great tactician indeed…
In the most competitive premiership season since before Wenger this is Arsenal worst season in terms of goals scored, only 58 so far, we’ll end up scoring 10-20 less than in every other seasons. In Atletico Madrid great season they have scored 59 goals so far in a non-competitive league where 10-12 teams are championship-level cannon fodder. Great entertainment value…
“Purists” are totally entitled to dream about boring anti-football but those of us that have seen what it looks like not for a handful of CL ties but week in week out for over a decade beg to differ. No need to insult us because we have an opinion based on experience.
Top post, ‘Holic, and spot on on both scores.
Simone doesn’t do tactics?
Atletico Madrid coach Diego Simeone has received a touchline ban for the final three La Liga games of the season.
The Argentine, 45, appeared to instruct a ball boy to throw a ball on to the pitch to disrupt a Malaga attack during Atletico’s 1-0 win on Saturday.
http://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/football/36152150
bt8 @28,
Yes Arsenal do have more money to spend than Atletico Madrid.
Yes Griemann still wanted more tapas and did not want fish and chips.
*Griezmann
Matt @32,
Thankfully, we do now live in a time and in an era where each can choose to be to their own.
There’s more than one way to skin a cat, and you can choose to learn them all if you have the desire, motivation, capacity and energy to do so.
Up the Arse! Arsenal Football Club Only Forever! (AFCOF)
SAG
On brand for Arsenal? – well answered partly by Clive and Ned and Matt
But he would have to be someone who I would be proud to have representing my club. I would want to watch his teams play football every other week as I invest a lot in the club. Atletico might be even more effective if they played expansively but I guarantee you that a few months in, whatever the results there would be rumblings about anti- football , cheating ( he’s not a disciplinarian , he’s a tyrant and a cheat, his players are sly and devious). He was an unpleasant , devious player and he has carried that into his management. Clive’s description is very apt.
Who is on brand? – Low, Tuchel, Ancelotti, Allegri, Pellegrini, Eddie Howe in ten years time and Pocchettino.?
My Dad’s name is carved into the Wall of Remembrance right by the Tony Adams statue. He brought me up to understand that Arsenal was a club that had very clear values, a rich tradition and was special. I don’t need to explain that any further on here because most of our posters understand that just as well as I do. I just know intuitively that Simeone wouldn’t represent those values any better than Mourinho. We might win trophies but look back just as Chelsea fans are looking back now and wonder what Mourinho turned the club into.
The plus side of Simeone succeeding AW could be him bringing Godin and Griezmann with him. But still not worth it, imo.
I’m surprised no one has mentioned Ranieri (apologies to anyone who has). Anyone who can do what he’s done with the material he started with has to be considered, and he’s at least as ‘Arsenal brand’ as anyone else I’ve seen mentioned.
One season touched by magic dust doesn’t make someone a fantastic manager. He did a decent job at Chelsea but he’d be the same as Wenger. Might win something if all the stars align for him AND he is old, and old school. It would be like respraying a rusty old banger and saying you had a new car.
We need someone young, hungry to win, who won’t accept “playing with the handbrake on” or “lacking a little bit the sharpness”
I don’t know who that is but I know I would hate it if Simeone came here. He is Mourinho with an extra layer of cunt and less charm.
Chris,
The previous Head Coach/Manager, Nigel Pearson, and the Leicester scouting team (the head of which will become a Gunner come next season) have to be given a great deal of the credit for what Leicester are amazingly on the verge of achieving this season. Their incredible form has just followed on from their amazing run at the end of the last season to stave-off regulation.
Ranieri has “tinkered” only a little but very well here-and-there, and managed to maintain the tactics and the never-die spirit and togetherness that was already very strong with the players. He has to be given alot of credit for that exceptional degree of consistent motivational man-management and on-field team discipline. With all this said, he’s now too old and will retire after leaving Leicester, as he’s already stated.
Point taken about Ranieri’s age, I was just thinking ‘brand’. Thing is, if this was 1996 and someone suggested an unknown Frenchman called Wenger the majority here would have a hard job agreeing he was the answer to anything. Perhaps there’s another AW out there just waiting to be plucked from obscurity, if someone in the know can find him.
TTG,
At the end of the day, we all have different opinions here. Its not like whatever we say here will affect the club’s decision one way or the other. One thing is for sure we need some form of change, what that will be I don’t know.
It could be worse folks, we could be Everton fans facing the prospect of replacing Bob Martins with Ailsa from Home and Away
And we do NOT need Simeone but we do need to inject a bit of him into our play and be a bit more “professional” about what we do.
Never again should we see a defender refusing to make a foul on halfway, when a team is breaking on an overstretched defence. Kick him over ffs.
Crystal Palace at home, late in the second half. Bellerin is stranded too far forward as Adebayor breaks down his side, escorted by Gabriel who has every opportunity to stop him by any means, within the rules or otherwise, but instead allows him to pass the ball to Bolasie who scores the goal that ends our already dim title hopes. Painful to watch but not an isolated incident. Unfortunately it is probably the only thing I will end up remembering from my first Arsenal game attended in person.
Chris@39: Ranieri doesn’t have a stunning record of winning silverware. If he gets Leicester over the line it will be his first top-division league title in a managerial career stretching back to 1986.
The idea that Wenger was some sort of rookie novice before he joined Arsenal is somewhat revisionist. He had a successful, influential and charismatic few years in Monaco, winning the league and the cup, guiding Monaco to CL semi and Cup Winners’ Cup final. Bayern wanted him but Monaco hierarchy stopped that deal. His leaving for Japanese football may had to do a lot with being disgusted about the whole Tapie-at-Marseille saga which continues to influence his natural disinclination towards big money in Football. He managed great players in Monaco –Klinsmann to Hoddle to Battiston — and unearthed two extraordinary talents in Weah and Henry.
Just because in the then insular British press it was “Arsene who?” doesn’t make it true.
Chris: Ranieri was us charges of very good Roma and Inter teams failing them to win the league. He has been a decent cup winning manager but at his age not the energetic modern manager we may be looking for. From the old guard my favorite –both as a manager and a person of integrity and class, which are important — would be Ancelotti.
Dr.F
As ever you make very insightful points. While in Japan several people were tipping Wenger as a future England manager. GlennHoddle who was England manager sang his praises. The Arsene Who headlines were from the Sun but that rag is already discredited with its Hillsborough lies.
The disappointment, if that was the word, with Wenger’s appointment came because we had expected Johann Cruyff to succeed Rioch. But he had a formidable international reputation as you suggest
Re the protest, there’s a lot of objection in here, which is totally fair enough. But given the same people are utterly frustrated and appear to genuinely want change – what, how, where and when is actually proposed as an alternative way of getting the message across ?? Do you not have to answer that question before you say how awful a peaceful protest during game time is ? There’s no point talking about new managers if we won’t help the process along from Point A (Wenger) to Point B (No Wenger). On a new manager, it’s a really plum, top, top job. The predecessor’s legacy is largely faded, the fanbase and stadium are amazing, the kitty is overflowing and there’s a few serious players onboard. I don’t buy this idea that Wenger’s dictatorship means the whole deck of cards falls down afterwards because his mitts have been all over the place. In reality, certain parts of the club (eg Youth) are just withered now as we stumble about for our strategy and style, not knowing whether we’re spending or developing, buying youth or cultivating youth, counter-attacking or ball-retaining, defending properly or pushing on our full backs, British core or not British core, have a strong captain or a token captain, need leaders or don’t need leaders, buy big midfielders or stick with little diddy men….it’s all one great mess and those who foresaw this phase now know that we’re on the cusp of meltdown if things don’t change quick. Forget Kroenke too as the unmovable impediment to progress and forget that damned “I don’t necessarily want to win things” quote. I know he’s a rich c**t but, I mean, he’s hardly going to grab any successful new manager by the throat and shriek “I told you I only wanted top 4 you bastard”. Digressed a bit there (I think) but anyway COYG.
ScGooner
Very measured comment but it’s inconsistent to claim a legacy has faded and then that the kitty is overflowing. Wenger’s successor will inherit an incredible financial situation, a state of the art stadium largely paid for ( in terms of easily manageable repayments) and a very good squad, albeit one that we believe could be improved in places.
That’s a very real legacy and an enviable one for a new manager to inherit.
But your point about protest is fair. The objection on this board as far as I can see is that it may harm the team on the day, may create nastiness which could scar children ( particularly) attending and give the tabloids another stick to beat the club with.
I prefer a boycott of club goods- no programmes, no replica kits or goods bought at the stadium. That will register very clearly in the revenue column and prompt a serious consideration of the way forward.
I read a blog today by a moron ( supposedly an Arsenal fan) who doesn’t want Leicester to beat United so that they can beat us to fourth place. No Arsenal supporter I know can ever wish that. I doubt if he has been to a game for many years or watches them on TV
*beep*
TTG @ 50: Thanks. Didn’t know Cruyff was being considered as an Arsenal manager before Wenger!
The problems with the current Arsenal team are well-documented and somewhat self-evident. So well-documented and self-evident they are one may wonder why their remediation hasn’t been as obvious as we would like to think. Maybe because of Arsene’s obstinacy, maybe his support team not being good enough — I think one of Arsene’s problems have been not freshening up his tactical team over the last decade or so and not having members in the coaching team who are probably more contrarian, the analytical tools have improved significantly but sometimes looking at the numbers from a different perspective and different bias are necessary towards strategic evolution about how to approach the season as well as individual games — or maybe simply because of a general sense of complacency. Or maybe a combination of all of these.
While I share the disappointment of this season with everyone (and it is possible that one more reinvention is now beyond Arsene’s reach at his age and after spending so many years at the same job), I was hoping that there would be a deeper and less emotional analysis of the problems based on which concrete changes would be proposed. By someone, anyone.
It would actually be kind of great if the board hires an impersonal committee of experts to analyze the malaise, connect it with the fans’ dissatisfaction, ask them to provide a 5-year-plan, then share it with fans and commit towards implementing them. It would be interesting if the plan says that the odds of winning the PL is no better in the next five years despite many changes in corporate or managerial levels.
I think more than the results at this time majority of the fanbase simply wants to see a more efficient type of football and a greater degree of individual and team commitments … but it will only be human nature if a few years of those yield no greater success than what we have had in last 4-5 years we will ask for change again.
https://m.youtube.com/watch?ebc=ANyPxKp83dnawt8l1a2sm725lMqq-erkEDIl2hA4poGoKe89hbTV4I1EMRzV7-HvPdyuITr3axJotdLqA2TQlNHZ1_H0lBoXZQ&v=hcPiip-xkyw
Yea see what u mean TTG, not no legacy just a badly tarnished one I suppose I meant. Commercial boycott a grand idea if it could be co-ordinated. Not sure the huge number of visiting Gooners could be asked to give up the souvenirs of what is I know myself, a true pilgrimage, oft from faraway lands. On the sporadic, ad hoc incidents and nastiness we’re seeing, I’d maintain something organised and peaceful in the stadium at game time (for those that want to vent this way) could in fact lance the boil so to speak and people will have had their say, so fair play I say to the organisers.
I want nothing to do with the misguided people who intend to litter the Ems with their futile paper protest on Saturday.
They obviously have no regard for the players or their fellow supporters who are not part of this nonsense. We all know that Sky and the print media will only add fuel to the fire. None of this will do anything to improve our performance or help the side to 3 essential points which is what this Saturday’s game is all about.
Perhaps if the protesters had been with me at Highbury from the late 50s and through the 60s, standing in all weathers and watching a real rubbish side they might think differently. I am not apathetic, I am realistic. I may be a very disappointed Gooner but that has not stopped me from attending all this season’s home fixtures , I even went to Sunderland last weekend and hope to be sitting in my seat at the Ems next term.
COYRs
Well said Delia.
UTA.
Delia@58: You are a personification of why we are a top-class club. We know our history and we have values. Those are priceless. Nor can they be bought.
Delia @ 58: Excellently put.
I respect everyone ones view in here. But why name call other fans that want the same thing we all want but go about it in their own ways. I don’t see anything wrong in fans protesting in a peaceful and respectful way. Some of those fans were probably there too in the 1950’s too but I don’t think because they are trying to make their voices heard in a way that might be different from some views here makes them less of a fan. We can’t keep complaining about changes needed in the club and when some fans try to do something we call them names. I don’t know what is going to be printed on the papers, but I doubt it will be anything disrespectful to Wenger. He has been a great servant to the club, but the end is getting closer. And if he loves the club like he says he does, he shouldn’t let it get that bad.
I bow to those with clearly better informed understanding of football management in UK and Europe. AW was certainly a complete unknown to me when appointed and I thought that was the case. But then I have been more than a little out of touch with that aspect of the game since leaving UK for the Antipodes before most (many anyway) of the members here were born. I have missed very few Arsenal Prem, CL and FA Cup games (usually live) for decades, but hard to keep up with much else. Thanks Dr F, TTG and others for your comments.
@SAG: Some wanting us to lose and not make 4th spot makes them everything but fans.
@Dr F: “but it will only be human nature if a few years of those yield no greater success than what we have had in last 4-5 years we will ask for change again.”
Human nature has been on display on Spurs blogs/forums, for over a decade they have been constantly at each other’s throat, between those who wanted to keep the previous manager, those defending the current manager and those howling for a replacement.
And let’s not forget sometimes change in itself is welcome even if there’s no improvement. Roma have finished twice behind Juventus under Garcia and Roma fans screamed for his head at the beginning of the season, they’re now 3rd under Spalletti but happy about it.
Delia … I may well have been with you “from the late 50s and through the 60s, standing in all weathers and watching a real rubbish side“. 18 years without winning the League from 1953 – 1971. And then another 18 year wait to the next one which Arsenal squeaked after finishing equal on points and goal diff with Pool and only won on goals scored! Those were the days. And coincidence that I left the country in 1967.
I was going to point up the neighbours lack of a Prem/Div 1 title for 55 years, but fuck ’em. Long may it continue.
Love this, (although his BRITS performance of the same song betters this and has Sheila E, the BRITS version was shortened)
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zByhN9Raa7Y
BRITS edit
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dK6JijT5osI
@Dr Faustus: Monaco was (and still is) a small club, stadium is 18000 seats and was/is never full, probably because rich tax evaders don’t care about football. His best players were systematically sold to bigger clubs (Weah to Milan, Henry to Juve etc) and the club was the toy of the Monaco heir.
I watched many of their games back in the day. Same story as Arsenal today, mostly great attacking football, a few puzzling decisions, promoting youth and finding unknowns from nowhere who turned out stars, great core of players but not much beyond that meaning a small team that would often falter due to injuries and of course an uphill battle against a financially doped team (well not only financially) who bought one of their titles (paying opposition players to lose).
Considering the circumstances his record there was outstanding.
Dr. F and TTG – absolutely on fire tonight!
Drinks on the bar for ya both.
He was a useful axe-man too, Cynic … https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ydlR6aLA6D8&list=PLs-fvEbp7Ob7waej6RpIrZF1Oxv2-1zmY&index=19&src_vid=8vCS_iKITCY&annotation_id=annotation_257184377&feature=iv
Takes one to know one: http://www.bbc.com/sport/football/36165503
Atletico Madrid boss Diego Simeone would be labelled “boring” if he were managing in the Premier League, says Sunderland manager Sam Allardyce.
Allardyce said: “‘He defends too much’ – that’s what he’d get here.”
Allardyce, whose own methods have been labelled as dour in the past, added: “It’s an art, defending – everybody has forgotten that. It’s a tactical art to be able to sense danger and block people’s crosses and get your toe in without fouling them now and they are very, very good at it indeed.
“The whole team buys into it. You see Fernando Torres on the edge of his own box defending. You never saw that at Liverpool or Chelsea.
“That’s how good the manager is and that’s why they are successful. They are successful because they concede fewer goals than everybody else and only need one to win.
“Now, everybody can say ‘well, that’s not entertaining’, but everybody is eulogising Simeone’s tactics now. I wouldn’t think they would do that in the Premier League so much.”
Saint Delia!
So the answer is no protest or complaint is appropriate I take it since those involved or in favour don’t understand the ethos, classy tradition or history of AFC. I disagree. We can have victory and glory through a different type of “harmony” than is currently on offer. It wasn’t us that decided to up the ante on the world sporting stage with a huge sports franchise and a massive new stadium, it was them and specifically Wenger. The product, atmosphere and set up has failed. It’s a type of harmony alright if you believe in no leaders on the pitch, no strong personalities within the club, no questioning of anything. It’s a harmony that values the good old fashioned stiff upper lip and mustn’t grumble type muzzling of discontent. Admirable and stoic in a way but it is a bit hypocritical to complain online but not in public, IMHO. It’s also unsustainable and will change with time in the absence of change, just as opinion has swung massively within this great forum. Just like before when it wasn’t deemed inappropriate to even question our long serving manager’s position at the club. COYG.
Deemed appropriate, sry….typo
Thank you Delia.
Welcome back cba 🙂
“We lost the championship at home against lower teams but we played at home in a very difficult climate.” Wenger in the Torygraph. Yes, silly me (assuming today’s quote is correct) – fans lose games, not players, not coaches, not tactics. In one way he has a very good point, the atmosphere is all wrong. But you make up your own mind about who’s fault that is. Sorry for bingeing with too many drinks and here’s for both three points against lowly Norwich and a strong, clear message, delivered peacefully. Up the Arse.
Scgooner,
Even a drubbing of relegation fighting Norwich City won’t appease the ever-growing number of discontented.
I’m actually far more curious these match-days to just watch the 90 minutes’ body language of the players, and in particular that of our two Worldies – Alexis & Mesut.
AFCOF!
Wenger now blaming the home fans lol. Give me a break, keep making excuses.We should try and be like Liverpool fans who have gone 26 years without winning the League. Did he forget that they did win the CL, also they did not stick to one coach those years neither. Wenger just call it a day. You and the management decided to move to a bigger stadium so as to be able to compete don’t blame the fans for that.
Well the boss has certainly poured petrol on the fire with that press conference! Not sure the comments are particularly well timed with what may unfold tomorrow.
As for me I’m not one for Placards and timed protests (What is it with all the timed things these days) surely a better way is just not going they will soon do the maths!- Sad times at a club we all love,
Ps How the Fuck did it ever come to this !
*philosophical*
https://youtube.com/watch?v=UcCHRW8G9yY
Before we go set fire on his effigy, let us read precisely what he is saying and not be tools in the hands of tabloids and their partial quoting.
http://news.arseblog.com/2016/04/wenger-press-conference-transcript/
I read that as a frank admission of this season’s disappointments while pointing out that a more balanced perspective can be helpful and maybe home fans as well have some scopes for improvement. He is not really blaming anyone.
https://www.theguardian.com/science/across-the-universe/2016/apr/14/alien-wow-signal-could-be-explained-after-almost-40-years
doc faust – the very man to answer
is this man a con man ?
Blame no one but yourself Wenger and your players. Stop making excuses, its getting boring.
DF,
I think all would be in agreement that Arsene is a very clever man and if he wanted to he could have diffused and played down today’s press conference but for a reason only known to him he’s thrown a shit grenade right on the fire – It’s a strange tactic that’s for sure 🙂
Chippy @ 79 – letting a failing manager dictate his terms of employment hasn’t helped. No leadership on or off the field at all.
The comment about big ego with a personal agenda can only mean one person can’t it? He surely cannot believe that all this upset in the fan base is down to Piers fucking Morgan whipping people into it?
Whatever that fuckwit says I’d be inclined to do the complete opposite – That parasite shouldn’t even be allowed oxygen,how he can be held up as any sort of fan to listen to after what he done is beyond me – That’s the Bane of Twitter I guess cunts like that get to express their opinions to the masses ! Love Arsenal hate PM 🙂
Love Sleep hate AM
DF, thks for full transcript, couldn’t find it. Slagging off home fans, the rock on which the Special One (who won loads, more in fact) finally perished. Pool ? Oh jesus, just stop talking, they have the atmosphere, they involve, respect and don’t rip off their fans, they have been to the top in Europe, fan power ousted Rogers (Twitter storm right thru to John Henry himself was the catalyst I believe). All ffaaaacccx as Rafa would say and I don’t know where to stop in the comparison/dichotomy. COYG.
Final outburst, promise. I was wondering about his claim to be Champions away from home, given some pretty crap results. So I checked http://www.soccerstats.com/homeaway.asp?league=england We’re 3rd !! The 3rd place Champions trophy ! Enjoy the weekend. COYG.
But third is the new fourth, which was always as good as first in his deluded brain, so…. we’ve won something. We’ve qualified for the non existent Champions League based on away games trophy.
I’m filling up here.
Haha, moving up Cynic, exactly. Plus, we’ve played an away game more than everybody else and our last trip is a doddle at Citeh ! Let’s see if we can cling onto top 4 away from home and claim the title Champ-eee-oh-nays, champ-eee-oh-nays, oh way, oh way , etc, etc. Sighs..
For a bloke supposedly obsessed with stats he has completely ballsed up there, and not for the first time.
Arsenal Gent has added a touch of class to tomorrow’s impending protests.
Today’s presser was a bit of a disaster for Arsene. Frankly I have no problem with calling Piers Morgan what you like or Paul Merson, who I think he refers to in code, but at the prices we pay a little bit of frustration isn’t surprising and is very understandable.
It would be funny if we could finish above the Totts but I hope any decent end of season form isn’t used to paint over the cracks. The biggest issue this season was the loss of Cazorla. We’ve really missed Santi
I thought he was having a go at Merson as well, which is not only out of order and says a lot about the smallness of the man but also wrong. If he wants to claim this current bunch have more character than Merson he has got to taking the piss.
Merson has had to deal with things that are a little bit more serious than being booed off a pitch and he’s won titles for this club which is more than this bunch of wallflowers have ever looked like doing.
Piers Morgan is fair game though, the massive bellend.
Sorry Cynic, but Merson’s a look after himself cunt. His management career was toilet, and he actually achieved very little on the pitch.
He’s a Chelsea cunt. Really fucking hate him.
And by the way, I’ll say it now, I think Wenger’s a busted flush, and should go. But his decision, as this board has balls smaller than a tadpole, so why should he walk?
And the protest tomorrow seems to be – we aint won the league for 12 years so we’ll have a protest. Load of fucking phish.
Looking forward to it.
I may, just may have had a drink tonight.
And whatever Merson won, 1 league title, 1 FA Cup, 1 League Cup, I CWC (if he played that many games that season when not coked up or in the bookies), Wenger’s won more including 2 doubles. So Merson can really go fuck himself. The cunt.
Go on then…
BANG
I thank you
Evening all. Nice finish, bath. 🙂 >>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>