Alex Song Owes Me Three Hundred Beer Vouchers
Dec 31st, 2009 by 'holic
Well, I succeeded against the odds. Apart from catching sight of an early goalless scoreline when I went to settle the bill, I did otherwise manage a blackout on proceedings down on the south coast. A record-breaking two hour return journey meant I was watching the game ‘live’ just eighteen hours on.
Having now witnessed the contest I have been through umpteen different emotions, and I must quickly acknowledge the expert summary afforded to ‘holics on comment 39 of the preview piece. The inimitable Bergkamp’s The Man waxed lyrical indeed, what a nautical lad he is, denying me the opportunity of a maritime punfest. I should have just published that and sat here contemplating my navel.
Now I am well aware that by now most, if not all of you, will have seen the game by one means or another. The bare facts were goals for Eduardo (or probably Kaboul), Nasri, and Ramsey set up the ‘holic pound (and twenty-four of his hard-earned companions), nicely. When Pompey finally fashioned a real chance Belhadj did the decent thing and applied the finishing touch.
So that was three hundred smackers in the bag as long as nobody did anything stupid. For eight minutes I was in a very strange place indeed. “Pass, good, pass again, excellent. Pass, oh yes, no, no, don’t shoot you silly bugger!” I should have known. Nasri, one of many deserving of huge praise on the night, chipped to the far post and Alex Song, on whom I am sure I have lost a couple of ‘anytime scorer’ bets this season, strained his neck muscles to apply the finishing touch.
C’est la vie, as they say in the Foreign Legion. I was chuffed to bits for the Cameroonian, a truly worthy scorer having produced yet another outstanding display. The goal also added to a goal difference advantage over our title rivals. Oh yes, we are very much contenders as the old year gives way to the new.
So what sort of shape are we in as the transfer window opens? The front six at Fratton Park included certainly three, and possibly four who would not be regular starters if Fabregas, Denilson, van Persie, and Bendtner were available. Eduardo may be struggling to find his best form, but the others were simply outstanding, interchanging at will and impossible to combat for a side with Portsmouth’s obvious limitations.
We came into December fearing that a lack of height in the front three could be an issue. Six Premier league games later, only Burnley have taken a point off us, and we have scored fifteen goals against three. The only lingering doubts would be do we have sufficient firepower to punish Villa, United, Chelsea, and Liverpool in successive fixtures in a fortnight as January gives way to February, and if we suffer any more injuries do we have enough quality in the ‘third tier’ of reserves.
I can understand fully those who argue the dangers of signing new faces in mid-season, and have some sympathy with the view that we risk disrupting what must be tremendous spirit in the changing room. I am equally in agreement when those at the opposite end of that particular argument suggest we should consider as many as four signings to cover potential weaknesses if further enforced absences were experienced.
I suspect that Arsene will prioritise two areas, and should the right players be available we may well see firstly a striker, and then another tall defensive midfielder capable of playing in the back four, added to an already strong squad. The key words there though are ‘should the right players be available‘. We should all know by now that Le Boss will not sign anyone for the sake of it, and nor should he. We need to supplement, not disrupt.
Happy New Year to You, ‘Holics
I cannot finish without wishing all of you, and your families, good fortune, and hopefully good health, in 2010. Depending on where you are and what time you read this, you may be preparing for the celebrations to come, or indeed already enjoying January 1st.
Here’s to a year of achievement by the Gunners, and hopefully a few more unexpected triumphs for the ‘holic pound, and if you are reading Alex, could you please send that three hundred quid to ‘holic at 7, West Country!
Cheers.
40 Responses to “Alex Song Owes Me Three Hundred Beer Vouchers”
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A happy new one to you ‘Holic!
Let’s hope 2010 will be the year when you finally win the grandson over (probably with the help of a title or two!)
Champagne for everyone, please, barman.
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To add to the festivities all round, I wanna write why these last few weeks have made being an Arsenal fan amazing…
We were all written off. Fine, I suppose. Chelsea thrashed us (I actually thought the result flatterd them but that seems blasphemous towards the English press so never mind) and yet we are now on the precipice. We are virtually second, on one point. With loads of goals (a record, btw). We have massive injury problems, yet have only lost to other top teams. Remind you of Man Utd but with better footy? Yup…
We are free flowing. No van Persie, no Bendtner (hugely underrated) and two leftbacks out, and still playing like we were in the warmer months. Song and Diaby have made massive strides, and what with Denilson, Nasri, Ramsey and the talented English fellows, we have the best and most talented midfield in the country. Even without Cesc. Remember how United was destroyed, at OT, by Villa? Exactly. We destroyed them, and would have won without Cesc. Song is 22. Diaby is 23. Denilson is 22 and so is Nasri. This team can go further than any team has in years. Once it happens, the English press will all commit seppuku, and I will turn it into the best selling snuff-film.
Song… he is amazing me. One of the best DM’s in the world. 22. Amazingly and suprisingly technical and with good passing, great power and real lust, he is also sooo cool in possesion. His ring-kissing and heartmaking antics show he loves his wife and kids and that is one of the best things for a young player, a family. Stops them becoming cunts. He is 22 yet so mature. Loving him.
Whilst Project Youth 1 is still going and going strong as described above, we are owning the world with Project Youth 2. Wellington, who we have just signed, is one of the best Brazil has. Seriously. We have Wilshere, Ramsey, Merida, the Coq and Eastmond. We have Watt, Sunu, Afobe, Freemand, Aneke, Bartley and Top Gun. We have a couple of amazing young keepers not to mention our foreign imports like Martinez, Chesney, Ozzy, Miquel and some Yank who will probably come in (Luis Gill) They are all playing the Arsene(-e +al in the press) way and that is making me all warm and fuzzy. Some of these guys will not make it. But at least the world has one more attractive footballer. As a Dutchman, and a lover of all things beautiful (thanks Oscar), that makes me all warm and fuzzy.
We are on fire. We are a healthy club (read Untold Arsenal, laugh and weep at other clubs) We have Ivan Gazidis who is dealmaker and football lover extraordinaire. We have Wenger. We have Cesc. We have youth, and youth is the most valuable thing in the world (again Oscar) Let’s give the press one until it’s eyes water, for years to come.
We will win this. We are the best. And the best bit of all?
We will actually sign players this winter. If not for Wenger, for Ivan and the board.
Gotta love being a Gooner.
A big, big snifter of XO Cognac, please. 1985 Kopke afterwards. Then a magnum of Bollinger RD 1985. Funny thing, I will actually be drinking this (thanks dad)
Cheers!
Nice work haho.
Now if you could spare a glass of that Bolli, a particular favourite of mine as it happens 😉
FedEx or DHL? Maybe UPS?
Happy New Year, ‘holic! Sorry for the 300 pounds, but sure wasn’t that a well deserved goal for Song.
Thanks for a great year on the blog, and I hope your 2010 gets off to a fantastic start!
I’ll take the usual Carlsberg. 😉
Well, it’s 2010 in Thailand now – just turned 00:00!
Thanks ‘holic for some fantastic work last year.
Wishing you and yours a Happy New Year and looking forward to all your blogs in 2010.
Good luck and good health to you all, from
Peter, in northeast Thailand (originally Poole, Dorset).
Well said haho…
And all this while other teams struggle financially and Chelski and Man City make huge losses. When they are banned from doing this, they will have a nightmare on their hands.
Chelski making a £110m loss in 2 years? No wonder the Russian has stoppped them spending any more! And when the results and trophies stop coming as a result, will he stick around? Doubt it.
Happy New Year, ‘holic. 😉
Happy new year dear ‘holic and everyone on here. Keep up the good work in 2010.
I think any new signings or not, we will make a strong challenge this year as long as the injuries ease off. With a bit of luck, we will see the team lifting a trophy for the first time since I became a proper fan of the Arsenal.
Cheers ‘holic, I raise my glass to you and wish to enjoy reading your witty posts in 2010
As they say lads, up the arsenal ……………..:)
Cheers ‘holic for all the entertainment your excellent blog has provided in 2009.
Happy New Year to you and yours.
Cheers ‘holic. Here’s a raised glass to you and the management for 2010. Hope the ‘holic dad was well and able to give you a comparable insight between Chapman and Wenger.
Thanks for your insights over the last year and hopefully I will catch up with you in 2010.
MY NEW YEAR RESOLUTION IS TO WATCH ARSENAL LIFT THE DOUBLE
Happy New Year Holic.
Hope you and the Mrs have a great one.
All in all a good year for the Arsenal.
I, as of course would all fans, would love us to win a trophy this season, but I don’t think it should be the be all and end all in measuring our beloved teams success.
Did you all know that we lost the least amount of games and scored the highest amount of goals from all the teams in the PL during 2009? Thats a statistic we can all be proud of.
Maybe we’ll get some new additions to our squad next month, maybe we won’t, I’m sure Mr Wengers got his eye on a few options, but we all know that he will only get who he thinks will strengthen us, and the belief he has in HIS squad is very strong and who are we to question his logic? Doubters only have to look as far as Diaby and Song who have come into their own this season repaying the faith that the boss had in them.
I’d personally like to thank you ‘holic for all the laughs and great posts this year and I’m looking forward to more of the same in 2010.
At the moment I’m already more than half way through a crate of Bavaria so I’d like to raise a glass to all my fellow Holix and wish you all a Happy and Healthy New Year.
Cheers.
Hooray for the ‘holicmeister!
I was gutted when Pompey got a goal, then thought of the ‘holic pound, so was happy.
When Song scored, I was happy…but sorry.
All your fault.
Here’s a glass to happy new year to you and the management!
Cheers, see you for more fun in 2010, not forgetting that my first game will be thanks to you!
After the bus, back on the train again next week!
Take care.
Well said ‘hollic and a happy New Year mate. I just love your positivity about the future of Arsenal, for me we are on the verge of something very special, and I literally cannot wait.
Victoria Concordia Crescit
Happy new year to you ‘holic! Have a good one.
A Happy and Glorious New Year to all in the Holic Pound!
Own up Paddy Power, that’s you, isn’t it?
Happy new year to you and yours Holic and all the holics out there.
Gianc is coming to Arsenal.
cheers mate!!!! and cheers to a good year!!!
And a happy new year to you too, ‘holic! May the beer vouchers rain down upon thee in 2010.
Happy 2010 ‘holic!!!
And I will let Steve-O know you sent your best.
The Arsenal!
Good piece Holic,
Although, I am somewhat mystified as to why you have failed to include JET in your analysis of potential world beaters at Arsenal.As the captain of last years all conqouring youth team and a spendid technically gifted player at that, I am convinced that he could be the pick of the bunch.
But don’t take my word it…16 months ago I was one of the many who thought that Song was out of tune and a donkey was Diaby, looking at their rise towards Arsenal greatness I am now holding out some hope that Theo will step up to the mantle also.
It’s true! it’s true! Arsene really does know.
PS would love the Arsenal signature tune to be The Jam’s That’s entertainment.
Happy New Year with plenty for gooners to cheers.
happy 2010 holic and all gunners out there….something soft for me barman…
Happy new yr 2 every1. I’v visited this site daily but dont leave alot me comments (work). Pls keep up d good work. I hav a new decade resolution i’d like 2 share…. ‘i shal love & show support 4 this club no matter what & wen a player is havin a bad run of games i’l shout my support 2 encourage him 2 d tv’. If there’s anything i’v leant from last yr its ‘Arsene Knows, no matter what’. I trust this man implicitly bcos i know d moment he has doubt bout what he knows, he’l do d right thing as he has always done.
Sing a Song of six pence. I really miss Friday nights with “Lofty” and Co on Sultana – Arsenal TV. Where the subject of “who will replace Paddy in our midfield” or “Why did Arsene let Flim Flam go!” “he gave Cesc the freedom to get forward and score”. Yep, i miss that. Funny, Cesc is our top scorer. And that lackadaisical character, that quietly spoken man who many thought simply not good enough is one of the reasons why. What Song has become is exactly what we wanted on our wish list for a midfield enforcer. But his real talent is to stay under the refs radar. As good as Paddy was his card was already marked – he was a trophy booking. So when he scored against Pompey (and Holic was happy and sad all at once) I thought “The King is dead, long live the King”.
Here’s wishing all you fellow Goons a wonderful 2010 and here’s hoping Arsenal get out the Brasso this year.
Cheers Holic! Hope you have a good one too mate!
AFC1974, buy a years ATvO voucher in the online sale for £25 and you can watch Friday nights with Lofty and co every week.
Hey, you mean I can ignore my missus list of weekend chores? I’m on it now! Fridays just aren’t the same. Cheers Holic!
Cheers ‘holic and to all the contributors (the only blog where I bother to always read the comments – excellent quality chaps!).
I’ve just emerged very bleary eyed to an impatient family, so will be trying my best to impersonate Alex (and Denilson… son of Gilberto?) in staying under the radar of the home ref… if this is my last comment you will know I have failed.
A nice imported PG Tips cuppa ….. Happy 2010
Yellow card… probably fair enough!
Haha, good stuff, Catalan.
And speaking of quality blogs Catalan is spot on. However, Holic, how long before I can proudly download a Goonerholic App? I know, I know it’s so me too. I may just start a campaign to chivvy things along! I’m already the proud owner of a Arseblog App so watcha waiting for?
Technical incompetence, AFC! Don’t hold your breath waiting for that particular app. 😉
Gotta say….I’m hugely impressed by the tapestry of comments woven into this particular thread (amongst an array of high quality threads in general on this blog). If I may be allowed to say (in my capacity of being an Arsenal fan just like anyone else who reads this blog)….a BIG THANKS to all fellow Gooners who offer their insightful thoughts, that I really enjoy reading, about all things Arsenal football club. I consider this to be the best quality site for information exchange and general banter about the team we love, tinged with a [heavy] sprinkling of equivoque and good humoured banter along the way.
Please keep up the brilliant work ‘holic – I can assure you it is appreciated. All the very best to your grandson, the management, as well as to your pa.
@ haho (#3), brilliant summary of the progress Wenger continues to oversee in his tenure at Arsenal. It really is staggering, even if one were to ignore the massive challenge of having to achieve this while coordinating a stadium move…..along with the associated constraints. Remarkable!!!
Happy new decade to fellow `Holics, lots of good things for all of you and those close to your hearts!
I would like to say a big THANK YOU to `Holic. Man, you’ve had a tremendous year. When things when not looking so rosy exactly one year ago, you’ve kept your inimitable outlook on the team without ever falling for the dark side. By now I’m sure the traffic on your blog tells you many of us are impatiently waiting for your posts and you’ve been kind to us with a noticeable increase in your productivity. Icing on the cake, the community gathering around you is the cream of Arsenal supporters. Cheers to you blogs!
When we’ll hit the storm with the toughest 14 days schedule since before I can remember (Jan 27th – Feb 10th: Villa, Utd, Chelski, Pool), I know which blog I’ll be reading!
PS: Thanks for `Holicdad’s input! I’m still working on my comment for him…