7th February 2020
Feb 6th, 2010 by 'holic
“Do you remember, ‘holic, when the decade started and we hadn’t won anything for a whole five years. My God, the fans had something to moan about then, didn’t they?”
“That’s right Emmanuel, and if you had suggested that you would be the boss ten years on they would have been suicidal.”
This amusing and charming man chuckles at the memory. He may now be sitting with me, the suited-and-booted manager of the most successful club on the planet, but we both recall the days when ‘You only come to see Eboue‘ was the funniest thing ever chanted at opposition supporters.
The Ivorian knows only too well the debt he owes to those who put the club in the financial situation today. “Look at Queensland Road now” he says, matter of fact. “The money that brought in gave me the money to buy some of the best players the world has ever seen. Without it we would not have the Championships and European Cups to look back on. Now the fans slate me for not developing enough youngsters, but I have the most expensive players in the world here. Will the miserable sods never be happy?”
He knows how tough it was on his predecessor. “Arsene took a lot of stick from the vocal minority for not spending the money that was used to develop the south end of the ground. I still admire the way he stuck to his principles and still churned out fantastic football sides. I am reaping the benefit of that foresight now.”
Eboue has taken time out from preparing his side to face second division Liverpool in the fourth round of the FA Cup. The dramatic fall of the once-proud scousers in the financial meltdown that hit football is in sharp contrast to the strides that Arsenal have made. Whisper it softly, but even the boss himself didn’t expect to land a third European Cup last May with an injury-riddled side.
“It was ever thus”, he confides. “I remember the low point vividly. We had lost all of our games with the top two in 2010, and went to Chelsea with nobody expecting us to do anything. Most of our own fans expected us to get tonked that day. We didn’t have a single striker fit.”
I have to confess to feeling much the same way in the build-up. “But you were behind us that day? I remember the ‘holic pound made you very popular with some of the boys who used to follow you for a laugh. 2-1 to Arsenal, you said, and Eboue to score the last goal. I still remember the look on John Terry’s face after I nutmegged him on the edge of the box, left Ashley on his arse, and cracked it in off the bar. I was trying to cross it, you know.”
We both roar at the memory. “We were very lucky though. The papers that morning carried stories about nearly the entire Chelsea team. There were salacious stories about mates birds, abortions, rent boys, even goats. They fought like wounded lions that day, but we were hurting too. It was a fantastic match. People talk about my winner, but Manuel Almunia’s two penalty saves in injury time were what really won it for us.”
“Holic, wake up, it’s nearly ten.”
“What? Oh bollocks, it was all a dream. Shit!”
“You’d better read this paper before I sling it out. There is something in here about some Chelsea players and a rent boy. Apparently a goat was involved. Seems the vice squad and the RSPCA are investigating them.”
76 Responses to “7th February 2020”
Dreamer! That’s what late night drinking does for you ‘holic.
There’s too much ‘about’ about too. Well one, at least.
You’re just getting better and better ‘Holic.
Funniest thing being I feel quite fondly for the prospect of a grown-up Eboue as the gaffer. Would be quite a sight. Sadly, it’s not going to happen since Eboue has his sights set on a career in Hollywood, as he has said numerous times. I just hope he doesn’t leave to United Artists on a free…
Lastly I want to congratulate you on the number of drinks you received for your last post. Some maths – 12 980 drinks on 691 posts. That’s 18,7 drinks per post. So to say that you’re bar is getting big is really an understatement.
I’m just waiting to see some quotes from you in The Sun saying “I won’t let this get to my head. The management is helping me to keep my feet on the ground. I’ll put my head down and keep working delivering the best Arsenal blog on the planet. I know I’ve still got a long way to go”.
Up the Arse, everone!
Ummm
Errrr
Ok
Vintage ‘holic
Today’s ‘holic was brought to you by the word ‘about’ and the numbers ‘1’ and ‘2’.
๐
Come to see Eboue, you only come to see Eboue. Brilliant, you couldn’t make it up..
Very amusing, I have a prayer mat ready for tomorrow, ’cause we are gonna need it!
It was four deep in here the other night. I got jostled off my seat at the end of the bar at one point… Thank god we had the lock in.
Eboue the gaffer, nothing is impossible. Almunias 2 penalty saves bending the impossible a bit. Buying the best players in the world ! Had to be a dream ! But Holic,I will dream with you on that one.
Sunday’s match is not the be all to beat all, although I do so want them to spank Chelski…. I’d be happy with a point, but I know all of us want all 3 points. I don’t like the fact that again we probably won’t line up with a bonified center forward unless he risks B-52, but I believe Nikki B will be on the subs bench along with Walcott; so is it Arshavin (sp) up top again?? I hate to see him go up against their thugs cause thats what they are “Thugs!!” Anyhoo here’s to a 3-1 Arsenal victory tomorrow, Up The Arse!!!
I know I don’t have to tell you this, but shop around for best prices. That 12-1 to Arsenal is widely available at 16/1, although one tight Paddy is only offering twelves. He redeems himself, does Mr Power, by offering 10/1 against Eboue scoring at any time in the match.
As usual some real valid points re finance, both at our club and at others. You would have though that would be enough for most fans. Open their eyes to the bigger picture. But I cant help but think that sometimes both AW and the club do not do themsleves any justice. One thing that really frustrates me with AW is the amount of times I have heard him say that he is in the market, looking for players, going to a tournament with his cheque book etc etc. We have all heard the quotes. All this does in get people all excited that a big new superstar is about to arrive. This specuation is fuelled by the board who release financial figures showing we are one of the wealthiest sports clubs in the land. We have this amount to spend etc etc. We have sold these players and there is money avaiable etc etc. Perhaps certan people who franky should know better should just keep quiet?
Football fans spend a lot of money supporting their team. Big financial demands are made of fans. Let’s be fair, the current economic climate is not a good one. Fans are being asked to dig deep.
As highlighted in your last post, we have no choice. We will follow the club though thick and thin. Even if Eboue is manager????? I have no doubt that in the years to come we wll all see the results of the current plans and that this will make us the club that others all envy. If it means being prudent for a while then so be it. But please Mr W and the board, stop the press statements saying we are so well off and are about o splash the cash. Let’s just carry on nice and quietly as we are. Perhaps then, some of those knuckle draggers and ex players might not be as quick to jump on the “we need to spend now” bandwagon.
Keep the faith….
Whooah…..caught me by surprise with todays offering holic….well scribed as per usual ~ I’ll have the same sleeping tablets as you please!!
I’ll admit I had a dream last night that Malouda scored one of those fancy ‘soft’ poser type penalties past Almunia, who couldn’t even be bothered to make the effort to stop it. Sorry, don’t wish to be negative! Further to which I’ll say I’m feeling all fired up, in a very bullish and positive mood about tomorrow’s game.
Our players are professionals. One or two of them know they let the side down last week and I’m really hoping lessons will have been learned. All teams have points in the season when less than convincing performances have been put in but who better to have; to lead the ship through slightly choppy waters, than Wenger at the helm?
Here’s to a 1-2 win.
Keep on believing!!
NB. I am about two-thirds through reading some fascinating submissions on the previous blog. The idea of ever turning my back on the team I have followed for the last 40 years (through al the twists and turns ~ at times which have far far darker than a humiliating defeat to Manchester United ~ is just bewildering! Beyond consideration even!!!! Goes without saying really…..Gooner till I turn my boots up ๐
Fantastic piece FOD!
And no doubt, Mr Eboue authored Hans Christian Andersen as his defensive coach and half-time raconteur?
His signing of the Dutch super sleeper, sorry, super striker, Rip Van Winkle was the stuff that dreams are made of too. For snore, RVW could really strike. He was particularly appreciated by the fans up in Row ZZZZ…
But the thing that really elevated the team into dreamland and world folklore? Eboue’s triple coup!
For some reason, it took a while for her to really wake up to the task, but Snowy White turned out to be a better pillow for the defense than even Seaman when things got thorny between the sticks. And her partnership with Sleepy and Dozy, the German Dwarve brothers at full back, really put the team on the yellow brick road to Silverland.
And the great news? – Mr and Mrs Dwarve were always at it – so there’s another FIVE brothers in Eboue’s reserve team. Age 7 and up.
He was a bit green around the gills at first but Shrek turned out to be an ogre of a ball winner in the Alex Song roll. But the fans could never quite get their heads around “We’ve only got one Ogre” and it drifted into oblivion like a fart in a swamp.
1-0 Arsenal at the goat farm, methinks, with the little mermaid’s big brother Nicklas coming off the bench like Bambi to score a Beauty past that Beast lover Terry before making Cech look like a goose that just laid a golden egg. That should Rumple the stilts skin in AncelottisPotti.
I expect that Goldilocks Arshavin and the other Elves in their Shoemaker boots, will huff and they’ll puff, like they did against Gingerbread man Brown last weekend.
But, for the winner, it will take our little red number 4, riding hood through Chelsea’s mid-field, to thread the pass to Nick, as long and golden as Rapunzles locks. Ray Wilkins will be hopping and croaking like the Frog Pronce he is when the winner goes in
Altidore just put Hull one up against Citeh. Kolo the Holo at the centre of Citeh’ defence having a howler again, like he did regularly in his last two seasons with us. Looks as solid as a meringue at a barbecue.
16 Million for him and goodbye to his dressing room antics that were depressing Gallas and destablising the youngsters. Nice bit of business by the boss.
Ade, on the other hand, moving Hull’s defence around well. He’s right, he’s left, he’s in the middle, he’s back clearing at corners. Just like he did in red. Love the way he wins the ball in the air and sets up chances with his knock downs. Wish he was playing at Chelsea tomorrow.
Genius ‘holic, old son. Pure genius.
Chelsea, whoever you may be,
Don’t leave your wives with John Terry,
Cunt can’t shoot, cunt can’t pass.
But he’ll take your mrs up the arse.
Net burster from Emmanuel the Togolese Express to put Citeh back in it at Hull. That boy can play!
Vieira on too now. Interesting game of Arsenal old boys versus Herring gutters.
Reading this kind of blog makes me think there is a master lurking behind somewhere. ๐
Behave yourself, BtM ๐
Haha, old. Never tire of seeing that one. Or indeed…
Five men went to shag (SHAG)
Went to shag Wayne’s missus
Five men
Four men
Three men
Two men
One cunt and his mobile phone
Went to shag Wayne’s missus…
Good stuff ยดholic.
I bet even MLK would of been proud of that dream.
Shot of vodka please sir
Cheers.
ps Lets all laugh at City who just lost at Hull.
H2H: and spare a thought for the poor old sod who has to pay Vieira ยฃ120k a week. I saw the last ten minutes of the game and my oh my, was Vieira poor. Slow, cumbersome and despite his weight very weak in every situation. If that is representative of the player he is today I can fully understand why Mourinho wasn’t that sad to see him go.
Chelski are there for the taking, minus essien, our midfield will dominate.
Indeed, ‘Holic, if all else fails Eboue shall be our salvation. But let us not get too off color with our humor or someone in the Arsenal goal may Al-moon-ya.
Yet again splendid write up ‘Holic
I have a feeling that this dream will come true tomorrow at the Bridge, we should have Arragon Diaby available for this one. Let
his strength let him glide through the midfield, it’s definitely up for grabs now ๐
City lost, nice one but I’m not going to laugh at them, I feel sorry for Mancini already, how wlong before he get his P45?
I know I willbe extremley nervous tomorrow, but I have a good feeeling and with a bit of luck who knows.
Keep the Faith Gooners!!!
22 Lars.
It was a bit sureal seeing him in that horrid light blue number, he was unrecognisable from the player that we used to know and love, the only time that he reminded me of our Paddy was when the referee was putting his name in the book. ๐
Spurs and Villa have just bottled it again, they both seem to have a severe case of 4thplaceafobia. Good day for the Mickey Mousers.
Same again please barman.
A mate of mine is a Pompey fan, I really feel for him at this moment so for any Gooners out there if you think we have it bad take a look at Fratton Park.
26 H2H
I didn’t see the City game but I can imagine Paddy looked out of place in that light blue, Spurs and Villa game was rather boring especially Villa tactics bloody hoofters! We were unlucky not to beat them at Villa Park.
Pint of coke please barman, I did my share last night ๐
Great…..very imaginative………what about the whole i wanted to sign that player shit,holic?(on the last day)
I’m confused Usama.
We all wanted him to sign a player. If he had said nothing he would have been slaughtered for not trying to get anyone. Indeed it had already started. So he told us he was trying to get someone.
…and still people moan. It’s doing my swede in. I don’t know what the poor bastard could have done under the circumstances.
Come on ยดholic.
He should at least of bought Ronaldo, Kaka, Torres, Iniesta, Xavi, Villa, Buffon, Pele, Maradona and Cruijf. There was also a couple of guys that had three second clips of themselves scoring goals on YouTube that would of been BRILIANT for us.
Youยดll have to excuse me now, I can see a big window thatยดs in need of a good licking.
Pushing it a bit too far `Holic, had you been talking to Dennis instead of Emmanuel you’d have the entire BBB cheering on your post!
BtM: Elves? I hope we will be orcs!
Steve T: agreed, it’s not the time to say anything else that we are full of resolve. Nothing that was said in the last couple of days was needed at this point really.
I confess it’s been a very long time since I haven’t had so many butterflies in my stomach…
Keepin’ the faith!
Best read in ages! Mine’s a Staropramen and something for yourself.
evening olic, ave too rush must say agree with lars, did u see stevie hunt do a W.W.F. rated tackle on our own veira and the big pussie just took it as if he was facing roy the boys inner lunatic mind, mind u did not see the chelski boys go looking for stevie during the week, did u holic MATE
Excellent stuff ‘holic
A nice Terres De Galets Cotes Du Rhone if you don’t mind holic? With a Terres De Galets Cotes Du Rhone chaser. Thank you.
Some great stuff as usual.
Update. There are some juicy bets out there if you fancy us to avoid defeat (yeah, I know!). I have stuck large on the ‘holic pound. I like 2-1 to us and 16’s from Stan James was supplemented by another little punt on us to win (by any margin) at 4/1.
The draw offers interesting possibilities, and I am also on 1-1 (6/1) and 2-2 (16/1) at sportingbet.com
I’ll leave it at that or it is too diluted. Basically the 1-1 would recover my stake, and any of the other three possibilities would put me in profit, although the heaviest lump is on us winning 2-1, so the ‘holic pound would be very profitable indeed.
I must be barking ๐
Guys, just remember that we finished Feb. 08 top of the league and still didn’t win the league. Judge in May.
So nervous I can’t sleep at all.
Chelsea wherever you may be
Don’t leave your wife with John Terry
His dad deals coke
His mum steals tea
And he cries when he misses a penalty.
on a serious note, if diaby is not fit I’d like to see nasri pair with cesc and song in the middle. Nasri is very creative on the ball and has great vision to find those passes for AA or NB.
Top drawer article ‘holic – I’m only a reasonably recent reader (since you covered for Arseblog) but this just gets better and better.
Thanks for raising a few laughs on a dreary Yorkshire morning!
Fantastic post ‘holic, exactly what I needed to draw me from my pre-match depression.
Fantastic post, made me chuckle this morning.
The betting situation is mad today, for an optimist like me (and like you), the odds are just ridiculous. Fours on a win? 14/1 on a repeat of last season’s scoreline? 9/1 on Cesc opening the scoring (which he does on a regular basis).
Put it this way – if we get humped 3-0 this afternoon, I’ll be losing across the board. But if we shock Chelsea, I have so many bets on various positive outcomes that the drinks will be on me.
‘Holic – is the bar open yet? (I know its Sunday……)
Arseblog has suggested the same 11 will start today as last week so I am going to need a few strong fortifying Guinesses ๐
zicoinexile, I don’t necessarily think it being the same XI is a bad thing. Good sportsmen hate losing, and always want to put things right immediately. The same players can erase last weekend with a good performance today, and they won’t be short on motivation.
What a splendid blog!
I’ll have a pint of Guinness please.
Pete, I would like to think that as professionals they will respond with a better fighting performance.
I will be the first to eat massive slices of humble pie if they prove me wrong, but the same team and the same formation does not fill me with any confidence.
Not long to go now my fellow Gooners, one side of me is trembling the other excited as hell. I will be watching this one at home with my little Jnr Gooner
Come on Arsenal, come on Arsenal, come on Arsenal…!!!.
Come on you riproaring Gunners!
2 chances 2 goals.. looks like alumina had his eyes closed on the second.
Half time analysis. A cunt is on a cuntrick ๐
we are making the same simple elementary mistakes against the “big” teams.
Clichy is having a mare.
Sagna needs to continue working hard in training on crossing.
And we were very, very close to signing someone before the deadline.
We will hear “Wenger out”
We will hear “sustainable football”
We will hear “Cesc will leave”
Somewhere in all this madness lies the truth.
but we don’t need to worry. Arsene knows.
Looks like Drogba his turning TV into Senderos. What a hell of a player…
45 minutes are enough for 3 goals. GO GUNNERS!
By the way does anyone know who that last minute signing was? Skyski said it was rumoured to be a Keeps?
Walnut substituted. Great Dane on. Hands together and pray.
Defensive coach anyone?
Drogba will retire one day…
Not the result any of us wanted, but at least the lads gave it a go this week. Of course in the aftermath the usual questions will be asked and the doom and gloom merchants will be out in full force.
A quick pint for me before the guff begins please sir.
Cannot fault with Fabregas for leaving to Barca. He deserves them.
it was Sorenson and that is why Stoke were after James. We could really do with him.
Feckin groundhog day, especially that second goal. A much better performance in terms of effort but….
i dont think arsene does know any more. sorry i’ve lost the faith. he’s forgotten how to beat the big teams. too stubborn and vain to reinforce his young squad. we pay the most for season tickets in the country and we gross more match day revenue than any other team. yet our net transfer spending over the last four years has been the lowest in the league. and every year we fall short “because of injuries”. it’s got boring now. director of football role please for arsene in the summer and lets have a new manager.
I’M SORRY BUT ARSENE NEEDS DEFENSIVE COACHING HELP –
See.. you take the Corporate world…Great Entrepreneurs are NOT ALWAYS GREAT ADMINSTRATORS…thats why innovative companies when they become larger sometimes collapse – and thats due to Poor adminstration…
SAME HERE….NO DISRESPECT TO HIS ATTACKING FOOTBALL PHILOSOPHY (which also needs a bit of sharpening – cos we dont score much against Utd/Chelsea) BUT HE JUST DOESNT SEEM TO KNOW HOW TO COACH DEFENDERS…
OK YOU MIGHT ASK HOW HE WON TITLES BEFORE – thats cos he INHERITED a set of Defenders who were ALREADY MASTERS OF THEIR ART AND THAT RUBBED OFF ON HIS NEW DEFENSIVE SIGNINGS – Campbell & Toure (in his prime) probably got groomed better with the likes of Adams, Keown, winterburn etc etc…
SO WHAT SHOULD ARSENE HAVE DONE – I think he should have retained maybe Adams, winterburn, dixon to groom the younger guys…
AND THEN THE NEXT BIG BIG POINT….
I FEARED THE LOSS OF FLAMINI WILL HAVE AN EFFECT ON THIS TEAM….
BUT I NEVER KNEW HE WOULD BE SUCH A BIG LOSS….
Yes SONG has improved and will and should be that player in the CDM role for the future…
BUT FLAMINI (THE ARSENAL VERSION) WAS a different CLASS ! And SONG Not yet there…
……….
Most of my family never followed football…pessimistic people who always tend to see the negative side of things…
Introduced Arsenal to them….the style of football, the philosophies…and bla bla…
But guess I shouldnt have…cos every time during our Big moments over the past few seasons – where we screw up – these people are right at my faces…I’ve defended and defended…made that excuse…this excuse…
BUT I’M TIRED…CANT SEEM TO DO IT ANY MORE !!!
Then move on a gunner. It’s not the end of the world though.
Goonerwin – Sorenson eh? Well that’s interesting. Not a bad filler. Would have been good competition for Almunia.
Chinaman – perhaps you misunderstood my ironic sarcasm re “Arsene knows”.
A gunner – quite agree, we need to drum defensive coaching as a team into these players. By the way I thought we responded well to going two nil down. And I thought Eboue was much more direct and HE CAN CROSS!
oh well, what a piss off
NOW – i know Our stupid Arsenal fans…I’ll recieve a barrage for saying the following….
But I’ll still say it…
should Wenger have done the UNTHINKABLE and Got George Graham in for this season and sort the defending part ???????????????
I MEAN THIS IS SERIOUS….YOU CAN ALWAYS RELY ON YOUR CREATIVE PLAYERS TO ALWAYS SCORE…
SO WHEN YOU DONT IN TIGHT GAMES LIKE THIS….YOU SHOULDNT CONCEDE WITH STUPID DEFENSIVE MISTAKES…
AND GEORGE GRAHAM….A MASTER OF THIS…WHEN YOU DONT SCORE YOU HARDLY CONCEDE….
I THINK THERES SOME BADLY NEEDED EXPERTISE IN THE DEFENSIVE AREA…
AND ARSENE IS PISS POOR AT IT….
Yes He won titles…BUT THATS COS THE DEFENCE took care of it self and I AM FUCKING SURE ARSENE Never dared to touch that area….
YES He can be a genius in attacking football….
BUT IN FOOTBALL THE RULES DONT SAY ONLY ARSENAL CAN ATTEMPT TO SCORE GOALS….AND ITS FORBIDDEN FOR THE OPPOSITION TO TROUBLE OUR DEFENDERS !!!
Who stole my heart ‘Holic?
Who threw it out on the pavement and rolled over it with $150,000 Mercedes?
Oh, that’s right…these high flying, coddled, baby-gunners.
If any of the usual suspects (BtM, Snail, etc) post anything close to saying the season’s not lost, or the fat-lady hasn’t begun singing, or the “Real” fans will not overreact… I think I will lose my lunch.
Wenger is out of ideas. The team is out of ideas. I wasn’t around for the glory days; but I have supported the Dallas Cowboys (a no-less proud and successful sporting franchise), and, in a world of the blind, I see… Congratulations, ‘Holic, the Gunners are the Cowboys.
I’m settling in for an extended Winter of discontent…
a gunner – you’ll only receive abuse for posting twice. Heh.
Only just seen this post ‘holic.
Excellent as usual
There was a peculiar sight I saw in the Chelsea match. There was an entity that rested behind the Chelsea defense, and every time the ball was directed to the Chelsea goal by an Arsenal player, this bizarre creature would be there to prevent it from crossing the goal line. I began to wonder if we would concede as many goals if we had such an obstruction behind our defenders as well.
..
Being serious for a moment,
Almunia, Sagna, Gallas, Verm, Clichy, Song, Diaby, Cesc, Nasri, Arshavin, Walcott
That is as close to our full-strength lineup as you can get. Minus RVP and other players flirting with the starting XI such as Bendtner, Denilson, Eduardo, Rosicky, thats our best team out there. If we can’t even compete with United or Chelsea with our best team, then we are in serious trouble.
I disagree that we played well today. Just because we won the possession battle does not mean were the better team. Chelsea were utterly dominant at the back and whenever we looked like scoring, Cech was there to bail them out. Chelsea’s entire gameplan was oriented around ceding possession and the midfield to us, and hitting us on the break, just as it was at the Emirates earlier this season.
Again, there’s still time. We are not out until we are mathematically eliminated.
Awwight ‘holic.
Better showing by the team this week. They cannot be faulted. Yes, I’m hugely disappointed by the scoreline but the defeat doesn’t quite hurt so much as did last week.
The difference between the two team? Drogba! 2 chances, 2 goals. When was the last time we were able to count on a striker to do the same? Frankly he’d have scored those goals against his own defence imo.
Lay off Almunia. He’s the easy whipping boy for those that can’t see the problem. We need a seasoned striker in the mold of Torres, Drogba or Rooney. Therein lies the problem.
Gooner till my toes turn up ๐
Is Nasri the most pointless player ever? He had a great chance to shoot, at 0-2 down, and still he refused and tried to pass it. He pretty much sums up Wenger’s philosophy – why shoot when you can pass? The beautiful game has never looked so ugly.
Harsh – I said “we responded well” I too would rather we “played well” than keep responding against the “big teams”. Hey, aren’t we supposed to be a “big” team.
And you are right. The season isn’t over yet – let’s see where the chips fall?
Dazza – that’s incredibly profound. “the beautiful game has never looked so ugly” sounds like an epitaph? That’s a joke by the way.
Just looked at the remaining schedules for Arsenal, Chelsea, United
Arsenal
Gimmes: Sunderland, Stoke, Burnley, Hull, West Ham, Birmingham, Wolves, Wigan, Blackburn, Fulham
Tough ones: Liverpool (H), Spurs (A), Man City (H)
—
Chelsea
Gimmes: Wolves, Portsmouth, West Ham, blackburn, Bolton, Stoke, Wigan
Tough ones: Everton (A), Man City (H), Villa (H), united (A), Spurs (A), Liverpool (A)
—
United
Gimmes: West Ham, Wolves, Fulham, Bolton, Blackburn, Sunderland, stoke
Tough ones: Villa (A), Everton (A), Liverpool (H), Chelsea (H), Man City (A), Spurs(H)
Conclusion:
We have 10 relatively easy fixtures in which we must not, repeat, MUST NOT, drop points. You will notice Chelsea and United have the same tough fixtures left as we do, and then some. Provided the race for the last CL place is still on, Chelsea and United still have to contest with ALL FOUR of the challengers for fourth in addition to Everton. They will drop points. We do have some hope. Two of our 3 toughest fixtures are at home. Chelsea and United have 3 and 3 away. Chelsea vs United will be absolutely huge, and ideally a draw, because by then we could have clawed our way back in, as we have 7 gimmes in a row as opposed to 4 by United and 4 by Chelsea. In any case, the onus is still on us to win our gimmes. Let’s see what this team is made of.
Same old same old same old same old…….
So incredibly frustrating. For all those who were against me when I said we needed 3 players that could start in the team now, including a top striker, anyone disgree with me now???????
I am so pissed off I will leave my full comments for a while. But we have become the Graham Hick’s of the premier league. We smash sides below us with ease. Then when we come up against sides with a bit more quality we just are not good enough. Flat track bullies.
Liverpool is now a must win game. End of.
Just missed out on signing Buffon, Ribery, Villa and Chamach on the last day of the window! – just not enough time
Dont worry we’ve got Bendtner and Theo to guide us to the title-
“Just remember to take the ball with you when you start to dribble Theo”
the whole system isn`t working and never will until we have defenders who defend first and foremost. The fabled Arsenal back four didn`t really know how to do much else, so we were hard to score against, but that is not AW`s model. Our midfield and attack is, with some exceptions, a team of smallish lightly-built, extremely skillful players who, with the exception of Arshavin, can`t take the knocks and are continually on the treatment table. so that after a few games shaking off the rust, they pick up another strain. It is our misfortune that the one player who shouldn`t come into this category, Diaby, is so injury prone. Of course, Fabregas worked like a trojan, and was consequently out on his feet near the end. How much longer will our midfield maestro be prepared to shoulder all this load without asking himself if it is really worth it.
I was listening to the radio comentary, and after our shambolic opening concession, the summariser, Graham Taylor kept banging on about his favourite topic, the placing of defenders on the line to cover each post, claiming that it would have probably prevented that goal. He was probably right.
A win on wednesday night is now essential if we are to avoid an another almighty scrap for 4th spot. Forget all this bollocks about our easy run-in, we have finally been rumbled and we have a real fight on our hands