Dangerous To Ignore Sideshow Bob
Nov 26th, 2010 by 'holic
Well what else did you expect me to hang this preview on? I’ve read so much negative stuff this week (yes, and written some too!) that the prospect of seeing that famous Pires gait again is a major attraction of the visit to Villa Park. Villa have an injury list that seems to have overtaken ours, so the chances of the legend appearing at some stage are good. You just know the travelling Gooners will give him a fabulous reception.
I pay little heed to those who talk of his legs having gone. That is a maybe, but the man could still pass you to death, and as much as I will enjoy watching him again I would hope we will pay special attention to denying him possession if and when he appears. I feel privileged to have seen him play so many times, but this game should be about the players we have now, not a former legend.
The loss of the skipper again is a blow, but Samir Nasri has been probably our most consistent performer this season and deserves a shout in the playmaking role. Jack Wilshere should also return and Lionel Songi should be told in no uncertain terms at which end of the pitch he should be concentrating on. Behind them I would hope Johan Djourou is retained, but I am not sure the manager is of the same mind.
I would be sorely tempted to give Robin van Persie a start on the right flank. He can alternate with Marouane Chamakh, and if the game is too much for him he can make way for a fresh Theo Walcott on the hour. On the left we are likely to see a return for Andrey Arshavin, I would have thought.
Villa have lost a number of midfielders, it’s true, but boast a threat down the flanks through Downing and Young. Dunne and Collins will clearly feature in our box at set pieces, but also I would expect we will attempt to raise the tempo to expose their lack of pace in defensive situations. Villa are unbeaten at home, and we appear to be at our best away. It could be a humdinger.
The ‘holic pound sides with our away form, and I have a sneaking fancy for a 3-2 away win. Shop around and you could get 33/1 against that. If I see any other back up pounds once the team is announced I will mention them in the drinks on Saturday lunchtime. I pray my confidence is not misplaced. For the second week running we have an opportunity to grab top spot, albeit maybe only briefly. Psychologically you get the feeling we need that lift right now.
Last Chance For Free UK Delivery From The Club Shop
Now this is obviously a shameless bit of begging as well, but you may have noticed the new advertising from the club shop on the blog. They have a very special offer for UK mainland customers until Sunday. If you were thinking about spending fifty quid or more in the club shop on Christmas presents then you can do it online this weekend, and get free delivery as well. That will save you getting weary arms carrying stuff home from the upcoming home games, and enable you to miss the inevitable queues at the same time.
Now of course if you visit the online store via the banners on here I will get a small cut of your spend as well. You don’t have to. It’s not a fortune, but I did cover the web-hosting costs this year, and hope to do so again in the new year. Thanks for your support this year. I really am grateful.
117 Responses to “Dangerous To Ignore Sideshow Bob”
[…] This post was mentioned on Twitter by Arsenal FC, Arsenal News. Arsenal News said: Goonerholic | Dangerous To Ignore Sideshow Bob http://bit.ly/id5uWm […]
Will be good but weird seeing charlie chaplin tomorrow. Much as I love him, I hope he doesn’t score against us.
Champagne please barman.
Pires definitely won’t start. It will be
Friedel
Young Dunne Collins Warnock
Young Clark Bannan Downing
Ireland
Agbonlahor/Carew
Can’t quite fathom why we would want to rotate centre backs – if ever there was a need for continuity in the defence, it is right now. How are they supposed to learn to play as a unit if we keep chopping and changing when there’s no need?
I would have Djourou in the team – he looks like he is settling down and will get better if he becomes a first pick. Kos for me at times has looked excellent but is still raw and learning in this league and should be given time to adapt.
Much as I would love 3 points tomorrow, can we get them? It depends whether they are still feeling sorry for themselves I suppose.
I’ll take a scrappy 1 nil to the Arse please, Bob.
And a pint of guiness, Guvnor.
Nice headline ‘holic. Although I’m sure the Villains have a capable fear of us.
I’ll have a pint of cooking lager, as I’m up early tomorrow. Cheers.
Evening All
I care not if we’re Hom-er away. Do the simp-son things well Arsenal and we’ll win by a comfotable marge-in.
Drinks for all in the bar please Mo, cheers!
D’oh!
A pint of Duff please, Mr Moyes.
CoYRRR’s
The BBC has decided we are already 4th in the league table. Is somebody monkeying with their website.
http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport2/hi/football/eng_prem/default.stm
Jersey, don’t you mean Moe?
You know,I had decided after our poor showing of the past week that I’ll ”punish” the players,by boycotting their next two or so matches but-surprise,surprise-i find myself eagerly looking forward to tomorrows match.I just hope I won’t get my heart broken again.Supporting these guys is no easy job for the Arrythmia-prone heart.
Ice to see you, holics.
@Trev (from the last post)
Re AS success – do tell!!!
But he’s right ‘Holics – arthritis etc is not all doom and gloom. There is plenty to be done.
Enough now.
I’m back from my dark Thursday place and in a Friday / Ashes mood again.
Who fancies a pint? ATG, I’m sure I owe you one. Goonertown, if you still really want your J2O you can have it on me.
Cheers…
Heroes or Villains?
“Better allow three hours, sir. Traffic around KL can be very heavy at that time of the morning”. “OK then, make it 7.30 departure rather than eight” – Exits the scene for another jet-lagged night, wincing at the prospect of losing 30 minutes of the sleep likeliest to be the deepest of the night.
7.30 departure and not one, solitary, other, single car in f**cking sight. In the airport lounge two and a half hours early! Again! Definitely could have had these extra, precious thirty minutes and the bloody alarm sounded just as things were getting interesting and Michele Pfeifer was puckering up too……
So, what to do after three stale egg sandwiches and two cups of coffee that, right now, are initiating the first rumblings of an inter-testinal explosion that is promising to be Hiroshimaic in proportions? Only one thing TO do – write about the only thing that is a 24/7/60/60 preoccupation at the moment, awake or asleep – The Arsenal. (Even Michele Pfeifer was wearing an Eboue top in pre-pucker, with red and white knickers sporting the club badge and a message to Cesc to “slot it in, my son”!)
Whether because of its proximity of the equator and some delicate imbalance of its complex, mystical, internal barometry, or because the heat has caused its inter-cosmic gyro transducer to go “pop”, the BtM crystal ball is flat out not working. Very comfortable “win” predictions vs Spurs then Braga have caused it fuse haywiredly into a suspended state of dazed stupification, not dissimilar to that being borne mercilessly by its owner.
“How come things seemed to change so quickly?” the puzzled little expression on its beautifully buffed, crystalline, exterior, seems to say. “We polished off a whole tin of toffees without having to break into a chew. Then we peeled and roasted eleven spuds until they were completely mashed after 45 minutes in the cooker. Then suddenly the gas under the pan went out and it’s been cold Braganese turkey with chilled spud salad on the side ever since.
That Man IOU are playing like a bunch of nancy boys on a Sunday charabanc outing for the deeply indebted, with Wayne Scrooney performing like Auld Slapper herself, doesn’t help to cheer. Nor does the fact that John Terry’s athritic appendage has him laying off Wayne Bridge’s missus for months to come with his deputies playing more like Laurel and Hardy than Alex and Whotsit. And the stat showing Littlepool are having the worst summer of their winter ever doesn’t help at all.
And we’re a WHOLE two points behind, still in the beer cup, still in the FA Cup and just about to qualify for the next round of CL Cup – and there’s only two thirds of the season to go! May as well go off now and hibernate till September, this season’s as good as all over.
Wait a minute! Let me just read that last paragraph again.
“Hello Mother, Hello Father, things are grand at, Camp (Emirates) Grenada……….”.
Well, not grand, maybe, but they might just be a smidgeon worse. But tomorrow will be another tough test in a sequence of tough tests. Will we, or the Villains, be Heroes at the end of this day? Will we be talking about “the team showed a lot of strength of character” or will it be “Le ref was, of-course, very, very, crapee”?
My heart is telling me we’ll just edge it by one goal, but the absence of the crystal set is denying me a forecast. 4-4-2 would do me nicely with Robin well forward and playing off Chamakh with Song and Wilshere doing defensive duties and Denilson and Nasri providing the ammo for the front two. Sagna, Kos, JD20 and Clichy at the back. Walcott and Rosicky on after 65 mins to ease the tiring legs please, Arsene.
Singapore sling with a whisky top please, barman. I’m ON with a Chinese gentleman with a long pad of Chinese script, a shade over his eyes and a ticket behind his ear for 2-3 at 35/1. Drinks are on me next time at the Tollie! (Have inserted the score in crystal ball, which is coughing a bit).
*Reads BtM’s post*
*stands up and applauds*
One glass of your finest scotch there barman.
Actually make that a whole bottle please. We must keep him at the bar AT ALL COSTS.
I meant of course a whole bottle of scotch FOR BtM, please.
I have to add that I already had a…similar type of encounter of my own with Ms Pfeiffera few years ago, but I can’t recall exactly what she was wearing, for one obvious reason…
don’t say it too loudly..is wenger under pressure?
http://www.postmatchpint.com
comments?
@15 NO.
All I can say is that I hope we have more luck than England bowlers have had this morning. Watching the first session today has been like watching The Arsenal play. Loads of great stuff, great to watch but sadly no end product. Not that both Broad and Anderson deserved such a fruitless first 90 minutes.
I hope we play with confidence at Villa Park. I hope that both RVP and Arshavin are well rested and ready to fire. Their efforts over recent weeks certainly merited their mid week breather????? We need to get our confidence back and play with a spirit. Villa will be a test as they often are. Let us all hope that recent capitulations are now firmly in the past.
Up the Gunners.
Post it again and it is deleted robbie. It is getting tedious now, and the civil would ask.
Agreed Steve. Jimmy Anderson has been outstanding.
Need a bloody wicket though. Don’t fancy chasing too many on that track.
Good post Holic a drink for you is in order!
Just finished painting my kitchen it took bloody ages and I’m now officialy knackered. I think I will stick to IT for day to day job. 🙂
Massive game tomorrow with a massive response required, no pressure ah? It would be nice to go WE ARE TOP OF THE LEAGUE for just few hours then again you never know right?
Catalan if that J2O is still on the go I’ll have it now please, I’m dying of thirst…
Cricktet tonight whats the score Holics I mean who’s winning that is?
Hi Arthur,
Australia have an upper hand..they lead by 190…right now they are batting England out of the game.
English bowlers haven’t had the luck so far.
It’s 2-0 to the Aussies with half an hour to go in the game 😉 And England desperately need a goal from somewhere!!
Cheers.
A nice cooling pint of Magners if you will barman need some hair of the dog after a very over the top bday celebration yesterday 🙂
Blimey what to think of today, This is massive and in my view could turn out to be a defining game in our season- Win and we go top
and the confidence should start to return Lose and serious questions will be asked and rightly so,
I’m going for a tight 2.1 to the lads and just hope they show some character because it’s been sadly lacking in recent times, If it’s again absent Villa will take full advantage,
Just how lucky were the Aussie batsmen in that first session!!
Anyway Up The Arse,
@Harsha
Love it – Cricket translated into footy parlance in the hope of educating ATG! Let’s keep it up.
Morning all.
Very good Harsha. Now, football for the next few hours. Arse the Builder, can he fix it?
Fabianski, Sagna, Koscielny, Squillaci, Clichy, Nasri, Song, Wilshere, Rosicky (c), Arshavin, Chamakh
Cheers Catalan,
Now onto the REAL footie I love to watch!
Come on you REDS!!!!
Come on you YELLOWS!
Again.
HAHAHAHAHA
The away support is fucking AWESOME. AGAIN.
Someone at the office really doesn’t want the Arsenal to build its American support. Enough with the lunchtime games!
Looking for a statement from the boys today.
COME ON YOU GUNNERS!
Nasri with suspected thigh strain
Anyone else feeling weird seeing Robert in a non-Arsenal shirt playing against Arsenal?
RVP – I am also not comfortable with the fact he has trained with us over the last 2 months. We need a win today
Barman – pint for my RVP please
Can anyone remind me what Clichy is good at?
@Goonertown: Cheers and thanks for the pint. However, as you can see, the bar is pretty empty today.
Maybe that will allow us to celebrate an eventual Arsenal win by dancing on the bar counter.
I was sure Arshavin would score.
ONE NIL TO THE ARSENAL.
Well, look at that. Someone actually takes a shot, and it ends up in the net. One-nil!
Beautiful!
Two nil to The Arsenal Nasri what a goal!
What a player Arshavin is.
If only he would have tried harder, he’d be THAT much better.
He does all these things on 50% effort.
Wonderful moment from Nasri, brilliantly taken. Now let’s see the same sense of urgency in the second half.
Agree Snir about Arshavin
Great first half performance but why do I have this strange feeling of deja vous? Incidently, do Pat Rice’s specs make him look like the bloke out of Peters and Lee?
Hoping for a 1-2 in the second half as I’m on Arshavin 4-1 🙂 very good first half display just need to stay concentrated now!!! Come on you yellllllllllllllllloooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooows.
Bobby is off.
*sigh*
Come on Arsenal – NOT AGAIN – PLEASE!!!!!!!!!!
Ugh. They got one back.
Clichy should have done better. FFS.
You beauty – we ARE champions elect – stand firm you yellows!
Chippy,
All bets are ON 🙂
YES!
RvP – It should have been Rosicky getting tight on Clark, Clichy did right to back off and cover the overlap as it was closer (even though the midfielder usually covers the overlap).
That was Chamakh’s 10th goal, what a steal he is. I just absolutely love him.
Well sid young Snir – he’s been a brilliant signing for us.
Now, just stay focused you yellows.
How long until I can buy myself an Arsenal #29 neckwarmer from the club shop?
@Dadric
Just make sure you click on the banner on top of this blog if you want to buy anything from the club shop.
Arshavin is flying at the moment. My MOtM
Clichy should have closed down for their goal. I appreciate what people are saying about the player wide but the danger comes from the where the ball is going and has to be dealt with. How Carew was not given off side is totally beyond me anyway.
We look shakey at the back. Yet again there is too big a gap between midfield and the back four.
Oh good grief…. come on you yellows!
Fuck me. How basic is that yet again??????????
This is when we find out if we have any leaders….
Us conceding from a set-piece?
NO WAY!
‘Holic,
IF it stays like this, you’re ‘Holic pound account will be in fine shape, right?
Steve T
You’re right. We just have to accept (as supporters) that we cannot seem to learn the defending basics. We just have to score more than we let in.
How have we not put this game to bed by now??????
I’m nervous holics.
TS.
We need to sort this out. It can not be that difficult for players to learn the basics surely?????? We just allow teams back into games that we should bury.
Jesus Christ hold out !!
What should we do? Trying to go for the kill? or keep the ball, knowing that we can concede at anytime?
Steve
Everyone agrees with you. I have no idea why we can’t do it. I think if we can sort it out (somehow) then we’ll cruise to a championship but as we stand, it’ll be a roller-coaster journey all the way until May.
Exciting and a shame all in one?
But why are we so vulnerable at the back? It us getting embarrassing.
Budget centre backs and no quality holding player.
Just my thoughts…..
My nerves aren’t nearly strong enough for this.
The away support is doing its job. Come on you yellows!
Steve T
I agree with you on the “budget BCB’s” part. But Song is a very fine holding midfielder imo. And you can see that he’s limited his runs forward in this game.
Steve T
At the moment, it is embarrassing and it takes the shine off what was otherwise a very convincing appointment. I can hear the Hansenisms being readied for MotD as I write this…. 🙁
Keep the bleeding BALL!
RVP
I thknk Song has gone backwards this year. He needs a wake up call and need to remember what his position on park is.
Jack with a 4th so that settles the nerves.
Chippy,
You lucky b’stard! 🙂
YESSSSSSSSSSS!
Sorry, you were on a 4-1 weren’t you?
Top of the league ‘Holics! God knows how 😉
3 points and top, but for fucks sake boys please start learning the lessons. There are far tougher tests ahead.
Now that’s how you keep a lead Arsene!
We need to learn how to defend.
We shouldn’t have to score 17098709 goals away from home to secure the points.
But I am happy nonetheless.
🙂
Arsenal we love you.
Steve T – I think Song going forward is an instruction from AW. It usually does us good because he’s not taken as an attacking threat as Arshavin, Nasri et al are so his movement in the box isn’t marked as tight.
They HAVE to stop doing this to us, I’m gonna have a heart attack come May.
Little Jack just cost me £280 🙂
WE ARE TOP OF THE LEAGUE, SAID WE ARE TOP OF THE LEAGUE!
@RVP –
You gonna ask Holic about dancing on top of the bar?
I got £90 from that game. Drinks all around please Holic!
We are top the league….
lessons learned? well….some at least…..Nasri is the best player in the league right now. Rosicky worked his arse off….
Snir. But as I said above. Him pushing so far forward leaves a massive gap between the midfield and back 4. That is why we are vulnerable to the break and the ball over the top. In the days that Gilberto was here he would just sit in front of the back 4 and mop up. That is what we miss. I still think we do not play with enough width.
So we’re top of the league, but does that mean we’re not in a “crisis” anymore? Chelsea were in a crisis while they were top of the league, so it must be possible. I’m just very confused…the punditry has me all mixed up.
So Andre thinks it is cold???? No wonder he left Russia. MOTM today and deserved. We need more performances from him like that. Possibly his best of the season. Well played son.
Congrats GT, delighted to join you for a drink. Guinness please Barman, ta!
Too right HOLICS!
WE ARE TOP OF THE LEAGUE, SAID WE ARE TOP OF THE LEAGUE!
Very nervy yet again, my heart was about to pop any second! Come on guys we need to get this sorted.We certainly need to get a defending coach or something
Not bitching or anything a win is win and WE ARE TOP OF THE LEAGUE, SAID WE ARE TOP OF THE LEAGUE!
Holic,
We should have put our bets together and come up with 4.2 🙂 Fuck me that was painful viewing them last 5 mins but 3 points in the bag top of the league still carnt defend for toffee but nothing changes 😉 Arsene I’ve asked nicely for the past two xmases please please please go out and by a Dm and a centre half that can lead a back 4 and come April we may find ourselves top.
Up The Arse,
MotM contenders:
Arshavin: the artist
Chamakh: the workhorse
Nasri: the MAN
Song: the rock
Your vote goes to …
Can we have all away games from now on please?
Big props again to our fantastic away support nothing better than seeing the gestao trying to contain the pitch invaders, Whatever I may think about the way football is going -to see the celebrations of the away faithful was superb 🙂
@TS –
Thank you and you’re welcome.
Discussion in the barbers this morning from me, is that we are a different animal with more rotational options in each position!
…said we are top of the league…
Chippy, I think its fair to say that the gooner faithful have a new fav in Jack Wilshere/
RVP,
Arshavin by a mile they couldn’t live with the meerkat.
Holic@86 – sorry to hear that, whatever you’re drinking!
Sajit,
God was missing Brady so he created Jack Wilshere 😉
I only caught the last thirty minutes of action..F*ckin traffic..
Yes!!!!!! We’re top pf the league..looks like Jack had a nice game 🙂
“Top of the league ‘Holics! God knows how 😉 ” ..TS, I’ll drink anything your having to that.
Cheers
Chippy @ #102,
Thanks for clearing that up, was it divine inspiration?
Barman
I now owe plenty of drinks back to all in the bar so keep the alcohol flowing please.
Cheers all!
Fuck, man utd already up. 🙁
Sajit my friend, let’s try to enjoy the moment no matter how brief 🙂
Join us for a drink?
TS,
Yep it was a miracle – to have one Brady was luck to have a second coming was sent from above!! The lads different class just wait till he gets to play in his true position!!
Yep, TS, guess it could have always been worse :). we are still in there .. by some miracle lol!
Anyways, now for the most important match of the season .. CC sf!
My thoughts on today :
Made much harder work of that than it should have been. 2 main faults with this team,
1. Too many players who will not take responsibility and shoot – always wanting to take the easy option and pass it left or right. With more conviction in front of goal we could have been out of sight by half time.
2. We give the ball away too often, and too easily further up the field, thus inviting pressure. Rosicky and Arshavin are the main culprits and the former was particularly guilty of this in the last 10 minutes, putting all our hearts under strain.
I think its a bit harsh to suggest we have poor (budget) centre backs – I think individually we defend quite well, (even Clichy at times today!) Koscielny was fantastic I thought today (sorry Arsene, you were right!!) and I think with a bit of work we can make a case for the current defence – as said before I think our problems defensively are all caused by carelessness and complacency further up the field.
Another thing that drove me nuts today was how obviously illegal their first goal was. I saw it in real time in open play – it took that biased baldy wanker Gray 4 replays before he conceded that Carew may have been interfering with play. Sky Sports are a bunch of tossers!
Finally just want to say, Chamakh, fantastic work rate – he has been a real find for us. If NB52 wants to do anything in the game he should look very closely at how that position should be played.
So Man Utd are coasting to a win as I post this – the good news is that the next time we play them, its away from home!
Drinks all round for all these fine Gooners in the bar. 🙂
You know things are weird when I’m now more nervous about the upcoming home matches against Fulham and Stoke than I am about the trip to Old Trafford in a fortnight. The defensive issues are still there but we won and with Chelsea playing Spurs, Man Utd and us in December it could be an interesting month.
Also, FA Cup draw tomorrow evening, would be nice to get a non-Premiership side at home this time, and maybe Chelsea can get a hard draw for once!
Missed the game and I was very nervous beforehand
So very slowly had to read back text from Beeb in time order – so got very worried that Villa kept scoring and breathed a sigh of relief at final whistle
Just found the goals here
http://player.canalplus.fr/#/399077
dont know if its like Iplayer – only avail in home country
Nasri’s goal -bootiful (sorry Bernard Matthews)
Chammy – clinical
Jack – well the commentator says it all – deserved as man of the match
I now await Hansen of the day to say that Carew was nowhere near Fab, totally groggy, clearly didnt block Fabs view, and even
if Carew had touched the ball as it came through, he was still too groggy to interfere with play
Done my driving for today so time to celebrate, barman vintage Cognacs all round please
“Can we have all away games now please…” – Sajit
Story of the season. Well done today with some stunning play and no lose of resolve after each (ridiculous) goal they knocked back.
Cheers everyone. I’m still keeping my wild speculation alive that we all love Cesc and he loves Arsenal but he and the team need him to step away and get sorted inside- I think the rest will do him good (although the mystery surrounding it is disconcerting.)
In any case, cheers to of the League! Evening, Holic.
Aran
Don’t mind if I do, CognacGooner! Cheers.
Man U won 7-1 today a sign they are on form perhaps?
Could be Arthur. I didn’t see the game, but Newcastle has been quite up and down this season, by my reckoning. I think this league is so very much there for our taking it’s painful. I hope to the great hominid in the sky we can shake this utter allergicness to being on top and take this championship home.
Pieres is Kinkg,
Man U played Blackburn R today, Newcastle play Chelsea tomorrow if I’m not mistaken.