Word Up, No Doubting Tomas After Impressive Cameo
Dec 4th, 2012 by 'holic
Starting eleven, check. Tomas Rosicky to score, check. Result like last season can be written off, check. If you read the preview, you knew what was going to happen.
However predictable that result looked last night it only arrived as a result of two huge swings in fortune. Firstly, at half-time the player who had contributed most as we secured a deserved first-half advantage was substituted. Tomas Rosicky did more than just score the goal, courtesy of an outstanding assist from the utterly unpredictable Gervinho. He injected speed of thought and touch to negate some seriously close man-to-man marking by the hosts.
Tomas departed at the break, which hopefully was a move designed to keep him fit for Saturday. I would not have been sorry to see Andrey Arshavin replace him directly in the advanced midfield role. However the Russian was pushed out on the left wing and saw little of the ball as the Greeks dominated second-half possession. Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain instead switched to centre-midfield. He is likely to develop into some player, I’m sure, but at the moment things aren’t quite working for him.
The second significant moment came when Machado’s header appeared to bounce behind off the post and the referee awarded a corner from which, eventually, we contrived to set up Maniatis for the equaliser. So incensed was Wojciech Szczesny he picked up a yellow card for berating the touchline assistant, just yards from the incident, and once again about as much use as an ashtray on a motorbike.
There was an air of inevitability about the fact that Olympiacos (not Panathinaikos Chiles, you halfwit) would go on to secure victory. It arrived with a superb strike from the substitute Mitroglou. On ITV Lee Dixon took the central defenders to task, and obviously he had a point. In fairness though I am inclined to not go overboard with any criticism tonight, particularly as one of those central defenders plays less often than I run the hundred metres.
There were positives, apart from the performance of Rosicky. Generally the degree of effort the side put in showed a vast improvement on what we have seen from one or two of those left behind of late. Obviously this being largely a squad eleven there was some inconsistency in distribution, but on reflection that is more acceptable if you see players working up a sweat for the badge.
Then there was the performance of Jernade Meade. The danger of being fulsome in praise of a young player starting his first match is that expectation levels are raised. In what has been a difficult position for us this season I thought he did all that could have been expected of him. Well played, son. Let’s leave it at that for now.
At the end of the night we are through to the knockout phase of the Champions League for the thirteenth consecutive season. As runners-up in group B we will avoid Real Madrid and AC Milan in the last sixteen. We are also as likely to draw Malaga as we are Barcelona, but the pessimistic will have us at the Camp Nou before the draw is made. If we do get Barca, great. Another chance to see Messi and company in the flesh. Nobody, but nobody will fancy us. If we are going to go out, I want to go out to them, not a team we would have beaten in most other seasons.
Upset tonight? No, not tonight. Lose again on Saturday with a fully rested first team and yes, I will understand the vitriol. Tonight I will sleep easy, and would recommend the same to others.
Cheers ‘holics.
537 Responses to “Word Up, No Doubting Tomas After Impressive Cameo”
Sneaky one
Drat. Sloppy seconds
Third?
It’s like a trophy π
Not a bad game but I don’t like loosing for sure!
Glad the clock in now working in Chrome can other Holics confirm?
Europa place.
BTW what happened to Snir?
Uplympian on your bike!
Ah…just like ManShitty missed out on Europa spot.
ATG…i can concentrate on the league now π
A title with religous and pop references, kudos.
Good to see Ajax pip Citeh for the Johnstones Paints Thursday Night Cup.
Evening gents, and any passing lady ‘holics π
Mixed meta… perhaps not, H2H π
Uplympian from my heart stay warm and good luck π
Holic nice to see you nice π
Urghh Chiles….is there a more pointless and irritating bloke on tv. Suggest someone pins a picture of him in his baggies shirt before the game on Saturday – that should be enough motivation to the team in itself.
Good summary ‘holic. On reflection it played out like the dead rubber it was but I (probably for one) felt Chamakh at least showed he shouldn’t just sit getting splinters for the entire month of December. I’d much rather see him at centre forward than Gervinho in a pinch.
It is my imagination or is Szcz perhaps easing into his most consistent form….?
Nice review,Guv. I seriously thought Arshavin was playing in the middle,maybe we changed to 4-4-2 with him behind Chamakh,things are definetly not working for The Ox at the moment.
Ollie (from the last drinks),i almost omitted Vermaelen from my first post,crosschecked and added him but still managed to forget Chamakh.
Tim
I hope Wojtek will take it on board with the Twitter shyte !
11 ‘holic.
It’s seen as quite an achivement here. Finishing third in a group containing the English, German and Spainish Champions is not to be sniffed at.
Funny you should say that Tim. I think the Pole in the goal has been one of the +’s since his return. He appears to be getting some criticism on Twitter tonight.
Fucking unbelievable π
Tim…agree about Szcz…his form is looking good. Gervinho – such a large head with such a small footballers brain (sorry abb if you are reading this ).
What are you talking about?
Arsenal were shit and Mr Wenger notched up another loss on this seasons CV.
I hate all you AKB’s – you are raving mad!
No cent, he defo went left, and only started coming infield once he realised nobody would ever get the ball out to him. He also covered young Meade a couple of times at the back, which is not a task he usually relishes…
βIf we are going to go out, I want to go out to them (Barca), not a team we would have beaten in most other seasons.β
Sadly that is so very true and sadly that sums up exactly where we are as a club at the moment.
Nice write up holic. Letβs hope that by the time the knock out stages arrive we are considerably stronger than we are at the moment.
On to Saturday and hopefully something positive against the Baggies.
Thank you for your considered opinion Mike. You don’t actually read what has been said here much, do you?
H2H 20……not to be sniffed at….Holland ….Dr Feelgood will soon cure that π
You guys are just accepting the demise of our great club. Grow some balls and demand more, You make me sick!.
Ooh, Steve. I have to send you a mail, don’t I?
On the way π
That’s it Mike. Turn on fellow Arsenal supporters. Quality.
Arthur,good question @7,i don’t think i’ve seen any post from Snir since i came back.
Cheers holic. As and when.
π
Well done with the predictions holic….did you place the holic pound on them and thus replenished the bank account. If so Waitrose still have 20% off your favourite night cap along with other fine examples from the land of Caledonians.
Holic @24,Fair play to the Russian and my bad then.
So busy typing in last bar – I missed change of venue – so repeating here
I think tonight demonstrates a need for an expert on penetration (is there one in this bar β good ole Wolfie) to give some lessons to certain midfielders, who do not look up to find forwards running into space
Whenever I watch Gervinho I am reminded (and maybe Clive is the only other who may remember) of Mick and Montmerency (slapstick comedians in the 50s) where whenever the little one(Charlie Drake) tried to attack, he was brushed aside or else stopped by a firm hand to the head, when all he could then do was windmill his hands to no effect.
I think that every defence now counters Gervy by allowing him to run into the defender or pushing him off the ball
Rambo continues to be unimpressive β ball control is very poor and he suffers from excessive adrenaline causing him to make poor choices in tight situations β so many shots off target in scoring situations every time he plays
Le Coq played well but was asked to to do too much to cover the others
The Ox is not comfortable with the role that AW is asking him to play β he needs more freedom to roam (as Rosicky was allowed to do)
Chammy played well, fought for the ball, but did not get the service in 2nd half that he got in the first (no TR)
Both FBs defended well β Meade is a good little βun
TV went walkabout for one of their goals (for a change I agreed with Southgate)
I would like to think that we can recover as we did last year, but , for me, one person looks really jaded β AW himself β and that could have really serious consequences for our season
Nice summary Holic. At HT, I felt we needed a second as that patched up defence was never going to keep a clean sheet and so it proved. Had AA’s shot not been saved, the outcome might have been different. At the end of the day the draw in second place is little worse than the draw in first. Hopefully when that game comes round we might have filled a couple of obvious gaps in the squad.
Holic 21 I am glad I don’t have the same twitter as you. Really. Perhaps I am very selective with people I follow. As for Arshavin, he still had his best chance …. On the right π
Yes Mike we are dead and buried. I suggest we withdraw from the next round of the CL out of decency.
Losing seems to be be too readily accepted by players,management and fans alike…certainly “not winning” matches has become a habit!
Baff I said at ht we would concede and I said before the game we’d lose and Schalke would draw. I should try a Olliepound π
Agree with Joel. I don’t want to see fans tearing each other to bits, or turning on players, because the ones who are really average (and we all know who they are, even if some of us still want to talk them up as good players) can’t help being rubbish.
The people who should be getting stick are the manager, coaches and board and they get far too easy a ride. Especially the manager IMV.
IOllie @39, can you give me lottery numbers for this weekend?
By the way I include Theo as an average player, but he’s still way ahead of most of his team mates and that’s the sad and sorry thing for me. He is average most of the time, has hardly played, yet is top scorer and has been vital to Giroud. I hate to think where we’d be without his contribution and he’s not exactly Messi.
That people still think we have a quality squad and players is a mystery to me.
Well said H, couldn’t agree more. I quite enjoyed watching that game, unfortunately my ears and brain had to endure Chiles. he’s a real moron’s moron isn’t he?
Classic Wenger post match: on Kostas Mitroglouβ¦
“Mitroglou scored two great goals. The first one in London was a great header and tonight was a fantastic goal as well, I must say. I wonβt say more because if I do youβll think I want to buy him.”
Oh Arsene, you little tease π
UTA!
Mike – Sorry to have to ask the obvious but if people here make you sick then why are you here? Seems a little self defeating.
Please be polite, Mike. Or return to your lair.
When was the last time you saw Wenger at another match studying the opposition?
NEVER – He is so arrogant he doesn’t even bother to research the opposition. That is CRIMINAL and for a manager on Β£7m per annum is totally despicable.
WAKE UP!
Meade was so reluctant to come off that after shaking hands with the sub, he started to turn his head, tears in his eyes, to stare wistfully at his replacement but Wenger put an arm around his shoulders to stop him and said…
Wait for it….
“Don’t look back on Angha”
Nonny 48 heh….I think you Jermade that up π
Heh Nonny
Hi everyone π Holic, Haven’t seen the game yet, so can’t comment on your post. However, may I say, you managed to put a smile on my face with your thoughts re Arsenal v Barca. The pic of Arsene and Pep shaking hands, forever etched in my heart:) Will not let our current funk dampen my appreciation of the beautiful game. π
Maybe he’s shy, Mike.
Talking of Manchester City, Nonny….
Oh Nonny, no no, no π
Mike/JOEL have Angha management issues.
Finally got the chance to read the post and there’s nothing I don’t agree with in there. Good stuff guv’, now is not a time for mud slinging, this was as dead as rubber as there could of been, it was the effort that was going to count tonight, the result not so much.
==
5 ATG, Yes, the clock does work in Chrome.
13 ‘holic, I was doubley impressed, remixed meta…..
17 Tim. I too thought Woj was the boss’
21 ‘holic, really? Another reason for me to avoid that medium like the plague.
27 Uply Heh.
37 Ollie Yes Mike we are dead and buried. I suggest we withdraw from the next round of the CL out of decency.
Heh, maybe we can sell our place to Citeh in the upcoming window.
I now’ve noticed a “visitor” intent on insulting so those numbers could now be out of whack………..
He said no Holic, he said no….
Fair and balanced report ‘Holic and congrats on the ‘Holic pound.
I eschewed the juicer of choice tonight, watched it at home, and for the first time, took a look at Twitter at HT and in the immediate aftermath of a live game. That’s a mistake I won’t make again in a hurry. Some people really need to wind their necks in. I couldn’t believe some of the vitriol which a narrow defeat in an essentially meaningless game with a shadow side produced.
Ah well. Positives? Rosicky was a class apart for 45 minutes, Sches couldn’t be blamed for either goal and was impressive throughout, Meade did as much as could have been reasonably expected, and I thought Coq had a very solid game.
On the downside, Ox and Ramsey continue to struggle. Neither however could be faulted for effort. Better days will come for the pair of them. Gervinho was a source of huge frustration throughout, assist aside. Any kind of form seems a long long way away for him right now. TV5 had a good first half and then undid all his good work with a pretty brainless 20 minute spell in the second half. With Kos sidelined we can but hope that he can find some consistent form in double quick time.
Of those that are likely to play very little before the window – Arshavin, Chamakh, and Squillachi – none disgraced themselves, though none did anything to suggest that there will be a willing queue of suitors come January.
Through to the next round. Job done. Let’s get Malaga, I’ve got some new Speedoes to model!
So Zaha apparently got frustrated watching Arsenal tonight and got racially abused. Lovely.
That Twitter stuff is best avoided. There are too many tweeting reptiles. Natural selection of humanity for intelligence and decency ended a long time ago but that medium certainly seems to select for the opposite.
Heh @ Nonny and TS.
You have mail, TS…
What’s the Zaha stuff Nonny?
tabs @62
http://www.dailymail.co.uk/sport/football/article-2243077/Wilfried-Zaha-switches-Arsenal-criticises-prospective-new-club.html
You are a true gentleman ‘Holic. Thank you x
I was more frustrated tonight than I was on Saturday, and I paid money to see it live on Saturday.
I’m usually optimism personified when it comes to Arsenal so I don’t know why this result in particular has me upset but oh well.
Saturday is must win.
He retweeted Mark Bright’s tweet about how bad we were, said he wasn’t going to watch us any more and that he is an Arsenal supporter but we are so frustrating. And then tweeted that he’d “been called a nig. Wow :(” before going to bed.
Your favourite rag, poster boy π
Cognac 35 agree with all you say about the players tonight.
I do remember Mick & Montmerency – Charlie Drake who’s catch line was “allo my darling” and actually got well paid for it. Thinking about it, humour has really moved on since those days…thank god.
Cheers Bath, Nonny. Some people eh. Dear oh dear π
Bath @67 Heh π
Just goes to show how low “journalism” in the UK has sunk when every tweet is considered news worthy.
Oh for the days of the good old carrier pigeons.;)
Mark Bright, the proper Gooner who left ten minutes before the final whistle (90 mins) in our cup tie against Reading.
He usually left the second the whistle went for kick off when he was playing against us.
I wish Mark (not so) Bright would stop watching all football, then we wouldn’t have to listen to him dribble on about it.
I finally got one of Holic’s titles immediately π π
The way I see it, people would still find something to moan about even if we finished 1st and then we’d have drawn AC Milan for shits and giggles for the 2nd year in a row so bring on whoever we get in 15 days! π
Sorry I have to respectfully disagree with you tonight chaps, with a couple of notable exceptions that was utter tripe and served to show how poor our squad is. Frighteningly poor.
Mike, I understand your frustrations, you obviously care deeply about The arsenal (as we all do on here) but I venture you may be listened to more if you state your view without getting too personal.
Nonny @ 47, π Well in π
Good stuff from ‘Holic and, dare I say it without being accused of contradicting myself, good stuff from the second string too.
Ok, not perfect but some positives for sure in Szczesny, Meade (outstanding performance and makes me wonder why Santos has EVER been seen in the shirt again after THAT incident with The Rotter), Rosicky (still one of the greatest players to have hardly ever pulled on the shirt), TV5 (improving game by game I feel) and, dare I go so far as to say it, I even thought that Ramsey didn’t just run himself stupid but actually had a part to play too).
Gervinho is utterly, completely and totally as awful as we all, deep down, know he is. We all want him to succeed because he is a Gooner, but if he was playing for Norwich or some other bottom half club (oops!) we would laugh at him heartily week-in, week-out.
Chamakh…Aaaahhhhhh…I am pretty sure I have been asking for a while and shouting a little since the Reading game about why this poor soul doesn’t at least get to see the bench for league games. Especially when you consider that we have NO OTHER CENTRE FORWARDS. If he puts in a shift like that, even for thirty minutes a game, you can see the opposition being a little less tempted to take throw players forward. As ever, the question has to be what does Wenger think he knows that we don’t?!
Jenks – Solid, determined, full pelt for every moment of the match. He was, well, Jenks.
Squilacci…Is he so bad after all? Of course he is! This was Olympiakos fellas!
Arshavin – Can we pay him to fuck off and stop wasting our time and hope on him. Like most here, I see him coming on and think something utterly foolish like “Come on you useless cunt! Let’s see what you can really do!” But as ever, he was a complete fucking let-down.
There are a couple of points regarding what you have to say on the topic of tonight’s game ‘Holic, if I may be so bold…
“In fairness though I am inclined to not go overboard with any criticism tonight, particularly as one of those central defenders plays less often than I run the hundred metres.”
I am pretty sure Squillaci has played at some point in the past 20 years!
And…
“Obviously this being largely a squad eleven there was some inconsistency in distribution, but on reflection that is more acceptable if you see players working up a sweat for the badge.”
100% agree with you here. But it does beg the question – Are we better off paying everybody 50-60k a year and not having any more “Superstars” on the books as those that don’t get the big bucks seem to have a better idea of how to at least show a bit of heart, something dreafully lacking of late.
And finally…
“If we are going to go out, I want to go out to them, not a team we would have beaten in most other seasons.”
Seriously ‘Holic?! Come on now. If I had said that I would be called all sorts of names here. Doomer, for example! Little snipes and asides about having the wrong attitude and spirit.
Let’s get Barcelona and tear them a new one with our all new shiny, super, super quality, not at all jaded, plan “B” having mo-fo of a team.
Or let’s at least give the twats a fecking game!
All in all nobody can be too unhappy with tonight’s performance, even if the result could have been “tweaked” π
tidy little left back there.
peace
Although, and I should add this before anybody gets the impression that I am happy with the club at this moment, I thought that tonight showed that, without three or four players that are realistically regulars when fit or playing to their potential and one who should be promoted ahead of Santos IMMEDITATELY, we were severly lacking ANY depth in terms of the squad whatsoever…
“Best squad ever”?! Give me a fucking break.
There, went and spoiled all that good work after all, eh?!
About 32 min. into the match. Jenks just had a lovely run, showing great control of the ball, nice. Woj stellar π
Anyone but Borussia.
Good night, ‘holics.
Oh, just saw our goal! Perfection from Gervais to Tomas π
49th min., nice one from Aaron to hair gel π
55 min. Chamakh to Arshavin, not shabby. See there are always shining moments, got to enjoy them π
60 min. Gervinho to Arshavin, beautiful play! AA almost scored!
65 min. Terrific save by Woj π Followed by THEM scoring π
77th min. Gervinho rudely muscled off the ball and goes down. Should have been awarded a pk. When will refs take into account a player’s slight build ?
hello everyone…well dang if you haven’t all made me feel better. i was pretty low after the game, which i felt we could’ve won. i will refrain, thought from airing any of the negativity which was in my head.
you’re right: rosicky was excellent, really bright. as were meade, szczesny…and their goals were not howlers. a bit unlucky in the end…
i will say this to all those currently pooping on chamakh, and let’s put his hairdo to one side for the moment… how can we expect him to play at his best when he never plays, and when for whatever reason the manager currently has no confidence in him whatsoever? we can’t, is the answer. no he’s not a world class striker but he could be a lot better than he is right now, and face it, he is one of just two strikers on our team right now. interested in others’ thoughts on this
The only English team still in all four competitions. (Chelski will go out tomorrow night). Five points off third place. Great youngsters like Meade, Gnabry, Angha and the metronomic Thomas Eisfeld emerging, Thomas Rosicky back and About Diaby returning for the New Year.
MAGIC time to be a Gooner and ’tis the season for chortling merrily at the likes of Mike, Danish (the Spud) Gooner, and Uncle Charlie.
I’m off to toast the Pink Plonker – imagine buying the league for 400M then going down like a wet fart in the CL? Never on Arsene’s watch.
Clive, “I see a black car and I want it painted red”. One trophy, top four, OllieG 20 goals. Arsenal, bloody Arsenal.
Not a bad showing by us. Their 2nd goal was a beaut ! You know, Champion’s League has always been my favorite competion. My idea of a perfect game probably is not inline with most holics. I want our players to stare down our opponents in the tunnel, really play mind games with them π On the pitch, I love seeing some attidude by our lads (like RVP wuth Krul last season). Want the team we’re battling against to play well. Want us to play even better. Neck in neck. After the match, want to see both sides shaking hands and slapping each other on the back. Trading shirts π Us winning a hard fought contest. Beautiful π
Just watching Citeh slump out of the tournament. Nasri looks like the proverbial shit in a trance and none of the other has-beens that the Blue Mooners paid Arsenal a total of 74 million for are even on the field. Highest cost squad ever – YES. Out of the CL – YES. Best squad ever? Don’t make me fucking laugh.
Let’s be careful what we wish for.
I’d have to agree BTM…and even money says City will think changing manager is the answer come next summer.
Sounds familiar….
BTM @ 91
I love you like a brother mon,!!
But your Rose colored glasses are getting rosier and fuckin rosier by the day.
Although i see ven you have amended your wish list to top 4 now instead of top 3.
Did i ever tell you about the time i met the Stones in Jamaica in 73.??
I was telling GT all about it when we had a good old chinwag on the dog and bone last week.
Top 10,No Trophies, [except Ladies league and Cup double ],
Not one player to score more than 15 goals this season.!!
Cheers
The Sweeper.
Wasn’t expecting too much to be honest but still feel deflated by some player’s attitudes. Once I saw Gervinho give a simple pass inside and then just stood there ! Just not prepared to put the effort in. Too many players in our squad aren’t prepared to go looking for the ball, to offer themselves up for a pass, to run into space to stretch defenders and we appear to be consistently awful in crossing the ball and taking free kicks. We also have NO IDEA how to man mark, and other team’s forwards always seem to be in acres of space. Love this club and it pains me to see so many average players who to my mind aren’t good enough to wear the shirt.Let’s hope we can find some form from somewhere in time for Saturday.
Good morning,all.
Bergkamp is always the man.
Dribbles
Sorry to say my optimism on Monday was misplaced. For the second half at least. Saturday really is critical or I’ll start to worry. Come on the Arsenal.
Nodz
itin.
How dare you do that goalscoring malarkey before I log in?
Well in AL, and Poppet for a rare assist.
I see that Cent is peaking early again, and Ollie is past it
Nice one AL
As ever with me, totally random :-). Have a nice day all.
Good, balanced range of posts in the bar today. And Mike’s efforts.
I saw the same game as several of you: Chesney and Mozart sending off good signals for the first team, Meade looks ready to leapfrog Santos, Coquelin solid but will play better. Gervinho frustrating as ever. Not happening for Ramsey or the Ox at the minute, but I’m sure it will.
Couple of players back from injury (including Mozart), couple of new signings, bit of time to gel and we’ll be alright. A run at the league is a way off and will continue to be so until we shift on all the dead wood, pack the squad with a bit more quality and start to be “the best we can be”. Fourth place very much attainable, however, and that was surely always the goal for this season, given summer upheavals, squad deadwood (on high wages) and low net spend.
Simply put; we got ourselves in a mess a couple of years back, with some bang average players on long term deals for too much money. We continue to work to put that right, but it’s a rocky road and the rocks are larger than normal right now.
Very much looking forward to Saturday and the win that will hopefully kick-start our season.
COYG
Great write-up, Holic – mostly because it echoes my thoughts quite well π
Being quite literally snowed under here in Stockholm, it’s snowing like crazy and it’s windy as hell too.
Now for a quick back-drink…
abb 87: are you calling Woj a ‘post’? :s He didn’t touch the ball π
As long as Chamakh is on the payroll, can we please have him on the bench at least? In dire situations like the match against Swansea when nothing ‘trademark’ about the Arsenal we love is on display, at least try the cross-head or cross-kncokdown-follow up-shoot routes? Yesterday Chamakh had set up a real lovely for Ramsey. And then worked his socks off, and then in the second half a beauty of a cross for the Russian (yes, I know, the roles should have been reversed…)…
Ramsey needs a break from Arsenal. The more he plays for us, he repeats the same problems (essentially a slowness in making decision which manifests in all sorts of visible mistakes) and they all get magnified because he is the favorite villain of the season…and then he gets dumped upon in the public media which I am sure does not help him at all in building confidence. There have been improvements in key areas since last season, and I am sure this final bit will come in a while. But hopefully not at the expense of our season.
The emblematic moment of the match? TR7, 30+ years old, returning from injury, playing superbly and already scoring a goal, highest up on the pitch and pleading with his arms raised to the rest of the team to move up and press.
Gervinho? I refused to believe that he is actually that devoid of footballing intelligence. I am not sure what is the reason behind that poor decision making on display last night (except for two great moments, the latter of which was actually a brilliant move with a flick to Arshavin whose fierce shot was saved very well by the goalkeeper), but whatever that is must be sorted quickly. Based on pre-season he was supposed to be one of our key players this season…
i will say this to all those currently pooping on chamakh, and letβs put his hairdo to one side for the momentβ¦
You think a parting will improve it?
As for Gervinho, you see players like him at all levels of the game, from parks to Premier League, Capable of looking like a footballer but with no determination. Happy to do his occasional dribble but without the brains to know when to let it go, or the will to do anything really meaningful with the ball. Happy to run when he’s got it but when he lets it go, it’s like his head goes into neutral. And when he HAS got it, his only thought process seems to be run straight until you lose it.
There are loads of players like him around.
Heh @ cognac 35,Rambo suffers from ball control due to excessive adrenaline which causes him to lose control in tight situations!hands up who hasn’t been guilty of that π
The things is though, Nonny, that while he was at Lille, his finishing may not always have been spot on (he had this panic-attacks at times already), but he scored quite a few goals and assisted many.
And in a team that had Hazard (who is quite obviously a far more gifted player), he was still ahead of him in the goals+assists stakes.
So I think he had less awareness problems then, and certainly had decent ability too.
I think he’s gone mental though (like many), and I’m starting to give up on him. It’s like he’s still got his bad bits, but not his good bits anymore, and I’m getting to the ‘I’d rather he’d go elsewhere right now’ stage.
I suspect some of our players really don’t have the famous ‘mental strength’, and that’s what grates most….
http://www.football365.com/f365-says/8309361/F365-Says
Including : the entertainment offered by Chamakh’s hair
A parting who deprive us of that (that’s my belated nod to Nonny’s pun)
Morning bloganauts.
Sorry, but I’ve always seen Flipper as a bit of a headless chicken type, pretty ironic when he’s got one of the biggest slapbonces I’ve ever clocked.
Admitedly I knew the total of bugger all about him before he joined, but what I have seen thus far has far from impressed me.
That he maybe not quite up to task I can let slide, but it’s his (by my perception) lack of real effort or endevour that makes me believe that he and us would be better if he pursued his career elsewhere.
I hope he turns it around and I’ll gladly feast on humle pie if he does, but I’m not reaching for a fork just yet.
Gervinho is in his second season at Arsenal.
The first season – new country, language, culture, league, club – takes time to bed in – and if you doubt that I’d refer you to Pires / Henry etc.
Now I’d be the first to agree that he can be frustrating at times and somehow he manages to take the wrong options more often than we would want. But in 16 appearances so far this season between league and cup competitions he’s scored 5 goals. I don’t excuse his performance last night nor at the weekend, maybe I just think that a player coming back from injury can take a little time to find his feet again. But I do think its a little premature to judge him. He appears to me anyway, to be a lot better than some give him credit for.
Or to put it another way, its taken Theo 8 seasons to attain remotely similar stats yet people are fawning over keeping him and he won’t sign a contract..!
Ollie,i share your sentiments Re Gervinho,i will just add,though,that i believe his main problems are that the speed of the Epl gives him lesser amount of time to make decisions and the technical level of defenders in the EPL and UCL is much higher than that of the ones he faced in the French league.
It is not unreasonable to relate Theo`s recent form to his current contractual situation. He is under no pressure nor commitment here, most probably has been made aware of his more lucrative options elsewhere and now can play freely. The most comfortable situation for any sportsman to be in.
As for Gervinho, how should I put it? π
He is precisely the type of player that I would will for the ball to be passed to, if he played for our opposition.
Gervinho has plenty of pace and skill but unfortunately lacks a football brain to make best use of it. From time to time he will achieve a sublime piece of magic with an end result but it appears that will be as much to luck as judgement when that happens.
boris: you first paragraph could work if one totally forgets about last Saturday π
Unless he considers he’s done his shop-window bit, has already agreed terms with a new employer so doesn’t give a fuck anymore ;-P
I hope he proves this theory wrong already next Saturday π
heh, accoring to Rafa, Torres is amazing at defending corners. Maybe we should buy him. :O
Maybe we were saving our much needed win for this Saturday! Franny Cocq had a really good game for me, as did little Tommy, TV5, and special mention for young Meade – with him in the squad please can Santos be put on the next plane to Brazil, Turkey or just anywhere. Oh, yet another goal conceded from outside of the penalty area – they just keep hitting the back of the net alas.
And please gooners, no arguing on here amongst ourselves as radical views will be shouted down. Trust in the vision, all will be fine come the end of the season – as it always is, remember. Get your tickets for the ECL 1st leg at the Grove in Feb, might just be the last ECL match at the Grove for a while afterwards the way things are going.
I had to laugh when I read that Ollie (119)
Anything to give your players a boost I suppose…..
Gerviniho wears his hairband well.
Forget Feo, he’s gone.
January or June though, the question remains, H2H
Progress
Said Paul Merson on Sky Sports News this morning:
“To fix the rut they’ll need to take two steps backwards, to take one step forward.”
That’s progress for you.
Oh, Merse…..
I am distraught.
Ollie Holt has written a good article.
http://www.mirror.co.uk/sport/football/news/arsene-wenger-has-chosen-secret-honour-1472689#.UL8Am7ts23U.twitter
It feels like the World is ending or something. What am I gonna do if I can’t regularly have a pop at Ollie Holt for the utter drivel that he usually writes?
Merse, on the other hand, just brings out the protective parent in me.
“Oh Merse, what have you said now? Go on then, run along, I’ll have a word with your teacher and sort it out. But for God’s sake, keep your mouth shut in future”.
In other news, I see Andrey’s been playing away from home and has been caught having a bit of meerkat lovin’ with some Russian model. I’m surprised he managed to work up the energy if I’m brutally honest.
June Ollie.
He’d be an idiot to accept a transfer considering what he could get when moving on a Bosman. Look at what Chamakh got and he’s a foreigner in the PL. Walcotts best asset is his nationality, he can literaly write his own ticket. (and another few books)
The result was inevitable alright just like all the others whats new ? It’s just a pity rosciky didn’t inject speed of thought and touch to put in a tackle and maybe save a goal last saturday but never mind he played well last night. Theres nothing like getting the excuses in early for barca.
Ollie – it’s funny how many players we get just lately who do well before we get hold of them, then fall to bits. Maybe Ligue 1, among others, is a load of rubbish and they’re actually not very good players made to look good. Which doesn’t say much for our scouts, because other clubs of note aren’t arsed about the players we buy.
Ollie @ #119
Heh! Somebody FINALLY answers the question “what does a Torres do?”
*tips hat to TMS*
tabs 125: you’ll still have McGarry.
I really don’t know, Nonny, I was wondering too, but I have no explanation. I still have hope for Giroud, and let’s not forgot Chamakh started well in fact.
Plus Koscielny is still good.
So there is no rule, but I suspect those who seem to fail are more afflicted by a lack of mental strength than a lack of skills.
Certainly both Cham&Gerv were highly rated by French pundits, who are generally of better quality and objectivity than their English counterparts!
dave, dave just fuck off with that moan about Rosicky.
tabs, one thing I can never forget now: Merse is a Chelsea fan.
And you, of all people, know what that means π
Merson’s never been the sharpest pencil in the box.
That was indeed a decent article from him Tabs. #shocked
tabs, I too was very confused by Oliver Dolt writing something that actually made sense.
As for Gervinho, for me he is a very frustrating player. He can do the stupidest things but then once in a while he creates something out of nothing (like the goal yesterday, he managed to drag two defenders with him and created space for his own pass to Rosicky) and one wonders why he can’t do that more often, though how a player who is so completely rubbish at shooting has ever made it to this level as an attacker/striker I will never understand. Like someone said: his shooting with his right foot is so bad one wonders if he really is left-footed but just doesn’t know it…
In other news:
The snow and wind has started to cause some chaos over here. Several mails from bosses have told us to go home because the traffic is horrible and is only going to get worse. That won’t be a problem for me though, I live just two stops away from work on a tube line that runs almost entirely in tunnels which of course means it is almost never affected by the weather – but the office is all but empty now so I shall follow the general trend and bugger off home as well. Who knew a snow storm could have such positive side effects? π
Ollie,
@131 – Comforting words. As you say , there is always McGarry. The day he gets something right really will be the day to give up π
And @133 – True, Merse is a Chelsea fan, but speaking for myself only, Merse never winds me up. He’s just too stupid. Through it all, he still seems to have a huge affection for the Club. It’s just that he’s being asked to do a job for which he is not remotely suited ie speak in coherent sentences.
Stewart Robson, on the other hand …
Interesting bit from the Mirror man tabs – ta.
Came across this the other day – some will have seen it already i s’pose. It’s well writ; it touches on some stuff we’ve chatting about in the bar lately and it sits quite snugly alongside the Holt piece, i think.
Hope you don’t mind ‘h.
http://wso.li/2AAO
Fact or fiction?
http://www.goal.com/en-gb/news/2896/premier-league/2012/12/05/3580166/henry-agrees-to-rejoin-arsenal-for-a-third-spell
All fair points, tabs.
Lars, I thought you Nordic types were had some infrastructures so well equipped to deal with snow and blizzard it never affected you? :s
This cheered me up
http://www.arsenal.com/choir
Tabs, excellent article.
I wondered, on here, during the summer, whether AW might be taking part in a bigger plan to bring down – get rid of / force to sell – the present owners, in order to clear the way for the return of his still great mate David Dein.
I make no comment at all on the desirability of that outcome, but the ‘secret honour’ scenario makes it all the more likely to me.
I fully agree that it seems impossible AW would ever deliberately harm the club but, maybe, even he thinks that in the long term the demise of the current owners would be the best thing.
Kroenke bought into Arsenal at around Β£7,500 per share. The current price is, I believe, around Β£17,000 per share.
With our performances and, therefore, our profile on the wane, how long before he takes his profit and departs.
By far the most likely buyer would be ……..
I don’t want the Uzbeki for a moment, but the possibility seems to me to be growing.
Looks like AL’s article has gone half way down my crazy road too.
H2H – Spot on re Feo @122
I make Lars right re Gervinho. I think he is an amalgam of some good and some truly awful. For whatever reason, his confidence has disappeared down the plughole, leaving us only the rarest glimpses of the good. It was noticeable last night that there were a couple of occasions that he spurned the opportunity to run at players and go past them , the one thing he does have in his locker.
Without confidence, a factor also in the performances of Ramsey and Ox, Gervinho really does offer nothing. Whilst I am confident it will return for both Aaron and Ox, I have my doubts re Gervinho. Chamakh is a case in point that sometimes when confidence goes walkabout, it never returns.
I haven’t read the Oliver Holt article, but surely it can’t be a good one if it tallies with Trev’s conspiracy theories?
I shall read it to form an opinion but now I’m confused.
There’s 3 people who could make me stop (at least consider doing it) following the Arsenal, at least temporarily: Dein, Usmanov and Mourinho.
Need I say that tabs at 143 speaks for me too? π
By Jove – struck by an Ollie Holt of enlightening: The ‘eavans have opened; an outpouring/a flood of articles cometh uponst us!!!
I have read the Holt article. Big fat ‘meh’ from me (yes, I don’t agree with tabs for once! :P). It’s a nice ‘essay’, but I don’t think Wenger’s ever really gone for big name/big money signings, even in the comfort of pre oil-barons Highbury, so I’m not buying that theory, and I’m buying Trev’s extension of it even less.
Good article AL and interesting speculation Trev.
Who really knows?
As for the Uzbeki, everytime I think of the possibility of him owning the Club, I think of Chelscum. I find the vomiting clears my head! π
Ollie, on the contrary, I find that you saying that Holt’s article is rubbish very comforting. The fact that I liked it was very discombobulating.
I can go back to hating him now! π
Trev @ #141
I think, for once, you may be a little wide of the mark.
Kroenke has gone on record as saying he’s a long-term investor
It’s hard to set a market price on a share with such low volume (of trading). Could the Β£17K you cite be a spot deal?
I doubt the Uzbek will be motivated to do a deal which will make someone he clearly dislikes walk away from the club with a big fat smile on his face.
AU strikes me as the sort of person who would make an agressive takeover bid at a time when the current owners need to do a deal. Right now, KSE are sitting pretty.
AL, decent enough piece, a bit speculative and he seems to think that we finished 4th last season. Meerkans, eh π
TS, Goal.com woudn’t be the first place I’d look on a quest to find truth.
AG, a fine find.
Trev. I can’t see SK selling up, he has no reason to.
Heh @ the Rev.
It’s started snowing here too now, meh.
heh tabs 149. My pleasure π
contribution by A N Other blog:
“Aaron Ramsey chested it down into the path of the Giannis Maniatis who didnβt need a second invite to slip the ball past Chezzer. Another error by a Aaron Ramsey who just canβt break out of the βbelow averageβ rut heβs found himself in for the most of the past few seasons.”
Seriously if you view football with such predetermined blame why even bother?
No points for guessing which blog it was. Why did I visit? To verify it still happens daily….
Re Gerv:
Is it just me or does he seem to get by his man only to then slow down and allow the defender to catch up so that he has to try and beat him again. At that point he usually loses it.
Oh and good morning all.
Ollie@139: well, most often a bit of snow has little effect but this time it’s been a bit extreme.
Tim: why even bother going there? π
I know Lars…I’ve no idea….hadn’t been for a while and I assumed the same beat would playing. It’s actually attacking the players as much/more than the boss now…a slight change in the hate I suppose.
H2, Oh! I would never go there normally either but they do like putting their necks on the line and there is an awfully large amount of smoke billowing around this fire already. Mind you, you could say the same thing about M’Vila and Sahin this summer.
Lars, wrap-up warm and enjoy your extra winter break. Marvellous!
I see on the club site that Walcott has just been voted Arsenal player of the month again.
The truly fucking depressing thing is that he probably just about deserves it compared to the rest.
Another massive ‘meh’ from me, West Upper.
It’s December. I understand depression taking hold, but let’s not overdo it…
(Where would I be without the words ‘meh’ and ‘heh’, eh?)
Has Gervinho given up on getting to the touc line rather than going back inside? His speed is wasted if so.
161 a response to 154, btw
Giroud would have got my vote had I voted.
I would have went for the BFG.
Ollie – I’m not there yet but I will be soon……..
H2H @165 agreed….
What West Upper said at 166 (or nearly, as I think he meant 164 π )
Ollie – duh – yep I did
Yeah H2H – i noticed that about the fourth fing – but thought it a bit churlish to point it out – so am glad you did (sorry sir – i can’t do smileys).
And re the speculative bit – as tabs said – more or less – we none of us know quite what’s going on upstairs at the club.
I think that adds an extra, often ugly, dimension to the sometimes understandable wailing, gnashing of teeth – and what the good Dr. F described as “bed-wetting” the other day – whenever a result goes against us. Rightly or wrongly many fine fans have been made to feel alienated by the way the club seems to be being run at the mo.
Too many big questions re the club don’t get a full enough answer from those genuinely in the know, so the fans inevitably fill in the gaps themselves. Then different fan groups – depending on their perspective/agenda (?) – come up with different and sometimes opposing “answers” – they then feel compelled to defend and regard as the truth, the whole truth and nothing but the – etc. And BOOM – fightclub!
And now a really rotten seasonal gag – ahem – How does Good King Winceslas like his pizza? Yep you got it – Deep Pan, crisp and even.
Tim @153 – No idea which blog that was but if you want a serial blame game involving Theo, Arseblog’s the one for you.
Ollie @ 132 – If you watch Saturday’s second goal again, you’ll see that Rosicky catches Michu up but still gives him at least two strides space to score. It’s maddening. All that effort then he doesn’t bother when he could have made the final yard easily. The rotter
@ your 144 – Dein would only come back with Usmanov, Usmanov probably doesn’t want to buy out Kroenke at current prices and Mourinho only works for serious clubs, so you can rest easy.
Nonny, I have in fact bothered rewatching it on Monday; and it does indeed look like he had the time, given Michu didn’t pull the trigger early.
But it was last Saturday so I find it churlish for d,d to moan about it now.
And then:
Many possibilities, perhaps on his comeback of a few minutes he felt there was a physical risk after that big effort to sprint back.
Perhaps he feared risking a red card, as it really wouldn’t have been an easy tackle to make (it’s not like he had all the time in the world…), even if he loves this style of stuff, in the box there, it may have gone wrong, and at this stage of 0-1 in the 92nd minute or so, definitely not a risk worth taking.
Also, I don’t find it impossible that he (wrongly) assumed when he got near there that he didn’t have the time to do anything, as he thought Michu would have pulled the trigger straight away. Basically, he’s a quick-thinking, quick-shooting player (which isn’t always the right option), and doesn’t always realise that other players aren’t as quick (that’s my own problem in many things, expecting people to have the same sort of mind I do…). As it turned out, Michu took his time and executed a perfectly composed finish, and in hindsight, perhaps Tomas could have tried something.
But it’s very very marginal
Besides, if we’re dealing in facts, I don’t think it would have made a blind bit of difference to the result, even if he’d miraculously taken the ball away.
I mean, a few of you nearly made me regret he didn’t just do a Denilson and didn’t bother trying to get there, like the rest of his teammates. Then d,d (and others) wouldn’t been moaning about him a few days on, and especially a day after he’s played a very good 45 minutes of football.
I’m seriously gobsmacked.
For your last bit: yes I tell myself that too π
‘Holic – well said. A tip of the glass to you tonight of my wee dram! Let’s get behind this team and bring on WBA.
AL @ #169
Heh! at your pizza merriment. Good king Winceslas is about right π
December depression people???
We were 13 points behind the LWCs when it was 0-2 before the end of 5pur2 Mk 1 and that was on 26th Feb!
Such short memories….
I think a few drinks and good bit of banter might help lighten the mood.
Forget the irrelevance of last night’s result. We’ve lost one game in seven. There’s loads to be unhappy about, I agree, but we’re a long way from being able to put our hands on our hearts and declare the season as a write-off.
#s 150 & 175 in one day? I’ll have to go for a hatrick later and lurk for the 200.
AL @169 Agree with all that and nice gag. π
Good to see also that you made it into The Arsenal Choir’s Carol (fnarr fnarr) kindly posted by Austrian!
Tim, cheers for reminding me what a bunch of cuntbuckets Le Grove are. My life has been greatly improved after vowing never to go back there sometime in the summer.
Well, I didn’t expect anyone to agree with my speculation, and guess what, they don’t !
It’s not what I want to happen at all, but I cannot find any convincing explanation as to how AW works under Kroenke, remains so loyal to the club and, at the same time, remains such good friends with Dein.
H2H – Kroenke has one very good reason to sell his shares, and that is if for some reason he believes the value will start to fall, and if the squad continues to decline in quality as it has been doing, then sure as eggs is eggs it will.
Any road up, as I am the worst ITK ever, no more from me on club politics. I’ll stick to transfer speculation. π
Interesting read. I don’t know much about the author but the early parts of the article seem a bit naive(especially re: Kos). Perhaps it is partly tongue in cheek.
The great part though form me is in the last three paragraphs where he hits home on the current divisions of opinion in the fan base. Also salient that those divisions are all based on facts that no one outside of AW and the board know. You could argue they should have handled that ambiguity in a more diplomatic fashiion but sometimes it is better to be ambiguous than tell supporters something that will be difficult to swallow.
The consequence of that though is people now form their opinions based on what they want to believe not on what they know to be true.
http://www.grantland.com/story/_/id/8712871/arsenal-arsene-wenger-decline
TS,
The HT MkII sits firmly smack in the middle of the track. π
Heh Bearded, was just about to post the same article.
Thought it was a good article, emphasising the vacuum of real information that AL spoke about above, and that given that vacuum, people will fill the void with their version of what they perceive to be the truth.
Differing versions of “the truth” will of couse ultimately lead to rancour and divisiveness.
Sorry I was in a rush to leave work when I typed 172: of course you need to replace ‘serious’ by ‘cunty’ in the last sentence, Nonny π
Trev, tell me who we are going to sign then. I need to know.
NOW! π
Cheers tabs. Looking at AL’s comments above he hits on all the same points. All very good ones.
The vacuum is even worse because in the absence of truth those that fill the vacuum with the most extreme beliefs are always the loudest. When the truth is most likely somewhere in between. Which brings us back to this fine establishment π
AKALBAHHF
Heh AL, Churlish is my forte.
Trev, I have no idea what Stan’s plans are, so I to will leave it at that.
Exactly Bearded. My thoughts entirely.
I have a good plan for Stan : GIVE me your shares π
Bearded @ 184 and all me own work… several chapters fewer. Looked like an interesting article – mind. Though confess, post first pint, i skimmed it as i ate me peanuts (solids etc.).
H2H – You and me both squire – but i’m weary of upsetting them – still. Might be a Stan thing, i s’pose.
Oops – pardon – wary – i think.
Evening Rev. Are you joining us on Saturday?
In fact who here is along for the Baggies?
I’m there ‘h. Things to do Sat morning so not sure what time i’ll bussle ‘twards the brollie at The Tollie – but will endeavour to neck a swift Trev or two pre – and certainly some more post.
May i enquire re your eta – squire?
Exceptionally, ‘holic, I am not π
I’ll be near Lourdes though, so will be hopeful of miracles on the pitch π
Ollie that’s a terrible shame. Good luck with the cricket.(Sorry – I very, very, very simply can’t help meself.)
Heh.
Excellent goal keeping by NSJ thus far. Hi holics π Chelsea unrelentless in attack.
Not watching Juve, nursie?
Hey H2H, Not showing here π
Evening abb π
Aiming for around midday I think AL. Doesn’t look like there are too many of us.
TaBS?
The ref in this game cuts quite the striking figure π Looks like someone who might have played the game. And not long ago π
Aww, shame.
You could always try here;
http://www.wiziwig.tv/broadcast.php?matchid=180569&part=sports
Hi Holic π
Alrighty then, pk awarded to NSJ, Chelsea handball!
I see I just missed it. Great one-two abb&H2H
Oh Petr, good save π
Got all the games here, watching Lille vs Valence
Hi there Ollie π
Can’t wait for Saturday – got my black scarf ready to wear in the upper tier (joke joke). Should be a good game as we are so badly struggling at the mo West Brom are bound to attack us, instead of parking the bus.
Still, a word on the black scarf brigade – only under 2,000 in number last Saturday it was said – compare that to the green & gold movement at OT when it began. Coupled to the lack of angst around me on the walk & train home at the weekend it could be argued Arsenal supporters for home matches ae very indifferent to what is occuring.
Arghhhhhhhhhhh NNow Chelsea have pk but goalie keeps it out!!!
The green & gold movement is still in full swing.
They pretty much fill up Carrow Rd on home games.
Another pk awarded to Chelsea π
Oh well, David Luis gets the job done. Shame, shame. Poor ref decision there.
Spartak level at Sellick.
Dang, Torres scores a soft one. π
H2H, Thanks for the stream, but I’m leary of them from past experience.
OK abb, I understand that, without decent protection they can be a bit iffy for a PC.
Evening Holic,
Could you please ban Abb – what with her “Oh Petr” an’ all, not to be readmitted until she starts referring to all these Chav / Barca / Juve etc etc etc geezers with something more fitting.
Yours unexpectantly,
π
Dutch caps for watching PCs then H2H ? π
Could you please ban Abb β what with her βOh Petrβ
Or at least keep her in Cech. π
Well last night on the computer I saw a dead rubber, Trev. π―
π
NSJ get one back π C’mon Juve!
!-0 Juve
good thing too. Cahill makes it 3-1. Manu behind 0-1
4-1 one Chelsea (was watching that manchester team).
Juve winning means Cuntski get not chance, right?
Indeed Ollie, Juve only really need a draw.
Right, I think.
Good then.
I hope Chelsea win by 10, and Chaktar lose by a few, just to be able to laugh even more. π
Should win by 9.30. π
π
Aaaaaaaahhhhhh – the thin red line – they shall not pass!!! Oops!
Celtic score.
I’m there for the Baggies, H. Not for opening time tho’. π
Valencia ‘keeper saving everything thrown at him. Lille are really unlucky to still be 1-0 down from a pelanty in the first half.
Ollie @ 229 Really laughing π
Chavs. π π π
Sack Benitez NOW. !!!
So if I get it right: PSG, Malaga, Dormund, Juve, Bayern or Barcelona, right?
All rather nice destinations. Well, I’m bored with going to Barcelona for football, and I’m never keen on watching football in Italian stadiums, so do not want Juve.
Juve win group, Shaggedher Donuts second, Chavs out, first time holders out in first round and stuck with Rafa Ha Ha Ha.
I hope we get Juve in the next round.
Chelski Ouuuuuuuuuut! HaHAahahahahahahahhhHHHHAAAAA!
Man Citeh the worst CL record of any English team, EVER.
Chelski first holders to exit at the group stage, EVER.
Man Utd 0 – 1 Cluj (whoooo ?)
Arsenal in crisis. π
Messi injured, just saw the pictures and that looked like it can be a rather nasty one. May well be a cruciate, he looked to be in severe pain and was holding his knee.
Trev @ #180
Can always rely on you to keep chins pointing skywards.
Was expecting you to do a PHW skit this week in honour of his survival and apparent recovery.
Forwards old bean, forwards π
TS, I know aorta do one. π
BOTH oil firms fall at the first hurdle. This week keeps giving.
Trev 241: I have to offer special congratulations to the Bus Stop and Β£iteh for breaking new records.
Something that can obviously only be achieved with a lot of money π
Barça 0-0. At home. Obviously getting impotent in attack. We can do them!
Actually TS, was waiting to make sure he did recover first.
Oh Trev, ‘aorta’ π
Wise, Trev at 247.
I’m laughing heartily Trev. Will Lady Nina be getting a kick in the angina?
Hey abb, keep trying in vein to stop all these puns.
Still, they never last long – sort of e-femoral. π
Oh abb, Oh orta!
Trev, stop being a clot.
π
You’ve got to laugh. Chavs couldn’t score in a barrel of fannies under Rafa. They then go and score six and still go out. How funny is that?
Let’s not forget the Spuds in all of this. Their implossion last year saw them finish 4th and let the chavs back in when they fluked the final. They must be hurting even more now having seen the chavs blow it thinking, if only.
π
The finest boy band of their era – F.M.R All – it won’t last – if ur luckeeee!
This year Steve, there’s always this year.
So the supremacy of Ze Germans came to fruition.
Ollie knows π
Given that and if Messi does in fact have a long term injury that keeps him out of the early knockout stages perhaps drawing Barcelona again might not be the biggest ask.
I’ll Take That AL and hope, come Saturday evening, we can say that the Boyz Won good.
So just us and the mancs left to represent England. It’s a bit like the old days.
This year TS. Or what’s left of it.
Yes TS, they went from Boyz to Men ….
Solid Trev
Re man city – old kidds on the block?
I’ll get me mic.
OMG, You fellas way too clever for me! A crush on you all π
juventus have perfected the art of defending, Chiellini is the Maestro of that art. Shaktar have been awesome attacking wise yet Juventus made them look ordinary.
Wenger said Barcelona without Messi is a normal team. some people may laugh at that comment but he is right. Messi did not start the game and they looked ordinary. With that comes the question wether Guardiola is an amazing manager or not. I would say Messi, Iniesta and Xavi are Barcelona.
Maybe tour thinking is a bit too One Directional, abb
But don’t be too Blue. π
Barcelona ordinary ?
That just takes the Bisquets. π
@266, tour = your. π
It must be national pun day
Dortmund, Juve, Barcelona, PSG, Bayern, Malaga. These are the possible team we will face. Tough
WC – i’ll take tough!
Rest in Peace David Brubeck,
Jazz Legend.
Like any other day for Trev, TS.
But today it’s ‘ take that, Cuntski, hahaha!’
Infarct Trev, you kept that going pretty well.
what Ollie said @273
Arresting wasn’t it, bath.
A trial, actually π
Cor, ornery ain’t I?
Happy for Tomas, by far my favorite player…too bad for all of the injuries. Really put a smile on my face when he scored…he really makes a difference for us.
Meade did great, kudos.
But the Ox, Colequin and Ramsey just were outright disappointing, very frustrating to watch. Found my self yelling at the TV for them to achieve the basics and not get caught with the ball.
I really hope we can turn things around going forward.
I must not have been ‘Nsync with today’s punfest!
Trev is truly the pacemaker in that realm. Aorta know better than to miss such fun.
I laugh heartily at the bus stop dwellers and the classless little noisy neighbors. Both setting new lows.
Heh, bath π
And NorCal can be a bit of a card i accept. π
Bac off?
Good Evening All,
I noticed some of you have been kind enough to keep me in your thoughts through a difficult time, so I thought I would just let you guys, yes you guys, know what is happening.
As you know, I have had a little ticker trouble over the last few days, and I am presently still in hospital.
I am being looked after by two somewhat strange doctors who, it transpires, are both the product of retraining programmes. Well, such is the NHS these days.
Indeed, one of my ‘cardiologists’ used to be a ventricolist, he told me through rather weirdly gritted teeth. He seems a bit of a dummy to me, I have to say.
The other one used to be an upholsterer. He seems much more competent and told me that he hopes soon to have me completely recovered.
I’ll keep you posted.
Get yourself down the Quackery Peter π
Well a few Beers with Dr Z meant I missed out on the Chelscum comedy tonight but can I just say hahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahhahahahahhahahahahhahahahhahahahahhahhahahahhahahahahahhahahahahhahhhahahahahhhahahahhahahahahahhahhahhahahahahahhahhahahahhahahahahahahhahahhahah
Whoops, laughing so hard I’ve been sick on the sofa. Bugger.
Holic – I’ll be there, lining up for you Guv π
Heh, you just fell off the edge of my iPad. π
Excuse me Mr Chairman, but that’s my iPad. Thank you. π
Mine too Trev, the hahas went on for quite some time π
Oh yeah, PHW, come to the Quackeroo. Come to Papa. I’ve got a special spot picked out for you. Very “private”. You can recover in complete silence. No one will hear you… I mean you won’t be disturbed.
π
Trev @ 281,
In my line of work I am more of a gas, if you catch my drift.
Tabs fallen off the edge of PHW’s iPad? What will come next?? π
Time to take heart from the misfortunes of others, particularly from the misfortunes of scummy others. Manchester United 0 Cluj 1, I see. Theatre of dreams, indeed!!
Re: AL @169. Deep pan crisp and even. Good King Wenceslaus and I both like it that way. π
8Ball
As Utd won their group 2 games ago,i don’t think they give a toss about Cluj.
They have got a much more important TOP of the table league clash with their neighbours City this w/end.
While we at the mighty Arse have a MID table clash with West Brom,to try and stay in the top half of the league.!!
Cheers
The Sweeper.
Erm – West Brom are not mid-table.
Dribbling
Still dribbling
haha, on time?
A little early, but there is no rule against 2 touches for assists….
Lester
we are mate.
Mid table is temporary. And the Sweeper sweeps in with a goal.
In other FACTs, am I right in saying that not only Citeh and Bus stop borke records, but we are the ONLY English team to get out of the Champions League group for the last two consecutive seasons?
Fine strike – The Sweeper @ 300. Hope we get a few fine ones ourselves at the weekend and knock the baggies orf their perch
Thnks for the assist Ollie,
Lovely through ball.!!
I hope mid table is temporary,but we need to show some significant improvement quick smart.
I must admit i am staggered at Blue Square Betting,who have us at 2/1 on to win on Saturday,West Brom are 6/1.!!
Go figure.
Wenger’s Coat@265: Arsene didn’t actually say they were normal without Messi, he said they were more normal. Which is of course entirely true.
Ollie@302: yup, that is an actual FACT.
We certainly need to improve quick&smart, Clive. As for the odds, I suspect they have something to do with West Brom having a mini-slump too.
Why does it feel like Monday?
Let’s make that Baggie slump a maxi-slump and turn our own season around.
COYRRRs
Tuesday, Nonny: the Tactics column on arseblog bizarrely went up only yesterday.
Mind you yesterday feel like Thursday already to me. Today is more like, I don’t know, Wednesday.
In other news, I would selfishly urge people to buy tickets for the Newcastle game….so that it sells out and I can take my pick from Tx π
Far too many tickets left at the back of CLock End Upper.
Ok this has gone too far now.
Can’t the Daily Fail find some other miserable fucker to focus in on?
http://www.dailymail.co.uk/sport/football/article-2243867/Arsenal-chief-Tom-Fox-Winning-isnt-everything.html
I see tabs is now the official mascot of the Daily Mail.
Great figurehead!
π
If we want to play champ lge football next year we need to meet barca and get kicked out early. which lets us concentrate on the lge and if luck shines for us and with some smart signings in Jan we can go all the way in the cup(s).
takeabowson,
Arsenal in PR shocker whats new π
Heh Chippy, just the latest in a long line of PR howlers π
Why not win the CL & finish 17th instead, DB10** ?
And heh, Chippy.
Anyone seen justice being done as Bale got booked for diving. F*ck me, it was the flounciest, gayest-looking dive I’ve ever seen – arms flapping around like a ballet dancer, head thrown back for maximum effect, then he gets up and argues with the ref and sarcastically claps him!
Monkey boy clearly doesn’t like being found out. What a twat.
Takeabowson, Wed defo get relegated in a PR League π
Ollie,
Soz mate didnt reply the other night regarding PSG and yes you are correct a bunch of ruffians they are indeed – remember meeting a few of them down a side street next to the Cockney Tavern at the champions League Final ! They soon scarppered when they realised the odds were not so much in there favour as they first thought π
Three bookings for diving this season has Ape-boy Camberwell. Says it all.
Strictly Rhymans League when it comes to PR Chippy, sad to say.
Bonjour Blogamis
Tabs, I’d start looking into image rights if I were you mate. π
====
Galen Bale is a new species called a Cheatpanzee, (Homocannotstay-Erectus)
Scientists are not quite sure how this hybride came to exsist, but new photographic evidence may help shed some light on this mystery;
http://i1060.photobucket.com/albums/t442/Mart_the_Gooner/monkey_bale.jpg
Don’t think I’m not H2H. Unfortunately Dr C, my agent, is a lazy bugger! π
Massive heh at the Bale stuff. π
(Homocannotstay-Erectus)
You calling Pele a diver?
π
Tabs !
The Daily Mail’s new Daily Male.
Did you sign a model release form ? Are they sending you the royalties ?
As for the article itsself, is there anyone in our gang of super slick operators who actually has a clue what matters to fans?
How does this army of world wide fans belong to the club, exactly ?
Presumably by buying a purple and black shirt.
As the club reaches out to the rest of the world, flogging shirts, memorabilia, broad band services and anything else it can think of to swell the profits we are not allowed to spend on the squad, those of us who pay the best part of Β£100 to turn up and support the team every week, feel less like they ‘belong’ than ever.
And some of us do actually applaud and cheer and sing and refuse to boo our team, no matter what, but it seems now to be our fault that the players are passing backwards all the time, ‘cos they’re nervous and feeling under pressure.
Nervous and under pressure ?
Come and tell my wife I’m going to football again on Boxing Day with no idea when I’ll be home ‘cos we have no idea what transport may or may not be running.
Sometimes ………..
Bacary Sagna has apparently told team-mates he expects to leave the club at the end of the season after being offered a ‘disrepsectful’ contract extension.
The 29-year-old was offered an extra 12 months on his current deal, which expires in 2014, but Arsenal are unwilling to increase his current Β£60,000-a-week pay packet.
If true, joke of a club.
H2H @321 – π
Trev,
No release form, no royalties, not even so much as a pat on the back and a thank you. I am nothing but an over-exposed and underpaid flunky. No doubt they will use me for their own ends whilst I still have mileage, but we all know how this ends. I shall be thrown to the scrapheap with the TOWIE stars and the XFactor contestants as soon as my usefulness is up.
Fame is but a mirage. I’m a Celebrity, Get me out of here. π
Nonny – Agreed. Very poor if true.
Trev @ 324
Nail Head Firmly Hit !!
Anyone with any inkling of how fans feel word not use the fucking word Brand in every sentence they utter, Fans Support Football Clubs you Fucking Cretins not Mars inc !
You ain’t going on Boxing Day mate, and that’s final! We’re eating turkey sandwiches and watching Chitty Chitty Bang Bang followed by The Sound of Music.
Then you can pop into your Santa outfit and surprise me.
It will surprise you if I pop out of my Santa outfit !
π
Insert really crude joke about sacks π !
Or Santa’s little helper.
Nonny @325 – If and that is a big IF (what is the source?) that is true then it saddens me greatly. We often slag players like the Dutch skunk for not repaying any of the loyalty the club showed him through hard times and jumping ship at the first chance of a huge pay raise, but it really goes both ways doesn’t it.
heh Nonny 323
Come and tell my wife Iβm going to football again on Boxing Day with no idea when Iβll be home βcos we have no idea what transport may or may not be running.
Ha, Trev! Nice excuse for a beer or five π
tabs, you of all people should know about not bothering passing comment on ‘apparently’ stories related in tabloid. Apparently we were in for Bridge last January, we are in for Downing, Reina, Lampard…. etc.
Oh sorry, I forgot you were part of the Daily Mail gang, now…
And disrepsectful ? If it’s a copy-paste, well, bravo to that tabloid…
If not, I’ll boo Nonny instead π
Apparently Messi’s injury isn’t big at all.
Brand Awareness
Ooooooh, The Sun do like to try and stir up a bit of trouble, don’t they.
‘OFFICIAL: ARSENAL DON’T NEED TO WIN ANY MATCHES’ barks their back-page headline, reporting words from the club’s chief commercial officer Tom Fox. A man with a much cooler name than his job suggests.
Anyway, Shaun Custis writes: ‘It’s official – nobody at Arsenal is that bothered about the team actually winning games.
‘The Gunners’ chief commercial officier Tom Fox declared the “brand” was more important.’
You’re probably way ahead of us here, but that’s not quite what Mr Fox said.
He said: “Arsenal Football Club is not only about winning. We have a large and engaged fan-base around the world who want to feel as if they belong to the club, and want to feel proud to belong to the club. That’s my primary business…our brand is defined by more than winning.”
So, he didn’t actually say the brand was more important at all. Just that there are other factors relevant to his job as commercial officer. Oh.
He went on to say: “Obviously nothing instils pride in our fan-base more than winning.”
Somehow, that sounds much more reasonable that some reactions I have seen.
Heh Ollie’s on a roll π
Ollie,
I’ll agree the spin doctors were at work. I also think they love to bait our higher ups to make a comment about winning.
I will also agree with Trev in that they do seem to have an eye for business first and the actual squad second. There seems to be too much pride and chest pumping about what we do right as a business and not enough about what we should be getting right as a team on the field. Just as our squad has failed to find the right balance so too has our business. His quotes smack of a similar taste as to when king Kenny said that liverpoo’s shirt deal was as good as a trophy.
And IF Nonny’s quote is accurate then that balance is getting worse and not better and a reality check is seriously needed.
HaHa H2H @ 321
And another thing!
Good morning π
Those Californians and their kraaaaaaaazzzzy time zones, eh?
Morning Norcal.
I’m not sure it is that unreasonable to only offer 12 months more to Sagna. Let’s take a step back here:
He will be 30 in just over two months. A 12-month extension would mean he would be under contract until he is 32. Doesn’t sound too bad – but don’t forget that full-backs rarely last particularly long after 30. Evra is nowhere near the player he once was, Cashley is considerably wobblier these days, Maicon hasn’t impressed particularly the last two-or-so seasons etc. Add to that the fact that Sagna has had two leg fractures in the past year and hasn’t been as solid (though still very good overall, let there be no uncertainty about that) as he used to be and we arrive at a point where I can certainly see the logic behind offering 12 months. Personally, I would have gone for 24 months but as I said when you take a step back and think about it 12 months isn’t as crazy as it might sound at first glance.
So UEFA are going ahead with their countryless Euro 2020. Can’t say I like the idea.
Wonder what the mascot will be.
Something along these lines Ollie;
http://www.flickr.com/photos/katinthecupboard/4999563525/
Ollie, talking of UEFA, I see Puyol blasted the Spanish education minister via Twitter over plans to enforce teaching in Spanish in all schools, including those in Catalonia, while Barca said it will continue to use Catalan. Given how UEFA doesn’t like players or clubs making political statements, I wonder if UEFA will come down on both like a ton of bricks, or is Barca so important to UEFA’s money making that blind eyes and deaf ears will be turned? I’d suspend them from the CL for the rest of the season…
Ollie@340: The Sun twisting the meaning of what someone says? I am shocked, shocked…
I agree with Lars.
If Sagna, almost thirty with two leg breaks, thinks he can get more then 60 grand a week elsewhere then good luck to him.
It makes me laugh when some scoff at that kind of weekly wage like it’s peanuts. It’s more then 3 mill a year FFS!!!
Let’s try to keep a slight, however miniscule it may be, grip on reality please.
Ned, the mayor of Barcelona was talking about the possibility for BarΓ§a to join the French league π
Lars, Nonny: the key thing we don’t know about the Sagna contract extension offer is whether there was performance/appearance-related pay on top of the base salary of $60,000 a week — that is still $3.1 million a year, remember. To your point, Lars, Sagna may be looking out a couple of years and seeing the Corporal playing a lot more than him, and so limiting his bonuses. He may well prefer to be off now and bank a more secure deal somewhere where playing time is less likely to be curtailed by a rising youngster and the stress on a 30-something body also less. He doesn’t strike me as the sort of person who would be happy sitting on the bench counting his money; that trait in his character is evident in his play, which is why so many of us like him so much. However, it is a curious thing in sport, where careers are necessarily limited, that a player’s value is so often judged on the performance of years past and not on the prospective performance of years to come.
Ollie@352. I saw that. As a I think I said in an earlier drinks, if Catalonia gets independence then UEFA should make Barca compete in the Catalonian domestic league and fight for Europa Cup/CL qualification like clubs from all the small countries…
Much as I like Sagna you do have to consider his age and the position he plays. This is not the football Winterburn and Dixon faced.
I think he was genuinely world class for his first 3+ seasons he remains above average for our league but he isn’t about to improve. A year ago I’d have never said Jenkinson can be his equal but now I’m almost convinced, certainly delivers a better cross – needs more experience and of course some calm that would come with it.
One year deal would make sense…
H2H, well said.
NorCal@353: very good points.
What Lars said, but to Ned. π
ChΒ£l$β¬a – π
Man Citβ¬h – π
Thanks for the records! 8)
Well said Ned.
My only point about Sagna is that a year extension is fair but a slight increase in his base wage as maybe a loyalty payment may send a better message to players and supporters that we want to keep our starters.
I know that the amount of money we are talking is ridiculous but that’s where sports have gone. A bump up to 70k a week may not do anything but at least it tells the player that we think he is of importance enough to consider a raise.
Haha, I meant Ned@353 of course π
I agree that sports is in that mad place, NorCal.
But how many teams can pay that kind of money considering all the factors we have discussed.
Contrary to popular belief, it’s not actually that many, a handful at best, so if he feels he can find one, once again, I wish him all the best. Theo too and anyone else whoΒ΄s looking for greener pastures.
Ned 354, I like the idea π
H2H,
True and true. However, like theo if he runs his contract down and leaves on a boseman then we get squat. I will say it is a bigger risk on Sagnas part given his age and recent injuries. Where Theo is going to make out is to leave for free in the summer and get a better contract as a result. It is not just Arsenal that are being raped by its players but the culture in the team has be set up so that it is easier for our players to do it because it has been happening for years now and the cycle has to be stopped at some point.
DEATH TO PLAYER POWER!
Hmm..Feo and Poldi out for West Brom, that means AoC and Gervs on flanks, maybe Aaron again. Now who is going to whip in those crosses for OG to capitalize on? O.o
Player power out!!
What color scarf do I wear for that?
You donΒ΄t wear them, you use them to hang their agents. Problem solved.
Eandy,
How about Santi on the left with Rosicky , JW10, and MA8 in the middle. AOC or Gerv on right.
hmmm ..sounds tasty enough NorCal, but I think that thats unlikely to happen. Arsene is not going to put TR7 in from the start I think so my guess is Mikel, Santi, Jack in midfield, Gerv on the left, AoC on the right and OG spearheading the attack, then Tomas coming in for Jack later in the game.
Looks like I missed a Bordeaux goal.
Eandy,
I know you are right, but in my little mind I wish we would switch things up a little and make some positive changes. Gerv and AOC on the wings is not spicy enough for me. We need spice. TR7 looked spicy. Santi in a place where he is not as easily pushed off the ball by the DM and or center backs is more spicy for me right now. Rosicky didn’t look tired to me on Tuesday. If he fades bring in Le Coq and move Arteta and Wilshere one notch forward.
Easy to manage the team from a computer and 8,000 miles away. π
Hehe exactly, agreed that Tomas looked just superb but according to his own words, he still lacks match fitness and sharpness, but if what he showed was the least we can expect from him this season, its great. Agreed that some changes should be made to our lineup and who knows..maybe Arsene will surprise us.
AoC would be my pick ahead of Theo in almost every game last year but this season things are just not happening for him too much. Maybe its also down to the fact that he has been played more centrally in recent games and when he actually should be on the flank he cuts inside wayyy too much, not stretching the play as he is supposed to. With striker like OG you dont need to go inside and play intricate one-twos or whatnot ..just stretch the play and smash in good delivery…handsome frenchman will take care of that π
As for Gerv ..well..hes Gerv, capable of occasional brilliance but sooo frustrating most of the times, and he slows the play too much for my liking.
H2H,
So a blood red scarf it is. Can we hang them from the rafters of the stadium as a warning to others? Do we start with the son of a
Dein?Afraid I’m still abgry about Mr Marketing and his precious brand.
And I think this ‘growing the brand’ thing has a lot to do with the whole ‘the players are tired in November’ thing.
Instead of doing a proper pre-season, the players now spend July jet lagged as they parade the latest shirts and training gear around the furthest corners of Asia and, civil unrest permitting, Africa.
Then, on returning to England, they discover there are actually no matches for them to play during the final two weeks of pre-season until, oh yes, a round of international friendlies, inducing yet more jet lag, three days before the season kicks off.
In terms of match fitness, we then kick off a Premier League campaign with hardly any proper preparation.
The players are then trying to build up their stamina levels after the season has already begun.
Personally, I think this has a lot more to do with early season tiredness than a bunch of statistics illustrating the fact that footballers have to run around a bit.
It may be presumptious, but I have a sneaking suspicion that the manager would agree.
Good evening,all.
Norcal,i like your idea of moving Santi to the wings,i thought about it this afternoon,he played on the wings more than he played through the middle last season for Malaga.
Eandy @373,
It’s not due to any of those things. Our problems are caused by moaning fans. π
Trev,
Abgry?
Is that like Gnabry?
Me I’m still Akpomed about the “brand”. π
2-0 Bordeaux B team (9 players – of various ages – coming from the Academy). Better than Newcastle B team.
Sorry NorCal, = angry
And Marseille lose 3-0, not a bad evening.
I still can’t give a shit about the brand.
Though I remember reading a book about ‘the Arsenal brand’ a few years ago (before Gazidis arrived even)
Unfortunately the “brand” is a necessary evil if we are to compete at all financially.
Oh, but wait we may need to actually spend some of that “brand” new money to make a difference.
Jesus i had forgotten how good we were back in the day.
2001/2 season,
scored in EVERY league game,unbeaten away from home,14 wins and 5 draws. Won the Double.
2002/3
Scored in every league game bar 2,second in the league,won the FA Cup.
2003/4
Scored in every league game bar 3,Unbeaten home and away,
Won the league,should have won the CL[ but for Wenger wanting to emulate Ferguson and win the treble].
Those were the days my friends.
Cheers
The Sweeper.
Mikel banned for only 3 matches after what he did to Clattenburg? It’s a joke and an encouragement for others to do the same thing.
http://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/0/football/20631964
The sweepeer@385,those were the days,maybe we have to go through this days to be able to fully appreciate those days when next they come around.
8 ball,i really i’m perplexed about the outcome of Mikel/Clattenburg case,i expected whoever was found guilty to be given a lengthy ban.
In better news though,i just Chatted with Snir via twitter,he says he’s fine,he’s just starting his finals week on monday so hasn’t really had time to post regularly.
Slow rate, century is to far away.
Good stuff, Cent. And good luck Snir!
Mentioning a missing ‘o’ will just bring the century closer however.
Cent. If as the article says, Mikel honestly thought Clattenburg was racially abusing him then why is he suspended at all, particularly when it was apparently Ramires who went public with the allegation, not Mikel? On the other hand if Mikel is being disingenuous and actually flinging out dishohnest allegations of a referee racially abusing him then the suspension should be much more serious. As it is, it gives the impression that the authorities have no idea what really happened. Maybe they don’t.
@385
Totally agree with how magnificent we were 2001-4. We actually won less than we should have done in terms of trophies but it was one of the finest clubs sides I’ve ever seen…and happened to be the one I support.
Here’s the funny part…I still have a stack of fanzines from those pre-blog days and the near-constant moaning and doubting of Wenger and his signings is amazing in hindsight. They collectively wrote Henry was lazy, Pires a fool, Seaman a liability etc. even though we were always on the cusp of greatness.
Some were taking it for granted it would seem and (perhaps) those same supporters now think that flicking a switch or spending 50 million puts us right back at the top.
Evening all, how’s tricks?
Have I missed anything?
Very good point Tim @391…..you just can’t satisfy some people. Probably exactly the same noisy negative people as now.
The Old Fella used to tell me when i was growing up,that in our lives,we all ‘ Danced to the Music of Time’.
He said it was the same in Football,sometimes,not often,
but sometimes,the Orchestra stopped off to play at The Home of Arsenal Football Club,and proceeded to play the most magical tunes you could possibly imagine.
He said when that happened,you had to lock those tunes away forever in your memory,because when the Orchestra moved on we will be left with only silence.
Then, he said,you just had to hope that they would visit again in your lifetime.
Cheers
The Sweeper.
Very very true Sweeper.
Gotta make the best of the good times.
8ball,this is not the first time the FA has made a decision i don’t understand (and it probably won’t be the last time) so i’m moving on from that issue.
Ollie,fancy a 1-2 for the CENTury?
Tim@395,they will never learn,never!
Hey,Bath.
The sweeper,the Orchestra will definitely visit us again in our lifetime,when the time is right.
One?
The oboe player plays his solitary note hoping the orchestra will play in tune this weekend. The note carries on the Wind up to Cent on the wing who……
One two with NorCal then but who will finish the move?
8) *Theme from Jaws*
Crosses selflessly into the box…
Wind! Unlucky again Cent. A hard cross to bear…
What???? Wind,woher kommen sie?
Hey Wind. Hope things are positive.
Cheers.
Nice finish. It was music to my ears. But then I am probably tone deaf.
there comes a time
yup
heartburn
yup
bottle of john j
yup
havin said that
eff off
fargin gooners
Sorry. Unglucklich, meinte ich.
Heh@Ollie,my shooting is Gervinhoesque at the moment,imagine me crossing the ball after a teammate had scored,na i’ve outdone Gervinho.
Nah, you’re just outabsing tabs π
It’s almost like I spoke your name, Wind, and you blew in the door.
Ollie,that would mean that i was unlucky right?
In that case,Ollie,i’m proud i made Tabs proud.
just been on the news
interesting
max clifford’s office is dealing with max clifford
a vortex of virtue is gonna swirl around his headlines
It’s an ill Wind that blows no-one some good, unless it’s a (Tony) Gale
;-). Well lurked young man.
cba….no doubt Max Clifford is offering the story around the tabloids as we speak. He has signed himself to the exclusive story and will take 25 % management fee π
Wind you are completely shameless.!!
The Answer my friend is blowin in the ???
Bit like the Arse’s season really.!!
Being December it is a decidedly chiily one.!!
i’ve not drinkdrankdrunk backwards for a while
i’ve not tinterwebbed for a while
i have technology once every month
can one of you fine ‘holics catch me up
not the real ‘holic of course
his time is obviously taken up with fabulousness
(am i sayin the the wrong thing askin about gooner T)
Unlucky Cent, but the lurk was perfectly placed :p
Nice assist Ollie, thanks mate π
Hey Norcal, things are going a lot better as of a few hours ago, becoming a lot clearer for me
Thanks Uply π
evening Tabs
even though you have relapsed on the Gaspers front,i trust you are at least trying to cut down.??
I assume like all the ‘ Mail ‘ staff,,you are banished to the cold and windswept streets outside the building if you need a puff.??
Hard graft mate,hard graft.
if i have said the wrong thing about gooner T
i apologise
i just wanna know how a fellow King Tubby fan is doin’
sorry ‘holic
It had been too long since I’d scored Clive :p
@ 419
I spoke to Gooner T last week,and although he is doing it tough,he is hanging in there.
My 394 was for him really.
Wind @ 420
i trust you are talking about Holics blog.??
#421 Goonersince54
thanks
i wanted to know how he was doin
if you’re talkin to him – tell him hello from me
and stick on a bit of prince jammy
just read your #394 sweeper
nice
COME ON YOU REDS !
Evening Clive,
Yep cut down by about half. Probably on about 5 or 6 a day these days, though you can double that if the Beers are flowing. I’ll have another go at knocking them on the head in the New Year hopefully.
All the very best to GT. Great that you managed to speak to him.
Cba – heh, lovely stuff π
Well in Wind, though as Ollie mentioned, Cent’s in the glory position. π
Oh and I am in currently in negotiations with the Daily Mail over image rights.
I have asked for a million pounds. Their offer currently stands at a packet of Cheese and Onion crisps.
As you can see, there is rather a large gap to be bridged, but I remain hopeful π
Re reading a classic and came across this pearl:
A profit Mr Hornby, a profit.
Bah, what happend?
Here’s the passage:
One more thing about the kind of audience that football has decided it wants: the clubs have got to make sure that they’re good, that there aren’t any lean years, because the new crowd won’t tolerate failure.
Published in 1992
what is David Price up to these days?
Larry,
http://www.arseweb.com/people/oldboys.html
Need a taxi?
Snow indeed. I predict a low turn-out at work.
Not a weather I can drive the car in, the buses weren’t running, but I was lucky that a colleague could pick me up at the station.
heh http://www.arshavin.eu/en/news.php?id=784
Slow morning.
No Feo tomorrow? Think I’ll go Xmas shopping instead then.
‘Mikel Arteta was speaking on behalf of Thomas Cook Sport,’
That’s at the bottom of the Mirror article. Weird. Well, Thomas Cook Sport speaks for us all, I guess…
Re Theo’s contract,Arsene is quoted on the dotcom as saying “i’m frustrated,he knows what i want” looks to me like it’s we’ve made our last offer.
Doesn’t still look to me like Theo will leave though,looks(well,to me) like his instruction to his agent was along the lines of “get the best possible contract you can from Arsenal,leaving is not an option,not yet”
Cultural moment:
Pozdrawiam Serdecznie seems to be ‘Best Regards’ in Polish. I’ll never remember it and certainly have no idea how to pronounce it.
heh Nonny, the Feo of last Saturday won’t be much missed.
Hah, so Sparta Prague has possibility of meeting Chelski in europa league and Viktoria Plzen LWCs..it would be beyond hilarious if czech teams beaten them:D (and Plzen is well capable of doing so, given that they topped their group:P)
Arsene is quoted on the dotcom as saying βiβm frustrated,he knows what i wantβ
Yeah, a good player for peanuts and if he doesn’t sign for peanuts he’ll overspend on another dreadful player from Ligue 1 to replace him. False economy is our watch word.
Neige a Paris?
#426 takeabowson
are they tayto ?
if so – most agreeable
an irish icon !
just saying the name swells my chest with pride
indeed much of our nations roaring economy stands on the firm foundations of crisps
oui, baff, melting already though.
cba, surely Taytos are banned for Daily Mail readers….
@cba – Sadly not. Negotiations are not going well. Because I stood firm in my demands for Β£1m , they have decided to play hard ball and have reduced their offer from Walkers to Sainsbury’s own brand. We are in deadlock.
Now I know how Theo feels!
Ollie @444 – Not a Daily Mail reader Sir, I am a Daily Mail STAR! Get it right π
ban tayto
many have tried ollie
many have tried
aaahhh
takeabowson – it’s yerself
seasons greetings to you and yours and may all your snack based litigations be victorious
Sorry, tabs.
cba – Haha, festive greetings returned Sir.
Ollie (International TV Star) – Bugger, outdone again! I feel a bit like Burt Ward to your Adam West π
tabs @ 425, pfft! 8)
Heh Wind π
http://www.arsenal.com/news/news-archive/arsenal-train-ahead-of-wba-match-pictures
I see Sagna and Poldi are able to train so they should be back soon.
Afternoon all.
Ollie 432.
So thatΒ΄s where the Happy Train went.
Tabs.
IΒ΄d seriously consider the potato chip offer, in this current economy thatΒ΄s definetly not peanuts. π
Haha H2H, π
ha, well spotted H2H
and heh
Two different ways to celebrate the season of giving;
Everton’s Steven Naismith, 26, is paying out of his own pocket for Christmas dinner for homeless people in Liverpool. The Scotland international is sponsoring the meal at the Whitechapel Centre, a charity that works with people sleeping rough, living in hostels or struggling to manage their accommodation.
Full story: Liverpool Echo
Didier Drogba, 34, hosted a dinner to present his Chelsea team-mates from last season’s Champions League final victory with individual rings to commemorate the triumph – at what is thought to be a cost of around Β£800,000 to the player.
Full story: Independent
==
It warms the heart to see someone taking the effort to give something back to societies misfits…..
It’s a nice gesture from Naismith too.
Boom, H2H strikes again!
http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-20645838
It’s weird but I completely fail to see the link between a hoax call and death.
Unless some mad cunts harrassed her because she took a phone call?
Come on….
Waiting to see what it’s about, but that’s one more point in favour of abolishing monarchy, surely.
Heh, H2H is pretty good at stand up, when he can stand up. π
Comedy gold.
Heh H2H, in again, get that man a drink!! π
Ollie – As you say, can’t really prejudge what’s gone on. Agree with your last line .
Hope Cashley, Terry and Fat Frank like Didier’s ring. π
sitting cross legged is a pastime best reserved for those in the rosey bloom of youth
i can now feel very little below my kneecaps
although the heat from the laptop is bringing some comfort
oh
and
come on you reds – spurs are very bad and who indeed are you who are you
(just in case ‘holics non-football bullshit filter doesn’t let me in)
Heh. π
Cba – π
just read #H2H 456
my numb knees salute you sir
brilliant
haha cba
This was sent to me by a friend. It is a long read but interesting. Apologies if its been posted before.
“There is a saying – ”never meet your heroes” – well last night I met one of mine, Arsene Wenger, and he well and truly blew away that theory.
Five of us got to the Diamond Club at 7pm and AW was there waiting for us. He was joined by Arsenal’s Communications Director – Mark Gonnella, a very nice and interesting chap who was obviously enjoying being in Arsene’s company as much as we were. I think the dinner was scheduled to be done and dusted by 10pm but we ended up leaving at ten minutes past midnight. Arsene was very relaxed, candid and open and as interesting as we all expect him to be. Both him and Mark were very generous with their time and at no stage did it feel like they were clock watching or keen to go home. In fact, if anything I was starting to worry that it was a long night for them, but they seemed wholly unbothered and were happy to keep chatting.
Behind our table – the only one in the whole of the Diamond Club, the rest must have been put away, it was just the 7 of us being looked after in there – there was 2 flat screen TV’s, and they were showing both ECL quarter finals, one on each screen. Arsene showed an uncanny knack to watch both screens with one eye whilst always appearing attentive to the questions and conversation going on around the table. He confirmed that if there is a football match on the TV, then he is watching it. Mrs Wenger doesn’t get much of a look in it seems.
I’ve racked my brains and tried to recall as much of the conversation as I can. There was a couple of subjects he skirted around – like the ownership structure (”you work in the city, you probably know more than me about that”), and about current transfer targets (apart from Podolski), but generally he was happy to talk about anything. Here is a random walk of bullet points of what I can remember…. would probably be best if you didn’t forward any of this stuff or refer to anything that he might find embarrassing (such as any negative comments about players or opposing managers) …. cheers !
(Where I have inserted quotation marks then I can’t vouch for the exact words but it’s as close to them as I can recall and faithful to the point(s) being made).
Oh, and by the way the food was Michelin star standard and the wine was – to coin an Arsene phrase – ”Super Top Quality” – and he certainly enjoyed a few glasses of the red stuff himself. ”I like white wine but I avoid it as it makes me nervous”…… haha I know the feeling boss.
* Podolski is done. Irrespective of if we get a Champs League spot or not. AW likes him because he can play up top or on either wing. He also sees him as Insurance in case RVP goes. But that is not the plan.
* They are going to try very hard to get RVP to stay. AW said if it is just a financial question, then he does not doubt that the best thing is to sell him for very decent money to Man City or PSG and save on what would be a big contract as well. But this is not just a financial question, and he thinks RVP does not see it that way either. AW thinks RVP was badly advised in that he should have signed a new contract – or moved – last year. He thinks the type of contract at City that Nasri is on is not really there for Robin due to his age. Nevertheless he can earn more away from Arsenal, but he feels it is less of a factor for RVP than a lot of other players.
* Described RVP as the best captain the club has had in his time at AFC. He said he really “looks after” the other players. AW was surprised how good he has turned out to be as skipper, as he was not expecting him to be anything like as good.
* A constant theme – he wants the supporters to be proud of the way the club goes about its business. New stadium / net transfer spend in his time just Β£3m / living within means and no sugar daddy. Said he was frustrated at times when the fans turned against him in terms of new players, referred to the time when the away fans sang ”spend some f#cking money” at Craven Cottage. Said something along the lines of ”do people really think I like to sit here with my pockets full of money and not win ? When we lose I do not sleep for 2 days”.
* The only time I felt AW got properly irritated was when the subject of last Summers transfer dealings, and late August buys – came up. He felt that we extracted a fantastic deal for AFC when they sold Nasri for Β£23m, and he stressed that the comments he made about not being able to sell both Cesc and Nasri was all part of the plan to up Nasri’s price as his contract expired. The early shopping for Gervinho and The Ox and Jenkinson was all planned and they were happy. But as they went into the start of the season they were caught short by the injuries to Wilshere / Diaby / Gibbs / Vermaelen. (I will touch on the Wilshere and Diaby injury situations later). I did ask him who his reserve left back was going to be before he signed Santos, and he said he felt Sagna (or Vermaelen) could be left back and Jenkinson come in at right back. But the Gibbs setback being longer than was anticipated forced him into the market late. Ditto the Wilshere injury which was a moving target and a lot more serious than initially thought. Diaby had also been looking great in early pre season and only as they approached the start of the season did he break down again.
* The Jack Wilshere injury was caused in the England Switzerland game at the close of the previous season. He was scanned and nothing sinister showed up. AW knew he was in the red zone (again, I will come back to the famous ”red zone”) and knew he was increasing the chances of injury. He said if he could go back in time he would have played JW in less games, but he had plenty of other injuries in midfield (common theme) late that season and he felt he had no option. He referred to the argument he had with the FA where he didn’t want JW to play for the U21’s. Jack had his scan and it looked ok and he went on 4 weeks holiday. He then played in the Emirates cup and had pain again. He saw different specialists and received varying advice. In the end they settled on a diagnosis that meant there was a break and subsequent tendon problem near the break that was in a very unusual but fragile part of the foot/ankle. In the end the advice they took was this – If he doesn’t have this operation he will never play again. And if he has the operation, there is a only 50/50 chance that it will be successful – i.e. a 50pct chance that they will know immediately during the operation when the bone would deteriorate to such an extent that he would never play again. “When we woke up that morning we were all feeling very uneasy”….. thankfully the operation was a success and he has no doubt he is going to be back to normal.
* So, with the Perfect (although to most of our eyes not unexpected) Storm occurring of injuries to Wilshere/Diaby/Gibbs/Vermaelen he has to go and find a Centre Mid and a Centre back and a LB. They liked M’Villa and looked at him (and still are). Rumours that M’Villa had a medical at Arsenal were not true. Arsene then rang Bill Kenwright at Everton and asked him about both Arteta and Fellaini. AW really likes Fellaini and was raving about his performance on the Tuesday night Everton win over Sunderland. Kenwright said he wanted Β£30m for Fellaini, well over Arsene’s valuation, but Kenwright said he would consider Arteta move. Initially the Arteta move fell down on personal terms. So AW goes to Chelsea and gets Benayoun on loan, a 1 year deal that he felt suited both parties as it was a stop gap while Wilshere / Diaby / Coq / Frimpong etc sort themselves out in one way or another and would not stop them playing in the next year. Then the Arteta deal is resurrected as he slashes his personal terms (takes big cut) and the deal goes through. AW said if he had known he was going to get Arteta then he probably would not have done the loan deal for Benayoun.
* Arsenal also offered Β£12m for Cahill, more than was reported. AW said Gartside “lied”. And I detected a little smile when he confirmed Bolton sold him to Chelsea for Β£7m. So we got Mertesacker instead and while he confirmed his preferred CB pairing is Kos/Verma he said Mertesacker was a ”fantastic man” with a great influence on the dressing room. He raved about Koscielny on a few occasions, despite him being what he called ”accident prone” ….. e.g. Anfield/CC Final/Blackburn away.
*On Arteta. He was massively complimentary. Said he is excellent influence in dressing room. Said he was the only player he had signed who had taken a decent pay cut. I asked him why he thought he hadn’t played for Spain, and he said what we probably all agree, said he thinks he is a slight level below Xavi/Iniesta/Fabregas, but also that playing for unfashionable teams Rangers and Everton would have hurt his chances.
* I asked him about Goetze at Dortmund. He said he really likes him “but so does everybody else”. And said his loyalty to Dortmund was hard to prize him away, the new contract made that even harder, as would if he had a good Euro 2012, and that he thinks he is ‘probably’ out of AFC’s reach. But he did say ‘probably’.
* Transfer targets. Confirmed he likes M’Villa. Said his main worry is moving on existing players to make room for new players. ”The market in Europe is static”. “I can only have 25 players in the squad”. He confirmed that the only contract to expire in the Summer was Almunia.
* Nasri. He said he was not a bad influence in the dressing room last year. He was serious when he said that Nasri had not long ago asked to ”come back in June”, and he laughed when he told us that his reply to him was ”you have one problem there – your wages !”.
* Fabregas. AW confirmed that he had an agreement with Cesc for ‘one more year’, but that he hoped that he would be able to persude him to stay at AFC until he was 28 and then join Barce. But AW thinks this backfired a bit, as ‘Cesc was never really with us last season”. He got very animated talking about the back heel on the edge of our box at the Camp Nou. He said he subconsciously did it because maybe he wanted to impress the Barce fans, and that there is no way he would have done that anywhere else in the KO stages of the ECL.
* The 8-2 loss to ManU. He said he knew the team was going to lose, he had already told his staff that they needed to ”write off that game” as the players had come off tough games v Udinese and Liverpool at home and in very hot conditions away to Udinese. He said he has had much harder losses to take than that one.
* We talked about Walcott. AW prefers him on the wing and is doubtful about him as a CF as his work with his back to goal is not good enough, his first touch is ”nothing like as good as Van Persie’s, which is world class”, and that he thinks while he is often very good at home, he still has a tendency to hide in away games. Asked if he was tempted to substitute him at HT in the Spurs game, he said ”oh yes” – and said he had already taken him off at HT in the San Siro the week before, ”I looked in his eyes and I could see he was scared”.
* Re. that Milan loss. He confirmed that some very harsh words were said after that game. But when pressed as to what he said, he replied ”you will have to buy my book !”. I asked him if any of this particular gee-up was from TH14, or did TH14 leave the team with parting, rousing message….and he firmly said No. Mark Gonnella said to me ”It’s not Disneyland !”
* Alex Song. AW was happy to talk him up. He said he has the ”best stats in Europe”. In his early days he was a little over-awed by the big names in the dressing room. He went to see Arsene one day and was upset because the ”other players don’t rate me”. AW said ”it’s not important what they think, it’s important what I think”, and he felt from that point he relaxed a bit and he started to improve.
* Thomas Rosicky. The idea that TR7 started to play well to earn a new contract is wrong, because Arsene awarded him a new contract as early as January. AW turned down an offer from Spartak Moscow to take him in January. Felt he had played well in the first half of the season. Attributed his good form to being properly fit at last, and moving him inside – where he prefers playing. When we were talking about injuries, AW mentioned that his main injury was first diagnosed as out for 3 days only, but ended up being 15 months !
* Aaron Ramsey. AW said he is a very good player but has a ”weak first touch”, I asked him if it was the case before he broke his leg, and he said ”partly, yes”. But he has played him on the left on occasions this year – e.g. Everton away – as AW thinks we are weaker on our left side and Ramsey is a good option for toughening up that side in difficult games.
* The Ox. ”a very intelligent boy”. Says he is more versatile than Theo and he will certainly be able to play in the middle. But he said he has to be careful as ”he is 18 and we have to weigh him every day”.
* Goalkeepers. He said the most talented Keeper at the club is Fabianski, but he is not as mentally strong as Szczesny. He said Almunia was mentally shot to pieces, or words to that effect. Everyone around the table was waxing lyrical about Szczesny but AW said ”he has still cost us 3 games this season, and the Carling Cup last season”. But he agreed that he had a big feeling for the club and that his major asset was his confidence. He agreed his distribution needed work. I mentioned Shay Given, and how I had always thought we should have bought him, but how poor he looked on Saturday for Villa, and he said that he had never been a fan of Given, he thought he was too small and not good on crosses. He confirmed he was in for Schwarzer at the start of last season. But he said Fulham wanted Β£12m for him, a ridiculous amount for a 39 year old. He said he bid Β£4m for him which he thought was already too much. He told a good story about Jens Lehmann – when he made a few mistakes in his last full season, and AW dropped him for Almunia, he said Lehmann was really hacked off. Lehmann said to him – I am going to prove you wrong. And instead of coming in at the normal time for training, he came in 30 mins earlier. And then the next week he came in 1 hour earlier. And the next week 1 hr 30 mins earlier. A few times AW reverted to the theme of really liking German players’ (and German people generally) work ethics and professionalism.
* Santos / Gibbs. I asked him who was first choice, and he shrugged his shoulders and said ”I don’t know. I put Gibbs in there at the moment as he does well, but I think Santos is the better footballer, but maybe Gibbs gives us more offensively”. He said ”I made a mistake” when he played Santos in the ECL group match where he ruptured ligaments, as he knew Gibbs was still out for some time and had no cover.
* Diaby. Thinks his injury problems regarding his ankle are finally over. Would have finished most players careers. But he said his problem now is that the ‘Receptors’ in his body are still over compensating for a change in natural movement and this is causing all the small muscle strains. He is bullish on Diaby, feels his best position is Defensive Midfield, which is a different opinion to the player himself who thinks he should play in a more advanced position. But AW made it clear he really rates him.
* Arshavin. AW feels his natural body language is at odds with what is actually going on inside the player. He said he really does care a lot. But the stats show that his body is not as efficient as it used to be, and that his powers of recovery after any physical bursts are not as good as they should be. I asked him if he thought he was a bit overweight and he said ”yes, a bit, and he is 32″.
* Coquelin / Frimpong. He said Frimpong was similar to Arshavin in that their starts showed his recovery levels were not good. Different to Coq, who moves around the pitch ”a lot easier”. He said Coq was a 12k a match runner, and Frimpong was a 10k a match runner, and this this was important because this was equivalent to 20 ‘box to box’ runs per match.
* Players contracts / AFC Wage structure. Mark Gonnella talked about the Salary document that appeared on a lot of the main blogs, and he said the only thing on there that was correct was the total wage spend at the bottom, and that was taken from the Clubs’ accounts. He said every single player salary on there was wrong. There was a brief discussion about how financially bad it would be if we missed out on the ECL, and Mark said something along the lines of – our finances are better than the blogs say they are – and he seemed un-keen to expand on that but the inference was certainly there.
* Players going out on Loan. Confirmed that we sometimes subsidise the salaries of players in order to get them out on loan. This goes against what Gazidis said at last years AST meeting where he said we do not do that. But AW said sometimes we make money on loans as well, that for instance we made Β£2.5m on the Arshavin loan – which explains why he went out at such a strange time of the season. At this point another of the guests gave AW a bit of stick – saying we have a lot of players on our books who are on ‘Champions League money but are not Champions League standard”, and generally going on a bit of a rant. AW bristled a bit at this and whilst he agreed it was the case with one or two he said ”have a look at the squads of Barcelona and Madrid, I will show you plenty there as well, you don’t get every decision right”.
* Players Attitudes. Big problem is they have too much money and too much time. He wanted them to be too tired to go out by 10pm. AW said the players do have people to help them run the admin of their lives but that he could not enforce Minders upon them. He told the story of seeing George Best drinking alcohol after his liver transplant and said that if someone was that way inclined you could not stop them. He liked players who loved football, told us that if he walks in on a Friday morning and he knows he can talk to RVP about last nights Europa League games, and that Veramelen / Rosicky / Kos were all like that too, but it wasn’t the case for a lot of footballers. He told contrasting stories about two of our players when he signed them when they were youngsters. He spoke to Cesc’s mum about what Cesc did at weekends when he was a boy. She said – oh he plays football on a Saturday morning and comes home and says ”Mum we won 7-0 but I was rubbish” and then he goes straight outside and gets a ball and kicks it up against a wall all afternoon. Contrasted that with a dinner with Armand Traore’s parents just after he had signed Traore. They were about to break up for the summer and he asked them if their son played football in the summer, and they said that he didn’t, it was the last thing he would do in the summer….. and Arsene said he was thinking ”mmmm oh dear how can I get out of this ?”.
* Thierry Henry. The best player he has worked with. Although similar to Fabregas, in that in his last season he was not as good for us as he should have been. There was one summer – guess it was 06 or 07 – when TH was on the phone to AW ”every 2 hours”, trying to get him to agree to let him go. Along the lines of – Boss I am 29, I can’t wait for Cesc and the kids to grow up, I need to win things now. AW did say that there were times when TH was a total pain in the arse, and at times he walked around as though he was bigger than the club. He also said that towards the end of their time at the club, Henry and Vieira did not get on well, despite being very close when they were younger.
* Patrick Vieira. Another summer transfer saga. Paddy rang AW on holiday every day all summer, saying he wanted to go. In the end AW relented and agreed a deal with Real Madrid for him to go there. Then just before the deal was to be announced AW got a 9.30pm phone call at home and PV asked him if he could come round and see him. He goes round to AW’s house and says he has changed his mind, he didn’t want to leave. So in the end he stayed one more year, and ended up going to Italy the next summer. Interestingly, AW said that Vieira had asked him three times this year if he can come back to Arsenal. Vieira’s contract as a player at Man City was Β£4m a year, and if he made more than 20 or 25 appearances (as a starter or sub) then it triggered a clause in his contract where they had to give him another year at the same money. Vieira made the required number and invoked the clause. But by that summer City didn’t think he was up to another year, and didn’t want him using one of their slots in the squad. So they made up the Director of Football role for him and agreed they would pay him the Β£4m by a 4 year contract on Β£1m a year. Mark Gonnella told a story about when AFC and City were on tour in China at the same time last year. He said he walked all around the Birds Nest stadium in Beijing with Vieira, and all PV talked about for 30 mins ”Arsenal this and Arsenal that, and what a great man Arsene was”. Mark said he thought it was a bit strange and that Vieira should be wearing a AFC badge on his blazer and not a Man City one. He also told a story about Vieira when he left Italy before he came to AFC, he said he was 5 mins from signing for Ajax but AW got wind of it and told him to not sign and go home and David Dein would be in touch in a few hours. And he signed for us two days later.
* Nicolas Anelka. AW said that possibly Anelka had more talent than Henry, but he just didn’t love football at all. AW was very proud of the Anelka deal, buying him for 500k and selling him for Β£22m – spending Β£10m of that on Henry and the rest on the new training ground.
* William Gallas. Felt that he never integrated into the club, described him as a ”bit strange”, and agreed he was not a good skipper.
* Denilson. When he was signed they felt he had tremendous potential. But he said he did ”not take his body seriously”, which I took to mean some kind of re-fuelling issues.
* Adebeyor. AW said he was one of 6 players at Man City who earned over Β£200k a week. He thought Man City did some dodgy things with recent player contracts, such as Aguero was paid 100pct off-shore, and Adebeyor had 20pct of his contract paid in Image Rights which he thought the IR would have a fight over. I made a comment that I thought Adebeyor had a ”pea-heart” and wasn’t up for a fight and AW agreed, and said ”we are seeing that now”.
* Ashley Cole. AW said that he had agreed the infamous 60k per week salary with Cole’s agent, but made it clear to the agent that he had to get sign off from the board. The agent obviously went back to Cashley and told him 60k was done. Then the board refused to go to more than 55k – and this was what made Cole so angry, as he thought it had been agreed. AW agreed that with the benefit of hindsight they should have paid him the 60k.
* Nikolas Bendtner. Didn’t think he would stay at Sunderland as he is ”not O’Neill’s type”.
* Ju Young Park. AW – ”No idea if he is good enough, he just hasn’t played enough. We had no idea Van Persie was going to be as good and as strong as he has been this season”. We missed a chance to press him on this transfer, one of the strangest I can think of.
* 2006 Champions League Final. I asked AW for his recollections of the game, and if he had any regrets about taking Pires off when Lehmann was sent off. He said ”absolutely not, it was my only choice”. He said if he had one regret then it was that he maybe should not have put Flamini on when he took Fabregas off with 15 minutes to go. He said he remembered Freddie Ljunberg having a great match, and that Sol Campbell may have scored for us but he was at fault for their equaliser as he was dragged out of position.
* Sol Campbell. Laughed about his eating habits. He said that when Sol went to the buffet at the club’s lunch time service, he would always queue up behind him and check how much he put on his plate. He said Campbell and Song were similar players in that it was ”hard to get them to go to war, but once they decided they were ready, they were fantastic”. (I can vouch for Sol’s eating habits, I’ve seen him order 3 breakfasts at the cafe in Portugal where he goes every morning).
* Robert Pires. I asked AW if he regretted letting RP go too early – response ”absolutely not, he was physically finished”. He talked about the game where Pires did his cruciate in an innocuous challenge in 2002, and he said he had regrets about that. Because the Optima stats that week had shown that Pires was in the red-zone, and that on the Friday AW had decided he was not going to play him. But he changed his mind late on – and he remembers how well Pires played that day until his injury. But AW did say that because Pires did his other cruciate in a similar way later on in his career, then it proved to him that it would have happened anyway, as when two cruciates go in non contact tackles then that players’ body has an inherent weakness there.
* Tony Adams. Someone else at the table said he was glad that the player was now back in favour at the club, after appearing to have fallen out with them previously. AW said ”I would say that Arsenals relationship with Tony Adams has always been good, but that Tony Adams’ relationship with Arsenal has not always been good”. He described TA as a ”complex character”.
* Optima Stats. They use these a great deal, and can tell when a player is tired as they show how long a players feet are on the ground when they are running – and the longer they are on the ground then the more tired they are, and the weaker the players core muscles are at that time. I think Arsene called it the ”lightness effect”. These stats told them how much effort players had to put in to move their body around, for instance Wilshere had to work a bit harder than average to move around as he has a relatively low centre of gravity. The longer the players feet are on the ground relative to normal, the more they are in that now infamous ‘red zone’.
* Medical staff. AW shrugged off criticism of the medical staff, he said the problems they have had with mis-diagnosis are not by AFC’s staff, but by the specialists they see. He said there have been cases of a player seeing 3 specialists and getting 3 different answers. He said our medical staff just treat players injuries as they are told to by the specialists. He made one comment about our ex players – ”when they want to get fit, they always come back to us”. This bought us on to the subject of Beckham training with us while the MLS was on its break, AW said he trained as a ”total professional” but that he was ”already at a level not good enough for Arsenal”.
* The Famous Arsenal back 5 he inherited from George Graham. AW – they were not even the best defence we have had, the defence of the Invincibles were better.
* Other Managers. I asked him who were the opposing managers he most disliked. He rose to this question a bit and didn’t shy away. He named all the usual suspects, Hughes, O’Neill, Pardew, Ferguson, Pulis…. but he said ”to be honest I have a problem with all of them so maybe it is my fault” which raised a laugh. But I pressed him to name just one who he disliked the most and he said he would have to say Allardyce, he disliked how arrogant he was and how he strutted around puffing his chest out all the time. We touched on Mourinho and he said he wasn’t his favourite either, and he said Mourinho was sacked because of a player revolt in the same way that AVB was. He said that he couldn’t work at a club where there was such influence on the manager, ”it is very important that everyone sticks to their own job”.
* Sir Alex Ferguson. He didn’t say much but he did say he had ”perfect timing” on when to sell a player. Similar I guess to AW in that very few players, if any, go on to better things once they have left.
* Who would replace him ? He said he was glad he was not making that decision. He said he could not see any of the old players taking over, someone like Steve Bould was intelligent (”like all the players in that defence”) but that he had not committed himself to a big job yet and that he would not understand how much pressure there was in taking such a big job. He said he liked Brendan Rogers ”but he has only had one season”.
* I asked him which Man Utd player he would most like to have play for AFC and he not surprisingly said Rooney, praised his desire, but he also liked Valencia and Nani. On the subject of Man Utd he was very complimentary about Gary Nevill on Sky, he said ”both Nevill boys are very intelligent”.
* Players that were close to signing but got away. His biggest regret was Ronaldo. He said we had him at the club in an Arsenal kit, and he was going to sign. But Sporting Lisbon played ManU in a friendly and Ronaldo destroyed Gary Nevill and all the ManU players went on at Fergie to sign him. And then Carlos Queroz went to be Fergusons no.2 and he raved about Ronaldo and they threw the chequebook at Lisbon and so we lost him. Another regret was Xavi ALonso who was very close to coming, he had fallen out with Benitez but right at the death Benitez made it up with him as he didn’t want him to go to Arsenal.
* England manager. Agreed the manager should be English. He said he had heard that the FA did not want Redknapp.
* Euro 2012. I asked him who we should back and he said Spain, I asked him for an outside bet – he said France have a better team than England and that if they get their heads together they should not only beat England but do well in the competition.
* Jose Antonio Reyes – a good player but he said some players are “not for export” and Reyes was one of these.
* Giles Grimandi – “I will always owe Grimandi because he found me Sagna”.
* Worst Buy – Francis Jeffers. He made a hand gesture suggesting he liked a drink.
* Future Arsenal players. He said that he can always tell a player by the time he is 20. Was excited by Benik Afobe and Chucks Aeneke. Felt that Lansbury was a good player but ”just a little short” in a few areas. But he was most excited by two 15 year olds on our books – one German kid who I presume is Serge Gnabry ? and one American boy who AW said ”I never thought I would see a talent like that come out of the U.S.”…. He didn’t say his name but a small amount of digging and I’m sure we can find it. Apparently a big lad already, but Arsene was really excited about him as a prospect.
* Referees. He got quite animated about them, he said he felt they were ruining the game and especially in Europe. All they say is ”Respect, Respect, Respect, and then they Report”. Made a comment alluding to a few games having their results altered by referees that were not honest.
* Cost of watching games. Said he was uncomfortable with how much it cost people to watch Arsenal. ”I come from a background where if I wanted to watch a game of football then I had to make a sacrifice somewhere else, it does not sit well with me”.
* The Premiership. Said that any foreign player who leaves AFC to play abroad always tells him afterwards that they miss the Premiership.
* Dortmund came up, he said he loved the culture of German football and that the rule that you had to be a member of a club for a number (10 ?) of years before you could buy it was a great idea.
The last 20 minutes were actually spent with AW asking us a few questions, he seemed interested in what we thought would happen to Europe and the Euro. And he was wondering where he should put his money ! There was a discussion about how long Europe would retain the power base in world football, and in typical Arsene fashion we had a bit of a deep discussion about single child families in China and what it meant for their society and ultimately what it meant for their football team !”
Trev π
cba Heh, the warming qualities of a lap-top is probably my major thrill in life these days. Well, if you don’t count the visceral thrill of unwrapping a Bluebird liquorice toffee, that is. π
#468
thank f**k Wind didn’t post this
less of a drink – more an off-license
#469
they sell fudge in my local newsagents
they keep it in front of the till in an open container
in these chilly times i suspect viruses various are clattered all over them
not to mention the hacked up glar that oul johnny tar lung contributes when he’s in for his 40 lambos and a quick pick on the lotto
.
i must stop buying it
NB1, cheers, that was most interesting.
Drink of your choice . On Lars’ tab.
@468 – Bloody good read.
haha cba 470. Half-way through I did wonder if this was going to beat Wind’s lengthy posts but then by the end I completely forgot about mentioning that.
cba @471 Haha, fudge seduces like no other. It is the Bet Lynch of Confectionary.
…..thrill of unwrapping a bluebird liquorice toffee
That’s code, right? 8)
I’m sure someone posted that stuff at 468 on here before.
Would be more interested to hear what Arsene is saying over dinner now…..
Interesting read NB1
Dr Z – You know me too well π
Drink Up Me Hearties!
NB1 @ 468, thanks for posting that, really enjoyed reading it π
cba @ 470, oi! π
Ollie @ 474, you know you love them π
Ette, are we all pretending to be Sailors now?
Excellent!
As long as it’s not Pirates π
Wolf and Zico, we have the Rum for it
LPANG here, right?
Just checking.
Reminder to any travelling Paddys tomorrow, bring Tayto’s π
Rum.
Dark. And coke. Please.
I’ll give the lash and the other thing a miss though. π
pirates?
is that what californian fitness freaks do
#486
that’s all we are to you isn’t it , ‘holic
effin crisp mules
.
why – i – oughtta !
“effin’ crisp mules” – Massive heh π
Evening ‘Holic.
Is LPANG a Thai crossdresser?
I’ll have a Rum and the lash please.
No Coke thanks.
Irish Crisps (*o*)
Delicious π
ette is drunk?
Cba,
Absolutes. Nothing beats a good pirates workout.
Well unless its the proper stuff if you knowwhaddimean π
Depends on how many wenches are involved.
Unusually fast posting rate for a Friday evening.
Still time to assist?
Parachutes in from a passing Red Arrows jet, and lands on the Crossbar crunching his already small balls into something that can only be seen under microscope
Thank you Ollie π
Did the whole of the balls cross the whole of the line?
In this instance not sure any technology would help and no one would want to review it.
A-ha, well in Wolfie.
Hmmm, probably not the best turn of phrase.
No technology required NorCal.
Back of the Net! π
Heh Ollie π
cba, I long for the day you bring ’em over. The Guinness will be on me matchday π
#493
Wind
tayto cheese and onion are indeed something of a wonder
you get all of your 5-a-day , a few inches on your waistline and the love of the ladies
you mightn’t know it but tayto also make other flavours
but it’s something we really talk about
.
should your flavour tastes run to the exotic
can i suggest Sam Spudz crinkle cut salt ‘n’ vinegar
a piece of donegal loveliness
try ebay
i meant don’t talk about
but
i don’t wanna talk about it
move along
nothin to see here
Glad it was back of the net and not back of the throat!
Right, me coat please.
cheers ‘holic
but when i come over to exercise my shoutin muscles
(last time i saw the arse was 89)
if you put your hand in your pocket i’ll be offended beyond belief
it’s jars for you and several of the reprobates on here on me
(although jars does rhyme with lars)
haha cba, nice rhyme π
bar-keep
give ollie anything he wants
make it a double a triple a bottle a jalfrezi !
.
(hides in the corner from lars)
Cheers, cba!
*peers out from under a table*
*retreats*
Hmm..why does Jack wear training gear with no. 27, does it mean he will start in the place of Gerv?:P
NB1 @468 – thanks for that, mate. That was a long but extremely fascinating read.
Well in Wolfie! Bet you’ve heard that before, sailor.
Thank you Bath. Friggin’ in the riggin’ here. I do love the Navy.
in an unrelated matter
Wind
is it wind as in breezey
or
wind as in ‘ the long and win. . . . ‘
.
i’ve been responsible for a few windy roads
apologies to brian, paul and ray in rays hillman hunter
not my finest hour
woke up with a slice of corned beef in my top pocket
favourite jacket ruined
evening wolfballsmallgangs
delighted to be typing in your presence
you are the bringer of much joy
reading the almost 500comments was more fun than going out tonight, laughed afew times too. thanks for the 468, that was the climax of my backdrinking, looking forward to tomorrow’s game and hopefully a good win as we really need it.
Evening cba.
Thank you kind Sir.
The joy is all mine cba. One has to be a little serious, nay I would go as far as to say, a right old misery, not to be mightily impressed by tales of Corn Beef as a fashion statement.
Did you only discover your error when upon finding that you were in need of your top pocket handkerchief (a necessary accoutrement for any Gentleman about town), you reached for said hankie and proceeded to blow hard into said Corn Beef?
‘almost 500’, FL? You’ve obviously got over 20 more to read now then π
Good evening,all.
Just when i thought i couldn’t fall more in love with Arsene and his intelligence NB1 comes along and posts 468,thanks for the post mate. Who ever wrote that,is quite a good writer,i could imagine myself in that room sitting right next to Arsene.
Well in Wolfie.
Thank you Cent.
Given your goal poaching abilities, I thought you might have slipped in on me inside, as it were, but my fears were unfounded.
Heh @ Wolfie.
And now for this evening’s light entertainment …
http://www.buzzfeed.com/mattbellassai/45-people-you-wont-believe-actually-exist-6z51
cba @ 506, thanks, will give them a google and ebay search should I remember hopefully.
@518, intended to be breezy π
Wolfie @ 526 I love the fashion statement at 9 and the ultimate BJ at 19. What a collection – but you’re not starring yourself?
I am at No.10 Bath, modelling the Backless Speedo, a craze that was unjustifiably short-lived.
526: fucking heh, some spectacular stuff in there!
Heh indeed, I’ve seen the first one before in it’s entirity. In the end the woman in the wheelchair stands up, picks up her wheelchair and walks away. Sick.
Here, video breakdown;
http://tosh.comedycentral.com/video-clips/video-breakdown—wheelchair-vs–escalator—uncensored
In other news, Bradford have been kicked out of the FA Cup for fielding an ineligible player on loan from Newcastle who was not registered before 12pm on the day of their 2nd Round match vs Brentford last Friday to play in the competition, bodes well for next Tuesday in the COC or does it?
@Ollie 494.
Nah, not drunk, but I’m taking orders, I hold the key to your rum happiness..
What? 2 hours 25 minutes,to a matchday and we don’t have a match preview? Boooooo!!!! Wenger out! Gazidis out!! Fuck off,Kroenke!!! Usmanov in! Bring back Dein the saviour. We want our ‘holic back!!!!
‘holic is back. Busy night Cent π >>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>>>