Get A Grip, It’s The Game In Hand
Jan 22nd, 2013 by 'holic
The game in hand. The refuge of those looking at the gap between us and the top four. Win the game in hand and it is down to four points. It is almost upon us. The importance of the result is becoming more evident, and very real.
The pre-match presser quickly developed into a list of those who may or may not be available to start, and a fruitless inquisition into our transfer plans for the remainder of the window. The two topics blended together perfectly when Arsene was quizzed about the absence of Mikel Arteta and Francis Coquelin.
“You’ve got a bit of an issue in that defensive (midfield) position.”
“We have. I agree with you…It is a position where we are short…It is a position where we are a bit vulnerable at the moment”
I’m not sure what Emmanuel Frimpong would have thought as he heard those words, but we all know exactly what the manager meant. It’s an area which has prompted numerous debates in recent weeks and months. The concession is welcome. If only we had acted a little quicker to address that acknowledged vulnerability in this window. Let us hope that the search for a ‘super quality’ reinforcement is fruitful.
On the plus side we should have Lukas Podolski back in contention, and possibly Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain. If the German is considered fit to start then it is likely that Santi Cazorla will return to the midfield role with Jack Wilshere dropping back to partner either Abou Diaby or Aaron Ramsey.
West Ham do not appear to be as confident as the side we rather impressively humbled 3-1 at Upton Park back in October. James Collins is a doubt, and Andy Carroll is a long-term absentee. With Marouane Chamakh ineligible that means a start for Carlton Cole. He and Kevin Nolan will provide a physical challenge for a central defensive pairing that may be exposed to a little more pressure given who is in front of them.
We know we will have to be alert to set pieces and direct deliveries into the middle. Whilst generally those are areas in which we have improved this season there are still the occasional lapses of concentration. West Ham are not just about the long ball however. In his current funk Bacary Sagna will face a stiff challenge against Matt Jarvis. It is a test of his mobility, a real question mark since his return from a second leg break.
For all that I would expect Theo Walcott to produce another fine performance against the Irons. If we can get some quality crosses from the flanks then Olivier Giroud could also come to the fore. The ‘holic pound has to be based on my belief hat we will prove too mobile for the visitors. I’m on 2-0 to the Arsenal, and if you fancy a punt with Gunners Gaming check out their latest competition by clicking on the banner above. For every £10 wagered with Gunners Gaming between now and February 16, you will receive (subject to conditions) an entry into the prize draw. The winner, drawn February 18, will receive four places to watch Arsenal v Aston Villa Premiership game in the comfort of the Gunners Gaming box. Prize includes food and complimentary drinks. That sounds like a top afternoon out to me.
For those going to the match tomorrow you may care to invest in a copy of the latest Gooner fanzine. Unless I have ended up on the editorial room floor I should be in there, as if you don’t suffer enough reading this blog!
Also, if you are a member and didn’t catch this weeks Fans Forum on Arsenal Player then I would recommend catching up with the highlights of the show. As you might expect there were some callers speaking from the heart following the Chelsea game, and the excellent Matt Scott from the Telegraph was alongside Tom Watt. To those who liken official productions to Pravda this was proof that the club can and do present a range of opinions on occasion. Whilst I didn’t agree with every word that was said, the passion of the Arsenal people who presented and contributed to the show was uplifting, even if the message being conveyed sometimes wasn’t.
Have a good one ‘holics.
477 Responses to “Get A Grip, It’s The Game In Hand”
Thirst…..now to read….
i sure hope so. theo shows up, diaby shows up, and the defense…and we’re off.
Turd
Not sure I agree that we are better defending set pieces this season H.
Started off looking that way, but this zonal marking malarkey…..let’s just say we have perfected marking the zones brilliantly, but forgotten to watch the movement of men within them.
And are things that desperate that we should be worried about Nolan and Cole? I guess they are.
Lars – get over here – time for a team talk. 😉
Good point ‘H, I’m just catching up with the FF highlights now. There were some very good callers this week.
2-0 tomorrow sounds do-able. Then a win at the seaside and it’s all back on in a tongue-in-cheek kind of way.
villa fans looking like scum fans when they lose to arsenal…lemmings at the exit.
Hahah so deluded, like the manager
A team talk eh?
What’s first on the agenda?
I’m starting to believe we’ll play Villa on a Saturday.
on 22 Jan 2013 at 9:31 pm281Ollie
I am still a jinxing cunt 🙁
Stupid Bradford.
Quoted for posterity from the previous drinks.
Good points ‘holic…with you on the 2-0. All the players will need to get a grip tomorrow night with the likely freezing conditions. The make up of the midfield all important. Aaron deserves a spot as CM where he plays best and probably LJW alongside him. Sad to say that with Bacs off form, the Corporal should play at RB. The HFB and Feo up front with Santi and Tommy (if he is fit) the creative hub. What team the boss will pick s entirely another thing of course.
and oh, might they be sorry to have left.
Professor re last drinks.
Yes, Sat 9th March. Will be an emotional evening. Another one 😉
Villa game on a Saturday, yes!
Who’d have thought it a couple of weeks ago
cue some west yorkshire style mayhem at villa park…
How heart-wrenching. The great Gervinho is hitting peak form in the ACON. Surely too much to hope he turns up at the club and plays this season afterwards? But tomorrow will be a tough local derby. I just hope we show the spirit we found in the second halves of recent games throughout 90 minutes. We are well capable of winning .We just need to show the character to match the undoubted skill we have.
On a wider front it is still far from clear what Wenger is doing in the transfer market and whether the media have the faintest clue what is going on. The Zaha confusion (wanted on Thursday,never interested today ) underlines the reason why several of us wonder if the great man has the judgement and intuition he once had. He may be setting hares running deliberately but somehow I’m not convinced.
Nevertheless despite our doubts all true Gooners must keep the faith and get solidly behind the lads tomorrow.
And well done Bradford! Come on Swansea!
TS from previous drinks.
Quite agree. Squad strength is what we need – baffled here too.
Better read the new post. 😉
We cannot compete because of the oil money?
How the fuck did Bradford City do it then?
😉
Good show zico and I’m sure it will be. He’s a brave man to do what he’s doing but far better to go down fighting and all that.
I would say that the word legend would be properly applied in his case.
Do you think we could we get him to do the team talk pre-Manure at home and away to the LWCs? Dear Dennis how I’d love us to secure 6 points from those two fixtures.
Oh, cheers Uply, gawn and split me sides now, reading your bit about Tommy being fit. 🙁
‘holic
language !
TTG re: Gervais
It’s got to be the best chance for him to come back and be yet another LANS.
I would think that if he doesn’t come back and contribute properly (goals and assists) that he’ll be included in AW’s summer car boot sale.
Evening cba,
Good to see you here. Hope all is as well as can be.
Good point Holic @17.
And if we want a power player in the air as our “Plan B”, what is wrong with that Hansen fella at Bradford.
Never stops running, has caused a few Prem defences all sorts of problems, and looks unstoppable in the air.
Probably available for about 75p – oh, too expensive.
TS,
You’ll have Oxon after you. Gets very upset with this sarcastic use of acronyms like “LANS”. 😉
A win tomorrow and our moods will definitely improve. I sincerely hope we will play like it’s suppose to be played from the first half this time around!
Come on Arsenal!
And hats off to Bradford City!
Oh, here I was hanging around in the last set of drinks. New post to read while I enjoy the realisation that I will get to go the the Emirates the next time I’m over as well 🙂
cba, that one stout was of course only the first one. I have told the barman to pour them as you need them to keep them fresh!
Trev
‘Hansen plays for the Arsenal’
There’s something about that that doesn’t sound quite right 😉
Fine preview H’.
Getcher Gooner ! 😉
OK Dr.T. It’s SNAFU. O&O.
Do keep up Lars. Wallet weighing you down? 😉
Excellent, Lars; see you at the Villa game! 🙂
Trev…..Tommy R took part in training today…..he will be LANS (sorry Oxon). 😉
The Villa game, Ollie ?
Have we signed him ? 😉
FMOB Uply ! Sorry Oxon. 😉
Quite a reunion coming up at the Villa game.
“Shut up you old fool. Get the bear on!”
A very very good mate of mine is a die hard rusted on Hammer,right back to the salad days of Moore/Hurst/Peters et al.
The fucker never ceases to remind me of that tart Brooking’s only goal he ever scored with his head, in THAT Cup Final,of which we do not speak.
He is quietly confident of knocking us off at the Em’s tomorrow,even though i have pointed out that they have scored the Princely amount of 5 goals away from home this season.
He riposted that form goes out the window in a local derby,and he couldn’t think of a better time to play us than after our 2 successive defeats against City and Chelsea,in which he pointed out that we only actually put in a shift when the games were all but over.
Who am i to argue.
He also pointed to fat Sam’s remarkable record of giving the Arse a very hard time of it when he was up at Bolton and Blackburn.
So he said to expect a very very physical approach from the Hammers,and lot’s of squealing from the pampered pets at the Em’s.!!
He is confident of at least a draw,and thinks they may well sneak a win.
I said he was delusional,but i didn’t say it with my usual confidence.
Was it more with hope than expectation on my part,??
I guess we will find out tomorrow.
On the selection front,i would expect Ramsey to play the holding midfiel role,and i really hope Jenks gets a run at right back,if only for his magnificent crosses,which is something Ollie is sorely missing at the moment.
Onwards and hopefully upwards.
Cheers
The Sweeper.
Bantams at Wembley. I salute you.
Anyone who beat us deserve to lift…something.
With you on Jenks Clive.
COYR. (Sorry Oxon). 😉
TS @21 – you mean YALANS. 😉
See you there, Ollie – it will most likely only be a short stop at the Tollie for me for that game however, due to being in the company of a minor.
By the way, I checked what hotel I had booked for Munich and it is the Cristal Best Western. Wasn’t that the one you had booked too?
Yet to read the post or catch up on the drinks, just quickly popping in to congratulate Bradford, but more importantly raise a glass to Lars who gets to go to the Villa game.
Laterz.
Clive, isn’t that “great Allardyce record against Arsenal” to a rather large extent a myth? Sure, he got one or two home wins with both Bolton and Blackburn and a couple of draws away years ago but then he has also been on the receiving end of a couple of proper tonkings as well.
@ 41
You going underground then Lars 😉
@ 40
You going underground then, Lars? 😉
Wtf – arithmetic! 😐
Lars & Ollie – Pleased for you both.
Lars, are you planning on bringing Scargill to The Tollie? I wouldn’t be confident of an overly friendly reception if true. I could be wrong…
Clive, you’ve still got balls of steel. I’d be confident that your rusty old hammer (phnaaar) will be blowing bubbles out of it’s rusty sheriff’s badge tomorrow evening. It’s a nailed-on home-win.
Trev – YOLO?
Bantams – Now go and finish the job properly!
Forgot to say that I hope that the esteemed barman is right about us being too mobile for West Ham. We surely should be, but then again… well, you all know that bit too well so no point in me repeating it. But this is yet another of those games where it is up to us to decide our own fate, and anything but three points is, considering the position we find ourselves in, too little.
Anyway, it’s getting late here and I need to be off to bed so I’ll worry about the game tomorrow. Laters, lovers of the Arse!
Another set of memories sullied.
Stewart Hall charged with rape and child abuse.
Well done Bradford.
Did it all with proper football. Well deserved.
zico: Yup, we’ll be starting the building of an extension to the Piccadilly Line under the sea and up to Stockholm so I can travel to games on my Oyster Card!
TS@45: see my reply to zico 🙂
Heh! Excellent plan Lars. G’night!
Trev@24 Not just LANS, also “super quality” and “handbrake”. Does the overuse make the punters happy? Go right ahead and carry on if it does. Please don’t think it’s either clever or constructive. Or particularly amusing either now I come to think of it.
I’ve mentioned it before, and apologies to any who are bored by my repeating it. I’m as fed up with everyone else here by the way things have worked out over the past couple of seasons. I wish we had managed to hang on to Cesc, Nasri, van Persie and Song. Sadly, we didn’t. I’m trying to get over it. Are you?
What’s the answer to the rush of injuries, and the way it’s so much faster than the rush of recoveries? Apparently chucking money at it wasn’t. Still, never mind, eh, throwing money at the transfer market will work a treat.
I don’t know how to solve the current problems at the club. I think the people running the club are generally quite good at their jobs – damn it, they managed get us here in the first place – I think they’ve noticed that something’s not right and they’re trying to sort it out. Obviously they haven’t managed it, but I believe that’s not for the want of effort. I keep looking for suggestions as to what they should do differently, but I’m not seeing a consensus, though there’s no lack of highlighting players we might have bought, but didn’t who have managed to put together a string of at least one good performance. Nuri Sahin anyone?
Honestly, if we land three “super quality” new players in the next week and I’m made to look like a complete pillock, no-one will be happier than me. It’s just that I think we won’t, and I suspect that I’m better prepared to cope with that than I would be if I were making sarcastic comments about the club all the time.
COYG
Can some of you people really be missing gervinho? I agree that at times he looks skillful, but the same could be said to a lesser degree about Santos. Yet one can`t score from 2 yards with a gaping goal, and the other can`t defend. And as for him coming back from the AC of N a rejuvenated player, you have to remember that the Ivory Coast are perennial favourites for this august competition only to be thwarted each time. Last year Gerv came back to us utterly traumatised, and it could be the same this time.
Not even making the top 50???????
I said we were in decline but hang on a minute. Now to read the post.
Well done to Bradford – they are due our respect!
Oxon
The club needs a lift. Letting off a bit of steam and having a laugh at the quirks of our management team does no real harm.
All the regulars here are Arsenal through-and-through. Therefore, ultimately we must all want the same things.
One or two sensible additions to the squad would make an almighty difference all the way from the dressing room to the supporters and back again.
That’s the way I see it.
No harm in differences of opinion. As far as I can see, this place thrives on it.
There’s a drink on the bar from me for you sticking to your principles.
Please enjoy.
If the chavs beat the swans tomorrow to make the final, does thst mean the bantams are in Europe next season?
Good old Gervinho. A few more and we might get close to getting our money back on him in the summer.
Nice review, Guv, fingers crossed we will be able to produce the effort, luck, grace and skill required to bag the three points tomorrow.
Evening Lars
I think you will find Fat Sam’s record against us stands comparison with other ‘ physical ‘ teams we had trouble with over the years.
Not saying he won all the battles,but you sure as hell knew you had been in one by the end of the game.!!
My point was,his teams always used to unsettle us on and off the ball,so much so that we were often distracted to such an extent that we lost the plot,and before you knew it we had lost the game.
So he knows what works against us.
Let’s not forget that the game at Upton Park was in the balance for a long time,and could have gone either way,till the Schoolboy killed them off late on.
So expect more of the same tomorrow.
Evening TS,
I sure hope you are right,depends on the confidence levels of our Boys,after 2 successive defeat,and by all accounts a very very depressed dressing room after the game on Sunday.
Yep, fair point Clive. I’m hoping the anger causing the depression will be turned outwards tomorrow evening and the boys will then channel it into a solid performance. However, these days, you can never tell which Arsenal turns up until about 5 minutes into the game. It’s enough to send you crazy. A very good evening to you and yours.
Play like we did in the first half against Chelsea and we lose against the Irons and we lose the game. Play from the off like we did in the second half against Chelsea and we wine the game.
TS@55 The only point I can possible argue with is the “real harm”. I tend to think of the club as floating in a hostile ocean surrounded by circling sharks. I think those sharks will pick on anything that they can possibly construe as internal dissent. Even I see this is a tad paranoid, but there you go.
I’ve only hung around this place for about a year. I recall that when I first came a number of people posted corrections to their typos and grammar, saying that if they didn’t, then the grammar/spelling Nazi would be after them. Generally the discussions here, and all credit to everyone involved for their generally measured approach, are conducted in real English. A further credit to the bar is the welcome extended those for whose command of English is less than total, but when someone comes in and starts throwing m8’s and the like about, people tend to encourage them to talk proper. I think that’s a Good Thing. If I can contribute to people making fewer destructive and sarcastic comments, I think it will also be a Good Thing. Believe me, pitching for a job in the Sarcasm Police is the last thing I, or anyone who’s ever met me, would expect.
Anyway, thanks for the drink – it went down a treat. Have one yourself.
Night all.
COYG
Sorry, win the game
If I hear one more person, be it AW, a team member, a commentator or a fan say that a match is a must win match I shall scream very loudly.
All matches are must win.
That’s the nature of a competition.
You aim to win.
*waves @ ‘holic*
Cheers Oxon. Equally tasty. G’night!
Winks at woo 😉
Great night for Bradford, but Villa are in the proverbial because Randy Lerner realises Villa`s chances of reaching the CL are close to zero while the sheikhs and oligarchs monopolise things. The same could happen to us if we drop out of the CL and Kroenke thinks he`s in the same position.
I see we have been `linked` with another player I like; Victor Wanyama. He`s 21 and looks to be more than promising, wouldn`t cost much, Celtic would almost certainly sell to us, and is well worth a punt. Just another transfer that won`t happen though.
Paid a fortune for a season ticket. Check.
Turn up, week in, week out. Check.
Support the team through every match. Check.
Boo the manager, or any player. Never.
Write one abusive word about the manager, or any player. Never.
Indulge in a little gallows humour with friends, to ease the repeated failings of several seasons, by repeating the manager’s own often repeated mantras. Check.
Consequently called neither “clever” nor “constructive” by a poster who has judged this bit of light heartedness to be “making sarcastic comments about the club all the time”. Check.
Trev
You don’t need to justify yourself to the regulars in the bar,or anyone else for that matter.
Keep on trucking mate.
Just a point about Aston Villa.
A few years ago they had an absolutely top notch manager,well versed in gettin a quart from a pint pot.
Always competive,very good at getting 2nd tier players and turning them into ultra good additions to his squads.
Very rarely outside the top 6,always punching above his weight,
given that he had about 50 quid to spend on players.!!
Leaves the Club because Chairman won’t loosen the purse strings,takes a sabbatical and is now slowly turning around another sleeping giant up on Wearside.
Villa since he left.??
Not saying the situation is exactly the same with our esteemed manager,but there for the Grace of God.??
Be careful what you wish for Gooners.
Cheers
The Sweeper
Oxon..I agree often with what you post but cannot go along with your comments at no 62…. of course I respect your right to have your own opinion. Many posts here indulge in a bit of humour (which I agree is subjective) but acronyms such as LANS are used to jest at comments often made by our esteemed manager and relieve the frustrations that we endure, along with the ecstasy, in supporting the greatest team the world has ever seen. I hardly think Arsenal management or players read our comments or would be affected / demoralised by them if they did. If you are still in the bar, allow me to re-fill your glass.
To be fair to AW he’s on a hiding to nothing in the transfer window. If he goes in hard, early, the price would be at the max, and he has shown (rightly in my opinion) a disinclination to pay oligarab prices for players. He also invites interest from other clubs who acknowledge his canny ability (most of the time) to unearth bargains.
So he waits until the last week, or last day, or hour, or hours after the last hour, to pull a swifty when no-one is looking or certainly in no position to react. We scored Merts and Arte that way, for very little dosh.
So who might he be after this year knowing, as I’m sure he does, that nothing short of a marquee player will keep us in the CL or satisfy the critics? I’m looking at Fellaini again. Chelski still haven’t moved, but I get the impression Fellaini has itchy feet and could be persuaded. Especially if we can get past Everton, and if the Tots start tottering, and anything else that suggests we have a stronger chance than Everton of making 4th … all in the nest week or so! A last minute Fellaini would satisfy everyone, right? Or am I dreaming again?
4-2 tomorrow. To us of course.
Oskar
At last something funny to lighten the day … http://www.dailystar.co.uk/football/view/294465/Brighton-boss-Gus-Poyet-wants-to-be-new-Arsenal-manager/
Just what we need, an ex Totts and Chelski player as our main man…
Oskar
Hey all. Been watching American Pie Reunion and playing Fifa with my little brother to pass the time without Wi-Fi at home, wish I got some more personal reading done… 😕
Well in to Bradford City, imagine them in Europe eh? 😛
I’d love no more than to enter the Box Office at 10am for the 2nd day in a row to buy an Arsenal vs Aston Villa ticket but buying that Arsenal vs Bayern ticket yesterday has wiped me out financially until my next payday, and probably after that in terms of paying my tithe and buying/contributing towards birthday gifts for very good friends.
Good thing I’ve been given more hours at work recently, bad thing is that I won’t get to watch Arsenal today or on Saturday (maybe the 1st half if its shown at the Tollie) due to work. But life goes on, you take the good with the bad 🙂
From Last Drinks:
Ollie, thanks mate for the congratulations, considering a forage on Tx closer towards the Bayern game?
H2H, thanks also for the congratulations man 🙂
Steve T, I can’t take it, the guilt is too much! I used it (be the best that you can be) in my Personal Statement for UCAS 8)
Hey holic, is your belief hat the source of your blogging power? 🙂
I think we should be able to force our way past the Hammers. Let’s say which Arsenal starts the battle, and how!
A drink of Guinness for everyone in the bar!
UTA
say=see
:$
2012 Ballon d’Or:
Messi wins. Ronaldo and Iniesta make the podium.
2012 Merde d’Or:
‘holic wins. tabs and zico make the podium.
😆 😆
6 o’ bloody clock
can’t sleep for toffee
i’m not even workin today
how early’s too early to go to the bar ?
just did some random backdrinkin – which i thoroughly recommend if you haven’t done before – hugely entertaining – apart of course for the occasions when you trip over some clumsy lump of drunken inanity that you have no recollection of leaving –
*beats breast in penitence*
anyhoo
here’s hopin’ we pound those donkeys to a fine powder this evenin
You brain deficient Kool-Aid sipping lot here on this site are sweating getting the final UCL spot are ya? What a mighty lot you Stingy Whinging Voyeur ass licking lot you’ve all become. Shame on you! Shame on where you’ve dragged this once proud club into. Nobody is bigger than the club. Isn’t that what you pathetic lot have always said wrt players wanting to jump off a sinking ship? And I ask you ‘brilliant’ lot just who exactly is steering this ‘mighty’ ship Arsenal?
All you daft bastards should check yourselves. Seriously. Wenger lost the plot years ago, not a fortnight ago.
Gold medal twat: ‘holic
Silver medal twat: getajobson
Bronze medal twat: zicoinmasturbation
As the Italians say on this side of the pond, wrt qualifying for next season’s UCL — Forget about it! Malocka!
Sweating about playing on Thursdays and Sundays next year, are ya? Good luck with that. You daft bastards forgot that you’ve gotta qualify for the UEL. And right now, I wouldn’t put my neighbour’s money on making the UEL.
Pass the cyanide spike Kool-Aid on the left hand side … 😆
oh and thanks lars
just clocked your kind offer of the bottomless stout
decision made
time to sup on the jug
i’m goin in – if i’m not heard of in 14 days or more – think of me fondly everyone
Win the game in hand and the gap is 4 points. Really?Don’t be surprised BS plays anti soccer and on the break and nick a point or even win. Arsenal always have a problem with teams playing anti soccer.This one is no different.
It won’t surprise me if Arsenal draw or lose despite dominating and having many shots at goal . The game against Hull is still fresh in my mind.
Holic, please don’t delete Roberto @ 76 and 78.
The world should see him for the intellectual heavyweight that he clearly is…….
Thank you for your call Roberto…..all our operators are currently busy.
Did you know you can become a keyboard warrior from the comfort of your own home?
You did?
What is soccer?
howdy zico
well – whaddya know
i missed those two pearls from captain fantastic when i was typing my tripe
i really should pay more attention to what’s goin on around me
what a palooka !
🙂
heh, cba, you missed them because like the rest of us, you are brain deficient 🙄
Your wish is my command Dr z, although it is painful to see such immature gibberish.
Just this once.
🙂
indeed z indeed
and can i just say
where the f**k did i get palooka from ?
too many nights down the gin-joint with Muggsy and O’Malley , i’m guessin
Soccer, zico?
Speculation
Of
Conspicuous
Cretinism
Especially
Redgunner’s
?
Oskar
one good thing about himself’s rant @78 was the wonderful grammar of
” Shame on where you’ve dragged this once proud club into. ”
you said a who in the what now ?
Morning all. It seems the Sarcasm Police don’t work early on match days.
Drinks for Trev and Upply behind the bar please.
COYG
***possible repetition*** ?? from last night???
212Holloway2Holland
great feedback , appreciate it.
only that 3rd paragrpah of yours, is it a dig at the club’s efficiency ? and if it is, do you think that as a club we aint as efficient as we can be? on or off the pitch? or both?
if its about issues off the pitch ( transfers, pr, etc) i can agree to an extent. when the pr/nego team secures only 5m sponsorhip deal and as a consequence of that low fee the club is forced into selling a top player every season, i cant blame the manager can i?
if its about issues on the pitch, (quality, expereince, etc) again i will point to the influence and knock on effect that the above painful decissions can cause to a team’s chemistry, so again how can i blame the manager.
and if its about the club as a whole, the company: arsenal, when you add everything up, this club is perhaps the most efficient in this country when you consider what it makes and what it spends and possibly in the world …possibly…so its a bit hard for me to turn and say we arent ran efficiently, all things considering.
i will agree that the board and upper hierarchy should have shown a bit more of an “aggressive” attitude, and not let their fine manager take the blame for everything but i can understand that the times and responsibilities did not allow for any financial openings.
as for ” i thought we moved in order to compete with the big boys” , i mean we moved in 06 and thats like 6 years now going into 7th, and as fans weve been complaining from 2009 onwards. i dont consider that logical at all. 04-unbeaten/06-paris/06-07emirates/07-08 eduardo/08-09 -complaining till today.
as for this motivation of players, again i disagree. of course ive seen the players wonder about like clueless children and i was also screaming BUT i also notice that from their eagerness to do well
(indication that the manager does motivate them) they get so stressed they mess it up and then lose hope. would you say that a calmer and more positive supportive atmosphere would help the players release their talents on the field for us, their manager, for arsenal?
the way i see it, fans = players, reciprocal relationship, you give and take, and you get what you give. you give misery you receive pain, you give smiles and maybe they make your day. and if they dont we wont chop their heads and treat them like theyve killed our beloved ones cause its football and success in football comes in cycles. we peaked at highbury and now onto somehting new which is still a work in progress and we are poking our own eyes out turning against our players and managers.
put it this way, if we were spuds and mancs wed be laughing our heads off at the embarassing behaviour and lack of respect arsenal fans show to wenger. there are people/fans who havent reached the status in their respective professions that wenger has in his and they feel perfectly entitled to judge him as if they are equals disguising it as an opinion….. that is not correct. some others feel entitled and that its their right to swear and abuse him and our players because they pay expensive tickets…thats not correct either.
if you want my personal take, i consider it an insult that some consider themselves entitled to question him, but please dont get me wrong, i dont mean it in a military/dictatorship way, all i mean is that this guy has devoted countless hours and real effort into making our club big and deserves real respect and not to get ousted with tar and feathers like in the far west. he has done many great things for us and still does, it might not be visible/obvious now but lets check again when jack and co start hitting 26-27 years of age. some things could have been better, i agree but when i have to balance things out, the good outweigh the bad in tons, not gramms. the idea that he is taking us back is clearly a madman’s.
sorry, way too long..but its for arsenal..it says it on the top.. sleep breathe drink …
Zico. I would have had you above tabs in the 5 knuckle shuffle stakes.
and i think roberto typifies the profile of the “madman” who comes out swearing and abusing professionals who can buy him and sell him 100 times
sleep well, and dont forget the suppositories the doctors gave you 😉
Lars 40, magic! I’m in the same hotel 🙂
I read Roberto’s first sentence 1st time around as “You Guinness sipping lot here on this site are sweating about getting the final word are ya?”
Well not really geezer, to drop to your level (it appears to be several levels lower than it should be for an adult-, uhh a man-, uhh a person (?) of your assumed age) is just for the hilarity. I mean, I LOVE to troll people but I’m 18 and do it for fun, if I assume a multiplication factor of 2 for you on my age, the fun should naturally be square rooted by 2, if I multiply age by 3, the fun should be cube rooted. See where I’m going with this? 😛
PS – I’m impartial to a nice jug of Kool-Aid due to having good American Friends but the regulars of this bar? Not so much I would think 8)
Wind 73, it’s one of those midweek-can’t-do fixtures so sadly not.
Oh and morning all.
heh @ 91
It’s neck and neck.
Or hand in hand. 😉
Morning all,
Work calls, but have to quickly nominate Wind for the Most Promising Newcomer award. Good work lately, young man.
What ? only promising newcomer ……. 😉
Finger in finger Zico. Don’t flatter yourself.
curls ball into centre of box and *waves*
Shoots
well in N7
The hat trick!
*claims match ball*
*grabs Coq*
*pays fine to BFG*
Good preview H.
I’ll take 2-0.
Time for an early show of commitment and determination. This lot will come with the intention of dominating us physically. We need to man up in midfield and let our ball players run rings round the bubble blowing east end barra boys.
Go win, Arsenal.
*gives motm champagne to bath for incredible assist*
*takes off outdoor shoes before going into the changing room*
I’m predicting a win by three clear goals, with Theo filling his boots.
COYG
heh N7, another classic celebration.
Well assisted, baff
Sorted for Villa. Nearly went from Clock End Lower first row behind goal but remember the silly queues and thought bah, as I won’t be on me own, maybe not.
So getting upper tier (first time this season I believe?) Clock End still.
Proud to be on the podium.
Nice preview ‘Holic. 2-0 looks a decent bet to me. Looks like The Gooner might be worth buying this week.
Agree with Clive and Trev. Surely Jenks is worth a run out? As Holic points out, Jarvis is often a handful, and Bac’s struggles show no sign of abating.
Let’s hope second half Arsenal turn up from the start, and Fat Sam chomps his gum so hard, his head falls off.
Dr Z/Steve – As long as it’s not head to head! 😉
Good work Wind.
Well in N7.
Ollie @ 95, gutted to hear that 🙁
Trev @ 97, haha thanks for that only and all 🙂 , I’ll be seeing you there I presume? Maybe I’ll join you with my own half 😉
Well in N7, 2 goals, 2 sets of drinks! Or is that 3 goals in 2? 😛
I want to be at Villa at Home since there will be a lot of Holics present but with my finances right now it was between Bayern at Home or Villa at Home so I took the former option via the Box Office yesterday. If there are still tickets left on the Box Office by Friday (Anywhere Lower, as low as the odds are for that) then I think I’ll consider getting one. And there’s always Tx later towards the gameday and Twitter, I’ll see where it goes from there. This steady income lark ain’t half bad 8)
Thanks tabs 🙂
Not sure we were that impressive at Upton Park, ‘holic, but West Ham are bound to be better this time. Especially now that you’ve written that their confidence is down lower. 😉
Wish we were a tad more predictable though.
Predictably good, I mean.
Wind, steady income is indeed a rather good thing!
Ollie, I managed to get four seats next to each other for Villa in block 92. Only one block in the entire upper tier had no tickets available when I booked my four, so this is more than likely yet another game that will not sell out.
Bradford City: Proof positive that old-fashioned grit and determination are not quite as passé as some people may have thought. 😉
Lucky it was the calm me in the bookies. If the bastard had stirred the Hulk he would have been sucking his dinner through a straw for months.
http://www.101greatgoals.com/blog/former-rangers-scotland-goalie-andy-goram-gets-abused-by-a-celtic-fan-at-the-bookies/
You had him surrounded Andy.
Afternoon all and to all, well almost all, a good afternoon. (*upset that I never made the podium*)
Good stuff guv’, I really think that this is aa game we should be winning and winning well, I watched the bubble blowers against ‘Arry’s Queens the other day and I wasn’t overly impressed, they’ve last a bit of the edge they seemed to have earlier in the season. I too would like to see the Corporol get a run out, Sagna hasn’t been completly up for it since he returned, I know he has very high standards to maintain, but on a couple of occasions he’s been downright bad, I know many will point to Theo’s positioning as to where the blame lies and although I’ll admit that that may very well contribute to the problem, I think it’s more complicated then that. Safest bet is to give him a breather and get Jenks in, otherwise what’s the point of having back up.
I’m with Mrswoo on the annoyance factor of the must win game cliche. Must win!? As apposed to what? Must lose or must draw? Irratating in the extreme, but none the less anything less then three points against Fat Sam’s Wet Spam (speak easy) will be a major dissapointment.
heh Andy G
That podium is a very difficult one to make H2H. Years of hard work.
Keep it under your hat, but I had to take drugs on a consistent basis to finally make the step up. I’m expecting a call from Oprah any day soon. 😉
Well said H2H (and mrs woo by extension).
If 2nd gets a Zinger Burger, what does 1st get?
And well said Wind 😉
Free spicy wings Ollie.
And that is why I will not rest until I have top spot 😉
Have we bought anyone yet?
No? What about now then?
The Soul Of British Football
Alain Pardieu’s Newchateau are finally removing the thumbs from their bottoms and actually bringing in some players. All from France, it seems. Perhaps Graham Carr has opened a small boulangerie and is conducting business from between the baguettes.
After Mathieu Debuchy arrived earlier this month, Mapou Yanga-Mbwia signed on Tuesday, Nancy say Massadio Haidara is going, Yoann Gouffran announced he is on his way too while Moussa Sissoko is thought to be shortly behind them.
Should all of those deals come to pass, that makes it 11 French players in their first team squad, along with eight other foreign players. There are 11 players from the UK in their squad of 27. Since M. Pardieu arrived at the club in December 2010 they have signed no Englishman. Indeed, the last English player the club signed was Sol Campbell in August 2010. By the time they next play a league game on January 29, it’s perfectly possible that they will field an entire team of foreign players.
With all of this in mind, here’s what Pardieu said back in 2006, when he was manager of West Ham:
“I saw a headline saying Arsenal are flying the flag for Britain. I kind of wondered where that British involvement actually was when I looked at their team.
“It’s important that top clubs don’t lose sight of the fact that it’s the English Premier League and English players should be involved. Foreign players have been fantastic. We have learned from them and from foreign coaches.
“But, to some extent, we could lose the soul of British football – the English player.”
What a funny role reversal, eh, Alain?
Headline Of The Day
‘Jim Hanson and The Muppets’ – The Sun do well with this one.
Worst Headline Of The Day
‘Woeful Villa Kermit cup suicide’ – The Sun spoil it immediately below.
heh!
Tabs, 119.
Bloody hell, at the turn of the century my doctor got worried when he found traces of blood mixed in with my powder and alcohol filled veins.
I’ve stashed plenty of shit under my hat. 😉
I once dreamed of having as many Tour de France titles as Lance Armstrong and now I have.*
*I’ve done that one before, but it fits in nicely, n’est–ce pas?
Ollie 125.
I saw that somewhere else, so did a bit of research myself.
Here is said article;
http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport2/hi/football/4792270.stm
This is Pardews line up for the Toons last game;
01 Krul (NL)
02 Coloccini (ARG)
03 Santon (ITA)
06 Williamson
26 Debuchy (FRA)
04 Cabaye (FRA)
08 Anita (NL)
18 Gutierrez (ARG)
22 Marveaux (FRA)
09 Cisse (SNG)
23 Sh Ameobi
Santon may be replaced with their new signing Mbiayioioioong (whatever), and Amoebi’s only in because Ba went to the Chavs.
Hypocrite much?
We all do though, H2H. Surely you didn’t dream of sharing all that non-glory with so many people? 😉
*Santon = Williamson 😳
Heh @ non glory.
The consequence of Spudom.
Big Sam at it already:
“When you sell your best players, which is not normally expected of Arsenal, then it is always difficult to replace them,” Allardyce said.
“There is no doubt that the players that have come in are very, very good players, but are they better than the ones they have sold?”
That’s the team talk for tonight sorted then. Whack that on the dressing room wall, point it out to Santi, Poldi and OG and ask them what they reckon.
I vote N7 to do the pre-match talk tonight. Perfect tactics for happier results.
Give Santi the harpoon and let Poldi and the HFB drag the flabber-mouthed walrus back to the East End after the game.
H2H @127 Heh. 🙂
Hehs at the MW stuff.
Full Allardyce interview here. To give him his due, he is rather more cogent than usual.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CohJksnlT1g
Hunter @90.
Once again, thanks for the response, I’ll start by imeadiatly answering your first query (down Wolfie) by saying that, although not necassarily intended as a dig, it was aimed at the entire club, the on pitch and off pitch ventures are intertwined, the better that the first does will envariably increase the potential of the latter. I think you’ll find that we’re probably singing from the same hymn sheet although the key may differ slightly.
I’ll tread carefully here, but our whole “self sustaining”model worries me slightly, it’s a slogan, a sound byte that we’ve been spoon fed to take us through the tighten our belt years that were always going to come with the building of the Grove. It’s come to the point that it has become more of an urban legend then cold hard fact. Now I’m not going to pretend to know all the ins and outs of how the club is financialy set, nor am I some business wiz kid, however I do, every now and again, visit sites that are widely reknowned and trusted when it comes to such matters. One of these is the excellent Swiss Rambler.
Now, if he’s to be trusted, our situation is not as rosie as some would have you believe. Over the last few years we would have operated at a loss if it wasn’t for the sale of our major assets, this may be in the broadest sense of the meaning, “self sustaining”, but it is not sustainable. Once all your best players are gone and there is no-one left to sell in the 20-30 mill bracket, then you’re not going to break even anymore, add to that the (hypothical) possible loss of revenue for failure to reach the CL and you’re looking at a major hole in your projected income and you are now trading at a loss, self sustainable is out the window. Every business man worth his salt knows that you have to speculate to acumulate, plus you need to invest in your infrastructure (in this case the team) to remain competitive. I think this is where we have sold ourselves short a little. If it’s the managers or boards fault is neither here nor there, in the end Arsenal as a whole will suffer.
Where we completly agree is the fact that Arsene is a great man and has done wonders for the club, we (again hypothecialy) probably wouldn’t be where we are today without him. That doesn’t mean he should get free reign though, there is nothing wrong with questioning his methods or decisions, no one is beyond reproach and quite frankly some of his recent decisions are in dire need of scrutiny. I’m not saying we should go into black scarf or binliners on seat mode, but to sit silently by and lap it all up would be a deriliction of duty as supporters of this club. Yes it is also our duty to support when needed, cheer the boys on and back them to the hilt, but not blindly……… Never blindly.
The one point I will, I’m afraid, have to respectfully but ardently disagree on, is that who’s to blame for the motivation of the players. That my friend (IMHO) is all on Mr Wenger. If the players are lacking in confidence, not up for it, mentally week or unable to cope for whatever reason then he is the manager, they are his charges, his team, his squad so the buck has to stop at him. As hard as it is, and believe me most here would find it terrible, if he can no longer get the best out of his squad and he can take them no futher then maybe, just maybe his time with us may be coming to an end. It’s personaly one of the last things I want, I have the uttermost respect for the man and will be forever grateful for all he has achieved with us, but as you yourself so correctly state, football comes in cycles, maybe it’s time for Arsene to stop peddling and hand the steering bars over to someone else!?
It seems I’m coming over a bit doomy again which is not my intention, just pointing out that the way I see it, a lot of our problems are of our own making and I believe that we can be better then our current position suggests, ofcourse there is still a long way to go and a win tonight will ease if not compltly relieve some fears.
COME ON YOU REDS.
A drink of choice awaits you on the bar and anyone else
daftbrave enough to have read this far. 🙂Cheers.
Heh Tabs @134.
Has he lost weight?
I have been toying with this idea for awhile now. Probably a daft one 🙂 but here it goes! How about we send AFC an e card (funny, but supportive) from this blog. We could all sign it 🙂 This bar is an Arsenal Fan Club, I think it would be pretty cool and might just be a first! 🙂
@TS 133
Massive “heh” at “give Santi the harpoon”.
http://www.arsenal.com/news/news-archive/feature-abandoned-and-postponed-matches
I think they should have had a feature about last season’s Stoke game with ‘holic as special guest.
http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-europe-21141244
Free fondue in Norway
H2H @135 Although it really pains me to say it i can’t help but agree with your comments. We jokingly bestow deity upon DB , but for me Arsene has been the saviour of our great club and I worship the ground on which he walks. However, I do feel that he needs to devolve some of his power because the juggling balls are falling perilously close to the ground right now. Has Deins departure left AW unable to trust those around him enough to stop micro managing everything and see the bigger picture ? Has Arsene got the right team behind him to recapture previous glory…any suggestions on how he could work as a holy trinity rather than Old Testament Arsene ?
Come on you Gunners !
We do need to win this one or risk turning into the spuds
AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH !!!!!!!!!!!!
I cant listen to any more spud fans mocking our league position, I really cant. We need to close the gap and hope it closes some mouths.
Also had a £10 bet with a hammers fan at work, I dont want to pay that bet so lads come on put on a real display.
That’s probably his biggest flaw Chris’, the inability, or unwillingnesss to deligate. It’s been literaly a one man show since the departure of Dein, and no matter what your opinion of our former board member may be, there is no denying that he and Arsene made a great team.
Nice idea abb.
Very sweet to send an e-card, but I’m afraid it will just end up in the e-bin. 😉
@ H2H 135
I think you points are valid and well put, I too do not believe the we have 30-50m to spend and its just waiting for Arsene to spend.
You are also correct in saying that if we had not sold our prize assets every year we would have been running in the red.
Just recently you may have read Holic`s and arseblogs pieces on the huge jump in wages over the past 5-6 years that also do not back up the self sustaining claim.
Arsene has done an outstanding job for Arsenal and still can continue to do so. I do not believe at all that any gooner dosent have a right to question his methods of late. All of us here are lifetime gooners and have seen Arsenal teams do a hell of alot worse in the league than we are doing now. However we were not being led up the garden path nor paying through the nose for the priviledge either so here we are.
I have stated a few times it would be great for the chairman to be a little more honest with the fans who love the club so dearly. If there are no funds then just say so. If we need to sell to buy then just say so. If there is not going to be any cash injection into the club then just say so. Ect ect ect !
I didnt see your piece as doom and gloom, just an Arsenal fan with question unanswered by his club.
If you want to send some E’s……
Well, let’s just say, I know a man…… 8)
Arsenal1971 @145
Great little summary of where we are and the value of a bit of honesty.
Thank you N7 Gooner
Evening all. Any streams around, I know its a bit early yet. Been using these lately http://www.nutjob.eu/index.html Not bad for just a flash stream, no downloads or nothing.
Arsenal1971 @145
Cheers mate.
Zico.
If you want to send some E’s……
Well, let’s just say, I know a man…
An e-male?
TS@133 “Let Poldi and the HFB drag him back”. No way; cut his legs off and let him walk home.
COYG
Esso, i always go to first row sports which is usually ok, especially if its a sky picture. The pundits and commentators are so infuriating but i want to hear the crowd noise so my finger hovers over the mute button
H2H – Yes mate, Seafood diet innit 😉
H2H, Arsenal1971, – Great stuff.
Esso – Chrisgooner got there first. I generally use FirstRowSports when I need a stream. Can be unpredictable, but usually reliable. They tend to have enough streams to be able to pick and choose until you find a half-decent one.
http://www.thefirstrow.eu/
Dr Z – 🙂
Here Esso, an hour before kick off they’ll appear.
http://www.wiziwig.tv/broadcast.php?matchid=186466&part=sports
Heh @ 150
On form today Sir, in lots of ways. 🙂
Have to check if the game is on TV here
h2h, that’s my preferred site. it has flash, sopcast, and torrent sites. if it’s on fox soccer in the usa, it’ll be on a good stream somewhere, though it might get cut off by the dmca ball-slicers. having firstrow and nutjob direct is a good thing.
And for those hankering for a spot on the Podium, fill yer boots.
In case you’re wondering, it’s not all glamour – my learned friend will confirm I’m sure 😉
Gah, it’s on at 11.15pm on Canal+ Sport, due to the ACN being fucking live. I’ll just be fretting then.
What do you get for 3rd zico? Just chips?
Another game isn’t on TV, which score has just changed.
French Cup : Moulins 1 Bordeaux 0. FFS 🙁
@ 160
Mostly frostbite.
@158 – Confirmed. Definitely over-rated that podium. Zinger Burger was good though.
Rumours of Frimpong starting on twatter. If he plays, I hope he’s a lottle more effective than he was for an hour at Reading.
lottle? – lot
A timely article for anyone involved in the discussion re: Gervinho from the previous drinks:
http://www.guardian.co.uk/football/blog/2013/jan/23/gervinho-arsenal-ivory-coast
Jonathan Wilson is clearly cribbing from the bar.
It’s live on tv here, but I’ll be too busy to pay it the attention it deserves, so recorder set and media lockdown will be initiated.
N7
There is a fan who sits in front of the press box at the Emirates who has an enormous quiff and habitually wears an orange overcoat who seems these days to attend games for the express purpose of abusing Gervinho
I promise you will never see me in orange. 😉
looks like ramsey for le coq, and poldi to left wing so santi can take jack’s spot, with jack taking diaby’s. sagna to start.
Evening All
Its Rambo for Diaby in MF.tbs- 163 no need to concern yourself re: Fringpong. A pity, as we need bottle in the MF.Jack needs support, someone with a bit of guts and thunder against Fat Sam’s mob.
2-1 to us.
I promise you will never see me in orange
Bold statement for a man who’ll be visiting the Lowlands in the near future.
Enschede has been known to change a bloke 😉
Evening all:) come on you Gunners! I see that H2H already provided links for streams:)
let’s blow the bubbles right out of the ground
come
on you reds
H2H,
The Grolsch may have certain properties, I’ll concede.
However, it is the raison d’etre of the Feelgood Foundation to change others – not the reverse. (Where do you think the idea for those Brown Cafe’s came from?) 8)
And Wolfie isn’t going so there is no need for the wooden heels 😉
Time for media lockout. Even though I won’t watch the game. Can’t see myself waiting until 11.15pm to watch the game, not in my current state.
I’ll have min-by-min text updates, or just wait for score updates on some app. I’ll just pretend not to be stressed…..
Bordeaux still 1-0 down at half-time, it may be another terrible evening.
Night all, here’s hoping for the best.
Thanks Delia, I see I jumped the gun there.
Right, its that time, good luck everyone.
Come on the Arsenal!
Drat. My firm’s firewall blocks any sort of unusual software or player. It is really good that way, but is killing me!
May need to rely on the bar for updates. And context!
I don’t do clogs.
Neither does Jimmy Choo. 😉
LOL Wolfie!
Jaysus, they love a good ad break on Fox, don’t they? 🙁
Heh Dr F.
Hunter 13, Meet BtM! We speak a very similar language. Only difference – yours is intelligible. Welcome here.
http://tykestv.eu/streams/tykes/tykes-5/
Are you on the US Fox Soccer stream, Holic?
off we go…
Have a good game ladies and gents, I’m out.
COME ON YOU REDS
Ah, Trevor Francis. First comment empty seats.
Obviously he’s never seen them before? Or exposed to sub=zero temperatures? Or doesn’t know that there are 10,000 drinkers finishing their pints under the stand? Or is just a f*cking idiot?
Yes I am BtM.
great ball by Aaron:)
fuck, jack is down.
ouch, ankle trod upon.
up and walking, looks ok, tough lad.
Ouch ..awkward ankle for Wilshere.
Where the fuck is the yellow for that?
Another foul not seen by the ref!!!
bac looking lively, and smiling. first time since his return i’ve seen that glowing smile.
what’s this Theo and bacary working together
sg
Sagna looking better!
yep, though theo seems the weak link today.
ooh, nice run in from the left, good combo play. too bad that didn’t get to poldi.
Podolski should have taken a shot there, come on Arsenal!!!
aaaah! great ball from jack, theo, you’ve got to at least shoot that, not let it out for a goal kick…
Fucking shyte
aannnnnnd. there’s the deficit to overcome. per should have gotten in front of that.
FUCK IT why why why
wtf
You know what.
I’m done with this.
Not being an Arsenal supporter, but being the positive fuckhead I’ve been for a few years. Enough now.
we’ve bossed the game so far, though with making mistakes. and they score from corner. wenger looking furious on the touchline.
Well, that’s just great!
When I said we defended set pieces much better these days I was clearly talking utter bollocks.
But Wilshere. What a wonderful footballer. Taken out time and time again, just gets on with it. What a player he is, and what a player he will be.
Arsenal concedes on a set piece to do boneheaded lack of focus?
Now there’s a first.
Plenty of time left but we are not looking too hot right now
A what the fuck. Back on track again now. Come on Arsenal! Can’t stand being negative.
WHU have more shots on goal than us too.
Looks like our new 100k/week striker is still warming up. Its only the 20th min.
Wouldn’t be an Arsenal game if we didn’t go one-nil down. I can sit bak and relax now and watch us win from behind. 🙂
Heh, see, it works!
pod wow
ooooooohhhhhhhh.,.,…….lashed by poldi…1-1.
Come on poldi what fucking beauty! !!!!
As I was saying 🙂 🙂
Podolski
BtM, I want you to notice I came back to the fold before you wrote that and before the goal 😉
What.
A.
Goal.
Poldi!
what. a. shot.
POLDIIII
lol, ‘holic.
Hammer in left leg..fucks sake shoot more often!
LuPoooooooo!!!
Arrghh i wish i was watching this game.
Poldi you beauty!
wenger looking less furious. more of that, please, boys.
Sometimes these little things happen just so I can remind myself why I like being on the HT Mk. ?
BtM
Dont know about the relax bit 🙂
ref starting to actually perform. can’t say the same for our new striker.
Wish BFG would attack these high balls into the box from corners at our end. (A la Ian Ure 🙂 )
Being a technical dunce I’ve been trying to work out this stream malarkey and do far have downloaded about 8 things and still no game bollocks to it the radio it is 🙂
santi looks afire today, too.
put this in your browser with http://
soccerpluswiz.blogspot.com/p/2soccer.html
should just open to the game.
He is attacking them like Ian Ure, BtM, that’s the problem 😉
Cheers Scruz now got sound but no picture lol 🙂
ooooh, so close in from the left again.
Got it 🙂 Just in time to miss that chance you are a legend kind sir 🙂
what…a…shame…brilliant move
stream just died, chippy.
no, now it’s back on.
come on, theo. it’s not that different than playing in the center…is it?
cheers, chips.
Come on Arsenal
http://www.footballstreaming.info/streams/todays-links/
getting a lot of love down that left side. santi could have done better.
HOLIC
Best if you remove this post in a minute with the link that is.
whew!
good. vaz te gets a yellow. must be for the hair.
tv5 taken out by ramsey. kozzer ready to come on.
Rambo.in hiatus rhythm again recently
His not hiatus !
We’ve lost a bit of that urgency again. Oh well, we’ll be back in the second!
Unlucky Cazorla
Fucking lovely free kick that.
ooooooh, santi nearly. great save, corner.
oooh Santi close!
ht. well played, except for that dire defending at the set piece.
Now Chelsea-like second half please.
Decent first half no doubt has to be said, looking for a even better second half!
Come on Arsenal!
for those struggling with streams, if you dont mind russian commentary, Sopcast Aviator TV one works flawlessly in really good quality.
That’s twice in four days that a highly paid striker’s inability to hit the target from a golden position has prohibited us from going one goal up. We’re creating chances. Can’t put them away sufficiently efficiently.
boy, for poldi’s goal, the ball had no spin atall. wow.
I like this version of Arsenal…except the scoreline
swans nil draw with chel$ki at the half, will it be swans v. bradford for the coc? oh, how that would be lovely.
Thought the free kick was in when it was in flight ! These streams have half improved ever that or it’s the new laptop 😉
Can see either 3-1 or 4-2 Please let it be 3 much needed points !!
Ha @ 238, Holic.
So, you won’t support my campaign to get Ure back as a defensive coach then? Bugger, I though I could count on at least two names on my petition 🙂
btm, we’re a couple of toepokes and a last-ditch clearance away from being up and away. as whu tires in the second half, if we still have the mojo we’ll win this handily. unless they get a lot of set pieces.
Either even 🙂 Not so sure on the adverts mind – to use an American phrase they suck!!
I’m sick to the back teeth of having to open with “The neutral would have enjoyed that!”
Bollocks to the neutrals.
BtM 😀
Should point out for the irregulars I love the BFG…
Oh was meant to ask anyone collect programmes if so do you reckon programme number 125 from the 125th Aniversary game v Everton is or will be worth anything in a few years?
Chelsea at Brentford this weekend. It’s usually only Fulham they visit in West London with more of a history than them…
can we rename the train as the stresshorror impossible train or SHIT .I
ha too much for my old heart
lets
get better at finishing please
I really like Ramsey’s game at the base of our midfield trio tonight. Not the finished article, but he’s been quite inteligent and is capable of setting a higher tempo for our game.
Hope he gets the winner in the second half! If not 3 points will still do of course!
COYG
They were all numbered 125 Chippy. Send it to me and I will dispose of it for you 😉
I’ll give you £1.25 for it Chippy 😉
(On account of I was at the game and bought one!)
Taken from BBC
“Swansea 0-0 Chelsea
Remember at the weekend when Ramires got away with a foul as Chelsea scored against Arsenal? He does it again, treading on the ankle of Ki Sung-yueng in a sliding tackle, referee Chris Foy says play on and he almost finds Eden Hazard with a pass but the Belgian is offside.”
Second half just about to begin! No more nail biting please!
Haha your pulling my leg me thinks, Only ask as if it’s worth fuck all I’ll go and frame it !!
nice start
invincibles move down the left barely cleared for a corner. nice start to the half.
Giroooooooo
Get in!!
i.am.girouuuuud.
What a start. What a goal.
Come on OG nice goal come on Arsenal let’s destroy em!
goal from a corner!
shock horror
Girooooud XD
Goalsscorers finish that one !
BtM 268 how we “offloaded” Ian Ure” to Man Utd I’ll never know. It took them 40 yrs to exact revenge when we took Mikael Sylvestre off them
;-).
I’m sure Wolfie would have loved his shock of blond hair though.
Ollie ! The big one, that is, not the Belgium 😉
yes, atg. must. destroy.
You sexy beast
Blowing bubbles, eh.
Told you we were better at set pieces 😉
rambo is definitely looking better. so is poldi.
Ollie G 20 goals. Each one peachier than the last and that peach just for you, Vinny – even although you won’t be here because we’re winning 🙂
Someone needs to tell Ramsey that Movember is over 😉
Just to be clear ..OG you sexy beast
damn, that’s the second gimme theo couldn’t even get a shot off.
That cross field ball from Santi was Cesc-like. Theo should’ve done better.
beautiful! great interplay, 3-1!!
BtM, OG is halfway there isn’t he!
Get in you beauty 😉
Yeeeeessss!!! Ollie G with his trademark first time pass and what a finish!
what a ball by santi!
santi baby. three one
Hahaha.
Felt like nobody wanted to score and then the ball just decided “ah, what the heck, I’ll roll in by myself”
OOOOOH MYYY GOOOD ..brilliant!
Dr Z, in Dunfermline Toon? Liz?
it’s new signings day, all three have scored. now theo has to get his head out and add to it…he could be on a hat trick.
Theo four me
and there it is!
OG with his now trademark one touch chip over the defense…nice!
3 goals in 9 minutes
“now theo has to get his head out”
Let’s fucking score 8 come on this is unbelievable
FEOOO! 😀
This is MY Arsenal. Keep walking on the sunny side, Holics.
Vinny’s hiding under a shell on Venice Beach now. Won’t see him here tonight. 🙂
brilliant, and i mean brilliant assist for poldi on theo’s goal.
Sex & Violence!
arsenal in full flow. hammer ’em, lads. make fat spam weep.
BtM “always” knows! 😎
FIVEEEEEEE….another peach from giroud…
Scoring feastam bam bam bam
Should I make a revision??
OllieG 30 bountiful beauties?
again poldi with a beauti of an assist, but the pass in that sequence was jack’s to poldi.
OG!!!
Giroud wooohoo! Poldi great assists too. This is blitzkrieg.
5-1. Ripping Fat Sam a new one, and it is as big as the first 😀
Not tonite BtM – not on telly – just streams.
Fecking brilliant.
Podolski looking like the player I saw in Cologne…..
really love his peaches want to shake his tree…
I’m only ever watching games on streams that’s Scruz suppliers from now on it seems to do the trick !!
I guess this is not the time to talk about Vermaelen going off? Hopefully it’s just a precaution we dared to do after all the goals and nothing serious.
Hee Hee Hee 😀
Third place, one trophy and OG 20+ goals in the EPL!
Trevor Francis suddenly less vocal. Quiet stadium? Emptier than he’s ever seen it? Suck it up, Trev.
Btw..Poldi so far tonight – 1 goal – 3 assists, thats what I call efficiency.
I’m forever blowing hammers
lol, chippy, don’t trust to *my* luck…but thanks.
cog, i think fat spam will be forever blowing chunks…
we are just battering them.
Young Aaron having a mature match…Well done young fella!
Sam brings on two extra defenders to help out
that defensive mid from WHU some supporters want at Arsenal so badly is who again…?
I see , he’s not playing tonight.
diame, i think, homer. who isn’t even on the bench for them tonight.
We’ve got our gunners back we’ve got our gunners back !!!
Let’s see two players who need a game get a run and Sant, Jack or Bacs get a rest at 70 mins please, Arsene.
Poldi’s goal was worth its weight in gold, too. Just 4 minutes after we conceded the opener.
agreed, derrick. our heads didn’t drop, and we have just slaughtered from there.
free kick for theo. joy of six?
Sam Sam pick up thy musket and shove it where the sun don’t shine
no. ah well, another 25 minutes to get there.
wow, our one-touch passing today is phenomenal.
Enjoying this. Sure that Fat Walrus Faced Cunt is not. Which makes it all the better.
Andre Mariner wasn’t even looking at the ball and he called the foul.
that was good tackle by Giroud you cunt!
theo blows it again. two on the left of him, wide open, and he can’t get an assist? DAMN.
We look at ease and when we are relaxedwe play the best football in the league
Bad pass from Theo, poor Oli G really wanted that.
ooh Feo..shame! 🙁
santos for poldi, standing O for poldi, please.
A new signing comes on for the pod
clearly the padding on his big coat has hidden the new, svelte-looking andre from view.
Santos on left flank without too much defensive responsibility ..might do some damage to them 😛
Ave, Podolski!
What a player! What a fuckin’ player!
4 points of 4th, 8 off third, nice surplus in our goal difference and the Chavs winning feck all this season; sweet as a nut! Well played iPod! Even Santos can’t feck this up!
Ouch..that looked dangerous.
Santi welcoming Diame. Oli G save your hattrick for FC Bayern please!
ollie g. comes off…great game, great brace. the ox, the ox, we’ve got the ox. must be theo through the middle, now. fat spam wetting his trousers?
OG! Well played big y’un!
who got floored?
Hope their player is ok
Ah, we’re keeping our strikers fresh for Brighton so that the Seagulls don’t shit in our nest?
Only one Arsene Wenger.
i guess diame *was* on the bench.
did he replace potts? or are we going forward against ten men?
agreed, atg. i hope he’s got no permanent damage.
A quick and eager Alex on the field against a ten man West Ham. Might well be six. Having that said, I hope it’s nothing serious. Get well whoever it is! There are very, very few players I would wish an injury upon and all of them because of their disregard for other players’ safety.
Wonder if The Iceman (Eisfeld) will feature at Brighton?
Guess I’ll cheer on the Swans for a few minutes.
WTF happend. Check halftime. Now. Another 2nd half thrashing. Unbelievable.
really sorry to see how long they’re having to care for him. at least there’s none of the panic like there was when muamba went down. thank goodness.
Eden Hazard’s just kicked a wee ball boy against the Swans! Scandalous! Red card! Hee Hee Hee 😀
How good is Diame?
Damn! I’ve really missed the Iceman. He really looks a player and a good runner into the box. Hopefully he’ll be able to grab ten minutes or so in the second half, if nothing else!
Red for Hazard.
Very nasty looking neck injury this.
from the soccernet coc text stream:
The ballboy goes to get the ball and lies on top of it to stop Hazard reclaiming. Hazard them kicks out at the ballboy to get it back quickly!
and hazard out of the game with a red. so, the swans should swim to wembley!
Heh, what a prat Hazard.
Footballers are so dumb!
“RED CARD – Eden Hazard
This is truly remarkable. Eden Hazard has been sent-off for kicking a ballboy.
I’ll say that again – Eden Hazard has been sent-off for kicking a ballboy.”
– Beeb
yeech. prayers for daniel potts, that does NOT look good.
Feel sorry for Giroud, he clearly wanted his 1st Hattrick. Oh, by the way, i really like this version of Arsenal 🙂
Potts got a neck injury? What happened to him?
Diame’ll be a descent physical presence in the DCM role! 3.5mill and small change in wages. All to be found in the bag of Gazidis’ sofa!
derrick, he and sagna were going for the same ball and collided.
Yikes. Hate hearing that about Potts. Hope he’s alright.
And who kicks an effing ball boy?
Great sport Hazard. He may be a skilled footballer, but no class.
What a jerk!
Knowing the FA, he’ll get a slap on the wrist when Rafa the bafoon throws a fit.
Our LJW is just phenomenal. His movement, touch, and overall game is as sublime as it has ever been.
I have to say that Aaron is having best game in a long time…sublime today.
Ah, I see scruz. That’s nightmarish really. Really hope he’s alright…
i’ve never seen 12 minutes added on. unless sir purple mcchewynose is asking for it.
Neck injury from a clash of heads with Bac. Hope it’s not as bad as it looked. 12 mins added on!
Tompkins is a pain
Hazards in big trouble for that – Long ban me thinks 🙂 Strange how it’s always them classless cunts !
Eandy, I agree as well. From his earlier cameos it also appears that Ramsey and Jack connects really well in midfield, and they’ve reaffirmed that tonight.
That was pure joy for the ten mins when we blitzed them!!
Hazard following in the steps of many Chav legends! And he was giggling afterwards! What an utter cunt! Well done Swans!
Sorta feels like the diame thing is buying someone just to buy someone. WHo’s he a replacment of? Diaby? I say NO … “Diame” sounds too much like “Diaby” – another 6 year walking wounded! Pass.
and the swans sink the scumchavs. well done, swansea.
lol, homer. santi really wants a brace.
Rennes announced they had just sold M’vila to Rubin Kazan, all the while Rubin is undergoing a transfer embargo sanction. Bizzare.
Ramsey standing up. Well done lad.
well, this was a pleasure. excepting the injury to potts, this second half was pure arsenal. maybe something clicked?
Young Aaron and Wee Jack – Men of the Match!
Yeah, his performance today is very Artetaesque..just didnt put foot wrong.
when’s the second half starting then
Santi very close too! Genius!
The joy of five !!!
I was so close to going off for real there after the 0-1, but again, for the sake of the history books, I want you all to remember that I went back on the Happy Train before the 1-1 goal.
I deserved this.
I really did.
Good work lads.
The ballboy who got kicked by Hazard needed to get helped off the pitch and was in tears. What the ****, I mean kicking a boy? Eden ‘Hazard’ indeed.
Well done lads! Now to enjoy the fallout from the Chav’s implosion in Wales!
Ball boy seemed to be needing a lecture in how to behave on a football pitch. Having that said, it should never, ever be done like that. Hazard you utter twat.
And get well Potts!
Eden Hazard: A Twat in Any Language.
A proper team mate of John Terry. They’re probably hot tub buddies.
With wives of their team mates.
The young lad was a bit silly but Hazard should have turned to the ref and pointed out to him that the lad wasn’t giving the ball back. But no, he boots him in the ribs.
I really hope he gets hammered for this.
Well done Swansea – struck a blow for fair play. Up yours Chavski.
And up yours Sam, you troglodyte.
Some great stuff from Arsenal tonight. Time to go on a run.
Did I not say that Santi would harpoon the walrus?
Right, Oxon to cut of its legs and to send it back to the East End blowing bubbles out of its rusty sherrif’s badge.
Thank you Spammers. Can we play you every week? Pretty please.
Didn’t expect to see 400+ drinks at this time after finishing work, but its been quite a day of football. I know the final score (:D ), but I’d just like to say on the Ballboygate matter: Wenger Knows.
That is all. Oh wait, suck it Chelsea 8) Bradford vs Swansea, that’s going to be quite an enjoyable League Cup Final 🙂
http://images.sportinglife.com/13/01/800×600/walcrop_2890289.jpg
Fucking heh.
And hooray. Looks like Bordeaux won too, Bellion scored the winner, heh.
Not a bad evening after all. I think I’ll indulge in watching the first hour of the game en différé as I hear there were some good goals, and it still should see me in bed a t a reasonable midnight!
Goodnight, sweet dreams!
Hee Hee Hee 😀
Hope Pott’s injury isn’t as bad as it looked. Get better soon.
Onwards and upwards to the Seagulls! COYBG! Victoria Concordia Crescit!
Time to go on a run
Didn’t know you’d taken up late night jogging Dr.z. Working off that Xmas Guinness? Top man.
Fantastic result, boys. So happy. Please can we do the same against Brighton at the weekend. Ramsey playing himself right back into form, Rosicky back in full training, bliss.
@ oxongooner from earlier
I feel the same
Homer, I reckon Cashley also had a hand in nurturing young Hazard the ways of Chelski.
Ha – good point Derrick!
Great result tonigh I want to see this Arsenal every time we play!
Hope Potts is ok!
Hazard is a complete c**t
@ 427
Yip. Just back.
The beer fridge is all the way at the back of Feelgood Towers 😉
Dr.z a confirmed fitness nut. Who knew?
Ouch.
https://twitter.com/chelseafc/status/294194277423124480
Now the club is involved in this for real. Hazard looks to be in the right place.
Having that said, of course it is not a Kung-Fu kick in the face. I am sure he is trying to get the ball, not caring if the boy gets a bit of a whack as well. It’s probably not THAT forceful and of course he was frustrated.
Then again – nothing I just said makes it anything else than sheer stupidity. Whatever his reasoning and whatever the form of the kicking you CAN’T kick a child. At any time. Let alone in a Carling Cup semi final on television.
Again – Twat player. Twat club.
Assuming Chel$ea aren’t going to win the league, their only chance of silverware this season is an FA Cup.
Plus, they don’t get a trophy for 3rd/4th place.
The Arsenal Treble is back on (for now).
UTA!
Easy for you to say, Arthur. 😉
Best post ever by ATG at 437. I didn’t even know you could post empty drinks. Need a refill? 😉
Ten minutes until the game starts here.
Have seen the Hazard incident. Heh. Stupid cunt.
Toby 434. No surprise. Classy club from top to bottom, and in their media presence.
I think I’ll just ask tabs what he thinks of them.
Happy that the LC final will be Bradford vs Swansea. Might even watch it this year, maybe with a Jack mate of mine.
We got our Arsenal back. Reminds me of how we were playing at the beginning of the season (sometimes).
Ramsey magnificent.
Jack magnificent.
Cazorla fantastic.
Podolski a revelation.
Giroud what a difference he makes.
Even Theo had a good game (on the right wing at least).
Good to see they all kept the effort up right to the end – chasing back and harrying.
Next on the bill – a similar job against Brighton please.
Memorable night.
Hope Potts is OK – that looked nasty.
Except, of course, that I’ve just remembered we’ll be playing Villa at home that weekend, heh, so no.
Dr Z I was going to post a video of that kick by Hazard but you can go here and watch it.
http://thescore.thejournal.ie/did-eden-hazard-just-kick-a-ball-boy-in-the-ribs-766821-Jan2013/
Disgusting!
http://img.gawkerassets.com/img/18cf62d5h0r3xgif/original.gif
Chelsea have appealed the red for Hazard, saying the ballboy racially abused Hazard…
I see Arthur was speechless…
Official Chelsea match report:
“The task was about to get a whole lot harder, and in controversial circumstances. In trying to get the ball back into play at quickly at a Swansea goal kick, Hazard attempted to wrestle the ball from a ball boy, who then went down clutching his side. A melee ensued, Mr Foy consulted his assistant, and Hazard was red-carded. Chelsea were a man and two goals down with 10 minutes remaining. Torres replaced Oscar.”
“A melee ensued”?!
What. The. Fuck?!
Not a mention of the kick. Not a single mention.
As I saw it, the ball is coming over the line, the ball boy decides to catch it before he lets it go to earn his team a few seconds. Hazard doesn’t seem to like that so he runs into him, trying to wrestle the ball from him, which makes the ball boy fall over, clutching the ball. Had he not tried to grab the ball from the ball boy, I really do doubt that the ball boy would have laid himself on top of it. But when he gets wrestled he shields it.
Then Hazard tries to kick the ball, and in doing so, and with full knowledge of that it will be the result of the kick, hits the boy.
No mention of that at all.
Fucking scum. A MELEE?! IT CAN’T BE A MELEE IF ONLY ONE PART IS FIGHTING.
Fuming.
Pace, power, precision and domination. Dontcha just love it.
Yep the bellboy was acting the prat but id have done the same 🙂
Lovely 3 points played with pace and direction was a throwback to better times makes such a difference when we attack with purpose all that said still need a couple brought in to push for 4th,
Up The Arse.
Toby @446.
Lack of class throughout that scummy club will out.
Barman back on form – cracking consecutive jokes at 444 and 445.
Don’t you have some blogging to do?!!! 😛
Sky Sports 1 now….
I hope we win again 😉
Goals galore and who could have predicted it. btm must know og’s current tally on the way to 20?
The best 15 odd minutes of football any team has played in this league in this season at the beginning of the first half. 🙂
There were some sumptuous moves in the first half as well. And if Potts didn’t suffer that unfortunate injury the scoreline would have been more assertive.
Theo, even though played well overall, needs to improve his composure considerably to become the kind of mobile and tricky center forward he wants to be and he has the potential to become.
Some excellent performances overall — Poldi, Giroud, Santi, Jack, TV5, Gibbo in the second half — but Ramsey was really impressive in an unfamiliar role. Very disciplined, rigorous, and amazing work-rate. That goal-line save was important. He still has the problem of taking a second or so extra sometimes to release the pass, but his positional and tactical discipline was immaculate.
Where’s Rupert from kanadia when you need him?
What happened with the chavs? Just on the train home.
Chelsea must be ruing the fact that it wasn’t Torres instead of Hazard in that situation. He’d have missed the ball boy completely 😛
Ball boy sounds lucky. If it was Cole he would have shot him. If it was Terry he would have shagged his mum.
Just saying like.
Toby @ 446: A few years back before an Arsenal-Chelsea match I had visited the opponent’s web-site for a match preview from their perspective (I guess had too much idle time in my hands). It was a tabloid style hack job that made pathetic attempts of sarcasm at the expense of Arsenal’s finances, property sells etc. and contained not a single sentence of any dignity or respect for the opposition.
There are some things we may not like about what is happening with our team on the field, but the sheer class as exemplified in every public aspect of this great club — from one of the best sports web-site to the phenomenal charity works — make me realize all the time that what a dignified and honorable establishment this club is.
I meant at the beginning of the second half @453 …
Anyway, Arsene having fun at the press conference; when asked about transfers: “No, nothing to tell you yet. That is why I need to shorten this press conference as I have work to do. ” 🙂
I love Arsenal!
Amazing performance. Loved every minute of it.
Predicted we’d win by three clear goals. Expectations exceeded. Now let’s put a run of three games together where we play like this.
Just got home and seen Hazard. Ballboy on a windup but that should be long ban. He could have incited a riot. Cantona got racially abused by that Palace fan and it didn’t matter – you can’t go whacking people like that and whatever Hazard was trying to do, the reality is he kicked a prone teenage Ballboy in the ribs.
Great night, all in all.
Oh, and BtM knows.
COYG
well done to the team!
135Holloway2Holland
thanks again for the reply, i can see where youre coming from re: self sustainable vs selling best = viable (??)
all i can say on that is that perhaps there was little arsenal could do once the first crop was defeated mentally and wanted out. however this mental defeat that the cesc generation experienced was a combination of factors, some of them external. for instance, i thought it was a bit too much to compare the cesc team with the drogba team. one was learning its trade, the other was assembled to go for the trophies, yet somehow the pressure on arsenal was more and even worse than the pressure on chelsea. another external factor that our players couldnt rise above was refereeing scandals. it takes a big personality to deal with the pressure of competing with the ready and established world class players chelsea or united had/have as well as having to “beat” their nerves when a linesman took the piss or a ref waved played on when our player was clearly fouled. such scenarios proved tricky for the developing mindframe of our youth, in some cases it killed them psychologically (senderos never recovered, hleb left after the refs didnt give him the penalty vs liverpool in 1st leg of champleague match..the one he danced through 7 players and got pulled from behind). henry once said that arsenal wasnt a big club yet referring to the attitude some refs had towards us. he was right
anyway ..water under the bridge..after the 5-1 against fat sam who openly admits that his tactic is to destroy our free flowing rhythm, im quite fulfilled, onwards and upwards, time to appreciate them goals again!!
Dr F @457
Spot fucking on.
Oohtobe
Watching the highlights and only now properly appreciating how good some of tonight’s finishing was.
Exciting to think that foreign imports usually take a year to settle. God knows what these three could be like next season if that’s true.
I was out this evening and have just got in and knurd. Sounds like a good evening was had by almost all.
FunG@435 – To be honest I can’t remember saying much recently that I could honestly hope anyone would agree with. Thanks for your support though – could you give me a tiny clue as to where I went right? 🙂
Right, off to Arsenalist.com to watch the goals and then bed.
Night All
COYG
First of all, I hope the West Ham player whose name temporarily escapes me is OK.
Second of all, if it was up to me Hazard should be given a long ban. Kicking a ball-boy is just not on, even if he was being stupid.
And thirdly: the Ramsey bashers should hang their heads in shame. He’s had several good performances lately and he was brilliant tonight. Him and Jack seemed to connect really well too.
All in all a very good win. Bring on Brighton with a team mostly consisting of players who did not play tonight, please.
Hope getting knurd wasn’t painful Oxon. ;-). some great goals for you to enjoy and also thanks for that early morning drink…just what the doctor ordered ( just like tonight’s performance ).
Lars….Rambos good performances lately tied in with playing in his preferred central midfield position …..not shoved out on the wing. Square pegs and round holes etc…(down Wolfie).
Well, we certainly got a grip tonight.
Brighton will be much tougher opposition than Fat Sam’s Spammers.
What. A. Blitz. Anyone tempted to mitigate the impact of today’s performance, based on the opposition, needs to simply stop watching sport entirely. Arsenal completely turned over a squad built to disrupt the Arsenals of this world (of which there is only one, of course), and in the process gave us all flashbacks of times past but not forgotten. Christ, my favorite moment of the match wasn’t even a goal; it was the Poldi-Gibbo-Santi-Gibbo-Poldi interchange down the left that finished with the cross just being a touch too long for ze German to put away. It was breathtaking; even Trevor Francis had to admit it. Amazing in and of itself.
And a special word for Rambo, who was magnificent and brave in a role that many were quick to say he’d struggle with. He is a credit to his crest, and I hope that tonight was a sign that he has come through the forge of injury and lack of form to become the midfielder who, not too long ago, was shaping up to be a monster of a player before having his leg nearly amputated.
As has become customary for me, post Chelski I disconnected from the Arsenal-related interwebs in an effort to not wallow. Actually took the opportunity to read Phillipe Auclair’s dazzling book on Henry, which the lot of you should run off and buy immediately if you haven’t already. It was a thought-provoking journey, not only for its insight into the rather paradoxical nature of Titi, but also our club. In light of some of what he put to pen, I think I’m beginning to get the kind of perspective on the current situation that usually only time and distance can yield. I’m going to try and write up something about it, and when I’m done I’ll post it here and see what the rest of the bar thinks.
In the meantime, I’m going to watch today’s second half a dozen or so times, right up to the point that poor lad went down. Glad he’s OK, and look forward to him making a full recovery.
A Cardhu with a solitary rock for me, dearest barkeep, and a round for anyone in earshot. It’s a wonderful day to be a Gooner.
Uply, Ramsey’s best position is unarguably Central midfield, Arsene has always said that the reason he played him on the wings was not just to give the team defensive balance but also help him become faster in his decision making. I hope this little explanation helps you understand our poor manager’s reason(s) for playing young Aaron out on the wings earlier in the season.
Lars, I will admit to being overly harsh on Ramsay.
I didn’t see the match but the word is that he was very good tonight.
Let’s see him do that consistently then I’ll admit to being “wrong”.
Cheers.
Fine performance tonight. It would be nice to think that most of those players could keep that level for the remainder of the season…..fingers crossed, and yes, I know it’s unrealistic. However, wouldn’t it be nice?
10 yo Ardbeg all round, guvnor.
A great 12 minutes, exhilarating to watch. But a bit pedestrian up to that point, and a bit switched off after.
I’d like to have seen more all-out attack to push the goal difference even further out of reach of those we’re fighting 4th for. I don’t believe attacking (especially scoring) takes as much out of a player as defending or chasing the ball, so why switch off after 5?
But that’s a niggle and much praise to all concerned for hammering the hammers. Extra praise for Sagna and Ramsey for both lifting their games out of the slough they’ve been stuck in, and Super extra praise with bells on for Poldi’s ginormous contribution.
Who’s next? Bring it on!
Oskar
Swansea v Bradford about says it all for the League Cup, imo.
The sooner they restrict this teacup of a trophy to, say, under 21s plus two/three any agers, the better. I believe AW had the right idea when he used to field the kids in the early rounds.
Oskar
Grip Grip Grip. Speaking of which, I hope the internet police haven’t got their dirty little hands on Arsenalist. I couldn’t download any of the goals he posted, and not having seen the game I am hungering for a little peek.
>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>
Ramsey was excellent tonight. Poldi was very efficient and powerful. His equalizer almost burst the net. What a fucking hammer he got in that left foot!