Xhaka? Emery? What Do You Think?
Oct 28th, 2019 by 'holic
What a weekend to be away. Yet another Arsenal capitulation, yet more points senselessly dropped. I may have only seen the highlights but mountains have been written about this game, so although everything may have been said I will briefly add my tuppence. It may add little that most haven’t already said or validated.
I only caught Twitter once during the match. David Luiz flicked home an Alexandre Lacazette glancing header to double our advantage after Sokratis Papastathopoulos had finished superbly at the near post. 2-0 look like a statement. No messing around today. We need and must get a result.
For whatever reason we reverted to The Arsenal mode of the last, let’s say year, after the freak 22 match unbeaten run last season. We find it difficult against poor sides away from home and now those same jitters appear to afflict us at The Grove too. Palace were gifted an equaliser and only the hapless Martin Atkinson saw a dive by Zaha. It was a clear penalty and Palace were back in the match, and deservedly so by all accounts.
There was an air of predictability about an equaliser arriving, and so it proved when Ayew cleverly backed into oceans of unmanned space at the back post to head home McArthur’s cross. I’m told they had as many chances as use to take all three points as us although there is some confusion, even today, as to why we were denied a Sokratis winner by VAR.
So to the aftermath. Granit Xhaka is an obvious starting point. One cannot avoid the feeling that Unai Emery was looking for a lightning conductor on the pitch when he appointed the casual Swiss as his Number one captain (of five?). If that was the intention he succeeded spectacularly. Instead of a leader on the pitch he has a player never trusted by the faithful who imploded spectacularly here.
I have to say the trend to handing down vitriolic abuse from those wearing the cannon on the field of play will never sit comfortably with me. That said the reaction from an Arsenal captain went beyond that of Gallas at St Andrews in 2008. He was stripped of the job, something that should also befall Xhaka, along with his place in the team until he demonstrates an ability to act with the class of an Arsenal player.
Yet what does that say of Emery? I have said on Twitter, I believe, that people are wrongly accrediting him as ‘the manager’. Under the new business model he was appointed as head coach. My definition of that is that his sole responsibility is to get his side playing to the maximum of their ability, consistently. For me he has to achieve the former before he can deliver the latter.
In a year has he shown any likelihood of doing that? Without detailing my fairly obvious viewpoint I’m reading from a majority of people a similar opinion. Are we wrong?
4,360 Responses to “Xhaka? Emery? What Do You Think?”
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Not wrong at all, Holic.
Almost exactly what I wrote – like an Ernie Wise play – in the previous bar.
Repeated Cheers to iBtM, on his usual good form there too.
I doubt we are wrong. The fact is, after Wenger we needed a manager who can (1) show he can continue the traditions the club, ie have a philosphy, an identity, create title winning sides etc (thank you Wenger for showing us this path), and (2) improve on the deterioration then stagnation of the side we had in Wengers latter years. Emery has failed in both these aspects. We now have no vision or identity, and our side is is deteriorating faster than under Wenger. These facts are now blatant. What I despise most out of this situation, is down the road at Chelsea or at Leicester, with lesser teams they are doing more. Because they took what we were supposed to have, an identity/philosophy and are playing into that and succeeding. It actually pains me to see it happening. I think after 1.5 years we can see we are not going to achieve this under Emery. I personally think the soon he leaves the better. I just don’t think the club have any plans other than hand it to Freddie. I dont mind this, by all accounts the players love him, but I also want to really know what happened when we appointment Unai. It seems he came out of nowhere are the end of the process as gazidis losts his cajones in giving it to arteta. I’m not saying Arteta was the right choice, but its clear Emery was a curveball having literally just been fired from PSG and on the market when Arteta looked to take it.
Anyway, were not wrong. There are many more points to prove it in his decision making, or lack thereoff.
It doesn’t say much for Emery. Xhaka was an unsuitable candidate for the captaincy in the first place, and he has now become a scapegoat for all of Arsenal’s failings.
Emery lost me completely during the second half of the Watford game. I have never seen a more shambolic performance from a supposedly professional team. I don’t know what was worse – the obvious and astonishing lack of preparedness, or the complete absence of leadership on the field of play. The inexplicable insistence on playing out of the back when it was clear that the tactic was not working. The complete absence of a functioning midfield.
He has lost his way, and is losing the dressing room. There is still more than enough time to salvage the season, but he is not the man to turn the tide.
Ruggish! ?
Both should go. I could see Emery would be trouble towards the end of last season. We had just drawn away to the Turds, 5 games to go and 3rd in the league. We were favourites to stay there looking at our remaining games. Then Wenger Mark2 decides to rest players in favour of the Europa league – when top 4 was easiest to grasp. He just wanted to go down in history as the man who has won the competition the most.
Rob Holding’s performance and Ramsey papered the cracks. Now we do not have those 2 (Holding has not recovered fully from his injuries) we see Emery’s abilities for what they really are.
And as for Xhaka. This is his 4th season and he is simply getting worse as a footballer. Scores between 4 and 5 marks out of 10 for most games since last season – he is not good enough for Arsenal. This has nothing to do with disrespecting the fans, oh we needed an enforcer or his attitude. He is simply a bang average footballer, who is too slow for the premier league.
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I’m trying to give Emery time. At least he brought in Tierney who did reasonably well. As Holic said he is coach and not manager and thank goodness I say. Were he orchestrating events off the field we would be in a serious mess. Ornstein suggests he is likely to get the rest of the season but it was interesting to see Josh Kroenke bypassed the Rams game at Wembley to attend and he can’t have been impressed with Emery’s efforts and the Xhaka incident. If we struggle on to a Christmas that looks very challenging the resolve and patience of the board will be tested. My sense has been for months that the job is too big for Emery , in a foreign country and such a competitive league.
My sadness is that he hasn’t improved anybody under his charge and several have regressed. As for Xhaka I said what I wanted to in the last drinks.
One bright spot is that at last we have someone who takes great dead-ball kicks in Pepe. I believe in that lad and hope he doesn’t regress like Torreira , Mkhitaryan and Elneny did . Ceballos isn’t pulling up any trees but needs time.
Xhaka showed on saturday everything that is wrong with Arsenal,he along with Mustafi,Ozil are frauds.
They earn high wages and do not do thier job correctly,Emery has had a very difficult job trying to clear up the mess Wenger and Gazitas left the club in but he has made mistakes and appointing xhaka captain was and has now been proven to be a mistake.
Xhaka is a man who talks the talk,says the correct thing,apart from sat and is the perfect player except when it comes to performances on the pitch and that is what he is judged on by the fans.
Emerys second mistake is adking players to vote on the captaincy,would Arsenals best ever captain win a popularity contest,he shouted at players not doing thier jobs,Roy Keane another great captain at Man Unt shouted and screamed at players for not doing thier job but both were respected because they did it on the pitch and that’s the difference.
Arsenal are “soft” and the fans want winners not nice people who are friends with each other and a manager who tries being nice and letting players pick the captain.
Arsenal need a manager and players with balls,there is only one or two in this current sqaud.
Fired by the near-term return of Bellerin, Teirney and Holding; the smouldering promise of Ceballos and Pepe; and the dynamism of the Thursday Night Team, only a few weeks ago I was enthusiastic that a top four finish was a very realistic promise. That confidence was dented by the abysmal second half against Bournemouth.
BUT, with two easy PL games on the horizon to hoist us into third place, only two points of Citeh and seven of the dippers and a cakewalk against Vittoria to enjoy, life looked good and the Faltering Fullback’s beers left a warm glow as they slipped down.
These three games have come and gone. The two PL games showcased all of our weaknesses in tidy bundles for the world to snigger at. The Ropey League game diminished some of the (perhaps) over-vaunted enthusiasm felt for the Young Guns. Mr Pepe’s two marvellous goals painted a thinly glossed veneer over a super-limp night out.
My confidence has been dented. I’m no longer optimistic that we’ll finish in the top four. Changeable as the weather am I? I hope Emery can coach the team back to a place where they play competently going forward and defend even at the level of a mid-table team. Entertaining football would be a real bonus.
Three FA Cups, three shields and top 4 finishes in all but two of the dead, dying, dark years of the previous coach? That level of contribution to Arsenal’s heritage appears to me to be beyond Unai at his best, never mind his worst.
I do hope I’m wrong.
Evening H
Hope the sea air was as bracing in a better way than the fare served up at the Ems on Sunday.
I have said my piece on our current Manager,and feel no more needs to be said.
I look forward to watching the young guns in action at Anfield on Wed night, but it says a lot for the current shambles at first team level,that the game i am most looking forward to at the w/end,isn’t played with a round ball.
BTM@9
Not only are you dismayed by the Arse implosions,but you and Bath must still be reeling from England winning the World Porridge making Championships in Scotland a couple of weeks ago. !!
Two things taken from the Palace debacle:
1) This hasn’t been mentioned much, but yesterday was the second match in a row that Emery subbed out Xhaka early in the second half. Emery’s never done that with Xhaka in my recollection, and he probably never discussed the reasoning on the Sheffield sub with his captain. So one can probably figure Xhaka had a WTF reaction, leading to the slo-mo exit walk, which then exacerbated the booing and the ensuing meltdown. Not excusing or condoning Xhaka’s actions — flat out wrong — but some blame can be directed to Emery’s woeful man management.
2) Match of the day analysts Wrighty and Crouchy both agreed that Sokratis had to be the angriest person at having his goal chalked off. Not as angry as my son, who had gotten 16-1 odds on a 3-2 result.
Evening Clive from the very home of Porridge. It’s braw tae see ye back in the hoose.
I’m looking out the window and can see the Scotts Oats factory churning out the food of the Gods on the back shift with a starlit sky and the Lomond Hills as a splendid backcloth. It’s a chilly but otherwise braw bricht moonlicht nicht the nicht up here in the Kingdom. Were Bath to be here with me we’d be continuing our long love-in, commenced around noon on Sunday, on Slim Jim Baxter, Jimmy Johnstone and the great John Stein, over something wet and straw coloured in an Edinburgh Crystal glass.
We’re delighted that our Sassenach brethren are sufficiently in tune with our fine cuisine to challenge us in the WPC and ‘weel din’ to them for winning it.
We’ll take exception to a win in the WHHC* though. That wouldn’t be easily forgotten and might result in us taking up arms one more time :-). Holic will be with us sporting his mum’s family tartan.
And be sure we two will be cheering for a RWC win in Yokohama on Saturday morning. The rest of our 5 million most probably won’t be though!
* World Haggis Hurling Championship
As one of those who attended all 3 games in the last 7 days you can imagine I am not a happy bunny on several fronts.
I made it quite clear how I felt about Emery in my last post. The team seems to be playing in a thick fog, we can find our men ,we move at a snail’s pace and we can’t find our way out.
Leadership is lacking both on the touchline and on the pitch and the antics of Xhaka summed up the malaise surrounding the club . A core of fans are not exempt from criticism, to boo your own player is not on in my book and I can see that unless Xhaka is removed from the captaincy and relegated to a lengthy period in the stand, the unhealthy atmosphere in the ground will make for an unpleasant match day experience.
I don’t know what can be done to relieve the current situation other than a change of coach which those running the Club may not be prepared to do at this point in time.
In the meantime we the customers are getting short change for the highest ticket prices in the league. The standard of football is mundane and we have very little chance of a top 4 finish while confidence is so low.
I am depressed but I will still be there on Saturday and at Leicester. It’s too late now to give up being a Gooner .
Buck up you Reds !
More power to you Delia. We are all suffering from an incurable disease which is currently inflicting quite a lot of pain but can we give Arsenal up? Not likely !
Thanks for the post Guvnor.
Are we wrong?
No.
I’ve read that UE is talking
with the players about whether
Xhaka should keep the armband.
That decision should not be
made by the players or the
coach. The lack of quick action
is poor.
A measured response and a more than reasonable question to ask H. Some also very learned drinks, both in this bar and in the previous one.
It’s all a bit of a mess and the buck has to stop with the manager. For many years we have lacked leadership on the pitch. Now it seems that we have little of it off the pitch.
First of all, what manager worth his salt selects his captain by a players vote? That to me is incredibly weak. It goes without saying that the captain has to be a leader of men. He has to be in a position to carry out the managers instructions. If he’s not even been chosen by the manager then how does that work? His attitude when being taken off was appalling. Considering we were chasing the game, if he had shown some urgency in leaving the field I do wonder if the reaction would have been slightly different?
Emery just seems clueless. The Özil situation is embarrassing. Again, something that the manager also needs to deal with. He doesn’t seem to know his best side or the best formation. In fairness, he doesn’t seem to know much at the moment.
I’ve not made a game all season and am not exactly chomping at the bit to get to one. The constant change of kick off dates and times do nothing to inspire me to make the effort. Games like Sunday will to little to make me change my mind.
I’m not sure where we actually go from here. I always believed the Emery deserved two seasons to get his own side sorted. Currently I’m not sure if he deserves to make Christmas.
To those going to Liverpool, I salute you. My mind will be elsewhere on Saturday although I would expect Arsenal to take the field with a new captain at the weekend. Hope to catch up with a few of you at least once before Christmas.
Onwards and upwards.
A very good view of what is happening at Arsenal by Holic and the usual Holics in this fine establishment.
I have added my tuppence in the last post and that was fresh after the final whistle, when I boarded my train with my son who was also disappointed with the footballing affairs on the pitch.
Yet again we surrendered a two goal lead in a Premier League fixture, Unai still doesn’t know what he’s doing and we still can’t defend.
For all the chit-chat that he made us more competitive is a complete lie.
I have also read on twitter that indeed Unai will speak to the players if Xhaka should keep the captain armband. If this is true he continues to hide behind others which makes me sick to the stomach. No wonder we are where we are. He has no authority in the dressing room nor on the pitch side, in fact we might as well ask the players what formation we should play and what tactics to use in our next match. It’s a mess and will be bigger if the management won’t do anything about it.
We really ought to part ways as soon as possible it will be a great deal more damaging if nothing is done in the long run.
Arsenal fan base is toxic as hell and the club needs to do something about it.
https://www.telegraph.co.uk/football/2019/10/28/exclusive-unai-emery-left-fighting-fires-granit-xhaka-meltdown/amp/?__twitter_impression=true
Hector Bellerin quoted as saying: “We are all humans, we all have emotions, and sometimes it’s not easy dealing with them. It’s time to lift each other up, not to push each other away. We only win when we are together.”
*tickles the big scottish dollop*
chuckles are free
Vito Mannone earns goalkeeper of the year in MLS and is congratulated by his coach and teammates. Having watched all the home games barring one, I must say he had a great season.
https://www.mnufc.com/post/2019/10/24/vito-mannone-goalkeeper-year
He really enjoyed playing here, I thought, and had an excellent relationship with the fans with whom he was very popular.
here , have one
i’ll want it back in the morning though
there’s a welsh cunt down in the mouth
four fields over
.
.
god , people are so needy
.
no need for it
in case
ye all haven’t noticed
i’ve abdicated
scruz
is the new unapologetically HANDSOME gooner
so
direct all adoring/disparaging comments
HIS direction
and
scruz may the burden
not weigh too heavy on you
.
.
.
if i wasn’t drained of energy
i’d say
“c100 told me”
then run away
.
maybe i’ll just sidle
Carlos Vela had a season not to be sneezed at, bettering the league’s single-season goal scoring record.
.
.
.
.
(but it was definitely c100 he touts on everyone)
bite me, cba 🙂
he’s lifted for joyriding and hes out an hour later
.
.
at his age !
nope
then i’d regain the HANDSOME status here
yer on yer own Mr America
good luck
i’d watch out
for some of the elder statesmen
they can get a bit rambunctious
bless you in yer new life
.
.
.
(the reflective part)
“it’s been a varied reign in here
some awe
many awwww
most fer fucks sake “
so
grow a thick skin
.
.
it’ll stand you in good sunbed stead
.
.
.
.
.
.
pps
just read the previous post from ‘holic
not aware what was said controversially
but i won’t weigh in amongst it all
except to say
dino should be / is a reason to read here
FOR
–
i know people don’t like these words (me as well)
(but FUCK YOU )
(and me an all )
–
analysis and [genuine heartfelt] opinion
.
.
.
.
i call you all cunts all the time
every time
it must have been different ?
or maybe not
i didn’t see it
.
.
morons have always been
zapped like bluebottles in a chip shop here
but
by the weight of yer tabs’ and h’s minds
.
.
i say things just out of pure badness
sometimes
(most times)
just to see what will happen
.
.
was that different ?
‘holic is no fuckin daisy
does not need my big mouth
i’m sure he is wishing i’d shut up
sorry ‘hol
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ry2td7q5ZMc
i’m sleep deprived
fulla cancer an skunk
but
i am officially ugly as fuck
as of clocking off time
.
scruz
you better bring it
cos
the walls weep when i walk by
.
STILL
.
.
(all that was for btm – he said he wanted a smile)
.
.
.
.
(be careful what you ask for in future , peaches)
the crown has melded with your head, cba. you’ve got points and diamonds and stuff.
still blowing hard, though, for all that 😉
that’s as well as maybe
but
remember young man
if the walls ain’t weepin’
you ain’t bringin’
.
.
*snaps*
CBA
You may still be the most handsome Irish Holic. All is not lost .
Her Majesty still asks after you
Even my arse has a smile on it this morning after all that, cba.
@19
That’s a good thought bt8.
Who could disagree with
Hector as he’s such a nice
lad.
In reality we need to win a
couple and sharpish or it’s
divorce paper time for UE.
And a trial separation for
Xhaka 🙂
Excellent post, ‘holic, balanced and fair as always.
Emery got the job because he impressed the board with his background knowledge of the team, including their strengths and weaknesses.
Unfortunately it appears that we picked the candidate who had done the best due diligence, rather than the one that will move the club forward the most.
His main weakness seems to be that he seeks consensus before making decisions, and this approach is not helping our team.
We badly need a Tony or a Paddy in the squad that can instill some backbone and team spirit, and a manager/coach who always picks the best starting eleven available.
@16 Steve
When Xhaka’s number went up there was some jeering from some sections of the crowd. There were also many, like myself, who offered him lukewarm applause. Where I was sitting I heard no boos. It was absolutely his slow walk that led to more jeering and then his ridiculous gesturing which led it to get nastier. If he had just jogged off the pitch there would have been no talking point. Speaking for myself it was absolutely his goading gestures, like some WWE villain winding the crowd up (except without it being a scripted performance) that said directly “Right now, I don’t care about the result, my teammates or the club and you can all do one” that infuriated me.
I am not on social media as it is full of people who spout bile. I condemn any and all comments about Xhaka’s family etc. But if you are a professional footballer who chooses to be on social media then the unfortunate truth is that you will have to grow a thick skin as you are exposing yourself to the unfiltered anger of anyone who wants to abuse you. This is not right but it is how things stand and we all know it. It is not right for any player to bring their resentment of their social media treatment and use it against their own match going fans. Most regular matchday fans have a code of conduct not exhibited on social media. Our matchgoing regulars here are all fine examples of this.
On a personal level I can understand his annoyance (although not how he expressed it). On a personal level I can also understand that seeing your captain behave so contemptuously would rile up otherwise supportive fans as never before. That was certainly my experience.
There are some jobs where part of the job is to maintain a standard of behaviour, regardless of outside factors. Xhaka does not have the luxury of throwing a tantrum in the middle of the pitch. No way round that.
In a raw post on Sunday evening I called him a couple of names. Today that does not sit too well, but, honestly, neither do I feel too bad. He may not be a scumbag but he did have 60 seconds where he behaved like one and I have never seen any professional football player behave so appallingly.
I have realised that for me there is an unwritten contract. Players get my full support on the pitch provided they respect the shirt. That is all i ask. I have seen a lot of crap performances down the years. I have seen players not put a shift in but still not felt this disrespectful enough to withhold my support or actively condemn a player. What Xhaka did was something I have never seen before and hope I never see again. Let us hope this was a one off aberration.
The club needs to make an announcement soon. Hector was the one who came out yesterday with the right message. That is captain’s behaviour and I would give him the armband.
In playing terms hopefully Xhaka will be out of the team for a while and we can work on a different midfield dynamic that gives us a platform for a run of better results. It would only take a win against Watford and in the tricky Leicester game and things would would look a lot less bleak. Football moves fast and I hope to see the club release a statement, Xhaka do the same, and everybody move away from this distraction. I would however be worried if he is not stripped of the captaincy. I am less against his further appearance in our colours than I was on Sunday. We all make mistakes and if he learns from it and does not show that attitude again then he will still have my support on the pitch. But he burned a lot of bridges on Sunday and if he carries on as captain and we don’t improve significantly (which looks unlikely) then I would be genuinely worried we might see part two in a series that should never have started and the club must be pragmatic in ensuring that this does not occur.
It has happened. Please Arsenal, deal with it decisively and effectively and let us all move forwards as one united club. Especially on matchday.
VCC
Cheers Holic. It was a an excellent post, well up to your own high standard.
There are lots of excellent comments above and I am as glad as ever that I am nowhere near social media to discuss this but here instead. Thankyou all.
Cheers cba, much appreciated. And what BTM said @44.
I dont agree that the manager pushes your captain under a bus immediately in a post match interview by saying what he did was wrong, sends a very wrong message to the player and the dressing room. He can always say he did not see it stuff, made legendary by the legend himself.
Granit may or may not be right, it was not about that at all, it was 61 minutes and we had 30 minutes to win the game and not 30 seconds which would have merited that response if at all it was for ” the walk”, highly unlikely though.
Unai and the board in equal measure have messed it up, the manager signing was just being safe when it was the best chance to move on to a better/riskier option considering none of us truly had any expectations last season, yet a ppt was all it took to convince a mid-table team manager.
This team under any manager worth his salt will finish top 4, unai won’t unless he changes his attitude and plays players at their rightful positions, else he is bound to leave/sacked come May.
Xhaka doesn’t need to apologize but then the club may tell him to do so and if thats the case, he needs to simple.
Watch out for a ” spirited performance” at anfield or an ” honourable loss” whichever headlines suit better and yes unai will play Ozil that game and say see I gave him the chance and even the captain’s arm band, bravo.
Bat raised.
Acknowledges the polite applause.
Top drink GSD I agree with everything you wrote, you deserve a large triple żubrówka for that! Top man!
This is exactly how the Xhaka debacle unfolded, he was slow as snail to leave the pitch, chucked the armband then raised both of his arms up, crowd reacted it got worse then the I can’t hear you gesture, fans started to boo him and we all know what happened next.
The issue here is also that Emery’s at fault here too, the voting for captain melancholy is just the start of it. Everything that has happened to Xhaka is on him too but he hides from any responsibility and people management.
UTA
It is a pity that ‘ Xhakagate’ has figured so prominently as the main issue following the Palace game. It was a significant, and to many, an offensive moment, but like Brexit has derailed the political agenda there was much more to worry about than the behaviour of the captain.
In this social-media obsessed age it was always likely to capture the imagination much more than the quality of our defending, the injustice of the disallowed goal ( that would have been a bigger issue if it had denied say Liverpool, United or on the day Palace a legitimate winner), the poverty of our creative build-up play , the consequent starvation of Aubameyang and Lacazette and some of the positives- a decent debut by Tierney, a spirited display by Guendouzi with a body heck thrown in and the contributions of Pepe especially from dead-ball situations.
Xhaka is, as has been pointed out a lightning rod for Emery . He may deflect attention away from his coaching on Sunday but he is so strongly linked with him that it is hard to separate the two in my eyes. I’d love to see the back of both of them but that won’t happen for at least a while.
The older ones among us can remember the demise of Billy Wright as Arsenal Manager in 1966. He had some great attacking players and a defence that surpassed our current one in naivety and disorganisation . He chose to tackle the growing disenchantment by transfer listing our two best players in January and playing the rest of the season with a set of inexperienced players who weren’t up to the job ( with a few notable exceptions) . He would have been sacked months before he was ( in May) just after we had posted an attendance of 4,500 or thereabouts for a home game against Leeds. Emery is nowhere near that situation but he lives in more judgmental times and if we did mortgage a lot of our future budget on achieving Champions League football next season, last summer a decision will have to be made soon whether to stick or twist .
That one of the options for twisting is Mourinho is not only a supreme irony but a very scary thought. If people think things are bad now wait until his toxic handling of our great club poisons the atmosphere still further.
In 1966 we looked internally to solve the problem and it worked brilliantly. That would be harder to do now but the Lampard effect at Chelsea shows how fans will back one of their own. Would a Ljungberg/ Mertesacker axis be the 2019 equivalent of Mee and Howe?
You cannot give a job like this to people who’ve never managed a team before, I don’t care who they are.
VAR – Sunday’s game was officiated by an Australian who has never refereed a Premier League game, isn’t in the top level group of officials and has around ten EFL games under his belt as a ref.
No wonder it’s fucked.
In my note on Billy Wright I meant to have said ‘should’ rather ‘would ‘ in relation to his sacking . Those were different times but the atmosphere inside Highbury was so toxic my father and I decided not to attend for the rest of the season after attending a game in mid- March when to add to the sense of depression Don Howe was carried off with a broken leg.
I agree with Cynic that it would be a huge gamble to appoint internally but on a caretaker basis it may create a much better feeling around the club and it is a role that works in concert with a technical director. The alternative would be a caretaker a la Benitez and Hiddink . A bloke called Wenger might be available ??
As for VAR it needs careful thought. In other sports it is integrated into the drama of the event. It is just conveyed by a dull screen in football and there isn’t even the involvement of the match official in the decision. You can’t now celebrate a goal with any conviction. We will soon see officials stop checking offsides just as umpires stop looking for overstepping in cricket and rely on DRS if a wicket falls. The presentation needs radical rethinking and it must be possible to avoid the sort of stupid decision we suffered from on Sunday .
Hear hear…..
Ozil is traveling to Liverpool tomorrow, yet again he’s has improved and after a good conversation it’s all rosey between him and Emery.
Ozil has not played in months it’s like throwing him to the lions ?
Reality TV at Arsenal FC
It seems like an act of desparation in my view, why couldn’t he talk to him during last international break or at any point during this awful run?
ATG
He may even make Ozil captain !
Lose away at Liverpool and
no more games for another
two months?
A cunning plan m’lud ?
Arthur @51 Cheers. That’s what I saw so I’m glad to hear it tallied with your view. I agree with your last paragraph too.
I had hoped today that the club would make a decision and issue a definitive statement but that does not appear to be Emery’s style. We will have to see what tomorrow brings and perhaps the fact that we have a game will push things along. Perhaps not. I’ve got no idea anymore.
TTG
I was at that match when Don Howe broke his leg , not sure was it his debut for the Arsenal .
Regarding Ozil’s possible return , is he being thrown into the lions den?
What a match to return in with the kids maybe UE’s excuse not to play him anymore
Cynic @53.
I spent no time doing due diligence on the specifics of VAR but I am amazed that is legal. Surely the guy making decisions has to be a qualified Premier League referee? If we fielded an ineligible player we would be sanctioned. What happens when the governing body uses an ineligible ref?
Oh, right. Arsenal get screwed!
It smells fishy this, suddenly we have a U turn around paying Ozil and the club is ok with that too?
I’m not sure I understand the bloke any more, no disrespect towards him but why on earth now include him in a game? We were screaming for some creativity in the last four for crying out loud! Has he run out of ideas? Has he got an agenda against Ozil?
If he makes him captain tomorrow it should tell you a story or two, one thing’s for sure if this is the way he wants to run this team then how on earth did he get to job to begin with?
Forgot to add, how can you trust this guy when he keeps on changing his tune like this?
He is on the second tier of the elite list, which handles EFL games.
This is his refereeing record. As you can see, he’s only been in English football since the arse end of last season. He has, however reffed in fucking China and Saudi Arabia, as well as the A-League.
Leicester got Mike Dean on VAR, we got Jarred Gillett
https://www.transfermarkt.co.uk/jarred-gillett/profil/schiedsrichter/4929
There’s no U-Turn on Ozil, it’s the Carabao Cup and Liverpool look like they might be playing a load of kids. If he can’t get into our team in those curcumstances, I’d start to think he’d shot Emery’s dog.
As for talking him up, would you prefer Emery to say “It’s a shit competition and he might as well play, so we can save our better players for Saturday”? 🙂
There’s no great mystery around Ozil, I think, following the comments this week about decisions being made by the club regarding him. He’s never going to get another contract, we’d ship him out tomorrow if we could so why not invest time in younger players who are going to be part of the future?
Once the decision was made that he’s not been earning his corn and won;t be getting any more, that, combined with underwhelming performances last season which I’m sure you all remember, cooked his goose I reckon. We probably spent the summer trying to get rid and will spend January doing the same, so there’s four months valuable development time for young players they are not going to waste by picking Ozil, who the club doesn’t want because of his wages and the manager doesn’t want because of his attitude/performances.
That’s how I read it anyway.
Having a spot of difficulty figuring out whether this Jarred Gillett (who?) was applying Chinese, Saudi or Australian interpretations of the rules of the game.
On second thought, probably the Australian one, seeing as he shares with our friend Chris a preference for watching the game on a giant screen TV rather than looking at the real thing.
From Emery’s presser it sounds like the players are holding hands and giving Xhaka hugs.
It’s unbelievable to me that the club hasn’t issued a statement. It could be as simple as, “Arsenal FC does not condone the actions of the team captain on Sunday. We apologize to all of our supporters. The club holds the players, staff, and employees to a high standard of professional and personal conduct on and off the pitch. There are ongoing discussions within the club and additional statements are forthcoming.”
Instead they ignore the supporters, which is just going to fuel the flames of discontent.
Emery in the presser:
“It’s the same as one month ago and in that way, some circumstances weren’t helping us in every moment to be consistent or available to play. But I will say I think the last weeks he has progressively been training well and adding his spirit to help us.
“For example, our conversation this morning was because I wanted to listen to him about how he’s thinking now to help us and be with us tomorrow. Then if we are in the same spirit and the same idea, to play.
“It was a very good conversation and tomorrow he’s in the group.”
What on earth is this dude about? Shambles!
Cynic,
Yes he had a poor last season and he probably didn’t help himself in any way but we ain’t got anything better on the creative side at the very moment plus we are are paying him way too much for him to just turn up for training sessions.
Young players should be eased into the first eleven with some senior help to build up their confidence and learn the trade from seniors and it’s not exactly Emery knows how to coach them let alone make them better players with the football style he brings to the table.
Our strikers are not getting any service what so ever, guess what happens if we don’t finish in the top four? They will most definitely leave.
Steve V @60.
I was at his first game I think it was against Sheffield Wednesday and we missed a penalty. I think he may have taken it! That Blackpool game was his last one I don’t think he ever played again. We got him at the nub-end of his career , a typical Billy Wright deal!
I never met him but all of the players of the Double era who were coached by him thought he walked on water. Huge affection and respect for him although he was a tough coach apparently.
thunder T
forty three
it WAS quite the weekend !
bless her wee diamond socks
big man at
“All the fours”
that’s
“All the fours”
or
“One fat lady”
.
.
happy to help
a fellow traveller
smile
arse or no
dino
i’ve some advice for you
keep it brief
to the point
and
most importantly never stray from that point
but always keep it Arsenal
.
it’s always been my mantra here
?
a long overdue
moooooooooooooooooooooo
.
.
and
never ever ever
do other things
and stuff
.
.
.
you’re welcome
.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_uxuKjPIdoA
sorry
forgot to say
that was for himself
at
“One fat lady wi four bags o shoppin”
that’s
“One fa.. . . . . .”
etc
ye get the laboured gag
.
.
ye aren’t arseholes
.
*raises quizzical eyebrow*
.
.
here’s one for you dingdongs
derek hatton is older than suzi quatro
.
.
it’s political correctness gone mad
i tell thee
.
it’s getting to the stage
where people are going
to have to pretend better they care
.
.
(anyfuckinbody interviewed in anyfuckinmarkettown in anyfuckinwhere in england)
“let’s just get it done”
.
.
(reporter)
“well thank you for the cliched guff you’ve on cue spouted which my bosses back int telly big ‘ouse sent me out t’harvest”
it’s a fiasco
(remember dino – the bla principles)
.
.
always keep it Arsenal
.
DO NOT MAKE ME REPEAT IT
once ye get the hang of restraint
it’s simple
.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qnAG4KBOLXI
.
.
.
.
.
twas a cold winters night
in nineteen hundred and sixty
the stars weren’t quite aligned
FUCK OFF
they tried their best
.
.
.
there came a scream
“Sweet holy fuck , wipe the muck off his face ”
“What shall we name him”
.
.
.
“Better looking Jesus?”
.
.
.
“Yes”
“Amen brother , wee stewarty”
*mists roll*
*uilleann pipes wafting o’er said mist *
.
“but what of his football allegiance , pray tell”
.
“why , The Arsenal , of course “
“his strong jaw and fondness for the tit dictate “
“amen”
.
.
.
i bet ye all felt ye were there
at my mother’s business
with the evocative description
i just threw at you
.
honestly
it’s like i was there too
move over guest matchday reporters
there’s a new scribe in town
and lordy lordy
his quill don’t qui
.
.
.
ok ok
calm down mrs
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qnAG4KBOLXI
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dcLVIkpE8iM
.
.
.
(well that went smoothly)
sorry Debbie love
best intentions
for a funny joke
shat on by a big stoned lump
you deserve better petal
.
.
in other news
Debbie Harry is older than Derek Hatton
honest to god
if i had my druthers
i’d walk over the Irish Sea
and
beat knowledge into the lotta ye
honestly
what are ye all like !
Lulu – higher or lower ?
it’s like this stuff
isn’t important
to you
.
cher ?
.
.
no ?
.
.
fuckin arseholes
this stuff matters
the answer is …
Debbie Harry is …
.
.
.
older than all of them
and ten times better than all of them
(although derek hatton does wear nice frocks)
?
The “hang of restraint” redefined.
;;:;:
no syllable leaves my face
8ball
un considered
anyhoo
gonna try for a wee hour
sleep has been a stranger of late
goodnight
Sweet dreams CBA!
I fall asleep by counting lying politicians . We have so many here!
Plb
Sweet dreams CBA.
Try counting lying politicians rather than sheep. There are more
Passions running high, people reacting emotionally instead of keeping their heads together and an impatience that I generally do not associate with our club and a majority of it’s fan-base. I am not liking this at all and I think it is doing more damage than we imagine.
I do not condone the actions of Xhaka on Sunday but some so called ‘fans’ abusing his family and dishing out personal insults to him is far worse. I am not surprised he is devastated and am glad that the club has offered counseling. I am also okay with the fact that he takes his time in issuing a statement/apology, it is important that the right words are spoken – not quick ones.
I can understand the stadium fans singing the Ozil song sarcastically as a point to the manager. But all of a sudden there is this belief amongst some now that Ozil is going to solve our problems!! Wasn’t Ozil being booed by a lot of the fans a few months back? The moment when Ozil was subbed with Willock in the Europa League final was almost unanimously accepted as a seminal moment and an end in the Ozil chapter. If anything it is just a sign of how myopic fans are in the age of social media. I personally think that he is no longer suited to this league and agree with Cynic that the club would have gotten rid of him in the summer if they could. In fairness to Ozil he did seem to have a good pre-seaon but that knife incident and his subsequent absence contributed heavily in him losing his place in the side. Also for all those wanting him to start and saying that selecting him for tonight’s game is unfair – that is hypocrisy of the highest order. Again Cynic is spot on about the fact that if he can’t start getting match fit in a league cup game then when does he? Surely not against Wolves on Saturday – that would be literally throwing him to the Wolves…
I just hope that whenever he plays for Arsenal now, Ozil gives it his absolute all and leaves everything out on the pitch. He has to prove that he deserves a place ahead of some very promising youngsters and that he will fight despite being a superstar. If he continues in a lackadaisical fashion, he will lose supporters very quickly.
Desi,
I don’t think anybody said that Ozil is a magic pill to all our issues, when we needed some sort creativity on the pitch in the last few games because it was obvious we lacked exactly that. Having a bloke and paying him a fortune week in and week out is not clever management.
Even when Bellerin and Holding will be back in the first eleven it’s does not guarantee they sort our issues either, that is down to our manager.
Where’s Mesut?
The Guardian has the answer.
https://www.theguardian.com/football/ng-interactive/2019/oct/29/david-squires-on-wheres-mesut-ozil-arsenal
I hope he plays and plays a blinder.
UTA.
As for the manager, he will find it difficult to survive for long since public opinion has turned against him so much. I think that is highly unfortunate and I would still advocate giving him time – ideally till the summer or at the very least New Year. He improved our points tally and took us to the Europa final last year despite serious long term injuries to key defenders and also his only third choice striker. He has had only one transfer window to improve the team and our re-building job needs atleast 3 if not 4 windows. The team has undergone major changes again this summer and he has not had his first choice team available to him in the dozen or so games this season. The injury to Lacazette has compounded matters further. Also VAR has f*cked us properly and if we had those three points that VAR has robbed us of in the last two games, we would be one point off Leicester and this conversation would not be happening at all.
This is not to say that he hasn’t erred.
He has rightly been criticized for his dithering in naming a captain and delegating that responsibility to a team vote. Also for a manager who is not averse to try various formations and line ups, his reluctance to use the Guendouzi/Torreira double pivot has been baffling and irritating. His inability to communicate his ideas/decisions clearly to the media & fans (despite the language barrier) have also been a major hinderance. It also seems counter productive to change formations so much when the team is struggling for cohesion. His safety first approach in away games against bottom half teams has also been irksome.
But for all those hankering for a change because we do not have a ‘style of play’ are simplifying things a bit. Also it seems slightly entitled to think so. We have two world class players in Auba & Laca, players who could be potentially world class in Pepe, Hector(who hasn’t played for a long time) and probably Guendouzi but they are work in progress still. The rest even including Holding & Torreira are
very promising youngsters who may or may not make the next decisive step. Overall it is a promising and largely young squad(much better than last season) but not one perhaps ready to impose itself through out a season. I think even if we changed managers (head coach rather) and hired someone who preferred a set style of play (which ironically was a major criticism of Wenger! No tactics, No plan B), we would still struggle with the squad we have. The struggles would be of a similar nature week in week out instead of the different ones right now because of variation in approach by the present manager. I know people are pointing towards Chelsea and Leicester but I would like to see where they are in May. I think there will be a natural correction in their results and league position and if there isn’t then I would hail Rodgers and Lampard as very good managers.
Amy Lawrence rightly pointed out in her article that Emery is trying very hard to find the key to unlock the attacking potential of this squad. That explains his tinkering with formations and line ups. It is similar to Antonio Conte early on in his Chelsea reign. Yes this is Emery’s second season, but it is a much changed squad from last season.
Also we are 5th in the league despite bad results in the last two games. If we go into a tailspin (which is very much possible in the given scenario) then it would make sense to sack the manager and cut our losses. But until that happens, until the players are fighting for the manager I don’t think there is a case for sacking him neither is it a case of losing hope for a top four finish. The next two league games will provide a lot of answers, especially the one against Leicester. I just hope that the team shows a seige mentality and fights for each other and the manager. I hope the manager plays the Torreira/Guendouzi double pivot and takes Xhaka out of the firing line. I hope the Emirates crowd absolutely roars in support of the team on Saturday and since I am super optimistic, that there are a couple of good humored banners in support of Xhaka too.
PS: Apologies for the lengthy post…
There is plenty of evidence from Emery’s record at Sevilla, Valencia, Moscow and PSG that where we are now is an entirely predictable outcome of his appointment. The Arsenal directors who appointed him were blinded to this by his dossier and 3 Europa League wins. Things will not improve as he doesn’t have the capacity to improve them. I do hope that the owners have a planned replacement and appreciate they will want to wait until their target is available. However I believe that urgent progress in the correct direction is imperative and would change now even if a stand-in is necessary. We will lose several top players if we finish outside the top 4 again. This squad is perfectly capable of competing for those places though at the moment that target looks unattainable the way they are playing.
In summary: weak and indecisive management; unimproved defending (more shots given up -so worse); dysfunctional midfield;marked reduction in chance creation; poorer attack; insubordinate captain; terrible to watch.
I am quite glad I gave up our STs in the summer and have the luxury of choosing whether or not to continue watching the shite being served up at the Emirates. At the moment, after the last 2 home games, that decision is on a knife edge.
Granit Xhaka: Arsenal to offer counselling to midfielder after fans’ argument
https://www.bbc.com/sport/football/50229350
Desi
No need to apologise about the length of posts if they are of the quality of your ones today. A very rational argument , well-presented and although I am very much convinced that Emery doesn’t have what it takes to be Arsenal coach , while he is in situ I want him to be successful.
There are rumours from a few quite well-connected Gooners that there was no dossier and that this was PR spin from Gazidis. Spin…Gazidis? Surely not !? Certainly I find it inconceivable that the Emery we see in interviews ( and interestingly they don’t anglicise his programme notes so we can the benefit of full on Spanglish ) could sweep the selection committee away with a stunning and coherent presentation . It’s not he isn’t fluent in English which is the problem. My Spanish is largely restricted to ‘ dos cervezas por favor’ So I can’t criticise linguistically , but he strikes me as a muddled thinker. His initial pick is rarely if ever right and his teams lack early intensity and if we do get a lead we can’t seem to hang onto it.
Tonight isn’t a particularly significant game. It will feature two shadow sides and it would be wrong to extrapolate too much from the result. But the spirit and organisation we show will be an indication of how together the club is. My sense is the club is not together at all
Ned,
To keep things fair, shouldn’t the club also offer counselling to fans who’ve had to watch him play lately?
ATG@108, that is a fair point regarding there being no guarantees about any player coming in and improving the side. I do not mind Ozil being given a chance but I was just pointing out that some fans might just be over-expecting things of him. He got enough chances last season to prove his worth to this team and he clearly did not come out on top there. Emery has made two telling comments regarding him this season – one was about him not training with the intensity as the other members. If that is the case then the manager is right. The second was after a few weeks where he pointed out that it was not his call alone and a stand by the club. Again if that is the case and if we are trying to get rid of him in January then it makes sense to try and integrate the players who are going to be with us. There could be a revision in that position from the club based on the struggles of the side and as you mentioned since we are paying him such huge wages, we might as well see if he can make a significant difference.
TTG@113, Thanks and I agree that it is difficult to imagine Emery blowing away the committee with a super fluent presentation. You have mentioned your reservations about Emery quite clearly and share some of those reservations myself particularly about first half intensity and cautious approach away from home even against bottom half sides. But as I mentioned in my original post the circumstances have almost always conspired him in many ways. I am not his biggest fan either. But there have been some games(Spurs, Pool, Chelsea at home last season and Europa semis) to provide evidence that he can mould the team into a very combative, exciting and versatile unit. The proportion of disjointed performances outweighs the good ones though. My reservation to sacking him at present comes from the fact that I believe in the fact that most good results in anything are because of processes. I just think that this season the process has been reset and I would like to see him given time to make the team undergo that process of evolving by playing/training together for a reasonable amount of time. The other reservation comes from the fact that we aren’t Chelsea. We gave Wenger many years despite repeated shortcomings of a similar nature year on year. Emery is nowhere near Wenger’s stature but if we have given him a two year contract, I would like to see us atleast try and find out how he manages when the tide is right up against him. I know it is a results business and I think the sack Emery talk could be justified if we don’t manage atleast 4 points in the next two league games. And I just hope every fan replicates your top top sentiment about backing him fully until he is in charge.
Dunno who was on our selection committee but, along with Raul, Ivan also speaks fluent Spanish.
Emery had no English at the time so it was either done with an interpreter or in Spanish. I bet he is a million miles more coherent in his native tongue.
Either that or we should have hired the interpreter!
No.
No.
No.
I do not mean Mourinho.
I do not know who mentioned Moaninho? If any, I think they represent a tiny minority. We might need a new manager, but definitely not JM!
@118
He used to translate for Bobby Robson I believe and is sometimes referred to as the translator, or less commonly, the interpreter.
Desi @ 107
I would absolutely have liked to see a statement from either the club or player by now. I don’t think it is hard to formulate a sensible statement once the club has taken a decisive line and even an interim statement (ecg @67 provides a sensible template) would have been good to see.
In the context of our recent indecision (Ozil, captaincy, playing out from the back etc) it is harder to see this as a sensible cooling off period rather than more indecision than it would otherwise be. I hope when we do hear from the player and club we see a response that is worth the delay in issuing it.
I have a friend who lives in Paris and supports PSG. He commented to me when he joined Arsenal that he hoped his English was better than his French . Later when we met he said there was a lot of derision about Emery’s press conferences because they became very jumbled but he may just not be a great linguist . Great coaches can communicate without being completely fluent . Nevertheless it must be that GSD is right and he presented in Spanish .
I’m hearing that the trains from Euston to Liverpool have been in chaos all afternoon with a number cancelled. Looks like some of our travelling faithful won’t be able to make it tonight.
GSD@120, Totally agree with your point regarding the club issuing a statement and also the template by ecg@67. I meant Xhaka issuing a personal statement should take his time if he doesn’t feel ready yet and is not in the right frame of mind.
TTG@121 ; A Frenchman being derisory about a foreigner’s use of his native tongue ? Surely not ! Sacre bleu. There seems to be an immense amount of overthinking and naval gazing going on with a smattering of hypocrisy too, eg, Emery looks out for a player’s welfare and looks for a measured, civilised response and that’s pathetic dithering but I bet with Wenger it would have been seen as the utter class of the man. As I see it the last week has seen ; VAR screwing us for at least 3 points, Xhaka surely dumped as skipper and sitting a few games out (thank god), Pepe’s finding form which is massive and, yes, things still not quite clicking yet. We haven’t even re-integrated all these defenders ! What kind of hissy fit are we going to get from people if we get some injuries or actually slip down the table ? Yes we finally have a really stupid error we can pin on Emery (Xhaka as captain) but we all make mistakes. COYG.
Be ironic in a way if Ozil
did play well and get back
in the side.
It might save UE’s neck.
Anyway, I’d like Ozil to
play well and The Arsenal to
win tonight. The latter is
more important of course.
A victory for the midweek XI
at Anfield would cheer us all up.
2-0 would be even more cheery.
Brutal but true summary @
111 from Bath.
We can list all the excuses we
want about VAR, injuries, it’s
all AW’s fault, it’s all Ivan’s
fault, we played well in a few
games last season etc etc but
it’s been more than a year and
it’s honestly difficult to find
positives.
Some young players are being
given chances – I like that UE
plays them. That’s it really.
We cleared out some players
and strengthened the squad
but UE is coach and doesn’t
buy the players – he must have
input though so some credit
there.
AW went because the club didn’t
believe he could get us CL football
as a minimum goal. UE has moved
us no further forward from that
point – you could argue we’re
actually worse. I don’t believe this
is overthinking, it just comes from
watching the bad football we churn
nearly every weekend.
Martinez
Bellerin, Holding, Mustafi, Kolasinac
Torriera
Willock, AMN
Ozil, Saka
Martinelli
Ozil does start. Let’s hope he plays well.
Hector captain. More please!
I’m not too bothered about tonight. It would be good to avoid a spanking, great to win, and as long as we play a decent game and work hard then I won’t be overly disappointed if we don’t get the result we want.
If we do then it’s at least one more game for a group of young players who need all the minutes they can get.
UTA
Bellerin!
Captain, my Captain!
Who thinks Torreira will play number 10?
That would give us a chance to reinvent Ozil in a deep lying playmaker position just like Santi. ?
I hear Julio Baptista is on his way to Anfield . A reprise is in order.
Looking at the squads ours is much stronger but the starting elevenscare matched. We’ve got game changers on the bench. They may well have too but Izvestia not heard of them .
3-1 to the Arsenal. Mustafi MOTM
GSD,
Torriera the new box to box midfielder ?
I’ve not turned into a Russian. My auto correct for some reason changes I’ve to Izvestia !
I’m in the same sort of mindset as GSD. I think we will do well.
I expect a 4-2- 3-1 and my bet is that Ozil plays up as a 10 but the Torreira switch might be a clever one . He might play AMN deeper and push Willock forward
AMN will start on the right
I suppose, he and Hector
on that side will work well
I hope. Good to see Joe
back centrally, I think a
partnership with Torreira
will be more solid than the
Vitoria game last week.
2-0 would be nice but can’t
see a clean sheet so I’ll go
for the 3-2 win we were
robbed of against Palace.
COYGs!!
Oh dear Mustafi
It would have helped if he’d gone for it with his correct foot. Staggering to me that so many pros are so insecure about their “swinger” that they tie themselves in a knot to use their “good” foot.
“That’s just classic Mustafi.”
Alan “Smudger” Smith. Sky Sports. Bin Dipper Land.
I was about to post ‘oh dear’ but Arthur has beaten me to it!
Oh well. Keep going lads. It’s still early.
I suggested Mustafi might score
In fairness, if you watch it in slow motion it’s bloody impressive. He slides in with his right foot. Completely misses it and manages to score with his left knee.
That isn’t easy to do. Must have been hours on the training ground working on that one.
Alas poor Mus, another for
the highlight reel.
Get in Torreira!!
Get in Torriera
Twice good play from Ozil in the build up to our goal
Siolololololooooo
MMMMAAAAARRRTTTIIINNNEEELLLLIIIIIIIII
Poachers goal for LT 🙂
the new fox in the box?
Get in!
Quick thinking for the
free kick and nice feet
from Martinelli
Second for Martinelli
3-1. So far ?
Martinelli is a goal machine
They should have had a pen from Bellerin hand ball in all honesty
That looks like a straight up dive to me.
Another 6-3 victory for us?
As GSD said it was a dive and he should have got booked for it!
Of course you can’t rely on Ozil on a cold Wednesday night up north. He will bottle it . Conventional wisdom .
He’s giving Emery a problem .
Arthur. You were right about Bellerin’s handball too. It is just so Arsenal to get away with one and then immediately concede one to a dive!
TTG,
So far Ozil is playing well and may this continue is the the second half, we look so much better going forward.
GSD, yep typical Arsenal 😀
Wow. VAR would have overturned our first goal, their non-penalty, and their given penalty.
Ozil our best player. Martinelli looking good too but should have made it 4-2 before the break.
That penalty… I hate penalties like that, they’re dives.
Contact is not a foul every time FFS, and that handball is not a penalty either, it was hammered straight at him.
Obviously under the stupid new laws it probably would be given, but that doesn’t change the fact that it never should be 🙂
Isn’t this the time of the season the other guys start getting some bad news?
TTG.
Give us the izvestia. The whole izvestia. And nothing but the Izvestia. 😉
Excellent drinks up above from the usual suspects, including desigooner.
Tell you what, I can’t stand Ozil and if he never played for us again I’d be happy, but that touch was fucking quality.
Say what you want about Ozil he’s fucking class!
You just can’t rely on Ozil on a big night away from home.# Bottler
Ha ha @ Cynic
Carabao Cup a big night? Have we sunk that low then? 😉
any streams available, gents?
Scruz. I found one via totalsportek.com. sportsio. It’s been good.
Cracking game this. Top strike from Ox. (No idea why he’s getting booed)
Although AMN far too slow and retreating from the ball waiting for it to drop.
Come on Arsenal!
Oh well.. win or lose from here those who want to bash the manager regardless will have plenty of ammo I guess.
man, i’ve missed a lot of footy. in twenty minutes, we’re drawing? yowza.
gsd, i hope you enjoyed ttg’s company sunday as much as i did thursday…
thanks.
Why sub Ozil?
That surprises even me, unless his legs are going.
I dunno Cynic. This one’s almost off limits. It’s another mad Anfield game. What’s gonna happen next?
You should understand Cynicism Cynic
And now we have Ozil sacrificed by Emery again. The four goals are all his fault
Ozil off? That’s unexpected.
And Emery takes Ozil off. What a twat Unai is
I suppose given that he hasn’t played and must be a bit leggy, combined with them getting on top of us in midfield it was a logical sub, but I would have removed Saka or Willock, personally.
He does like giving people rock to throw at him, Emery.
I talked that one in didn’t I. Who needs coaching badges?
what a strike from willock.
ceballos for torreira. huh?
Screamer!
We could do with Laca and Pepe on now….
No we have Willock ha ha
do we still have another sub?
Yeah we have only used two. Laca and Pepe, Sokratis and Tierny plus Macey left.
thanks, cynic.
so kola is calling for a sub, martinez is calling for kola to be subbed, are we going to get tierney on?
He wouldn’t take off Martinelli. Would he?
I haven’t seen the game but the beeb says Liverpool have had twice as much possession. Does that sound right?
FFS
it had to happen.
Centre backs just standing there going “Go on then mate, have a volley”
it’s not like that was an easy goal, either. LETS GET ONE NOW GUNNERS!
Penalties!
What a game unbelievable ????????
Martinez has had a shocker today
at least our second team is equal to liverpool’s after 90 minutes.
penalties immediately? or extra time?
We score five goals away from home and can’t win . What does that say about Emery’s defensive coaching ? And the let’s wait till Bellerin and Holding return argument ?
Straight to pens. No ET.
It says he should never have picked Ozil, TTG 😉
wow. ok. thanks, c100.
ttg, just because they’re back doesn’t mean they’re back. i mean, mustafi is still in the middle, and half our midfield was kids.
but, yeah, the defensive coaching. not a lot, on evidence.
TTG,
Funny enough I used that as an example earlier here we go again…
Also the Bellerin/Holding/Tierney thing was a classic case of players not in the team just having to be better than those who are. But give it time and as a unit they will be.
totally agree at 208, cynic.
now, that’s a captain’s strike. 🙂
I wish Martinez would stand still. You cannot save a penalty gadding about on the line like that.
Well he looks like he’s going to the electric chair, but he’s scored… Come on ffs save this
Fucking total bollocks shit and cunt.
Goodnight all.
Played a decent a game it has to be said I’m a tad disappointed though
well, then, one less competition to manage. what a terrible little loss.
Inevitable. How can you go out scoring five goals ?
Not sure what brining Cebalos gave us in all honesty I know he missed the pen and it happens but I didn’t really see anything decent from him.
Defensively we are still shit who ever plays in there
We had to work hard to lose but we found a way. Should not have let them back in from 4-2 or conceded the fifth so close to the final whistle. That result has become more disappointing than I expected because we put ourselves in great positions.
It was an absolutely fantastic game to watch though!
A bastard at the end but
I can’t say I didn’t enjoy
the first 90 minutes
Ceballos was the only penalty taker I had little confidence in and he was the one who missed. He just seems a bit lightweight.
Ozil would have scored ?
A very enjoyable game of football up to the equaliser, our CB fell asleep as usual.
Well not a great deal you can do about it now, back to the PL on Saturday and this is the game we can’t afford to loose
Great to see Ozil again on the pitch and I would not have subbed him
It shouldn’t have come to the penalties at all. This hurts because we have been a better team tonight. Also, this could have been a morale booster after Sunday. Shit!
A disappointing end to a memorable game. But hopefully it gives us a bit of confidence for Wolves on Saturday.
Including pens, Martinez conceded 10 out of 11 shots on target he faced today. Where’s Cech when you need him?
I wonder if Ozil will even make the bench on Saturday?
I thought it was fair enough
to take Ozil off, he had
little enough game time
in his legs.
Nice to see him playing
well for us again though
as ATG says.
I’d be surprised if he’s
involved on Saturday.
It’ll be the usual waffly bollocks
about he needs to keep working
hard, blah blah blah.
After his great start it’s been
tough going for Ceballos.
Anyone can miss a penalty
but his contribution from open
play has tailed off.
Hopefully he’ll get used to the
PL, I think there’s a good player
in there and it’s more whether
he can adjust.
That was the Emi Martinez of Reading 5 Arsenal 7 .
Ceballos is becoming increasingly underwhelming butvwe can take pleasure in the quality of Martinelli, Willock and Saka.
Ozil on bench on Saturday at best
Certainly not a good result, and I don’t think it can be any consolation that it was an entertaining game to watch.
(My own consolation, since I didn’t get to watch it.)
If we let five in at the back, we are meant to score six.
Heartbreaking result.
Just watched the match on ESPN+. Didn’t know the score but saw on the video timer that the broadcast would run 20 minutes longer than usual. Knew it was going to pens and was stuck wondering the entire match how we were going to blow it. And blow it we did. We stink.
Can’t read too much into a
one-off cup game I think.
Especially one like that.
The case for the defence?
Time for Hector to start.
Rob and Calum should then
both be available to challenge
Papa/Luiz for places.
On to Wolves and hopefully the
end of the Xhaka affair.
Deserve’s got nothing to do with
it Unai.
Sorry all, No posts for a few days while I am laid up in hospital. Don’t worry about previews or posts, you deserve a few days off. Will let you know when I know what is going on.
OM, agree Hector looks ready to start and Tierney does too. Am I imagining that competition at LB has elevated Kolasinac’s contribution a smidgeon? If so, hopefully Rob/Calum will do the same at CB.
But a sound back four (and our’s is as sound as a pair of fish net stockings right now) is of little, nil, nada, zilch value without cover in front. We have absolutely none. Also far too many mistakes and a MF set-up that welcomes shots on our goal.
For Chamberlain’s goal Kolasinac makes three errors in an Arsenal attacking move on the left and then AMN dithers. For their final goal Sake stands and watches a teenage Scouser dance around him twice before crossing to Origi who’s lost by Mustafi. Hopeless and sadly predictable.
Martinelli, Willock and Saka are real prospects. AMN has real talent but his tendency to err is undermining his contribution. Ceballos won’t make it at Real Madrid. He’s ours if we want him. I wonder of we will by season’s end? Time will tell.
Get well, Holic. Sending barrowloads of positive vibes from the Kingdom. Her Nellieness doing the same and wonders can she send kisses on Goonerholic? (I’ve told her only cba can do that, so hopefully you’ll get some big smackers from the handsome big guy).
iBtM,
Agree with all of @234 and the
sentiments of @235. All the best
Guvnor.
Torriera played last night but it
certainly wasn’t as a DM. I have
no clue what we’re trying to do.
I’d be happy to try even Calum or
Luiz there with an attacking CM
option like Joe or Dani.
Sake stands and watches a teenage Scouser dance around him twice
Well that’s his nickname sorted then. Handbags.
Be well, H.
OM – We are trying to press higher up the pitch, so Torreira isn’t playing as an attacking midfielder, he’s just doing his defending further forward.
I can see why Emery would want to do that, as it injects a tempo into our game that we often lack, but unfortunately I think it will only be seen to work when Tierney and Bellerin are in place consistently, because Kolasinac and Chambers are even more attacking than those two are and the gaps behind are huge.
Witness the first goal last night. Kolasinac gets caught pressing high up, no cover, MUSTAFIIIIIII
Get well soon Dave. You need to be striding round those golf courses and coming to Arsenal games next year.
As you sit back and let pretty nurses tend to your every need, you can mull on one of the best goals we’ve scored for many a long day.
Joe Willock twisting and turning at pace through the Liverpool midfield, before unleashing an unstoppable thunderbolt from the edge of the area brought back memories of another much loved player.
Rocky Rocastle.
A game which no one expected to win, even Liverpool did not want but trust us to go against the script.
We should have won this 6-3, we could have scored quite comfortably more but that was not the point, we just cannot defend. Mustafi was mustafi and less said better about kolasinac the better. Niles as always offensively good, defensively clueless. Whoever is our GK, he won’t stop a penalty and i a am certain of that.
The game was about 3 players, torriera who was brilliant first half and then thrust to go forward which never makes sense, Martinelli who is a natural in finishing and then Mesut Ozil who was just magnificent. I cannot think of too many players in this world who could have played that pass to Niles for the goal, almost an impossible angle and to have the thought process and execute it, just Mesut things. Emery said post-game that it was decided he would play 65 min while indicating he may play the wolves game, wonder why so considering he has hardly played and at 4-4, he was the one who could unlock that defence time and time again. Strange again but then its emery.
Football was fun, it did not matter if they had schoolboys and we had probably college-goers in the team, it finally was refreshing to see a game where no one really cared for tactics etc and instead just went and played their game.
Finally, Mourinho in a recent interview said a lot of good things what we miss out on in this team, a telling point was emery trying to make guendouzi the focal point for everything when the boy is not there yet, i concur but that I no way means Jose at arsenal, rather have Rodgers any given day.
Get well soon H.
Holic get well soon, gather your strength for all the golf and Arsenal as Countryman mentioned earlier.
The moment we subed Ozil ,we lost our attacking mojo. the rare counter attacks we managed were all were all fruitles becouse we did not have the composure of Ozil passing on the field i bellieve we would have scored more had Ozil not been subed .
Get well Holic and Soon.
Get well soon, Holic.
dave, i hope your time in the hospital is instructive and productive, and they figure out what’s up. do let us know what’s going on. be well, and get better soon.
Holic, I hope it’s nothing serious, and best wishes for a speedy recovery. Your health is the most important priority. Even though we need you, the other nutcases/erudite drinkers here are keeping me entertained and sane.
Dave,
My thoughts are with you and I hope you are comfortable and they find and deal successfully with the problem. My random diagnosis is that you have been watching Arsenal defend too much . It hasn’t always been like last night but even a short exposure to Mustafi and Kolasinac can be damaging to health .
C100’s good wishes touched off the erotic vibes that I always get when considering nurses in their starched uniforms and dark stockings. That helped me to forget Mustafi’s og . I hope you get a few erotic vibes and are fighting fit ASAP. ?⚕️ ?⚕️
Deary me, fantasies of matron.
Whatever next? 🙂
‘holic
every good thought i have
is horsing it’s hole to you
you are a good man
thunder T
on the other hand
is NOT a good man
he’s a good and HORNY man
.
.
the dirty oul brute
and
sweet holy fuck btm !
big sloppy kisses for ‘holic are a given
.
he had to install internet guttering to cope
Cynic,
He’s defending further up the pitch,
I see 🙂
To be fair it did mean he was in the
6 yard box to equalise.
TTG
Never forget to use incognito mode, or delete your history.
You’re welcome.
#knowstoomuch
C100
That might have been a good idea.
Henceforth I will metamorphosise into CBA when I’m having a fantasy about Nurse Jenkins ?⚕️
Ah that Nurse Jenkins . Swoons……..
What a woman ?⚕️ ?⚕️.
That Nurse Jenkins…..swoon.
Wot a woman ? ? ?
That CBA . Wot a handsome hunk ?️♀️
But my heart belongs to Holic ??
Conjuring all the medical good news for you ‘holic if it can be conjured with my limited powers. Hope you are back, hale and hearty soon.
257
now you
YOU !
i can do business with
.
.
*shows 70s shag carpet catalogue*
“I fancy the burnt umber ”
“but”
” far be it from me to deny you your singed ochre”
so
nurse J
we’ll just plump for shite
what say you ?
Our ladies beat Slavia Prague 8-0 this evening (13-2 on aggregate)
Ooh CBA you want me to lie down on shag pile.
You cheeky boy?
thunder T
yer making me uncomfortable
retreat retract and basically fuck up
oy vey
TTG,
That’s a massive result for the ladies well done ????????
CBA,
You are the….dogs shiny bollocks
Ned
I don’t suppose the monks know what the longest ever thread on Goonerholic is do they?
Be good to lay the record at the landlord’s feet when he gets out.
Xhaka has finally made his
statement.
That should take us through
to 300 🙂
Personally I think Xhaka’s
free to say anything he
wants really. But I do
expect the club to speak
up, the silence so far is
just odd now.
I think everyone can agree
that the abuse he and his
family were getting on social
media was disgusting.
Apart from that I imagine
there’ll be several different
viewpoints.
c100 i can remember some in the 5-ton range back in the days of wolfie, his jimmy choos, shaft’s moustache wax, dr. feelgood, and the happy train…
Shaft’s moustache wax has been under wraps. Soon to re-emerge?
Given a choice between Shaft’s moustache wax and Xhaka’s statement I know which one I would rather talk about.
aaaahhhhhh
271
‘holic royalty right there !
.
.
?
as many moooooooooooooooooooooos
as i can muster
in salute
?
.
that’s what is unique about this place
genuine good people
proper gooners
giving brilliant insights and analysis
and honest to god pure nonsense
for fuck all
except the mutual admiration of the guvnor
and The Arsenal
.
.
just brilliant
top work ‘holic
ya oul tart
this
moooooooooooooooooooooo
is just for
yooooooooo big man
?
and
should
the sweet stench of shite
waft up yer nostrils
in yer hospital bed
ye’ll know my best herd o girls
have arrived to keep you company
it was their idea
and they’re using their own pocket money
for the ferry
?
(wee heads up)
mildred has lost a bit of weight recently
so if you made a point of saying
how well she’s looking
she’d be over the moooooooooooooooooooooon
ps
she’s the big one with the udders
.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QEdPe1SxitI
or
if you’ve been bitten
by the thunder T horn bug
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sWbB_vStX_8
That is not an apology in all honesty, he talks about his family being abused which is wrong by all means, he used it as as a shield for his reaction on the pitch.
This was a twisted minority who said those things and they were wrong to do so, what about other fans who didn’t said those things why not fully apologise for his actions?
It’s a weird statement by the club as well.
Apologies it seems the club didn’t make this statement at all it just himself on Instagram
I totally agree Arthur. Conflating a few idiots on Twitter with 60,000 matchday fans is wrong. Then using that as an excuse for his behaviour is weak. It is not an apology as he obviously feels he has not done much wrong.
The thing that shines through is a refusal to take responsibility for his own actions. Which is about the last quality I want in a captain.
Still, it’s the best we will get. Though, amazingly, I am now less impressed than I was before this statement and still hope he is stripped of the captaincy, fined, left out of the team (at least for a while, preferably forever) and sold as soon as possible.
A clear and unequivocal statement might have put this to bed. The mealy mouthed waffle we got will leave a lot of people unhappy, whilst also making clear how angry Xhaka is at his Twitter treatment and how closely he links this to his own supporters in the stadium. Any truce between the two will be uneasy, the issues certainly not addressed, and I fear we will see more problems further down the line that will do no good for any of us. I hope I’m wrong but I doubt it.
Damn. I really hoped after 4 days we would get something better.
Agreed GSD,
He should have mentioned that as him being the the team captain he understands his responsibilities and that he was wrong in
He was wrong in the way he reacted and make a full apology.
After four days this was a really lazy attempt i my view. Fans are already taking about this and most are not seeing it as an apology.
It’s not an apology it’s a justification and as for the social media abuse, it’s a sad fact of life that if you are famous and doing a job like this one, where mistakes (and often huge ones) are inevitable, it’s going to be part of of that job.
That doesn’t mean any of it is justified, but if you have social media accounts as a footballer, you should pay a staff to run them for you and stay well clear. Never look at them, or … don’t have them at all.
It seems some footballers would cease to exist as human beings without social media though.
Totally agree @287 Cynic.
I don’t know much about social media accounts but my understanding is that people posting threats and abuse are not prosecuted because they don’t use their real details. So, in this instance, we have no way of knowing whether they are even Arsenal supporters. Is that right?
If so it is an even wiser policy not to react. You might be letting opposition fans ruin your relationship with your own fans. That would be trolling of the highest level.
Being a famous person comes as a package and when you make yourself available on Twitter, Instagram, Facebook etc.. you are guaranteed to get trolls trying to ruin your life with abuse, threats and other means of nasty stuff.
Police can trace IP addresses so in most cases they can be traced.
Hire a PR team to manage those sites and never look at them if you are are too sensitive. If not close those accounts all together.
I can’t really get worked up over the Xhaka episode or his lukewarm pseudo-apology. He is a player who has failed to learn from his mistakes on the field, often the same ones: caught in possession or sloppy passes in our own half & rash challenges come to mind. He is slow of leg and slow of thought. I never regarded him as Arsenal standard let alone captain material. This episode and his ‘apology’ fit in with his previously demonstrated petulant and thoughtless nature. His days at Arsenal are numbered if only as a result of his own desire to leave which I see as the inevitable consequence of recent events. The club should strip him if the captaincy but this is not the club it was. I don’t really care what they do.
More importantly the fallout from this episode may further poison the season and make it even more difficult for the club to finish in the top four.
1) Holic – get well soon.
2) Btm’s comments spot on – none of our midfield were much use defensively. Saka particularly seems to be missing in action which isn’t that helpful when the fullback is Kola. Musa was just himself and Holding was consistently careless. Hence the five goals.
3) Xhaka – he is not “our” captain, he is Unai’s. Many of us would not even have him in the team. Personal abuse like that is unacceptable but here’s an idea, as some have suggested – simply don’t bother with Twitter or Instagram. The world won’t fall in without them.
4) Ozil seemed to try hard and made a decent contribution. His continued exclusion is counter productive and as many have already noted, it’s not though we are currently blessed with abundant creativity.
UTA.
This Presser today is your moment Unai, you must step up. The statement/apology is weak, you must be strong. COYG.
Some good posts on Xhaka, all leaning in the same direction. I understand the German translation of his Instagram words did contain more of an apology but I think GSD nails it here.
It’s easy to play the social media card. Social media is rotten with all sorts of detritus as we have seen in the Brexit and Anti-Semitism debate.
Xhaka didn’t inch off the pitch abusing the fans because they attacked his baby daughter. He did it because he lacked the character of an Arsenal captain ( that he lacks the ability is a separate matter.). He failed to appreciate that the priority was to secure three points, he saw it purely through a personal lens.
He hasn’t got the right stuff and it is one of several errors of judgement by Emery to appoint him . A number of us here have met Arsenal captains of the past ( some sadly no longer with us ) and many of them were men of real character who were worthy to represent this great club and acutely conscious of the honour of that role and responsibility that it carries.Spend some time with Frank Mclintock if you want to understand what makes an Arsenal captain. My dad met Joe Mercer and said he had a real aura of leadership . Could you see Tony Adams sulking off like that on Sunday? ( Faced with his alcohol – related problems no one can deny the strength of character Tony has demonstrated in dealing with them and the way he has devoted his life to helping other sportsmen to fight their demons)
Xhaka is an unworthy successor to men of that ilk irrespective of the fact he is very underwhelming player. Let us hope the custodians of Arsenal Football Club have the slightest inkling of what I am writing about and take the necessary action .
Exquisitely said, TTG.
Hear hear.
word@293, ttg.
Just for the sake of 297
Yet again I feel I am in a minority of one here. My sympathies are totally with Xhaka and I couldn’t give a toss whether he apologises or not. Supporters should never boo their own players. Shamefully, a significant number of our supporters seem to be pretty good at it and have been for a very long time. Off the top of my head I can name Mustafi, Gervinho, Martin Hayes and Jon Sammels all getting similar treatment, but there are probably several more. Of course the obvious one was our last manager. I don’t get it really. What will happen the next time Xhaka makes a bad pass? We know the answer. This is probably the end of his Arsenal career along with Mustafi. Some supporters will no doubt be happy with that but our rather thin and fragile squad is looking weaker. We need to stop looking for scapegoats and really get behind all of our players.
*rolls it across the six yard box …*
ahem.
Good points made by Devon Stu @298 although my sympathies are not with Xhaka. The crowd’s treatment of Eboue was shameful as well, and those who boo our players ought to search their souls. It seems as though as soon as Arsenal get rid of a player who has been the object of this ritualistic booing, the booers find another object of their wrath. Therein lies much of the cause of the toxic atmosphere.
Ooh, well in Scruz. I forgot to lurk.
The player has made a statement and expressed what he feels. It does not have to be what everyone else thinks he should feel. Atleast it is an honest statement of what his mindset is right now – it is not a fake PR agency written waffle. It is up to the fans(all of us included) now to draw a line under it and move on positively. The club should make it clear to the manager and the team that he will no longer be captain. Just be smart and make sure the situation never escalates again.
One thing I will say about Xhaka though – he is one of those who always gives his 100% on the pitch. Also he is one of the fittest guys in the squad and plays a lot of games every season. If anything he perhaps tries too hard which explains his rash tackles when it is clear from afar that he will be second best in a duel or instances like the penalty conceded against Spurs because of his overzealousness to contribute. And he is an emotional guy as seen so many times during on pitch incidents – he can’t prevent himself from reacting (and receiving red cards). He has his shortcomings as a player but lack of effort is not one of them. I hope all the fans recognize that and do not boo him the next time he makes a mistake. If anything he should be fully backed and cheered on so that he recovers his confidence.
Also this booing culture has to stop because we have plenty of youngsters starting out in this squad. Do we want them to feel that it’s better to play safe rather than take risks because they too could be meted out this treatment by fans tomorrow? Do we want potential signings to see this toxic behavior as something symptomatic of the club and create a doubt in their heads about signing for us? The ramifications of such booing are beyond just the single player being targeted.
Devon Stu
You make your point very well although I do not completely share your viewpoint. I was heartbroken when Jon Sammels left our club . He was incredibly harshly treated. He was one of a small group of players good enough to win the Double! Incidentally he was several classes better than Xhaka as a player. It broke his heart to leave Arsenal too. He had a huge love for the club.
I don’t consider Xhaka a victim in the same way. I didn’t boo Xhaka but I did shout at him to get off the pitch and not be so disrespectful as to rip off the armband and tell the fans to fuck off. The booing intensified as a result of his response . Had he walked off in a dignified manner and handed the armband to Aubameyang I think the issue would have been contained and we would be concentrating on other issues rather than the latest brainfart of someone who has cost us points on a regular basis ( and don’t forget his pathetic attempt to stop McArthur skipping past him to cross for their equaliser. My Palace mate who was at the game was killing himself that someone had made the leaden- footed McArthur look like Usain Bolt )
GSD described it well on Monday. We watched the game together and he was horrified by Xhaka’s response .
But the Arsenal crowd have previous. I hated the booing of Eboue and saw no value in it and when the crowd get on to a player it only erodes their confidence and harms the club. There is booing to signify dissatisfaction with the quality of a performance which is counterproductive. Sunday was different. It was a club captain disrespecting the club. My lack of respect for Xhaka as a player is well known but I reluctantly accepted Emery saw something in him I didn’t . After Sunday I believe it is best he moves to a club and set of supporters who appreciate his unique skillsets more .
TTG nails it @293 and 304.
Devon Stu. I hear where you are coming from and it does you credit. But I see it differently. And any comparison between what Xhaka did on Sunday and Xhaka misplacing a pass in his next match seems like chalk and cheese to me.
I don’t like any sort of booing culture. And I think Desi’s suggestion that young players should be worried is well wide of the mark.
For me, what Xhaka did was something unprecedented and i think the response to the crowd’s reaction has to acknowledge that. TTG said it for me, I was horrified. He waded into unchartered waters in terms of the standard of behaviour I have ever witnessed from a professional player. And for every action there will be an equal reaction. For as long as I watch Arsenal play I hope I never see a player do anything like that again. If I do not, then I do not expect to see the crowd react the same way either.
Arsenal is now in limbo, in space where everyone is right and wrong at the same time…like Macclesfield.
“Moron” was actually for Xhaka. Funny stuff, eh? I went along cause I can’t stand pretentious writing, especially about football.
Who the f*ck cares? We are going down.
Anybody saw Joan Baez by chance?
Anyway, Xhaka is not in the
squad tomorrow according to
UE.
UE’s attitude is that Xhaka said
sorry so let’s move on.
Head in the sand stuff but the
disappointing thing to me is the
lack of any statement from the
club. It’s weak and shows a lack
of values.
so
THAT “moron” was not kinda real, you know, but this one is
MORON!
but
like I said
Who the *ucK CaRes
There she is…..https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=txmlaZbY-f4
I’m more interested in who
will play tomorrow. We
only got a point off Wolves
last season and I’d like us to
stick it to the fuckers tomorrow.
Leno
Hector Calum Luiz Tierney
Torreira Guendouzi
Pepe Ozil Auba
Laca
subs Emi, Rob, Kola, Joe, Dani,
Saka, Martinelli
That won’t be UE’s team or squad
I know, it’s just who I’d pick
If Arsenal PR would check his statement it would never be published, it’s vague as hell.
I know there are two version one in German and one in English but both don’t cover the whole story. I honestly feel for the guy, I would be raging if some twat or twats for that matter would say those things about me or my family but if I could afford a PR team I would ask them to manage those social media sites for me. I think I would have enough on my plate so I would leave it to professionals. On top of that it would minimise my exposure to the hatred online which we all know exists in a big way.
I get where Devon Stu and Desi is coming from, however Xhaka doesn’t know what it means to be an Arsenal Captain. I’m sure it’s a great deal easier for his national team, there is not as much pressure as in the EPL. Emery is at fault here too we have 5 sodding captains for crying out loud, why on earth did Emery allow that to happen?
Xhaka should have highlighted on the importance of having the armband here at Arsenal and it’s values, he should have apologised properly for his behaviour as per my previous post.
GSD and TTG are spot on here too. I’m not being funny but from his statement:
“I let myself be carried away and reacted in a way that disrespected the group of fans that support our club, our team and myself with positive energy.”
So if I’m a silent fan or if I question something the I can fuck off as well?
I honestly think his Arsenal days are numbered.
Anyway I have had enough of this Xhaka debacle, we all care about this club and we all want all the players to do well and since we have a game on tomorrow I shall support them and hope we can pick up some needed points.
UTA
P.S.
I forgot to add support them with positive energy of course 😀
Best of luck to the Rugby
boys too. It’ll be a grind I
think as they’re a tough
side. But to beat Oz, NZ
and then SA to win the
World Cup would be as
good it gets.
SSY
Have you got an English translation of your remarks??
I’m really not sure what the thrust of your argument is?
Certainly there are an awful lot of people on this blog who care . We care too bloody much that’s what makes it so hard
TGSTEL’s book excerpts
were on Grauniad Online
today. It was interesting to
read the short bits about
the people who tried to
help him, Liam and Thierry.
His agent, as recommended
by Ashley Cole, comes
across as a snake.
Quite why the good denizens of this bar are wasting so much air time on the behaviour of yet another piss weak Swiss player that the Arse seem to specialize in buying,is beyond me.
After one of the most exciting crazy games of football I’ve seen in a long time at Anfield on Wednesday,i would rather focus on that in all it’s flawed glory.
A fantastic game to watch from the first minute to the last, and we gave as good as we got.
Some great performances across the board on both sides,with attack the only thing on both teams minds.
All my footballing mates, none of whom follow the Arse,to a man said it was the most exciting game this season.
No other team has gone to Anfield since 1966 and scored 5 and 6
goals against them.
Yes we lost,but we went down with all guns blazing at one of the most difficult grounds to win at.
That will do me.
clive knows.
“Have you got an English translation of your remarks?”
No, only in Chinese. Sorry.
Matt @309, I think the only change from the first eleven you suggest will be Calum starting instead of Hector. We might protect Hector after his 90minutes just two days back. Hector will be on the bench though and hopefully get some important premier league minutes under his belt in the second half after we have a comfortable(I know!) 3 goal cushion. A man can wish!
I hope your wishes come true
desi!
Clive does indeed know.
Bad start to the day in the egg chasing.
Hopefully The Arsenal do better.
Very disappointing to lose but South Africa outplayed us and thoroughly deserved it. Congratulations to them . I watched the 1995 final at Harvard with a group of different blokes many of whom were South African. One was black and said a few years ago he would have supported New Zealand as the team did not represent him. I’d been to South Africa the first time the year before and it was and remains a troubled and dangerous country. Let’s hope this brings them together and it lasts
In the absence of the Guvna ( Get well Dave!) we haven’t got our infusion of optimism before the game. Wolves have a style that really troubles Arsenal. Leno saved us last season and NES coached Emery off the pitch at Molineux.
I hope he picks Ozil today ( even though it’s cold and wet?) and I’d like him to start Martinelli . If it were me I’d have Luiz in defensive midfield too with Guendouzi as a double pivot .
I’m not optimistic we will win today
South Africa were brilliant and full credit to them.
From a personal perspective I think Arsenal are consistently underperforming and watching an England team play such good rugby over the last few weeks has been really great to see and a complete contrast to our club. It was disappointing to see them make so many mistakes today. They did not show how good they are. But they’ve given me a lot of pleasure in this World Cup and I’m proud of them.
Great tournament and a fantastic story for the Springboks. Well deserved.
Owen Farrell is an exemplary captain. I could not think more highly of him. Absolute class, determination and leadership.
I am more hopeful than expectant about Wolves today but anything could happen, we are so unpredictable. Let’s hope today goes our way. I’m very interested in Emery’s team selection and how we setup.
I do quite fancy Ozil behind PAL. Although ironically Xhaka is more effective when he has Ozil in front of him. Without him the whole team changes and it is important Emery sets them up with a defined structure. He has choices about what he wants to do, so I just hope he picks something he likes and makes it clear to the players where he wants them. I’m not expecting us to pull up trees but if we could manage 3 points and a performance to build on then I’d be chuffed.
UTA
Luiz and Guendouzi as a double pivot, TTG? It would confuse the hell out of somebody, hopefully the oppo.
COYG
team news
Leno
Calum Papa Luiz Tierney
Guen Torreira Dani
Ozil
Laca Auba
Not sure if it’s some kind
of 4-1-3-2 or 4-2-2-2 or
maybe one of Dani/Ozil
is shunted wide right
Should baffle Wolves for a
bit and as long as we win I
don’t mind.
Saka, Pepe, Martinelli are
all on the bench if width is
required
Typical Emery playing Ozil out on the flank should have started Pepe with Ozil as number 10
I take the boss has lost his confidence, if he had one before. What kind of team selection is this? Guend, Cebellos, Lucas & Ozil in the same lineup? When is Holding to play in the 1st 11?
Auba gets the first one.
Lulled them into over-confidence
by cunningly looking clueless,
then bang Auba!!
Missing the first bit of the game how’s it looking Holics?
Why is Torriera so high up?
They have played well so far, ATG, but Wolves look threatening. Happy to go into half time with a lead and a clean sheet. Hope it ends that way.
Started slowly ATG. Then
Auba scored and we had a
good 15 minutes.
Good save from Leno kept
us front before half time.
Wolves finished stronger the
last 5 or so minutes.
we are better today than against vitória last week. still not convinced by how much space we are giving them in our final 3d, and we don’t seem to be able to stop carriers running at seams. i think kt has figured out adama, or hope so.
and, at least at the half the results are just fine.
Thanks ksn & OM
Seen the end of the first half and also Leno’s save, they do look dangerous indeed. We need sort that midfield out, Torriera is way too high up for my linking.
Scruz,
We don’t defend as a untit that’s the issue here.
Torreira and Ceballos way too loose. Neither is consistently holding, or even keeping to one side of the pitch. Torreira especially is definitely too far forward. That leaves Guendouzi with too much ground to cover and leaves us completely exposed when he pushes forward, which he does so effectively we should not prevent him from doing occasionally.
Ozil finding space and he is so technically proficient. We looked more assured in the final third. Some good things happening. Still some problems
Playing from the back does not work for us ffs!
Laca still finding fitness but showed glimpses what a top player he is. Glad Martinelli is on.
Laca off for Martinelli.
Laca should have stayed, & taken out Cebellos or Lucas. Unai, man!!
Tapera. Laca looked pretty tired.
Ozil is starting to flag too. He might be next.
Apparently not. I don’t like how often our subs cause us to change formation.
Saka for Lucas. What does this look like?
Too fucking easy for crying out load!
Wolves equalize. We switched off so easily. Ozil, Tierney look tired. We just can’t seem to be able to beat Wolves.
Saka needs to bulk up, strengthen. He is getting knocked off the ball too easily.
COYG, get another goal.
Coach is cluless. Guend holds onto the too long. Lucas starts on the wings ahead of Martinelli, Pepe, Saka – really?
Kola coming back for Tierney. Not a great move. Tierney held off Traore well.
Tapeta,
He is clueless but the management is not seeing it
And Leicester is next in the league. This team is not up to it, me thinks.
Their Jota is such a fine player with his pace, close control and aggressive running at defenses.
Another draw. LDD is relegation form. Agree with Tapera that we could really get tonked in the next match.
We defended well but paid for losing concentration once.
I have had enough of watching Emery’s shit show, I’m sorry he needs to go no!
Why did Emery take off Torreira for Saka? Put us under more pressure instantly. Ozil played well, though, and showed he still has a role in this team. Emery is clearly the wrong manager for us.
Fucking lucky Pool.
After that muddled, befuddled, confused approach to the game I really don’t see why Emery should get any more chance.
His tactics are turning out to be self-fulfilling prophecies. Give so much “respect” to all opponents, play cagey counter-attacking games against opposition that we really must beat at home, and no wonder they go back with points.
Not playing Pepe in front of Ozil and asking Ceballos to defend throughout the match … I think by now Emery has established clearly that he is too much of a chicken to be an Arsenal manager.
Ozil played splendidly. For all 90 minutes.
Substitutions led to loss of organization and composure and we drew (feels like a loss).
The league is so tough that even the top teams are having a difficult time against bottom teams so can take some heart from our performance today.
That is more positive than I can
manage ksn., but yes it wasn’t all
bad.
Ozil was really good today as was Torreira. Tierney tired towards the end but was good otherwise and he will improve as he plays more. Chambers allowed their scorer to get ahead of him to score after Tierney and Saka had ball watched as Coutinho ran into space to provide the assist. Saka is willing but cannot defend.
We slow down while counter attacking by playing the ball backwards.
Not getting Pepe in late when his pace could have made life difficult for Wolves was a mistake as the manager chickened out. His reputation in a Spain was that he was conservative (too scared to go for a win) in the league though he played a more attacking game in the Europa league.
The only good today was United losing.
That Torreira / Saka substitution may just be the moment I lost faith in the manager. Made no sense at all.
yes, why not bring Willock on
if something is wrong with Torreira
It must be Christmas season already for the manager, as he is freely giving away the points.
So how many changes did the manager make to the starting lineup from last weekend? Can he at least tell Guend to relate the ball quickly. & while tell Guend & Papa to stop acting during games.
I cannot fathom the reservation Emery has in using Torreira and Guendouzi as a double pivot!! Didn’t Torreira win something like five consecutive man of the match awards last season playing in a deeper role?! And okay if you do not see him in that role in home games then why play him at all? He clearly does not fit in an advanced role. Just play a 4-2-3-1 with Guendouzi and Ceballos as the double pivots with Auba on the left, Ozil central, Pepe on the right and Laca upfront. Just send bloody shivers down the opposition throats thinking of the attacking firepower we possess with that kind of line up. Just give it an almighty go. If things are not working out then you have 3 substitutions! Just trying to be too smart for his own good and paying the price with precious points and perhaps entering the last chance saloon now Emery. Leicester could be a defining game.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=L0uiy2SWrHQ
I’ve just arrived back and flicking through what I have to say are a batch of measured and sensible comments I can only reiterate that unless we dispense with Emery we will not only fail to attain CL status, lose a lot of our best players and bore the crowd senseless we will struggle to finish in the top half.
His set up today clearly presaged a certain game plan. At one nil up he jinked it bringing on and off the wrong players and losing impetus. His teams cannot defend. The Wolves goal today was simplicity itself.
He is a desperately underwhelming coach as we will sadly increasingly see more and more evidence of and we need to part company ASAP. Toxicity is building up in the club again and that makes the matchday experience awful
Kieran Tierney struggled against Traore and was turned over three times in the first ten minutes. But he steadied the ship and eventually contained him completely, blocking every attempted cross, albeit at the expense of several corners. As soon as Saka came on, he dropped deep on our left and Tierney dropped deeper and seemed to lose some of the excellent focus he’d achieved. The first cross came in from the right (via a throw in!) and it was 1-1. That substitution was a self-inflicted body blow.
Ozil was at the heart of everything good. Chambers impressed me again, but could have done much better for their goal. The crowd was far from full capacity, fairly muted throughout but summoned up the energy to ‘Boo’ at the end. I just shrugged, I’ve seen that movie many times already this season. Good news was that the crowd at Finsbury Park station moved quickly tonight. Small mercies. Onward to Leicester.
Forgot to say that I watched Mesut closely today. I thought he worked hard and almost every time he had the ball he brought a composure and intelligence to the side that we have been sadly lacking. We didn’t miss Xhaka at all but had he been on the bench we could have brought him on to keep the ball in midfield rather than bring two young wingers on and change the shape to absolutely no purpose. He is totally misusing Torreira who at times was playing in the no.10 role and Guendouzi looked utterly knackered and made loads of mistakes in possession .
They had 25 shots to our 10 today. That is a damning statistic .When , as I sadly believe we will , lose to Leicester next week we will be ten points off the CL places. In mid- November with a very gentle run of fixtures.
I have just flicked through the other coaches in the Premier League tonight and apart from Quique Flores , Pellegrini and Bruce I would prefer any of the other coaches to Emery. I hope Sanllehi and Josh Kroenke sort this very quickly
Mercifully I did not see this match but kept an eye on Arseblog’s live match blog. It planned out pretty much as I expected.
This coach is floundering and needs to be put out of his misery. The job is too big for him. Every day that passes is a day wasted for someone else to begin to organise this team. Under Emery we have become dysfunctional in midfield and even more porous in defence. 10 shots for us and 25 for Wolves?
Pull yourself together Josh, read the writing on the wall and do the needful or next season will be even more of a rebuilding exercise.
Never thought I would want an Arsenal manager to be fired mid-season, and even last season I was positive that Emery will eventually be able to outgrow the conservatism and learn to apply his tactical nous on top of a progressive and consistent approach. But the football in PL is now consistently poor. Scared, unimaginative and total waste of our best forward line-up in more than a decade. It just seems he is incapable of the change to become positive in his approach that is absolutely necessary to succeed at the top end of the PL. The management team has really put together a very good team — with a super talented set of youngsters to back up — and really they deserve to play with more panache.
I thought Ozil was pretty average, but then you probably expected me to say that, just as I expected almost universal praise for him from most, no matter what he did today.
That attempted backheel in the last minute of stoppage time. allowing them to clear easily, was sloppy, lazy and sums him up for me.
I only saw the second half, however.
I’m generally on the side of Emery but bringing on Saka today was crazy (no issue with taking off Torreira if he was leggy) and the other night when he went ahead with out substitution after we scored was similarly dim.
There’s no way we should be getting rid of him though. We will become Man Utd if we start ditching managers every 18 months when they don’t work out, only without their spending power to try to fix things.
When do we stop (and by we I mean y’all) hammering on the manager and start questioning the players properly? We know this team is nowhere near good enough, don’t we? Do you really think another coach can come in, especially some of the joke names I’ve seen suggested like Eddie Howe, and fix this midfield/defence?
Will someone else get our front two pressing properly? Take the lazy out of David Luiz? Make Sokratis a player? Make Tierney a Premier League player in five minutes when he’s been playing in a joke league all his life? Make Bellerin better (because let us not forget that Bellerin was in awful form for ages before he got injured)?
Emery has been underwhelming with an underwhelming squad. I still think he has to be given time though.
“Every day that passes is a day wasted for someone else to begin to organise this team.”
Bath sums it up concisely.
@379
desi, funnily enough that’s
the exact 4-2-3-1 line up I
suggested about 6 weeks
ago.
Though now I might have
Joe Willock instead of
Ceballos in the middle.
Just go for it. It’s got to be
better than the slow death
we’re currently enduring.
You are very biased Cynic.
Ozil was much better than average in a dysfunctional team. He scarcely wasted a ball. In either half
My opinion of Ozil is set in stone and was formed after watching him stink the place out for most of his Arsenal career. It’s funny to see how short some memories are of how bad he was.
Anyway fuck it, I just backed Iridessa and it won at a stonking price so blalh to football.
Ozil was instrumental to almost all of our attacking efforts, and he brought a modicum of composure and control in the middle of the pitch that had been lacking.
After 11 matches our goal difference is +1 … that says everything. We cannot be playing football this way. It’s not only soul crushing for the supporters it is demotivating for the players.
Play Ozil, Auba, Pepe and Lacazette consistently in PL. Use Torreira in his natural position. Jettison this strange tactics of giving up free space in the middle of the pitch. Focus on keeping possession high up the pitch. Do the basic and obvious things well. That might just let the quality come through. It’s becoming unwatchable.
I don’t think we can afford to give him any more time, Cynic. If we don’t achieve top 4 this season, do you think Aubameyang, Lacazette et al will stick around next season to give the manager “more time”? Nor would there be any financial windfall to replace these guys without CL football.
Nobody expected him to achieve instant success, but we genuinely haven’t seen anything in 11 matches this season (and nearly all of the 38 matches last season) to suggest top 4 is even possible any time soon.
Cynic,
I can’t see why we would keep an
underwhelming coach just because
we don’t want to make a change
again.
Even if accepting your argument that
the squad is underwhelming (which
I don’t) then we should still make a
change to someone who can get more
from the team than the current “not
all that” guy.
@380: Ozil has 32 goals and 52 assist for Arsenal in PL in 168 games. Similar numbers for cups. After the World Cup debacle and the fall out he hasn’t been the same player, but last couple of games demonstrated that he is still the best midfielder we have.
But people do have pet peeves. It’s okay. 🙂
Aubameyang will be 31, Lacazette 29. Both at the sort of age where they might want to get one last big move, regardless of where we end up finishing. And if Martinelli is The Future, who cares what they do anyway?
Emery is starting to do things that puzzle me greatly and picking Ozil and Ceballos in the same team today was one of them. But do we have a plan and go with that, or do we just swing wildly from coach to coach, hoping to get lucky?
@381 Dr F, good with all of that. Add jettison the futile attempts to pass the ball out from the back. The defenders are totally uncomfortable with it and very often someone ends up booting the ball upfield to get us out of a hole where it is gobbled up by the opposition who promptly build another attacking move. And yes, Ozil’s appearance was worth the price of admission today. It’s a pleasure to watch him play.
Do we have a plan?
If I thought Emery actually had a plan I’d be more likely to go with it. But instead he just swings wildly.
Every manager we hire and
every player we buy are a
gamble.
We tried and the gamble isn’t
working. To steal a phrase, I’ll
be happy if UE never manages
another game for us.
On a happier note, congrats
on Iridessa 🙂
Diamond doesn’t work. No width, too much work for Tierney let alone Chambers. Torreira and Ceballos a land of confusion. Auba is not getting any service. Ozil was good.
Sokratis dives every time there is any contact near his face, no matter how clearly it has barely touched him or how desperately we need in him, you know, in the centre of our defence instead of pretending to be hurt somewhere up the pitch. It’s annoying and pointless.
So many problems at the moment. No solutions yet.
Cynic, it’s also the age where they might decide to commit the rest of their careers to us. Your argument doesn’t really carry any weight.
And Martinelli is the future? Just like Mbappe was Monaco’s future…
Cynic @385. I’ve never looked at our squad and thought “yeah, once we get rid of the deadwood, Auba and Laca, then we’ll really be onto something.” ?
And our squad does not underwhelm me. I thinks it is our best in a long time.
They’re also at an age where they might take up the violin, we just don’t know. The only point I was trying to make was you cannot base everything you do on what players MIGHT do, and that’s why I assume the club has some sort of plan and strategy in place for how we go forward and they’re not simply going to try X then move to Y at the first hints of problems.
All I am saying is once you start dropping managers it’s an easy cycle to get into and all you do is take backward steps constantly.
As for the Martinelli thing, you will note I did say IF. He might be, he might not be. At some stage very soon he is going to replace one of those irreplacable strokers and then we’ll find out.
‘Irreplaceable strokers’. Great line!
CAN BIG SAM SAVE US?
Big Sam! I’d forgotten he was available. But no thanks though he would almost certainly improve defensive organisation. However my gran could improve our defensive organisation. David Moyes is available as well I think. Unai resembles David in multiple ways: lack of courage, poor eye for a player, playing players out of position and most of all being the hapless replacement of a top coach.
Taxi for Emery!
Ozil was the most creative player in the Premiership when he arrived and one of the most productive creative players in Europe. Statistically not in my imagination. He has never stunk the place out but he has been underwhelming in some big games away from home. He has also produced some stunning moments of tremendous skill.
Auba and Laca work incredibly hard but get isolated from the team because Emery aligns the midfield so poorly .
We have had four permanent managers in the last thirty three years. I know blokes who have had more wives than that in that time! We would hardly be flip-flopping around if we made a change. If you make such a monumentally poor appointment as Emery you have to make a change or you could screw the club for years. The players will get very disillusioned if we leave Emery in charge much longer.
That’s what comes of typing with no specs on. 😀
Plays it out to the wing…
A Kolaesque trundle down the
line and cross for…
Just back from our annual trip to the Emirates. Quite enjoyed the game but not the result, The football was certainly better to watch with Ozil and Ceballos playing. Strange substitutions, taking off a defensive midfielder when you’re one nil up and bringing on a youngster when you have Pepe on the bench. According to someone on the train whose cousin knows the Arsenal secretary, Emery is not popular with the board or players and could be on his way this week. I won’t miss him at all. The measure of a good manager is whether the team consistently performs well. This one rarely does. The football is poor, worse than I have seen since Don Howe, and the results are now reflecting the performances. We need a positive manager who believes in entertaining football and can lift the players.
Sorry OM, how ungracious of me.
That’s quite alright DS, it must have
been a long day if you’d only just
got back !
Sadly, I agree with all you said
@400
clown
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2n5N-78kfS0
And I hope you’re right about
the coming change.
Leicester away is the last
game before the Interlull
and then we have relatively
winnable games until Man
City at home in mid December.
The timing is better than
pulling the plug at Xmas.
Max Allegri, former Juventus manager is available too. He is known to build his team with a strong defensive organization which is just what we need. He is also a serial winner and I feel we will be a lot more competitive with him at the helm. The problem is that Utd would also be looking to appoint him if they don’t make the top four. Unai has been very disappointing this season and unless he turns things around quickly we should be looking for a replacement.
It’s hardly flip flopping to get rid after 18 months given just how poorly he is doing and how unpopular he is. Flip flopping would be doing a Watford and making a change after 3 months. 18 months is probably about the average life of a coach.
Just hope they have been doing due diligence since the Summer and have someone in mind.
Allegri, Vieira, Ljungberg, Arteta, Ten Haag. I’d choose one of our ex players to generate goodwill from fans and see if they can steady the ship until the end of season. The Emirates could really use such a lift. To say that there are no better options than Emery sounds very daft to me.
When those ludicrous piston powered polluters were flying across the sky dragging insulting banners that supposedly represented the views of Arsenal fans everywhere, it didn’t feel like the Arsenal way to me. When I tried considered discussion, “Anyone would be better than that c**t Wenger” was a typical, deeply felt response. My thoughts at the time were “Just be careful what you ask for”.
And so we got Unai. There was no question in my mind that it was time for Wenger to leave – just not under a pile of manure. I was surprised by Emery’s appointment, I’d scarcely heard of him to be honest. But it didn’t seem to me to be a bad appointment at all. Refreshment brought promise. Promise inspired excitement and enthusiasm.
And now we’re pretty much back to where we were 18 months or so ago. There are no air polluters flying banners (yet) but Unai’s head is clearly on the block. Again, my heart tells me that this isn’t the Arsenal way. However, (big however), my head and eyes are beginning to tell me that it is. It is difficult to watch, week after week, a team being selected from a very strong squad, set-up, playing and under-performing as Arsenal are at the moment, while an increasingly lost fellow flaps his arms aimlessly on the touchline, and conclude otherwise.
I don’t know enough to know whether the bullet should be fired now or at the end of the season. Again, my heart would be more comfortable with the latter (it would ensure the requested time be given for Unai to deliver on his grand promises). However, fired it will be. And when it is, Arsenal must decide whether they want an elite manager (which Emery clearly is not) or an inspirational younger man (which Emery clearly is not), i.e. the Lampard model nearly pursued by Arteta’s appointment last time.
A wise management team would, right now, be in urgent priority mode determining which of these routes is to be pursued, who is their lead candidate and what are the strategy, tactics and funds required to secure that individual’s services.
In the meantime a top four finish isn’t on the cards. Neither are multiple cup, shield or CL qualifications that marked the ‘rank bad’ days of the previous incumbent.
I have a trust in Ljungberg to bring us back on the right track. Give him a contract until the end of the season. If he delivers, than he should be given a longer-term appointment. I would also love to see someone like Pires as his assistant. I am really worried that they might bring Mourinho though. In that case, everything that caused me to fall in love with Arsenal will be gone.
Remember the time when we were expressing our displeasure with Wenger’s 4th place?
Bosnian, your last sentence. Never did, never will. Include me out of your ‘we’.
The stats are damning. 2 wins from our last 9 PL games. 2 clean sheets in 11 games this season. I can’t find any way to dress this up positively nor see any reason to expect improvement. At the start of the season I was fully on board with Unai and looking forward to his second season. Since then we have got poor results which have been exactly what we deserved for our poor performances. We are nowhere near top 4 right now.
If it is not the Arsenal way to fire a coach at this point it surely cannot be the Arsenal way to slide into mid table despite an excellent squad because we have reservations about pulling the trigger.
I have said before that I like and respect Emery but it just is not working out. That happens sometimes. We need to get rid of him and get new ideas and impetus into this group before it is too late. Hopefully after the Leicester game when we have the international break.
We were so poor yesterday even with a new system. We need organisation and leadership and we need it soon.
If we do sack Emery I hope we appoint Mourinho, for no other reason than to see grown men cry
More seriously I was watching John Cross on Sunday Supplement this morning and thought he spoke some sense, in amongst the guff. I don’t have a huge amount of time for Cross, but absolutely agree with him about Arsenal Fan TV and to some extent I think much milder, and supposedly well informed, online platforms need to look at the way they present their Arsenal content as well.
iBtM…I am in the same bracket as you. My ‘we’ describes a general sentiment among Gunners in the last couple of years of Le Professeur…and the general sentiment was undeniably anti-Wenger. Little did we know…
It’s horrible to be thinking this way about someone who seems a nice man but maybe Mesut would have a different perspective! We need to act now but I was disturbed that according to the Sunday Times Mourinho met Sanllehi for dinner last week . This sounds like a nightmare unfolding. What’s wrong with that nice Eddie Howe? Mourinho may get us back in the CL but in two years time we will be digesting a shit sandwich
Appoint Mourinho is the perfect path to flip flop.
Should that appointment be made I will join Steve T amongst the ranks of the egg shaped ball chasers (in National League One – not the nosebleed heights at which Steve circulates).
We are in a pickle indeed!
The Kolasinac sub did it for me! We have 15 minutes left and he brings on a left back?
The club needs to act and act fast if we are to salvage anything from this season!
It is possible Mourinho might be effective. But he might not.
And I’d rather have anyone else. Literally anyone else. In a straight up vote I’d sooner see us managed by Theresa May than that awful, awful man.
I wonder if she is on our shortlist.
I hope we have a shortlist.
TTG. The Mourinho and Sanllehi dinner report is very disturbing if true. Either they spoke about him potentially taking over as our manager or Raul chose to spend his own personal time having dinner with Mourinho… for pleasure!
The mind boggles at both possibilities.
Bosnian, I don’t think there’s any shame in wanting better than the 4th place trophy during Wenger’s years. It was the club hierarchy who lied to us fans. Who profited from moving to the Emirates? Certainly not the fans. And we were promised competitiveness at the highest level. I don’t think it’s wrong to demand for what was promised. While the owners profited, we were made to lower our expectations every year, all the while still paying very high ticket prices. No wonder we find it hard to identify with the Club lately.
@422: But venting that frustration on Arsene himself with so much disrespect and boorishness wasn’t at all constructive, was it? I think the magnitude of his achievements in the Emirates years is now becoming clearer and clearer to everyone now. Both on and off the field.
With the possibility of an European super league looming and the gaps between CL haves and have-nots widening every minute, I think the club hierarchy will go for any short-term arrangement that will bring the team back to CL. Even if they appoint Mourinho it will most likely be for the rest of the season. I don’t think any of us forgot his viciousness towards our club especially in the early days of his Chelsea stint, but if he is here for just the short term to get us back in CL I will be willing to hold my nose and cheer the team.
But then I am used to Faustian bargains … 🙂
@423 Gulp.
@422: Very much what Dr F said in his first paragraph. In addition, I don’t have a problem with us asking Wenger to go in order to give a chance to someone else to deliver more titles/trophies. What I am disappointed at is a blatant purging of everything that smacked of Wenger era. I thought we have had a good general direction, solid business principles, positive approach to football. We needed a few tweaks only. Instead, we have been a subject of several major surgeries. Why?
Hope for Freddie until the end of season. Than, if his results are not good, go for someone else…someone who is not scared to play attacking, no-nonsense football and who understands English premier league.
Mourinho should be ruled out on the ground that poor human beings cannot be good managers!
If we’re dumping Emery, we’re hopefully not going to get into the folly of a caretaker and especially not someone like Ljungberg.
Unless you want us to be in Solskjaer Land in about a year’s time.
Cynic, I have a feeling that Freddie is a real deal but I might be wrong. Who else on such a short notice?
I’d have thought it impossible
to appoint Mourinho as even
the most ill-informed Director
of Football would know that
98% of fans would be furious.
If Raul and co choose to shit
on us from such a height then
that tells me all I need to know.
But, it was only dinner guys!
The problem with changing your manager is that you need to give them time to bed in and this can mean you might have to accept a series of results like we are seeing now( or worse) . I think a couple of posters have paid tribute to the job Arsene did in the early years after the move to the Grove. We did take him for granted and for many years , I would say until 2016 , he was still a much better coach than most in the Premier League. He did decline in his last two years. Not only that he was a very appropriate man to manage Arsenal Football Club. My Arsenal neighbour told me yesterday about an incident with some well known young players who shared a house and caused some local disturbance in a plush part of North London.
The complaint was not initially dealt with effectively by Arsenal so the gentleman involved, who was an Arsenal fan , went directly to Wenger.
The day after the three players involved, household names all, appeared on his doorstep with flowers for his wife and wine for him. Wenger wrote a personal letter of apology and every year sent a personal Christmas card to the gentleman . That’s a small example of the class of the man and while I think it was clearly time for him to go he left a massive hole as a personality and a coach .
Would Jose Mourinho act in the same way? Would Unai Emery ( I suspect he might) . The problem is Arsenal is a massive institution which has prided itself on behaving appropriately on and off the pitch. Mourinho would definitely compromise the latter part of that requirement. We need a great coach and a decent , principled man. Any coach of Arsenal has big shoes to fill but by the same token we shouldn’t blanch at making a change if the current incumbent isn’t up to the job and Unai isn’t , sadly , anywhere near up to the job.
My choice if available would be Allegri but I believe Howe , Arteta and Ten Haag would all be very good choices. One wild card is Chris Wilder. It’s quite a step-up but he is a fine coach who organises his team brilliantly and has adapted very well to the Premier League.
That would be a brave call for Raul and Edu because they would be gambling on a man of much lower profile . I think sadly there is a real chance they will go for Mourinho. I hope Sir Chips asserts himself and reminds them why he will never be the right choice for us.
@422 and 425, I agree that the whole Wenger Out situation left a very bitter taste in Wenger’s final year, especially after all he’s done for the Club and the fans. But it was also evident that his team was always only a few minor tweaks away, but we never seemed able to make the breakthrough.
Personally I’m just glad to see Wenger enjoying his time off. He also doesn’t seem the type to hold grudges, especially against the fans who were united in praising him for almost 2 decades.
Most of the fans wanted Wenger out to finally have a change, something new to hope for. Liverpool sacked so many different coaches until they finally appointed Klopp. We should celebrate Wenger’s legacy as it was, a magnificent period in Arsenal history. And now is the time to embrace change, not shy away from it.
I desperately wanted Emery to succeed too, alas it wasn’t meant to be. Replacing Wenger was never going to be easy, but overcomplicated tactics and seemingly weird man-management had left us in a dire state.
I cannot believe some of the names I have seen mentioned, today and on other occasions, as possibles to take over. Chris Wilder? Why not go the full Sam and go for Dyche?
Fuck’s sake, I’d rather my dog was manager than any of these names (bar Allegri) and he’s been dead since 1998.
Bertie, GG and AW were hardly
big managers before they
joined. AW was known in
Europe but not England.
Quite different in their ways
too. They all won us league
titles. It doesn’t have to be a
big name manager like
Allegri, we just have to find
the right fit.
Liverpool went through plenty
of managers before Klopp,
Manure still are, City had been
before Pep and the Chavs have
gone through managers and
still won trophies.
Even if we get it wrong again that
is better than doing nothing and
simply abdicating responsibility
As an ex HR director I have to
tell you hiring is a very tricky
business 🙂
Basically it’s best guess.
I would much prefer Cynic’s
dog – may he RIP – to
Mourinho, Rogers, Spitty Sam,
Dyche or Enrique.
Or we could take our new
Arsenal way and ask the
players to vote on it
🙂
Theo and Iwobi starting for
Everton against the Spuds
today. 0-0 half time with
Theo picking up a yellow.
Cynic,
You have a good point regarding the shitty list of potential names.
Somewhat controversially though, I would live to see Eddie Howe get a chance with a big club. He’s a first rate human being, he’s been getting Bournemouth to punch above their weight AND play good football for years now.
Watching Everton v The Scum. To think we got them to give us over £60 m for Iwobi and Walcott. How must they feel?
Pen for Everton? This is taking ages!
VAR not consistent as usual!
The club have denied there
was any such dinner with
Raul and Mourinho.
They haven’t spoken in years
apparently.
Bad scenes at Goddison Park, looks like a bad break!
In other news the U23s
rolled over the Spuds 3-1.
Nelson returned from injury
and ESR played too.
@441 Outcome reminiscent of the Eduardo thuggery that cost us the title in 2008 and the ‘Shawcross’ on Ramsey at Stoke, Arthur.
Heartburn.
OM – My dog says you’re barking. 😉
I like the idea of the vote. They’d elect King Xhaka though.
In almost 62 years on this planet I have learned very little. I understand that alligators make bad pets and that girls brains are diametrically opposite to a chaps. But that’s about it.
So my views count for absolutely nothing.
If I was asked (which I haven’t been of course) I would say that the time for dilly dallying is over and that UE should we waved off from Euston with a cheery and heartfelt “Farewell”.
cba should immediately be made club captain and no turn should be left unturned in the search for a new head coach.
This time though, we should probably insist that the new man knows something about football.
While the new broom is out we might as well install Stephen Fry as the Prince Regent
I do not think we will ever hire Mourinho and it’s very good that the club have made it clear quickly that no such dinner took place between Raul and Mourinho. Thank heavens for that! A Mourinho appointment would shake the foundations of many an Arsenal supporter and it’s a thought I don’t even want to go in the direction of.
I was reading Pochettino’s statements quoted in an article (before their game v Everton) – the article also had supporting stats as to how Spurs have used the most different formations of any team in the league and have also used the most number of players in the starting eleven 22 (we have used 17). Pochettino was basically saying that he is trying to find a way to get the team to click and that was his explanation for so many changes in formations and personnel. This is the manager of the Champions League runners up of last season and his squad haven’t even undergone the most de-stabilizing changes during the summer. They have retained all of their core players and most of them are fit and playing regularly this season.
His predicament perhaps explains some of Emery’s struggles in trying to get our team to click. Pochettino is fortunate to have performed well in the past to buy himself some time. Emery does not have that luxury with his short history at Arsenal and also the team’s failure to secure a champions league spot last season – albeit by the narrowest of margins. Emery does not help his own cause by over-complicating things when he should be keeping it simple. A simple example of this – Pepe had just recovered confidence after his performances against Vitoria and Palace and can’t even make it from the bench against Wolves!
Emery is just trying too hard it seems. He has always come across as an earnest, decent man – someone who understands the enormity & responsibility of the Arsenal job.
I still wish for his sake that we win against Leicester and he keeps his job. After the international break – he can hopefully start Bellerin and Pepe together for once and also have a fully fit Laca.
Arsene trusted the attacking ability of his sides way too much and Emery distrusts the defensive ability of his teams a lot. The former erred on the side of being over-adventurous while the latter errs on the side of being over-cautious. The inability to find a simple middle path between those two approaches sounds like a very Arsenal problem!!
PS: VAR which was nitpicky enough to somehow spot a Chambers foul in the Palace game denied a clear penalty for Everton against Spurs for handball (the rule explicitly says ball coming in contact with hand in un-natural position in the box = penalty) by Alli. The on field referee was Atkinson again – the review took two and a half minutes to complete. I want VAR to stay – it will make decision making accurate in the long run but it is inexplicable as to why the Premier League does not have the on field referee checking the incident on the screen on the sidelines. They do it in other leagues and once they start doing it in the Premier League, there will be more consistency in VAR decisions.
Desi,
Couldn’t agree more re VAR, that was a blatant hand ball and they need to make the main guy on the pitch make the decision! Make them run a bit to the side lines and check that bloody monitor! It’s a disgrace for such a competitive league not to use this feature it would take less time too! Plus people in the those stadiums would also see something being done by the main guy!!!
IF @446
Hugh Laurie is already the Prince Regent.
450
Thing with VAR is that they’re using the same terrible refs who fuck up every week in the flesh to look at the monitors, and if anything it has become clear in a very short time that some mof them were never just making errors before VAR, they really were just shit at the job.
VAR ill make referees as lazy as DRS has with umpires in cricket. On field umpiring is at its lowest grade in decades and refereeing will go the same way.
Apologies for typos. I have my specs on but my flippers aren’t hitting the keys properly.
Desi,
22 different spuds already in
only 11 games? No wonder they’re
so bad.
But you’re right Poch has
bought himself some time
after changing the Spuds from
losers into… well still losers in
fact ?
The only real solution to the
consistency problem with
VAR is to fire all the VAR
people and build one super
robot to rule them all.
The amazing thing about the reason given for not getting referees to check monitors is to save time ! You couldn’t make it up. They wasted over three minutes making that decision over the penalty ….and at the end of the day they clearly made a wrong decision. The Spuds benefited from an accidental handball by Laporte being ruled out at Citeh early in the season and they got away with it today.
I always enjoy your posts Desi. They are intelligent and thoughtful and today’s is no exception . I fear though your kindness is overruling your footballing instincts. All my footballing instincts suggest to me that Emery is out of his depth and is deeply irrational in his decision-making.
I don’t think he sets up his original sides intelligently, his substitutions which were his strongpoint last season are hopeless , the sides take ages to click into gear. I think it was thirteen minutes before we got the ball into their half yesterday and we are so easy to play against. Wolves got 25 shots off yesterday and they are a counter-attacking side!
Everything tells me he can’t do the job and delay will only ruin any chance we have of reaching the Champions League next season.
I’m interested that the Mourinho rumours are untrue but as ever social media creates untruths and distortions and a lot of people are briefing against Emery . I’ve not enjoyed this season at all. I’ve seen every home game bar Forest and watched most of the away matches and I’ve only enjoyed the Liege game . It’s just not feasible that Emery can turn this around. He shows no signs of knowing where to start to change it .
Viagra, anyone?
Has he got his Pro licence?
GSD @449
Of course!
I told you I know nothing
Does this mean UE is Baldrick?
I have a cunning plan ?
OM @ 460
No I don’t think so.
He at least had a plan ?
Best wishes to the landlord. 460 posts is a great tribute. Observations from a “tourist” inside the stadium on Saturday although of course I accept fully a season ticket holder has every right to be more critical (Oh, that I could be one !). I arrived thinking the atmosphere will be fantastic now the Xhaka boil had been lanced. 1/ The singing about Ozil is nice but, well, a bit odd given Arsenal fans booed him off the park in Baku barely 3-4 appearances ago. It’s still 2 Prem assists in 36 remember. Is it really about Emery in fact ? 2/ The screaming and hollering at the players when they attempt to play out from the back (as all top teams do now) achieves what exactly ? Trying to make them foul up ? 3/ The booing at the final whistle is pretty horrible. 4/ The coach is now heavily influenced by the crowd, meaning his mind has gone and his decisions panicky and illogical, eg, Saka-Torreira at 1-0. He probably wanted to hook Ozil but couldn’t risk the backlash, he probably wanted to introduce Pepe at some point but maybe felt he couldn’t afford two “luxury” players at the same time…I dunno, I speculate but the fans are a big part of all this when you also factor in the Xhaka thing which is, of course, Emery’s own fault entirely. The refusal to play Torreira as DM is baffling too for sure. But my point is this – when people are cornered and targeted, they make strange decisions.
I wonder is Wenger the elephant in the room here ? So he was treated harshly (for probably one year only of 22) so the backlash v’s Emery has to be really, really nasty too. Slag off his language skills constantly (ask yourself how long Poch was doing interviews in Spanish for ?). Ignore the fact he has achieved basically exactly the same results as Wenger’s end phase of 2 years ? Ignore the fact we didn’t completely collapse, either as a team or as a club from a business point of view despite 22 years of well, basically, a dictatorship, although of course a hugely successful one for 10 years or so – and one that played lovely football I accept. The “careful what you wish for” brigade warned of mid-table not top 4 or 5 and a Europa League final. They now think they called it exactly right ! Many would have agreed at the time that a steady pair of hands – maybe even a touch conservative – made sense given where we were and how damaged and split the club had become. The reality is Emery has kept us in contention, by any results-based matrix. I’ll thank him for that and wish him well when he moves on, which will be during the international break barring heroics at the King Power stadium.
He’s a dead man walking and I’m in that camp now too, I’m sad to say. It’s a death spiral. But please, please let’s not be too nasty or the fanbase will never refine it’s behaviour going forward. It’s not the Arsenal I signed up to 50 years ago. COYG.
Cynic@451, the bloke who was monitoring VAR in our game against Palace had a total experience of having refereed just 8 or 9 league games ever! If the VAR referee is on par with the on field referees in terms of experience, there would be less howlers like the Chambers one. Also the on-field referee checking the monitor on the sidelines makes total sense because he has seen the incident from one angle in real time and the monitor would give him different viewing angles in super slow motion. On field referees have had a raw deal ever since television coverage grew sophisticated with multiple cameras and super slow-mos. VAR gives them a chance to redeem themselves if they are given a chance to review their decision on a monitor.
This is the second or third time I have read your claim regarding DRS having affected the quality of on-field umpires in Cricket. I do not see a co-relation between the quality of umpires and DRS at all! It is not like umpires are told to be under-prepared because there is DRS available. If anything DRS has severely exposed wrong decisions by umpires which did not happen earlier. The most celebrated umpires of the past have made a series of howlers. Steve Bucknor perhaps the most famous one having officiated most World Cup finals has dedicated YouTube howler videos under his name. The ones even before that era like Dicky Bird just got lucky because there was not enough technology to expose their decisions like it is now. The umpire I really liked though was David Shepherd. He was far more accurate than other umpires I have seen. Simon Taufel is another one who was really good and kind of bridged the non-DRS and DRS era. He has been an advocate of DRS as far as I know.
I fully expect us to be the first professional football team to have a goal disallowed for LBW.
GSD @463, inevitably. And the very next week, the Marshdwellers will get the decision go the other way in their favour.
Good discussion above. I think TTG, as often, nails it for me. I saw a Twitter poll by Blogs on one of my rare forays onto that vitriol-laden medium which showed remarkable unanimity amongst respondents with 90% of over 36,000 polled being in favour of replacing Emery immediately. UE may or may not still have the dressing room but if that’s at all representative, he has lost almost the entire fan base. I suspect even at the end, the vote for AW to leave would not have been so high.
This nettle must be grasped despite our board’s inexperience in this field. I should underline that an early change of coach is essential not because of a fan poll to win them over (that would be nonsense) but because of the way the team is being managed and the way it now plays. These problems have been evident since the last quarter of last season and show no sign of change despite ‘winning the window’. In the summer I was content to give UE the benefit of the doubt and see how much he could improve the defence and midfield with another close season’s work on the training pitches. There is clearly no improvement and moreover our trajectory is worrying. It must be corrected. UE is no doubt a nice man, as several have said, but he is well rewarded and will be handsomely compensated if he fails to reach June (heaven forbid he should do so). I have no desire for us to hire the Portuguese reptile even as an interim coach but there are several short-term and long-term options out there that could organise this team to make them at least the sum of its parts and have a fighting chance of top four.
Meanwhile my thoughts are with the Guvna in his fight to regain his health.
Scgooner
If you really want a season ticket, now is a great time to apply. I would guess you would have one within three years.
Of course you may live too far away, or can’t make enough games to make it worth while. Completely understand if that’s the case.
While I’m here let me just say that I agree with TTG above in that I am currently loathing this season, the odd bright spot apart. This cannot continue.
Let’s dig in for 500 posts on this thread ….
Still depressed from King’s Lynn and dread to think how I will feel after my Leicester trip as I cannot see us being in anyway competitive against a very good Foxes side.
Please, please Arsenal do not bring Jose to the Emirates, for me that would be a disaster. My suggestion is to get Rafa back from China !!!
Sc Gooner
Lovely post mate , much good sense and as C100 says you may not have long to wait for a season ticket. If Mourinho did come several people here including me might give theirs up! We do need to have sensible expectations or we will end up sacking the manager at half time if the opposition have too many corners. Having said that I’m no fan of the way we play out from the back. I’ve never seen a team less competent at doing it!
Very measured and sensible comments by everyone . I’m particularly in agreement with Bath. There is a lot of vitriol around nowadays and too many idiots with opinions that are grossly unfair. This bar has always been a haven of decent and respectful debate mainly because it was started by someone who was the epitome of decency and reason. I can only imagine what is going on in some of the cesspits that exist for Arsenal ‘ fans’ around the net.
I think we all knew Arsene would be a hard act to follow like MU fans realised SAF would be impossible to replace. Interestingly my experience of them is a refusal to turn on the manager ( and great offence when I called the current incumbent Bilbo Baggins!). They seem very keen not to be seen to be too short-termist. We’ve had a very good debate in here and I would feel most believe Emery should go it’s a question of when . I think once you make the first decision there is nothing to be gained by delaying .
Hi Delia
I’ll be at Leicester as well. Expecting the same football lesson we got last April.
Still it’s my son’s University town so at least I get an easy parking space and a decent ruby after the game.
Perhaps they’ll surprise us (don’t think so).
I am currently loathing this season, the odd bright spot apart. This cannot continue.
Now you know how I felt for the last ten years of Wenger’s tenure!
If the wind really is blowing in a sacking Emery direction there can be only one candidate, if we’re serious about becoming a club that wants to win the title again. Allegri.
He didn’t want the job last time though, as reportedly he thought it was too big a job to rebuild the team so those criticising Emery might wish to think on that for a bit.
Right now Cynic an FA Cup win would seem like more than ‘the odd bright spot’.
A clean sheet would qualify as one of those.
Just taken a look at our Christmas fixtures.
Man City, Chelsea and Man United at home, over a 17 day period, with trips to Everton and Bournemouth in the middle.
Wonder where we’ll be after that lot.
I’d also go for Allegri if possible.
We need to sort out the defence and get some structure in midfield. As long as we give our attacking players a solid base and a bit of support they are good enough that they will score goals, so I’d much rather see us focus on team shape and keeping the opposition from scoring. Allegri knows how to do that.
Good point, GSD. I’d be happy if we kept the oppo down to 15 shots.
Cynic, I would like to believe that the issue with Allegri was his wage demands not his perception of the size of the job. Top managers are top managers for the fact that they know how to turn things around. Maybe he thinks we are ‘too much work for him’…in which case he is either lazy or lacks self-confidence or both.
What about that guy Nagelsmann?
15 shots Cynic?
You’re dreaming mate.
I’d be happy if I could watch us play a Premier League game without feeling a desire to drink 15 shots.
According to an old report from when Allegri was on our short list, which I found when looking for info on when he had been out of contract during the vinegar strokes of Wenger’s reign, he described Arsenal to friends as “an impossible club”.
So…
I know you’ll all be aware of this, but I wasn’t, so just in case anyone doesn’t know… The Vitoria game is at an odd time on an unusual day. Wednesday at 3.50pm.
Allegri is clearly the standout figure. He is taking a sabbatical ( he was working at Juventus before when we were looking ) and is apparently learning English ( Unai missed out that bit?) .
Arteta , Howe , Ancelotti, Benitez , Vieira , Nagelsmann, Wilder, Rodgers, Ten Haag ( at Ajax) all commend themselves for different reasons. All come with pros and cons. But I’d take any of them .
Ideally, I would take Ben Mee with Eddie Howe as his assistant . It provides historical symmetry and he can play centre back .
Are we being too harsh on Emery, depends on what is harsh. is he continuously clueless, yes he is. He still hasn’t found his system/tactic or team which he wants to adopt or establish. He has a set of players who can score more than they concede and instead of that he tries to defend, I wonder why. If he feels our team can defend as a team, he is absolutely insane, we do not have one real proper defender who puts his life on the pitch, no way Sokratis who just flaps his hand and pumps his chest. Tierney is early days but seems to be the odd exception to our poor defence. hector is a wing-back, simple. As ever emery needs to know what does he want to achieve of this team, which he seems clueless about.
We won’t finish top 4, Chelsea and Leicester are better than us, have the momentum and we are too vulnerable defensively to have a consistent run. Will removing Emery help? i am not sure and i am not bothered, expectations were long given up, its the hope that kills.
Good post Vinay but I don’t agree that it’s too late for top 4, but only if we act now.
Sure, Leicester are on great form, but they are still Leicester. They are largely the same XI who finished well below us last season, minus their £80m star CB.
Chelsea have stuttered at times, and will continue to do so in my opinion. Plus they will no doubt have some demanding CL ties to negotiate at the business end of the season.
We still need to play those two above teams twice each.
As bathgooner said, every day we keep Emery is a day wasted for someone else to try to put us back on the right path.
Maybe Allegri simply meant that
following AW was impossible.
Anyway if he’s not interested it
doesn’t matter.
At least Ivan will not be choosing
this time so that gives us a
slightly better chance of finding
the right person.
Maybe we could ask AW for his
thoughts if that wouldn’t be rude.
About this time last year we
rolled Leicester over quite
easily. Lightning strikes the
same place twice right?
And Leicester have made a
good start it’s true but the
couple of times I’ve seen
them they’re nothing special.
The re-invention of Rogers as
anything other than a smirky
little fuck with a portrait of his
stupid self is baffling to me.
Then again I don’t like him so
it possible that’s a subjective
view. Even though it’s fair and
accurate.
So as hope doesn’t kill you
(sorry Vinay but it doesn’t)
I hope for a result and an
enjoyable away trip for C100
and Delia.
*plays a sideways, safe, useless pass* for the 485th time
Correction, it was the 486th
Rattles up pass 488 sideways
to overtake Denilson’s single
game record.
A brief word for Steve Morrow,
who is being let go apparently.
I was at the 1993 League Cup
final and saw Tony break his
arm live (the oaf). I saw his
winner too, it was a dreadful
game but who cares now as I
believe it doubled our number
of League Cup wins.
The best of luck to you Steve.
It’s rumoured that Per is
wielding the axe.
He won’t be called the Big
Friendly German anymore.
Into the Nineties- a good decade
to be a Gooner mostly.
Unless you were Rioch I suppose.
I see your sideways passes. And raise you a backwards pass to the keeper.
A short roll out to an unwanted
centre back amidst the dissatisfied
muttering of a mutinous crowd
Pops up in MF with a Fabregasesque head up turn spotting a runner and releasing a forward ball into his path.
I dunno, I think Bruce Rioch can be proud of his year in charge and if we hadn’t had such a star fucker on the board, he would never had been fired.
David Dein always looked and sounded like the love child of Danny La Rue and Liberace.
To me.
I suspect I’m alone in this. Mainly because you (mostly) youngsters don’t have a clue who Danny La Rue was.
Or Liberace.
Possibly.
I’ve visited the Liberace museum in Las Vegas.
Rolls the ball out to the wing to an on rushing…
Takes the ball in a Pires-esque flat footed stride, drops shoulder, heads for the goal line and cuts the ball back to…
Runs in, taking a defender out of the game, only to dummy the ball which rolls through to…
shimmies across the box running onto gsd’s dummy, chipping it to the back post for…
Puts the ball into the middle of the box with cheeky back heel to…
And fortunately the back heel bounced off the butt of the one of CBs sliding into the box like Mustafi on crack and into the back of the net!
Congratulations ecg on a classic Holic ton.
Lovely team goal. Even if we got a bit lucky with the finish.
Who’s up for 600?
?
Dennis10 who puts a full back on his arse with a spin move and rolls it inside the centre back to
Too late! Story of my life.
Congratulations all on the 500 up!
That what you call a team effort just in time for my 21st again 😀
Lets all raise a glass for the quick return to health for the owner of this fine establishment!
Glass raised, cheers Guvnor.
Odaijini?
Raises glass and drinks Holic’s good health
well in, ecg. even if it was a mustafi.
here’s to dave. best of health, and clear-headed.
Cynic
Are you saying Dein was a prat? Are you Adrian Durham in disguise?
He was the reason we signed Wenger and the person who injected ambition into the board. Without him Wenger was never as effective. I would say Dein was the main reason we became successful. He brought in and worked well with George Graham, he masterminded the bond scheme , he brought in Wenger , he supported him financially, he achieved the signing of Sol Campbell.
What did the Romans ever do for us ?
And another thing Liberace wasn’t much of a centre half . Slightly limp in his challenges and didn’t like heading the ball with his bouffant .
Finally plucked up the moral fibre to look sample the temperature in the Bar.
Sorry to read the Guvnor’s #233. All the very best Dave, I hope you’re soon on the mend.
Wot Saurus said @509.
Just a normal week then? I think I can feel a nap coming on.
It depends if you think completely undermining your manager by being overly chummy with your players is being a prat.
It’s a sure thing we have much to thank him for and the club was rudderless without him.
He was definitely a prat with his shares anyway.
ah now
you fuckin bunch o queens
for reasons that are none of your concern
i missed the 500
though
i always liked ecg
in either CASE
.
.
dave
please be well
please
in a completely selfish way
this place still brings me joy
ya oul cunt
.
how people obviously so different
could be dragged to a point
is brilliantly clear
.
.
get well Dave
you’ve been a really good person to me
herself talks about you like she knows you
“ask ‘holic how he’s doing ?”
.
.
i am not going to get into it but unwellness believe me is a terrible burden for that which exists behind yer eyebrows
and /but/also
people offering support i find annoying
“I HAVE NO MONEY BUT I APPRECIATE YOU WANTING MY RATHER NICE FURNITURE , YOU CUNT ”
.
.
.
anyhoo
dave
i send you every blessed moooooooooooooooooooooo
i can mooooooooooooooooooooooster
and
having heard nothing back
i trust gladys , mildred and the girls
didn’t shite too much
a l’hopital
.
.
although
i have been sent
a banning order cos of them by Stena
but
that was their business
apparently a bunch o herefords
called them black an white paddy bastards
thankfully petunia held assumpta back
cos
assumpta can go
(international incident averted)
.
.
no doubt
i’ll get half a story
as they traipse in tomorrow
.
big eyelashes
.
“Whaaaaaaaaahhhhh”
fuckin herd o cows the lottovem
shitheads
.
.
.
seriously through
Dave
sending every good thought
from Donegal Derry and Belfast
.
this is i know an obscure one
but i hope less so
cos i always post it
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CqrQ-ZI29Pk&app=desktop
the absolutely almighty He
wouldn’t have felt
PART OF IT
just
part OF IT
but
by buggery i can guarantee
he would have been treated with glee
but glee
universally
not just oul creeper wearing cunts like me
.
.
good people are good people
i have had loads o people staying in my house
people just passing
taking pictures
i make soda bread for
they come back year after year
.
even
*looks left and right*
(english people)
.
.
but
by God
none of them come back
with big ARMFULLS of cocaine
which
is what you people seem to do
.
.
i am running out of organs
i would love a beer
i am smoking skunk
it doesn’t agree with me
i dunno
is this dying bullshitedly
i dunno
is this deflection
i dunno
.
.
what i would say though is
pull yerself together Dave
you’re worth ten o me
ROAR AND SHOUT AND BATTER YOUR WAY OUT
hey hey cba how many patties didya kiss today
lovely @522
.
.
.
or don’t
.
.
.
.
.
.
ya miserable cunt
hello
8ball
?
i used to and always
engage with tourists wanting
a picture of my house
.
.
the only time i lose it
is if people park a few cars
RIGHT UP AGAINST MY HOUSE
look in the windows
and
come out with
“My god , this is so beautiful it’s like a real Irish cottage”
.
.
.
“Indeed it is , now do you mind if i use my english Dr Martens to stand on yer throat ? “
most of the time
i used to say hello to people
have a wee chat
give them a few homebrew
make them a couple of soda breads
to take with them
it costs very little
and it spreads the notion that Irish people are nice
.
.
.
we aren’t
we CRAZY
and
SMARTER
than you
.
.
.
bitches
we all be watchin y’all
and
can i say
to the mighty ‘holic
i spent weeks in the hospital
i hated every second
was in for two days just now
i did sing this to myself a hundred times a day
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sWbB_vStX_8
and
if you upstage me
i will be very upset
.
i have my chest clutch practiced
even though
i’ve been told
i’ll likely go otherly
.
.
honestly
getting to the half ton ton
without me
i hope you all feel awful
let’s face it
Freddie and the Dreamers
without Freddie
and
as the mighty dorset M says
that fuckin cunt
.
i didn’t know
he was a cunt to them
just awful
.
.
.
but
The Glitter Band were BRILLIANT
without that creep
i loved them for
(checks label)
45 years
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=irV5TN7ghGQ
if ye don’t like that song
YOU ARE A TWAT
.
.
.
ps
emery needs booted like nothing has been booted before
booted
and
booted now
.
see bath for verbose reasons
ye know wit they scottish doctors are like !
nope
me neither
.
unintelligible lifesaving dingdongs
cba, you’re making me blush.
here you go:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9vo0lYgbwn8
can i just reign in my nonsense
?
baff – despite his limited intellect
has like ‘hol been very kind to me
so
baff can i just say i apologize
for any scottish based insults
i engaged in
(you probably were too busy deep frying tartan to notice)
but
hoots mon
c’mon
.
.
.
.
.
.
we all need salvation
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Oog9EnBOIVs&app=desktop
that’s a tune ecg
.
.
i used to sing it every day
going down to the beach
haven’t been down recently
i miss it
i am
what can be briefly described
as knackered
constantly knackered
like most elderly people here
?
.
.
.
i understand my insides are eating itself
but
the tired thing i don’t like
.
.
the tiredness i do not like
i
Apparently I need to be doing better drugs.
Sorry you haven’t been to the beach recently. Or the shore as we in the new world sometimes call it. Next time you get a chance to head to the beach/shore you need…
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1v3CzvQ9e_w
542
pull yerself together
it’s not like i’m a marble statue
.
I am merely an unbelievably handsome person who wants to go about his day to day business without international supermodels lusty nonsense
#cbatoo
ecg
i used to cook food for people
on the most amazing beach
cos i live right beside
.
as i said
i can’t anymore
life and death
bla
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=P5mtclwloEQ
I’m sorry my friend. I hope you can make it to the beach soon. I love the beach and the mountains, and have not spent time at either recently even though I am only a short distance from both.
it ain’t gonna happen buddy
but
you know
i can wake up to the top
of my half door
being popped open
by a big adorable cow
not
moooooooooooooooooooooo
more
desperation
but
that is a different story
love the cows
gentle and vicious
big lumps
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=o6ki7yvQXgU
It’s about bedtime in Seattle but before I sign off for the evening I’m going to leave you with this little gem that will hopefully get the day started in proper fashion in Ireland.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=w59e20ijOpE
?
moooooooooooooooooooooo
Morning cba.
Still putting in the hard yards
with the posts, though there’ll
be no glory when someone nicks
the 600 later today.
https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=BshxCIjNEjY
Though I’ve never heard your views,
on the Swedish superband.
the title seemed apposite
osaka M
i’ll not lie
i have been a bit unwell last few days
but as i’m sure you understand
with great handsomeness
comes great feeling like shiteness
it’s a blessing and a curse
On to Arsenal business and
thoughts turn to Vitoria.
A largely meaningless game
as we’d have to go some to
miss qualification now.
However, play it we must
and hopefully opportunities
will abound for younger
gooners to enjoy a midweek
trip to Portugal. I’m not too
arsed about the result but
I never like losing.
My XI would be
Emi
Hector, Mavro, Rob, Kola
Willock, Xhaka
AMN, ESR, Saka
Martinelli
Just who I’d play of course.
Hopefully Nelson on the bench
for a bit of playing time on his
return.
I’ve heard you should never
explain yourself but anyway….
Now that Mavro is fit and
playing for the U23s I don’t
see the point of playing Mus
as he’s on his way out.
I wouldn’t mind taking Hector
off at half time if we’ve Leicester
in mind but it may be better to
wait until after the interlull.
Xhaka is still our player and a
game in Portugal seems an
easy option plus gives some
rest for Torreira / Guen before
Sunday. Pepe would start
Sunday if I was manager so
he’s not in the squad. That’s
my tuppence worth in good and
early.
A blessing and a curse?
May flocks of angel watch over
your every day, you great turd.
Hope all is as well as possible, cba and have you got any nice bookcases?
CBA
Nothing from Her Majesty this week but I hear confidentially she has your picture by her bed. Hope you keep going old fella. Though we are rude about you, you wouldn’t want it any other way . Bastard.
OM
I think Mavropanos is on the not rated step and I suspect Mustafi will play. We might see the two young strikers John- Jules and Balogun edge towards selection especially once qualified. I hear Burton is rated too but on Wednesday we will have a team similar to the Liverpool selection.
I don’t think he will pick Xhaka at the moment
Good to see cba in good form on the night shift after a few days absence. I hope you are bearing up and striking your handsome pose as elegantly as ever. But your music is shite, pal.
Dunno what you’re like on the old prog rock, cba. Very Pink Floyd, very Norwegian, very good.
If you hate prog, feel free to ignore it 🙂
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RRDJWAtAHGc
TTG@565
I suspect you are right on all those
points. Mavro seems a good
candidate for a loan in January.
But it’s clear Mus is going so why
not play the player you haven’t
given up on yet. Unless we have of
course.
osaka M – the faraway cunt
cynic – the progressive cunt
thunder T – the thinking cunt’s cunt
baff – the unintelligible cunt
all brilliant
all cunts
the moooooooooooooooooooooos are many for you
all the best fellas
keep up the shite work
?
(but keep the mirth to a minimum please)
(you made me smile)
(thus causing a minor traffic pile up of passing swooning lady motorists)
The injury news is we have
no injuries. A big shiny
treatment room devoid of
malingerers.
I suppose our British core
leaving over the last couple
of seasons has helped the
injury stats but still a nod
to the fitness wonks is due
I think.
We now have a manager who doesn’t just chuck players straight into the fray as soon as they’re fit, which might help also. For all the stick he gets, he’s been very good with his handling of Bellerin, Tierney and Holding.
Maybe Cynic. He’s definitely not rushed them. But it isn’t hard to look at his handling of them and see the theme of excessive caution that often characterises his management.
I would have played Holding ahead of Sokratis a few games ago and many of us were surprised Tierney did not start against Sheffield United when he looked ready and we clearly needed him. Especially as Emery later suggested that he was fully fit but Kola had done nothing to warrant losing his place. Apart from being less good at football, obviously.
He got both fullbacks stuck on midweek games after the interlull meaning that Tierney played against Vitoria and three days later at Crystal Palace, which could have backfired. (Except it didn’t because Tierney was clearly ready for Prem games after an already cautious comeback). And Hector is now playing a game a week but not in the competition we need him in. I’m hardly thrilled by any of this.
It’s not a stick to beat him with. He’s been typically cautious but not done anything awful. But neither can i find a good reason to give him credit for something so basic and which he has handled ‘okay’ but not better than that.
For the first time in ages (ever?) the Holic bar has more regulars in the treatment room than the Arsenal first team. Can we sign Shad Forsythe?
Xhaka not in the squad for tomorrow. Still nothing from the club about him. Or the captaincy. I’d really like to hear something official.
It does slightly make me chuckle to see constant criticism of Emery for being overly cautious in just about everything at the same time as the team is wide open and allowing more shots than at any time I can remember.
That timid/cautious thing is a direct contrast to how people were talking about him up to a few weeks ago, but anything and everything is being used against him it seems.
Since Watford?
CBA
You are the cunt’s cunt.By royal appointment .There can be no higher tribute .
Cows everywhere make mooosic in your honour . ? ?
We are playing in Europe on a Wednesday . May we not have to wait too long until we do it every European game . I’ve just junked BT Sport as austerity bites in the TTG household . I hope to pick up a stream but to be frank I’m not that bothered . I will be out looking for firewood and kindling .
I don’t think that us being so open is because we are trying to play expansive or gung-ho football. Indeed, I think his caution goes hand in hand with the fact that he is aware that we are not setup properly to defend and he does not want to exacerbate that problem by fielding too many players who won’t help out much defensively. That could well be why he left Pepe out on Saturday when Ozil returned to the team.
Furthermore, I was not criticising him for being cautious in the instance you brought up of players returning from injury, merely noting that I am less inclined than you to give him any special credit for it.
577 is a response to Cynic @575.
I think that is obvious enough I wouldn’t usually bother to explain it. But we are getting close to 600…
Cynic
Emery is cautious going forward but can’t organise a defence to save his life . We don’t concede thirty plus shots to the might of Watford because he is secretly an attack monster. We do it because he is a shite coach at both ends of the field .
Honestly Cynic. I don’t remember anyone saying Emery was not cautious for a long time. I dunno where your idea that this happened a few weeks ago came from.
His compound errors are being cautious yet simultaneously defensively frail. Not a good combination.
TTG and I appear to be cross posting much the same thoughts.
I usually find streams are decent for games shown on BT, having jettisoned it a while ago.
@574. I got what I wanted!
Xhaka stripped of captaincy and not part of captaincy group according to BBC and Arseblog. Although I haven’t seen any quotes yet apparently this comes from Emery.
Auba to take over.
Good.
There’s something about Xhaka now. Thank you this was so overdue and never should have happened in the first place
It almost feels like we just won a trophy
I think the medical team have
a lot of input when a player is
coming back from injury,
especially long-term.
UE did say he was simply
following their advice at the
start of the returns – I’d
guess it was medical caution
rather than UE himself.
Now of course timing is down
to him.
Fair play to UE, there is no
point in employing medical
professionals and not
listening to them (though
I’ve regularly ignored my
own doctors advice come to
think of it)
I honestly don’t remember his supposed caution being talked about much before quite recently, but maybe I just didn’t notice.
I’m going to have a look through last season’s Gooner at some point and see if I can detect when the tide really turned.
My personal suspicion is that it didn’t until this season, although there was a lot of angst about not finishing third, but I may be wrong.
OM. Generally speaking I’d agree but that doesn’t tally with his comments after the Sheffield game. That was, by his own admission, nothing to do with medical professionals and fully on him. Which makes me wonder about Bellerin’s integration. I imagine Holding’s absence is nothing to do with his injury but I’d like to see him take Sokratis’ place asap.
Better late than never on the
Xhaka decision I suppose.
It seems the player vote
of confidence wasn’t the
decisive point, which is
also good. I wonder who
did decide.
When Charlie Nicholas said he thought Xhaka would never play for Arsenal again, I thought he was overdoing it but as he’s no longer captain, which was always a bonkers appointment anyway, it might be that he goes as soon as January, if we can unload him.
GSD,
Yes, I thought Sokratis was ok
last season but he’s been quite
poor this season so far. And the
partnership with Luiz doesn’t
look solid at all – though I would
accept that is not entirely their
fault.
To be honest if Hector had come
back quicker I’d have dropped
Papa for Calum by now. Although
I have doubts about Calum as
a CB I thought he’d done well
enough to earn a shot.
Anyway, Rob should be fit now
and even though he didn’t play
well at Liverpool he should come
back soon.
Yes, certainly since Sheff Utd it’s
been UE’s decisions on the returning
players as they were pronounced
fully fit.
My gut feeling (and nothing more) is that Emery was distinctly unimpressed with Xhaka’s reaction. I think he was sensible to say that Xhaka had been wrong in his post match interview but also to go no further and give himself and the club time to consider their reaction (there was a suggestion, possibly from Vinay, that he should have claimed not to see it- which was ludicrous). He did well in his initial response.
It has taken too long to get sorted out. We should have seen something much sooner. And I think he should still be fined by the club as well. If he is not it may be a sop to the fact that he continues to play the victim and is angry at social media. I think he has well earned a fine.
However, I also have the feeling that Unai, without showing any ruthlessness, has made his own clear decision not to rely on Xhaka anymore and has ensured that he is out of the captaincy group. I’m on board with that. I hardly expected him to get the hairdryer out!
OM @590. Agreed on all points.
Hopefully Xhaka has done us a favour and we can see the back of him sooner.
Squad for Vitoria was announced.
Xhaka, Luiz, Auba and
Ozil didn’t travel.
Nelson is included but no place
for ESR. Still quite a strong
squad.
Cynic @589. I hope we can unload him. I’m not interested in seeing him in our colours again.
And a move would be good for him. I have said before that I think he is well suited to Serie A and would expect him to be effective in that league.
Thunders a defensive header forwards to…
I just thought – however will
we cope with only 4 captains
A startled AM but controls the
header on his manly chest and
lays it out to a speeding…
Latches onto GSD’s @596 which skipped by OM, and flicks it onto….
Jeorge Bird
@jeorgebird
·Not sure why, but all of the staff profiles for the first-team and academy have been removed from http://Arsenal.com
https://arsenal.com/staff
I wouldn’t get too excited, the cached version is exactly the same and that was snapshotted days ago.
We are Total Football!
We’re coming in from all angles, finding passes that even Ozil can’t see and finishing so clinically that Auba would doff his cap. TTG taking the plaudits this time, well in sir.
Meanwhile, Chelsea are getting a proper doing, which will hopefully mean certain Arsenal websites stop chucking the jizz over Fat Frank.
Chelsea are unlucky they are 4-1 down against Ajax, not us. You’d expect them to get at least a draw against us from there ?
They might against this mob, now they’re down to nine men. And we think our refs are cunts…
Oh well, let the jizzing recommence tomorrow…
Referee 5 Ajax 4
Oh, maybe not. Not yet anyway. But it will be.
(trying to get to 700)
Cynic, Have you noticed Emery gets no credit for making us way more competitive against other top 4 or 5 ? There was a time for 3 or 4 years when results like 5-0, 6-1, 6-0 or even 8-2 were de rigeur. And that’s before we mention Bayern. Short memories. Also, re injuries, it’s a bit dim to ignore his intensive rotation discipline and just laud the “medical people”. Fab Frankie conceding 4 at home, who would have thought. Two reds now, oh well, when your luck is in….
This Chelski game referee should be fired tomorrow morning!
Emery gets no credit for anything at all, Scg. Everything written thesedays has an angle of attack aimed at him, no matter what. I guess agenda = clicks.
Sc. Emery got more points against the top clubs last year. I think he has been given credit for that.
But if he had done as well as even Wenger’s last teams did against the weaker opponents AS WELL as the top clubs we would be in the Champions League now. All those people who wanted us to do better against the big 6 were not expecting us to do worse against the lesser teams. That made the whole thing a wash.
Also, you get no more points for a 3-1 loss than an 8-2. Clearly one is much better and we were headed in the right direction but this season we have 2 points from 9 against Spuds, Poo and Manure. Not terrible but not wonderful either. How much credit should Emery get for that? Remember the Manure game? They were poor and if we had been half decent we would have won. Poo trounced us. (Although I was quite receptive to Emery’s tactics that day and felt we had a clear system of play which won’t always come off against a good side but was, ironically, a more systematic approach than most of our other games, including ones we got points in). And against Spuds we went two down and did well to rescue a point from a poor situation we should not have been in. So, again, how much credit is the manager due?
Scgooner,
I disagree with you that Emery has made us more competitive even against the the top 4 or 5 as you say. I’m not sure where this Emery praise has come from. It’s not working for him and certainly for us.
Yes Chelski was behind 1:4 but they haven’t given up look at the tempo of this game. I would love to see us play at this pace!
Not just for 15 minutes but for the entire game .
cynic, you’re too right. you’d think he’d been drowning puppies.
here’s something i wrote on the arsenal america facebook page, after people were just *slagging* on unai for cutting xhaka off the captaincy rolls:
“man, people look for a lot of sticks to beat emery with. he says something, he gets stick. he doesn’t say it fast enough, or enough enough, he gets stick. he doesn’t strip granit of the captaincy, he gets stick. he does, he gets stick. feel entitlement much?”
someone then responded, “well bayern just fired their coach and they’re in a better position than us. big clubs, etc.”
to which i answered: “yeah, bayern’ve had five coaches since pep left in 2016. be careful what you wish for.”
no matter what, people are going to complain (not that emery should be the coach we stick with, per se, but it’s like the sanitation worker who kept a bucket of shit in his bedroom…it got good to him. beating up on the coach because they’re not doing the job fans think he should be doing got good to people at the end of the wenger reign, and it still goes on).
Cynic @611
The world’s smallest violin is weeping gently at the unfair treatment of Emery and the evils of all those with an agenda. (Dirty word!)
In seriousness, I get what you’re saying about some of the stuff found elsewhere but I think this place is pretty reasonable. No one in any power is reading our waffle so an agenda is pretty pointless. And just because you disagree it doesn’t mean that people who don’t rate the guy are all out to get him. It is as easy (and as fatuous) to claim that anyone who constantly bemoans the lack of credit given to him and tries to talk up any positive thing he does at all has an agenda to promote him.
People just see it differently. No need to act like it’s a witch hunt.
We don’t score many goals. We concede too many. We don’t pick up points. Of course the manager gets stick. Agenda doesn’t come into it.
We will never ever have another coach for as long as Wenger was in the club, those days are over guys.
As far as I’m concerned Emery had enough time now to show us if he can really improve this squad. It’s not like I have some agenda against him as a person I’m sure he’s a nice guy an all that, however Arsenal has been far too lenient here.
I think he’s given it his best, however on this occasion it’s not what this squad and the club need, we have not improved defensively, our midfield is confused and our strikers are starved of proper service.
Also it’s fair to point out that it’s not the end of the world we are after all still in transition from Wenger but 18 months in charge should give you an indication if the gaffer was the right choice. To me he is not the right guy to take us forward especially in this league. He will move on find another club and that will be the end of it. We need to think about Arsenal more here rather than what happens to Emery.
The worts case scenario is, if we won’t make top 4 this season say goodbye to Laca and Auba!
gsd, i think you’re right, emery should not be our coach. there have been some dire games recently, and we have players that, were they gelling and playing in a system that made sense to them they’d be killing it.
i’m just tired of people bashing emery for everything he does, even if they’re contradictory bashes (i.e., for not cutting xhaka, then cutting him, as captain). that seems like bashing for bashing’s sake, don’t you think?
Scruz. Obviously I’m not on your Facebook page and no longer keen on Emery but I’m genuinely curious what line of argument people are using to dig Emery out for taking the captaincy off Xhaka? He’s spot on there.
Scruz. As a general comment on some off the stuff written in other places then yeah, I’d agree he gets stick for all sorts of unreasonable claptrap. But i don’t see that here and don’t like knowledgeable posters here being lumped in with a lot of absolutely agenda driven posters elsewhere, that’s all.
Arthur @616. Well said. Have a drink on me
I’m keen on 700!
We don’t score many goals. We concede too many. We don’t pick up points. Of course the manager gets stick. Agenda doesn’t come into it.
When it is as relentless as it has been from certain quarters, an agenda is definitely in play. Let us not forget that Emery’s job was in danger after just two games of the season… according to some.
Your points above are obviously correct and I’m disappointed in how the season is going, but I don’t like everything having an Emery Out slant this early in the game.
I wonder if, had certain people been Liverpool fans, they would have had Klopp gone within 18 months? I’m not suggesting Emery is going to do for us what Klopp has for that lot, but the time to fire the guy is not now. I hate the Chelsea mindset that is now firmly in place, where we’re prepared as fans to chuck people out after less than two years in the job.
IF our board is weak enough to dump him before the end of the season, they can get to fuck.
Thanks GSD one for you on Lars card as well 🙂
As the numbers rack up, they provide a reminder to inquire after the health of the Guv’nor.
I’m genuinely curious what line of argument people are using to dig Emery out for taking the captaincy off Xhaka?
Easy. It will have been too late, he shouldn’t have had the job anyway, the club should have made a statement criticising Xhaka before now as well and the kicker will be a claim that Emery didn’t even make the decision and it was forced on him.
The kind of ludicrous stuff that has been in play this season already, where it is claimed that he’s only been playing the younger players because the board sold Iwobi (because, like, he’s such a veteran himself innit) and moved Miki out and forced him to.
He only gets things right because someone else makes him. Obviously.
gsd, completely agree about your take on this place’s denizens. very measured, in general, and frustrated. very few sticks. i see them out elsewhere, however, and i wonder what forest moved in.
on fb, things like “emery should be fired for getting rid of xhaka as captiain”, “emery should be fired for not getting rid of him as captain fast enough”, “emery should be fired for appointing him as captain in the first place”, etc., etc., etc.
emery’s not, i think, the coach we need. however, nothing he does about xhaka even needs to come into that assessment…he’s not been getting the team to do the job on the pitch, so that’s why he should be gone.
ned, i emailed him the other day, and haven’t heard back. i’ll ping him other ways; however, i am assuming that no news is good news.
here’s to you, dave. be well!
Cynic. I agree with 625 but not 622. For me it would be weaker by a long way to keep him than get rid. If things carry on as they are and we finish way down the league there won’t have been any benefit. Do you think a new manager would/could do worse than what we are currently seeing? I don’t.
And on that note I shall bow out before the 650 and allow cba (what about those bookcases?) to take us on through the night, like an Irish Ray Moore.
Apologies for ranting on, it’s not like I even really give a sod any more. 🙂
gsd@628, i’d hope a new manager would be better. but there’s no guarantee, and while now might be the time, change for change’s sake shouldn’t be the motive force.
i want the board to identify a candidate, compare how this team might respond to the new candidate vs. the current coach, and go from there. that takes time, and opportunity, and perhaps *right now* one is missing.
Scruz @ 626
Based on that FB sample I can fully see why you’re hacked off. Load of rubbish mate.
Yeah Scruz. Emery hasn’t worked out. Okay, that can happen and it was always going to be a huge ask for the guy replacing Wenger. The next appointment is important to get right and it is a decision we cannot rush. But we can’t wait too long whilst results keep going against us. Freddie as caretaker maybe? I have no idea who is available right now.
I’ve expressed a preference for Allegri, which I’ll stick with, but my knowledge is limited and as long as the board are on top of it I’ll be happy to see who they go for. Big decision for Raul and Edu. Josh Kroenke might be more involved, although he will presumably defer to the football men, and Vinai probably gets a say but I think we’re looking at Raul and Edu to pull the strings here. What can they come up with?
It’s an interesting one. I’m still a bit torn on Emery but concede the fanbase has turned and so the game is up. The book of evidence results-wise is pretty slim IMHO. Rotation didn’t work in the run-in last season (it was indeed a collapse) but looking to Mavraponos, Elneny, Jenks, Mustafi, etc when games were coming every three days – and remember we did serious jobs on Napoli and Valencia in the same period – was always a big ask. Unfortunately then AMN (who could never defend) got sent off at 0-0 away to Leicester. This squad was too small and indisputably inherited. Not the case now, at all. This will kick in later. Plus there was no funds available in Jan ’19 (and don’t dare point to the net 1mill outlay on Suarez). Sure we ballsed up Baku, confidence probably shot by then. So Exhibit A for the prosecution is barely 3 or 4 games last season. The rest following the opening 2 defeats was good Champions League form. Exhibit 2, looking at results, is this season mainly Sheffield U ( deffo pen) and then Palace (which we “won” in fact) and then Wolves draw. We should be 20 points from 11 games, that’s a fact. Just under 2 per game is our very long term average, no more, so is the case completely clear cut so soon ? I wonder. Europa has been excellent with our 2nd XI and personally I took heart from Anfield. Having attended Wolves and heard the booing and the ridiculous singing about Ozil and the screaming at defenders passing it around, I have a lot of sympathy for the coach. He’s under pressure and his in-game mind has gone a bit short term, in the cauldron, maybe as he tries to keep the fans onside. He’s handled the Xhaka affair with true Arsenal class. If the Management stick with him longer than expected, people should give him a blo*dy break. Stay classy Gooners ! Right that’s enough from a blow in like me, I’ll get my coat before I’m turfed out….before I’m “baayrrred” as we say in Dublin. COYG.
50/50 odds the next manager will be worse in my opinion
arthur 616
massive moooooooooooooooooooooo from me
dino
brainpower aplenty
cynic
i just fuckin love you fella
.
.
now
let me just check back and discover
what thrusting young midfield dynamo took the 6 ton
i’m sure i won’t be disappointed
SCG@627: I hope your assumption is correct.
633
buy some fuckin ‘holic paragraphs
they are clearly signposted
in the gift shop
and
i’ve found
very reasonably priced
oh shit now
well now
ned
proper ‘holic royalty
how are ye ?
of a choice handful
of ‘holics
should tabs and dr feelgood and lester
be added to the stew
oh
what a nourishing intellectual meal of hilarity
i battered into wordy submission
indeed i’ve heard it said
more battering than trev
with a discombobulated kneecap
with his name on it
t’would be
*KLAXON*
this is just a drill
this is just a drill
(it’s still me)
(but what if)
*stares blankly into the middle distance*
*KLAXON*
*KLAXON*
wha?
*KLAXON*
*KLAXON*
well
you see – things are
sometimes
and more importantly – that too
and as well
*KLAXON*
cba@638: as you know, we are humble folk here at Castle Ned, cba, but at least kings in our own castle.
And I should inquire after your health in return. Hope this is a good day.
See you @700.
ned
always a pleasure
to talk to you
health i’ve decided
is a construct
created by The Man
to keep honest to goodness
handsome men like me
from handsoming their handsomeness
without fear or favour
but
saying as ye asked
i’m doing ok
.
what else can i do ?
i just feel so bad
for
the lusty womenfolk of Donegal’s husbands
i’m not as visible as i used to be
so i’m sure that translates
to the dinner plate
cos
fellas
let’s not forget
making dinner shouldn’t concern you
.
bitta feminism right there
(Did ye notice it )
.
the fanny love that
bless ’em
I don’t blame UE for the delay
on the Xhaka decision as to me
that was a club issue and Raul
should have decided it.
Anyway, it’s done now.
Oh, I nicked the 650 with
impeccable timing.
osaka M
have you ever
returned a single unburst by you
ball over the fence
and
i haven’t said it in a while
–
(though
do positive vibes work
if ye aren’t roller skating
an american sea front
in glitter shorts
with more SASS than you can handle)
.
.
dave
every happy thought is sent your direction
but
you better have everything serious
i’m wishing you didn’t have
otherwise
you are just making a mockery
of the whole massive night time joint project
i appear to have embarked on
?
or upon
.
.
.
.
yeah
not him
either
Sokratis has been getting his share of flak lately but there are more letters in his last name than some back fours combined. There. I said it.
cba@645: as they said in Vietnam, survivors are heroes.
They probably never said handsome is as handsome does, but I am sure you do.
Back in the day (15th century or earlier), handsome meant good or chivalrous, so the original phrase was, goodly is a goodly does.
as who said in Vietnam
and
what in the wide wide world of sports
would that have
a single fuckin sliver of importance
to me
round about now
honestly
some of ‘holic’s royalty
are tarnished of tiara
.
gimme back
my signed pennant
ya mad man
.
.
gonna have a right good go at a snooze
so
.
KEEP THE FUCKIN NOISE DOWN
@634
Quite agree bt8.
We should change anyway
though as it’s less than
50/50 that UE can change
the current situation
Tricky game today as Vitoria
showed they could hurt us
last time. It seems likely the
back 4 will be Hector, Mus, Rob
and Kola. Plenty of experience
there but I think they’ll need it
as our midfield often goes
missing defensively.
I guess Saka and Martinelli will
start too, hopefully they can get
the goals in another 3-2 win.
10am on a Wednesday morning and we are 6 hours from kickoff… Ridiculous!
Ten Hag of Ajax had a good audition to be our new head coach last night, showing he knows exactly how to turn a 3 goal lead into a draw. ?
Today’s match will be a challenge. Not because of the quality of the opposition who, after all, had failed to score a single goal in the EL this season until they encountered our Keystone Cop defence and who would have won their first EL game had it not been for the dead-ball skills of Pepe. It will be tough because of our dysfunctional playing style, which more than the results, is the primary reason why UE should have his contract terminated at the earliest feasible opportunity.
The insistence of playing out from the back by players clearly unsuited to and uncomfortable with the tactic, the failure to play a midfield capable of screening a hapless back four or linking effectively with the strikers whose resultant lack of touches explains our lack of shots and goals indicates for me a coach incapable of using these players effectively.
I expect to see Martinez behind Chambers, Mustafi, Holding & Kolasinac. Now Xhaka is PNG, MF selection is more problematic: I expect Torreira and Gwen to join AMN and Willock or possibly Nelson in a young and energetic though not overly creative group behind the boy wonder Martinelli and Saka.
I hope we win this afternoon and suspect the Guvna would back a 2-1 to the Arsenal. Should that transpire I will be delighted but I don’t expect us to dominate the game (when was the last time we did that even at home against low class opposition?) and it won’t change my view on the coach. Indeed I have no expectation of an Arsenal victory in any match this season until there is a new man in charge as I have seen no evidence that UE can set up a team based on the strengths of the players at his disposal that is organised in a manner that attacks and defends effectively.
Nonetheless I will be cheering on the lads at the top of my voice.
COYG
N.B. KO is at 3.50pm UK time.
It’s not a hugely important game today but a win would be great as it takes pressure off the last 2 group games. Hopefully we can play with some freedom in attack and solidity in dedence- which is a standing order at the moment.
Our dedence must be improved!
I keep forgetting we are playing today and may forget again before kick off. ….forget what??
As GSD said it’s not the biggest game we’ve ever played but the exciting football played by our B team has been in stark contrast to our A team for the reasons so lucidly described by Bath,
It seems a bit perverse on an online forum to bemoan the ills of social media but there is far too much bollocks ( to use a technical term) written online and it creates much more heat than light on most forums which are significantly inferior to this one. The furore around Xhaka suggests people just like to whinge whatever the situation is.
I think we will squeak a narrow win today ( are we playing today?) because we will anticipate the problems that Vitoria will set us better than we did a couple of weeks ago.
I’d use the game to trial Luiz in defensive midfield and use Torreira with him in a double pivot so that we can use Willock further forward in a creative unit as a no.10. I agree with Bath that the Holic pound would be on 2-1 to the Arsenal. Sounds decent to me unless it proves to be wrong in which case it was bloody stupid.
Now I’m off to charm my wife before I sneak off to find a stream showing the match. Can’t think for the life of me how I’m going to do that so I may just start looking for the stream anyway ….what am I looking for a stream for??
COYG
TTG. Just to let you know that Arsenal are playing today. At 15.50. (yes, you read that right)
Positive selection: 3 at the back.
Martinez
Mustafi Holding Sokratis
AMN, Ceballos, Willock, Tierney
Pepe, Martinelli, Saka.
UE does like this cup.
Alternative, agenda led, view
FACKIN’ NEGATIVE KHAAAAAANT, FIVE AT THE FACKIN’ BACK AGAINST THEM KHAAAAANTS.
captain rob, love it.
come on, you gooners!!
Been a while since we played 3 at
the back.
Does this mean Hector starts
Saturday? And Calum?
I always said we needed at
least 6 captains
And at least 2 reserve captains…
Our defense survives, as a sweet shot hits our upright.
Martinez makes a great save and they come within a whisker of scoring.
Three chances in the first 13 minutes. We are terrible at defending.
Hmmm
on the bright side Emi is
playing well
I’ve had a wager on this with Skybet that is Martinelli to score, Arsenal to get seven plus corners and Mustafi to be carded at 20/1
Somehow I think the seven corners bit is going to let me down.
ksn,
I think our transition from defending to attacking is really poor. No much of a game plan.
Best form of defense is to attack!
We are improving though with a decent header on goal….
At some point I think we have to stop blaming game plans and recognise that our players are just not that good as a unit. Individually they are fine, but I’ve never in my life known a system make a player a bad passer or incapable of picking up a runner.
@Cynic, a change of coach and quickly turn things around and make players play better as a unit. It’s happened time and time again for different teams, except Arsenal in the past 20 years.
What I mean by “fine” is that they’re talented individuals but they’re obviously flawed. They don’t track runners, they switch off etc. That’s not the system, that’s players.
we’re slowly racking up
corners
it’d be useful if we could get in a cross from the right, that’s where the opportunities are coming.
We’ll stop at six just to fuck me off.
ref is letting a lot of “professional fouling” go on without carding (much). i’d like to see a good warning card for some of these hits in the midfield.
we’re up to three now, yeah?, cynic?
Agree, not good enough defensively from the players. But the coach has to shoulder the blame for not being able to get a performance out of the players. We’re clueless on the ball, too, is that on the players or the coaching?
we skirt and skirt and skirt around the edges, then misplace a pass. no incisiveness. COME ON YOU GOONERS!!
Not a half to live long in
the memory
poor end to a poor half. we’re thankful for the post.
Who needs shots on target anyway?
but there’s nothing stopping us from playing a ball out of the back along the right wing for…
Laca on some time 2nd half
if we want to win. Or possibly
UE is happy enough with a
draw as it’ll probably put us
through
i just don’t want to use laca against injury on this greasy pitch.
i’d rather see the team on the pitch figure it out.
The players look worse at passing because of how little they show for each other. We cannot transition through the lines to get the ball from our defenders into forward positions.
It’s 700 time.
Is this our equivalent of the
Mexican wave when the game
is very very dull ?
puts a curling ball into the area for the head of…
Oh go on then
Lacklustre first half. The defensive coach has to explain that when you hold a high line at a FK, you don’t keep holding it when the kick has been taken and you track runners. Either the defensive coach has overlaboured the keep a high line bit or our players are thicker than I thought.
nicely nodded with yer noggin, cynic.
gsd, yeah, it’s all very static, while vitoria is very mobile. our closing down seems to involve a “leg stuck out” then walking. our passing is hard to feet, which means first touches are heavy, and we lack control. kind of ugly, considering arsenal.
Spot on GSD. Appalling lack of movement.
Well in Cynic.
I dedicate my 700 to cba (in return for his bookcases) and to the guvnor, who I hope is resting up and will be back very soon.
Let’s have a better show for the second half.
COYG.
Looks like Saka can’t hang onto the ball as well as not finding a player with a pass
Cynic gives us something to cheer!
Please Arsenal. Please play better. Pretty please.
put in torreira for mustafi, and go to four at the back with torreira holding (but not holding holding). give joe the box to box role he can clearly play, and put ceballos up at 10. tell amn and tierney to stay home as much as possible, or at least prioritize the defensive half. get crosses in to gabby that are accurate and plentiful.
shit, there goes ceballos’ hammy.
I struggle to see what Willock and Saka offer to this team, to be honest. We have just witnessed Ceballos belting back on the cover and I’m not sure where the rest of the midfield was or the left back.
And now Ceballos has done his hammy and I wonder how much that covering run was to blame for this.
saka has to make that crossfield pass to pepe. he was in, there.
to be fair, the defense, in this first ten minutes, is much better than in the first half. if we could stop giving the ball away near midfield…
Corner number five… come on… two more and a goal for Martinelli…
Cynic denied a corner by a terrible offside decision against Pepe.
cynic, you were screwed there. that was totally onside, and should have been corner no. 6.
We used to look good going forward under Wenger though our defending was shit. Now we defend just as bad or worse and the attacking fluency is gone. We now have few shots on goals and our opponents (however shit) have at least, twice as many shots on our goal. We are going backwards.
ATG, take your point entirely.
We either pass sideways or backwards and look impotent.
SIX CORNERS!
That’s the last one then.
martinelli for the headed goal off corner no. 6?
Still no shots on target.
In other news it looks like Ancelotti might be getting sacked.
Time to bring Laca on for
Martinelli?
Laca for Saka.COYG.
laca for saka. man, i’d hoped we wouldn’t need to bring him on.
Holding commits a foul just as Martinelli was about to run half the length of the pitch and score my goal. Bastard!
I must admit seeing if
Cynic’s bet comes in is
about the only point of
interest in this match
that, om, and seeing it out with no further injuries. *makes the sign of the corna*
It’s not going to come off, although my ability to judge football is so poor, it was the Mustafi card bit I expected to end up failing me.
Joe Willock skies one, which is a bit par for the course really.
I think he might be coming off for Torreira.
If he takes Martinelli off, he can get sacked.
I’m so bored. We are so dull.
I can’t recall a match when we had no shots on target for more than 70 minutes. Sack him in the morning!!!
Absolutely no movement up top.
How bad are we ? No style and despite some excellent players no team quality. Emery needs to go very, very soon . I hope the taxi has been ordered to meet our plane when it lands
that’s a good sub, IF he keeps playing the holding role willock was playing.
Does Emery make our front two jog back and forth in straight lines and not show for the ball then?
4 of our guys standing in a line with their defensive line. Guendouzi and Willock in the middle. The ball with our defenders. No way to get it from back to front. Just terrible.
So many times we go back to our defenders to pass it amongst themselves.
Wrong fucking player but 1-0
Are we allowed to celebrate when ShM scores ??
i suppose this answers the question “can we do it on a rainy night in portugal?”
and, right on cue, we get a goal. mustafi from a beauty of a freekick by that man pepe. no, cynic, he didn’t take it away from martinelli. 🙂
Good header Mustafi.
Get in!
That’s a bit harsh Cynic?
And good delivery from Pepe
1-0 to The Arsenal?
not to get ahead of myself here, but these days “winning when playing poorly” is just a win for us.
Good delivery, good header
but terrible defending by
them
Cynic @ 735.
When are they gonna show for the ball? It’s never with a midfielder in the opposition third who might be able to find them. The problem is not their runs, it is getting the ball into the attacking third for someone to then find a striker’s run.
Unless you expect them to make runs that Mustafi can find from his own half. Because that’s where the ball is.
cynic, if martinelli scores do you still get your biscuit?
Scruz @744.
That made me chuckle. Nicely put.
That’s a bit harsh Cynic?
Not when there’s money at stake and especially not when that money is MINE 🙂
Still on six corners… last minute corner, Martinelli scores. That’ll do me.
What a coach and what a header!
Who ever doubted! Mustafi is a genius ?
scruz – I still get my conkers if Martinelli scores, yes. As long as we get one more corner.
And what would I spend my conkers on? A long sleeved home shirt, that’s what.
Cynic,
Fair enough 😀
Almost lost our lead there..
That’s another shocking goal to give up. We couldn’t defend a fish supper, to quote Big Sam.
cynic, that’s a good spend. fingers crossed for the two to come in. five more minutes.
and, of course, we forget how to defend.
They score.1-1.
and Arsenal loose a lead again ffs!
Guess we’ll be happy with a draw ?
What the fuck is going on?
IN THE MORNING!!!!!!!!!
Why did Martinez just watched the ball?
how the hell do we keep giving in these acrobatic goals? that was SO bad. though if that had gone in off mustafi, it would have been worse.
Mustafi almost scored an OG. Only we can concede twice in two mins but fortunately score still 1-1.
Emery is such an easy target, but the players need to take the flak as well. They are the ones creating fuck all every week.
shouldn’t have gotten ahead of myself, then. sigh.
My stream gave me no reply but I thought Pepe was onside there and through one on one with the keeper.
Phew! That was close. Fair result 1-1, but we were really poor for the entire match.
There are some ( few) in this bar who are very reluctant to change anything- manager, owner, club wallpaper.
You have got to change Emery he has ruined this club’s playing style
It was a poor game by all means
GSD,
Missed that bit as well. Can anyone else confirm?
Cynic, we are indifferent…this is about our behaviour, our mentality. Players just reflect what goes on in the background. The sooner he goes the better for all.
No surprise that we conceded. Which is a concern.
And very frustrating that when breaking at them in injury time Guendouzi plays a poor pass behind Laca at which point we start fannying about with it in the corner instead of trying to create a chance. As soon as we lose it Vitoria bomb up the pitch with their revolutionary tactics of trying to score a winning goal. I wish we’d thought of that.
A laughable last 5 minutes.
We had 5 or 6 players in
front of their bloke when he
scored, there is no way he
should get that shot in.
The ref was rubbish. No high profile decisions but I thought he got a lot wrong for both sides.
What a dull game. Made vaguely interesting by the comedy stylings of our team when defending a lead and a vague sense of wonder as to whether we would turn a winning position into a draw or a loss. Uuurghh.
I really don’t think anything will change if he goes.
We might get a brief, Solskjaeresque, results bump but in the medium to long term, this is a squad that doesn’t have enough good players in it and after all the optimism of “winning the transfer window” we might be realising that we actually didn;t after all.
What we have is experienced players who aren’t good enough (you all know who they are), young players who are not really ready yet and a couple of diamonds.
It’s not JUST tha manager, it’s the whole thing.
Did we make there GK make a save , did we create a chance where we should have scored .
The way we set up it’s not worth playing any forwards/goal scorers unless they can do it on there own .
When we have the chance to break we’re too slow then go wide or backwards , what is UE asking them to do .
We might hear later they carried out his tactics to the letter , this is not good , UE dead man walking .
The main issue here is we all know these players can do so much better, so bloody frustrating!
Match report: Dismal, dismal Arsenal. Over 60% possession, 1 shot on target. Mustafi’s goal. No near misses. It would be boring, boring Arsenal but *they* used to win 1-0.
All at sea. But no captain and the admiral is lost. End it now, please.
All the sevens!
No surprises there.
Disjointed, dull and
panicky in the closing stages.
On to Leicester for a different
XI to be disjointed and dull.
Emi did well 1st half. Good FK
from Pepe, nice finish by Mus.
We didn’t lose in the last 5
minutes. Any other positives
anyone?
As Unai said in his post match interview:
They are a good team and we had to be strong defensively… 😀
“They threw everything up front and sometimes it’s not organised anymore” – Mustafi
Seems a bit generous. When was it ever organised?
That’s true OM: nice glass half full observation. Martinez made 2 excellent saves in the first half and it was a beautiful delivery by Pepe that was nicely dispatched by Mustafi. Other positives: Pepe, Laca and Martinelli didn’t get injured. All three worked their socks off too.
Holding buys a little shimmy to give them space to cross the ball for there goal. It’s not a huge mistake and I think he’s a good player but he still has a lot to improve on.
“We tried. They are a very competitive team and it was very important for us to be strong defensively. I think we did that and we did better offensively. -Emery
Better offensively? Better than what?!
GSD@783, better offensively than abject surrender?
I will agree with you on that Bath. I can fully get behind the opinion that today ‘Arsenal were better offensively than abject surrender’.
Well. That’s alright then.
Carry on.
I completely forgot that this prime sporting festival was taking place today. Given that it is being fairly widely described as the worst game if the Emery era, it must have been pretty bad. We all get lucky sometimes and every dog has his day.
Keep smiling Holics, things will get better, meanwhile keep on the sunny side. This one’s for Holic himself and cba gives it a good Moooooooooooooooo every day.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yBiLISbw0mQ
Cynic,
I’m very fond of your humour and input but I completely disagree with you on most football issues at present.
This is potentially a VERY good squad who with a good coach who drilled them properly could achieve much. Our front three are dynamic and exciting and with a better midfield structure we could easily be top four and might challenge in this competition. Emery is beyond awful and a good coach who can impose a team structure ( there is absolutely none at present) could make a massive difference.
We reached the CL final in 2006 keeping 14 clean sheets in a row with a defence of
Lehmann
Eboue Senderos Toure Flamini.
The defensive coach then was Martin Keown. If that group could achieve 14 clean sheets we should be able to do something with our defence
Plays the ball backwards to anyone at all. As long as they are not further up the pitch than me…
Didn’t see the match and based on the comments above I’m glad I didn’t waste my time. Just saw a stat that we attempted 589 passes with only 6 going into their box, and only 1 completed pass (Pepe’s free kick I assume).
Yes Emery needs to clear out his office but it isn’t just about his inability. I don’t see too many players taking the initiative out there. The only consistentcy week in week out is poor performance and mistakes. There is such a thing as player responsibilty on the pitch and this sorry bunch are taking the piss.
That was (to use a technicality utilised by the excellent TTG) fucking dire. A waste of my afternoon that could have been spent reading or listening to music.
We are going to be absolutely humped by Leicester.
Totally forgot match was on so early; sounds like we didn’t miss much.
And in other news: for Juve, Ramsey scores the shortest goal of his career as he gets his toe on the back part of the ball as it’s about to go over the line. Best part is that it takes credit for it away from Ronaldo.
And, as many candidates for the Bayern job drop out, AW says of course he’d be interested in taking over.
Quite enjoying watching Andrew Neill reducing politicians of all parties to a puddle of lava.
I know he’s a Tory but he just loves going in for the kill on all of them.
The University of Glasgow should be proud.
Just filling as we close in on 800. Rolls it back to the goalie to build again …..
Plays a panicky ball towards the corner flag…
Humps the ball forward just to annoy the coach…
GSD
Not sure if I dislike Jacob Rees- Mogg or Unai Emery the most at present
Could Neil do over Emery ?
Interested to see that on first day of campaigning a Cabinet Minister resigns , the odious Bridgen and JRM insult the relatives of Grenfell and the cheating bastards doctor a video of Keir Starmer ( Arsenal season ticket holder) …..and I used to vote Tory!
Sees Mustafi rising at far post
Chips ball over
Bang!
I always was a goalhanger ?
Well hung TTG.
Err…
Oooo errr, matron!
Nurse Jenkins rears her lovely head again ?⚕️
Well in TTG
Right lads, we’re going for four figures here.
Countryman. I’m in!
Let’s do it
Absolutely, what 1000 posts among friends?
Count me in!
We can just kick it about in defence for a while. Nice and easy lads.
I am still struggling to find any positives from the game.
I suppose at least our players appear to be waterproof.
Plays it to a midfielder who has dropped deep to collect it…
Passes back to the goalkeeper. Cups ear to mocking noise from the North Bank.
We’re the North Bank
We’re North Bank
We’re North Bank Highbury!
Just noticed that for the 800 TTG headed in his own cross
Not even St Dennis could do that.
Must be a trick Cliff Bastin taught his Dad.
Gooner royalty.
As an only child I had to play football with myself.
Came in useful tonight
I am still struggling to find any positives from the game.
It’s one game nearer to Emery leaving the club? This is a stone cold fact, but whether you see that as a cause for celebration is up to thee.
One thing I did enjoy today was Emery pre-match, when asked why Rob Holding was captain. “Why? Because he is”.
Silly bloody questions deserve answers like this. Then I thought maybe Emery sounds a bit like he’s struggling in pressers because he’s wondering how the fuck to answer the sort of dim questions he gets asked, because we don’t usually hear those.
I dismissed it of course. Wish he’d use an interpreter at least sometimes, he is supposedly really good to listen to when he can express himself in his own lingo.
Saliba has broken his fifth metatarsal and will be out for several weeks . That’s two serious injuries this season although to be fair he began the season with an abdominal injury left over from last year. Ceballos will miss the Leicester game
Looks like a team along the lines of
Leno
Chambers. Sokratis Luiz Tierney
Torreira Guendouzi
Pepe Ozil Aubameyang
Lacazette
That game was crying out for David Luiz’s ability to hit diagonal passes beyond and behind a compact defence. Vitoria’s Ivo Vieira won the tactical game. We were allowed all the possession we wanted among the back five, but were crowded out of midfield when we tried to play through it. Ceballos and Willock sank deeper and deeper in search of the ball, and thus there was no link-up play with the forwards.
Singing along with you @813, C100.
Anyone from the Clock End in?
Sight of Nurse Jenkins, or was it only an auditory sensation?
TTG,
I think Hector and Kola will
start against Leicester. Not
used tonight.
No Calum tonight either, I
wonder if he will replace
Papa as CB.
Tierney’s case is a little odd,
we withdrew him from the
Scotland squad as we wanted
to work on an existing knock
apparently but he played
tonight. It would be taking the
piss if he played again at
Leicester wouldn’t it?
Hesitates for a while to play
the ball out as everyone is
marked, then plays it out
to a marked player anyway
who…
Falls on to the ball at the slightest touch from marker then rolls around clutching various body parts trying to win a free kick. Fools Mike Dean and takes the free kick back to a center back who…
is a centre half
was always a centre half
and will have no truck
with descriptions otherwise
so
until ye call me by my name
i ain’t passing the ball anywhere
SO
THERE !
.
.
*hides ball up jumper*
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=010KyIQjkTk
.
.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jxmZZBJQAKM
Just a thought , UE is now in the process of ruining the cup team from 4 and 5 nil wins in the CC and the ELC to what we witnessed yesterday a fast decline in 6 games (I think)
It’s he’s set up and tactics , I don’t think he’s allowing the players to play to they seem confused , it’s his way or the highway Mesut Ozil for example .
CBA
A very handsome centre half too.
But I bet you can’t head in your own crosses
OM
Speculating on the thinking of Emery is fraught with uncertainty.
You are applying logic to someone who doesn’t use it often . I don’t think he’d play Bellerin for his first game against a team like Leicester. I think he likes what Chambers has been doing and wouldn’t move him to CB and I think Tierney is his first choice LB. I can’t believe he started him yesterday . But Emery is not a logical man . I’d hate him to play Kolasinac in a game like this. So he probably will
We could play CBA at centre back but he wouldn’t pass to anyone . No change there then
Can’t wait, personally, to see what stick will be used to beat the manager with when we beat Leicester, who everybody appears to be wetting the collective bed over.
I mean we finally have a guy on the bench who can use the zips on a jacket ffs, what more do you bleeders want?
If we beat Leicester then of course
it will down to the players ignoring
the hapless UE’s tactics. If not then
it’s all UE’s fault.
Surely you must remember that from
AW’s final seasons? 🙂
Less bitterness this time round I
feel – course I don’t follow social
media at all or other blogs much
so I’m not sure.
TTG,
True enough @831, we’ll have
to wait and see.
Yesterday we played in Europe on a Wednesday. Can we count that as a positive?
GSD,
Yep, we have an extra day to
prepare for another better
offensive performance against
Leicester.
Also the game was finished
by 6pm UK time so it didn’t spoil
the evening for those gooners
watching on TV.
Cynic. Good point.
Emery’s zipper skills are so smooth that I haven’t even noticed them. This may not be the most desirable quality in a head coach but it can’t hurt.
Unlike poor zipper skills, which can hurt quite a lot. ?
OM. It didn’t improve the evening much either!
What time of day were you subjected to it?
Whichever gooners saw it in the late evening must surely have fallen asleep.
For those of you who don’t do Twitter @lucygooner has just tweeted this.
Some of you may have wondered where @TheGoonerholic is. He has asked me to let you know he’s been in hospital and was quite poorly but…he is on the road to recovery and will be out in a day or two ❤️please RT and/or pass on – thank you
Thanks C100.
Good news that the Guvnor is on the way back!
Hello Guvnor if you’re reading – take care of yourself.
ps
What is RT?
Hi OM
RT = retweet, i.e. repeat someone’s tweet via a button on Twitter, either with or without a comment.
GSD,
The clocks went back so it was a 12.50AM kick
off for me. Better than 4AM I suppose.
I did have to resort to coffee to fight off the
soporific effects of our play. In fact, we are
good news for coffee manufacturers now that
I’m in a positive frame of mind.
Thanks C100.
Living and learning 🙂
Excellent news on the Guvna.
Honestly don’t think you can underestimate the value of zipper skills in a coach. You’ve not seen the top top top coaches floundering with the old coat on a rainy day have you.
All he needs to do is master the art of going hoodless in the old torrential and he’ll have proved himself ready for the Champions League. And not just qualifying. Any coat fumbling fool can do that. I mean winning the thing.
Get well soon boss.
hooray ‘holic
?
People defending emery are amazing, he has turned the team into a bore and there is absolute zero creativity. He sets up the game hoping for a miracle and is happy if it comes off, else shrugs his shoulders, scratches his chin and does a presser only he understands.
I cannot believe when I say I am tired watching us play, the same me who would not keep his wedding on a certain day because there was a pre-season game being played on the same day. I know some may say you have not seen us in the earlier years etc but i say based on what i have seen and seen I have for the last 20 years.
I do not expect unai or the board or this team do miracles, all I ask for is being competitive and look like wanting to win the game. I see neither, I am not resting all my blame on unai, the board hired him, he is doing what he thinks is right and it is apparent it is completely wrong.
Matteo Guendouzi is not the answer to his prayers, every single time it is him and as often our fans tend to go overboard about a player, he is good, he is learning but he is not a saviour, he often is out of position and leaves the midfield in the lurch.
last part about the midfield, i remember the 4-4 game against Newcastle, yes the chuck tiote goal one, every time they scored, our midfield literally did not offer the defence a chance to play a pass to them, the ball kept on coming back and they scored 4 goals, this is exactly what is happening nowadays, it is easy to say the defence sucks, the midfield aint any better.
good man c100
Best wishes to the Guv’nor. I knew something serious must have happened for him to miss a match preview. Or a good day’s golf.
But hope you are home shortly and the recuperation is speedy.
Good news about the Guvnor.
We won’t have forever to reach an unprecedented 1000. 150 to go…
We should do the 1,000 in ‘Holic’s honour. How good would it be if he was home in time to knock it in — assuming we can get the ball out of cba’s jumper?
In other news: Wenger seemingly pours cold water on rumours that he might manage Bayern Munich either for the rest of the season or permanently.
https://www.bbc.com/sport/football/50330107
Doin’ the 853 for the Guvnor.
V. Chuffed to hear to the man is on the mend. ❤️
Ned. That would be brilliant!
1000 posts would not be unprecedented. I definitely remember it happening several years back.. there was an almighty goalmouth scramble, can’t remember who got the crucial touch
Thanks for the link Ned.
I must admit I had mixed feelings about
AW going to Bayern. I’d like him to be
happy but for various reasons I don’t like
Bayern.
Note the Giants fan on drums.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_11c9d0mCvo
Cheers Barack.
We”ll just have to go for 2000 then ?
Wenger can’t take the Bayern job, he’s probably still gigging with The Tits
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SUuQGvb8isg
?
Another England squad with none of our players in it. Which is fair enough at the moment but it is good to have reasonable cause to think we have now got some players who may well change that in the next couple of years.
Bloody Interlull hoving sharply into view again. A bad result against Leicester would leave us with a lot of time for navel gazing unless the club gives Emery the boot. For all the fan unrest I have no idea whatsoever how close they are to doing that.
I don’t want any of our players to get picked for England, or any other country, ever again. International Shitball.
Damn cold outside. Prevailing winds being west to east, watch out North London.
Seeing as we’ve got 135 to go.
It’s clear Rob is our new 5th
captain. We should be told if he’s
actually 5th or he’s jumped
straight into the chart at a
higher ranking.
Later when I’ve finished watching
the grass grow I’ll write an agenda
driven post blaming UE for this
calamity.
Given our record it’s also clear
5 just doesn’t cut it. We need a
6th immediately. As he’s longest
serving player, I vote for Emi
And to steal Gunner KS’s
suggestion, 2 reserve captains
as well.
@862
Yes, the bleating of outraged gooners
(including me) will be endless in the
Interlull
Hopefully, the Guvnor will be back to
distract us with ribald tales of Nurse
Jenkins and her very naughty
chums, The Stethoscopettes
Well in OM.
We gotta keep it ticking over…
Kicks the ball off for a throw in. Oops…
The Arsenal faithful groan,
turns slowly yet menacingly
and gives the faithful
a very significant look….
If I had watched more games this season I might be just as critical of Emery as those of you whose opinion I normally agree with, but so far it’s not the case. Having just watched Arsenal v. Wolves for the first time, it looked like a game we dominated that would have been 1-0 to our side if not for Ceballos going to sleep on their goal. It wasn’t a case of Emery being too cautious. With better finishing by Lacazette and a few others we could have won it easily.
so glad to hear you’re on the mend, holic. get yourself home, and build it back slowly up… be well!
bt8 @871.
What?
Our last shot on target was in the 32nd minute. At home against Wolves. Let that sink in.
Lacazette made a great turn and low left-footed shot, which turned a decent ball into him (while he had his back to goal) into a legitimate chance. What other chances did he or others not finish well enough?
What did you think of the substitutions?
I did not see us applying the kind of pressure which would justify claiming that only better finishing prevented us from winning it easily.
Indeed, given we had 10 shot and they had 25, if I were going to argue that better finishing could have decided the match I’d be arguing that we were lucky not to lose.
Lacazette didn’t get much on his low shot in the first half but that wasn’t his best chance. He should have scored his second half chance but put it over the bar. Check out his reaction, putting his hands over his face.
Juggles ball on halfway line, inviting masses 11 man defence to come out to open space for a Bergkampesque killer pass. No response. Sits on ball in style of Slim Jim Baxter at Wembley in 1967. Strikes cba-esque arrogant pose. ?
bt8. I don’t have access to a replay. I’ll take your word for it. But I’m still not buying that one good opportunity missed equates with us being close to an easy win when they comprehensively out shot us. If he had got it on target it would have been our only shot on target in the second half. And they could easily have finished better and won comfortably.
It is possible to look at some of our results this season and say that if things had gone the other way we might have won. (See our 22 game unbeaten streak last season). But all statistics from the dawn of time show that when things are that tight and results hang in the balance there has never been any team that consistently comes out on top. We can’t always be unlucky and blame our strikers for not doing better with finishing when for every two chances they get the opposition get five.
Laughs at Baff’s @875
https://www.youtube.com/results?search_query=leicester+arsenal+2+5
filbert yobs
https://www.youtube.com/results?search_query=omd+messages
Liège beat Frankfurt so we can
still go out of the ropey league
It’s Europa League and
NO, we can’t
we’re THE mighty ArsenaL!
We’re gonna win the bloody thing.
(…or Sevilla)
Sevilla – Arsenal, EL final
(but with Emery)
ooooooooooooh
Burn Gdansk burn
not ropey league
it was kinda fun long ago, not anymore
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=x3c0JgZ59QQ
The Black Sea derby was played today in the Europa League. Final score:
FK Krasnodar 3 Trabzonspor 1
Russian radar signals win the day again, unfortunately.
It’s been under my nose all this time. To improve its porous defence, Arsenal just need to sign a few of cba’s cows and get them to lie down in front of Leno’s goal. The oppo wouldn’t dare foul the cows, would they?
The cows might foul the oppo, though, bt8b
Where’s the ball? Up cba’s jumper or under bath’s arse?
Cows in front of goal?
Would’ve worked for Pat Jennings.
Sorry
Ned.
I’m spinning it on the tip of my tail
Cow-related olfactory issues? Nurse Jennings may have to be called in.
This could call for Chanel No. 6
Or an even higher number
Chanel No. 893
Time for a 2ET substitution.
And the first touch is a backpass to the keeper putting him under great pressure
Leicester 2 Arsenal ?
ssy, seeing as it was Alexis 3, Theo 1, OG 1 we may not have the same firepower as we did then. Unless Martinelli scores five of course.
Hoofs a high one downfield hoping the wind will be favorable
It’ll always be the ropey
league to me as it’s a
second rate shit cup we
don’t even want to be in.
Wins a header in midfield!
looks for TTG goal hanging
Screw it. Runs on to my own bobbled header and lashes it into the top corner from 35 yards.
TABS!
But finds I’m the guilty man
?
Deary me OM. We seem to have cross posted the hell out of 900!
Well in GSD not many can do that.
901 is the new 900.
Sorry, OM.
Oh, no. Flag was up!!
VAR called in for a ruling ….
well in, gents. om, taking it off the toes of gsd 35 yards out and hitting it in with your left ropey league is impressive.
it’s been a while since i’ve seen an actual tabs, too. here’s to you, the original takeabowson, have a drink on lars. well, at the bar, not on lars, just, well, you know.
gsd, om, and bt8, drinks of choice (wee drams, mostly) on the bar for you, too.
Scruz ?
Cheers scruz ?
A team effort it was, just all the
glory for me,me,me ?
om, we’re just lucky you’re not as handsome as cba (no one is!), or as talented balancing on his ball as baff (nurse!)…
GSD@889, You silly twisted boy, you!
Wanted man in Manchester
Wanted man in Middlesbrough
Wanted man in Sheffield City
Wanted man in Gainsborough
Wanted man in fucking Leicester
Wanted man in old Oldham
Wherever you might look tonight you might see this wanted man
I might be in Scunthorpe
Or Brighton by the Sea
Working for some man who may not know at all who I might be
If you ever see me coming and if you know who I am
Don’t you breathe it to nobody cause you know I’m on the lamb…
VAR called in re 900
OM fouling the artist that is TTG
Great news re Dave.
Top man ???
well
i can’t say i’m surprised
today that i was recognised
as The Arsenal’s great lost
HANDSOME centre half
it wasn’t easy
believe me
but
it’s something i’ve addressed
and would hope
you cunts various
don’t lose yer shit over
.
YES
you all want to be my best friend
YES
good luck with that
NO
i don’t judge you
(thunder T notwithstanding)
.
.
but
my playing days are over , fellas
cling ye not to whatever notion
ye have of me reviving this team
.
.
.
cba is leaving the building
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
(herself doesn’t like me toking in the house)
.
.
it’s hilarity like this keeps me going
Called in, TTG, but did it stay? Still awaiting the decision on whether it was ball to tail in GSDs case or OM committed a ropey offense when in a ropey position.
.
.
“God , the hilarity”
cba@918, one of toking’s side effects.
and
if fuckin hospital botherer davey boy
thinks
he can swan back in here
to his own parlour
like nothings happened
and
GIVE IT THE BIG I AM – VIS A VIS THE 1000 !
then
I FOR ONE
think he’s perfectly entitled to
and
support him
in that endeavour
but
by jaysus
he better be ready
.
even Scorsese finally realizes
who the real hard men are
.
.
“do i amoooooooooooooooooooooos you?”
.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pcgiPxJHQrQ
i can’t say i’m surprised
today that i was recognised
as The Arsenal’s great lost
HANDSOME centre half
Fuck off, that was Terry Mancini. OK, so Mancini actually played for us but he did look lost 98% of the time.
The other 2% was the goal he scored.
*looks at stacks of books littering the floor and sighs*
Xhaka maybe to Newcastle in January. according to The Times:
https://www.thetimes.co.uk/edition/sport/newcastle-to-offer-granit-xhaka-exit-route-from-arsenal-x33t0lm2k
frolicus
minimatus
extendatis
what-everis
keyboard warrior isn’t too happy
blogs has his own set of grumbles
clear thinking seems to be an issue
executives
managers
coaches
players
bloggers
fans
seems like some of them can get it right part of the time
on their own or maybe in small groups
others are getting it right most of the time but can’t communicate their message well enough to the rest
management structure changing and what of stability?
change panacea and do we need a chiefer executive?
Everything he writes these days is anti-Emery. I’m seriously waiting for his to start going on about his shifty eyes and greasy hair, he’s done everything else.
players voting on the captain seems to be universally decried as democracy gone amok and maybe the universe is correct
him*
even more so considering the winner of the election(s)
shifty eyes could be part of the problem but greasy hair seems to be universally approved in the football biz until now
clear thinking is not one of my attributes
if it were i would submit a well edited 350 word essay in one drink and be done with it
all an excuse for the 9 1/2 ton trophy
thank you cynic for the well timed assist.
woo hooo or two
His eyes aren’t even all that shifty.
Obviously Freddie Ljungberg would be a better choice as manager because he’s got eyes to give even straight men the raging horn. And that’s a good enough reason when Emery simply has to go no matter what.
Be interesting to see how long it takes the replacement to be “out of his depth” when he gets the same sort of performances out of the players. Six months?
good playing
could be an extra attribute to go along with clear thinking
You’re drinking more than the theoretical love child of Ollie Reed and Yootha Joyce* would.
*OK, so I was struggling to think of a female who liked a shandy…
good playing / commitment / clear thinking / clear chain of command
how many of those do we have?
On here? Only cba, but he ruins it with all that handsomeness chat and rubbish music.
Two ‘holics it looks like, could be about right
I’ve now done myself out of his bookcases with that last post. Oh well, with him being in Ireland it would be a bitch to get them delivered anyway.
Unless he knows a people smuggler who could drop them off on his way to pick up the next load…
Leastways, nobody can accuse me of groupthink.
Normally.
Bit harsh on Blogs Cynic.
You’re right he’s clearly made his mind up about Emery but he bases his opinions on his interpretation of football matters, not the features or background of the manager.
bt8. Top workrate. That’s the sort of dynamism we need in midfield!
I’ve been listening to ‘The Offensive’. It’s a mockumentary podcast series about a fictional Premier League Club, Ashford City. It reminds me a lot of The Thick Of It. I’m finding it hilarious and I’d thoroughly recommend it.
Blimey bt8, wrapped up the
poster of the 900s award
already
stout work that
Xhaka to Newcastle?
He’ll never get Isaac Hayden’s
place in the team
” Can’t wait for the first time Xhaka comes back. ” *
* Not my words, actually, but at least it would mean he is not an Arsenal player.
@962 – I don’t seriously think he would go that far but I do wonder sometimes. If we beat Leicester 8-0 there will still be something to attack the manager about on Sunday.
Anyway fuck that. We have 31 more to go after this one…
Quite tempting to play the part of pre-lurker
considering it is a more important role than pre- pre-lurker
I hope the guvna is well enough to do his >>>>>>>>>>>>>>>> and call “Time please” around 997, that would be funny. Have you lot no homes to go to ? I would luv it, just luv it if Emery pulled a good selection (3 CBs please + full-on PAL) and got the away win. The silence would be deafening ! But if we only get the away draw and get hammered again 1-1 or 2-2, the outrage will take the thread to 2k in about half an hour ! COYG.
I’m far more excited about making one thousand than I am about going to tomorrow’s game.
>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>
Just kidding ???
C100 @ 974
You are mean! ?
i sense hesitation here…go for it…slides between defenders for…
Rehearses goal celebration
Long time drinker, best part of a decade, first time poster. I usually imbibe my drinks in the back of the bar under the broken lamp. Just thought I would pop my head in to wish the governor a full recovery. This place has always been a paragon of sanity in the increasingly maddening world of football fandom webspace and social media. That tone has undoubtedly been set by the owner of this fine establishment and reaffirmed by its regular patrons. I thank you all for the education, wisdom and perspective you have given me and to the barkeep I wish all the best and a long life of health, joy and never ending posts.
MA carries the bell well through two defenders while cutting in from the wing, but as per current arsenal there’s no one showing to pass to…
I’ve been saving myself for the 1000 rather like CBA saves himself for all the beautiful women who adore him.
In fairness to Blogs I don’t think anyone is blogging in favour of Emery in the Goonerverse . There is an element of mass hysteria here ( counting Liverpool in the Carabao as a draw we’ve only lost one in fourteen ) but the quality of the football is so dire.
It reminds me of the day George sent out a midfield at home to Man U of something like –
Carter Morrow Jensen and Selley. McGoldrick may have been in there as an alternate or possibly Hillier . We drew 0-0 and it was putrid.
We are creatively barren at present
hey, ttg, hope you’re well! thanks again for the ticket and the great time 🙂 excepting pepe’s freekicks it was a dire game, but the company more than made up for it.
speaking of creatively barren, *does* the handsome cba save himself for those women? i rather thought his giving in to them is part of what got him to his present state.
It was in Nov 1994 and we used Morrow ,Jensen, McGoldrick and Carter.
Was that the dullest midfield of all time?
MA your maiden post was warm, polite, respectful, grammatically correct and well spelt. You are very welcome.
If cba calls you a cunt, it’s just his way of saying hi and welcome.
Any statistical questions ask Ned.
Don’t try and take on TTG on historical questions – he has certain genealogical advantages.
Where are you based and how did you come to worship the mighty Arsenal?
not to say it’s absolutely going to happen, ttg, but within two years we’d gone completely the other direction, to a team absolutely *pregnant* with creativity…if we have to suffer in the barren wilds of creativity for a couple of years but come up with *that* again, i say hell yes…
Pleasure was all mine Scruz!
In fact meeting you , Countryman and GSD has been the highlight of my Arsenal watching in recent weeks . I’m still wearing the scarf and hope it turns the corner luckwise.
I hadn’t factored in that CBA may have damaged himself in his selfless quest to bring pleasure to ladies everywhere. It’s a noble way to perish
MA
A lovely post. You are a most welcome poster and in no way am I using this reply to climb towards the magical 1000. Well just a bit ?
god forbid we should pad our posting stats with short, sharp posts.
i mean, we’re making a run into history, right?
glad you’re enjoying the scarf, i sure as hell hope it changes things luckwise. i mean, its seen two pepe freekicks, and a number of pints of guinness, so it should sort us out 😉
and i agree: that night is one of the brightest in recent memory, in no small measure to meeting you two. sure wish gsd and baff were on the scene that night!
i mean, we could be using cba’s example as our manager, or bt8’s…
and either elide the content of every post…
Climbs with trepidation into the nervous 990s.
Of course, I could be behind the 8 ball but gunning for glory, it would be so 2012.
Elide is a ten dollar word.
Educated sods, these Californians.
or have those short little lines.
however, now that we’re in the 90s, we should all be wearing plaid, so andy gorham (or lamby gorham, his wooly döppelganger) won’t feel out of place.
running down the left, i dink a rainbow pass over two defenders and the highbury squirrel to…
…
following that cunt cba, at least i didn’t pull “elision” out of my gob (or my bog)…bloody hahafornians.
i half expect h2h to throw an 8 ball to nurse abb across the table from z, while wolfie preens and lady nina tries to extract mr. hill-wood from her armoire. all while the happy train careens down the track slicked by lars’ wallet, with even ollie and shaft laughing…
Nurse Jenkins appears to tantalise TTG ….
No one wants to jump the gun …
Cups ear
COME ON YOU GUNNERS !
bang.
ah, the honorable tabs’ position… well in countryman.
Get in
Takes ball out of the air with a Bergkampesque ankle movement, shimmies round a prostrate Dr Feelgood, feints a pass to Wolfie who is checking his stockings and Jimmy Choos, feints towards H2H, waves to Snowie and H2H and dinks the ball down the line towards…
Oh well.
Well in CM100. Henceforth thou shalt be CM1000! ?
That one was for the landlord.
I’m emotionally drained now.
Thank you bath.
We must raise one or two at the Faltering Fullback er long.
Nicely done Countryman!
Congratulations Countryman.
Look forward to it CM@1008. BtM now a regular there prematch too.
here’s a landlord for you, c1000. a timothy taylor.
bath, @1004 was epic.
god forbid we should pad our posting stats with short, sharp posts.
This.
A MUST read before every Leicester game.
https://www.thesun.co.uk/archives/football/1210931/revealed-real-premier-league-table-shows-arsenal-should-be-champions-and-leicester-runners-up/
Two words.
Porcupine Tree.
Thank me later.
I’ve not really enjoyed Arseblog this season. His clear antipathy against the manager has, IMHO, been to the detriment of his writing and his column.
But this piece tonight, under the Arsenal Gent banner, strikes a huge chord with me, and is pure gold.
https://arseblog.com/2019/11/arsenal-gentlemans-weekly-review-198/
Salutations to C100. A fine achievement !
He threw me into a wobbly with the Nurse Jenkins remark and I had the bed bath fantasy again. I tell you that gets you funny looks from the wife .
Still all’s fair among committed Gooners . Emery has made some funny remarks about Koscielny saying we wouldn’t have had a problem with the captaincy if he’d stayed! I’m not sure if Unai’s English causes confusion or his thoughts are really jumbled . Poor guy is under a lo5 of pressure but that’s what you are paid for in a job like his.
C100
I liked that article. I was that little boy fifty eight years ago watching an excruciating game against Blackpool, enchanted by that magical place called Highbury . All of us hope our offspring will keep the faith . I have a wavering grandson whose friends all support Liverpool and Citeh . We are going to watch the ladies at The new Shite Hart Lane next week and I hope a glorious Arsenal win over his brother’s team will seal his devotion. I can’t rely on the men to do that at the moment!
????
ya cheeky buncha fuckers
sure where would ye get it
where would ye get it
fuckin dynamite collection o cunts alright
and c100 (well in ?)
i won’t be calling middle A anything of the sort
fuckin brilliant he seems – a regular in all but words
it takes me a while to call someone a cunt
otherwise it’s just rude ?
and
without sounding too much the presumptuous fucker
.
an away day report ?
+what scruz said re baff 1004
delightful dr , delightful
and
8ball – the heart of a true multiposter
right there !
.
cynic –
over there somewhere
*sneaks bookshelves into his front room*
.
.
.
.
[not , repeat , not a euphemism]
.
.
.
i am such a generous person
Hi cba
I’m away at Leicester tomorrow.
An away report there will be, probably on Sunday.
It may not say much about the football …….
possibly wise
look forward to it
always a treat
safe travels
“…your maiden post was warm, polite, respectful, grammatically correct
and well spelt”
How lovely.
May I recommend some other ballet and synchronised swimming blogs?
“Please do”
Thank you. Here’s the link –
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qhn6k_1xRkM
well now
?
haven’t heard them in ages
discharge
who
like crass and conflict
.
were always loved by complete individuals
paddling their own albeit somewhat identical canoes
“more studs , vicar ?”
Certainly not more fluids for the vicar one might think
With you in spirit c100 as you go out on the road and hoping you and the rest of the away day Gooners get a just reward for your troubles
your maiden post was warm
You dirty bleeder…
COYG!
I’m gonna have no internet access all day until about half-time. I have no idea what I might find when I get an update. Anything could happen. I hope it’s a good day!
Good luck Arsenal and Holics!
Belated congratulations to
C1000!!
Have a good trip to And
Leicester. Last time I went
away to Leicester they had
the boy Lineker and Smudger
up front. And a crappy view
from the away end. Mind you
the way we played that day
you honestly didn’t want to
see much. Hope it’ll be a clear
view of a season-turning win
today.
I’ve not really enjoyed Arseblog this season. His clear antipathy against the manager has, IMHO, been to the detriment of his writing and his column.
It was much better before he went mainstream and stopped using the word cunt all the time.
Also very bit tabloidy in his approach to headlines. He frames everything in a Get Emery Out context and there’s little to no criticism of players, unless it’s Xhaka (who is seen as Emery’s Man and therefore a legit target).
Torreira for example. Supposedly unsettled because that mean bastard Emery is playing him in a role he doesn’t like? Fuck. Off.
I see the collective memory has erased the stories floating around in the summer about Torreira wanting to leave because he hasn’t settled in England, in favour of the new narrative that lays the blame firmly at Emery’s door.
Mental.
Congrats Holics on the ton! Get in the C1000 😀
This is from Unai:
“I think the supporters have seen that their team needs more to improve to achieve the best results. I can and I want to say to them, they must have patience and in some circumstances they did not help us, but we are trying to achieve the best emotional balance with the players.
Can someone at the club please get get him a translator?
An almost impossible game to preview with an optimistic slant. Emery’s utterances this week suggest that he’s losing his marbles as well as the fans and some key players. On the basis of the team selected in midweek, I expect something akin to:
Leno
Chambers, Luiz, Sokratis
Bellerin, Torreira, Guendouzi, Kolasinac
Nelson, Özil, Aubameyang
Lacazette
I expect:
1) Frighteningly inept defending
2) Failure to build through midfield
3) Spaces for Lesta to run into
4) Poor service to the strikers
5) A couple of chances
6) Post-match waffle
I hesitate to suggest a score line. I suspect, based on his principle of always backing the Arsenal, that the Guvna would put his Holic Pound on 3-2 to the Arsenal.
Off to pray to the Norse Pantheon.
COYG
ATG,
The translation would be
“stop moaning”
My reply would be “play better”
I’m not sure why anyone
would be looking for a way
to blame UE if we do win today.
At the moment he is being
criticised roundly because the
results are bad and the football
is dire.
He trains the team, decides the
tactics and picks the team –
what is so unreasonable or
agenda driven about criticism
in that situation?
OM,
This guy is digging his own grave in all honesty. I want us to beat Leicester badly today, but at the same time I just don’t know what to expect from this team and this just highlights what mess we’re in.
Players are to blame too but the manager as you say coaches them, picks formations and tactics.
Off to collect Gooner Malcolm shortly and meet up with the Norfolk Gooners transport.
I suspect the social part of the day will be more memorable than our performance but against a team who like to attack we might find our way through. That thought was until I looked at Leicester’s goals conceded stat !
Well I’m hoping for the best , after all we did hammer them at home in their PL winning season.
Countryman, may see you in the Counting House. I’m the 77yr old blond with a pint in my hand.
COYR
Safe travels Delia!
There goes Google auto fill 🙂
Have a great day out Delia
I know the pub. We had breakfast in the Morrison’s opposite last year (12 am kick off).
My son has charge of the social agenda today so not sure where we’ll be.
A blond eh? Better make sure my son sticks to “what happens at football stays at football”…?
what is so unreasonable or
agenda driven about criticism
in that situation?
What is agenda driven is hanging everything around his neck and making it personal.
It’s not “A must win game for Arsenal” any longer, it’s “A must win game for under pressure Emery”. That’s what gets on my tits.
Emery didn’t switch off Rob Holding and Kieran Tierney’s brains so they just stood and watched Vitoria score the other night.
There’s plenty of reasons why we’re bad and it isn’t ALL the manager, but to listen to some, you’d think he picked 11 clones of himself every week.
And hoping it’s a great day out for Delia and the Norfolk Gooners too. 🙂
Even though my suitcase was stolen in King’s Lynn about 40 years ago. 🙁
Loved Merson digging out Stelling on Soccer Saturday a few minutes ago.
The only time I’ve ever heard racist language used at football was at a King’s Lynn Town match.
AW always got blamed for all sorts
of things, happens to every manager
when things aren’t going well.
But I do agree the piss
poor defending for the
Vitoria goal wasn’t UE’s
fault
It doesn’t matter whose fault it is, it is the manager who gets the sack. Sobering to think that today could be Emery’s last match in charge. Hope not, fingers crossed. I know that is very pessimistic but I feel Leicester at their stadium are too strong for us. The last two results against them away (we lost by 3-1 and 3-0) provides a strong basis for believing that the result will be similar okay. A win for us would be unbelievable and a draw satisfying.
1026 / 1027
Hear Nothing, See Nothing, Say Nothing !
Timeless genius of a record.
The piss- poor defending in Portugal wasn’t Emery’s fault but he IS responsible for global warming, the flooding in Yorkshire , the Irish potato famine, the outrageous price of soft fruit, the old lady down the road’s subsidence and my cat’s dodgy stomach . But he sails on blithely just speaking ( incomprehensibly) about football. I think .
What sort of attitude is that?
I hope our Gooners on the road have a great day but I have that dread feeling I always have when we are playing away . I fear a 2-0 defeat . Hopefully it’s pessimism rather than realism
Watched Chelsea vs Palace and couldn’t feel sorry at the gulf between Chelsea and us. We looked like we would concede any time against Palace last week whereas Chelsea never looked like conceding. Zaha was a live wire against us but was kept really quite today. Even their youngsters look pacy, strong and good on the ball. Don’t like Chelsea, but we are going backward and they are moving forward.
Amazingly VAR has ruled in Tottenham’s favour again. Has any side had the benefit of the doubt as much as them in the last few months?
KSN
I share your pessimism but in the last two seasons we lost a player early in each game with a red card. Re Chelsea I believe their transfer ban has reduced the pressure around the club and enabled their good youngsters to come through without competition from big signings. I think Lampard is a good coach but he is also liked and trusted by their fans and they are supporting his decisions. Our youngsters are very good too. We don’t have excellent young defenders like Tomori but Willock, Nelson , Saka, Guendouzi , Martinelli and ESR are potentially very good players. Sadly the hothouse atmosphere and the incoherence of Emery’s coaching approach has them growing up in a frenetic atmosphere. If, for example Freddie came in , the fans are likely to give him a free pass until the end of the season a la Lampard. Fans are unusual creatures. I’m not sure quite how they’d view Arteta , much would depend on how he started and how entertaining the football was. If we went for a very big name like Enrique, Allegri or Mourinho the pressure would be ramped up right from the off
@1036
Quite close on the team
today Bath.
Though Emery hasn’t tried
to slip an extra player in 🙂
Holding instead of Sokratis.
Interesting team with what looks like a back five/three
This is actually the defence I have wanted to see us use (apart from a Kolasinac/Tierney swap) assuming he’s playring three centre backs with David Luiz playing like a quarterback and making use of his long passing ability.
Chambers, Holding, David Luiz as a three is what I want to see. Midfield would obviously never include Ozil for me, but meh.
Leno
Chambers, Luiz, Holding, Bellerin
Guendouzi, Torriera, Kolasinac
Ozil
AUba and Laca
I’m a bit gobsmacked that we persevered with Pepe until he found some form and then dropped him . I agree with Cynic IF we use Luiz differently but I’d never pick Kolasinac ahead of Tierney because he can’t defend . Delighted to see Ozil playing if he has his competitive head on and not his indifferent one.
Very much fingers crossed ?
Spuds only drew in the end.
With that point Sheff Utd
went above us.
Anyway on to the game
and glorious victory for
the mighty Arsenal.
2-0 today with our new
look defence
Well spotted OM@1055. I wondered if anyone would notice. Frankly it’s the only way I think we’ve got a decent chance of a win.
Good lineup, got a feeling we’ll nick the three points today 🙂
3-1
TTG, agree with your views, especially that Emery is not the answer and has to go either in Jan or at the end of the season. The biggest problem for me about Emery is that he has not only not improved the defense but he has made our good attack (under Wenger) ineffective. He is a poor man manager, doesn’t know his best playing eleven for each match, and his communication probably confuses the players.
Having said that our players have to take responsibility for the results. Our anrecruitment has to improve. The team is physically the weakest in the league and we have so many who can’t stand up to a tough physical exam on the pitch like Ozil, Pepe, Auba (though Auba does his basic job of scoring very well) etc. We also need to improve our defense hugely to be competitive. I don’t mind giving Ljungberg or Arteta a chance.
The near time problem is today’s match and hope the players are up to it. COYG.
Brainless defending by Guendouzi, what was he doing there?
Guendouzi is silly that could have been a penalty
WTF is Guendouzi doing? Almost gave away a penalty.
Penalty denied us for a handball and Laca had a claim for penalty too. Spurs would have got it.
I was just going to say we look much better in this formation and then the individual errors start to creep in.
All Emery’s fault obviously.
We are competing with each other in giving away the ball. Scary the way we are playing. Leicester look far more composed.
We are being squashed
Cynic,
He’s the motivator here they don’t look very confident and that’s his fault!
To some extant it is, Cynic, as it is the coach’s job to drill the players in passing accurately and to give them the medicine when they keep mispassing. Discipline is very important.
Emery’s undoing is having his centerbacks have all the possession, when it is clear we play better when having the ball further down the field. That is just down to poor coaching and tactics. 100% Emery’s fault. It’s like having Cristiano Ronaldo and telling him to play DM.
I think you’re watching a different game to me. Sure Leicester are making chances but so are we.
Ozil needs to wake the fuck up though, he’s anonymous (you knew I’d say that)
Ozil looks like he’s under instruction to play like a false 9. Laca and Auba on both flanks, tracking back and playing fast on the counter.
Ozil needs to be given the ball as does Aubameyang . We’ve lost the art of controlling possession
It might help if he showed for it occasionally.
Our possesion game is worse than the sterile possesion we had in Wenger’s days. This is now suicidal possesion. Asking defenders to play like midfield orchestrators. Emery is just clueless.
Cynic,
I sense an agenda against Ozil ?
We are being squashed as per my comment earlier, the high press is killing us. We are making individual errors because the team yet again is paying a different setup. We are also not very confident with the ball at our feet. Our midfield is not creating anything we are passing it back to our defense, there are glimpses but we need to do more to f we are to win this game.
Hard game to assess. Awful conditions, we’ve not caved in and have had a couple of moments but you sense we are hanging in there. YpTgey should have had a penalty . We are trying to play from the back, our press is not strong enough and we don’t control possession.
I’m still pessimistic because we don’t have a coherent team shape but we do have dangermen upfront. We are a side struggling with confidence and my view on that woukd be at odds with Cynic’s.
We must dig in , try to control the ball better and release our attacking riches if we can. On a slippery pitch anything can happen and you want the ball as far away from your goal as possible
Guilty as charged, ATG.
Considering most of the drinkers at this bar have been talking all week as if we’re playing Brazil 1970 and going to lose 86-0, level at half time is fine by me.
Ozil shows for the ball all the time but we are continually under pressure especially with two in midfield . The concern most people have is that we aren’t able to maximise our major assets because we are on the back foot. Best we don’t get a lead too early because we can’t sustain it. Maybe we could score with twenty seconds to go and hope
Level at full time will be fine, too.
It must be very disappointing for some that we’re not actually losing.
We do look like we are playing 1970 Brazil. If Rodgers is managing this Arsenal team and Emery Leicester, the roles would probably be reversed. We have the wrong manager on the evidence of things. Unless, of course, he can turn things around. Football is fickle that way. Not much to be optimistic about, though.
We haven’t been involved in a goalless draw in 70 games? Unbelievable.
For all of the commentators clamoring for a penalty against Guendouzi, it wasn’t given because the ball was way too far from Soyuncu who would never have made it even if he had a free run. Although I would not have been surprised by the VAR referee giving it against us.
Hector and Holding both looking rusty and misplacing passes. Guendouzi giving the ball away on plenty of occasions, although you will get that when you anchor your midfield every single game with a 20 year old. We absolutely have to keep it better when we have it. We are playing like a team lacking confidence and if we score first, it would do us a world of good. Massive second half. COYG
Happy with a win or even a draw but would be very sorry to lose.
VAR and Bar keeping us level.
All to play for lads!
It was coming be we got outplayed there like a bunch of amateurs
Poor from Bellerin on the goal, I have no idea why he decides to close down the guy on the edge of the box when there’s three players already in the middle who could close him down if needed.
We are amateurs on professionals pay.
We should know gravbing a clean sheet against Leicester is hard. But not being able to score will once again be a great disappointment. Another match, another underperformance.
Now does Emery change the shape to put Pepe on or does he remove one of Ozil or Lacazette?
The shit is now hitting the fan. 2-0.
FFS……
We are self destructive
And that’s the end of that.
We had chances to win this, blew them in the first half, lost.
Emery will get pelters obviously but Lacazette had a simple chance first half and fucked it up.
Oh well.
If we’re counting chances missed, we should probably be 4-1 down Cynic.
They are lining up to shoot. Poor, poor performance by us.
Bollocks is all I can say
Look at the four or five shots Laca took, no power or timing. Look at their players, Maddison fizzed one, Ndidi can shoot with power. Lot of areas Emery can improve but will he? We know the answer.
You are right Cynic.
Emery will get pelters. That is because he is in a job he isn’t remotely good enough to hold down. It has gone exactly like I expected it to . With Emery in charge we will not finish in the top half and that’s not knee-jerk reaction to a game we have done reasonably in. Taxi please .
We are so fucking slow and keep giving the ball away.
Kolasinac is useless.
This is painful to watch
We’re not actually playing Brazil 1970. Just making Leicester look like them. Much as expected.
That is because he is in a job he isn’t remotely good enough to hold down.
Less than a year ago we’d supposedly got our Arsenal back. He was good enough then.
Still never mind.
I’m no fan of Rodgers, but he’s shown what’s possible with 12 months of good coaching and decent players. Good football and a distinct, imprinted style of play. Emery’s had enough chances and the team has regressed. His man management has been extremely poor. He’s created apathy in a lot of fans. Time’s up. Good riddance.
Well the inevitable has happened I was hoping Emery would rally his troops but we got the gross.
He needs to removed ASAP
Laughable to think Wenger had us playing better with an attack of Giroud, Podolski and Walcott. The first half of last year was a fluke. Stats will back that ti the hilt. We are now regressing to norm under a very mediocre coach.
You have to look at the culpability of the players but these players know they are playing for a coach who isn’t capable of handling a job like Arsenal. They will lose confidence, sharpness, belief and they will get in return the sort of muddled thinking that has characterised Emery’s reign We would look a very different team with a more capable coach. I can’t think of a reason for retaining Emery now. He is a dead man walking .
Leicester look a decent side , organised with a team method that works . Oh that we had one .
Get GG back or at least get a defensive specialist in. Keown and Arteta/Ljungberg would be better than our present incumbent. We won’t finish in the top six let alone top four, at this rate.
Gross? Ha ha dross rather
Who said we had our Arsenal back? A few media hacks. It was too early to judge. He had a decent run and showed some promise but over tge long run he is damaging the club. We are nearer to relegation than the title. I shall hope and pray that we have people in charge of our club who understand the game
Leicester is nine points ahead of us after twelve games and their goal difference is +21 and ours is -1.
I hope we will make a change
immediately too but I’m doubtful
the board will do it.
Just seen the score. Bugger.
@1060 Bath
we should’ve gone with
the 12 men as you say.
Or 13 even.
https://bleacherreport.com/twitter-reacts-to-leicester-win-over-arsenal
Arsenal fans are suffering.
Bayern got rid of Kovac and won 4-0 against Dortmund tonight. Meanwhile we persist with a dead man walking. I don’t even know who decides football things at Arsenal now. Raul? Edu? Josh? Stan? How many signatures do we need before we cut Emery out of his misery?
It is not the loss but the certainty that we will lose, is the killer. We used to beat these teams without breaking sweat but now are happy that the margin of loss was low. We have fallen a lot and will continue to do so under this coach.
Miss Holic’s balanced take on such days. Get well soon boss.
The manager is speaking after the match and I can’t make out what he is saying.
‘ave we sacked Venga yet ??
I never felt so deflated in my 22 years as an Arsenal fan. Is it already too late for us to reach the 4th?
Raul and Edu were at the game tonight, so maybe that does signal an imminent change. As much as I hoped for Emery to succeed, it does seem like we are on a downward spiral and it would be best to part ways early rather than see this epic struggle continue.
I do not think that the next manager will have the easiest task. The squad we have is promising but we have seen promise unfulfilled many a time before. But it would definitely help if we started behaving like a big club and not start every single away game with a defensive mindset. We are not a defensive team anyway – not with that midfield and defense.
Wenger was critised for playing virtually the same formation every game and Emery has tilted too far the other way. Any good team has to have a default mode/system/style but should have the ability to vary if game situation demands it. This team just does not have a default mode/system it seems because the manager has varied things too much.
To think that we were third when the last international break happened to where we are now just shows how quickly things change in football.
UE said we played well 1st
half but we needed to score
first so we could impose our
quality. We didn’t however.
We are behind Leicester and
Chavski but the season is
long and we must continue
to improve little by little and
then we can be successful.
I’m summarising there but
I think that covers it.
He also said yes when asked
if the club are still behind him.
Yeah, because scoring first has worked really well for us lately, hasn’t it Unai?
Our next 4 fixtures:
Southampton at home,
Eintracht at home,
Norwich away
Brighton at home.
The perfect opportunity for a new manager to get off to a flying start and build some much needed momentum.
Lots of good sense. Very much agree with Desi. I think Emery is a defensive coach. His brand of football is certainly tedious and unsuited to the Premier League and it’s hurting us.
It’s not too late to make top four . I’d be quite happy if we make real progress for the rest of the season even if we don’t make top four or even top six but it will affect who we can sign and retain . The key will be to bite the bullet now not let things linger on. It will lift the club to make a change . It will create huge despondency if Emery is in charge for the next game
Agree with every word TTG.
“Is it already too late for us to reach the 4th?”
Not in Rwanda.
Very disappointing but entirely predictable result. Dysfunctional teams lacking confidence rarely beat organised teams even if their players are better.
7am KO has analysed Emery’s previous teams’ performance data. His bizarre and inconsistent selections and substitutions, confusing messages and instructions, scraps with key players and cautious approach is entirely in keeping with his past history. It’s clear that our Appointment team were dazzled by his three EL wins and recent job at PSG and failed to undertake due diligence on their ‘purchase’. It gives me no confidence that the new triumvirate is capable of dealing with this challenge in a timely manner. This coach is incapable of getting Arsenal out of this hole. Someone else needs to grasp the nettle.
Taxi for Emery.
I’ve seen nothing of the game but just saw a stat that we had 1 shot on target all game, which was in the 20th minute. Add that to our one shot on target in the last game and we have a team that isn’t going to score enough goals. Despite having good attacking players.
We also do not defend well.
Yet, bafflingly, our midfield is the worst area of our team.
And I see no reason to expect any of this to change.
Not a good place to find ourselves.
I’m unhappy we lost but it was not unexpected. I’m normally annoyed when I have to miss watching us but I’m not bothered today. We don’t play football that is fun to watch anymore and we don’t get good results. I had something time-consuming yet constructive to do today, so at least I achieved something useful. Arsenal seem to consume more time than a mere ninety minutes in our matches, such is the Simpsons-esque drudgery of our recent performances. And we do almost nothing that could be called constructive.
As I noted earlier… Bugger.
Tony Adams talking sense on Sky Sports News. Obviously he will be written off as some sort of crank because he thinks the team is poor and the manager did a brilliant job last year, but I care not.
He knows what he’s talking about.
He must do, he agrees with me 😉
Best match reports above:
OM: Bollocks
GSD: Bugger
Cynic
When you find yourself agreeing with Tony Adams it’s time to re assess your outlook
Tony is a lovable old legend to be sure but he couldn’t think his way out of a paper bag
I agree with the majority here
It’s on Emery
Unfortunately due to the fact that I live in New Zealand I am not currently available to drive him to the airport but there must be people who are.
TTG?
The funny thing is, I watched the game with my son and from where we sat we weren’t really surprised how this game unfolded. If feels like this is the new norm for a club like Arsenal and it’s fucking scaring me!
If there is one thing more disheartening than that Emery might stay, it is that the bookmakers have Mourinho as the favourite to replace him.
IF
I’m your man. I’ve just filled the car up !
I hope y’all get Mourinho served up to you, ya impatient bastards :-p
Much is being made tonight of Emery’s first 50 league games being worse than Wenger’s last 50 (by a whole point) but in his first 50 games in all competitions, he had the best record of any manager in Arsenal’s history.
So chew that one over if you’re going to try to prove anything with stats.
🙂
Chambers on tonight games:
“It was a tough night. It was a new system for us today. I think there are positives to take from it.”
What positives? Ha ha this is getting better and better!
Cynic,
2 wins in last 10 games that’s a relegation from if you ask me!
And no, none of this is good enough but it’s much too soon and I do not accept the assertion made elsewhere that because football is full of headbanger clubs that get rid of managers at the drop of a point, we have to join that lunacy.
The clubs at the top end that have been chucking managers away like confetti are also the ones that have been chucking billions, literally, of pounds away at the same time.
We just can’t do that, so I would suggest that we need what we have had in the past. Stability.
Since the unfortunate Billy Wright, our permanent managers have had ten years, seven years, three years, nine years (then Rioch) and twenty-two years in the job.
Even Wright was given four!
cynic 1140
beware stats to prove a point
cynic 1142
howdy pardner
https://metro.co.uk/2019/11/09/unai-emery-posts-worse-record-arsene-wenger-arsenals-defeat-leicester-11072267/
Did someone say stats?
.
.
d’ye like yer new bookcases ?
Don’t just look at the points also consider the fact that this was Arsene’s decline!
Look at attempts and clean sheets too!
How can you say you want to give this guy more time and we should be patient is beyond me…
.
but
arthur
let’s not pick on cynic
2 out of both of us know not to
?
he’s got new furniture
likely be rearranging stuff
which
should he make a bollocks of
i’ve no doubt he’d lay equal blame
at the shelves
CBA,
Not picking just teasing 😛
and on that note CBA will keep you entertained… 😀
oh
i’m picking
?
i’m picking alright
?
#ain’t no pickin’ high enough
#ain’t no etc and so on
.
.
i’m sure many of these drink numbers
are promoting chest swells
in our english friends
as they recall
the great victory in 1154
of Big John the Fortunate
over
Big John the Less So
which is commemorated to this day
by rolling a child covered in cheese
up a hill
dressed over the top
and around and about
with a hey nonnie nonnie
and etc and so on
.
strange people
though
having said that
i’m in the noisy north tonight
where i can hear
southern accents being put on
by northerners
to sing songs written by southerners
about the north
as well as
english accents being put on
unconsciously
to sing football songs
about english teams
who on a different day
play that foreign sport soccer
and in 1159
King Haemorrhage the Occasional
did win in battle
over
Borehole of Elsewhere
Gossip that we have held talks with Luis Enrique to replace Emery. Even if turns out to be true, I don’t think Enrique is the remedy as he is another flair manager and our defensive woes will continue.
a rapscallion and a rogue
with big feet and a hump
.
.
flares and woes
that’s the talk of
a forward seeking gooner
shang-a-lang buddy !
Shang-a- Lang was catchy, cba.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ytii7-bUxuk
yep
it’s certainly something alright
one of a lot of stuff
pumped through those fellas
into the bank accounts
of the other people
managers and shite
they came out of it with fuck all
seems unfair
.
one of the guys who made a fortune
the tune writer
was from the north of Ireland
who wrote some might say
an iconic song about the deprivation and discrimination
in his home town
from a big house over the border
.
.
no fan of any of them
except
interesting tidbit
Ramones saw their success
and thought
they’re our competition
we need a chant like Saturday Night
if we are gonna get noticed
so
the first Ramones single
has
Hey Ho Lets Go
as an attempt to emulate
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=57g5Z_3kXOE
so
there’s something good
to come out of that tartan fiasco
hey ho let’s go
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-CRAXIZoZv0
an lo
the most influential band of all time
had a chant they didn’t need
but turned out grand in the end up
.
.
jesus fuck
in 1166
nostradamus predicts
disrespectful paddy bastard
talks about the Ramones
on the centenary
of 1066
.
.
.
so typical
two tuts and another
reason to hate !
.
.
but
what about love , people ?
what about love
.
puts dove of peace in envelope
stamps it with optimism
and posts it to you
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dpWmlRNfLck
i can’t say fairer than taht
*spins bow tie*
.
simple jokes for simple people
.
know yer audience
.
?
(left some feed lines for cynic to pick up on)
(ssshhhhhh , he could awaken at any time)
in 1174
Sir Boil de belle Pus
fell at the sword of
Sir Lancelot
.
insomnia
coupled with inevitability
is interesting
.
i am finding recently
that
it’s none of your business
ya fuckin misery vultures
.
*blows enormous raspberry*
.
.
.
(don’t forget that one cynic)
in 1176
Bronwyn of Both Beards
acquiesced to
Gilette of the Two Blades
by fuck
i miss beer
if you make yer own dinner
it always tastes better
and
i always made my own beer
though
i have just recently found out
all my homebrew glassware is full and brewing
which i fuckin love
just love it
cos
it’s a hobby that either feeds yer need for something to do
or etc and so on
and
by all accounts
my FORTHRIGHT explanation
that
ye don’t tell !
ye don’t sell !
sank in
in 1180
Lord Lesser Spotted IV
was hanged
in his absence
.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=koFrPs_80gQ
i suppose i never learn
posting tunes and stuff
here and other genius things
you really should treat
with some respect ya
bunch of established quite
attention span lacking cunts
it’s getting to the stage
where
in 1184
after consultation with his trouser leg
Crown Prince Heft of The Rest
declared a truce
.
.
Brendan Bowyer is
a STAR
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pGXHyt38sj0
Alvin Stardust was
a well possibly conceivably a bit arrogant just by the name ye know – a star
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=a4q3Cy8X6Mo
but
Val Doonican was
A STAR
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Pm7t3mHsdBM
.
.
Brendan Bowyer is
a STAR
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pGXHyt38sj0
Alvin Stardust was
a well possibly conceivably a bit arrogant just by the name ye know – a star
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=a4q3Cy8X6Mo
but
Val Doonican was
A STAR
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Pm7t3mHsdBM
[my funeral song]
Time isn’t the issue with UE.
Nor is stability the issue for
The Arsenal.
Just watch us play, it’s a mess.
He’s tried changing the team
and the formation, it’s just the
same mess with different players.
The players have no confidence
and neither do the supporters
(well, most of them anyway)
ah fer fuck sake
let it go osaka M
here is a place for relaxing
and
farting the occasional opinion
not
re hammering the same bastardin nail relentlessly
ps
moooooooooooooooooooooo
Cynic
You were chipping at Pepe after two games.
Old- fashioned football stats are not relevant now.
Emery will ruin us
oi
m’lud
unreconstructedly fuck off
my deconstruction of cynic s argument
was better
.
honestly you posh people are so simple
in 1192
anglos said saxons who in the what now
We have a negative goal difference. That can’t have been true for a long time. Certainly not so far into a season.
I wish we didn’t. That way we might be ahead of Sheffield United. Which would be nice.
Cynic.
Of course you love arguing against the consensus, so maybe you’re just doing that. But whatever you are seeing, and how you interpret it, is a million miles away from me. So far that I no longer understand where you are coming from.
You seem to think that our crap manager is unfairly treated like a REALLY crap manager. And that we should opt for the stability and consistency of dire performances because it is more important not to fire a manager than to have a successful team or achieve our stated ambitions.
Do you think we will finish in the top four under Emery? If that’s a yes then I think you might be the only poster here who does.
It’s time.
In fact it’s past time.
Go check the Nike advert, Josh.
I want us to play good football and make the most of our squad. I don’t mind at all if that happens under Emery or someone else. I simply see no reason at all to think this will happen under Emery and every argument I have seen that he has been effective has in my view been either flawed or simply rubbish, not to mention going against all the evidence provided by my eyes.
I started the season very optimistically. I’m gutted that our team is so incredibly boring and we don’t get results. I’d much rather be sitting here praising Emery for a 3-0 win away at Leicester instead of everything being so doom and gloom. But make no mistake, that is primarily due to the dross on the pitch and that is Unai’s responsibility.
It just sucks that we are performing so badly and have to little to cheer.
Punts it upfield, hopes to win a free kick as a goal from open play seems irresponsibly optimistic.
Dives in the box but realised it was a useless gesture as disorientation as a result of manager’s instructions meant I was in our own box.
cynic 1140
beware stats to prove a point
cynic 1142
howdy pardner
That wasn’t using stats, it was using numbers 😉
That “immense dunderhead” Tony Adams made a very good point yesterday about stability when he said we’d lost something like 13 staff, but it goes much deeper than that if you think about it.
We’ve lost a manager, a chief executive, head of recruitment, cleaned out the medical staff including the physio of many years, changed the coaching setup for the first team, restructured the academy and continue to make changes there, thrown out the scouts and there’s bound to be more going on that we either don’t know or I’ve forgotten.
This “stable” club is anything but.
Collects the ball from under Sokratis’ feet (he ignores it whilst screaming at the assistant referee to check VAR for the Baff incident and considers falling to the floor in solidarity) and launches it long into the area.
Bang
Tabs’ed it! ?
Well in GSD. ?
Where it hits a bobble caused by a Kolasinac miskick and bounces over the keep for our first goal from open play in 9 matches.
Celebrates wildly and considers how best to concede two goals to make up for scoring one.
Cheers Baff, top build up play.
Nonchalant assist from Cynic. I would say Ozil-esque but he might not thank me for that! ?
That goal from the opposite penalty area is a spectacular record breaker even on the drinks! ??
Baff. I take back the last line of my 1196, now we have something to cheer! Sunday morning champagne, count me in. ?
Do you think we will finish in the top four under Emery?
I did, but don’t now.
All I am saying really is that I’m bored of hearing everything framed as down to him when our squad is not anywhere good enough.
The reinvention of Ozil as some sort of Messi-like talent who has been hard done to is a joke. The belief that a barely seen Holding* and the return of Bellerin, who was poor for long periods before he got crocked, was daft.
We have centre backs who’d get nowhere near a good team, a midfield that has been below par (and filled with promising kids who aren’t really ready yet and would have been farmed out on loan in previous years) and two good strikers, one of whom has been injured and is making his way back. Plus a £72m player who looks worth less than half that, even allowing for those free kicks.
I know it’s not working at the moment, but nobody had too many complaints until recently and it seems managers and teams are no longer allowed a run of bad form and results thesedays.
We all knew, or at least some did and were prepared to say so, that we were going to have to rebuild things and it would take time. I’m not going to let other people wetting their knickers change my view. For me Emery would get the full season.
*On Holding, the much maligned Tony Adams also got it right pre-match when he said the system suited the team he’d picked, apart from Holding. Holding couldn’t play out from the back yesterday and got caught on the ball more than once.
He also got something else 100% on the nose but it’s gone from my brain as I’ve been typing this drivel. 🙂
Fuck me… I’ll just add a few words for coherence.
The belief that a barely seen Holding* and the return of Bellerin, who was poor for long periods before he got crocked, would fix things was daft.
d’ye like yer new bookcases ?
Bit wobbly but the weight of the intellectual tomes I read will make sure they don’t topple, if I put them in the bottom shelves.
And that box containing the complete run of Razzle will help.
Cynic
You were chipping at Pepe after two games.
I wasn’t actually, I waited until at least his fourth and even that wasn’t a chip, it was a “I hope we haven’t wasted our money on this bloke but he can’t even hit simple passes.” type thing.
Now I am saying we’ve wasted our money. At least £40m of it anyway
Ornstein reporting that our board are fully behind Emery. I’m not expecting this to prove a masterstroke but if he turns this round and we go on a run then the only thing greater than my surprise will be my pleasure to be wrong.
I do wonder what made folk in 1212 get their knickers in a twist. Probably ecclesiastical matters. Or simply getting enough to eat, keeping warm and avoiding diseases such as leprosy and cholera.
i like cynic
i like 8ball
i like baff
.
.
fellas relax
i’m no longer the man who’d rip
yer arm off and
beat you to next weeks edition
.
.
all I see is lovely people
who have been kind to me
Cynic @1208.
I was exactly the same at the start of the season- I expected us to get top four. And thought 3rd was absolutely possible. But not anymore.
Your memory is different to mine. I remember a huge amount of discontent when we slumped at the end of last season and threw away our position in the top 4. And got tumped in the Europa League.
Then a hopeful upsurge of goodwill after a transfer window that most were happy with before the eye-bleeding displays of this season destroyed all hope.
dino
not too
but as well
man
yer brain must hurt
you have got a monumental amount
going on in there
fuckin clever cunt
I read Arseblog today and agree with Cynic and Countryman that his writing is not as good as it was since he decided everything is Emery’s fault. A lot of it is Emery’s responsibility but Blogs sounds increasingly hysterical to me. I fully get the frustration, the desperation but if Emery does have the board’s confidence I won’t want to read a daily diatribe against the guy.
We want our Holic back!
hello cba
sound advice @1188.
I’m sure I will have forgotten it by
tomorrow but today I won’t moan
about UE anymore
Though I can say that because I’m
going out and won’t have time, but
it’s the thought that counts. Though
in fact the thought doesn’t really
count much at all.
I gave a plug for ‘The Offensive’ already but I’m gonna give it another. It’s like The Thick Of It but about football. Absolutely hilarious and has given me a huge amount of football related laughs, which I have sure needed lately. I’d recommend it a lot. Warning- the language is pretty blue.
https://stakhanov.studio/shows/the-offensive/
he’s a hysterical half mick
a very clever one
but
he is the reason
i am called can’t be arsed
.
long time ago
i followed ‘holic home
like a lost dog
from blogs
.
i’d be reluctant to write off blogs
he’s doing Arsenal his way
it’s not mine
but
1,214 –
drinks ?
number of minutes between Arsenal shots these days ?
odds against a top four finish ?
I haven’t had a chance to be around for the last few hundred and just can’t read that many now.
Most important news is that things look to be going in the right direction for Holic – and that cba is still clinging to the wreckage in here.
Arsenal ? An all round sorry tale just now.
If anyone is feeling depressed, my solution is to drink a gallon of water every night just before going to bed. It gives me a reason to get up in the morning. ?
Blogs sounds increasingly hysterical to me.
I said earlier in the week that he’d start on Emery’s appearance when he had run out of things to moan about, and lo and behold today he’s banging on about his facial expressions.
Bloke’s lost it.
Anyway, I’m off to shoot things.
And no, cba, not Irish people.
Not today anyway.
i will never forgive him
or read him
for the reason
i changed my name
to can’t be arsed
.
he’s clever
he’s funny
he’s Arsenal
.
but his grasp of the subtleties of the north of Ireland
is
well
.
non existent
cynic read
can you !
he is a fuckin moron
in that regard
you throw silly little boy tripe
about Bloody Sunday
.
.
he’s been an oddity
for most of the gooners i know
if you can get the analysis
the basic analysis
so wrong
and you
masquerade with an Irish accent
Hi all, it’s a while since I posted here. I’m a mix of both camps in the Emery debate really. I think he’s got to go because, as much as anything, it looks like the players are no longer playing for him – and when that happens, whether it’s fair or not, there can only be one option. However, I agree wholeheartedly with Cynic that I just don’t think our squad is as good as people make out. Or certainly no better than a lot of teams from 4th to 12th in the league (hence why the concertina effect in the league). We’re a mix of mediocrity and untested youth. I’d say the only bang-on class player who would get into a top side is Aubameyang. And, even then, Auba only gives you moments. He relies on supply, and isn’t going to turn round a sinking ship. I think Guendouzi is substantially overrated. I don’t see what he gives you apart from eye-catching energy and semi-decent short-range passing. He’s unreliable defensively and doesn’t give you much going forward (how many assists in 1.5 years?) Bellerin’s been poor apart from his debut season, but, of course, in the era of hyperbolic debate, the less you play in this Arsenal team (a la Ozil, Tierney, Holding, and now Pepe), the more you become the answer to all the problems and a stick to beat Emery with. Don’t get me wrong – Emery probably needs to go, but the squad is not as strong as most people would believe.
When I said I was off to shoot things, I lied. Going to Sainsburys to get a quiche and some bread doessn’t sounds as exciting though.
S’later.
As for the Irish topic, the best thing we could do with that is leave it.
You see what I did there? 🙂
i do not read him
typical southern “paddy”
well
what if i don’t want to
shop boy
.
.
ye off to the plastic paddy site ?
Nope I’m off to buy food and lemonade, as I can’t drink undiluted beer any more.
shit the bed Trev
i missed your post
just seeing your name
is a tonic for everybody
1234!
CBA@1186,
May I suggest something more appropriate for such a solemn occasion:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0VIAs2xVgG8&list=RDDz-cwXn5cQc&index=2
dorset M
i hope you are feeling the internet hugs i’m sending
if ye aren’t
sort it out
what a song
i love Tommy Cooper
but i have never heard that
how did that happen
in the etc
it’s fuckin brilliant
Every University town has a student ghetto. In Leicester it’s Clarendon Park. Streets and streets of terraced houses, mainly rented to students. Five minutes walk to campus and filled with corner shops, take aways and scruffy front doors opening directly onto the street. Number one son has moved to a new one this year so I parked in his street (easy) and went to inspect. Much the same as last year. Serviceable, scruffy (four lads sharing so what do you expect) and homely. A quick cup of tea later we ventured out into the rain for a pre match pint.
At Delia’s suggestion we head for the Counting House. Great choice Delia. A funny little place on a retail park five minutes from the ground it was rammed to the rooftops with Gooners. As we pushed into the throng the whole pub was singing
Dani Ceballos
Dani Ceballos
He drinks Estrella
He eats paella
He’s fucking magic
The non stop singing continued. Laca’s song, a new song about Martinelli that I didn’t quite get all the words to but sounded quite good, all the usuals, beer flying everywhere. Soccer Saturday on the big screens, cheers when Sheffield United equalised, groans when VAR ruled it out, cheers when they equalised again. Everybody in high, high spirits, enjoying a day out. A brilliant hour.
Delia I did look for you, but it was so rammed I must have missed you. I was there between 4pm and 5pm. There was a blond femme d’un certain age drinking a pint near the bar, but she denied being Delia from Kings Lynn (maybe I just looked dodgy). Hopefully another day.
So out into the rain (why does it always rain when I go to an away game? See Newcastle, Southampton et al). Five minutes walk to the ground and straight in. Good seats about 8 rows back from the corner flag. The Last Post and Remembrance Day impeccably observed apart from a couple of idiots in our bit who were immediately shushed by scandalised Gooners.
I actually thought we played quite well until they scored, especially in the first half when we played some nice attacking football and had several chances. Nobody was awful, many were good. Nobody was outstanding and that’s probably why we didn’t win. No moments of magic. For them I thought James Maddison was brilliant again. Such a good touch. We could do with him in our midfield. I thought compared to last year they didn’t look as solid without McGuire and not such a threat at set pieces. They do move the ball very, very quickly.
Our supporters were terrific for most of the match. Comprehensively out sang the Leicester and were supportive and lovely. It helped that it was actually quite a good game. Their rat faced number 9 who had the cheek to turn us down came in for some hammer
Your wife is a grass
Your wife is a grass
Jamie Vardy
Your wife is a grass!
Laca put the ball in the net but the lino ruled it out for offside. Then they scored, a lovely goal to be honest, with Vardy the spare man at the back post. Then, with ten minutes or so to go, the coup de grace, a terrific hit from Maddison. Game over.
Our crowd turned at that point. A little gobshite behind me, who must have been all of 20, had been chanting “we’re just a Pulis Stoke team” whenever we tried to put Auba in behind (I think he went to football school once and the teacher was sick that day), suddenly started with “We want our Arsenal back”. I wanted to ask him which Arsenal it was that he wanted back. The late 50s, early 60s team beloved of Clive and TTG? The frankly dire early 80s team that I watched a lot of? I bet he was chanting the same at Wenger. Pillock. The Leicester crowd started chanting “sacked in the morning”. Our lot joined in. Some bright spark held up a hastily made “Emery out” poster made from the Remembrance Day stuff we held up at kick off. Classy.
So, out of the crowd, into the rain, and off for a ruby. Number one son came up triumphant tops with his choice of Heritage India on Welford Road, about five minutes from his house. Really lovely people, some of the best Indian food I have had in many a long day and a really diverse crowd in. Evidently they just won “Best restaurant in Leicester 2019”. It was also remarkably cheap (no dishes more than £9). There was far too much food, even though it only cost £50 for two including two rounds of drinks, so the remaining food was boxed up for my son’s Sunday night supper (students hate to see waste). On the way out I stopped by a table of Leicester supporters and congratulated them. They were magnanimous and understanding as real supporters tend to be. “I bet this has been your best hour of the day” they said. Well that and the hour in the pub before, we replied. “So do you guys want Emery out?” I was asked. Well, I said, we’re divided. Half want him gone now and half at the end of the season. “Well keep your bloody hands off Rodgers” they said, as they wished us a fond farewell.
A good day out, despite the football. I suspect 3000 travelling supporters would agree, unless they went straight to the game and straight home again.
Excellent report of what sounds like a fine day out despite the football. In recent years we too have found it essential to enhance the football with fine food and drink. It’s often been by far the best part of the day. ?
Great report, C100. Glad to read you found so much pleasure and o bookend the pain of the result.
Bathgooner,
Rather than waste time travelling to the game, I’d recommend several pints in The Bell, The Star, The Old Green Tree and The Raven before a decent nosh in the Thai Balcony. Then go home and check the result.
…so much pleasure to bookend…
Good recommendations all, DM@1241. ??
crackin read c100
Countryman, ?? ???off, Sir !
cba,
I’ve followed your recent problems in here, mate, both through yourself and herself when she was telling tales on you.
I can’t honestly tell your true state of affairs through the thoroughly unpleasant jibes you leave to all in here, but I sincerely hope you’re as comfortable as possible and it’s great to see you as prolific and uncompromising (look it up !) as ever.
Take care, you funny ol’ git ! ?
Excellent stuff Countryman. Much appreciated and thoroughly enjoyed!
cba @1216
Cheers.
We all have our different styles, which makes this place so great. Many here who I love to read, not least yourself. You make this place so much richer. But your music videos are hit and miss at best.
I assume it’s a genius mockery of the fact that we never know what Arsenal team are gonna turn up. ?
Mick. Cheers for Tommy Cooper. That brightened up my morning.
Far preferable to Eddie Howe. Who Brightons up every morning.
I am so, so sorry.
Trev. Please come back.
One and a quarter thousand.
Hand ball not given by VAR this is bollocks
VAR favors Pool and Spurs. Clear penalty denied to City. The league is rigged?
It was a double handball and not a penalty.
They didn’t show the offside replays for Salah’s goal though…
Agree with Cynic on both counts at 1253.
Although I’d like to see consistency with these decisions. Some games that is given offside and some games it isn’t. For me that should count as a goal (but be consistently given as such)
He looked at least a quarter of a kneecap off.
The commentators are saying the handball is a penalty for City and Salah was not offside and showed visuals to back their statements. City look hard done by though Pool’s goals were really well taken.
C100
A brilliant report. It’s almost as if I was there and I would have loved to have been except for the football bit?
My awayday rambling is very rare now unless it’s a London game. One downside of watching the team away was the few oiks who seemed to have crept out from under a stone and who claimed to support my beloved Arsenal. In the seventies close association with the wrong type of fans could be very dangerous . Now it’s just nauseating.
I tend to feel the people who experience the biggest inconvenience to follow the side deserve to be listened to the most . That would be those who travel away like Delia and C100 or who get up at some unearthly hour to watch the team like Scruz and co. Then I read about some of the rubbish some of our awayday fans spout and you wonder why they bother!
I think C 1000 as he is now known sums it up well. Do we press the button now or at the end of the season? We all would love to see the team stabilise, go on a great run and bring home a trophy even if it’s the fourth place one . But will that happen with Emery at the helm and more to the point if it doesn’t how bad could it get? Look closely at the table and our Christmas programme and we might be clinging to the hope that we can somehow win the Europa League because we might not be in the top half at Christmas. That could be very painful and Emery wouldn’t get the chance to continue if we were that low but it might be too late then to rescue our season and the impact on retaining the best players would be horrendous.
I suspect the Arsenal board’s position is really that there isn’t an available replacement that they fancy or can tempt to join rather than loyalty to Unai.
Something to bear in mind regarding the penalty.
Whether you think the City handball in that passage of play is handball or not, if City score a goal there it is disallowed for handball under the new regulations.
Therefore I do not think any referee (or VAR) would give a penalty there, because a handball would have played a part in getting them a goal if they score the penalty.
Ksn. I’m not taking my opinion from the commentary when I’m ACTUALLY WATCHING the game.
Furthermore replays show a clear handball from Silva and in a much discussed rule change this year that constitutes a foul. One that is prior to the Liverpool handball (which should be a penalty if City had not already handled the ball) So whatever commentators you are watching are wrong.
I haven’t seen the VAR replay of the offside call because, predictably, I am not watching the half time analysis.
Cynic @ 1258.
Exactly. It can’t be given.
Missed the handball by Silva. The offside call was correctly called, a Salah was onside. City never recovered from Fabinho’s thunderbolt and are down 3-0. Pool clear favorites to win the title this season.
Watched the first 20 minutes only. We looked uncertain and likely to concede as per what has become normal. One beautiful move spoiled by Laca’s inability to finish a decent chance but family duties then called me away. Have since seen the lowlights but haven’t felt like watching the whole thing. Wish I had something positive to say but there is really none. Emery sounding pretty shattered in the post match presser.
Wonderful report c1000, especially your friendly repartee with the Leicester fans at the restaurant after the match. That is worth a lot. 🙂
Saw the last handball by Pool, GSD. Penalty not given. The way handball in penalty area is adjudicated is neither clear nor consistent.
Well in Cynic at the coveted 1250, which some consider a diamond in the rough.
And well in TTG at the all-powerful 1111
Almost enough to bestow you with the new title TT1111
Thanks C1000, cracking
report.
Liverpoo really have started
well this season, it’s so annoying
The last handball wasn’t a penalty either. If they start giving those, amputee footballers will be so in demand they’d be able to write their own contracts.
With their feet obviously.
Thanks OM but what are you doing up at this hour? By my reckoning it’s approaching 4am in Japan. Can’t you sleep?
Ksn
I’d agree it is not clear or consistent. But in this case a VAR review would have seen the City handball and so the Pool one was irrelevant.
No one is certain what the VAR officials see or don’t see and how they arrive at their decisions. That is one of the biggest negatives about the system as is being implemented in football. In cricket, for example, you know what is being seen by the in house ref and how the decision is arrived at. In football things are not transparent.
GSD – thank you, Sir, I’ll do my best.
Absence here is not through choice, just pressure of work and a second dog which has reluctantly and inevitably made even lunchtimes too busy. I stupidly agreed to let my two girls have another puppy in the summer and despite all promises to the contrary, it has mostly involved me whenever things are a bit inconvenient for everyone else.
The yappy little thing is driving me mad but I’m giving it dog’s abuse ?
I’m actually thinking of renaming it Unai cos it makes a lot of noise, none of which I can understand, is non-stop manic action – all completely unproductive, and continues despite my pleading to shit on everything I hold dear.
Oh well …..
Trev @1271
?
yes, exactly C1000 ?
but a quick read through
explanations of the current
handball law and VAR soon
sent me off again ?
A glimpse of times gone by
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MKLVmBOOqVU
TTG@1257: Looking at the managers the bookmakers consider offering halfway sensible odds on (up to 33/1), the list of those immediately available would seem to comprise Mourinho, Luis Enrique, Freddie Ljungberg and Massimiliano Allegri (although he lost his nine year old daughter in August so may not be ready to return to football).
The rest of the names would have to be prised away from a current employer: Arteta, Brendan Rodgers, Steven Gerrard, Paddy, Didier Deschamps, Jesse Marsch, Nuno Santo, Eddie Howe, Carlo Ancelotti and Thomas Tuchel. Several there I am not sure would be worth the prising.
One option might be for Freddie to take the job for the rest of the season as an audition for it being a permanent appointment
Bring on the NOISE!
TFE
Ned
I think it was Enrique not Allegri who lost his daughter , a tragic circumstance and one that may affect how he views his next job. There are a few coaches in jobs not on that list like Fonseca at Roma, Nagelsmann at Red Bull and Favre at Dortmund who would appeal because of their recent record but we have to face the fact that we might not appeal to top coaches in currently secure and promising positions given our squad challenges and potential transfer budget plus the ownership of KSE. We also mustn’t forget Alan Pardew and Sam Allardyce ??
It is a pretty complete turnaround that is required as I can’t think of an onfield area that Emery has improved . We have certainly improved ( I think) off the field but this isn’t too relevant to fans if you have a poor coach picking and preparing the team.
Of the oven ready managers I think only Freddie and eeeuuuggghhh Mourinho are realistic candidates and Mourinho would require assurances re a big transfer budget so he could sign Nemanja Matic and lots of other exciting holding midfielders . Mourinho is very high risk as well as high maintenance and has more baggage than my wife on a three week holiday ( sorry darling) so you are right about Freddie . You get a bounce with a new coach but it can quickly turn into a dead cat bounce unless the new coach has got really good ideas. Much will depend on the next few results , the possible sudden availability of an eligible caretaker or successor and how confident Sanllehi and Edu are in Freddie’s abilities and potential.
Let’s just say I’m looking forward to the election more than the next few months at Arsenal.
It does make me wonder what is the so-called tactics that the great Unai emery is trying to create with this team, he was given a free run last season and with that team, he still did better than the current one which is better on paper at least.
Wenger was blamed for everything under the sun, he was blamed for being rigid( agreed), far too open and not conservative and a recipe for disaster by overestimating certain player’s ability( his biggest flaw). He did not for once play football the boring way, he did not tell his players not to try and fail, he cannot be accused of playing players against their natural instincts ever even when at times it cost the balance of the team, emery is doing everything opposite. Unai’s team lacks cohesion, there is no belief, players are in auto mode and does not even listen to what he tries to say, he is extremely conservative and in that, positive players like an Ozil or a people who want to try something, are often left in the lurch or on the bench.
The Leicester game was the classic example, very few if any believed we will win, when we held on for about 60 min it felt like this just might be the day, then the inevitable happened, the defence stood motionless and Vardy scored and the immediate sense is they will score one more than we will score the equalizer. Have we come down to this? When we see teams who really give their lives on the pitch, I see this bunch absolutely passionless. I am not saying it should be chest pumping, battle cry but come one, you won’t go for a 50-50 tackle, you won’t try to force the issue, anything, how will things turn then? miracles are in books.
I am tired watching this mediocrity, yes I have not seen the arsenal before 97 and hence I cannot comment on the dire days earlier but this set of players, manager and the board have no passion or desire, they expect things to fall in place on their own which is impossible.
Freddie an oven ready manager? What has he ever run that is remotely as big as Arsenal?
If you want a short term bump to results then a need to go scratching about for someone else in a year or so, appoint Freddie.
I’ll also add two words to the thought that Freddie Ljungberg would be a good idea.
Thierry Henry.
And that’s set it up nicely for 1280, the year in which the Maoris first settled in New Zealand.
Apparently.
TTG@1277: You are right. My apologies for the mix-up. And to the families.
None of Fonseca, Nagelsmann and Favre troubles the bookies sufficiently to quote odds so I surmise you are right that thy cannot be considered as willing candidates.
Allegri would be my pick of what’s available; the football wouldn’t necessarily be pretty but it would be defensively sound. Much the same style as an Emery Arsenal team but without shipping the goals at the back and a stronger winning mentality.
Vinay, I couldn’t have expressed my own feelings more exactly when you wrote this.
“When we see teams who really give their lives on the pitch, I see this bunch absolutely passionless. I am not saying it should be chest pumping, battle cry but come one, you won’t go for a 50-50 tackle, you won’t try to force the issue”
When watching other teams we often see entire teams and crowds lifted by one hard tackle by one player, giving an impetus to the team lifting its game for the entire afternoon, but it is almost never at Arsenal. Xhaka might have been that player but the referees saw to it that every time he tried he was given a yellow card. If the referees won’t let us do it then we must be more crafty but not lose our passion.
Blogs is bang on the money today. After the leaked statement to Ornstein this weekend this is on Raul, Edu and Josh.
We’ve seen what Emery can do. He’s not going to change suddenly into a coach who plays an organised settled team. The chaotic style is not going to change. Nor are results. It’s down to Raul, Edu and Josh to sort this out. They surely recognise how short of their expectations the team is now regularly falling. Hopefully Raul is the duplicitous little bastard that a career at Barca would lead one to expect him to be and this statement is spin designed to conceal his negotiations with a new coach. Sadly I don’t believe that is the case though.
There seems to be blind panic among the faithful now at the thought of Emery NOT leaving NOW, TODAY. I have zero sympathy, I decided it was time for AW after the Hull final and had to wait four bleedin’ years !
By the way, Raul and Edu aren’t stupid (the Summer showed that with those clever deals) so they won’t be so dumb as to install a guy on Nov 23 leaving him hopelessly unprepared for the five game “run of death” Dec 15-Jan 1. What do they do if we collapse over that run with a shiny new coach ? Yes, exactly… so hunker down Gooners and, perish the thought, support the team with gusto on Nov 23. I predict 5-0. I was a treacherous moan about Wenger but there’s different rules for me, obviously. Just thinking now actually, if it’s still Emery after Christmas and we’re too far back for CL, you leave him in for the season cos he’s a Europey League magician ! LOL. COYG.
Bathgooner @ 1283
I agree, Emery using the “emotional balance” excuse starting with Koscielny, Ozil/Kolasianc knife attack and Xhaka….
Are you for real?
Leciceter lost their owners, they sold one of their best CB in he summer….
We are just NOISE….. now that is a the Arsenal way from now on it seems.
Cynic,
My definition of ‘ oven- ready’ would be someone not in a job and easily appointable and perhaps, in addition, I would add ‘ someone who would take the job’. I completely agree it would be a big risk but at the same time it would be easily unwindable if it was a disaster. But I’m dubious they will do it.
Since I wrote that this morning I’m wondering if they might target Arteta but he is not experienced and may feel he is Pep’s successor.
I have to confess that of that team of Invincibles, Freddie would have been one of the least likely, to my mind , to become a top coach ( I didn’t think Henry would be either). If I had to pick a couple who might go on to coach I would have picked out Gilberto and Vieira , given Bergkamp’s flying phobia which would rule him out. Sol has had to start at the very bottom and might also turn into a decent coach.
Blogs is bang on the money today. After the leaked statement to Ornstein this weekend this is on Raul, Edu and Josh.
Now that support has been made public, and it is not just a leaky Ornstein thing, I reckon Blogs will be put on suicide watch.
TTG, having seen Gilberto’s very weak studio commentary on US television during the last WC, I have to disagree about his pedigree to be a manager in England. Weaker communication skills than Emery, by far.
Campbell and Vieira, maybe.
But I’m just sitting at the bar on an early winter Monday afternoon in Minneapolis so what would I know?
Bt8
Sorry I didn’t make my point very well.. I thought at the time they were playing that Gilberto and Paddy would be cerebral enough to be coaches. No way did I think Freddie could. Looking at it now Gilberto is not strong enough character wise. I’m not convinced that Paddy has the experience to turn this around. Freddie is a candidate much to my surprise .
Being a candidate of course does not give Freddie extra qualifications but he might do okay as an interim. I just don’t like our post AW history echoing United’s with the Scandinavian interim but I shouldn’t go on such trivial factors that are little different from numerology. Up for 1300 while the barman slumbers?
Hi bt8. I visited the Twin Cities a lot in my pre retirement career. 3M were a huge client.
They explained to me that Minneapolis/St Paul had two seasons. Winter and construction (road works).
The mossies there were also some of the biggest I ever saw and was bitten by. Made Mediterranean ones look puny in comparison.
Taking joy from Tottenham’s troubles could be just the tonic before Tuesday’s travails.
Biggest mosquitoes I have seen Countryman were when camping in Northern Idaho as a teen. Maybe that built up my tolerance but I would say the local breed are more numerous than huge. Several neighbors work for 3M so next time I am walking the dog I will tell them you said hello. Cheers!
But you are spot on about construction season being on the verge of ending until late April, or more likely early May. If I could be a snowbird I would, most likely to spend the winter in the Canary or Baleric isles. Not because I have ever been to either, just out of curiosity and my impression I could find good bars there.
Lays it off for a striding and confident
Receives ball from keeper in 6 yard box, turns, feints to pass to RWB, draws opposition attacker, turns and passes across the face of the goal to…
Our DM. He puts in a 60 yard pass, drawing cries from our fans of “it’s just like Pulis’s Stoke, into the path of
A rare 1300?
Well in Ned!
I was a bit nervous with Bath fannying about in our area …..
Lurking on the back post just in case you shoot at air. Oh well next time.
Thanks for the assist, C100. Nothing like the lightening Route 1 counter…
Well it’s worked often enough against us Ned.
Well in Ned. Great assist CM1000. Works almost every time against us.
NBN, Ever the lurker… Must be the monk in you?
Well done and I mean that in a secular manner.
Fanning around? I was following the coach’s strict instructions! ?
To quote all those around me on the North Bank and about 57,000 others at the Emirates just get rid!
CM1000@1308, I couldn’t agree more, sir.
The Goonerholic has just been on Twitter, responding to a well wisher. This is what he wrote.
“Hello Bee. In with sclerosis of the liver two weeks ago. Praying out by the weekend. ??“
All the very best Dave. Recover well mate.
Piers Gaveston exiled.
Death of Piers Gaveston. Momentous day in British history. Well worth checking out Derek Jarman’s Edward II, and Mel Gibson’s Braveheart lesser so, to see why.
lucky number?
Repetetive swine, bt8.
*wonders if we’ll manage to reach Agincourt*
You’ve just survived Bannockburn, Cynic. One of the few.
Cynic. You should hear me in person. Embodiment of a boring midwesterner.
Wish we had such literary-sounding battles over here. Appomattox sounds like a detox center.
Only 543 more drinks and we reach the first Bull Run/Manassas!
Well, we better get started then.
The Battle of the Big Hole did not involve the striker playing in the hole, but sounds literary enough for the purposes of this blog.
Not to be setting blog policy on the matter.
Some might say the Battle of the Big Hole sounds like the place where all our points went from the games we should have won so far this season, and it sounds the part to me.
bt8b@1306: You just get into the habit.
I’ll get my cowl…
get better, holic. that’s a toughie, hopefully they’ve caught it early enough that you will need little ongoing treatment!
1325 – notable for The War of the
Bucket.
Wish you an easy and swift recovery holic, all fingers crossed.
Kneel before thy King, peasants.
Usurper!
OMG! King Robert 1 has died. Long live King David.
OM@1325, thanks for that little pearl. I hadn’t heard of it. It’s an interesting story.
https://youtu.be/X30LZYglM-k
Usurper!
Sounds positively revolting
Get better soon Dave!
I’ve sold all my Diageo shares !
Best wishes, Guv’nor. Hope you are home and recuperating soon.
Woulda thought Bologna v. Modena woulda included some mention of olive oil in 4+ minutes but v. interesting nonetheless, Bath and OM your accomplice. ≈
Or was that Modena v. Bologna considering the bucket was “originally” theirs?
Modena is closer to the San Siro let’s call it Modena v. Bologna to increase attendance
Historical vignettes in 4 minutes each disguised as football hooligan rivalries. A great idea.
Clever, humorous and numerically appropriate @1325
*wonders what happened in the 1340s*
seeing as past is prologue
not to mention analogue as you Brits probably spell it
picture of David in 1329
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HBT0pFqB5cY
Must be the other Scottish David.
Ructions in the England
camp. Actually I wouldn’t
mind if one of our players
was so pissed off that he
continued to fight next
time he saw the other guy.
bt8 @1341 –
or “supplemented by one additional branch” as you Merkans probably spell it ?
Buckets of posts there bt8.
I imagine the Bolognese must
have been a bit pail after losing
the war though.
Well, I think that’s enough
from me
@1342
oh dear I went straight past
the year David II was put in
an English prison for 11 years.
Perhaps we can note his
release as we stride boldly
past 1357
The bubonic plague reached England in 1348, killed about a third of the population and changed society. Much like Bosman in football, it allowed the serf to say, “Sod you and your conditions! I’m off to work for the fella down the road who is offering heritable land if I’ll work on his estate.
And here’s me, thinking we had moved beyond the pail. Oh well.
Heritable but not irrigable most likely.
Irritability being a moot point if it is swampland I might add, which could pertain to Tottenham marshes.
irritability above having been corrected from irritability by Apple’s favorite spillchucker
See what I mean? Quite irritating
Providing a rousing lead in to the magical release date
Remiss of me not to say hi to Trev who just looked in. Hey Trev ?
You are serfing it up on a plate
despite your irrigability at the
plaguey spillchucker.
1357 – a noted year in
David II’s diary.
As a serfice to the multitudes you are too lazy to look it up or who (even worse) just don’t care,
“On 3 October 1357, after several protracted negotiations with the Scots’ regency council, a treaty was signed at Berwick-upon-Tweed under which Scotland’s nobility agreed to pay 100,000 marks, at the rate of 10,000 marks per year, as a ransom for their king. This was ratified by the Scottish Parliament at Scone on 6 November 1357.”
The Scottish Parliament was doing more than eating scones, apparently.
If Berwick is upon Tweed I would have thought it would have floated away by now.
The story of the actress wannabee turned goalkeeper poised to thwart mighty England:
https://www.bbc.com/sport/football/50226853
Not to distract from the historical thread …
Several fascinating things happened in 1363, but in England
Royal decree prohibits all forms of Sunday recreation other than practice with the English longbow.
Sumptuary law regulates dress according to the wearer’s social class.
Not fascinating enough, obvs.
Hi bt8,
they couldn’t be eating scones at 1359 cos that’s almost 2-o-clock and lunchtime is over ?
have a stella.
In 1367, the Black Prince, John of Gaunt and Pedro the Cruel defeated Henry of Castile and the French in the Battle of Navarrete. Presumably the good guys won?
What happened to that web site that listed the kings of Scotland, when they were born, when they reigned, and which member of their family murdered them?
Bit remiss of me to skip over 1368 without noting that was the year the Ming dynasty started.
We’ll just have to press onto @1644 so we can note its end at the appropriate drink.
Hey scruz, Hope you’re having another lovely day in Cali. Even if you went to Colombia. 😉
No wonder Guernsey is not Welsh. In 1372 they abandoned their assault on the island in order to attack the French at La Rochelle. Bigger fish to fry I suppose, as Adrian Durham might have said.
Apologies for my glaring omission in not mentioning in a timely manner the founding in 1364 of the Hieronymite hermitic order, more commonly (?) known as the Order of St. Jerome. This apparently happened near Toledo in Spain. Ned, I apologize if they are rivals of your guys.
Guernsey would have been French rather than Welsh, bt8b.
https://www.theislandwiki.org/index.php/La_Déscente_des_Aragousais
Owain Lawgoch, pretender to the Welsh throne who had led the attack on Guernsey (and was, incongruously, born in Surrey), was ordered by his French paymasters to head to La Rochelle which was held by the English at the time. Damn complicated, the Hundred Years’ War.
Castle Ned is more a disorder than an order, bt8b.
Good morning to you all,
as there is no Arsenal news
of note (vote of confidence in
UE, mutterings of player
unrest, blah blah blah) it’s on
to 1376.
The year of the so called “Good
Parliament” . It’s been 643 years
surely must be due another ?
Thanks for the prompt correction Ned, hopefully saving me from a legacy as the guy who botched Guernseyian history. 🙂
Actress wanna beekeeper unable to do enough thwarting:
England 3 Czech Republic 2
Arseblog continues to look for negatives.
“My teabag burst today and my old granny took one look at the leaves left in the cup and said, ‘That Unai Emery.. he’s going to KILL YOU ALL UNLESS HE’S SACKED NOW!'”
Not worth reading any longer…
If I ever meet any of you boring on about all these old dates you’re history.
@1376,
Scruz can read about all that player unrest stuff in the LAGazette ?
The year after the great peasant revolt, there was an uprising against taxes in France. I guess it took too long to knit waistcoats or there wasn’t enough yellow wool for it to be the beginning of the Gilet Jaune movement. Nonetheless a full year of protests is very impressive (not reported on EU MSM for fear of imitation elsewhere).
A lot of you are older than I thought. ?
History is for the young, GSD.
Fine first-time drink by MiddleArse @978
I couldn’t have said it better what ‘holic has created in this space. Get better soon Guvnor and thanks for having us.
History also being for the old, a partial explanation for Harvey’s Bristol Cream?
The Treaty of Windsor was the diplomatic alliance signed between Portugal and England on 9 May 1386 at Windsor and sealed by the marriage of King John I of Portugal to Philippa of Lancaster, daughter of John of Gaunt, 1st Duke of Lancaster. With the victory at the Battle of Aljubarrota, assisted by English archers, John I was recognized as the undisputed King of Portugal.
Philippa of Lancaster must have been … ahem … quite attractive.
Maybe she went into the sherry making business in later life.
Aha, contradictory evidence:
“Philippa was considered to be rather plain, and King João I (John I) already had a mistress, Inês Peres Esteves, by whom he had three children.”
Turns out Philippa’s father later married Philippa’s governess.
Which
happened
in
1394, look it up.
Even more interestingly perhaps,
Katherine (Philippa’s governess) had close ties with Geoffrey Chaucer, since her
sister was Chaucer’s wife. King John (aka João I) became Chaucer’s patron and Chaucer spent much time with the family as one of Philippa’s mentors.
In 1395 John “Eleanor” Rykener was brought to court in London for committing an “unmentionable ignominious act”. The verdict is unknown.
Oops! “Tabs-ed it”.
Hey Bath!
The official site sends out this news flash:
“Elneny features in Bestikas win”
Which brings up the question, Who at Arsenal is not using their spillchucker, and/or does not know the name of the Turkish club we loaned him to?
Apologies for ending that last sentence with a proposition.
Some historian must have found out the specific crimes under the umbrella of “unmentionable ignominious act” but the unknown verdict in that case is a bit odd.
Kapow!
And Tamerlane destroys Baghdad.
So past is indeed prologue then. Well in, Bath.
The year 1398 was noteworthy
for arrival of Henry Sinclair,
Jarl of Orkney, Lord of Roslin
and Knight Templar in America.
A modest fellow, he returned
without mentioning it much.
It should be noted some people,
merely reputable historians, have
disputed these facts but the
evidence is compelling to anyone
with a firm grasp of fantasy.
Well in for the 1400, Bath. Skipped right past the death of Chaucer.
That’ll teach me for trying to
lay out the facts – 5 whole
years late.
OM@1403: Fascinating character, Henry Sinclair. As well as discovering or not discovering America a century before Columbus, he also had a dozen daughters and three sons by his second wife. Little wonder he didn’t have much time to record his adventures.
Also invented the C5 almost 600 years before Sir Clive. Having to be pulled by a horse was a bit of a drawback though, if you had a horse why buy a C5?
600 years later, the danger of being shat on by a horse as you drove by it was the thing that killed off the concept for all time.
In 1408, the future Henry V kicked Owain Glyndŵr’s arse all over Wales and back again.
Also, apparently … Zheng He delivers 300 virgins from Korea to the Chinese emperor. He started out with 651 but it’s a long trip and there was nowt else to do once he’d finished the Times crossword.
1409 sees more fun and games in Wales, as they surrender Harlech Castle to the English. Centuries later they had their revenge by sending us Max Boyce.
Hardly sporting.
Arsene Wenger has found himself a job, as FIFA’s Chief of Global Football Development. Which is nice for him. Lots of free junkets all over Africa and the oil rich Middle East FA’s I guess.
In 1411 the University of St Andrews was founded, though not by Arsene Wenger.
In 1412, Joan of Arc was born and inspired … a song, centuries later, by OMD, One of their very worst.
In 1413, Henry of Monmouth becomes King Henry V, possibly the greatest King England has ever known.
1414 is 1958 in the Bhuddist calendar.
AGINCOURT
Apologies for cba’ing it, but I had to get to 1415 🙂
Although now I’ve done it, I know how Alexander the Great felt.
(And yeah I know that thing about weeping as there were no more worlds to conquer is a misquote of Plutarch via Sid Waddell and Hans Gruber but it sounds cool so there).
And gentlemen in England now a-bed
Shall think themselves accurs’d they were not here
And hold their manhood cheap whiles any speaks
That fought with us upon Saint Crispin’s day
Best of luck to AW in his
new role as the one honest
person in FIFA.
After founding St. Andrews,
Oxford & Cambridge, AW
moved on to overseeing the
French Revolution and the
downfall of Bonaparte before
his magnum opus as the
most loved and respected
manager ever. We wish him
every success in his new
role. And hope he has a
very long spoon.
When the Guvna is back in harness he will be delighted that this blog, already by far the most erudite in the Goonerverse has ratcheted up into a work of historical reference and commentary that puts the efforts of Le Grove – eg, ‘ Emery is a cunt’ to shame .
While it is no surprise to find my fellow Holics are so intellectually blessed I believe we have created something of historical value that is unique and precious. Well done colleagues I am extraordinarily impressed as indeed you will be by the knowledge that in 1419
we saw the first defenestration of Prague: anti-Catholic Hussites, followers of executed reformer Jan Hus, stormed Prague town hall and threw the judge, mayor and several city council members out of the windows. They died in the fall or were killed by crowd outside. The first Ultras?
I wonder if we’ll get as far as the execution of William Tyndale..
Birth of Henry VI. One of the few kings to have two reigns as King of England. He was also the king to begin presiding over the War of the Roses. He also warranted three Shakespeare plays; I’m marginally partial to Henry VI: Part 2. And, in other news, Clive Allen is still a twat.
I hope when The Boss returns he reads every single drink left in his absence. That’ll learn ‘im.
In 1423 in the Hundred Years’ War at Battle of Cravant – the French army was defeated by the English on the banks of the river Yonne in Burgundy
Well worth knowing
I hope we brought a few bottles back TTG.
I’m quite partial to some premier cru Meursault or Puligny-Montrachet, especially if someone else is paying.
Carry on.
Never quite got their reds though. Prefer the reds of Bordeaux (especially St Emilion) or a Rhône wine (especially Chateauneuf du Pape).
Mind you, as you know, I’m also happy with a pint ofGuiness.
Now what happened in 1426? I’m all agog!
Countryman,
Stop it, you are making me thirsty!
Le Monrachet, if someone very rich is buying!
In October 1428 The Siege of Orleans began.
In 1429, it ended.
Is it 1428 already?
The aforementioned Joan of
Arc starts hearing those
pesky voices
Bugger it, I’m going back to
sleep
And in going to sleep, you failed to note the death of said woman in 1431, whose last words may or may not have been, “”Ere… who’s burnt the fuckin’ toast!”
meanwhile, brunelleschi’s dome is rising.
ghiberti is working on the second set of the baptistry doors.
On 24 November 1434 the River Thames froze over.
Cynic @ 1432
You’re not confusing this with Alfred and burning the cakes in 878 are you?
BTW with you 100% on Arseblog
Just read back into the 1100s where cba seems to have started the historical thread. Well done. Apologies to anybody I may have missed prior to that but scrolling through 1400 drinks is a large job. 🙂
The Arseblog article on stats today makes very depressing reading but the stats aren’t his and they do underline how serious our position is. Blogs basically can’t write a paragraph without ending it with Emery must go but that doesn’t make him wrong .
As Countryman and I were saying last week this season has been awful. Arsenal have only lost three games but they haven’t played remotely well since the first game of the season for ninety minutes and the creativity of the side is at an all-time low in recent memory . Watching such poor football at both ends of the pitch ( at very high prices) is tough to do.
I’m heading off to the the ladies NLD on Sunday and am really looking forward to it. I’ve never seen a ladies game live before and to win at the neighbours new ground will be terrific if we can. But above all I’m confident they will turn up and play well. I’ve realised I haven’t had that feeling about the men’s side for months and I’m actually enjoying the time when we are not playing more than when we are. That is what Emery has done to me.
In 1439, Hussite movement (see TTG’s@1419) ended by defeat at the Battle of Grotniki
Or at least the Polish branch of the Hussite movement.
And as OM meant to say @1430, Joan of Arc threatened to lead a crusading army against the Hussites unless they returned to the Catholic faith.
It is all connected.
As a pious and virginal woman she had no time for filthy hussites.
😀
1442 – Edward IV was born, the first Yorkist King on his succession to the throne at 19. Married the saucepot Elizabeth Woodville and had a mere ten children with her. Father of the infamously murdered Princes in the Tower.
Oh testicles. Send bt8 to the Tower!
In 1443:
The Crusade of Varna was an unsuccessful military campaign mounted by several European monarchs to check the expansion of the Ottoman Empire into Central Europe, specifically the Balkans between 1443 and 1444. It was called by Pope Eugene IV on 1 January 1443 and led by King Władysław III of Poland, John Hunyadi, Voivode of Transylvania, and Duke Philip the Good of Burgundy.
(No wonder the serbs are so bellicose.)
In 1444 (I think I’ve fallen one year behind, but still):
The Crusade of Varna culminated in a decisive Ottoman victory over the crusader alliance at the Battle of Varna on 10 November 1444, during which Władysław and the expedition’s Papal legate Julian Cesarini were killed.
See what you’ve done now? Off with his noggin!
Even back then there was a lot of stuff happening simultaneously.
A Pause before resumption at 1450
Despots out of control sending people to the Tower without any justification whatsoever.
Speaking of despots…
In 1452, the future Richard III was born.
Some of them might have done something or other. Pause having been breached by nameless hordes, resuming with 1453 when this happened:
The Fall of Constantinople (Byzantine Greek: Ἅλωσις τῆς Κωνσταντινουπόλεως, romanized: Halōsis tēs Kōnstantinoupoleōs; Turkish: İstanbul’un Fethi, lit. ‘Conquest of Istanbul’):
The capture of the capital city of the Byzantine Empire by an invading Ottoman army on 29 May 1453.
First Gutenberg Bible printed in 1454.
1455 – The Wars of the Roses begin
Re: Elizabeth Woodville the saucepot of 1453. Pictures show her occasionally hot but occasionally not. Some of them quite hot though.
Suppose she would’ve been less hot ten years after though …
And after ten kids she’d have had a fanny like the Archbishop of Canterbury’s sleeve.
I think that’s my cue to go to bed.
And ten children after too.
*conjures the image and decides it’s convincing enough to decide against converting to the Church of England*
29 March 1461: Battle of Towton: Edward IV defeats Queen Margaret, to make good his claim to the English throne (thought by Wikipedia, and perhaps others, to be the bloodiest battle ever fought in England).
Map study reveals Towton to occupy a small piece of turf between Leeds and York.
Lest anybody accuse this thread of being too European or British, between 1464 and 1466 in southern China, so Wikipedia seems to say, resentment over government support of large waves of immigration sparked the Miao and Yao revolts, which were crushed by 30,000 Ming troops joining 160,000 local Guangxi soldiers.
As not even our Japanese correspondent is likely to recall, on 21 August 1464 Go-Hanazono resigned his throne in favor of his son, who would be known as Go-Tsuchimikado. However, the calendar date was not thought of as a day in August by the locals, who curiously employed an entirely different calendrical system.
In 1465 the Moroccan revolt in Fez ousted the Maranid rulers, and resulted in the killings of almost the entire Jewish community of the city. The Marinid dynasty briefly held sway over all the Maghreb in the mid-14th century, and supported the Kingdom of Granada in al-Andalus in the 13th and 14th centuries.
If I were Arsene Wenger I would be very pleased to be taking his new appointment at FIFA as head of global football development. He will be able to do it supremely well, and at his age will not have to suffer the indignities all managers must suffer, such as explaining losses to the press, being denigrated by the ignorant, and so on. I wish him well.
a topical 1464 from bt8
as the emperor again
abdicated this very year.
The first since 1817 in fact
if we should reach so far.
1468
The end of the line for
Gutenberg, I wonder if
he clutched a copy of his
own bible.
The birth of Vasco da Gama.
For those who may not have
heard of him, he was a well
known sailor who twice won
the Admiral’s Cup defeating the
rival boat of Machiavelli, who
coincidentally was also born
in 1469.
A good year for some of the
Roses as one king runs away
and another one comes back
again. More importantly it
inspired a whiny Elvis Costello
song that I’ve unaccountably
always liked.
The death of Thomas Mallory,
author of Le Morte d’Arthur.
A truly dreadful tome on the
chivalrous behaviours of some
weirdo cultists.
I assume it was satire as Mallory
himself was a murderer, rapist
and thief who spent many well-
deserved periods in Marshalsea.
He should of got at least 5 years
for his book.
A new name for some….
introducing Nezahualcoyotl.
Philosopher, Warrior, Architect,
Poet and Ruler of the Texcoco
city state in present day Mexico.
A reasonable fellow who tried to
stop human sacrifice in his own
lands and those of his neighbours.
In his spare time he fathered
110 children, presumably not
with the same wife.
I thought his passing, of causes
unknown, in 1472 merited
mention in this august historical
blog.
I seem to have posting
diarrhoea
1474 saw the end of the
Anglo Hanseatic War.
Summary
Some wool merchants tried
to fuck over some other wool
merchants and there was a
war lasting 5 years.
One of the participants was
the town of Lübeck. A nice
seaside town on the coast
of Germany, worth a visit
in the summer.
The 3/4 century rolls round
Time for the birth of Michelangelo,
Gringoire and de Lucano. Some
arty fellows apparently.
1476 most likely saw the end
of Vlad the Impaler, 2nd son
of Vlad Dracul.
Vlad, a firm believer in clarity,
went to great lengths to make
sure people got the point.
Ivan III marches against Novgorod marking the beginning of Russian colonialism. Plus ça change…
And…
The Spanish Inquisition begins.
Nobody expected that!
As Mel Brooks said
Hey, Torquemada, whaddaya say?
I just got back from the auto-da-fé
Auto-da-fé, what’s an auto-da-fé?
It’s what you oughtn’t to do but you do anyway
Skit skat voodely vat tootin de day
For full Inquisition lyrics
https://songmeanings.com/songs/view/3458764513820546500/
We will stumble in our up and coming fixtures, despite the level of opponent we’re facing. Nothing will change until the summer. It’s what I anticipate. Arsenal board, owner’s are frightened of change. They don’t understand it. Aren’t equipped to move with the pace of the modern game. In essence we’ve been behind the competition for over a decade. Ineptitude in abundance.
So how many of you are opposed to Brendan Rodgers? I don’t think his time at Liverpool was a failure and he had to deal with a club in transition. Did a job at Celtic, but then again who couldn’t! Has brought an attacking brand of football to Leicester. I wouldn’t necessarily say that Leicester’s first eleven, man for man is better than ours. In fact I could only see one or two of their’s making it into our first eleven. So it’s down to how they are being coached, which is the difference between the two sides. So should we be going for Rodgers in the summer?
How about NES. Brought Wolves up, has an attacking identity, built on defensive solidity. Struggling a bit with getting to grips with Europa league and PL, but it’s a learning curve and new. But they’re still pulling off giant slaying acts like last season and holding their own in Europa league. Would anyone be opposed to NES in the summer?
I don’t think recruitment would hold me back from bringing NES in. Recruitment at Arsenal would be out of his hands any way and he clearly has the coaching ability. Any manager who can get Ryan Bennett to defend against world class striker’s of the likes of Aguero. When Ryan Bennett is a Championship player at best. Would have more success with the higher calibre of player’s that we already have at the club.
He’d be the cheaper of the two manager’s to get. If Rodgers finishes in the top four with Leicester, which I suspect the current top four to be the top four at the end of the season. Then he will be nigh on impossible to prise away from Leicester and his negotiating position would be that much stronger.
I’d prefer a manager who knew this league or had a proven track record of winning league titles (i.e. back to back league win’s, rather than one hit wonder’s) in Spain, Italy or Germany. I see these as strong league’s and of a similar standing to the Premier League.
Martin Luther, who succeeded where Jan Hus failed, was born in 1483.
HNDS@1482: Mourinho fits your preferred qualification for a manager. Would he be acceptable?
HNDS@1481
I personally wouldn’t want him as our manager. He may be a good manager, but:
He has a painting of himself in pride of place at home.
He sometimes speaks about himself in the third person.
He has got those funny white joke teeth – a definite sign of rampant vanity.
Re: 1480. Notice that the last step was to send in the nuns. Genius, doncha think?
excellent points Dorset Mick.
Salient like Rodgers teeth.
What Dorset Mick said.
Ideal if you’re a mid table team wanting to get top six, because if you do well you look like a miracle worker, but not for a top six team expecting top four and hoping to win things.
He’s a good manager when there’s no pressure on him.
For those touting Arteta I was reading some stuff written in May 2018 about Emery and was reminded that when Arteta was linked with taking over from Wenger, nobody much wanted him to and “social media” was awash with angst at the prospect.
Odd, to have grown up in a decade when Inquisition humor seemed possible.
bt8
Well Mel Brooks also did a film taking the piss out of the Nazi’s.
A genius IMHO
c100
Mel Brooks made me laugh helplessly probably like nobody else so we must be in the same “camp”
1492 – Christopher Columbus makes the biggest mistake of his life.
Five hundred years later, his namesake makes an even bigger error by making Home Alone 2
Leading up to 1492, by 1486 Christopher Columbus was firmly in Spain, asking for patronage from King Ferdinand and Queen Isabella. After at least two rejections, he at last obtained royal support in January 1492, achieved chiefly through the interventions of the Spanish treasurer, Luis de Santángel, and the Franciscan friars of La Rábida, near Huelva, with whom Columbus had stayed in the summer of 1491.
1495: Friar John Cor records the first known batch of Scotch whisky.
1494: Birth of Suleiman the Magnificent.
The Education Act 1496 was an act of the Parliament of Scotland that required landowners to send their eldest sons to school to study Latin, arts and law. This made schooling compulsory for the first time in the world. [Lurking in the classroom outlawed. :;)
Savonarola’s bonfire of the vanities occurred in Florence in 1497.
Chips the ball up the line to…
takes baff’s chip, dips a shoulder and fires a cross in from the left for…
Who swings in the cross for…
SCG sends in the pinpoint cross; my sliced miskick drifts over the line. Cruel game. Bath gets the pre-assist, either way.
Top class lurking to 1500.
Fortuitously, 1502 lets us
note the sad passing of
Gwerful Mechain, foremost
Welsh erotic poetess of her
time. Noted for her verse in
praise of the vulva.
Gwerful’s vulva be praised.
1504: Juan de la Cosa (John of the Thing, for the uninitiated) begins his first independent voyage, to the Isthmus of Panama.
27 June: The future King Henry VIII of England repudiates his engagement to Catherine of Aragon, at his father’s command.
2 July: Martin Luther vows to become a monk in a moment of terror due to a near lightning strike during a thunderstorm.
Well in Ned at the monumental 1500 including well disguised (un)intentionality.
1477 saw on Nov 18 the first English dated printed book “Dictes & Sayengis of the Phylosophers” by Harry Redknapp sorry er William Caxton
One is delightfully gobsmacked to find such a source of historical reference nestling cosily among the ramblings of a set of Arsenal supporters. As a Norwich fan myself the recent thread on the Reformation in East Anglia and why it showed Ipswich were Scum was an intellectual highlight but this thread of mediaeval revelation is a joy and frankly a surprise as I thought you ‘ Gooners’ as I believe you are known spent your lives moaning about the inadequacies of your latest coach. Little do they know that you are on such an inspiring journey . May I commend to you the fascinating background to the The League of Cambrai , formed as an alliance against the Republic of Venice, between Pope Julius II, Louis XII of France, Maximilian I, Holy Roman Emperor and Ferdinand II of Aragon.
They wouldn’t need one now the place is flooded ?
That bastard interloper Christopher , my half- brother by the Marquis of Great Yarmouth is trying to masquerade as a smarty pants ad a Norwich supporter to boot.
The bastard is a Portman Road scummer and knows nothing about the beautiful game. Nor does he know that in 1509 not only did Henry V111 ascend to the English throne but on Aug 8 of that year the Emperor Krishnadeva Raya was crowned, marking the beginning of the regeneration of the Vijayanagara Empire in Southern India
Ipswich used to be competitive, or so I am told.
well in, ned. you have to feel lucky, then.
and albrecht dürer was a busy boy. woodcuts and paintings of renown.
Mr Fry
Ramblings?
Fucking ramblings!
Cheeky fucker.
(Actually good point well made)
Fackin’ cants.
Sorry to lower the tone from our historical musings but my away brethren wouldn’t forgive me if I didn’t point out
Your sister is your mother
Your uncle is your brother
You all fuck one another
The Norwich family
(To the tune of the Addams family)
Now when and where were we …..
One of the numerous recorded dates of flooding in Venice:
High waters were recorded on May 29, 1511
1516 – Erasmus’ Greek translation of the New Testament is printed.
OM@1502: you have the impassioned ecstasy of Ann Griffiths’s poetry to look forward to once we get to the late 1700s.
For what it is worth, some scholars believe that Gwerful Mechian’s Cywydd y Cedor was a riposte to the great Medieval poet Dafydd ap Gwilym’s Cywydd y Gal, gal being Welsh for penis.
There is a 1950s book by Leslie Harries on Welsh poets in which he says: “In the light of the 20th century, Gwerful Mechain is nothing more than a whore, but in her own century singing dirty songs was more or less a common thing to do.”
C100@1514 has clearly missed his time by a few centuries. 🙂
The Dancing Plague of 1518 broke out In Strasbourg in July. A mania in which people die from constant dancing. And you think people have only recently become crazy?
Facking smolts.
La Noche Triste in Mexico
La Noche Triste, the “sad night” of 30 June 1520, an episode marking the end of the first phase of the Spanish Conquest, when the Aztec confederation slaughtered a large Spanish force and its native allies, the Tlaxcalteca, as they fled from the imperial city of Tenochitlán-Tlatelolco. Less than a year earlier, the Spanish expedition led by Hernán Cortés made landfall in Veracruz and with the help of coastal and Tlaxclan allies marched inland and seized control of the Aztec capital. For months, the Spaniards reigned through Moctezuma, the Aztec ruler. Not long after, Cortés left the city to defeat and incorporate a larger Spanish force charged with arresting him. In his absence, the Spaniards under Pedro de Alvarado massacred unarmed warriors dancing in the temple festival of Toxcatl, triggering a massive revolt.
Cortés returned to find Spanish control of the city lost. Besieged in the heart of Tenochtitlán by tens of thousands of Aztec warriors, Cortés and his approximately 1,100 men had to flee to avoid complete destruction. To prevent their escape, the Aztecs had destroyed many of the bridges throughout the canal-crossed island city. The Spanish decided to try to sneak out during the night but Aztec sentinels soon spread the alarm. Attacked as they proceeded along the Tacuba causeway, the Spanish and Tlaxcalans found it hard to resist the onslaught by their opponents in canoes. Perhaps half of the Spanish force was killed, or captured and later sacrificed, along with more than 1,000 Tlaxcalans. The Spanish rout could be attributed to cunning Mexican military, but it also resulted from their greed—overloaded with booty, their progress was slow and cumbersome and their escape all the more difficult. The survivors successfully retreated to Tlaxcala to regroup. In May 1521, Cortes returned to lay siege on Tenochtitlán.
1522 September 6 – The Vittoria, one of the surviving ships of Ferdinand Magellan’s expedition, returns to Sanlúcar de Barrameda in Spain, under the command of Juan Sebastián Elcano, becoming the first ship to circumnavigate the world.
Presumably, Ferdinand was considered cool in that moment.
Even Juan Sebastián may have impressed some of the locals favorably.
The Early Vasa period of Swedish and Finnish history lasted between 1523–1611. It began with the reconquest of Stockholm by Gustav Vasa and his men from the Danes in 1523, triggered by the event known as the Stockholm Bloodbath in 1520.
Naturally enough.
Giovanni da Verrazzano, an Italian explorer in the service of France, becomes the first European to explore the Atlantic coast of North America between Florida and New Brunswick in 1524, including New York Bay.
I hates them big fuckers
Better luck this time to Thierry Henry, new head coach of Montreal Impact.
You’ve just got a chip on
yer shoulder ye wee fucker
I’ll second that bt8. Didn’t
really get a fair shot at
Monaco.
Sweet.
Farewell Cardinal Wolsey, he’d
have happier in the 1970s and
80s when Ipswich had a decent
side.
Damn, I missed 1526 – William Tyndale printed the first full edition of the New Testament in English, a crime for which he was condemned as a heretic.
Already exiled to Europe at the time, Tyndale’s English translation of the Bible from Greek and Hebrew texts forms over 80% of what we know as the Bible today. He was as influential in the way English is written and spoken today as Shakespeare was, introducing such phrases as “Let there be light”, “My brother’s keeper” and “seek and ye shall find” as well as many other phrases and common words we use to this day.
He spoke seven languages apart from his native English and was a prolific writer and translator. His is a fascinating and ultimately tragic story, as he was strangled at the stake, then burned, in Belgium after being betrayed in 1536.
I should have saved all that for the relevant drink, but I want to go to bed and didn’t want to cba it again. 🙂
Clever these Chinese ?
Yin Pan’s larger and greasier brother.
Battle of the Shirts.
Scottish. Enough said.
Oops. A decade too early. Where is bt8b on a cba run when you need it?
1536 – The aforementioned William Tyndale etc…
On ye goooooo!
1537 is allegedly the year the potato arrives in Europe from North America.
When Holic returns he is going to be well impressed with the quality of our musings or wonder WTF has been going on .
Ned, I’m playing scrabble with the wife actually. Takes a lot of concentration, except on her turns when she doesn’t notice I’ve gone on Goonerholic. 😉
death of Thomas Cromwell,
birth of Francis Drake.
Time to go
First contact for Japan, the
Portuguese arrived.
Follow up visit bringing guns
and christianity. Not sure
which caused more deaths.
Rats make their first appearance in North America (no kidding).
How they have multiplied.
Destroyed her at scrabble by the way
Goals for The Ox and Giroud
last night.
Reportedly, Raul blocked
O’Leary being appointed
to the Arsenal board.
That has to pass for Arsenal
news. Not even halfway in
the Interlull ☹️
Trinity College, Cambridge founded by King Henry XIII.
Henry VIII is gone.
Cervantes arrives.
may as well set up the 31st
half century of this record
breaking run
seeing as my 1548 was a
year late
Was actually founded in 1546.
Good night, OM, and have a pleasant tomorrow.
At 1551 I had a large long black.
And frankly it’s a little late in the day for all that caffeine
The Scots Dyke was built
to settle the boundaries of the
Debatable Lands.
Interestingly, a dyke is seen as
a stone wall in Scotland, but
in England it is seen as a ditch,
which would have been useful
for the current PM if only he
was a man of his word.
However, at the time they went
with a completely pointless
earthworks
Sehzade Mustafa is executed
by order of his father Suleiman
the Magnificent.
The magnificent one went on to
murder more of his sons and
grandsons in the coming years.
Doesn’t seem very magnificent
to me, more cuntish really, but
apparently it was the way of
things in the Ottoman empire
at the time.
Family dinners must have been
a bit fraught
Princess Elizabeth is imprisoned in the Tower of London and Queen Mary I marries King Philip of Naples. Families!
The Scots Dyke was built
Oh the possibilities for innuendo..
1555 – The Oxford Martyrs are burned at the stake. Anglican bishops Hugh Latimer, Nicholas Ridley and Thomas Cranmer, the Archbishop of Canterbury.
1556.
The average number of refereeing mistakes Mike Dean has made each season since he became a Premier League referee.
They had Scottish dykes in the 16th century . Who
knew? I can think of a few now but thought they were a recent innovation
like Welsh cakes . England are good aren’t they. Not many teams hand Montenegro their arse on a plate ….what’s that .,..everybody they play does? Oh well it’s good to see that nice Harry Kane doing well
Incidentally shall I pen a few words on the ladies NLD or would you prefer me to bugger off. Binary choice ?
I didn’t watch England but I saw some highlights. The fullbacks got into great positions, created a lot of chances and England ended up with 7. I imagine Emery wants Bellerin and Tierney to do the same. Auba and especially Laca can score headers if we give the right service.
I cannot remember the last time I thought England play with a better attacking gameplan than Arsenal.
Of course, if Arsenal played Montenegro then the first priority would be to setup to nullify their offensive potential.
TTG@1557, a match report would be most welcome, sir.
1558 Mary I dies
1559 Elizabeth I is crowned
1560 The French Dauphine dies and Mary of Scots is widowed at 17.
Crucial 3 years for the future of Britain.
TTG
Be nice to read a match report
on the Women’s NLD
The online Grauniad just
posted their PL team of the
season so far – we’re not
the only ones with nothing
to do in the Interlull ?
Though our electrifying run
through history is far better.
Just in case there are insane
optimists our there – none
of our players troubled the
selectors of the 18 players.
1564 Galileo and Shakespeare born. Michelangelo died.
1565 The first known reference to a pencil in the modern sense of a lead pencil rather than an artist’s brush.
Bacon
I will pen a few words on the match after enjoying the delightful experience of being stuck in Tottenham High Road for hours in traffic . I might even be able to pen something in the standstill. And I will for the first time have a beer filled upside down or whatever they do there .
1568: The Treaty of Adrianople concluded in the Ottoman city of Adrianople (present-day Edirne) by representatives of Holy Roman Emperor Maximilian II, ruler of Habsburg Monarchy and Ottoman Sultan Selim II, concluding the Austrian-Turkish War and beginnin 25 years of relative peace between the empires. It followed the Siege of Szigetvár, in which the Ottomans took a key Hungarian fortress, but at great cost, including the death of the previous Sultan, Suleiman the Magnificent
Or Suleiman the Cunt as previously referenced.
1570: The native population of the island of Hispaniola, now occupied by Haiti and the Dominican Republic, which was estimated at 100,000 in 1493, by this time was said to have been reduced to around 300. Some say by disease, others by extermination.
Also 1570: Abraham Ortelius publishes the first modern atlas, Theatrum Orbis Terrarum, in Antwerp.
1571 sees the death due to
natural causes of the
legendary Japanese swordsman
Tsukahara Bokuden.
He killed 212 men in battles, duels
etc during his life before finally
proving wrong that hoary old
chestnut that those who live by
the sword, die by the sword
Dear H. Fuck Arsenal, life is too short. Please launch Historyholic ‘pon thy return.
Ta.
Cynic
How cheeky is it to suggest that Arsenal are history? ?
1574 Tottenham win the league for the last time. Roughly.
The 1576 Cocoliztli epidemic causes millions of deaths in the territory of New Spain, in modern-day Mexico
The first clock with a minute hand appears in Switzerland
1578. Drake sails through the Strait of Magellan during his second circumnavigation of the world. I hope he made it home in time for dinner.
Drake lands in California, and claims it for Queen Elizabeth I.
Not known if any of the natives, who were presumably enjoying a calm few days, knew or objected.
Not to say Golden Hinds washed up on the beaches as a cotidiano sight back then.
Or hardly ever, really.
Pope Gregory13 launches the modern calendar we use today, and it becomes known as Gregorian. Everybody went along with the idea, since it was better coordinated with the solar system than the old one put into play by Julius Caesar and called the Julian calendar
It appears from Twitter that our landlord is home. This posted about 8pm
“I owe so much, to so many. Thank you to friends and all who sent their good wishes in the last 24 days. I’m home and the recovery starts here. ?? Never forget there are more wonderful Gooners than half-wits.”
Hooray for the good news of the Guvnor!!!
Been a bit logged off from TOP and almost never comment here so I had totally missed this.
‘Holic, here’s to a speedy recovery.
Glad to hear you are home, Guv’nor. Here’s to as speedy a recovery as possible.
Was?
Year of the failed Spanish Armada. Incidentally, less reported in these parts, England launched a riposte in 1589 cunningly called the “English Armada” which was similarly spectacularly unsuccessful.
Here’s some cheerful news. Santi Cazorla scores for Spain.
https://www.bbc.com/sport/football/50440510
Really excellent news about the Guvnor@1583.
Really excellent.
1583 was the best year. so glad to hear dave’s doing well. and is home. welcome home!
a buncha mutts have been taking care of this place in your absence. historically…
In 1592, Trinity College Dublin, the oldest university in Ireland, was founded.
Shah Jahan, without whom scores of UK curry houses would be nameless, was born.
Welcome home Guvnor. Must be
nice to be back !
1593
Something must have happened
In other good news to
add to the much missed
Santi’s goal
Xhaka and ex Gooner
Licht both played in a
Swiss win
Guen and ex Gooner
Donyell Malan were both
nominated for the Golden
Boy award
The city of Pompeii is rediscovered after being buried by the eruption of Mount Vesuvius in 79 AD.
Sir Walter Raleigh travels up the Orinoco River in search of the famed city of El Dorado. Wild goose chase.
The 17th century approaches
and so takes up a lurking
position……
But stops to selflessly note
the birth of Oliver Cromwell
in 1599
A big year in Japan….
The first Dutch ship arrives
with William Adams on board,
inspiration for some grossly
inaccurate historical novels.
Tokugawa Ieyasu wins the
battle of Sekigahara and
takes control of the counrtry.
And sumo becomes a
professional sport
*jumps long queue*
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DSTKE85yXl4
.
.
.
?
osaka M 1599
grrrrrrrrrrr
if i was around then
(who’s to say i wasn’t)
i’d a beat the livin cunt outta that bastard*
.
.
.
.
.
.
*thought about it
.
.
.
“So … Mrs Cromwell……. ”
.
.
“How ye fixed fer bastards ”
.
.
“Awwww jaysus , says i , it’s lookin like i’m sorted”
“So am are”
“grand so”
“but we’ve had complaints from the neighbours”
.
“so i might need to double up”
“well lets monumentally
AAAAAAAAHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH
till they accept pink and white ice cream “
“or death”
.
.
“the cheeky smarty pants’s’s”
“said i , dramatically”
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
i’ve lost the train
of this hurtling away thought
.
.
.
it’s ok
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ivvs_qL6t_c&app=desktop
.
feel i should watch an episode
of
the persuaders now
AAAAAAAAHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH
just back drank
(if only)
.
honestly i could drink the Irishness
outta the eyes o’ the donkeys
queuing up fer blogs signature
cos
‘holic is shuffling outta the goodness
of
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=u0_6FtRHhYY
.
get in here soon ‘holic
you absolute darlin
*passes the 5skinner pon the etc*
these numbers really do look historical
i’ll leave that to the collective shower
.
i wish someone would make
funny jokes
awwwwww
h?ow i’d chuckle
In 1614 the splendidly named
Sir Julius Caesar was appointed
Master of the Rolls.
They must have been good rolls
as he held the position until his
passing in 1636. It’s not known
whether his last words were
“et tu Brutus”
In Japan Tokugawa Ieyasu laid
siege to Osaka Castle.
He also banned christianity
throughout Japan, busy little
dictator that he was.
Aargh I’ve missed the passing
of the Immortal Bard.
Though he wasn’t immortal
obviously
shit the bed !
.
.
i started this history based sheep nonsense
.
.
“Where’s my money?”
Still I did beat the chief
lurker to the 1600 so
mustn’t grumble
japan !
just you remember
i don t know people
I AM PEOPLE !
and
the rest a ye
any more
humour bereft
historical posts ?
will be filed under
?
-trying to be me
?
.
.
?
.
.
fuckin nit fuckin wits
and yeah
to nonchalant nonchalance
(in contravention of the keep cynic happy European directive)
.
i think i might try for a snooze
but
i’m sure 1625
was a load of faraway bloodshed
to celebrate
sent to keep me awake
Plymouth Rock shot right past like some drunken Puritans
Tryin to decide whether to play spin the tiller or spin the bottle
now you 8ball
you can go for free cos
you take the piss out of me
whilst appearing not to
(fuckin brilliant)
.
here
have a token for the rising bridge of denials
.
.
top man
?
gonna retire
and try for a snooze
the
“No surrender”
number is coming up
and i really don’t want to hear
How brave people were walking to their work
or
How , by taking two buses instead of one tube
they (puffed up chestwise ) showed those paddies
what for
.
.
.
people are like that
“Those wretched paddies won’t stop me getting somewhere…”
“I normally get the 43 but today I doubled back…”
“I remain unbowed !”
such fuckin nonsense
.
.
.
but people are so proud of themselves
for
having SURVIVED a day of inconvenience
“Oh yeah , I lived through the 1970s and the 1980s”
.
.
.
.
.
“Lets vote accordingly”
.
.
deaf ears i’m sure
.
but
please
..
DON’T VOTE TORY
.
.
.
.
in 1632
my historical jokes
were better than yours
I AM PEOPLE !
Your real name is Soylent Green and I claim my five pounds.
Not enough history overnight.
1634 – Oliver Cromwell tries to emigrate to Connecticut but is prevented from doing so. How things may have been different in this country had he succeeded. I wish he had, so much vandalism to fine old English churches and Cathedrals would have been avoided. Probably.
CBA
Nice to see you back
There has been royal concern about your absence and I won’t mention Nurse Jenkins’ concern…..oh dear I have. ?⚕️
There is widespread rejoicing about the Guvna and many good wishes flowing out to you.
Even if you do keep insulting the refined Englishmen on here .
Away match report coming for you tomorrow on the ladies.
It won’t touch the standards of C1000 but that is the gold standard. Mine will be brass or copper .
I don’t post a lot but come this site everyday to find out how the guvnor is progressing and it was great to read he’s on the road to recovery .
It’s good that he hasn’t had to worry too much about he’s site as it’s being well looked after .
Waiting to read your words of wisdom regarding The Arsenal , get well and have a lemonade .
Lots of history passed by overnight. In 1636, the shogun banned Japanese from leaving Japan and those already abroad from returning.
Louis XIV, the Sun King is
born.
Harvard is named after John
Harvard, a dissenting minister
of little distinction other than
leaving the college a few quid
in his will.
Connecticut adopts its first
constitution.
And Fort St George, the
first British fort in India is
built.
John Punch is the first official
slave in the US.
Though indenture existed
already.
The Bay Psalm book is the
first published in the US
The first coffeehouse in Europe
opens in Venice
Tensions mount in England as
Charlie continues with his
Bishops War against the
Scottish covenanters.
Charles I flees London.
The Long Parliament passes
the Grand Remonstrance to
check Charles’ absolutist
tendencies
Ulster revolts against the
English and Scots
Wonderful piece about the legendary Maria. I don’t know her, but she’s always there, in the front row of every away game I go to, shrieking out COME ON YOU GUNNERS!
https://www.telegraph.co.uk/football/2019/11/16/arsenals-80-year-old-superfan-maria-petri-memorabilia-obsession/
Thanks for that link C100 and God Bless Maria Petri, a woman who knows how to enjoy her Arsenal. Long may she prosper
1644:
Explorer Abel Tasman’s second expedition, for the Dutch East India Company, maps the north coast of Australia.
Archbishop of Canterbury William Laud executed for treason on Tower Hill, London.
The Siege of Oxford, the English Civil War military campaigns that besieged the Royalist controlled city of Oxford, ended with a Parliamentarian victory in June 1646.
English Civil War drags on a bit longer. Two Royalist castles in Wales hold out until Raglan surrenders on 19 August, and the last Royalist post of all, Harlech Castle, on 13 March 1647.
Treaty of Westphalia signed, ending the Thirty Years War. The war or series of connected wars began in 1618 when the Austrian Habsburgs tried to impose Roman Catholicism on their Protestant subjects in Bohemia. The treaty gave the Swiss independence of Austria and the Netherlands independence of Spain. The German principalities secured their autonomy. Sweden gained territory and a payment in cash, Brandenburg and Bavaria made gains too, and France acquired most of Alsace-Lorraine. The Protestants cheered, apparently.
King Charles I beheaded for treason on January 30, 1649. In the first year of his reign, 1625, Charles offended his Protestant subjects by marrying a Catholic French princess. He later responded to political opposition by dissolving Parliament and in 1629 decided to rule entirely without Parliament. In 1642, the bitter struggle between for supremacy led to the first English civil war. The Parliamentarians, led by Oliver Cromwell, won victory at Marston Moor in 1644 and at Naseby in 1645. In the second English civil war, Cromwell helped repel the Royalist invasion of Scotland, and in 1646 Charles surrendered to a Scottish army. In 1648, Charles was forced to appear before a high court, convicted of treason and sentenced to death. The monarchy was abolished, and Cromwell assumed control.
Third English Civil War: Battle of Dunbar (1650) – Parliamentarian forces under Oliver Cromwell defeat a Scottish army, commanded by David Leslie.
1651: Henry Ireton, the complex Parliamentarian leader in the English civil war leader, died of the plague during his brutal attempt to conquer Ireland for Cromwell. He was also one of the few people to be executed posthumously, by Charles II following the restoration of the monarchy, in retribution for Ireton signing his father’s death warrant.
No football to watch
🙁
unless you count Cyprus vs
Scotland, which I don’t
Foundation of the Carolina colony.
23 Dutch Jewish colonists arrive in New Amsterdam having fled the city of Recife in the northeast of today’s Brazil, where the Portuguese invaders forced them to Florida flee. The first Jewish colony in America, or so the. Internet thing or tells me.
Apologies for typos in previous drink. Florida was not supposed to be there at all, and “thing or” was supposed to be “thingie ”
No Arsenal football today. I can enjoy the weekend which I have to say I haven’t recently
1656- The first Quakers to land in America (Boston), Englishwomen Ann Austin and Mary Fisher, are arrested and jailed by the Puritan colonial government. After 5 years imprisonment they are deported back to Barbados
Cromwell refuses the crown
and is instead known as
Lord of the Vale or something
like that.
The head of the army is fired
for refusing to swear allegiance
although Cromwell is not King.
He’ll be dead in a year anyway.
Cromwell dies and although he
really, really wasn’t King his
son becomes the new Supreme
Leader Servallan.
english bastards ?
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WMGvQ2v-ZRM
CBA
That was a poignant clip.
I had heard about this performance but not seen it.
He sang his own epitaph . Respect
1661 was one year after the Restoration.
I missed that conversing with CBA. Best excuse I know
thunder T
is a lovely person
.
.
.oops cunt fuck etc unnecessary
.
.
thanks fella
yer proper Arsenal
and
i’m proud to call you names
.
.
ya faaaa caaaa
etc
i’ll likely not be here
in 6 months
so i can’t etc
May you never, cba
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LOi_wxypeGc
1665 The Great Plague of London.
CBA
Back at you ! ?
On Sunday, September 2, 1666, London caught on fire. The city burned through Wednesday, and the fire—now known as The Great Fire of London—destroyed the homes of 70,000 out of the 80,000 inhabitants of the city. But for all that fire, the traditional death toll reported is extraordinarily low: just six verified deaths
CBA,
In case you’re getting religion!
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=J1QBY-rnVlc
Isaac Newton invents the reflecting telescope
That’s no reflection on you
Spain recognizes Jamaica as an English possession.
I wonder how that affected the ganja market.
Rosa de Lima is canonized, becoming the first Catholic saint of the America’s.
… of the Americas
If I wanted to include an apostrophe I damn well would have.
Highly pertinent to the history of Minnesota, the French start exploring the western Great Lakes and the upper Mississippi River. Many groups of local Indians view their activities semi-suspiciously (very shrewd) and semi-hopefully.
Birth of Jethro Tull, English agriculturalist.
I thought he stood on one leg and played the flute?
Indeed, it was Ian Anderson.
1677: Two notable events, related no doubt:
The use of male impotence is ended as a factor in French divorce proceedings.
Ice cream becomes popular in Paris.
The Test Act provides that members of both the House of Lords and House of Commons of England must swear an anti-Catholic oath, before taking office.
Wonderful year (like most other years), if you like religious intolerance.
Nothing from the listed events of 1679 strikes my fancy. Apologies to 1679 fans.
The Pueblo Rebellion, the carefully organized revolt of Pueblo Indians (in league with Apaches), succeeds in overthrowing Spanish rule in Nuevo Mexico for 12 years. They remained free until 1692 when the Spanish reconquered the territory.
Coincidentally, after posting 1670 I saw a news headline saying the recent bubble in marijuana industry stocks has burst. No time like the bottom to make money in the stock market, just saying.
Nothing of interest is it now?
Damnable impertinence sir.
Habeas Corpus I say to you sir.
HABEAS CORPUS.
Where wouldst thee and all thy
villainous fellows in this devils
invention of a diary lay without
its kind succour? Cowed and silent
in King Boris Trump’s dungeon
most likely methinks.
Not for I the screechy jezebellian
whorings of a year like some I durst
not name, no sir importune me no
further with your vile drivel.
Rather cherish me as I am; the
piercing light that shields the low,
the fallen and the foolish gainst the
cancerous maw of your cold despotic
states.
Suspend me at your peril sir.
A sunny Sunday afternoon h
here in Osaka.
In 1683 a large Ottoman
army besieged Vienna before
being defeated by a
European army led by Jan
Sobieski.
Nell Gynn’s boy, Charles Beauclerk,
is made Duke of St.Albans.
A real oranges to riches story
Thank you, 1679 for Habeas Corpus and the foundations of our legal protections. Boris Trump without Habeas Corpus would stir in me a violent case of the Heebie Jeebies.
The Café Procope coffeehouse, which remains in business in the 21st century, is opened in Paris.
I’ll raise a cup of espresso to that.
Isaac Newton publishes Philosophiae Naturalis Principia Mathematica where he formulates the foundations of classical mechanics.
The Glorious Revolution: the deposition and replacement of James II as ruler of England, Scotland and Ireland by his daughter Mary II and his Dutch nephew and Mary’s husband, William III of Orange.
Resolution of the Glorious Revolution: The Convention Parliament is convened to determine if King James II, the last Roman Catholic British monarch, vacated the throne when he fled to France at the end of 1688. The settlement of this is agreed on 8 February 1689.
In the colonies the series of wars known as the French and Indian War begins with King William’s War. Schenectady, New York and other areas are burned by French and Native Americans.
The Spanish Inquisition condemns and forcibly baptizes 219 Xuetas in Palma, Mallorca; and when 37 of them try to escape they are burned alive at the stake.
The Salem witch trials’ first victim is hanged for witchcraft.
Not lovely bedtime tales, those.
quality btm quality
one of the best gigs i was ever at
me and a good friend
sadly no longer with us
toking the most pungent
totally unhideable
and we sang our hearts out
and laughed our legs off
good man yerself , fella
sláinte
.
.
aww man dorset M
no fear o me getting religion
seen what a toxic load of shite
it can stoke up
so for me
god is in other people
the lovely bunch o cunts i know
keep looking after yerself fella
have a Donegal moooooooooooooooooooooo
from the girls
.
.
.
UP THE ARSENAL
bt8,
@1688
History is looking like one
long family squabble
🙂
and
of course
a moooooooooooooooooooooo
for the mighty ‘holic
here
moooooooooooooooooooooo
have two
.
.
.
all the best big man
?
herself has a massive ham
in the slow cooker
and yes
herself has a massive ham
in my armchair
.
happy sunday ‘holics
may the tender pig of love
fill yer belly today
or
vegetables
if you’re strange
The 18th century has rolled round
it seems.
the big man
left a bucket of spuds and carrots
first thing
at the door
gonna be lovely
she’s doing a chicken too
later on
.
.
.
this is an Arsenal site
fuck up fuckface ?
James II, the unwanted King,
is no more
18th and 19th Century history bores me. I zone out after the Civil War and get interested again around 1914.
See you in 200 years.
as an exercise in piercing living history cynic
my granny
my mother’s mother
used to tell me stories
first hand accounts
she had from hers
about the famine
.
words can’t
1703: John Churchill, Duke of Marlborough, leads an allied army to victory over Franco-Bavarian forces at Blenheim during the War of Spanish Succession.
Correction: Blenheim was in 1704
The Annus Horribalis for dear little Nicky Krankie. The Union OG Scottish and English Parliaments saves Scotland from bankruptcy after its reckless Darien venture. Nicky’s life’s work is to reverse both that Union and the resultant financial rescue.
fuck up
seamus o shitehawk
.
happy thoughts
are the prevailing thoughts today
.
i’m having a chicken and ham fiesta on a plate today
spoiled only by the onslaught of the unintelligible
.
och aye the fuckin noo
a fuckin dozen odd o the cunts
?????
CBA,
Here’s one from when he was brilliant – a long, long time ago.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TCKfd0Auu10&list=RDTCKfd0Auu10&index=1
i know Aberdeen ain’t Glasgow
but
if i start floundering
can i call on yer approximate translation services
later on baff
(and yes i have hidden my spoons ?)
awww now dorset M
wee pudgey van
is a man i never got
.
i saw him live once
he was on the bill
with who i wanted to see
Neil Young backed by Booker T and the MGs
.
.
.
i like a few tunes
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=E8Cnh7uD0b4
i met him once ages ago
he just sat down and looked sideways
which to be fair
is the correct response should you encounter me
?
That’s a gem, CBA.
I’d not heard it before, as I stopped buying his stuff two albums before this.
He must be a surly gobshite not to chat with you when he had the opportunity!
1708 was directed at me baff
you schnuck in
though i’m guessing
seamus o shitehawk was self evident
?
dorset M
i’m an insufferable cunt
i either have verbal diarrhoea
or the other 99% of the time
say nothing and hide in the corner
typing on the internet
is perfect for me
i now can do both
simultaneously
CBA, that just confirms that you a likeable fella, on average!
of course i am
i’m fuckin adorable
???????
.
.
.
and the rest
.
are we gonna hit 2 grand ?
well
if 8ball has anything to do with it
we might
dunno
if it’s a tribute
but it’s certainly
an expression
of the love we have for ‘holic and here
yeah
FUCKERS
it’s ok to say ye love himself and here
ya insecure dingdongs ?
Daniel Defoe publishes Robinson Crusoe.
calm yer ben shermans !
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OE10msGsCn4
a chicken and ham fiesta
Also known as the Reader’s Wives Special
always there to bring the tone down
i [heart] cynic
.
.
.
(i also [heart brackets])
Anything is better than 18 Century history, even dodgy looking fanny.
Speaking of dodgy fanny, Moll Flanders was published in 1722
if you can watch 1721
without huge thundering waves of nostalgia
beating against you
.
i have no interest
CUNT !
If you haven’t got it, you have to get that on DVD. It’s ace.
That and this, as a pair. Christmas telly sorted.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=F5Sb9AoirSU
just one of the greatest bits of telly
aww man
we’re really catering
for the junior gooners here
.
fuck em
the wee turds
they need to learn sometime
.
MIDGETS !
“when you have harrowed what i have ploughed”
etc
and such
ya wee shites
(i must stop talking about the grandchildren online)
.
?
If you want to shit em up, make em watch this
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IcKcat04pM8
They’ll scream “BLACK AND WHITE?” and run hysterically from the room.
they’re all here
over to gawk at me
the hoops shower
.
.
i have taken the temperature
of the room
and will antagonize accordingly
keep yer brain ticking for ammunition cynic
i may call upon you later
should my usual insults falter
.
i can see Wild Man Fischer getting put on earlier than usual
?
*Scottish accent*
“mammy , why is granda so bad to us?”
.
herself interjects
“because yer 18 – sort yer fuckin life out”
Hoops shower? Are they Scots or is it some sort of spaghetti reference I’m not getting?
*Scottish accent*
“mammy , why is granny so mean to us”
aww cynic
full season ticket hoops
plastic paddy
telling me about Irish history
embarrassing
but it’s because i love them that i can hate them
all talking at the one time
i used to have sweet swally
to see me through
now
i am banjoed on puff
with little regard for fuck all
except my dinner
fuck it
i’m going all in
trout mask replica is going on
LOUD
as the chickens just went in
fuckin poetic
fuck it
today’s not the day
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=S4TzjRFfsJs
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aBBfVBqQif8
fuckin
just fuckin
fuck
what a band !
saw them many times
saw wilko more times
never
saw them together
eternal regret
herself keeps going on to me
about wilko and his situation
and me and mine
.
i think it does nothing for a nice time behind my eyebrows
but
ye know
whatever
oh shit
i forgot
.
Frank McLintock !!!!!!
.
.
gotta put 5p in the meter
‘holic utilizes very complicated software
i dance around these bots
and have so far avoided being killed
like sore killed
hurty
(‘holic is dangerous)
the man is a red and white monster
a totes shootballs
apparently a beef and tomato pot noodle
is not what he thought
when
he said he wanted his beak wetted
i
shivering and tied up
in Dave’s shed
ate it
and i’d give it a resounding 4
1754: Royal & Ancient founded.
when Lord Swindon
comes forward to atone for his sins
can i request the Bombay Bad Boy
“YA BIG QUEER BOY”
.
.
.
*runs away*
cba tripping up history — again.
How are you doing, you old asperser?
hello ned
are you in America ?
i’m in Ireland
(shithole fulla bad tempered cunts and trees)
Sometimes. Other times not.
ah fuck off
pimpernel
you’ll go to get a drink of water
in yer drawers
at 2am
and you’ll see a lethargic bundle of handsomeness
eyeballing you from across the street
.
be afraid
be moderately afraid
i’m only joking
i haven’t shot anybody
in hours
yer totes safeballs
The Pimpernel was a courteous and gallant Englishman who saved aristocrats from the guillotine during the Reign of Terror while overtly leading the life of a fop. You must be mistaking me for someone else in this fine establishment.
nope
yer ned
and yer wonderful
Roast beef and Yorkshire puddings invented.
(Not a historical post)
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NBiXkuMKnRw
8ball
making those english bastard things
is scary at the best of times
nuclear oven
King Carlos III expels the Jesuits from Spanish dominion throughout the world.
1769 actually happened in 1767.
Howdy cba, looks like you’ve made some headway.
a mere slow coach
in yer hurtling wake
1773: Pope Clement goes with the flow and “suppresses and abolishes” the Jesuits who were apparently too smart and powerful.
.?
Boston Tea Party in the uppity colonies
Happened in 1773 setting a poor precedent for pollution of the ports and harbors
Juan Bautista de Anza expedition reaches San Francisco Bay, in Alta California.
where should that end ?
here
.
.
yer ordinary english man in the street
would forget about northern Ireland
in a heartbeat
and why wouldn’t he
successive governments
said it’s not a war
but send
ACTUAL TANKS
over to deal with the uppity residents
.
.
.
english soldiers should not be on our streets
what would you do if Irish soldiers were on your streets
people are strange
simplistic terms
should but often don’t work
.
.
see blogs for the most ridiculous analysis
(complete spanner)
1777
what would you do ?
if you couldn’t get to the end of your street
without some Irish army bastard harassing you
manhandling you
..
shooting you
.
.
.
.
please don’t vote tory
DON’T VOTE TORY
please
if you want a nicer society
DON’T VOTE TORY
if you want A society
.
DON’T VOTE TORY
DON’T VOTE TORY
DON’T VOTE TORY
DON’T VOTE TORY
please
see 1785
what he said
I’ll vote for anyone who bans the beef and tomato Pot Noodle.
Or who will bung me £500.
The climactic year of the French Revolution.
Some might suggest Bonaparte began as a super sub.
Tyrants, despots and vainglorious vermin on parade.
Not on here mind you.
Out THERE ?
cba
Ive never voted tory in my life – stop going on about it!
And cheer up old man – football is nearly back!
England ! (boooo)
Ireland! (Yay!)
(am I up to speed yet?)
Oh and “Holic ” — speedy return please ( place has turned to shit in your absence)
Plays a cheeky one off IF’s heel before powering a David Luiz like diagonal ball in the general direction of one or two upfield roaming keyboarders
cba@1765: you’re the man, yourself.
Feeling frisky after my roast beef dinner, beats two men and slides through a ball to the midfield where, striding onto it is …
Dummies, and lets the ball roll through to…
1797: Battle of Parramatta, Australian aborigines attempt to strike back.
Speaking of c100’s dinner, lays one on a plate for …
Sixtuple Spartan !!
Impressive teamwork for the build up – thanks to all. Lurking was a skill much admired in days gone by ?
Raising a glass ( or 2 ) to the Guv’na for a full recovery and likewise to the man also known as most handsome fellah in Ireland.
Easy enough to follow your counsel over here cba, seeing as the Tories haven’t even made the ballot. I will have to content myself with the next best thing and not vote Republican
Well in Uply, and it is good to hear from you.
And the same for IF. Impressive pre- pre- pre- pre- pre- assist
Looks like France just sold the whole western half of North America to the colonists, Dear.
*flaps newspaper*
Napoleon invades Russia
Cheers bt8, hope things are well in the Twin Cities.
I regularly read this wonderful blog and the drinks but I’m very busy leading a “retired” life ( where did I find the time to work ) leaving little time to drink regularly. It’s always good to see the high standard of the establishment being maintained.
Good to hear from you Uply.
While you’re here there’s a lemonade on the bar for you. And if you fancy a smoke then cba’s nipped out to the alley round back and might be persuaded to share (he seemed a bit peeved and was muttering something about appalling histories, or maybe it was just appalling Tories)
1679 is my new favourite year. Utterly brilliant!
Although it had to wait three years until 1682 before it was really appreciated.
Cheers GSD, though I might prefer something a little stronger. CBA is moooochin around somewhere I suspect. While I’m here may I commend you for some top notch drinks these past few weeks – have a drink on the bar in return.
1811 Tchaikovsky looks for inspiration for his next composition but gives up forlornly – there’s always next year.
As alluded to by the erudite Uplympian, the French invaded Russia and then retreated (quelle surprise!). Meanwhile the US declared war on Canada and the U.K. and invaded Canada. Nobody wrote a toon about that one.
I had a very special family day today which began in Oxted where I watched my grandson’s team unluckily lose 5-3 to the league leaders ( he is 11). The star of the opposition was a young , swift and skilful right winger who turned out to be the offspring of Glenn Cockerill. Gooners of a certain age will remember him as the lad who was famously lamped by Paul Davis at Highbury. His son was annoyingly good and annoyingly nice when I congratulated him on his display . I did not tell my grandson to give him the Davis treatment but it might have helped and he was much intrigued by the You Tube clips of the incident .
We then headed for White Hart Lane to watch the first North London women’s derby .
I was interested in three things . Firstly what was the new WHL like ?
As you go by train from Finsbury Park to Kings Cross you can see the old Highbury which still looks grand and our new stadium which looks futuristic and impressive. Travelling from Silver Street to Liverpool Street you used to see a rather unimpressive White Hart Lane. It has been replaced by a huge steel edifice which dominates the surrounding area more than any football stadium I can remember. Where it was cramped and squalid in Tottenham High Road the area seems lighter, wider and more open. The ground is massive , very modern and an extraordinary upgrade on what was there before. Our ground appears more elegant and in sync with its surrounding but the new WHL has a phenomenal number of drink and catering outposts without feeling like a food hall on the concourses like Wembley does.
But the big impact is the playing arena itself. It is amazingly impressive especially the wall at one end which will provide an extraordinary atmosphere. It is likely to generate a much better feeling of noise and tension than our stadium .
Secondly what would a high-level ladies match be like?
I’m not a violent man but at Highbury one year our ladies team were doing a lap of honour to celebrate a magnificent trophy haul and the bloke in front of me tried to start up a chant of ‘ Get your tits out for the lads’. It was one of the crassest and most odious things I’ve ever heard in a football ground and it demeaned the girls ( who were Arsenal footballers after all) profoundly. I recalled this today as I watched an authentically good WSL game today . Overall the standard was very high, tactically it was very interesting and it was really good to see a well- coached Arsenal team who knew their jobs , follow a coherent route to victory. I genuinely felt this was a team with a plan and with a range of abilities that complemented each other. The pace was slower than a men’s game but the physicality was surprisingly robust and in the first half Tottenham stood up to the challenge very well.
Thirdly how did the game go?
Arsenal played four at the back with a fluid midfield and Miedema as the focal point upfront . Arsenal have a lot of similar looking players and Nobbs, Little , Mead and Walti played a flowing, possession- based game and it was good to see an Arsenal team play out from the back sensibly with no great alarms.
Leah Williamson at centre back was cool and assured, Zinsberger in goal made a vital early block and as the game,wore on our greater quality and experience began to tell especially when Little and Van de Donk got on the ball. McCabe had hit the bar in the first half after a run from left-back but the breakthrough came on 67 minutes when Kim Little seized on a loose ball that we had tried to thread through to Miedema and drilled it past their keeper . Just over ten minutes later Miedema reached a weak backpass ahead of their keeper and finished emphatically. 2-0 up but would that be enough given our experience with our men’s team recently ? Thankfully it was and it was noticeable how coolly we did it although I felt Jennifer Beattie at centre back lacked pace and authority. But we controlled the ball, our running and movement were fluid and right at the end a long Miedema run set up Evans who blazed over. She should have scored .
No toxic NLD atmosphere, a family occasion ( I watched with four children three Gooners and a Spud ) and an intelligent, entertaining and skilful game. It was great to see us win at White Hart Lane for the first time for a very long time . May it be a lucky ground for us
Wonderful report TTG. Thank you so much for sharing your day with us in such an evocative way.
How was the upside down beer?
TTG@1813: Splendid read, and uplifting in light of what the men have been delivering of late.
Cheers Uply. Much appreciated. Have whatever you want to chase that lemonade with ?
TTG. Top top stuff. Great report.
When are we gonna see a mixed 11 charity match? I wanna see Miedema and Auba up top together. Lethal.
Uply, Good to see you in.
1819, right in the middle of the historical period Cynic likes least.
Spain ceded Florida to the United States, but not Cuba.
The Greek revolution breaks out in 1820 when the Greeks in Moldavia begin a revolt against the Ottomans. Greece then declares its independence from the Ottomans in January 1822.
Correction: The Greek revolution began in 1821, so it is covered in two drinks not one.
Brazil’s Independence: On September 7, 1822 Dom Pedro, the Portuguese regent, declared Brazil independent from Portugal.
Emperor Agustín de Iturbide of Mexico abdicates, thus ending the short-lived First Mexican Empire.
King Kamehameha II of Hawaii dies of measles, during a visit to the United Kingdom, before he can meet with King George IV.
The first horse-drawn omnibuses established in London.
TTG, Thanks for a very comprehensive and entertaining report on the women’s NLD.
The first Mardi Gras celebration is held in New Orleans.
Births of Jules Verne, Henrik Ibsen and Leo Tolstoy.
The Greek war for independence seems to have taken longer than I thought.
March 22, 1829 – Greece receives autonomy from the Ottoman Empire in the London Protocol, signed by Russia, France and Britain, effectively ending the Greek War of Independence. Greece continues to seek full independence through diplomatic negotiations with the three Great Powers.
The United States Congress passes the Indian Removal Act, authorizing the President to negotiate with Native Americans in the United States for their removal from their ancestral homelands.
Also 1830: The Liverpool and Manchester Railway opens, the world’s first intercity passenger railway operated solely by steam locomotives.
1831: In Virginia, escaped slave Nat Turner is arrested and later hanged for leading the bloodiest slave revolt in United States history.
Charles Darwin and the crew of HMS Beagle arrive at South America for the first time.
Slavery Abolition Act, (1833), in British history, an act of Parliament that abolished slavery in most British colonies, freeing more than 800,000 enslaved Africans in the Caribbean and South Africa
William Lamb, 2nd Viscount Melbourne becomes the last Prime Minister of the United Kingdom to be dismissed by the British monarch.
Two London men, James Pratt and John Smith, are hanged in front of Newgate Prison in London, after a conviction of buggery. They are the last to suffer capital punishment for homosexual acts in England.
London and Greenwich Railway opens its first section, the first railway in London.
Charles Dickens’s Oliver Twist begins publication in serial form in London.
1. The coronation of Queen Victoria
2. Trail of Tears: The Cherokee Nation is forcibly relocated in the United States.
C1000
They do beer much better than us. It’s quickly poured and while what I had wasn’t nectar it was decent . There were a noticeable number of people staying after the match for food and drink. We were in a sort of Club level area with staff everywhere and my daughter was able to have a gin and tonic ( she gets it from her mother ?)
I wrote to Gazidis some time ago suggesting we built external pubs on the concourse in each corner and didn’t hear back. Frankly Camden Ale is a big improvement but nobody seems to pour it properly among the students who work there.
I understand their revenue from catering has way exceeded what they expected. If we started that aspect of our planning again I’m sure we’d look for much more income
The foundation stone of the new Palace of Westminster was laid as its reconstruction following the Burning of Parliament in 1834 began (completed in 1860).
What would we do without Parliament eh?
Thanks for an excellent report TTG. It was a pleasure to read about a competent Arsenal win and must have been a delight to watch particularly at that venue.
The Treaty of Nanking establishes Hong Kong as a British colony until 1997. Thoughts with the people of Hong Kong today.
Josef Groll brews the first Pilsner beer in the city of Pilsen, Bohemia.
Anyone going to the Southampton game on Saturday?
Adding a postscript to my report yesterday about the new White Hart Lane the huge problem they have is the transport links. We were travelling with young children who had school on Monday so wanted to be home ASAP. Well I’d forget about going to Tottenham then!
We went by train from Hackney Downs where we parked the car and proceeded to the revamped station. There were no problems going but coming back we couldn’t board two trains so went up the line to Silver Street and came back to get a seat . It was still ultra-crowded and this was with a half-capacity crowd! Had I been going directly home I would have got back by 8pm. For a 3pm game at our place with a 38,000 crowd I would expect to be home by around 6.30 pm!
My son-in- law got back to Central London after the Bayern game past midnight ( I had heard it was actually at 7 minutes to 2?). People moan about getting back from our place but we are much better served especially by Tube . It must dissuade a lot of potential spectators from attending .
C1000
I am but won’t be available for a drink other than one in the stadium as I have to give my friend his ticket .
Thanks for an interesting report
TTG. Very fair.
The Galician peasants were
revolting in 1846.
The first brewing of Carlsberg
in Copenhagen.
Michigan abolishes the death
penalty.
And the first congress of the
Communist League is held in
London
Revolutions everywhere.
France, Germany, Ireland,
Romania, Sicily, Switzerland,
Sri Lanka and Hungary.
They meet with varying
degrees of success.
Harriet Tubman escapes from
slavery.
California gold rush.
No, Scruz, not that kind of gold!
The Punctuation of Olmutz
cedes control of Prussia to
the Austrian empire
Told you 19th Century history was boring.
Isaac Singer is granted a patent for his new improved sewing machine and both Reuter’s News Service and the New York Times are founded.
Adrian Heath celebrating something in front of the Minnesota United brew hall sign.
https://www.ussoccer.com/stories/2019/08/adrian-heaths-minnesota-miracle
Not sure if this is the configuration of pubs near the pitch that TTG had in mind.
The Punctuation of Olmutz
Dostoevsky’s greatest play
Items in 1853 refer to 1851. In 1853 the Crimean War begins. In 1854 U.K. joins in.
In 1856 Crimean War ends. In 1857 Anglo-Persian war ends.
Abraham Lincoln is nominated
for the senate and makes his
famous speech.
1861 is 1858
It’s the American Civil War,
which should cover me!
Lincoln signs the Emancipation
in 1863
Looking back at the outcome of the Crimean War, and seeing the Russian Empire lost to an alliance of the Ottoman Empire, France, Britain and Sardinia, the Ukrainians today must be wondering if they can find another Sardinia to come to their aid.
I am back,
But not yet with it. Many thanks for your kind thoughts and words.
You are stars.
1863: Battle of Chancellorsville. Stonewall Jackson fatally wounded by friendly fire.
U.S. Civil War ends with the surrender of the South.
Great to see you back Guvna.
The Goonerholic, it is so good to see you back here.
Holic
Wonderful to hear from you
Get well soon and join our history blog. A couple of people on it seem to be football fans ?
Welcome back Guvnor. !!
Getting a few dates off by a year or two never hurt anybody.
1867 happened in 1865 though.
Great to hear from you Guv’nor. Hang tough, there.
Welcome back Landlord.
There’s just a few drinks to catch up with while you recover.
bt8b@1872: You have to get 1886 spot on, however.
1886: Do I get ten tries?
We seem to have gained some extra drinks. I have lost by 1300 to bt8b but usurped Uply from his 1800. All very mysterious.
1865 is my new favourite year… Holic returns!
Great to have you back.
No rush for a new post, at least let us catch-up with real time! ?
Good Ebening Holic !
Glad is me I am to have you back with us in a good way .
I have been giving much love to the team and we are in a good moment at a bad time with no regrets . Soon we will be better and the team will ride high.
One question ; Does anyone have Nurse Jenkins phone number? I have a bad back …in fact I have several
Buenos Noches
Unai
@1877
Oh yes Ned, my 1600 went too.
My Sherlockian deduction is that
some nails held in moderation
have now been released.
anyway, off to bed so not to
screw up the most momentous
event of the 19th century!
1865 was a brilliant year, not least for the end of the civil war in the united states…made even better by seeing you back, holic.
hang in there, be well, get better.
i’m going to play a little keepyuppy…
tragic goings on in sunderland, due to candy. not often said, thankfully.
aaaaaaand, africa is fucked. i mean, partitioned, divvied up between all the colonial powers. leads to the atrocities of leopold and ultimately apartheid. not to mention the rape of the continent.
Getting a few dates off by a year or two never hurt anybody.
Pure amateurism.
Type out your drink, hit refresh before posting. If nobody has usurped your post number, hit submit comment.
1886 – The Strange Case of Dr Jekyll and Mr Hyde is published.
1887 – The United States Senate allows the Navy to lease Pearl Harbor as a naval base.
How did that work out for you fellas?
1888 – The first season of the Football League
1889 – The birth of Adolf Hitler.
Anything else noteworthy on this history blog happen in 1886 Cynic? ??
Yay! Holic is back!!! This is the best news I’ve heard in weeks. Be well, Holic.
1891 Liliuokalani becomes queen of Hawaii. She ruled her kingdom until her overthrow and subsequent annexation by the US.
Nothing of any note whatsoever, GSD.
*whistles innocently*
That’s the problem with Dr. Jekyll, Cynic. You never know which one is gonna turn up.
“mame” thurber gives birth to a funny little chappie named jim.
The Kiel Canal, connecting the North Sea to the Baltic across the base of the Jutland peninsula in Germany, is officially opened.
Clarification on 1887: Hawaii was a sovereign kingdom, so anything the US Senate “allowed” the US Navy to do involved some “shenanigans” on the US side.
oh brother
this is so sad but
let me cheer you up
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TlFsXoZkamw
Massive blow to the decayed Spanish empire with the loss of Cuba, the Philippines and Puerto Rico following defeat in the Spanish American War. A great generation of Spanish writers springs up though, including Unamuno and Valle-Inclan.
the century of birth for many
us younger holics hoves into
view
Techno-babble
Herbert Chapman is 21
to have lurked unsuccessfully
is better than never to have
lurked at all
though Herbert was 22 in
1901
Well in OM at 1901, the new 1900
🙂
ah well in bt8
I should have noted the
passing of Queen Victoria in 1901
but I thought it might still be a
shock for some of our older
Holics.
So this seems to be the official list of centurions following the dodgy drinks panel review, with the usurped celebrating scorer at the time in brackets:
100 cba (cba)
200 Barack O’Barman (BO’B)
300 Devon Stu (scruzgooner)
400 Gunnersaurus Stunt Double (Devon Stu)
500 Gunnersaurus Stunt Double (ecg)
600 OsakaMatt (TTG)
700 OsakaMatt (Cynic)
800 TTG (TTG)
900 OsakaMatt (GSD)
1000 Countryman100 (C100)
1100 Der32 (ksn)
1200 Gunnersaurus Stunt Double (GSD)
1300 bt8b (NBN — for it is he)
1400 Bathgooner (Bath)
1500 Bathgooner (NBN)
1600 bt8b (OM)
1700 cba (OM)
1800 North Bank Ned (Uply)
1990 bt8b (bt8b)
What happens if we get to 2019 and ‘holic still hasn’t made a new post? Futurism or counting backwards?
well
that’s a tricky one
Until then I guess we had better make hay while we can. A bit late for the timeline but as far as haymaking goes, the year 1900 brought great advances with the introduction of the side delivery hay rake.
Although I imagine that’s a bit too agricultural for some of you.
Slavery outlawed in China on March 10.
George V ascends the throne on the death of Edward VII.
Oops double entry for 1910!
1911: Lusitania sinks
1912: Chinese Republic established.
March 9, 1910 must have been a bad day to get Shanghaied
1911: start of the the Ítalo-Turkish War, known in Italy as the Guerra di Libia
bloody hell started in europe.
i’m against it in princip-le.
actually, i’m against it totally. all wars, for that matter.
Battles of Verdun and the Somme.
Grim stuff, worth the remembrance in every year.
Thing with that 1905 is I know I got the 700 and subsequent drinks celebrated the fact, so additional drinks have been added since by some interloping bastoid.
Nothing of much note happened in 1917, apart from the Russian Revolution and America finally deciding to join the war. Better late than never I guess.
At least C1000 is still C1000 in the
new order of centurions
The end of World War 1
poor fella actually made a list of something up at 1905
oh lord
proper gooner. brr
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jfmKx0Oq8YU
Bent double, like old beggars under sacks,
Knock-kneed, coughing like hags, we cursed through sludge,
Till on the haunting flares we turned our backs,
And towards our distant rest began to trudge.
Men marched asleep. Many had lost their boots,
But limped on, blood-shod. All went lame; all blind;
Drunk with fatigue; deaf even to the hoots
Of gas-shells dropping softly behind.
Gas! GAS! Quick, boys!—An ecstasy of fumbling
Fitting the clumsy helmets just in time,
But someone still was yelling out and stumbling
And flound’ring like a man in fire or lime.—
Dim through the misty panes and thick green light,
As under a green sea, I saw him drowning.
In all my dreams before my helpless sight,
He plunges at me, guttering, choking, drowning.
If in some smothering dreams, you too could pace
Behind the wagon that we flung him in,
And watch the white eyes writhing in his face,
His hanging face, like a devil’s sick of sin;
If you could hear, at every jolt, the blood
Come gargling from the froth-corrupted lungs,
Obscene as cancer, bitter as the cud
Of vile, incurable sores on innocent tongues,—
My friend, you would not tell with such high zest
To children ardent for some desperate glory,
The old Lie: Dulce et decorum est
Pro patria mori.
Published posthumously in 1920. Worth recording every word.
Wilfred Owen.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=j8MWbh3MWuk
Go ask Cooper, I think he’ll know…
Gandhi’s non-cooperation resistance movement initiated against the British Raj in India seeking self-government 1920-22
January 1924: Death of V.I. Lenin, and the start of Stalin purging his rivals to clear the way for the leadership of the Soviet Union.
1925: Scopes Trial: Dayton, Tennessee, biology teacher John T. Scopes is arrested for teaching Charles Darwin’s Theory of Evolution.
1926: 9-day long general strike in Britain in support of the coal miners’ strike.
What a player Pires was in 1921.
The first transatlantic phone call
and the first non-stop flight
across the Atlantic too.
Heisenberg is uncertain.
The first transatlantic tv signal
sent by Logie Baird
Fleming lucks into penicillin
Good to hear you’re back Holic. Just get better.
UTA.
The BBC kicks off, so does
Vatican City
Everyone goes skint
That 1930 was actually 1929
but anyway everyone was still
skint and depressed.
A new star shone as the Mighty
Arsenal continued a decade of
world domination
Hattie Caraway becomes the first woman elected to the United States Senate, representing Arkansas.
The President of France,
Paul Doumer is assassinated.
Jacques Chirac is born.
In Prague, the world premiere of Ecstasy, the Czech erotic romance film starring Hedy Lamarr.
1934 happened in 1933, but this happened in 1935:
Porky Pig makes his debut as the first major Looney Tunes character, in I Haven’t Got a Hat.
1936: Jesse Owens wins the 100-meter dash at the Berlin Olympics, dismaying Hitler.
1937: Arsenal finish 3rd in the league, but perhaps would have finished higher if not for a 4-5 away defeat at Derby on 3 February.
1933 was in fact 1932.
Peace in our time in 1938
europe (and the rest of the world) plunged into darkness and confusion yet again. the “war to end all wars” was not to be, just 21 years later…enough time for another generation of warriors to arise from the ashes.
Battle of Britain is fought
in the skies
Coventry destroyed, Sheffield
devastated and nightly
bombings in London.
FDR returns for a 3rd term
The invasion of Russia and the
attack on Pearl Harbour brings
most of the remaining countries
of the world into the war.
the tide continues to slowly
turn in the Pacific and North
Africa.
Fermi initiates the first self-
sustaining chain reaction
Allied invasion of Sicily.
Slaughter everywhere.
I would not like to be a
war historian
D-day. The beginning of the
end for the Axis in Europe
and in Asia too.
Germany & Japan surrender.
FDR passes away, Hitler suicides,
Mussolini is hanged and
Churchill is booted out.
The horror of the Holocaust
emerges.
Accounts are settled in merciful
and merciless ways.
The new world order of the
Atomic age starts to form.
the first meeting of the UN
is held at a methodist hall in
London
1947 – First contact, if you believe the stories. If you don’t, weather balloons have a lot to answer for.
OM.
You did a masterful job in so few words, even for someone who would not want to be a war historian.
We just missed it but 1948 saw the formation of the NHS, one of the finest political and social achievements ever.
Arsenal finish fifth in the table but score five at home against each of Everton, Sunderland and Sheffield United.
While the NHS was being founded as per Countryman, in 1948-49 Arsenal did what it says in the previous drink Arsenal did in 1950.
In November 1952 president-elect Dwight D. Eisenhower went to Korea to try to learn what might end the Korean War, which comes to a cease fire the next year.
Luis Enrique returns to manage Spain, so that shrinks the list of possible Emery successors.
https://www.bbc.com/sport/football/50471015
1953
Mrs TTG was born ( although she says it was 1969)
What a year eh. Coronation and Everest as well and Arsenal’s seventh title !
I wish you bleeders would stop trying to rewrite history
In 1955 Ruth Ellis, the last woman in England to be executed, is hung at Holloway Prison
Thanks bt8 at 1948 🙂
Very kind of you sir.
Ned,
Not to worry Enrique wasn’t
on my short list anyway 😉
In 1957 Countryman100 was born!
In 1959 bt8 was born!
Also, the Cuban Revolution beat me to it by 2 months.
the trieste bottoms out in the mariana trench, desegregation at woolworths, and sharpeville.
playing a little wall ball here, for a purpose.
president jfk, beatles at the cavern, freedom riders, and a little club from middlesex wins their last title. big club my arse.
Real Madrid beat Eintracht Frankfurt 7-3 in epic European Cup Final at Hampden Park.
silent spring. london smog. cuban missile crisis. the interrobang.
My first visit to Highbury 1959 lost 4-2 to Burnley after leading 2-0 at half time. Nothing Changes ?
If you can remember the ’60s, you weren’t really there.
1962 was intended for 1960.
scruzgooner born.
the only real thing of note, then.
well, delia got my birth year. so much for wall ball 🙂
OM@1957: Well that’s all right then.
Of course, y’all remember that nothing happened in football in 1966.
But something wonderful happened in football in 1971 !
In 1970 there was a wonderful World Cup final in which an iconic and truly brilliant Brazil crushed Italy.
Yes indeed TTG @ 1971.
totaalvoetball still couldn’t overcome german engineering.
One of the biggest travesties of football history, Scruz &’74.
Jimmy Carter elected in response to one of the most corrupt presidencies in U.S. history. Until now.
“god save the queen”. the sex pistols.
baff, yep. totaaltravestie.
Poxy Tina sacked by the Marshdwellers. Impressively decisive.
Meanwhile in 1978 another wonderful Dutch team falls at the last hurdle. At least on this occasion to an Argentinian side with bravado and style.
bath at ’78, impassively failing.
ronald reagan, meet margaret thatcher. we’re all screwed.
i’m off to play basketball, so i am going to miss the second decaton.
have fun leading up to it…he says, booting the ball crossfield 60 yards with pinpoint accuracy to…
One man’s “impressively decisive” is another man’s “ungrateful cunts”
Coincidentally, 1982 wasn’t a great year for Argentinian bosses either.
Ramsey giving a reminder for Wales of what we are missing.
And say what you like about Bale, but he can cross a ball.
Seems that Arsenal are now in good company, in the utterly despicable club of ‘hounding out and sacking their best ever manager’.
And Gnabry just grabbed a hattrick, shame what we let go, hurts every time I watch him
Goodbye Poch.
Strange goings on in
Middlesex now and sadly
in 1987 too
Oh, I went a year too early.
Like Poch perhaps.
There will be lots of
contrasting with UE’s
situation now but we have
no idea about the behind
the scenes stuff.
Perestroika and the beginning of
the end for the Iron Curtain.
What a year !!!!
Never in doubt
1988. The battle of Highbury. We may have eye witness accounts.
https://www.islingtongazette.co.uk/news/crime-court/arsenal-v-millwall-in-1988-the-bonkers-afternoon-when-violent-fans-terrorised-highbury-1-5356018
Mourinho is the bookies’ favourite to replace Poch. Just about says it all.
I went to that Millwall game. Absolute nutters . A bit like the Tottenham board. That may have an effect on our senior management . But Poch won’t come to us
Would Poch be an upgrade on Unai?
i don’t know as poch would be an upgrade, ned. but then, i don’t think moaningho is an upgrade to either. and he seems to be short odds to land in the wilds of middlesex.
pings it across on the slick surface of an early 00s highbury to…
Poch has no big club experience
so wouldn’t want him 😉
Anyway, he wouldn’t come I
imagine.
Maureen going to the Spuds will
at least soothe some fevered
gooner brows.
any coach at spuds doesn’t come away with big club experience…unless they get into it with the locals and their muddy blue navels.
AW gets us playing football.
Pings a short crisp pass to..
two minutes to a meeting. wondering what lurker there is in the shadows. cynic? cba (where the hell has that bastard been)? uply?
bad form, probably tabsd it.
To listen to some people, an ingrowing toenail would be an improvement on Emery.
Tabsd indeed, you fucker.
Daniel Levy and Jose Mourinho together, scg; how much disinfectant would you need?
ok, off to the naughty step for me.
Well in for the momentous 2000, scg. It is not a crown often claimed.
I wasn’t lurking for the 2000 by the way, I was prepping various history posts but you bastards want to talk about the swampies, so I had to keep deleting before posting and before I knew it, it was the 21st Century 🙁
well in Scruz for the 2000
?
I vaguely remember C1000
asking if we’d ever made
500 before
Mourinho to Shite Fart Lane will be tossing nitroglycerin onto the Gooner-LWC relationship.
Doesn’t it make sense that the brewery dispensing its product to the LWCs at their stadium is named Beavertown?
Scruz 2000!
Well taken.
the Invincible year whizzed
past!
Ned @2002.
Enough to fill a gigantic toilet bowl. Fortunately they have one of those.
Well in Scruz!
I thought you were off to basketball and you suckered us .
Mourinho will be good for eighteen months at Tottenham and then meltdown . Poch is a much better Premier League coach than Emery but he is still not a winner . But I’d take him in a heartbeat over our man. I suspect he will end up in Barcelona, Real or Man United .
Well in Scruz for the two grand. Well done to everyone for a mighty and entertaining run.
I have been most entertained for the last two hours reading Spurs fans both bewailing the loss of the trophyless one and squabbling over whether they want Maureen or not.
Does anyone ever point out how many trophies Daniel Levy has overseen the winning of at the Swamp? He’s certainly seen off a lot mor3 managers than he has won trophies. But that wouldn’t be difficult
Levy has had a lot of managers, but fewer managers than Unai Emery has won trophies. Just saying 😉
Well in scruz for the true ton. ??Interesting subterfuge about the basketball game too. ?
GSD@2010: 🙂
And we are fast approaching the future…
Will time speed up when we get to the future?
Trump corruption continues
Entering the unknown.
Which is a bit like watching our team.
Although hopefully we can expect more from the limitless future than a long series of passes between centre backs. Fingers crossed.
all, i really did go and play 3 games while i was gone. then back then to meeting, just done.
sorry for the selfie, it is the age of the selfie, i guess.
still riding the dodecaton high. i’d trade it for a healthy holic in a flash.
2021: Arsenal, as always, is in the forefront of footballing revolutions. The managerial duo of Ljungberg-Arteta create record by guiding Arsenal to English football’s first quadruple. Martinelli, the player of the season and scorer of 50 goals in the season — Ronaldo9 cried in joy in the Brazilian television commenting for the champions league final where Gabigoal scored a hat trick on our way to trouncing Manchester City 7-0 after which an equally tearful Pep promised to the world that he will never manage a team again — signs a new contract with Arsenal.
Guendouzi, our charismatic captain, however is suspended for 2 months in the next season after television footages confirmed that it was indeed him who flew into Mourinho, temporary manager of our CL semifinal opponent Liverpool after Jurgen Klopp had to join rehab for overdosing on antidepressants following the Reds’ consecutive 12th position finishes in PL, when a melee had broken out as Liverpool’s aging striker Salah lied down on the pitch in protest of the unfair playing surface as he missed his 7th penalty of the season.
In the year of 2022, I prophecy
that a big team in North London
will conquer Europe.
They will be clad in red and white.
And be led by a man of Spain.
His name will be Michael, I see
lego blocks framing him in my
misty vision.
The captain of the men in red and
white shall be a well loved son of
Germany born under a crescent
moon. All men shall call him Ozil,
captain my captain and be full of
joy.
I also see a man who has
made a faustian bargain
shall make my timing wrong 🙂
Though I hope his prophecy
is true too
Well it’s done and moaning Maureen strolls into Spurs.
Opportunity missed for us?
Or, as I think, bullet dodged?
One things for sure. It’s going to be fascinating to watch the relationship between short arms, long pockets Levy and cheque book manager Maureen.
Expect a short lived honeymoon, then a gradual deterioration and ultimate break down. Because when it involves Maureen it’s always all about him.
I’m with you C100
That’s how it will play out. There will be a short-term bounce and sadly they may finish above us but it will end in tears and the early transfer windows will be interesting !
It struck me on Sunday that historically there is no comparison between us and them. Our history is studded with success. They have had nowhere near the success a big club should have . Their honours board is bereft of real achievement. They are punching above their weight. We are sleeping giants . This will put even more media pressure on Emery though.
North London will not be a stable place over the next few months
If they’re really paying him £15m a year, they will be giving him money to spend. And lots of it.
That’s a good point Cynic but it is Levy we are talking about!
That £15m will be made up of bonuses and incentives if I know Mr.L.
They are also cash constrained by the new stadium.
I envy them the new manager just not the identity!
The reason they have failed and we have been successful is … stability.
By all means dump Emery in the summer if he fails to deliver anything tangible, but he should get two full seasons before being written off.
I wonder which big name Mourinho will have down as the one to drive out of the club. Probably Dele Alli, he’s been shit for a while and he doesn’t strike me as Mourinho’s cup of tea at all, being a bit of a flash tool.
They have a number of players who were on their way out, it seems, but there’s no headlines in the likes of Danny Rose, so it will be Alli. Unless Mourinho decides alienating an English player will be bad for his PR.
Quick question- will Jose at spurs mean Kane and Eriksen stay? Eriksen is a quintessential Jose guy, hard-working, industrious and has the talent as well but will he want to stay? Jose would want kane but will he stay/ interesting times at the enemy territory but in the meantime, the mighty Arsenal are looking forward to hosting 19th placed Southampton this Saturday and the chances of a 1-1 look very likely.
Cynic.
Don’t expect to see this headline:
“Stability is sexy”
…
Alliterative potential though
Eriksen is gone cheaply in
January I think. Or free in the
summer, same with Alderweireld
and Vertonghen.
If they can get rid in January it
will maybe free up some money.
Shrewd Levy priced Eriksen out
of the market with a ridiculous
valuation and will now pay the
price. I seem to be gloating
because I am.
The stability that AW brought us in
the early post Emirates era was so
important in hindsight.
Poch could well be at United by
January. And could well engineer
a bounce for them. He’d certainly
be an improvement on Ole.
Hopefully, Poch will prefer Spain
or Manure will foolishly choose
another duffer.
The sad thing for us is we
look likely to leave things
too late for this season.
Mourinho spent £94 million in his first season at Chelsea to build a winning team, an enormous sum then. Levy is no Abramovich, however. That said, the neighbours have got a lot better at generating cash, despite the costs of building their new stadium. But does any owner have deep enough pockets to satisfy Mourinho?
Three weeks is a long time in modern football because of the screeching from social media . If we get a couple of mediocre results and if the Totts get a bounce from the new manager our league position will start to reflect where we are under Emery and the pressure on Sanllehi and Edu will become intolerable .
Keeping Emery until the summer seems eminently reasonable until our best players won’t resign and others want to leave and we finish outside the top seven and the football is absolutely crap ….and that is what will happen if we let the situation meander on with this inadequate coach . Much may depend on who is available when.
Levy won’t have enjoyed paying £12.5 million compensation to Poch and then taking on Mourinho’s salary. This will call his bluff and maybe prompt a fire sale to give Mourinho some funds . They haven’t got the youth quality we and Chelsea have and if they did he wouldn’t play them anyway
OM@2032: Levy could probably still get 20 million euros for Eriksen in January, and about the same for Danny Rose. Dele Alli would probably go for upwards of 70 million euros. Alderweireld would sell for less than 10 million euros; Vertonghen for less than 5 million euros. I would guess that, at those values, one or both would be allowed to run down their contracts to the end of this season. Shipping out the pair would leave Mourinho with only two centre-backs, Sanchez and the young Argentine Juan Foyth. The two positions Mourinho would seem to need to splash the cash on are a right wing-back and a no 10 to replace Eriksen/Ali (probably not Pogba!)
aaaahhhhhh !
how the history channel i created
can so quickly revert to both
FOOT
and
BALL
honestly
it’s like
King Bigsaysthesamethingallthetime ‘s
momentous defeat
of
Crown Prince Sweatyenot
went
UN FUCKIN NOTICED
don t make me start on ye
cos
i fuckin bastardin will
.
.
ya lukewarm collection o family embarrassment s
Ned,
The numbers look about right – 70m
for the overrated Allo is shocking but
probable.
I doubt Eriksen will leave or be signed
in reality and Rose has no intention of
going it seems. And you’re right on the
CBs.
I guess Lamela may not suit Maureen
either.
i of course jest
can’t believe
the heids up i gave ye
on herself s dinner
and
the tartan terror
.
as i usually forget to KLAXON
i reported
the NOISE in my house
.
.
.
anyhoo
if anyone was offended
i really don’t care
?
Another question is whether Mourinho thinks that either Eric Dier or Victor Wanyama can be his Claude Makelele.
blame them
there’s near a dozen of em
so
if you see em
i’d approach with caution
and big sticks
?
don t get upwind of them
they smell the blood of etc
.
.
.
they have gone home today
i am glad
.
.
IF YOU ARE READING THIS
I JUST WANT QUIET AND PEACE
.
.
you’ve done yer duty
thanks but stay buggered off
too much noise
i’m gonna go outside for a toke
the music currently is
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7hvrn5RU6Q8
and
i am wearing a late 60s
light grey Italian suit
[creepers as usual]
and
a pair of national health glasses
i got converted to shades
.
if it wasn’t getting dark
and i’m not going out
i am owning today
.
.
particularly the shades
cunts wear raybans
#in the year 2525
.
.
.
must we continue ?
can i just send
a big’ blow up yer skirt’
to ‘holic
.
.
i have really enjoyed talking shite here
and
should or shouldn’t you return
or
should or shouldn’t i still be handsome
.
.
hooray for here
elderly gooners
proper gooners
insufferable foreign gooners*
staunch away day gooners
.
.
triumphant cunts all
.
*me
???
this place is brilliant
i hope
whatever nonsense
is roaring at you ‘holic
a Ben Sherman and a Bowie album
will send it on its cuntin way
.
.
.
i’d a said Ramones
but i’m more than aware
you are tone deaf
(chuckles)
bowie indeed !
“Is he a boy or a girl?”
I’m glad you’re still around in 2045 cba but I can’t believe you are still toking. Haven’t you tried Klaxkan-B? It’s the new drug of choice and legally mandatory under current the Tory government headed by Margaret Thatcher Clone 11.2.
It allows you to forget the monotony of modern world living, the pain of feeling emotions and the pesky doubts about the state of the world that empathy for other human beings previously thrusted unwantedly upon the otherwise suspectible populice.
It became widely available through all official outlets at the Emirates stadium as Arsenal Football Club bidded to quell dissatisfaction at the ninth place finish in the Championship during Unai Emery’s sixth season at the helm but the wily ruling partly quickly saw its potential and ever since it has formed a central tenet of their policy to maintain power. Along with compulsory Facebook and Twitter membership and the watching of the newest TV craze, Love and Death island, which sees contestants furnished with an array of sex toys and heavy artillery and has as its tagline footage of Tommy from Snatch asking “What? Proper f***ed?”
The only good news is that in a desperate manouvre to destroy a dictator so evil that he was deemed unacceptable by everyone (the first recorded instance in history of worldwide agreement on any subject ever) Jose Mourinho was invited to an honorary roasting at The Toilet Bowl only to find himself alone in the centre circle as the airstrike struck.
?? @ gsd’s 2052.
GSD
I really didn’t realise that your day job was being a writer of dystopian science fiction reminiscent of Phillip K. Dick and Ursula Le Guin.
Awesome stuff.
GSD
Maybe you could write Unai’s programme notes? They’d be more entertaining and easier to understand and probably a lot more use even if they’d frighten us to death
i thought that was turgid
you can’t spell manoeuvre
and
i suspect
should you be asked
you add a syllable
to mischievous
.
.
.
but who am i to comment
.
.
me
.
that’s who
.
.
.
*holsters grrrrrrrrrr*
so there
?
.
.
*fishes for insults*
TTG, Countryman and Scruz. Cheers.
cba. Wind your neck in you old stoner.
2061 THFC celebrate 100 years since they last became English league champions.
Hotburps and Jose.
I am a happy man. MAN!
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gEPmA3USJdI
Do you realise that Jose Mourinho has won the English league title more often than Tottenham Hotspur !?
CBA
Her Majesty regrets not being in touch this week but she has had to send her second son to the Tower for injudicious shagging. Not something that the Royals have been punished for very often in the past I’ve got away with a bit of it myself
Right. Got the cricket from New Zealand on until lunch. Bliss.
Wonder if ‘holic’s watching?
Millennial anniversary of the Battle of Hastings.
C100
I’m similarly drinking the cricket in and hope Holic is too.
A great moment for Whitgift School. I think the6 have three or four ex-pupils representing their country .
I almost jumped off the couch in celebration when I saw “Goonerholic” in red – post 1645 or something, it would take for ever to go back and check. As landlord of this place your “name” is in red and easy to pick out amongst the history lesson.
How amazing that a guy in SA would be so happy and relieved just to see “Goonerholic” on his phone? Some well wishes from SA, would be a pleasure to see Gunners and Goonerholic recover and end season on a high.
Great post from Soweto ?
It seems Maureen has no
money in January.
So it’s what he can get out
of the squad he has now –
let’s hope their internal
squabbles continue.
He will be struggling for money continually with Levy holding the purse-strings and he will find the wage policy very inhibiting when attempting to sign the sort of players he will aim for.
Pochettino has done a remarkable job within the financial constraints. It will be interesting if the Real Madrid job does become available as that is the one he covets
A decent days test match cricket
from England for a change.
Also the centenary of the Glorious
Double and the first Arsenal game
I saw on colour tv
? dino
was hoping for
shut it ya shamrock munching donkey fucker
but wind yer neck in will do
.
look after yerself big man
.
.
? all my best thunder T to her maj
.
and what a goodun from soweto G
Have not been here since end of last season….can someone please tell me why this post has 2000 drinks and there has been no new post since end of October….please
Kenyan Gooner
The landlord has been in hospital and was seriously unwell. Praise the Lord he is now out and recovering at home but far from back to his best.
The denizens of this bar took it as a personal challenge to keep things going, hence the 2000+ posts.
It has been a wild ride, encompassing football, history, dystopian sci-fi, philosophy and just plain surrealism.
We were very concerned about Goonerholic but have also rather enjoyed this run. I recommend some back drinking if you have the time.
Wow! Get well soon ‘holic.. clearly this is historic. Without you humanity and ultimately the Arsenal loses a huge piece of itself as evidenced by all the above.
Sweating over your fitness!!
Get back in Sir!!
Thank you my good man Countryman100
had to engage in a bit of back-drinking and I must say I am utterly shocked and horrified!! To Mrs holic and the fimily, our prayers are with you.
Praying for your recovery Sir!!
Holic I hope your health is holding up and everything’s okay. Really miss having you around this place.
Adding to the well wishes to the Guv’nor.
TTG@2070: Salient point about Spurs’ salary structure. Levy has kept a tight lid on that to date, with Kane being the highest-paid at £200,000 a week and only five other first-teamers on £100,000 a week or more. However, Spurs’ total first-team salary bill for the current year is £89.3 million, compared to our £99.4 million, with Ozil on £350,000 a week and eight others on £100,000 or more. Chelsea’s total first-team wage bill is £104.2 million; Liverpool’s £113.3 million, United’s £141.4 million and City’s £145.8 million.
So Levy may see he has both headroom and need to pay higher wages. His most recent big-name signing, Ndombele, gets £200,000 a week, the same as Kane. A straw in the wind for the direction of Spurs’ wage bill, perhaps. If there is anything to the rumour that Mourinho wants to buy Matic, he’d have at the least to match the £120,000 a week Matic gets at United. Eriksen, if he stays, will want much more than his current £75,000 a week, and heaven knows how much he’d have to shell out on Bale, should he return from Madrid.
Your Thursday fun fact: Mustafi, Kola and Sokratis are all on higher wages than Eriksen.
@ Ned 2080.
Some of Ivan’s finest work.
GSD@2081: 🙂
2083: Bicentenary of the extinction of the quagga.
Thanks Ned, that suggests some serious thinking awaits Levy . They haven’t the wriggle room we have in that their stadium financing is much more demanding but they are achieving significantly increased figures from merchandising and catering from what they were budgeting.
We are way behind in this area. I think Mourinho has it in his contract to sign Matic whenever he can ! I’d be delighted he is the most pedestrian of players
2084- Two hundred years on from the Los Angeles Olympics !
Sorry I did of course mean 100 years on !
2086 – We’re all saved…
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=h1R_3UWykzU
The return of Xhaka appears
to have moved a step forward
as UE has trotted our the
good conversation / training
well bit that preceded Ozil’s
return.
Dani still out.
Kola, Rob and Saka are doubts
with minor knocks.
I don’t know if the Guv’nor will be back with a preview of Saturday’s game, so some match trivia to back up OM’s team report in the event he is not:
We last lost to Southampton at home in the league 25 league games ago, a 1-0 defeat at Highbury in November 1987. Our only other home loss against Southampton in the league was in April 1968, a 3-0 defeat at the hands of a Saints team containing Terry Paine, a young Mick Channon and Joe Melia, for holics old enough to remember. They did, though, beat us at the Emirates in League Cup ties in 2016 and 2014. And we have won only once in the league at their place since 2003.
Thanks Ned, I think I saw both those defeats in the league ( I recall Danny Wallace scoring for them at our place in the 1-0 win) and I saw both the League Cup defeats.
I suspect the Guvna will not be fit to post but your stats and OM’s team news give an interesting early flavour. What I can say with confidence is that our game will be an afterthought in terms of media coverage given the emergence of Maureen at the Swamp. That may be to Emery’s advantage but should their result and ours go the way we would not want , the Sunday media coverage for Emery will make very difficult reading and the pressure will be greater. If they lose and we win that gives Emery some respite and some backing for the argument that some on here will advance that changing the manager is no guarantee of instantaneous success. However , I expect them to beat a poor West Ham side where Pellegrini is under pressure judging from the comments made to me from Hammers fans going up to the Newcastle game recently.
I suspect this may be our line up but it is a pure guess
Leno
Hector Chambers Luiz Tierney
Torreira Guendouzi
Pepe Ozil Aubameyang
Lacazette
As to the result I’d be very interested in the views of the drinkers here. I foresee another draw.
As TTG has pointed out it’s great
timing to be playing West Ham
who look to have lost the plot.
It’s also a good time to be playing
Southampton, who are 19th after
all, and I suspect a tense 2-1 win
that dispels no doubts but gives
us a much needed 3 points.
TTG’s team looks about right –
Chambers or Papa (Calum for
me) and wide right
would be my question marks as
Pepe is late back from international
duty. But who knows what UE
will do as he sometimes springs
a surprise.
We have the team news, the form, the predicted selection. All we need now is a collective decision on where to put the holics’ pound. I suspect the Guv’nor would snaffle the 11s available on 3-1 with a back-up of a classic 1-0 at 10/1.
Don’t know if anyone else is watching the cricket, but after a good first day, England are Spurs/Arsenaling this up big time.
Thanks to NBN/OM/TTG for an excellent match preview even if it was a bit disjointed and lacked a certain something. A good time for Arsenal to sneak in there with a performance and shift the narrative.
I reckon we will win.
Or draw.
Or lose
Anything could happen.
I do hope that we play Torreira at DM though.
Who wants it?
On a plate for…
Go on then
Cheers GSD. Unselfish Dennis like play.
Staying up to watch a few more overs.
Well in Countryman. 2100 and still going strong.
Continued best wishes to the boss.
Is it time for another thread? Top three Arsenal players you have seen who gave you the most pleasure (not the best players – different thing).
Here’s mine
1. Dennis 10
2. Henry
3. Santi
Very recently biased. I thought long and hard about chippy Brady but he would come into category of best players. Also came close, Marc Overmars and Rocky.
Looking forward to the over 70s contribution here but all welcome!
I was trying to think back to my earliest days of watching in the late 60s and 70s and who gave me pleasure then. If truth be told, the football was fairly dour and the pitches were dreadful mud heaps.
Probably the guy that caused the most excitement then was Geordie Armstrong, a chalk on his boots winger who would take full backs on and then whip in crosses for John Radford, Ray Kennedy and Charlie George to attack.
A vicarious pleasure was watching Peter Storey put opponents into row Z. If Geordie had chalk on his boots, Storey had iodine on his (to avoid his victims injuries going septic).
He would have collected about 30 games suspension per season these days.
Happy days.
It looked so easy it could’ve been on the training ground
What year is the Second Coming?
Last time I heard it was supposed to be in the year 2000, which looking back 107 drinks seems to make scruzgooner the messiah but VAR May want to weigh in on it.
as me mum would say, “he’s not the messiah, he’s a very naughty boy!”
Top 3 who gave the most happiness( politically correct than pleasure hahha)
1. Dennis Bergkamp, dennis afterall.
2. Henry- of course
3. Pires/Viera/Santi/Ozil/Sol/cesc/arshavin/eduardo-
c100 2104 ?
cracker drink
.
.
.
ooooooooooooooh
.
.
.
.
SYMMETRICAL
“He’s NOT the Messiah, he’s Phil fucking Collins!”
https://nypost.com/2019/11/20/church-builds-huge-baby-jesus-statue-that-looks-like-phil-collins/?fbclid=IwAR3Ibljbk7TrOL2HZtRIApMx9JOewRb9M-tifxztrWgOrT78gf6_jOHUmWo
1. Charlie George
2. Liam Brady
3. Jose Antonio Reyes
Your own
Phil Collins
Jesus
It’s one to make you feel scared
One without hair
Etc
C100 @ 2104
As you are asking…….
1) Geordie Armstrong. A man before his time – attacking winger & auxiliary defender, non-stop engine. Today he would be 1st choice england player.
2) George Eastham. Built very slightly ( just over 10 stone / 60 kilos ) but took the knocks and no-one could thread a pass better.
3) Joe Baker. Goal scorer supreme but never forgotten for laying out “Big” Ron Yeats ( Scousepool) with 1 punch.
Of course modern day era heroes Dennis, Thierry & Robert P are unsurpassable.
Good question c100,
In no order………
Ozil (I know, I know, but he does things I don’t expect and I love that)
Seaman (for the feeling of security he gave me for a few seasons)
Vieira (for being so astonishingly good)
In his spare time, OM shoves red hot pins under his fingernails and drips battery acid into his eyes. 🙂
My three favourite players in my sixty one years of supporting Arsenal have been
Liam Brady – genius in a good but far from balanced team
Joe Baker- great finisher, very brave , bopped Ron Yeats
Bobby Pires- I thought he was a sensational talent and very underrated
Thierry is probably the best player, just, from Dennis and Vieira was magnificent. I also really liked George Eastham,Wrighty , George Armstrong, Frank Mclintock, Petit and Eddie McGoldrick. One of these is a lie ?
George Eastman was a delight to watch. The only Arsenal player in England’s 1966 World Cup squad but too much the artist, not sufficiently artisan for Alf Ramsey to play him. Did someone just say Ozil?
George Armstrong was exciting to watch for the reasons others note. But excitement is different from pleasure, if that is C100’s benchmark. Bobby Pires, on the other hand, was both.
Denis was simply unsurpassed. The master craftsman made it all look so simple, and there is nothing like the simple pleasures.
C100 makes a good point about the quality of the pitches in the 60s and 70s not being conducive to elegant football. Even TH14 wouldn’t have looked as silky if he was always having to dig the ball out of a patch of mud or pool of standing water.
bt8b@2094: What was missing was ‘Holic’s inimitable succinctness, even-handedness and finely balanced judgement. Hoping every day is bringing him nearer to his return.
This is such a tough question from Countryman. The players that gave me the most pleasure?
In no particular order,
Wright
Fabregas
Henry
I loved Wrighty’s passion and when I was growing my love (obsession) of Arsenal he was the player I loved to watch make runs and finish chances before celebrating wildly as the crowd sang his name. I loved him.
Fabregas was one of our own. He chose us over Barca at 16 and became our captain and one of the best players in the world. A maestro who was Arsenal through and through and drove our team forward with a style like a hybrid of Rambo and Santi (both of whom came close to my list). At the time I didn’t know how it would end so I don’t want to take his departure into account as it did nothing to dull the pleasure he gave me beforehand. I will note that he has never been as good anywhere as he was for us.
Thierry was probably the best player in the world when he was ours. A travesty that he never won the Ballon D’Or. Everyone was afraid of him and I loved watching him terrorise even the best opponents.
Mentions to Seaman, Adams, God, Freddie, Bobby, Rambo, Santi, Sol, Ozil and Vieira.
Henry came second to Pavel Nedved.
And, ridiculously, came third to Cannavaro and Buffon after an Italy love in when they had no attacking players worth voting for.
He deserved at least one of them and it still rankles me that he didn’t get it.
I should add that there were games when watching Martin Keown destroy an opponent with a performance that nowadays would see him VAR red-carded about five times, whilst shouting angrily at everyone else on the pitch regardless of what team they were on gave me a huge amount of pleasure. He was such a bastard. Seeing him get away with it gave me a lot of pleasure.
Oh. And I damn near forgot and now I feel badly about but I did absolutely love watching Paul Merson. Easy to forget given nowadays he’s a tit, but I thought he was brilliant and his style (and the bounciness of his old Barnet) were great. Scored some beauties.
About a week before I was due to get Merson’s name on the back of a new home kit we sold him. I was proper gutted. I went with Bergkamp 10 instead. Never regretted that
And I had one of the yellow/black long sleeved goalkeeper shirts that I still associate with Safe Hands, complete with Seaman 1 on it.
I never played goalie in my life but he was so brilliant and he totally rocked that kit, I had to go with that one. The best Arsenal keeper I remember by a long way. I don’t go as far back as some here do!
Remember when we had a defence that no one was getting past and even if they got lucky and somehow managed it there was still Seaman between them and the goal? We were so solid.
I miss that beyond belief.
GSD – some great names there, goes to show the legends we had over a long period. I agree that “Safe Hands” was one of a greatest keepers ever but you obviously weren’t around at the time of “Fingers Furnell”.
Ned, the pitches of the last 20 years have improved exponentially compared to the mud baths of yesterday year. That has been one of the most important developments to the fast pace & skill that’s on offer now.
Oh those last years at the HOF with Thierry gliding over that perfect green pitch.
never saw seaman
– steady –
.
was only at the Arsenal
80s
so big pat and lukic
were who i saw and loved
.
pain in the arsedly only saw Liam
in the wrong jersey
.
am i confused
was this a who you saw
or who you like
i don’t recall
“can someone pre-chew Mr Arsed’s food for him , please”
anyhoo
Uply
I do remember Fingers……very sadly! Not a keeper to rely on
TTG – sadly in a long line of Kalamity Keepers to have graced our club. Being built similar to a rugby prop forward didn’t help his cause. He was about par for the level of defence we endured during the early 60s.
Before Furnell, there was Jack Kelsey. He was one of the best. And after Furnell, there was Bob Wilson, another of the best.
loved living in london
loved it
always wanted to
dunno – if retire the right word
cos it’s not an oul farts game
energy needed
buy a narrowboat and cruise around
englands canals
fuckin would a been brilliant
.
still obsessed with it
.
without getting too reginald maudlin
Chris god rest the dead man
also wanted to get a boat
was boat porning the same sites as me
but for
on the thames
.
.
sláinte ya fucker
show us yer tits
anyhoo
hope yer all well
and
should Dave choose to return
may
his return
be thunderous
.
.
.
i’ve missed the cunt
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
must perfect my aim
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
next time bowie boy
ps c100
smudge made me smile
if that’s the criterion
.
anyway
off to watch old Carson and Letterman
.
.
.
UP THE ARSENAL
It was truly one of the greatest privileges of my life to watch Dennis Bergkamp, Thierry Henri and Robert Pires play for the Arsenal. We watched some of the most creative players in the world play at their peaks for several seasons. I also loved the earlier midfield of Vieira and Petit who covered every blade of grass in every game. And earlier still that indomitable defence of Dicko, Bould/Keown, TA6 & Nutty made our defence feel as safe as Fort Knox whilst Big Dave has never yet been fully replaced as the best keeper I saw in our goal.
Oooo to be a Goonah!
.
no paragraphs in aberdeen ?
honestly
you beautiful people are frying/trying my brain
Visitors from Southampton instructed to “get nasty”
CBA
I think you can do either or both. You’re among friends here although some are bigger friends than others. I’m in the middle ( towards the back )
I picked my favourite players even if they weren’t necessarily the absolute best in my view. But you are comparing top men all round.
I have had cheery chats with Bob Wilson about Fingers a few times. Shall we say I think he found it a bit frustrating understudying him! Comparing Fingers and Seaman is quite a stretch . Lukic and Jennings were decent though!
as
the ALMIGHTY
Pete Shelley
said
if you can’t think once
then
don’t think twice
m’lud
i thought it was
who you saw
i only went the Arsenal
in the 80s
cos that’s when
i lived in yer hillbilly country
.
.
.
deary me
What could go right?
Right. Bed time. Match day tomorrow/today.
Come on you Gunners!
UE has spoken on Torreira.
Basically, Torreira has a
future at Arsenal but needs
to improve. Said without a
trace of irony apparently.
Then some stuff about the
DM role that Torreira might
fill if he improves.
I think he wants Torreira to
improve his distribution, which
is fair enough but seems to
ignore the defensive side of
being a DM.
Then he talks the usual stuff
about all the teams are strong
in the PL and points out Soton
nearly drew at Man City.
Standard presser bollocks really.
But it did bring me through to
the bicentennial of The Arsenal’s
Reg Lewis inspired cup win over
Liverpoo.
OM@2149: if Unai want Torreira to improve as a DM, he should stop asking him to play as a No 10.
2152: Bicentennial of the last FA Cup final not to be broadcast live on television. With only seven fit men among the ten left on the pitch by the end of the game, we lost 1-0 to Newcastle.
@2151
Yes, the logic of that looks
clear enough to me, you
the world and his aunt
Ned.
Torreira seems to have replaced
Ozil on the naughty step and is
now the one having chats with
UE about consistency.
#
in the year
twenty one fifty four
if man is still alive
if woman can survive, they may find
#
i suspect
‘holic is lying like a lump
un fuckin well
reading all this shite
both
smirking
and
wincing
.
.
.
i never before
have used wincing
in a built up conversation
Match day.
Travelled up to London yesterday with less enthusiasm than I have had in a very long time.
To what are we going to be treated?
I cannot imagine we are going to dominate the game even against such a disorganised rabble as Southampton have shown themselves to be in recent weeks. Simply because we have failed to dominate almost every game we have played under this coach.
I can only hope for some skilful individual performances from our lads, an absence of individual errors, several chances being created by our lads with most taken and a stirring ‘old-style Arsenal’ defensive performance.
I can’t remotely begin to guess what team Emery will select or how he will set them up. I would choose:
Leno;
Bellerin, Chambers, Luiz, Tierney;
Torreira, Guendouzi;
Pepe, Özil, Aubameyang;
Lacazette.
After his latest uncompromising statement, I wouldn’t let Xhaka anywhere near the dressing room.
Result? Frankly I can see any outcome except 4-0 or better to the Arsenal.
At least lunch will be good.
COYG
i’m all agog
There’s no naughty step at all, simply Emery wants a player who can press higher up the pitch and provide a defensive shield in that way, rather than sit in front of the back four and do it.
He wants an attacking type of defending, in their half of the pitch, which is totally at odds with the “fan wisdom” about what kind of coach Emery is.
If Torreira cannot do what the coach wants, he’ll get a new player who can. That’s how it works.
PARKLIFE
Blogs has summarised my feelings more succinctly:
Two badly struggling sides could produce a colossal shit-off today!
never trust a mick baff
wronguns to a man
wronguns
pwopaaah !
If we dominated sides then I
could see some glimmers of
logic in a DM ball winner in
the attacking half but we don’t
and I don’t.
It’s totally in odds with what
kind of coach I think UE is.
.
PARKLIFE
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9ILyWFhuf3Y
i still dress like that
fuck off you progressive judgemental shites
had quite an interesting few days
been eating loadsa fruit
herself seems to think
it’ll gain me another half hour
but by buggery
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kXuypU4qjj8
and bananas
delicious
i shouldn’t be so resigned
but i am
anyhoo
.
.
UP THE ARSENAL
“great bunch o lads”
‘cept for all o ye
.
fuckin shower o cunts
GLORIOUS
RED AND WHITE
cunts
.
.
.
.
.
.
UP THE ARSENAL
etc
and
imp fail
i don’t hate english people
i don’t hate scottish people
i literally have MADE both
.
why would i hate a load o people i’ve never met
if anything
i generalize about irish people
or
etc
cheerio
.
matchday
honestly
holy fuck
i have loads of different people every year having a week in my house that i know from the Arsenal 30 /40 odd years ago
i do however call them english bastards
but the kids love it ?
.
.
.
.
.
the wee english bastards
nonsense ing it is a good thing
.
.
.
many a time
i bathed in the luxury
that it was entirely possible
for me to escape racism
by merely shutting my mouth
.
.
.
luxury
If we dominated sides then I
could see some glimmers of
logic in a DM ball winner in
the attacking half but we don’t
and I don’t.
That might be because Torreira has been sucking his thumb instead of knuckling down to the job the coach wants him to do, although he reportedly wanted to leave anyway in the summer, when things had been going well, so what you have really here is a player who wants to leave and the coach/role in the team being used as the excuse.
Anyway fuck it, if we win 23-0 today it won’t make any difference to the mindset, which is set in stone.
but
eventually
i’d open my yap
*words spoken by an actor*
i remember rows i got into with fuckin clowns
fuckin arseholes
hello cynic
i am literally in a wheelchair
out me back yard
toking
.
i don’t need the wheelchair
it’s not mine
but I’m thirsty for a seat
.
.
don’t know
whether
i need a shit or a haircut
of course
2173
is only a half truth
cos
among the knotted hanky on the head
d’ye remember the wooaaarrrr
types
.
i stood out like a tall handsome distinguished sore
as it were
not to put too fine a point on it
thumb
.
.
.
have any o you bastards
sprouted youngsters from foreign lands
.
i’ve got scottish and english
(may the good lord help and preserve my soul)
we don’t talk about the
little lord fauntleroys
and
we can’t understand the
vowel happy weejies
i should have holstered
my resplendent downstairs
.
.
.
but then
i wouldn’t have all these cunts
oops forgot
What about that özil , eh
he’s like ………..
Howdy, cba.
I can honestly say that you are, without a doubt, the most racist bastard I’ve ever encountered. And I’ve met Nigel Farage.
You Paddy Mick cunt 😉
Only joking. Anyway, dead cow to roast…
adorable english bastard
woulda been better without 2183
Wow! We were at about 1,375 lad time I had a chance to look in.
Anyhow,
Just caught up with all the Emery quotes from the last couple of days ?
Xhaka, it seems, has returned from international duty in a much stronger frame of mind to help us in a good moment with the performance and the fans.
Xhaka’s view certainly sounds quite strong minded, but mainly to get out of Arsenal as quickly as possible because he cannot accept what has happened to him. Poor love.
(Btw, if you are referring to the admittedly disgusting online abuse, turn the fucking thing off and stop reading it)
Torreira is another unhappy chappy but Mr Emery has some good advice for him.
He is playing good in the last matches and has been consistent but he wants him to be more consistent. He can be a good defensive midfielder but Emery wants him to be more offensive.
He also wants him to improve tactically – although nobody knows what the tactics are as our team and formation changes roughly every 45 minutes.
Overall, Emery wants the team to improve – and be in a good moment and strong with the fans and show a good performance and better result.
He knows just how to achieve this too –
“by playing better”.
Good grief.
i’m also sexist
just saw a woman
not unlike angie dickinson
take a leak beside a rock
near me
she didn’t see me
she did after though
i avoided eye contact but shouted DISGUSTING
as she passed
.
.
#well groomed
Did you sell her the pictures ? ?
i don’t understand
the hiatus in humour trev
.
do this much ?
Sorry cba, I’m confused –
Not sure what your 2189 means ….
Hiatus in ‘my’ humour
Or generally… ?
Do please explain
Cos I’m not out to offend or criticise
anyone …?
If we win 5-0 today it won’t
change my opinion no,
because I didn’t make it based
on one game.
but if we win the next 3 or 4
and have a strong December/
January through a run of tough
games then I will reconsider.
Leno
Calum Sokratis Luiz
Hector Torreira Guen Tierney
Ozil
Auba Laca
Subs: Emi, AMN, Willock,
Nelson, Martinelli, Pepe,
Mus
The Sally Ann brass band is belting out Christmas carols on the concourse outside the ground.
Ah nostalgia
If Declan Rice doesn’t touch the ball there is no offside, Spammers score their second goal and draw with Spurs from 0-3 down.
Not sure when racist and sexist humor became a thing but sure needs to be shut off, and that goes for everyone.
Come On Arsenal!
indeed 8ball
racist and sexist humour
is the preserve of the lazy
OM
? might fly!
Our December is tough
I really hope Torreira sits deep. Playing wingbacks means we can actually have both Laca and Auba in a more central role. That might work. Ozil has a lot of responsibility to link midfield and attack but that is something that he can be brilliant at.
Here we go…
trev
sweet mother !
who are you ?
and
who are you ?
Is Martinelli playing?
Tabs?
oh god
the other smart one !
@2203
It’s spelt gsd. Not god. ?
Torreira in the right area and already looks good. And gives us a platform to attack from.
Bloody hell
FFS typical
And here was me thinking Unai had all the answers to our issues
Switched off again. We are so easy to score against.
We look brighter than we have for ages. But still concede a daft one. At least we are moving the ball forward a lot better.
Short corners can do one. Every bloody game we waste corners the same way
*yawn*
We look so easy to play against
Laca!!!!
Get in!
Tierney is the nuts
At last get in Laca!
Ozil, Tierney, Auba and Laca all did well for the goal. Good stuff.
For the first time in a long time I see a system that I think we can build on and get success with
Well, we came back at least.
All to play for 2nd half and
I’d like to see a wide player
on for a CB.
Hector / Calum does not look
solid at all on the right.
How is Ward-Prowse not booked
that half?
Auba so unlucky
Pepe lacking confidence. But should have scored or found Ozil
I back us here.
3-1 to us. Here we go
Pepe so close!
COYG!
Sokratis had a brain fart there and we are really lucky to not concede.
This is why Sokratis is way past his sell by date, bloody awful
Ozil looks tired. we concede a penalty.
VAR sucks big time.
Just fucking great Emery out
Not a penalty. What is VAR for?
There’s a reason why I call him the Greek Mustafi.
Simply put – the players we have are not good enough. End of story.
Ksn
We suck more ?
VAR, huh, yeah
What is it good for
Absolutely nothing
VAR, huh, yeah
What is it good for
Absolutely nothing
Say it again, why’all
That was a bastard.
Tierney played well today
I thought but caught there,
though we were way too
open through the CBs.
Haven’t taken some good
chances. 20 minutes to turn
it round.
I need Auba to score to bring in my goalscorer acca, so obviously he won’t
We need to score. Our subs sprint off.
Not hard, is it Granit?
We are fucking shambles and we are going backwards every game we play
We look clueless it’s embarrassing
Laca saves a point
We should be two or three more behind, it’s not good enough even with this draw!
7 minutes of extra time and
we got the ball in their box
once – and scored.
Lucky to get a point. Refs are helping spurs to catch up.
I think our players being fucking rubbish at defending is doing more to help than anything else.
And please don’t bang on about systems and coaching, individuals playing like they’re in the playground has nothing to do with systems or the coach.
They’re just no good.
Cynic
This is the best squad we had in years! This coach is not good enough!
You are joking. I hope.
We have a couple of strikers and a goalkeeper who might have got into our team five years ago. The rest?
Just to refresh your memory
Sanchez, Giroud, Cazorla, Monreal, Arteta, Rosicky, Ramsey, Koscielny, Mertesacker, Walcott
All of them would walk into our current team
Although not all at the same time, obviously 🙂
On the nail, Cynic @2246.
5 years ago we played
Southampton and won
1-0 with an 89th minute
goal from Sanchez.
Cynic,
Something tells me it’s just easier to hide behind the players then blame this incompetent head coach
That was awful. The board need to act now or we are not getting top 6 let alone top 4. Look at our Xmas / Post Xmas fixtures and ask yourself if UE is the man to lead us into them.
I’m not doing the rose tinted routine when I list those names, because they nearly all drove everybody mad at times, but they’re way ahead of what we have now.
I’d even say, looking at that list, we’d struggle to find room in the team for one of our strikers because Sanchez would be the first name on the team sheet.
For comparison’s sake, this was the side that started against Southampton five years ago:
Martinez
Koscielny
Monreal
Mertesacker
Chambers
Flamini
Oxlade-Chamberlain
Ramsey
Cazorla
Sanchez
Welbeck
Bench:
Macey
Bellerin
Gibbs
Rosicky
Giroud
Podolski
Sanogo
It won 1-0 with an 89th minute goal from Sanchez.
the team that day was
Martinez
Calum, Mert, Kos, Nacho
Ramsey, Flamini
Ox Santi Sanchez
Welbeck
Giroud and Podolski came on
Cynic, I am really curious to know when exactly would you sack Emery? Or would you spend big in January to give him a better chance to win against clubs like Southampton? Or maybe he needs two transfer windows to get rid of all the ‘deadwoods’ + some more time before the new players get to know each other. Come on mate…
Great minds Ned ?
Firstly just a point . Walcott would not walk into this team. The last thing you need is someone as chicken hearted as him when you are struggling as evidenced by what he has done for Everton .
As for today it bordered on the farcical . At one point in injury time we looked like the biggest rabble I have seen.
Despite suggestions to the contrary this is a talented squad but it is coached by an idiot .
Today he set up with three at the back. We had better width going forward but defensively we were awful. So he takes off the one defended who had performed creditably and who could morph into other positions if we needed him to. We built up too slowly but there were glimmers of hope but we needed more width forward . Guendouzi and Torreira worked their socks off but made loads of mistakes . Bellerin had a shocker defensively but he was stellar compared to Sokratis who could scarcely have played worse .We persisted until playing out from the back which was excruciating but it did set up loads of chances….for Southampton! Poor Leno has no protection hence he has had to make more saves than any goalkeeper in the division.
We could have conceded five or six easily in the second half . There were fights around us after the penalty. I think they must have been arguing about if he should be sacked mid game or at six o’clock .
We are a very poor team now and time taken to get rid of Emery is going to see us drop down the league like a stone
@2255 is mine. So angry and frustrated that I entered my real name. Sorry if this is in any way against the tradition here at the Bar.
This also sounds like this squad is not good enough to beat Southampton at home which I disagree with
I would give him until the end of the season, especially if the alternative is some of the joke names people seem keen to have as our manager. The only guy I would sack him for is Allegri.
I know we don’t convince, I know we allow far too many efforts on goal from the opposition but I also know we’ve got some proper shite in this team.
I also know that but for VAR, we’d be lying fifth, that we haven’t lost at home since April last year and that I’m tired of everything being his fault.
I keep saying it, but the kind of casual, error strewn bollocks we see all too foten is nothing to do with the coach and everything to do with poor quality players, strolling it.
If I’d change one thing about Emery I would give him some nastiness, so he might boot some of these prats up the arse and wake them up.
So we get rid of Emery and suddenly Bellerin, Sokratis, Luiz turn into capable defenders, Torreira decides that he loves London after all, Guendouzi immediately matures and stops running about like his arse is on fire, Ozil comes out of his three year long coma and we win the league?
Well what are we waiting for?
You’re telling me that this squad wouldn’t beat Southampton at home if Klopp or Pep or Maureen was in charge of us?
Though personally I certainly
wouldn’t say those players were
better than the players now it’s
kind of a pointless argument as
minds are pretty much fixed.
UE is the manager now and he is
failing to get results.
You’re telling me that this squad wouldn’t beat Southampton at home if Klopp or Pep or Maureen was in charge of us?
One game picked out of thin air is not really relevant when you’re talking about this squad and what managers might or might not do, the more relevant question is would those managers get this squad into the top four and honestly… I doubt it.
And I say that because none of those managers is going to make the players we have better. They might organise the team better, although both Klopp and Guardiola don’t exactly have defensive rocks of teams and largely rely on their atacking players, but over the course of a season, I really doubt whether this squad is capable. No matter who is in charge.
Let’s not kid ourselves this coach is not going to make anything better we are playing worse and worse week in week out this is going to end up in a disaster he needs to be sacked straight away
He’d still be to blame if we sacked him and continued to be shit, so we might as well get it over with.
Everybody out!…even the ball boys.
especially the ball boys.
Personally I would start sackings with whoever bought Pepe and David Luiz, and yes hindsight is wonderful but if Pepe is worth £72m, Zaha is worth almost a billion quid.
Given an odd exception or two, we used to steamroll oppositions like this at home even in late Wenger years. And except for the last couple of years even away. Irrespective of how many injuries we may have had in the team. Even with a midfield duo of Denilson and Song and Bendtner leading the attack. Or Arshavin in the central striker role. Or Chamakh.
The problem was we didn’t have enough quality to count against other top teams especially away, and Arsene never used to set up teams too tactically for a single match. People used to call him naive. But I think it is becoming more and more evident how much of an efficient and productive idea it is to encourage the players’ trust in themselves and each other’s abilities and build a team around courageous and progressive philosophy where the players would enjoy playing.
It is a travesty to suggest that a team with Ozil-Lacazette-Auba-Pepe will not be stringing together a series of one-touch passing moves with shots at goals more than our opposition at home under him. Even Eboue-Bendtner-Song used to play brisk one-touch football.
More than the results, more than the goals conceded, the rapid dissolution of a footballing identity is the most worrisome victim of this inept coaching. It’s scandalous how poor we have become in the attacking third.
11 points behind stupid Leicester.
Let’s see if Basque magician can make it double by the end of the season.
“The Killers add second night at Emirates Stadium”
Out with them too
Kill the Killers
I honestly think I’m the only person who can remember all the games we played in the last few years under Wenger where the main whinge was about how slow we’d become and how little we were creating.
Dr F…spot on…as usual!
Don’t get me wrong, this is far from acceptable I just don’t put it all on the coach and I don’t paint rosy pictures of the past to make the present worse than it is.
What does having an identity mean by the way, or is it just a buzz phrase to throw around?
If we had Emery in charge until the end of the season we would be close to the relegation zone . A good coach improves players immensely .Young players..defenders…strikers…midfielders in terms of Look how Keown meshed Eboue/ Senderos/ Toure and Flamini into a unit that racked up fourteen consecutive clean sheets in 2006 in the Champions League. Look how Sheffield United under Wilder defended against us. You’d only sack Emery for Allegri. I’d sack him for my newsagent !
Ten immediate big improvements on him, literally off the top of my head. Most of them would be feasible and would come
Benitez, Arteta, Wilder, Pochettino, Nagelsmann, Allegri, Ten Haag, Rodgers, Favre and yes Montemurro the women’s coach .
I’d accept just to get rid of Emery – Howe, Vieira and Freddie but they wouldn’t be optimal as they are a gamble but in no way can you fail to improve on this guy.
I’d also Arsenalise the next regime and get into the set-up more great players who know what it means to play for Arsenal like Adams, Keown and Bergkamp
What I saw this afternoon was a shambles. In all honesty it was not entirely unexpected. TTG describes the details accurately. We have been dysfunctional in both attack and defence all season so how could we expect anything else against a team scrapping for survival.
We’re now zero-ing in on the mid-table slot that our play merits. There are good players in this squad though there are certainly several in the defence who don’t seem able to reach the required standard. However it’s the lack of organisation that’s criminal. No-one believed that the coach who followed Arsene Wenger could make the defence more desultory and the attack less creative simultaneously. Quite an achievement. At this point I think Fat Sam or Pulis could have made this Arsenal team function better (though not make it any prettier).
Whether Eunuch Emery is the unappreciated and maligned genius that Cynic believes or simply the hapless and muddled meddler responsible for producing confusion in competent players, there is a dynamic in this club that means that nothing will change until a new coach is in place.
Fourth place is gone. It’s now a finance-based decision for the owner. It will cost ca. £12m to buy out Emery and his team before the end of the season and about the same to get in a decent coach currently in job (there is the little fella who has just left the Marshdwellers). It’ll cost us ca. £50m and reputationally more to fail to get CL football next season but it’s already a remote possibility that a new coach can get us into 4th place. So it’s an expensive move to sack him now with little prospect of payback through league position. On the other hand if he fails to get CL football he leaves with no pay-off.
And so we come to the Europa League gamble. It’s a fair bet that UE’s EL treble was a big factor in his appointment. No-one matches his record in that competition (but look at the league results for his clubs during these years especially away from home – you’ll recognise the form!). If he wins the EL (in truth an extremely remote possibility the way this team is playing), he gets us into the CL after all and the Board would be visionaries praised for their wisdom and loyalty (as would be Cynic)!
Do the powerbrokers at Arsenal care if the fans are unhappy watching turgid football if the gamble comes off and we get CL football through the EL? No. So he won’t be sacked until the balance in that financial equation flips – when we are knocked out of the EL unless that comes too late in the season to matter. Then they let his contract run out at season’s end and save the pay-off.
It’s a business. They expect the fans to hang on in there hoping for better. They may or may not be correct in that expectation.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=G6_2qHHn2Yw
I’ve just seen a worse name to replace Emery than Chris Wilder. Well done, TTG (and no I don’t mean your newsagent)
Interestingly, in the Clock End Upper the reaction at the end was apathy not anger. There was none of the anger that poisoned AW’s last season. I think everyone’s adrenal glands are exhausted. This may lead the Board to believe that the atmosphere in the stadium is less toxic as indeed it is so far, and therefore easier to take for granted. However apathy carries its own long-term risk.
Whether Eunuch Emery is the unappreciated and maligned genius that Cynic believes or simply the hapless and muddled meddler responsible for producing confusion in competent players, there is a dynamic in this club that means that nothing will change until a new coach is in place.
I don’t think he is a genius at all, I simply do not believe he is the sole architect of where we are now.
Contrary to predictions, when I wanted Wenger gone, I haven’t been the first one to demand the new guy goes and always knew I wouldn’t be. This is not why I think we should keep him though, just to be the last in line to get rid of him. 🙂 – It’s not about him anyway, I just do not want us to be like every other club, hiring and firing on a whim and I’m surprised people want to get rid of him so quickly.
Some supposedly knowledgeable fans are showing themselves up good and proper, both online and in print and that’s quite good fun.
His time is probably up, not least because he’s lost the so-called fans, but if you want this club to be up there challenging again it ain’t going to happen without an investment in players (and the right players, not the dross we’ve signed in the last few years) that is beyond this club and owner.
It won’t matter who comes in, the rebuild is going to be huge.
Dr F and Bath, worth dropping in for. Good stuff.
TBBM ( the bloke behind me ) clapped me on the shoulder at halftime and asked if I had ever seen more boring football at Arsenal. Senility addles my brain and I did live through George Graham’s blue period but honestly I can’t remember anything worse than this. It was galling to watch Carter and McGoldrick and realise they didn’t have to sit at the edge of my desk at work and see me cock up regularly but this football is without character or purpose and it is primarily the fault of a coach who seems incapable of adapting to the Premier League and organising the team . We have now apparently conceded more shots at goal than any other top-flight team in Europe. Some Saints fans on the tube were complaining that they might have scored six or seven and they thought they had the worst defence they had seen .
Add boring, characterless football to a defence like a sieve and poor results. What’s not to hate ?
I know you are one of the elders of the board, but you’re not trying very hard if you can’t remember worse times than these.
As far as the players we’ve brought in go, in the last five years, feast your eyes on this lot and point out the successes.
I can see three and about three with potential.
Pepe £72m
Saliba @27m (what brainiac agreed to pay that then loan him back?)
Tierney £24.3m
Luiz £7.8m
Martinelli £6m
Torreira £26m
Leno @22.5m
Sokratis £14.4m
Guendouzi £7.2m
Suarez £2.25m loan
Lichsteiner Free
Aubameyang £57.3m
Lakazette £47.7m
Mkhitaryan £30.6m (valuation of swap)
Kolasinac Free
Xhaka £40.5m
Mustafi £36.9m
Perez £18m
Asano £3.6m
Holding £2.7m
Bramall £36 (so basically a free)
Cech £12.6m
Elneny £11.25m
His time is probably up, not least because he’s lost the so-called fans,
Are the so-called fans the ones who pay their money and attend games?
I can’t argue any more Cynic you’ve exhausted me I love your stuff but I just don’t agree on your point of view.This club has bought dross – Sokratis and Luiz for example but Aubameyang, Lacazette, Pepe , Torreira, Tierney , Leno , Guendouzi and Martinelli are far from dross
Still we are a broad church and all views must be given credence .
My newsagent has let me know he is up for the job because he is fed up getting up at 4.30 every morning .
Tell your newsagent to go back to bed. Sorting the rounds for the paper boys is in the nostalgic past.
I love Guendouzi. Huge talent but
much too young to be all over the pitch always looking for…someone.
I am angry because he’ll burn the lad
and for whaT?
The difficulty of sacking Emery now rather than later is that it would only make sense if we could bring in a coach who gives us a shot at top four this season, as, hurts though it does to say, Levy has done up the road. Such coaches are few and far between compared to those who can stave off relegation. Allegri and Poch are maybe the only two available. I doubt that Poch will want to come anywhere near a Premier League team for his next job. He can decompress for half a season and go to Bayern next year. Which leaves Allegri, who has never coached outside Italy, btw. For anyone else, we are a long-term project.
That’s exactly right, Ned. And exactly why Levy acted when he did to pre-empt any such move by us for a proven silverware winning coach looking for a job (shivers at the thought). The Portuguese reptile will ensure they finish higher than our hapless brigade and will probably also win them a cup before going through his usual toxic cycle. Sadly they may even suit each other.
Pepe , Torreira, Tierney , Leno , Guendouzi and Martinelli are far from dross
Leno is a success, Guendouzi and Martinelli are two pf the promising ones, Torriera is a mix of good and bad and Pepe has been a massive disappointment, verging on a poor signing.
Oh I forgot Tierney. Far too early to say what he’s going to be but I am hopeful.
We are going to need all our inner strength and Stoic philosophy this season as Moaninho will almost certainly turn around the Marshdwellers’ fortunes and they will finish higher than us and he may even win them silverware before it all turns toxic. Meanwhile we will continue to cover ourselves in shit (metaphorically) this season.
I agree with the last few posts but we could get ourselves into a very worrying league position under Emery in fact we will if he stays. I’ve just watched MOTD and the defensive performance was even worse than I remembered. Utterly shambolic we have the worst defence I’ve ever seen at Arsenal.
We had 61% of the possession and they had over 20 shots which is extraordinary. At this stage given Norwich won today I would be very surprised if we won there . It looks like another Sheffield United to me .
If we slip as low as I suspect we could with the games coming thick and fast around Christmas we will fall into the bottom half and they couldn’t let him carry on then so we are looking at a caretaker who might be a Benitez type or a Freddie. I don’t think our options are as limited as suggested above but we are looking at a building exercise not a shot at top four or even top seven. Bath’s post about all the eggs in the EL basket is absolutely right.
.
Dr. Faustus, Only to say you make good points, other than to recall the halcyon days of Chamakh as our central striker. ?
Our defence was no better today overall. But I preferred the 3 at the back in the first half. I would play it with Luiz given license to push into the DM role when we have the ball and drop in when we don’t. And I’d play Holding instead of Sokratis, on account of the fact that I have eyes and can watch what Sokratis does on the pitch.
I thought our attack was much better. We had chances. We had a second half spell for about 20 mins when it was wave after wave of us attacking and controlling possession. Until we pushed up too much and gave away chances on the break. It used to annoy me that Arsene’s teams were so prone to this, it is so frustrating that we still do it.
Torreira holding his position was better. Ozil got in the right areas and had some beautiful touches, without controlling the tempo. Laca and Auba look better as a two that is properly supported by a dangerous Tierney and, in future Hector, who was off form but give him a couple more games.
For the first time in ages I could see what we were trying to do. If we scored from Auba’s chance where the keeper made a great save, or when Pepe hit the bar, or when Laca put him through then we would have have a lead and not needed to chase the game which led to their second (very harsh penalty)
This system will need time to gel but looked much more likely to yield long term results than anything I’ve seen for a while. If Emery had tried it two or three months ago I’d have some patience. By now we just need results and he ain’t getting them.
I thought the ball was moving when they took their free kick for the first goal. Which is not a serious gripe as if it had not been we would still have been opened up as we completely switched off. But I can’t see the point of VAR if they can look at a rule breach that leads to a goal and decide that the goal stands because that is not a rule that VAR has jurisdiction over.
Especially annoying when later in the game we get one free kick retaken because the ball was moving and one because we took it too quickly.
Result certainly not unexpected nor is the frustration.
In injury time Sokratis lost us possession by making a foul throw. Kind of summed his day up.
A goal will cheer you up bt8…
Days of retaining a head coach especially when the team is under performing for longer periods are over. We will have to adapt to new trends and for one we have not improved under this clown to begin with, secondly trying to understand his playing style is none existent! Shall I carry on and provide more evidence? There is plenty more where this came from. He is even worse then Arsene!
You are a true passionate Gooner but come one, it seems you would rather for us to fuck it all up just for sake of keeping an inept manager on until we fall down so low there will be nothing to pick up afterwards. Where on earth is the logic in that?
Because we The Arsenal and by our tradition he needs more time rather than we have made a mistake in appointing a head coach?
Forget 4th this season and that for Unai should have be number priority, our top boys will leave for clubs who can provide CL football that is harsh but that is reality!
Hey GSD
Boom?
ATG Fox in the Box
Well in Arthur.
A fortunately timed drink.
I imagine Unai might be having one of those about now.
I had very good odds on Ings to score first as we won 3-1. About 20 mins into the second half I was thinking that looked a very decent shout. Gutted to go behind, AGAIN, AS WE LOVE DOING.
I won a couple of bets on both teams to score and cards and corners. Helped a little by the fact that most of our team got booked. Scant consolation, I really fancied that Ings bet.
Or, failing that, any other flavour of three points to The Arsenal.
I don’t watch most of the games any more and that probably accounts for my detachments and relatively uncritical comments about Emery up to now. Cynic’s point of of should most definitely not be dismissed but Emery must be near his end I would think if nobody else defends him any more. But I couldn’t believe we spent 72 million on a winger when we needed two central defender signings, which we still need now.
Hey bt8.
I’ve just broken out the Talisker. Single malt is required for medicinal purposes right now. Care to join me?
Arthur, have a Zubrowka or a single malt, whichever you like mate.
nerd
again?
I just put the cricket on, thinking it would be less depressing than the football. Apparently not.
Although at least Sokratis is not playing. Small mercies and that.
sack him or whack him
or
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dlu32SOtLgU
Thank you GSD that made me numb now 🙂
nerd?
again
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1xAil0ffun8
(very harsh penalty)
It wasn’t really. Tierney fell asleep to let him get wrong side then gave him a tug.
And just as I put the fucking radio on for some late night cricket, the NZ commentator is going on about “my team Southampton” getting a draw at Arsenal, with whoever the English commentator is being a cunt as well, calling our ground The Library.
You are more than a decade out of date, twat.
Hey GSD. Thanks for the Talisker, it should go nicely with my espresso taken in alternating rounds. Cheers.
GSD@2295: Spot on about Bellerin looking rusty, and your general point that we played with a more coherent plan today.
and @2298: the penalty was another example of how things are going. A dubious penalty call in the first place. Then Leno makes the save, but the rebound, which could have gone anywhere, falls to a place the is the most advantageous for Ward-Prowse to knock in the rebound.
GSD
Some great points and yes the penalty was exceptionally harsh. Certainly if the referee hadn’t awarded it VAR would not have reversed that decision.
The referee was quite awful in keeping with the day.
One point is Hector. He may not be the player we were hoping he might develop into but , as you say, we need to give him a few more games. I think it is a case of him getting better while out of the team, in our imagination rather than reality!
I wouldn’t stay with a three at the back as we have far too many gaps between full backs and the defenders ( a sign of poor preparation and drilling or no preparation and drilling) . My one saving grace was Tierney who is a superb crosser but why didn’t Pepe who has three recent assists take the corners after he came on instead of Ozil?
Things got so bad in morale terms that my mate in front harangued Leno for allowing the rebound for the penalty to go to Ward-Prowse.
I honestly have started to hate watching this team it makes my blood boil it is so poorly set up . So much for football as relaxation!
Just caught up since yesterday
and read some good points
from many.
Hi Bosnian Gooner – there’s no
tradition of not writing your
real name that I know about,
though I’m a relative newcomer
myself. Especially after watching
a game like yesterdays.
Seems very early to write
Pepe off. We’re a very tough
side to come into just now.
Frustration high, confidence
low, results poor and a
troubled, fractious fan base.
A test of character and I
hope that he, Martinelli,
Willock, Tierney, Guen, Saka
and Nelson will come out of as
stronger, better players.
The same is true for Hector and
Rob coming back from long-term
injuries.
Easing in and easing back in are
commonly accepted as best
practice but it’s a sink or swim
environment for us at the moment.
That works too, it’s just that there
are more casualties.
SSY’s point on Guen is a good one.
way to go but there’s no such
luxury in the current circumstances
OM
I don’t think many of the fans have written Pepe off, in fact they can see a very good player in there, confused like the rest by the mayhem around him. He was unlucky with the effort that hit the bar yesterday .
I think the team shape should be 4-2-3-1 with him wide . I’d play Ozil but I was much impressed with Willock’s cameo yesterday and I think he can play the 10 role especially away.
I’d start Pepe on Thursday in the EL game as he hasn’t had much football recently.
A curious day. The crowd started subdued, got angry at the way we clocked off completely for their first goal, but soon found a common enemy to bay at. No not Emery, but the referee who gave as bad a performance as I have seen this season. How we ended up with five yellow cards to their one I have no idea. Also he allowed their quick free kick for their first goal (I have no problem with that) but then wouldn’t allow us to do similar on the half way line when we were away and behind their defence. I can’t comment on the penalty because I was 100 yards away and won’t be watching MOTD ( I admire your fortitude TTG, once was enough for me), but I did see Luiz pushed away from the ball from a corner with both hands in front of me.
Southampton were awful. Divey, play acting, fouling, I really hope they go down, them and their rainy, shithole city and new ground opposite a cement works. I’d rather go to dirty Leeds, where at least I can get a decent curry in Bradford after.
We dominated the second half and missed chance after chance. Tierney is such a good crosser of a football. Giroud would have got 50 goals a season with him playing. Throwing on Martinelli to have four forwards was an act of desperation and unbalanced us and gave them an out ball down our right side. I do like the look of Martinelli though.
The crowd turned about the 85th minute when the first anti Emery chants started. It was patchy, not heartfelt and chanted largely by the twenty somethings rather than the grizzled old veterans. The equaliser, in the sixth minute of injury time (or play acting time as I prefer to call it), was greeted in a curiously half hearted way. Nobodies hearts are in it at the moment.
I agree with TTG. I am not enjoying my football this season and it is becoming a duty to turn up and not a joy.
On to Thursday. Should be interesting. Frankfurt not allowed any supporters in the ground but, my German following friends tell me, the Eagles are well followed and their will be a fair few in North London that night.
Doh! There not their in the last sentence.
Cricket’s gone to crap as well. And I’m off the drink due to some antibiotics. Not a good weekend.
Nice report Countryman. I agree that it hasn’t been much fun this season.
I did think there was a bit more to pleased with in our performance yesterday than there has been recently, but some people think we were as bad as ever and I don’t feel strongly enough to disagree.
We should not be at a point when we are seeing a few (possible) signs of improvement whilst playing the second from bottom club. With the very best interpretation possible it is still far from good enough.
Glad to hear you are better ‘Holic.
All the best.
Thanks for the report C100.
To be fair Martinelli did cross
for the equaliser, albeit after we
spent 5 minutes of injury trying
to gift Southampton ball forward
after
aargh
that was meant to be
“after we spent the first
5 minutes of injury time
trying to gift them a 3rd
goal
@2321 TTG
Good to hear most fans are
still with Pepe – I’m assuming
you mean in the stadium.
I’ve read a fair bit of criticism
in some of the Blogs comments,
which seemed a bit harsh.
Personally, I’m hoping Willock
will come through as a box to
box type CM but I’ll be just as
happy if it’s as No 10 ?
Hi OM
Yes I agree about Martinelli. I think though I would have taken either Laca or Auba off to make room for him, probably Laca as he was on a yellow card.
Yes I know Laca got the equaliser from Martinelli’s cross so what do I know!
Sorry I’m labouring this point, but after we took off Bellerin for Martinelli, Southampton poured through the right back gap and should have scored twice in injury time before we equalised.
Interesting psychological profile of Pochettino’s last months in charge of Spurs in today’s New York Times brings up, among other questions, are incense sticks as effective as they once were?
Very fair report as ever C100. I think we saw the same game with a shite refereee ( very shite) , cheating bastards that I called out to some of their fans on the tube and a quite farcical defensive performance. It looks like Sir Chips is pissed off too.
Mrs TTG is wont to ask me when I return in morose mood from games as I did last night ‘ If it’s going to make you so angry why do you bother going? ’
She then suggests I might prefer to go round the garden centre with her as an alternative . I have to say that is becoming to my amazement a very feasible and less frustrating way to spend time as the atmosphere is every bit as toxic as it was at the end with Arsene.
Nevertheless I will be there on Thursday . It’s almost an irrelevant game given our position in our section but I do hope it is fun. I’m not ready for Wye Vale or Notcutts yet but they are looking increasingly attractive !
TTG,
No toxic atmosphere in the garden centre? May there never cease to be wonders. 😉
There are those at this bar who scoffed at the idea of Chris Wilder coaching Arsenal . Not such a stupid idea now is it ?
Concerning the referee yesterday. Mr Stuart Atwell. I have never before seen a referee lose control of a game after only 12 minutes. After 15 the chants of “you don’t know what you’re doing” were ringing round the ground. He was truly dire. Inconsistent, prissy, pompous and just all round bad. Southampton dived, time wasted, serial fouled and were allowed to do so with impunity.
I know we always love to beat up on refs, but has the standard at our top level ever been lower?
You were saying?
Wilder is Sam Allardyce with one more O level.
Wasn’t Atwell the incompetent fool who awarded a goal to Reading v Watford that was actually a shot that went wide?
C100,
@2330&31
It’s a fair point and I’d have
taken Laca off too ?
I thought he was walking a fine
line with the clown dressed as
the ref. It wasn’t down to
Attwell that we made so many
mistakes but he certainly
contributed to the frustration
with his erratic display.
In the end though Soton’s
time wasting gave us the 7
minutes extra time we needed
to equalise so there was a
kind of rough justice.
Just to be clear to all – I’m not
blaming the ref or VAR for that
matter for yesterday. The fact
that we got a barely deserved
draw at home to a poor team
was all our own work.
Fully agree OM. Bad as Attwell was, we contributed fully to our own poor performance.
Statement from #WeCareDoYou
https://arseblog.news/2019/11/wecaredoyou-issue-new-statement-as-arsenal-crisis-deepens/?utm_campaign=autotwitter&utm_medium=twitter&utm_source=twitter
Cynic
Did you watch the game? Did you see the first half that a team of relative journeymen played? They lost their target man who was tearing United to pieces but they played more football in that game than we have played all season . They were also entertaining. If you pay to watch Arsenal you would occasionally like them to put together a passing move. The Blades blew United away.
Wilder coached the arse off Emery this season , he is a very underrated coach.
This is evidently our worst start to a season since 1982/83
I watched a lot of football that year. We were utter garbage.
Spoiler – we finished 10th.
We look like a mid-table outfit on the field so we are zero-ing in on our mid-table position. Even the team in the fag-end of GG’s years which had a totally useless talent-free midfield looked more organised than this lot. It’s astonishing that the shambles I’ve been watching for weeks are eighth. If they finish eighth in June it’ll be a miracle.
The bias against British managers is bizarre. This season Wilder and Rodgers are coaching the pants off a host of foreign managers. That’s not even mentioning the often maligned Burnley bloke, or the less maligned Bournemouth bloke.
Superb point Bt8
I’m staggered by Cynic’s comment re Wilder.
It betrays a complete failure to comprehend the way football is changing and the way we are being left behind. I’m not a Dyche fan at all but Rodgers ,Wilder and even Eddie Howe are light years ahead of Emery .
They all have a signature style to their teams and play attractive and intelligent football. They press teams to death and there is no kick and rush element a la Allardyce . But makes a cheap soundbite to namecheck him with Wilder .
Bath is right. We are currently playing the quality football that you would expect from a relegation team . Chris Whyte will make a comeback playing upfront alongside John Hawley and Ray Hankin at this rate. Now that was dire.
So it is not emery’s fault alone, it is the board and the players and the fans and everyone who are counted. Fine I agree that emery can try but it is the players who need to perform and so wish the same yardstick was used when the great man was crucified. Anyways, the point is this set of players are hardly putting in an effort and the coach cannot motivate them to do so at all. We will finish mid-table and are lucky that auba/lacazette keep scoring to save our ass else we create zilch.
Some players are very poor, i should apologize to mustafi when i said he is the worst i have seen in recently Sokratis and Luiz are as poor. Bellerin is still a long way to being at his best and the midfield offers no support to the defence at all to get out in tight situations. There is hardly a game plan and it is just hit.hope and pray. Good luck with this unai and arsenal for this ain’t Disneyland and opposition aint taking the mickey.
Allegri, Arteta or even poch can come and go, the accountability, ruthlessness and clarity lie with the board as much as with them.
Vinay, the players I have watched over the last two seasons have generally put in plenty of effort. However it has been disorganised, individual, misdirected and ultimately underproductive both offensively and defensively. While certain players aren’t top quality, they don’t pick themselves, nor do they determine the system (?) in which they must play. I think it’s entirely fair to blame the coach for the shambolic performances the players he is coaching and selecting have been producing on the field.
The directors, publicly at least, have faith in ‘their man’ and their project. I have seen no evidence that Emery can turn this team around, nor does his record with other clubs justify such faith. The directors may feel that the club will survive another 6 months of this. I am not so sure.
There is a problem with management by committee. Areas of responsibility in job plans generally cover easily defined uncontentious areas. Difficult decisions are often not explicitly defined and fall between the cracks between individual directors. We know from the club statement only that Raul ‘does the football’ and Vinai ‘does the business’. How does Edu’s appointment affect Raul’s responsibilities? Are there clear areas of responsibility and lines of accountability? What does Josh do? If the football is damaging the business, who makes the decision to change personnel or does it have to be a result of a consensus or a majority vote?
In truth they don’t have to tell us because Arsenal is a private family firm now. Whatever the ownership, it’s a lot easier when one person has responsibility for a decision and carries the can for it. As Blogs has been saying for a week now, the shambles on the pitch is no longer on Emery. He’s a drowning man. It’s on the three amigos or whichever of them has responsibilityfor hiring/firing the coach.
The decision to put Emery out of his misery is blindingly obvious (unless the financial situation at the club is worse than we know) because it will inevitably put the team out of its evident misery. An interim coach is also a relatively easy appointment. Whether that improves our success this season is much more difficult to predict and may be why the decision to sack Emery is being delayed. Much more difficult is the decision about whom to appoint to take the club forward. They cannot afford to get that wrong again and the Director(s) responsible for that are probably shitting bricks about it.
I’m staggered by Cynic’s comment re Wilder.
I actually know a couple of Sheffield United fans and they didn’t want him either, when he got the job. They’re enjoying where they are, obviously, but they scraped into the Premier League when Leeds blew it (their words not mine) and for a lot of last season they were not exactly overjoyed with the way they were playing.
Still, you’ve thrown loads of names at the wall in the hope one sticks (the ladies manager did make me chuckle, as well as he did last year) and I’m just surprised you haven’t gone completely OTT and demanded the return of Wenger.
I agree with Bath
I don’t know what Guendouzi’s Opta stats were on Saturday but he could scarcely have worked harder . Tierney made innumerable forty or fifty yard runs down the wing ( usually ending with an excellent cross)
But look at the shambles in injury time where we had no defenders on the right hand side of the field and you realise the issue was that the players were utterly confused. It is hard to work out what the style of play is but it is clear that they are required to play out from the back and this causes say least one major crisis per game . On Saturday it was Sokratis who was so lucky not to give away a goal.
Bath sums up the issues so well further comment is superfluous but I remember a few weeks ago someone telling me that the Gazidis story about Emery blowing them away with a Powerpoint presentation was a fabrication. I still can’t believe this but then I listen to Emery’s incoherent ramble ( and it’s what he’s trying to say not how he says it that is so confusing) and I start to believe it might have been more Ivan PR waffle. Today’s Times carries a piece from Tony Cascarino, never the greates communicator himself in which he makes the point about failure to comprehend Emery and I think this must be an issue for the players . Whatever , those in charge must act very soon
I tell you what Holics lets stick with Unai it will surely get better eventually 😀
“For fifteen years the north London side produced a positive shot difference under former boss Arsene Wenger but, the moment Emery took over, it crashed dramatically into the red.
In Wenger’s final season, Arsenal produced a shot difference of +170 but just a year later were facing up to a difference of -32.
It has only gotten worse this season, too, with the difference in free fall at -56 after just 13 games.”
https://www.givemesport.com/1524433-alarming-chart-showing-arsenals-shot-difference-under-wenger-and-emery-is-seriously-concerning?autoplay=on
No one is actually suggesting Chris Wilder as a serious option are they? Expectations on Wilder, Dyche, Howe is to avoid relegation and anything else is a bonus. Sheffield Utd might survive this season but next they will be floundering like a Hudders.
Allegri has said no previously apparently, Arteta has zilch experience and may remember being led up the garden path before and Poch no chance.
Emery is history at some point but who is realistic candidate that will take us forward?
I think Arteta is an intelligent and knowledgable guy and his coaching skills were strongly praised at Shitteh before he was in the frame 18 months ago. However there is a world of difference between being number 2 and being the Head Coach who has to make the final decisions and carry full responsibility for what happens on the pitch.
I personally don’t the the Arsenal Head Coach position is suitable for a rookie, no matter how well he has done as an assistant. However I loved him as a player, had been calling for us to sign him when he was at Rangers and if he is appointed I am confident he would improve our current situation and playing style.
However I would appoint Rafa Benitez on an 18 month contract with potential extensions and have total confidence that he will sort out the team. The style of play may not be Wengerball but I am confident he would make us competitive.
Sancho
I think we are saying Wilder is a better coach than Emery. Much better. I don’t think he is what I would like us to go for but his football is better than Dyche . Re Cynic’s point I know a family of Sheffield United fans and they love Wilder although they felt they were lucky to get into the Premier League. We need to set our sights as high as we can but make no mistake the current incumbent is completely out of his depth .
Re Montemurro he hasn’t always been a ladies coach and it’s a big ask to expect him to step up to this level but I’m very impressed by the good sense you can see in his coaching. One day a ladies coach ( of either sex- are there still only two sexes ? I get confused ) will step up and it might be possible to transfer up to a men’s league. Going straight to the Premier League is a stretch but I’d be interested if they could work their way up. The biggest problem , especially if it was a woman coach, is if they would be regarded as credible by the players .
If you want exactly the same sort of manager you think Emery is – out of his depth, mid table manager who won’t get a team into the top four, let alone win the title – by all means pick someone like Eddie Howe, Wilder, Dyche etc.
A big club needs a big manager these days (cue the usual pointless nonsense about nobody hearing of Wenger before he came to Arsenal).
You can argue all you like, but there is no way we’re going to appoint Chris Wilder or any of the other clowns mentioned.
Which is why Emery is still in charge.
Anyone we could reasonably expect to appoint is no better than what we already have and anyone we might actually want and who would improve these sorry misfits wouldn’t come to us.
If you don’t like your Christmas jumper you don’t rush to the January sales and pick up the first thing you see as a replacement. You look at what you like. You try things on. You reject the leather elbow patches.
SP,
I disagree even Ljunberg as take care manager would be better than Emery…
Yes but why put him up to be shot at this stage of his career. We want him to be the future not pick up the pieces with no experience.
Everton away on December 21 booked.
I must be mad.
That’s real dedication, CM1000. ???
Yes nobody out there can possibly improve us. Let’s stick with Unai.
What a pathetically dismal approach . God help us from the low horizons, low risk approach .
What is a BIG manager? We want a good manager and good managers don’t all start their careers at Real Madrid or Bayern Munich. Study the careers of great managers and many start at the bottom and learn their trade and then someone with balls or foresight gives them a big job.
Cue Dein in 1996. You can’t ignore the Wenger example because it is exactly how Arsenal became the size they are today.
I know Cynic had ( rightly) a high regard for George Graham . He came from Millwall. Ferguson knocked around in the nether regions of the Scottish leagues before he went to Aberdeen. Mourinho started at a tiny club in Portugal.
There are a number of potentially very good solutions all over Europe who would crawl to our club because it is still one of the biggest clubs in the richest league in the world.
Our big concern is have we got the right ownership and quality of management to identify and be willing to employ a top manager? They signally felt to replace Wenger adequately. Mourinho has just gone to a club with a much less rich history and smaller wage bill . So the ‘ couldn’t find anyone better ‘ excuse doesn’t wash. Especially when you have a numpty like Emery in charge ( nod to iBtm and Bath who have described him thus previously! )
C1000
That is dedication above and beyond the call of duty but thank goodness we have fans like you and Delia who do follow the club through thick and thin and all over the country .I salute you sir.
On the bright side it might be Max Allegri’s first game in charge ?
TTG. It had crossed my mind …….??
Speaking of Delia haven’t heard from her since before Leicester. Hope you are OK D?
Despite the implosion in PL results in the final weeks of last season most supporters — I think, at least I myself was — were happy giving Emery at least one more year. But what had transpired since the beginning of the season is a scarcely believable regression in almost all aspects of the game. We are outshot in PL by nearly 50 goals now, we are on a negative goal difference, and even excusing our relatively ordinary defense the inability to play coherent, decisive football in the final third — not for a match or two, and not just away, all matches home and away — should really alarm the decision maker. Once the attacking players lose confidence and the natural trust in each other and in the system we will be really fucked. And we are very close to that full dysfunction.
Speedy recovery Holic. Hope all is well with you and the family
But none of the names bandied about are either good enough to make a difference beyond a 5 game bounce or realistic enough to actually come hete. Sean Dyche and Eddie Howe will never be top class managers not because no one will give them a chance but because they have already reached their heights and 5 years at Burnley and 10 at Boscombe show this.
even Ljunberg as take care manager would be better than Emery…
Based on what exactly? Wishful thinking?
And yeah, TTG, Graham came from Millwall but if you’re really going to suggest that today’s multi-billion pound game is anything like it was in 1987, when Lee Dixon was on £700 a week…
This club needs someone with a proven track record of winning major titles, if we’re going to get rid of Emery (whose record for a “shit” coach is pretty good) and taking someone who is perfectly suited to a smallish club with an underdog chance of doing well and no pressure at all on him would be suicide.
Moyes. Manchester United. That is all.
Dyche not worth mentioning. Howe would not be near the top of my list but he is young and doing well so to decide his (successful) time at Bournemouth shows he has reached his height seems premature. Wouldn’t be surprised to see him move on to bigger things and do well.
I’m not paid to find a better head coach than Emery who would fit our ethos and want to work for us. But neither am I convinced that a few blokes on the internet not liking the look of some of the names bandied about in the media means such a person does not exist.
And at this point the risk of a new appointment seems less than the risk of keeping Emery.
“the risk of a new appointee
seems less than the risk of
keeping Emery”
Exactly.
There is not a single argument
I’ve read in favour of keeping
Emery that isn’t based on
defeatist nonsense or fear.
C100,
I went to a lot of games in 82-83
as well. The best football I saw all
season was at home to Spartak
Moscow. Sadly we didn’t play any
of it 🙂
TTG@2354: Corinne Diacre coached a Ligue 2 men’s side, Clemont Foot, for a couple of seasons before taking up her current position as coach of the French women’s national team. Diacre actually replaced Helena Costa, who was the first woman appointed to coach a professional men’s side in France, but quit after a month without taking charge of a competitive game.
I like bath’s idea @2353 of appointing Benitez for 18 months, with options to renew. The Spaniard is a proven ‘big club’ manager and trophy winner. The only snag to that I can see is that Benitez signed a two-and-a-half-year deal in July to manage Dalian Yifang in the Chinese Super League.
Cynic,
Based on stats and facts that no one can do any worse then master Emery, I have provided some stats in my previous drinks. I’m not going to lay down other factors and there is plenty to use as blatant evidence.
I’m astonished why you want us to write the season off, worse things will come as a result of that and I’m sure you know what those are.
Ned
Thanks for that . I’m not the most modern thinking person but just as I believe women can referee a man’s match ( no one could be worse than Atwood on Saturday) so I think the right woman ( with a very strong attitude ) could coach at the top level. There can’t be any reason why a male coach from women’s football can’t succeed in the men’s game. They would just need to overcome prehistoric thinking.
Bath’s suggestion re Benitez is probably the best compromise we could reach to satisfy the most people. We would need to buy out his contract though which would be very expensive .
I would honestly take anyone until the end of the season I can’t stand watching us decline week after week and the club not doing anything about it. It’s certainly no longer on Unai in all honesty we have people upstairs who are letting this go on. I honestly trusted those people and that they would do the right things if push came to shove. We had a decent summer by all means and everyone was really excited with those purchases. One third of thison gone and we are in big trouble, the longer this goes the less time the new guys will have to at least try and rectify this nonsense we have been served so far.
Stanley can hire God as our new head coach.
“I have a plan, specific strategy and -”
“You’ve got a mouth on you, fella.”
“But -”
“Shut it…Josh!”
TTG@2374: Could do worse than get Silvia Neid out of retirement (she is still younger than Mourinho). Three times named as the FIFA World Women’s Coach of the Year and coached Germany to a Women’s World Cup.
Awkward fact of the day: Only 6.5% of the 190,000 coaches in Europe with UEFA-endorsed licences are women. Good to see Joseph Montemurro involved with this UEFA mentoring programme to increase the number of women coaches.
https://www.uefa.com/insideuefa/football-development/technical/coach-education/news/newsid=2630298.html
Benítez is a sensible suggestion
but I think the cost of paying off
UE and his staff and paying off Yifang
probably precludes that option from
the Kroenke perspective.
I don’t mind that personally as I’m
not bothered about the whole must
have big club experience bollocks (er
I mean narrative) or satisfying most
people. The essentials should be
– must want to play attacking football
– must be a good communicator
– must hate losing
– must not have full length portrait
of self in house
Plenty of people available, it’s about
values, communication and attitude.
Experience is just a nice to have, we
are looking for a coach not a manager.
Getting someone who can communicate
an attacking philosophy and a hatred
of losing to the players would be a
clear step up from now.
Why will allegri come here now? when we had the chance we missed and now he will say to himself if not aloud i have better options. He can pick and choose and arsenal currently are not on the priority for any top manager. Will he still come? of course if you offer bucket loads of money, tell him just get us top four and do what you wish. On to you the board.
More realistically would be freddie, he may have almost no experience but the current set of players are used to working with him, they seem to like him, he maybe more positive in his approach and lets be honest the season has been given up by most and any turn around will be amazing but improbable.
Nuno espirito santo??? now that’s a new name being floated around, why not I say? try him for 18 months and then we get back to some resemblance of stability hopefully and we get allegri then???
Rumours are surfacing that Arsenal have called a board meeting to discuss Emery’s position ( bit quaint as the board has no real power) in the next 48 hours and that they have approached Max Allegri who is allegedly residing in London .
I will believe it when I see it.
With the greatest respect to
Ken Friar, the board is simply
a rubber stamp so the
decision will have been taken
before they meet I think.
I was taught very early on in my career that you should never call a vote in any sort of meeting unless you are absolutely sure where the votes lie.
So Tuesday evening and Emery is still in post. Looks like he’ll be there for Thursday and Sunday then.
At the start of the season I bought in to a new season with Emery at the helm and felt bullish about a top 3 finish. Unfortunately it has not panned out and I have thought for a while that we should part ways. It has still not happened and so I agree with TTG’s assessment that I’ll believe it when I see it.
However, if his intel is right, and we couple it with the astute observations of OM and Countryman it might be possible that we are closer than ever to an end to our current torpor. I think Sancho is also right that he will be in situ until at least Sunday. And it may be we have a while to go yet, so I’m not counting chickens. But if we are getting ready to push the button then I’m more than ready for us to do it and today I’m a little more hopeful that we won’t have to wait too long for the necessary change. Fingers crossed.
I’m really fed up with the fact that Champion’s League football is not something I watch or have to tune into at all. I had hoped this season would see an end to that but right now it is more likely that next season I’ll be missing Thursday night football as we aren’t even in the Europa League. We need to make sure that does not happen.
At the moment our best bet for CL may already be winning the Europa. It’s a cup competition and there will be strong contenders drop into it after the CL group stages finish, so it’s still a long way off. But we need a really strong League run to get into the top four and time and points are slipping away from us. It’s so frustrating.
The big dangers with our board are that either their ear trumpets fail, their nurses fail to give them their medication on time or Sir Chips gets seconded to the wine committee at Boodles and can’t chair our board.
Given 100% KSE ownership they are as irrelevant as the Pope’s whatsits but I do agree with C1000 that nobody holds a meeting like this and then gets surprised by the outcome. They are a British establishment rubber stamp for an American business run by Spaniards ( and a Brazilian). Oh for the days when Arsene and Dein stitched everything up between them
C100@2382: you must have spent your formative years in Labour Party branch committee meetings. The other golden rule, in the football world at least, is not to fire your head coach without a replacement being lined up.
NBN
That’s a very astute observation. Not just branch, but CLP, district party and Union meetings.
On a point of order comrade Chair!
That’s a lot of service before the mast, C100.
oooh, er, nurse! @2389.
My activism came to a shuddering halt when the current leader took up office.
Olympiacos Piraeus
The marsh dwellers are doing well , 25 minutes gone only losing 2 nil
@2385
Not a fan of a season out of
Europe and just focus on the
PL?
I was just thinking about it the
other day and wondering myself
as that might the situation
whether we like it or not.
Que sera sera. We may have to get used to not even being in the EL for a while.
We certainly have to recognise that we have enjoyed a golden age for the Arsenal and our history tells us that such things happen only infrequently. David Dein’s appointment of Arsene Wenger transformed the club as the gains of the early GG era were being dissipated. A big concern is the speed at which the gains of the Wenger era have dissipated. We need such an inspired appointment again but top coaches aren’t ten a penny.
We are in for an extended period of rebuilding. The success of this depends entirely on the wisdom and commitment of the owners and their appointment of top professionals off the field who commit themselves to the long-term benefit of the club. I am yet to be convinced that we have the right people for this at any level of the organisation. The last few weeks have been as unimpressive off the field as it has been on it.
We have to hope that Arsenal can appoint a coach who believes in attacking football, is capable of developing our players and a system in which they can play effectively and that our scouts can identify players who will improve our weaknesses and others who can replace those who won’t commit to our rebuilding programme.
Bath
???????????
Great piece Bath.
I had been very impressed by the coherence and tidiness of the work in the close season and I still believe this is a good squad and with the right coaching set-up one well capable of reaching the Champions League. The circumstances of Emery’s appointment are shrouded in mystery. He seemed to spring from nowhere and he will hopefully go back there very soon.
However the reporting structure is unclear and the quality of management appears dubious to say the least. One concern is the link with Espírito Santo , who while a capable coach has leapt up the bookie’s lists because of his links with Mendis , the ‘ super- agent’. I realise fans are some way off the business side of football but we really do want the best coach we can get not one teed up by Mendis so he can earn another fortune . While there is a clamour to be rid of Emery ( I’m one of tge leaders at least on here) we must not fall into the trap of a sub-optimal appointee for the wrong reasons . Dein was a contacts man too as well as Sanllehi but this served us well in leading us to Wenger. NES is a good coach but I believe there are better ones.
Whatever , due to the poor leadership at the club in recent years we may be entering a sustained period out of the limelight. In years to come people will realise how remarkable Wenger’s achievement in keeping us in the CL season after season with minimal expenditure was.
Great posts Bath and TTG. I agree with TTG that our squad is more than capable of top 4. Last year we missed out by a point despite the poorest run in the final months in more than two decades. Since then we strengthened our left back position ( no disrespect to Monreal but he was entering his sunset years), found a gem of an youngster in Martinelli, and a highly talented group of academy players are now playing more consistently. We brought in Europe’s one of top wingers, and next year an excellent young center back will join us. And we still have two of the best finishers in soccer.
Our squad is not weaker than Chelsea or LWCs, and despite the stark difference on the pitch not weaker than Leicester. And I don’t think Emery is a poor manager. He has just failed to adjust and adopt fast enough to a new league, new culture, new language. Some risky things he tried — pushing Ozil to get a reaction — didn’t work out and he has simply lost the ability to energize and orchestrate the current Arsenal dressing room. They don’t really believe that they will win if they do what Emery is asking them to. This happens in football, and as you two said it’s necessary that the decision makers recognize the mismatch and the growing dysfunction.
Piraeus Olympiacos
Only the first 20 minutes
were good
Well in, OM at the 200 dozen. A doozy of a drinking session.
experts experts everywhere
nor any drip to think
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Vy3fvsWcj7U
Well in for the 2400, OM.
C100@2391: A rather large cohort.
if you remember what McDonnell did to Andrew McIntosh in the GLC elections in 1981, there is still hope.
Bath@2395: Not a word to disagree with.
Four in a row. Becoming cba-ish. Time to log off.
well considering
i’m soon to be living impaired
i take a fence
Then take a garden gate,
here’s got to be a trudge
what with all the sludge
.
here’s to the sweet release
.
.
.
yer all jostling
basically saying
the same shite
ye read off the internet
or heard on shite radio
who read it off the internet
having previously encountered it on…
.
.
.
.
oh excellent post so and so
cheers such and stuff
i came to this analysis
ALL BY MY SELF ?
it’s fuckin worse
than me
saying
moooooooooooooooooooooo
every two seconds
Thanks NBN and bt8
– I lurked well if I say so
myself.
@2398
Completely agree with that
assessment of the squad
Dr. F.
for
THE LOVE OF GOD
end
this earnest round of considered tripe
I completely agree with cba
@2410 as well.
I hope too that we can all agree
that he’s right.
Of course we need to give
the matter of being agreeable
the same serious, and dare I say it,
earnest consideration that cba himself
gives so selflessly to each load of
old bollocks that he shares.
please don’t take down
(in his absence)
‘holics site with the weight
of yer worthiness
.
.
.
cba. All other sources plunder the might Goonerholic bar for all their good stuff. They are feeling the pinch now that the Guvnor’s absence has left them to wallow about in our drivel. Bottom feeders so they are.
I might have nothing to say but there is nowhere I’d rather say it!
Truly great bar this.
I can’t work out if we’ll be any more or less worthy when we aren’t blessed with your contributions but whilst they last I’m damn glad of them. Have a virtual drink (won’t do any damage)
sweet mother
of all that’s good
and holy in the world
.
.
more nonsense
Oh, and excellent posts from Baff, TTG and The Doc.
I don’t care who you stole them from ?
.
first in the queue
at the
Big Girl’s Blouse factory outlet
You do make me smile you old bastard.
Say hello to Chris for us won’t you? And don’t forget to tell him his TV is crap.
“Marjorie , ye got this in a medium?”
@2422 (how many?!)
What I wear under my GSD outfit is none of your concern ?
Wanna go for the quarter millennium?
Star Trek style. Except without the uniforms.
Although if rumours are to be believed you might be one of the few men capable of pulling that look off
aww dear
how the shitey have fallen
No. I don’t wear a Star Trek costume under my dinosaur outfit.
That would be weird.
a real gooner
would have his sights set
on zager and evans
not you though
ya fuckin lazy workshy etc
In a brilliant and cutting new post I wish to inform you all that we are not doing well under head coach Emery.
You watch. Someone will run with it tomorrow.
anyhoo
i have grown up things to do
bugger off and play with yer tail
ya wee herbert
.
Thank God for Google. Were they any good?
Could they take over from Unai?
[how many did we clock up ?]
.
.
YA BASTA !
Got the reference. Did not know the tune though.
Toking away is a teenage past time as much as a grown up one.
You and your sly manoovers.
i suspect
good
but not 8ball
8ball. Where are ya?
giving up now
*claps hands*
“he bores me”
“have him removed”
I’d best be away to bed soon anyway. I’ve got cows to milk before long.
*re – claps*
*takes a bow*
SYMMETRY
Hey there cba and GSD, nice to see you both here. It started snowing an hour ago and they say it will snow for another eight. Settling in by the fire.
now fuck off
i can not be doing with two
and tell tail boy from me
shove it !
HAPPY CHRISTMAS
Maybe I’ll hang around a bit longer since 8ball has pitched up. Top man. Especially if it will wind cba up.
Fire sounds cosy.
Chauffeured the high school girls who can’t drive yet to their snowy sleepover. Too much excitement.
750 words on the true and accurate reasons Arsenal are shite without committing plagiarism. Not an easy ask.
Impossible by now. Surely Raul should ditch him just to give us something new to write about?
And preferably before Blogs causes himself an aneurysm
I’d love a bit of snow. It’s pissing it down in East London
Got up the steel today to watch the recording of Saturday’s game, which I had not seen. At least this game didn’t put me to sleep but we did seem rather incoherent.
We are Arsenal.
Always someone new to
blame it on….
Poor defending
Weak midfield
Japan in the bar! I love international drinking hours!
And the traditional bad refereeing with a new face stuck on it
Surely now we have an attacking contingent capable of scaling the 2500 mark?
Maybe Sir Chips will quit as
rumoured so we can write
things like
“Something fishy about chips exit”
The Chips are down at
The Arsenal
bt8. Admittedly I am clutching at a silver lining that I don’t really believe in… but at least we had a few genuinely well created chances to score.
I know that doesn’t help much when we don’t take them but it beats our usual 2 shots on target.
Chips leaves it to the Friar
Chips and Pin.
Chairman does a number on The Arsenal.
Unfortunately we may need to get used to seeing Attwell’s face. Lower half clubs get assigned lower half referees
Chip off the old clock (end)
That game could have ended 4-4. Quite entertaining actually. Papa looking increasingly immobile though.
Chips can’t be counted on
anymore
Where’s Chippy when you need him? Another absentee in the ever changing roll call in this hallowed bar.
Well bt8, that’s what happens to all Papas…
His name should be Notwell
to go with his refereeing
Or how his stupidity makes
me feel
Trev. Please let us know any Chips puns that we miss.
Wasn’t the teacup in Beauty and The Beast called Chip?
Anyone got anything for that?
Maybe not. Our team is no beauty, and not much beast. And the Chairman is no longer the guy to change that.
Tale as old as time
Song as old as rhyme
Stanley’s teams are crap.
The American angle on the Chips saga: Fry me a river
Well played 8ball. And OM. I love a pun-fest here!
If your team is owned by Kroenke
The results they all go wonky
Old Stan he won’t mind a bit
Even if you do play shit
Don’t be fooled though,
he’s no honey
His only goal is get your money
Ran out of puns so it was
time for doggerel
Clever effort there OM. Wonky and Kroenke are a very suitable pair.
Nice stuff OM.
Something about one of our defenders being a donkey would also fit nicely.
And the silent one is always an
easy target.
On account of his ethics
– as in he ain’t got any
Stolen from Millers Crossing I
should acknowledge.
Thanksgiving week here normally means a four day weekend but with this snowstorm school has been canceled tomorrow so that makes it a 5 day weekend starting tomorrow. The deliriously happy girls immediately planned a sleepover to celebrate.
2484 picks up where 2450 left off, of that seemed to come out of nowhere.
Not even cba could Pooh-Pooh our production rate this evening
On second thought I retract that statement
Hadn’t thought of donkey
Was once Hill-Wood but not anymore
Sad Arsenal is owned by a donkey
We may wish his name was Eeyore
But oh Pooh, you’ve got Stan Kroenke
Well it is still snowing but the fire is burning down
Pooh dovetailed nicely into
@2486 I thought
no sign of cba in our
triumphant march to 2500,
perhaps he’s sitting back
to see how it’s done
Lurkers of the world unite behind your burkas
Quick on the draw, OM
Always liked the drawings in those A.A. Milne books
A ginger sling and a pineapple tart
Quarter to six in the morning
in the UK so it’d need to be an
early morning lurkee
A coffee dessert yes you know it’s good news
Time to punt the ball
aimlessly into midfield
Well you have to have them all pulled out
picks it up in midfield and
slings a cross over the
Pacific Ocean and across the
Western US to…
Makes connection with a glancing header upfield hoping GSD or another lurker may latch onto it
Lurks!
Well played all round. A fine, fine effort!
OM @2488. Love it
Monumental lurking, GSD, so effective the monuments committee will consider erecting a statue.
Timing is everything bt8!
Well in GSD.
Thirsty business lurking,
so a quenching drink on
the bar sir.
Congratulations on the well-earned quarter millennium that you spied from afar, GSD. Congratulations also to bt8 and OM for the well-worked build up. An excellent ramble. A bottle of Highland Park 18yo is on the bar for your delectation.
First read of Arseblog in a while. I see he’s changed the record and stopped pinning it all on Emery, but he’s just put th old record on and started on the Kroenkes again.
How about some new old tunes. How about looking at the shitheels ON the pitch, who are, after all, the ones who bottled it so badly last season in the last seven games and are playing like cunts this season?
Something appears to be in the offing – Unai was available at 14/1 on Sunday to be the next coach/ manager for the heave-ho, and is now 1/3 (threes on for the uninitiated) to be next for the chop….
This can’t all be due to Everton delaying their decision on when to sack Marco Silva.
I’m still here Countryman but a more unhappy Gooner you are unlikely to find . Where do we go from that insipid display of last weekend?
I haven’t seen or heard of any positive news from Highbury House that gives us hope of better things ahead. In fact although I am in London all day tomorrow I don’t think I will stay on for the game , I can’t face another boring game in an unhealthy atmosphere particularly as I will be on my own as the other three I travel with are giving it a miss.
I see Arseblog has picked up my suggestion to call in Rafa to stabalize the slide we are in.
See some of you at Norwich on Sunday. The Coach and Horses. on Thorpe Road ,just passed the Sorting Office on the left is a good away pub.
Well in for the historic 2500, GSD.
Early news is that Hector and
Kola are out for Thursday.
Given Kieran will probably
be saved for the weekend
it looks like 3 CBs again
with Rob / Mus + 1 to start.
AMN on the right and hmmm
who knows on the left –
Nelson or Saka maybe.
I’d also expect Martinelli and
Joe Willock to start too.
Hopefully ESR ready to
return too.
I suppose Xhaka is the
elephant in the changing
room.
Blimey that was an evening of multi-posts ! Congratulations GSD on a brilliantly manoeuvred 2500. Now onwards towards 3000. I’ve yet to engage CBA in banter this week but he seemed a little prickly last night ( oo-er Nurse Jenkins ! ) I bought a book on McGill postcards last week in an antique shop – naked man reddening in pain and holding nether regions- punchline ‘ I said prick his boil nurse’. CBA would love it ?
We are contemplating whether to go early tomorrow night to evade the security for naughty Eintracht fans looking to defy UEFA but have worked out the crowd will be less than 35,000 so we can’t be arsed. See what I did there ?
I’m going tomorrow because one of my travelling colleagues is off to Australia and it’s his last game for two months, my brother-in-law is coming up from Bristol ahead of our school reunion on Friday and I want to show solidarity with Unai Emery. One of those is untrue.
Seems from the presser that
Xhaka is likely to play.
A possible XI
Emi
Calum Rob Mus
AMN Xhaka Joe Nelson
Pepe Martinelli Saka
I’ve no confidence that will
be the XI and suspect
Tierney, Laca and Ozil may
be pressed into service but
we’ll see.
I expect a difficult game given
our current woes. Although we
won 3-0 in Frankfurt we rode
our luck at 0-0 and luck is
something we’ve been short
of lately.
Good to hear from you Delia and, believe me, I feel your pain.
Anyway, a nice home game for you at the weekend. It told out above my credit level so I shan’t be there but here’s hoping for a better performance.
Firstly congratulations to GSD on nabbing the 2500. I’ve recently met C1000, Scruz and GSD and all have achieved notable milestones on here. Surely that signifiescsomething although I haven’t got a clue what it is. Maybe I get on with insomniacs but then I would get on with CBA and he’s a tosser ?
Anyway to tomorrow. OM picks great teams , much better than Emery does. If we play three at the back I think you are spot on OM. If we play four then I think Chambers and AMN will play full-back and he will bring Guendouzi into midfield .
I’m going with a number of mates tomorrow including my brother-in-law who is coming up from Bristol for our school reunion on Friday. I’ve managed his expectations by saying it will be a crap performance in a toxic atmosphere with lots of Germans roaming around causing trouble. But it might be less fun than that .
?
.
just watched The Irishman
great bits
some less so
bit rambling
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
“easy , corporal knotted-handkerchief !”
“let him have his moment”
.
.
well in tail boy
ya adorable wee smart arse
.
.
now
.
zager and evans
a
SPECTACULAR !
.
.
ya tail waving shite
Seems from the presser that
Xhaka is likely to play.
OK
Now I am starting to think he wants to get himself sacked. The atmosphere will be hard enough, if he picks Xhaka he’s almost inviting boos from every touch.
Cynic,
I saw that as well just now, Emery is digging his own grave, Xhaka will not be welcome on the pitch.
I would prefer to keep him than go for a short term fix. If there’s a replacement coming in he has to be for the longer term. Short term fixes are rarely worth it (ie never).
Also seen we paid around £19.5m in wages to injured players last season. Including illness as well would have bumped that to £25m for Ozil alone 😉
nice
fourteen versions
of unoriginal analysis
haven’t arrived
ESR played very well apparently for the U23s tonight. My mate who sees the youth teams thinks he is not rated by Emery ( he said the same about Bielik and was right). I do find it odd that now he is fit he is playing in a game like this when he could at least be on the bench tomorrow. Youth development has to be coherent whichever team they are playing in. ESR needs to play as high up as he can.
John Jules started so there’s no chance to blood him off the bench if we were to be in a comfortable position.
“short term fixes are rarely
worth it”
you’ve just the vote of the
druggie community
2521
is all bullshit
he never goes out the house
the guys a fuckin fraud
aaargh – “you’ve just lost the
vote of the druggie community”
jam it up yer jute japan !
Pity about ESR, it’s not been a
good year for him but there’s
certainly a good player in there
hello cba,
is jamming it up your
jute drug-taking advice?
I’ve always been a
conservative rizzla/bong/
snort man meself.
Well taken goal cba in the year 2525 if man is still alive
All fixed in Osaka it would seem
?????????
Not really to be honest bt8.
The locals are spiffing about
public drunkenness but still
harsh on spliffing, nickings and
pokey all round is the drill I
believe.
When in Rome and all that,
so my jute remains jam free
?
Right now the difference between watching Arsenal and cba’s suggestion @2525 seems like one of degree not quality. ?
Tumbleweed.
We have had neither sparkling debate about the team selection for the forthcoming game nor about the Unaiphant in the dressing room probably because we are so enervated by the malaise affecting the club from top to bottom.
We haven’t even had any of the much loved surreal, narcissistic and sometimes offensive ramblings of the Sinn Fein representative.
Such is the torpor in this parish.
You’re all shite the lot of you
Emery out
Moooooo!
How’s that yer bastards
I’m dredging up the enthusiasm to go this evening. It’s not easy and frankly Unai is on such rocky ground ( or he better be) that it will be like watching a sick puppy at the vet’s seeing him prowling the touchline. We don’t even have the humour of watching him trying to zip up his coat as we did with Arsene.
Sunday will be a very difficult game and we need to try to get through this one without eating into the energy of players needed for Sunday. It’s perfectly feasible we might struggle tonight. We did against Vitoria as Scruz witnessed.I hope we can produce a similar performance to the Liege one but somehow I doubt it. 2-1 to the Arsenal is my guess
ttg, with all due respect, if we win the game the same way it will go a long way towards (a) ginning up some more torpor, and (b) cementing the legend of pepe.
enjoy the match, can’t believe it’s been a month! thanks again for all of it (and c1000, too!).
Scruz. I like the sound of The Legend of Pepe. I’m picturing him ripping off Auba’s mask style celebrations but with a Zorro mask. And a cape.
If Unai wants to encourage teamwork, tactical discipline and innovation then I recommend he sets the playing team the challenge of smuggling a full-length cape onto the pitch ready to celebrate Pepe’s matchwinner. If they managed that I’d give Unai another week.
Hey guys, good to see you’re still open despite circumstances. Best of wishes and a hearty get well soon to the Landlord…an extended lock in world record I’ll wager. Has anyone read Le Grove on Raul ,Nuno and super agent Mendes’ influence ?
Surely we’re not going to give Nuno and the Portuguese mafia the keys to the kingdom are we, ?
Currently in a curry house on Holloway Road. No sight of the German invaders.
At least it’s not raining yet
perfectly funny, gsd@2536. ?
hope the curry isn’t the wurst, c1000… ?
enjoy the game!
The ‘blind optimism’ bet of the year (or mug punt if you prefer).
Aubamayang to score a hat-trick and Arsenal to win 4-0.
300/1 with Skybet.
I’m on.
Wolves let a two goal lead slip and defend poorly. Nuno Espirito Santo auditioning for a new job?
@2542
?
We have a result in the schism derby, and it is good news for the pope but not for the patriarch:
Istanbul Basaksehir 0 3 Roma
COYG
Please ignore any or all of my drivel, especially as to factual elements. To my knowledge I am the first to call it the schism derby. The score was correct tho
Stadium looks empty ?
That’s because of restrictions on ticket sales, although no doubt it will be because Emery killed Jesus or some such crime.
Xhaka brought on to save Emery’s job with a 40 yard piledriver?
nice goal, that.
xhaka should have made it two.
Workmanlike performance. Little sparkle. However probably deserved lead because EF are very poor.
Good idea to start with two holding midfielders at home against this lot . A trifle conservative. Very boring game and no one near me to talk to
Nothing to get excited over. Nothing to cry about.
Arsenal -C
Frankfurt- D-
We should be further ahead. Anything could happen second half. Hopefully we will get a couple more. And not concede 4
that chambo miss make it to nb upper, ttg?
sigh. if mustafi let the ball go to emi… COYG!
Arsenal at its best yet again ffs
i’m listening to the game without sound. yet i can still heat the chants of “you’re getting sacked in the morning”. amazing.
This fans look lifeless at the ground
Once again Sokratis made a lame as fuck, almost non existent effort to block the shot for their second.
Whoever signed him ought to have his bollocks removed, pickled in his own piss then force fed to him in a sandwich made from own lungs.
OK folks get ready ….
Emery has to go. I’ve joined the sheep.
Allegri is far too smart to take this job on, so there’s only one man for it.
Fuck off to untried managers who don’t even have the right qualifications, front men for dodgy agents or midtable dross from this league.
See if we can lure Rafa away from his Chinese billions.
Scruz
Amazingly the fans are quite fatalistic.No booing yet but this is a manager being out coached again. Wrong team, wrong subs and good changes by them
ttg, looks that way. the chants must have been coming from the san jose gooners at the bar.
cynic, his lazy pass when we had a chance to break led to it too. terrible stuff.
Why not bring Pepe on instead of Torriera? This bloke has lost it!
Whiever comes in is not going to turn Sokratis into a player. I still say we’ve got some proper shit in this squad.
Good changes by them, TTG? Maybe we can sign their manager?
When was our last clean sheet? The monks could be required to figure that one out.
Coaching and tactics are also a very important part of playing the game ?
Cynic, I was thinking about your possible response to this. So relieved to read your post.
People keep saying these players are the best we have had for many seasons. I see a lot of average shite myself. Just sayin’ like.
I still think in the context of the job he had to do when he arrived, less than two seasons is too little time, especially after his first season went largely very well.
But a combination of on-pitch knobheads and an inability to get them playing above their knobheadishness, plus the impatience of the fickle, has sealed his fate.
Even for me.
Sancho, I never said that. Never thought so either.
Plenty have and plenty think it.
Aubameyang is a dreadful captain by the way.
Emery should be doing better though.. I do fear the next manager won’t be given a fair chance if we let Emery go now.
Happy for Emery to go, but we really need to re-evaluate how we rate our players. Outside of Leno, Lacazette and Aubameyang, we’re just full of youth, mediocrity, or players who have seen better days. Very few of our squad would make it into the first XI of the top 6-7 in the Premier League. I still think Guendouzi is substantially overrated. And I think people can now see the convenient touting of Tierney and Bellerin as the cure to all our ills was simplistic in the extreme too. A new manager should be able to extract more out of this team, but don’t go expecting miracles.
Wenger back in….maybe?
bt8b: Last clean sheet was on Oct 6, v Bournemouth at home in the league.
Let’s start blaming the payers now, sack the whole squad we might as well. Hey stick with Unai for sure, perhaps the back room staff will play his way properly 😀
ATG nothing wrong in calling out the truth. Some of them are piss poor and have been for the best part of 12 months.
The whole team is really struggling. Bereft of form and lacking any idea what they are meant to be doing as a unit.
With that in mind, and not to out too fine a point on it, I think those people rushing to claim that our players are all no good are well off the mark. Nowhere even close. Just plain wrong.
I thought, and continue to think, that we have an excellent squad. I don’t think Emery is a bad coach but it hasn’t worked out for him at Arsenal. When a new coach comes in and we play much better it won’t be that he is a miracle worker who coaxes brilliance from a bunch of duffers. It will be that he takes a very good group of players and moulds them into a well drilled collective.
Leno,
Bellerin, Holding, Luiz, Tierney,
Torreira, Guendouzi
Ozil,
Pepe, Auba, Laca
I’m more than happy with that. I’d play that against the best 11 of any team in the league bar City and Poo and expect a win, as long as they are setup right and believe in what they are doing.
Gregoire @2575
I disagree wholeheartedly about Guendouzi and look forward to time proving which of us is right.
Football clubs turn very quickly if they have got strong leadership and organisation on and off the field. We have neither and the manager has completely lost the ability to motivate the players but these players lack character . Ozil , Aubameyang, Sokratis and Xhaka did nothing to lift the team and you can see confidence draining out of the youngsters like Saka ( who he should have replaced), Willock and evening Tierney .
Added to that he set tonight’s team up completely wrongly and made poor substitutions and didn’t respond to the changes that they made at half time. Arsenal are in a false position and if they don’t fix it quickly it will get very nasty
Few games ago Gendouzi was carrying us on his shoulders and was also good enough, not playing Ozil was a club decision and so on…
I know we don’t have world beaters in this squad but come on there is one club sitting in 2nd place who can do it, I honestly don’t see a reason why we cant.
Unai managed to fire them up against the top 6 teams but not the weaker sides on paper anyway. I think these players have stopped playing for him some time ago.
well, no matter today’s results, i am still thankful to support the greatest club the world has ever seen. i am also thankful for dave and this space he created for us to drink. get wellest soon, holic.
and a happy thanksgiving, to all holics from western north america…
Scruz,
Happy Thanksgiving fella a pint of żubrówka in on the bar for you!
All the best landlord! Here is one to your health!
Not as sure your first XI is the third best team in the league GSD. We are really taking leaps of faith in people like Holding, Bellerin, Tierney. They have no track record of sustained performance at the top level. People also have very short memories about Ozil. He was finished at the top level 1-2 years ago, and the odd nice flick/touch is no substitute for a sustained impact on games. Luiz is on the downward slope too, and Pepe only has one good year at Lille behind him. Torreira played well in the lower reaches of Serie A for Sampdoria. As for Guendouzi – a nice passer, all action, but not good enough defensively or offensively, and teams can play through him easily. I do agree a decent coach could get more out of them, but let’s not absolve the players from how shit we’ve been recently. I do think we overestimate managerial input sometimes. It’s important, but you’re only as good as your players.
Any team these days in which Ozil can be the best player is a team full of shit players. End of story.
Tonight I again saw a group of players who played without belief, had no structure defensively and offensively relied on the individual skills of youngsters to provide chances for Aubameyang. The coach, by whom frankly I have never been convinced, has clearly lost the players, having lost most of the supporters over the last few months.
Unless this is turned around we are going to fall down the league like a stone. Relegation is not out of the question on this form. We do have several good players as well as some clowns but the former cannot play to their capacity without belief in their coach and their teammates. The players who signed in the summer must wonder what kind of nuthouse they’ve landed in.
We are a shambles and it’s as great a torture watching Emery being hung out to dry by the board as it is watching a once proud club being turned into a joke.
I’ve seen enough from Tierney in a month to be very, very confident. Especially given he’s been playing in a team that is performing awfully. Bellerin has done plenty at the top level prior to his injury that I can’t possibly see trusting him as a leap of faith.
Holding hasn’t proved himself yet, and Luiz is over his peak. But I’ve seen far worse defensive pairings perform very well with some decent coaching so as much as it is an area I’d like to strengthen it ain’t that bad either.
Ozil can be great. But if it’s not a game for him then Ceballos or Willock are fine. Not the best ever but both with a lot of potential. Like many of our players, if you want to see how good they can be then get them playing in a team that has cohesion and clear tactical awareness.
I can’t give you any reason beyond Pepe’s excellent stats last year and what I have seen of him to say that I think the kid is quality. I will say that his use in our team is almost like it is designed to nullify all of his qualities. Get the setup right and he will be a goal mine (see what i did there?)
Play Torreira in his bloody position. Then see how good he is. Let Guendouzi play with Torreira actually holding position behind him so his youthful mistakes are covered. He will lose a few balls but as he matures it will be well worth it. Top quality that lad.
I agree somewhat with your last point, that you are only as good as your players. But when I look at the team’s ahead of us in the league table I’m not sure that argument holds up. When I look at the Leicester team that won the league I don’t think they had the best players. And when I look at our current squad I actually think they are pretty good.
cheers, arthur, a pint of brother thelonius back atcha.
Cynic @2587. Dunno what story you’re reading but anything must be better than what you wrote here.
Ozil is not always effective. He can be up and down. Frustratingly peripheral sometimes.
But it is rare that I watch a football match he plays in and think that there is a more technically accomplished player on the pitch. One of the most gifted players in the world.
So the idea that players less good than him are all shit is, err, all poo poos and wee wees.
Scruz @2590.
Dear God, well typed man.
A pint of Zubowka? Arthur, are you trying to kill him? Or simply make him thankful if he has any braincells left?!
Bath & GSD tops drinks couldn’t agree more!
Thank you Scruz!
GSD,
That is a bit excessive I agree 🙂 it’s from the heart though 😀
What to say after that?
We found a way to lose.
I’m not going to slag off the
players or even the manager
but it must be obvious even
to the likes of Raul/Josh/Silent
that all the goodwill in the
world isn’t enough.
Scruz that brother thelonius looks tasty….
From the heart…
Straight to the liver!
The decision to take off Martinelli and bring Ozil for him was as baffling as starting with 3 center backs. And a perfect illustration of our chaotic incoherent frightened coaching of the last few months.
With far far poorer teams we have managed top 4. With ease.
Passing it to GSD, hopefully Sokratis will stroll this one yet again…
ATG. It sure looks to me Like żubrówka has a few too many accent marks but I really wouldn’t know now, would I? Happy Thanksgiving to you too fella, and a bottle of Canadian Rye Whiskey is on the bar for you, scruz and all the other goodfellas around here, and that includes Delia even if she isn’t really a goodfella. She made a smart decision not to attend the game it sounds like. Time for detox?
Cheers bt8 😀
Canadian Rye Whiskey looks neat have to give a try one day! Żubrówka can be drank neat like most polish vodkas, it’s scented with a bison grass blade in every bottle. Mind you I have done it before and not sure the after taste ever goes away 🙂
To round things up and glass of finest of your choice for everyone in the bar!
LARS?? Where is you bloody card? 😀
gsd, thanks for your concern, but that pint will be drunken throughout the day…hic!
slainté for the rye, bt. here’s a bottle of amaro massagli, for mixers. tasty!
Well in bt8 for the 26th century
of our illustrious run to 3000.
When I said I wasn’t going to
slag off anyone I lied.
Honestly gentlemen you watched
that and decided it’s all Ozil’s
fault. I suggest jamming it up
your jute.
ATG,
I never knew there were
bison in Poland 🙂
Happy thanksgiving to Scruz and all our American friends in this bar.
I hope it is made even happier later in the day with the sacking of Emery. I’ve no idea how he has attained his coaching record. Maybe this bloke has locked his twin brother in the attic. This season he has been appalling in almost every respect.He will cause huge damage if he stays in charge any longer.
Bath is right to mention the R word. I hope never to see him and Xhaka again at the Grove
It seems that barring a
catastrophic defeat in
Belgium ( are we playing at
Waterloo?) we qualified
tonight.
I hear reports that Xhaka instead of thanking the crowd that could make it, was posing laughing with Frankfurt players instead!
Fort sure a captain material there….
OM,
Yes we have bisons weird hey 🙂
https://metro.co.uk/2019/11/28/arsenal-fans-blast-granit-xhaka-laughing-eintracht-frankfurt-players-europa-league-defeat-11236939/
Oh dear…they will make anything out just to make a story
OM, It turns out the driving distance from Liege to Waterloo is 106.8 km so we should be alright on that score at the very least
I did see a clip of that, he doesn’t look bothered in any way where is the sporting side of it?
It’s like yeah we were shit, oh well I’m richer than you anyway 😀
OM, with a little help from cba and your good self we should be smashing through the 3000 barrier before we know what happened.
Sucha bad management all the way, fed up over and out!
Barring an unexpected but consummately welcome return to action by the Guvnor that is. His title to this thread remains as timely as it was when he wrote it though.
Toxic negativity growing like yeast. I can’t be completely at fault, can I?
Surreal evening and game. Ended with the sparse Arsenal crowd being comprehensively outsung by three blocks of club level clearly full of Eintracht Frankfurt fans.
I was one of those pleading for more time but enough is enough. End this madness before the weekend.
Time for a re-boot.
I used to think I was a bit hysterical in the Wenger era but I don’t think I ever once bleated about relegation.
Grow a pair, you jessies.
Happy thanksgiving Scruz!
And to all our gooner cousins in the US of A.
Well, we were never this bad
in the Wenger era.
You’d have to go back to the
declining sunset of the Don
Howe dynasty to find a team
this lacking in confidence and
gumption.
Waning would have been a
better word than declining
but I digress.
On a positive note, it’s good
to know there are bison in
Poland and that Liege is a
long way from Waterloo.
Thank you gentlemen:)
Mysterious tectonic fault zone found in the ocean bottom just SE of Santa Cruz, California. Anything to do with you, scruz?
Be careful on that roller coaster ride ?
And now that I think of it,
and to be fair to Don Howe
who I liked, we were this bad
in the league in the double
cup winning year of GG.
We obviously just couldn’t
be arsed in some of the
league games that I saw in
the 2nd half of that season
Reports that Patrick Vieira is the top candidate to be the head coach of Inter Miami, the new team in MLS who begin play around March 2. It could be Vieira v. Henry when Miami meet Montreal
GSD@2589: Very sound assessments.
Cynic
You don’t attend matches so you may not experience at first hand how utterly bad this team is,how negative the fan reaction is in the ground and how desperately poor the team has become. C1000 uses the right word in surreal. I never expected to see Arsenal in this state .
Emery has done a biblical job of destabilising the club, preparing the team inadequately, setting up the team wrongly EVERY game , making entirely the wrong in-game adjustments and the young players who have talent are being systematically ruined . If Emery remains in charge there is literally not a team in the division who couldn’t beat us. I don’t fancy us at all at bloody Norwich if Emery stays in charge. This team is in freefall and if we gave Mr. Emery the two years you keep banging on about we would be stuffed completely.
So rather than suggest that I grow a pair m you need to wake up and see how awful things have become , Toxic won’t adequately describe how bad it will be at that ground if things continue. No player will want to renew or stay at the club and the results will take ages to get over
I did not watch the game and not even tempted to do so and it had nothing to do with the game being played 1.30 am here in Bangalore. I have never missed one arsenal game in the last 20 years and yesterday as a clock I got up without an alarm at 1.30 only to go back to sleep, sigh what have we become.
I don’t blame emery only, the board and the owners are shambolic and been from a long time. There is no accountability and hence no one really to question. Will sacking emery mean they have done their job? i don’t think so. Who questions Raul, Edu and co? Kroenke? what a farce that is then.
We do not look like winning any game forget this one. We are just turning up and hoping it is one of those days when things click, that is the only tactic if you can call that. Xhaka laughing at the end of the game is more a headline than how we were so appalling.
I don’t know who would want to come and manage this lot, i don’t think so there is one world-class talent here that can win games on their own, auba, laca, ozil are good players and that’s it. With poor players in the defence and by god are they poor, we have no chance to be competitive whoever coaches us. Does anyone here really think we will beat norwich? if you do, i salute your optimism.
Well said, TTG. If we allow this to continue, the damage will not just be for this one season – it will take many years to repair. In fact it may never be repaired – despite what we might like to believe, we have no divine right to be eternally challenging for top 4.
I’ve got a few questions.
How come 300 Eintracht Frankfurt fans ended up in club level above where away fans would normally sit?
They clearly had tickets as they were being checked twice on the way in.
How come they congregated in just three blocks?
Did club level fans sell their tickets?
Those of us in more plebeian seats had dire threats of having our season tickets removed if we sold them on. Will this happen to club level fans who pay £4K per year for those seats%?
A reminder that we removed many of our own fans by not selling any to red members (which is why the clock end lower was so empty).
C1000
I wondered that too. I was subject to extra security going in and my season ticket specifically checked. I probably shouldn’t have said ‘Danke’
to the bloke after he did it . But he dispense smile although he’d probably heard it umpteen times. As they were sat together it seems to have been a block of seats acquired from one source .
In other news the Athletic are reporting as an exclusive that Emery will be sacked today
TTG
First you are exchanging verbals with Southampton on the tube now you are winding up our noble stewards! You are a bad lad. ???
I will say this about only have 25,000 in the ground. It made getting away home a doddle. Traffic was flowing easily on Holloway & St Paul’s road.
Cynic @2616, you were indeed hysterical in every sense of the word during the Wenger era. Your balls may be big but your judgement is questionable. At no point during the Wenger era did Arsenal’s form resemble that of a team that was going to have trouble staying in the division. We certainly had some notoriously bad results and poor runs but we never saw disorganisation and disbelief throughout the team for weeks on end.
Your defence of Emery did you credit initially until it flew in the face of rational judgement. One interpretation of your failure to see the writing on the wall for weeks on end is that you are Raul. The other is that subconscious guilt for your inappropriate behaviour over Wenger leads you to overcompensate in an equally irrational and inappropriate manner.
I am sure that Unai Emery is a perfectly nice man and has done his best. However he is out of his depth at Arsenal and he should have been asked to leave several weeks ago. The longer this goes on the further this club declines and the harder it will be for it to recover.
I feel no guilt whatsoever about Wenger. Zilch.
Well Emery is sacked, which was inevitable, and they’ve gone for the stupidly fan pleasing decision to give Ljungberg the job.
And here’s a little thought to leave you all with.
Last season wasn’t perfect but there was enough promise shown, until the final few weeks when the players bottled it totally, to suggest that with some tweaks we were on the right road.
Then a change was made to the coaching staff and performances fell off a cliff.
Who came in on the coaching side this summer again?
This is simply an observation. Have fun.
LBC reporting that Emery has been sacked. No further news at the moment.
I meant Good Ebening Tierney.
Freddie as interim
https://www.arsenal.com/news/unai-emery-leaves-club
It is true and we now have a guy running things who supposedly doesn’t even have his A licence. HAPPY DAYS.
Cheerio folks, have a good weekend.
Cynic,
Stop being so negative I honestly think we got enough of that under Emery, good luck to him!
I hope Frieddie proves you wrong too!
For sure it’s already going to be a better weekend as a result of the Execs grasping the nettle that should have been grasped after the Manure draw that demonstrayed not only the dysfunctional football played under this coach was continuing but also an abject lack of courage and ambition that has become obvious to all who have watched the team this season but the blind or wilfully obtuse.
Freddie is the only readily available stand-in and apparently only qualified to do so for 3 months (which is of course bureaucratic nonsense, largely simply justifying FIFA’s expensive coaching courses) and I have optimism that he will give the players the lift they so clearly need.
It is to the discredit of the Execs that it took them so long to act but we are where we are. It’s unlikely that such a disorganised rabble that we have watched for weeks will be transformed into a silky machine but the recovery starts now. I look forward to a different demeanour and energy from the players and hope for an early sight of some organisation and ambition.
So what do we think? Freddie for the rest of the season and take our time over the appointment or make a new appointment ASAP?
The former would give Freddie time to show what he could do.
The latter would bring stability, and give a new manager the opportunity to invest in January.
I think I favour the latter but would like to keep Freddie as part of the set up if possible.
More from Ornstein on how events unfolded via Twitter
https://twitter.com/David_Ornstein/status/1200388468473552897?s=20
It does seem as if we were misinformed about Freddie’s qualifications. Ornstein suggests that he could take over permanently if that was required/ appropriate.
I wonder where Freddie got his UEFA Pro Licence. He is not listed as a Pro Licence graduate of the 2017, 2018 or 2019 FA courses. He could have done it in Sweden, perhaps.
Answer found. Like TH14, Freddie did his coaching badges through the Welsh FA.
http://www.fawtrust.cymru/get-inspired/news/freddieljungberg/
Thanks for all your efforts Unai. That 4-2 against Spuds was brilliant and will be remembered for a long time.
Arsenal, onwards.
VCC
Here’s that Ornstein/gunnerblog piece from the Athletic in full. Fascinating stuff.
https://theathletic.com/1419135/?source=twitteruk
Best wishes to Emery for the next step in his career. He tried his best, and tried everything he could. And there have been a few memorable performances in the first seasons — the wins against the bigger teams in PL and the away wins against Napoli and Valencia.
Looking forward to some joyful attractive football again.
And now here’s Amy, talking about the search for a new manager and how it went last time.
My decision to subscribe to the Athletic seems to be paying off. Apologies if you can’t read these, but they are good.
https://theathletic.com/1419128/2019/11/29/arteta-wowed-arsenal-in-2018-but-lack-of-backroom-staff-meant-he-missed-out-to-emery-so-what-now/
With Freddie in charge for the duration, we should get a much better sense of whether it was the quality of the coach or the quality of the squad that made the wheels fall off this season.
Jorge Bird says the new interim head coach drafted in many of his former U23 side for his first training session.
https://arsenalyouth.wordpress.com/2019/11/29/burton-and-john-jules-involved-in-ljungbergs-first-training-session/
I wonder if we are going to see a Lampard-like emphasis on bringing through that generation.
Been back-reading the Arsenal Youth blog for some indications of how Freddie might manage. In his end of season review of the U23s that Freddie coached last season, Jorge Bird said, By the end of the season, Ljungberg had Arsenal playing exactly how he wanted, with his side often destroying opponents in a quick burst in the first half before conserving energy and seeing out the game with a disciplined performance in the second period. Sounds a bit like Emery, but with the second half performances sorted. Freddie liked to set up the U23s in a 4-1-2-3 formation, which should make for more attacking football than Emery’s favoured 4-3-2-1.
A very readable description of Freddie’s evolution as a coach and how he approaches his job: https://theathletic.com/1289739/2019/11/29/freddie-ljungberg-the-making-of-a-model-coach/?source=shared-article
Classy statement from Emery. Well said sir.
We all wish it had worked out better. I won’t be surprised to see him do well at his next club. Good luck Unai.
Not sure if this is true but if the players behaved in this way some should face some serious talking to and fines if proven guilty!
https://www.standard.co.uk/sport/football/arsenal-players-unai-emery-sacked-a4300281.html?utm_medium=Social&utm_source=Twitter#Echobox=1575029208
What GSD said.
I liked Emery as a person and was surprised when things starting going as sour as they did as quickly as they did this season. But I do think his English was a detriment to his effectiveness as a manager in England.
Gracias Unai por su trabajo en el Arsenal, y mejor suerte en su trabajo siguiente.
Evidently a nice, honorable man. Was hoping until the end of last season that this will work out. Sure this experience would help his career grow.
Good to see that everyone involved behaved in a dignified manner. Hopefully some of our online fan base can take down the nastiness a notch or two.
I sincerely feel sorry for him, he does strike me as a kind and honest fella. His statement as GSD mentioned is very classy, it’s a real shame it didn’t work out in the end. Perhaps the language barrier was his achilles heel.
As per my previous drink all the best to him he tried his best and I thank him for that.
On the other hand I’m getting my excitement back
I won’t be surprised to see him do well at his next club.
Hopefully he’ll have fewer shitbags in the dressing room at his next club.
GSD@2652: Well said.
Although a number of the players might not agree, Unai left the club with great dignity and a touch of class and while his later tenure was a disaster there were moments when it all looked likely to be so different. I remember leaving Craven Cottage last year , so buoyed by the quality and ruthlessness of our performance and the league win against the Totts was his high water mark in his time at Arsenal. I truly believed he was going to bring real success to the club.
Unfortunately it was never quite clear after that exactly where he was taking the club. The Athletic piece explains the series of volte faces he committed like the importance/ role of Ramsey , the Ozil situation , Koscielny’s position at the club, the switches in formation and the baffling change from being superb at changing the team to great effect ( the Totts game was the best example ) to doing increasingly inexplicable things . This season has been a disaster after an encouraging start. I went to the game with my brother-in-law last night and as a longstanding football fan , albeit not of Arsenal, he really couldn’t believe just how awful our performance was. While we bemoaned the lack of leaders and the responsibility the players needed to show, he couldn’t understand how a side of Arsenal’s stature had fallen this far.Cynic ridiculed our suggestion that this club could be sucked into a relegation battle. If you were there last night you wouldn’t have considered it far-fetched to contemplate that. Emery had taken us into a very serious situation and we had to take action. The move to Freddie is logical and we hope it brings stability rather than being a sop to the fickle. Apart from finding the right coach and coaching staff what we need to consider is if the off the field situation is as sound as I and many others thought it was at the start of the season. The next few months will be very instructive
I am looking at a 4-1-2-3 of
Leno
Bellerin, Luiz, Holding, Tierney
Torriera
Willock, Ozil
Pepe, Laca, Aubameyang
and it doesn’t look at bad side if it can play with the handbrake off.
typically sackilly english
nowt new
.
yer all fuckin racists !
ebery last bastardin one o ye
.
CUNTS
ps
paragraph much thunder T ?
TTG@2660: The fact that club administration moved to make a coaching change is a positive for ‘the off the field situation’, but you are right to highlight that how the club is run for the rest of the season is critical to whether we are in a recoverable situation or at risk of the multi-season decline about which you and others have raised fears.
One other thing that occurs to me having scanned the news stories with some amusement is the plethora of candidates we have for the top role. Unless a top-class coach falls into their lap I think Freddie will get the chance to get his feet under the table but much will depend on results and performances. We have played so unattractively this season that it will be good to play decent football again but in our situation we need to pick up some points quickly. A point at Norwich would be better than what we would have achieved and we can build from there .
The lack of a favourite and the number of names in the frame suggests nobody has a clue who might come in.
Martin Samuel in the Daily Heil gets it spot on, as usual
The same criticisms aimed at Wenger 10 years ago are thrown at Emery now. Arsenal lack leadership, are soft in the middle, weak at the back. Emery did not resolve these problems but how could he? Now that recruitment is its own department and not some names in a manager’s little black book, why is it still one man held responsible when flaws go unaddressed?
Someone gave Ozil his contract, someone left it until the final days to replace Laurent Koscielny, someone let Aaron Ramsey go, someone assembled a squad featuring two outstanding strikers and a wider group that can barely scrape a place in the top half of the table. And while Emery would be party to many of those decisions, he is not the sole architect of this underwhelming season.
He leaves Arsenal no different to how he found it. Anger beyond the perimeter fence, mediocrity within it, yet still with the delightful capacity to score some very good goals. There is a limit to how far you can go with that, mind. It’s about eighth.
I’m looking forward to Freddie’s first team
selection and The Guvnor’s first column on
his return. Lots to cover Guv!
I hope Freddie will get help from the
likes of Bouldy and BFG as he has a
tough December and January fixture
list to come. The best of luck to him.
It’s going to be a big couple of months
for many of the players too.
Unless Xhaka goes I doubt there
will be much churn in January so
it will be this group to deliver or
not. Personally, I don’t believe they
are as bad as claimed by the likes
of Samuel, a noted cunt, but we’ll see.
Samuel is not ‘spot on’ Cynic.
But OM is spot on about Samuel.
Wouldn’t wipe myself with what he writes in that rag. It’d make my arse dirty.
I like that team @2661 Ned.
Built for a 4-3 win 🙂
If he does well Freddie can use
his Scandinavian connections to
revitalise the club’s coaching
Finishing: Jensen
Rehab: Kallstrom
Ethics: Lyderson
Diving: Limpar
Discipline: TGSTEL
IQ: TGSTEL
Ephemerality: Hojsted
Thanks for the links Ned, Dr F,
C1000 and ATG.
Lots to think about on a Saturday
morning of happy idleness
I thought UE’s statement was
particularly generous in the
circumstances.
OM@2670: This could be the team next season if Freddie stays:
Leno
Swanson/Bellerin, Sabila, Holding, Tierney
Clarke/ASM
Willock, Guendouzi/ESR/Burton
Pepe/Neilson, Laca/Martinelli/Nketiah, Aubameyang/Saka
TTG@2665: The list is long but not very deep;
Allegri — turned it down once and no clear reason why he would come though the pick of what is on offer if he could be brought in
Nuno Santo — spotty record previous to Wolves
Freddie — untested at top level
Arteta — untested as a no 1
Poch — more likely to go to a top club in Germany or Spain
Vieira — not dong so well at Nice
Benitez — expensive Chinese contract to buy out
Ancelotti — likely another caretaker at best
Howe — untested outside Bournemouth, except for a less than impressive spell at Burnley
Rogers — might well see Leicester as a more promising project than us at present
Nagelsmann—limited experience and none in Premier League
Toral — Not coached outside Spain
Genesio — Not coached outside Lyon.
My two cents is that until we’re rid of the Kroenke’s, things will not change. A new interim manager could give us a small bounce, but the
problem lies with ownership, in my opinion. Let Wenger work at UEFA for
a couple of years, whilst he raises the money with investors to buy Arsenal from the Kroenke’s. I’m not saying he coaches the team, but I’d
feel a whole lot better with Arsenal owned by people who love the club.
We know Stan loves money, plus his real interest is in the other football, the NFL. One can only dream.
So you think West Ham wide boy Samuel nails it do you Cynic?
He does nothing of the sort . We lost £50 m plus because Emery decided he didn’t want Ransey after apparently telling the exec team he was going to build the team around him. He didn’t give Ozil that stupid contract but he hasn’t managed him at all.Wenger managed him completely differently as evidenced by Ozil’s stats under the two managers .
We have a slew of promising youngsters most of whom ( Saka, Willock , Tierney , Martinelli) looked completely bewildered on Thursday night . He was given a brief of improving the defence and we are now the side conceding the most shots in open play in the top leagues in Europe. There is not one single player in that squad who has improved under him and if he stayed we would have no possibility of persuading Aubameyang or Lacazette to pen a new contract. On top of that under him Arsenal played the most boring football I’ve seen since the last days of George Graham ( and George managed to win trophies with a pedestrian team )
Samuel hates Arsenal . He is part of the West Ham Mafia who emerged in the football media like Lee Clayton and Rob Shepherd who all hate other London clubs with a passion.
And as my friend GSD points out he writes for a fascist rag which incidentally I refuse to allow in my house .
@2672 Ned,
Yes, I’m curious about which
young players Freddie will
play in future – I haven’t seen
anything of Swanson, Clarke,
Burton or John-Jules.
Course, we might appoint a new
guy by Xmas – if Arteta was really
that close last time there’s no real
reason to dither that I can see.
We lost £50 m plus because Emery decided he didn’t want Ransey after apparently telling the exec team he was going to build the team around him.
Yeah it was Emery who withdrew his contract offer when it’s not his role to deal with contracts, and the supposedly smart people running that side of things decided not to give him the contract so he could be sold later instead of given away for free.
Totally believable scenario.
Completely.
A win tomorrow would lift
the mood.
I liked Ned’s team earlier
but I think Rob, Luiz and
Hector are all doubts.
So possibly a make-do
defence with the same
midfield and attack.
I hope we will be aggressive
from the off, go at Norwich
early and get a few goals.
Better passing would be a
good start.
To add to OM’s fitness report, as we cobble together a collective match preview:
Last loss to Norwich was on Oct 20, 2011, 1-0 in the League. Since then we have won five and drawn one. Our previous away defeat at Norwich was on Apr 20,1983, again 1-0, in the old First Division. However, they beat us 4-2 at Highbury in our first ever Premier League game.
Our overall record against Norwich is P 58, W 28, D19, L 11. Overall away record is P 28, W 10, D11, L 7.
First game was in the FA Cup on Jan 12, 1952, won 5-0, a winning margin we have never exceeded. We then lost our next three games against them, in the FA Cup in 1954, the First Division in 1972 and the League Cup the same year.
Last Arsenal player to score at Carrow Road was Mesut Ozil, in the 1-1 draw on Nov 29, 2015 in a game that was notable for pitting the then oldest manager in the league (AW) against the youngest (Alex Neil). Ozil is the only current Arsenal player to have scored at Carrow Road.
Our interim head coach’s record against Norwich as a player was P2 W2, both games 4-1 victories in the 2004/05 season. Freddie scored at Highbury and got two assists at Carrow Road.
We were terrible in that 1-0
loss in 2011.
A happier memory is the 1989
game when we whacked them
5-0 at Highbury. They had a
good side at the time and I was
expecting a tough game.
A cracking atmosphere to go
with a cracking performance
that I still remember with a
smile.
I hope tomorrow is more like
1989 🙂
Norwich did win last week against
a stuttering Everton side but had
3 straight defeats before that
including a loss at home to Watford.
They currently lie 18th and look to
be in for a relegation battle this
season. They have struggled for
goals since Pukki’s early season
heroics and average only one a
game.
I think boldness is called for in
the yen investment on the score.
Our possibly makeshift defence
will probably let them equal their
usual goal a game but I’m hoping
the Freddie bounce will unleash
our attack and will go for a 4-1
victory.
Great stuff Ned.
I’ll add to the match preview mixing pot that we will have Big Per in the dugout with Freddie. As an interim coaching staff put together on short notice from whoever we could find snaffling a sandwich in the club canteen I’m more than happy with that.
Cynic
They withdrew the contract offer because Emery told Sanllehi he did not want to build the team around him. Exactly as I said in my note
Try to keep up
thunder T
“a fascist rag”
how many times you vote tory ?
.
.
.
despite people trying
very trying
you can’t change yer core beliefs
damascus conversions
my fuckin holy hairy arse
Thanks for the stats Ned.
Had Emery been in charge for this game I would have been very pessimistic and I believe this would be a very tough game as Norwich are well coached and fresh off a good win at Everton. We should get a real bounce from Freddie’s appointment and players will be keen to prove themselves to the new man although he seems to have good relationships with most of them . I do hope we can start a new positive era in the club’s history with a win. I’ve yet to have a drink today but I’m going to go for a 2-0 win.
Incidentally re my correspondence with Cynic over Ramsey I read that we followed the recommendation to sign Dennis Suarez in January and that deal cost us 5 million but I can’t remember if it was Euros or pounds. Not the best deal we ever did
?
yup
Ned, Let’s hope Freddie’s two wins at Norwich in his playing career are a harbinger of tomorrow’s result. Crossing my fingers.
With Freddie and Per at least we should look like Arsenal in the dugout.
Here’s to the fyootya.
Watching Giroud make a
rare start for Chelski.
Not going too well for him
so far though they don’t
really play a style that suits
Giroud.
Wham actually winning with
10 minutes to go
Spuds winning though.
Chavski did lose, hopefully
the start of their unraveling.
bath
there’s the offensive
.
i’ll deposit surreal and narcissistic
anon
here have a tune
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4VDS8uArR0A
he’s from a place
your lot stole
a coastline
i saw for the first time
in my forties
giants causeway an stuff
to be fair
it’s shite
but the actual north coast is lovely
was only there once
liked a few of the wee towns
.
interesting and sad
that a man nearly sixty
never saw the coastline
or
should i say THAT coastline
right beside me
because of circumstance
.
dreadfully sad state of affairs
we all grew up in
i live by the ocean now
but
it’s the green part of the ocean
.
just terribly sad
.
.
if
only
there
was
someone
to
blame
.
??
.
.
.
1-0 to the Arse tomorrow
Spell checker got my name wrong 🙂
at all times
during this
of course
i was an absolute matinee idol heart throb
.
.
so there’s yer narcissism
i will work on the surrealism
ps
2701
if you fuckin can’t even be fuckin bothered
to come here
with your A game …
.
.
.
welcome
yer among friends
here ,
have a monster munch
and
a smile
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CqrQ-ZI29Pk&app=desktop
.
i’m gonna miss makin soda bread
for complete strangers
driving past and stopping
‘Oh yurr cotttaaage is so lovely’
.
Thanks very much
Etc bla bla
.
‘I wonder could you help us’
‘I’m McLaughlin and my wife is Doherty’
‘We think our ancestors were from around here’
.
.
right o pilgrim
let me stop you there
everyone round here is called one or the other
.
.
d’ye wanna a cup o tea
so i can explain yer haystack needle folly
‘o we wouldn’t want to put you to any trouble ‘
.
.
.
.
“GET OUT OF MY SOON TO BE WINNEBAGO!”
.
.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_LieSFaKaPY
.
.
.
and
that bath
is the end
petal
That, cba@2712 is truly awful. You have posted some excellent stuff in the past as well as some dreadful stuff but that is by far the worst thing ever. I just don’t know where you find stuff like that. A handsome fella like yourself, yourself.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xpsDE6KCY9s
?
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=irV5TN7ghGQ&app=desktop
They withdrew the contract offer because Emery told Sanllehi he did not want to build the team around him. Exactly as I said in my note
Try to keep up
I forgot you were close personal friends with the board.
Or something.
Don’t be an arse Cynic. Let’s keep this civil.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=l_oRLe1DkMY
“the emery board ?”
.
shite joke
i shoulda filed it under …
bit rough
and
had another pun
ready
.
sorry
i don’t
.
so
.
.
.
#incidental music#
.
.
.
.
SYMMETRY
.
ish
.
.
.
i read WAY too much 8ball on here
Just to be clear, I have not a drop of Irish blood in me nor can I play the fiddle. Any fiddle of any kind. Not that I wouldn’t mind if I did or I could.
Well in cba at the magic 2700
You fucking impostor
Not that I really want you to let out a stream of insults at the poor bt8
i can’t play the fiddle
that’s a racial stereotype
that thankfully is being
hounded out
.
shame on you
.
.
.
i do however
live on a farm
commune with cows
play the bodhrán and the banjo
and
have an accent that hurts the hearer
.
so
all things considered
you were there or thereabouts
Not to say my previous drink at 2019 is not still valid, in the extreme, but there are a few more important things to add.
a. The year of ‘holic’s extended health difficulties, much lamented and wished to be over by all of us.
b. The year of the downfall of Unai Emery.
c. Hopefully not the year of TTG and Cynic’s supremely insurmountable spat (#c would never been at issue without #a and #b, it is to be assumed).
d. Hopefully the year of Arsenal’s magic turnaround.
Back to the kitchen it being about near dinnertime on the edge of the prairie. The Coleman neighbor boy doesn’t play the fiddle cba, he plays the harp.
amen 8ball
amen
‘holic daily gets happy thoughts of health
hurled at him from here
and
as for those two naughty wee rapscallions
“WHY I OUGHTTA !”
the harp 8ball
tis a national symbol
but
only rich fuckers were ever even
in the same building as one
ever in their lives ever
ever even
though this
is a favourite harp tune of mine
“Oooh Mr la di dah Gunner Graham”
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6YZfawyVrPE
(maybe many degrees bath might prefer this)
(i suspect at least 2 of his degrees are fake anyway)
Don’t be an arse Cynic. Let’s keep this civil.
If people don’t talk down to me like I’m some kind of brainless cunt, I will do so.
No matter how brainless I sound sometimes….
Chris
Wilder
Tops it.
And I wish people (hi Josh) would shut the fuck up about Arsenal DNA, it’s a totally meaningless phrase for wankers that sounds good and means fuck all.
The End.
cynic
can i have a row with you ?
pass the time , like
.
.
can’t imagine i’d win wordily wise
but the dirty looks you’d get from me
would be withering !
oul shortbread fake degrees
and 8ball
are right though
general widespread fucked offness
and no mighty ‘holic to steer the ship
has resulted in stuff
fuck all wrong with that
you cunts can do what ye like
we’re not a knitting circle
but
if we could
as a unit
self moderate our language
it’d be a fuckin start
don’t ye think
to fresher smelling curtains
for
the boss’s return
.
.
the lazy cunt
?
.
.
.
*tumbleweed*
.
.
.
i hope we don’t get here
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yjg6flu3zuc
before davey baby resurfaces
.
.
.
smiles
and happy happy joy joy
from Donegal
shine up yer loafers
de-mothball yer crombie
there’s business still needs seen to here big man
.
.
.
oh and breaking news
[Mary says hello]
not that that says much
she’s no taste that woman
I have excellent taste this clown is refusing to go to bed though like a spoilt brat and its late.Get well soon goonerholic.
.
.
.
there ye go
straight from the
as it where
we’re
were
.
?
moooooooooooooooooooooo
Good morning all, I hope the
day finds you hale and hearty.
Now, that is civil.
excellent osaka M
i am gonna stop being unnecessarily rude
(prior appointments only)
i think we can clean this here town up
in preparation for
Sheriff Idle Bollix’s return
And I was rewarded for my
civility with an inadvertent
fifty.
The lesson is clear – good things
happen for boys who have good
manners and enjoy lurking.
Oh, we are the good guys?
It’s an old, old tale to be
honest cba.
Boy meets boy online. Boys
have shared “hobby”.
Boys fall out over who is the
Arsenalest DNAest of them
all. Boys meet on Hampstead
Heath for a duel. The police are
called in.
Ohayo gozaimasu, OM. Castle Ned’s contribution to the morning’s civility.
well seein’ as i originate
most of the tripe on here
i would be in a unique position
to shut that noise hole down
so i have , am and all the other tenses
am and have
.
.
.
so that’s a start
.
.
it’s a bit early
but it’s December
so
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nUKku3MhCPs
Good morning to you too Ned.
I hope lauds wasn’t too onerous
on the knees
howdy ned
may mark mothersbaugh
going
“deedle eedle ee dee”
“deedle eedle ee dee”
“doodly doodly doo”
be your and yours ‘s guide to joy
.
UP THE FESTIVE ARSENAL !
Does that guy get paid for that?
What a world we live in.
No pain, no gain, OM.
And howdy to you, cba.
Picture of the day:
https://www.arsenal.com/sites/default/files/styles/medium/public/images/DSC_0159_2019113032521787.JPG?itok=Jf4vjO-E
.
herself bought me a box of matchmakers
from the pound shop earlier
and
shy of Bing and Bowie being in the room
i couldn’t have felt more christmassy
2759
awww bless
unfortunately as a result of things various
i have the monumental shits currently
so i gave them to
well it’s none of yer business
but they went i have no doubt
to a home with a sturdier hoop
so big mint sticks of wonderment abound
used to love them though
fuckin a wee bit posh
yer matchmaker
weren’t they
they know themselves
i’m sure
they don’t belong in a pound shop
but
tories !
innit
A box of matchmakers for
a quid does sound a rare
bargain.
So I expect nothing more than a 4 nil win and sublime football today and for the rest of the season. Afterall we have the players in place and the right coach now.
cba @2714,2715 & 2718, now there’s a welcome return to form. Let’s hope the Arsenal can match that.
Freddie’s first XI
Leno
Chambers, Mustafi, Luiz, Kolasinac
Xhaka
Guendouzi, Willock
Ozil, Lacazette, Aubameyang
Bench
Martinez, Sokratis, Tierney, Torreira, Pepe, Saka, Martinelli
BBC saying team will line up 4-3-1-2 with Xhaka, Guendouzi and Willock ahead of a back four of Chambers, Mustafi, Luiz and Kolasinac and Ozil at No 10 behind Laca and Auba up front.
Notable that Freddie becomes the third manager to make Xhaka a nailed-on starter. Also Auba keeps the captaincy, though that is perhaps little suprise.
Not sure how much that is driven
by injuries but certainly an interesting
choice. Mus preferred to Papa. Both
CBs comfortable on the ball.
No wingers but 3 on the bench.
I guess we are attacking down the
middle unless I mistake Freddie’s
intent.
An interesting selection and one UE would have had instant criticism for. But then relationships between coach and players are different so we shall see how they react on the pitch.
If Emery had picked this team I would be crying . Let’s have faith in Freddie!
Xhaka? Ljungberg? What Do You Think?
Come on PerMer!
Thoughts are with Benik Afobe and his family today, the rest of it doesn’t matter.
I’m gutted to see Xhaka start. Hopefully he plays well but I’ll expect a typical 6/10 from him.
I guess today is more about our intent and approach than any great tactical changes.
Who’s captain?
Auba is captain. Sensible to keep it that way
Whisper it quietly but feeling optimistic again with invincible Freddie in charge. I hope Holic is doing well and not far from posting a blog soon – it’s been ages it seems.
Interesting that Freddie has gone for a completely experienced starting eleven except Willock.
Ned, if we do line up 4-3-1-2, we could have the same problem of there being a huge gap between the midfield and front three. Willock and Guendouzi will have to play the role of making runs upfield to occupy that in-between space while the two ball playing full backs and Xhaka might look for longer balls from deep to feed the front three. Look forward to how the team responds in terms of overall attitude. COYG
Best wishes to Benik Adobe and his family.
Front 4 great defence defending midfielders average.
Well that was great dodgy defence yet again
Krul is such a twat.
Get in there after second attempt come on now lads lets score a score another one!
Auba scores the penalty on second attempt and we are square again. 1-1. COYG.
I love you VAR
waa waa waa
Yes I do
woo woo woo
until the next time anyway
Terrible defending
Back behind again 2-1. It will take a long time before we improve defensively.
If that penalty had happened to us, we’d be fizzing but VAR has shafted us enough this year so we were due one.
Still shit at the back and not very good going forward. Who knew?
Emery out.
Oh.
It will take more than two days coaching and motivating by a new coach to eliminate the longstanding vulnerability of this defence to breakaways. However there is a much more positive dynamic on the ball and we have to be patient. Let’s win the second half!
UE is gone, it doesn’t matter
who was wrong or right.
We need to pull this game
today round.
COYGS!
Baff knows.
Much more positive dynamic indeed. Now we need a result
That was a penalty.
Get in, Auba!!!!
Get in Auba!
Two balls on the pitch for the goal, surprised VAR never ruled it out.
Our defending is beyond awful . As Cynic said who knew?
Anything could happen here
I say I am surprised because it looked like a gift for VAR to impose itself on a game yet again when there’s no need.
Torreira about to come on for Willock. I would also bring on Pepe for Ozil next. A dribbler with them defending deep would be ideal.
I am again in agreement with Cynic. I would have though Stockley Park would have instantaneously invented the ‘ two balls’ rule.
Agree with Desi re Pepe…and we bring on Saka! That boy is a bit lacking in confidence but Freddie knows him
The ladies scored 11. Could we have one of them please ?
Norwich appear to be better at passing and their movement off the ball is great. Our biggest problem is our predictability in everything we do.
Ljungberg didn’t get the bounce new coaches get. Same shit same result.
Different manager, same players, same result. We are a complete joke.
Pleased to see Freddie look so disappointed at the end , it shows some positive thinking. I’d like to digest the game before commenting but he picked what I thought was a very odd team and while we could have won with the defence we had out we could easily have lost and had Leno to thank in the end
Thank God for the keeper.
Defence shit, midfield shit, Ozil and Lacazette shit, ref shit, VAR shit, weather wasn’t too shit.
End of match report.
Awful news about Benik Afobe’s daughter. Thoughts and condolences with him and his family. Cynic is right. The rest of it doesn’t matter.
Watched an interesting discussion on YouTube earlier with Kelly Dogleash, Robbie Cuntage, Some French Bloke and Lee Dixon, regarding Emery’s sacking and [i]what next?[/i]
Lee Dixon said (and I agree with him) that the next guy needs four years to get the club into shape and almost forget the results. He said Patrick Vieira should be the man to make it The Arsenal again and it shouldn’t matter where he finishes for the first couple of years.
Yeah, right… he’d never be given the time by the fans.
Personally I would quite like it if someone like Vieira came in and had Keown as assistant, with a long term vision to make it a special club again. But it ain’t going to happen.
There was a lot to like about Freddie’s first game:
We played higher up the pitch. We dominated possession for large periods of the game and a lot of the game was played in the opposition half. We pressed them well in the first half and also in the initial minutes of the second half. We did not prosper from the turn-overs we forced because of the pressing but if we keep at it consistently – we will.
The overall rhythm was rather reminiscent of Wenger teams with the full backs pushing high up to provide width and making us very susceptible to the counter attacks. This style of play demands too much of the midfield who invariably get caught and leave the defenders without any cover. If this is the identity of Arsenal then we will need to add a Busquets like midfielder next season(or January ideally)to replace Xhaka and two pacy ball playing central defenders one of whom will be hopefully Saliba.
Sincerest condolences to Benik Afobe and family on the tragic loss of their young daughter.
It’s far too early to assess Freddie’s potential as head coach and we saw the same old problems in this defence and midfield which will take weeks and new personnel to eliminate.
I agree with Lee Dixon and Cynic on what this club needs: a new head coach who gets a reasonable time period to build and develop a squad to challenge at the top of the PL.
Whether its FL8, PV4 or MA8 who gets the nod as next longterm head coach, an Arsenal ‘whippersnapper’ would be a more imaginative appointment than the ‘safe choice’ of a Benitez, Santo, Rodgers or Allegri. An ex-Arsenal favourite might also get more patience from the fans though I wouldn’t bet the farm on it.
However I suspect the Kroenkes will insisdt on a safe appointment I also suspect they are happy to have the ‘fig-leaf’ of an ex-Arsenal player around but an Arsenal Invincible dynasty running the club might threaten their KSE brand.
Just seen the terrible news on Benik Afobe’s daughter. Puts things in perspective. Condolences to Benik and his family.
I don’t expect us to do it but I’d love to see us bring in God as offensive coach, Keown as defensive coach and either stick with Freddie or have him as number two to Arteta or Vieira.
I thought that we were better today. But still a way to go in defence and I don’t like the way Xhaka is completely unable to turn with the ball when he receives it facing our goal. The time between a defender playing it in to him and having it returned straight back is valuable seconds for the opposition midfield to get their press going and consistently puts us under pressure.
Still, now Freddie has a few training sessions to get his ideas across.
I also would have liked to see Pepe today. We need to work him into the team and I’d like him to know he is valued and will be used better. If he had played in Reyes’ position in that team of old he would have scored and assisted shed loads.
We could really have done with three points but I don’t think we would have got them under Emery either and as most people seem agreed that any new manager will need plenty of time I’m surprised to see people getting wound up that we didn’t revolutionise the way we play after two training sessions and calling us a complete joke and suchlike. Utter nonsense.
I really enjoyed seeing Freddie and Per in the dugout.
Onwards to the next week of training and the upcoming matches.
GSD @2813, it was indeed nice to see Freddie and Per on the bench.
It may offer only a small percentage advantage on the field but Freddie does cut a much more reassuring figure in the technical area. Determined Viking visage, high cheekbones, no grimacing or tics, grease-free scalp, erect posture and sartorially aware.
If only he was as good looking as cba, we might have won.
Ayr, baffled. That Freddie – he’s not bad looking, but he’s no underwear model.
Oh
Bloody spillchucker.
I’m sure I typed “Aye, baff…”.
Whatever.
I’m very happy if a really good coach comes in with coherent ideas and implements a long-term vision. You’d need to see clear progress and exhibit more patience than is normally the case at PL teams.If the football is progressive , attractive and improving I could live with that .
The problem is if you gave Emery four years you’d be playing to empty grounds in the Championship so the choice is crucial. I’m inclining towards Arteta with an experienced head alongside him .
I’m also not against the idea of bringing in an underwear model to sit on the bench and improve morale as long as SHE doesn’t get objectified by male football fans because I know what some of you on here are like .
Well Jordan’s hard up for cash at the moment. She’s hardly top four material and strictly mid table at best, but on that basis is ideal.
The Lee Dixon thing is here. A long watch but worth it. Also contains Amy Lawrence and the solid gold legend that was Matthew Upson.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zhw2mNj48_U
Sarcasm and the internet. Goes together like curry and … custard.
Re: bath @2814. A touch too much emphasis on appearances for my liking. Fact is, Ljungberg appears to have put on a few pounds. 😉
I thought Freddie’s interview for the BBC was quite good. It will probably be cut down to twenty seconds on BBC so they can have an orgasm about Rodgers on MOTD 2 tonight.
I was gobsmacked by his team selection . I hoped we had seen the last of Xhaka on Thursday night let alone see him reunited with Mustafi . I’m completely underwhelmed by Luiz as a defender and to prefer Kolasinac to Tierney is bizarre. I also cannot understand why we put on Saka who has been adversely affected this season by the turmoil when we had Pepe on the bench. Leno and Aubameyang were good and I thought Torreira did well in his cameo .
We must allow Freddie to stamp what authority he can on the role and also remember that there are many confused players in that squad. I think at its best it is a very decent squad but that would assume we play a much better defence than today maybe Hector- Chambers- Holding – Tierney.
Youngsters like Guendouzi , Willock and Saka mustn’t be overplayed and we haven’t got much midfield back-up so I hope for the rest of this season we make progress but I suspect any chance of European football will come if we could win the Europa League. I’m not sure this team will be certain of finishing in the top half but football is strange and a new appointment if it works could be a launching-pad. If it’s weeks away we hope Freddie can steady the ship and get us playing much better football.
Whilst I disagreed strongly with Cynic on giving Unai Emery more time, I do agree with him that there are players in our midfield and defence who are simply not good enough, whether from unreliability, being prone to error, lack of pace or simple inability and who must be replaced. This squad needs upgrades in midfield and central defence as while organisation will certainly help it will only take many of the existing squad so far.
A further concern is that during their injury enforced absence Bellerin, Holding and Tierney have taken on the mantles of saviours which of course they’re not. With luck and full recovery they should be ugrades on several of the players who have stood in for them but they’re not going to turn this team from mediocre into challengers.
It will take several windows to rectify the problems in this squad unless the new coach is a miracle worker and can transform average players into top performers. The current situation is so dire that I fear that it will require a coach with experience of top level management rather than the admittedly attractive and romantic ‘brave’ option of an Arsenal whippersnapper. This may be a bigger job than Freddie, Mikel or Paddy are ready for. Another 18 months of progressive deterioration cannot be risked. Furthermore we may have to accept that some of our more sellable assets won’t be prepared to commit their career to the rebuild and their value must be realised to invest in players who will address the squad’s deficits.
Strap yourselves in, Gooners.
Our “bigger” players are nearly all turned 30 and are write offs anyway. When I saw the story about Abayeang to Madrid for £70m PLUS James, I was gobsmacked.
I know we don’t exactly have the top drawer of player here but at his age that is a great deal, even though I’d prefer Ceballos to James if we’re doing makeweights. If Martinelli is going to break through and we’re going to keep Pepe, someone has to go…
You look at the current group and I would say Luiz is going to be a one season blunder, Sokratis will go, Mustafi would have gone ages ago if we’d had our way, Torreira might be off, Ozil will be going because he’s like having gold plated turds on your lawn (nice to look at but ultimately useless), Bellerin might think he can do better (and so can we) and then you come to Lacazette and Aubameyang.
That is one hell of a rebuild.
Write offs in terns of building a side around them, I mean. They’re too old, too poor to build around anyway and will be eyeing up China and the USA.
Freddie’s post-match presser:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KbVtpQ0twp4
I agree with both Bath and Cynic. This is a long job and football being the mercenary business it is we may have to trade assets especially if we get silly offers like the Aubameyang one.
While I have been pillorying Emery the problems began and grew because Kroenke ceded far too much power to Wenger who made increasingly bad decisions as he started to lose his grip.
I think a very good coach might get a tune out of this lot but it will take a while to get confidence and organisation together and this season is likely to be a write-off which may mean you lose some of your best ( most valuable ) players and as Cynic suggests you may actively want the older ones to leave if you get silly offers. As fans we need to accept this but it won’t stop a lot of fans abusing Kroenke when we don’t replace top stars with other top stars. We addresses the wrong positions in the summer. Pepe can’t get past Saka and Nelson so paying £72 m for him when we have so many other priorities seems daft and buying a brilliant young centre back and loaning him back is something clubs with better immediate resources can do .
I saw this band and immedaitely thought of cba
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lpz3gW4RJIM
‘designer gooner@2809: Saliba getting good reviews now he is fit again and playing for St. Etienne.
possession = domination
ya falla?
100%
These are the upcoming contract expiries. Current age in brackets:
Next June: Macey (25), Ceballos (23)
June 2021: Sokratis (31), Ozil (31), Luiz (32), Auba (30), Mustafi (27)
June 2022: Laca (28), Kola (26), Martinez (27), Chambers (24), Guendouzi (20)
June 2023: Leno (27), Xhaka (27), Bellerin (24), Holding (24), AMN (22), Torreira (23), Nelson (19), Mapravanos (21)
June 2024: Tierney (22), Pepe (24), Martinelli (18)
Implies that Sokratis, Ozil, Luiz, Auba and Mustafi will all have to shipped out next summer if we are to get anything for them.
…at the end of the game it became a bit too open for my liking…
exactly, Fred…and?
Transition, man!
BINGO!
man
I love you Freddie
Well done ‘holic the winner of the Europey League weekly sweepstakes. ?
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wuyzrqEA2DQ
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iyIOl-s7JTU
yeeeeeeeeeeeeeaaaahhhhhhhhhhhhhh!
Borussia Moenchengladbach topping the Bundesliga with their best start to a campaign since 1976.
Who gives a fuck about Borussia M.
get a life, loser
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nqHT3cYSxmk
oops
Not a bad performance I thought.
Excepting the alarming last 5 or
10 minutes. Good from Leno.
Poor defending on the first goal but
a bit unlucky with the deflection.
Good nerve on the retake from Auba.
Correct call by VAR as well.
Good finish on the second from
Norwich. We stuck at it and got
an equaliser.
On to the Brighton game now.
I expect Freddie will make some
changes as we go forward so I
won’t read too much into the
team selection yesterday.
Any injury updates on the Guvnor?
Thanks for the contract info
Ned.
I’d certainly ship Mus and
Papa out. Maybe give Macey
a chance to find first team
football this summer.
Saliba will come in so that will
be one new CB.
The other decisions should depend
on how the players do over the
next few months.
Who cares about the history of Borussia M?
Anybody who saw Allan Simonson playing for them in the 70s for starters
With Saliba, a fit Rob Holding, Chambers and Mapravanos for the cup team and perhaps Luiz running down the second year of his contract for some experienced backup we should be good for CBs next season, even if we don’t manage to bring in a serious upgrade. Most of all we need to sort out the DM in front of them. Torriera has to be bedded into the role, if it is to be him, AMN blooded into the role if it is to be him, or a new Gilberto has to be brought in. As GSD said @2813, Xhaka is too ponderous for the Premiership as a DM.
I thought we were brighter today than for some time. We started at a good tempo and Krul kept them in it in the first half, much as Leno did us towards the end. We even looked a bit more organised defensively than of late — except when we weren’t. Yet even those moments were fewer than of late. Nonetheless we managed to give both goals away during the unorganised minutes.
Simonsen
Also, though I would have started Tierney ahead of Kolasinac, Kola didn’t have a bad game.
I’d agree with all of that
Ned at the moment.
If Torreira isn’t trusted as
our DM by Freddie either
then we may as well sell
him. I hope we will at least
have a look at him there
though. Calum would be
another candidate I guess
and another player we need
to decide on. He’s a useful
squad player.
We should give Saliba, Tierney
and Pepe time as well as the
youngsters. But for the likes
of Kola, Papa, Mus, Xhaka,
Ozil, Torreira, Emi – i.e. the
more experienced guys – we
should be clear by the end of
the season on who goes,
who stays and who we want in.
The interim situation makes it
trickier but it’s just an excuse.
Even if god coached this set of defenders, he would have given up. it is simply an acceptance whenever I see them defend that they are going to make schoolboy errors. The slowness of xhaka tracking back only make it obvious. I really want to understand who told this set and the previous ones as well the “art” of keeping going back when someone runs at you? I thought you should man up and block him, right way or the wrong way. Why do we keep going back every single time??? sick
Without leno and auba we will be closer to relegation, that is the sheer fact. Leno at pool would have kept more clean sheets than Allison as well dare i say. We have a bunch of average players who depending on the mood, turn up or are least bothered. The board should take the blame off the fiasco we continue to be and neither the sacking of emery or getting in freddie will really change anything.
Ned,
Thanks for that info.
As you say our action plan is pretty clear and Sanllehi has said if people don’t sign in their penultimate year they go when you can get a decent fee. Much will depend on who the manager is and if the squad believe in him if they are going to sign and if , of course we believe in them .
I look at that list of CBs and they just aren’t good enough. Luiz has been a poor signing and it’s hard to work out if there is confidence in Holding among the coaching staff. You are right about the DM. I think Xhaka is too slow to play in the PL , he made an error yesterday which let in Pukki and Leno saved us. We also need to decide if Torreira can play in that DM role. He certainly isn’t good enough to play further upfield.
I’ve been very vocal that this is a decent squad but examining some areas we are thin and we do need to use our best players like Tierney ahead of Kolasinac. I’m not sure any of our summer signings can be very happy about joining us given the chaos that has ensued. We can’t do much at Christmas but if we could trade Xhaka for a decent DM and maybe get a CB in on loan that might help
Hugely disappointed in the team selection. Freddie needed to show us that he could see the problems that we all do. He would have been forgiven if we lost, a free pass, as long as we could see some hope.
Instead, he gave us Xhaka ( who I never want to see wear the shirt again), Mustafi ( the same but for different reasons) Kola instead of Tierney, Luiz who is just a mistake and Guendozi. Willock was poor, Ozil basically anonymous.
If he’s not prepared to change the mix and the attitude then what’s the point? I wanted to see a bold expression of something different, even if we lost to a team doomed for relegation, but I just got more of the same old same old.
Hugely disappointed in an opportunity missed. I expected more.
UTA.
Freddie needed to show us that he could see the problems that we all do.
He could.
He put them in the team.
That lineup was a far worse one than anything Emery picked this season.
Mustafi played because of Mertesacker’s influence in my opinion, so those who think Mert might make a decent boss some day .. think on.
It was just one team gentlemen.
Why would Mert influence Freddie
to pick Mus?
I wonder why a German centre back turned coach would think a German centre back is the answer.. Hmmm.
Freddie had one day to try to imprint his own football philosophy on the squad who over the last several weeks have amply demonstrated their confusion with UE’s constant chopping and changing. He has a series of players who have been underperforming and whose capacity to respond to new ideas is at best uncertain. Of course he was going to select largely the same team as Emery would have selected.
It is more likely that Freddie replaced Sokratis with Mustafi because the former has had a series of disastrous performances recently whilst the latter has looked reasonably good in recent cup games – that proved a mistake. Hector is injured so he chose Chambers over AMN, probably because he has had a few decent performances recently – sadly that proved a mistake. Luis brings experience to a relatively fragile defence, without it should be added bringing solidity but was probably preferable to Sokratis alongside Mustafi (Laurel & Hardy spring to mind). I don’t understand why he selected Kolasinac over Tierney but I didn’t think he had a bad game (for him) and Tierney had a mare in the previous game.
As to midfield, no doubt he selected Willock because of his knowledge of his potential but unfortunately he had a poor game but that’s always a risk with a young player. He also had a major knock early on prior to which he was more active. We didn’t have a huge number of options in MF which is why he went with Xhaka and Guendouzi. I personally would have chosen Torreira over Xhaka but I don’t watch them in training and clearly both UE and FL8 are less confident in selecting Torreira as DMFer for whatever reason than we fans are. He selected Ozil as his creative midfielder/10 and in view of the lack of chance creation and shots recently, his recent game time and the paucity of alternatives that wasn’t unreasonable.
Not unreasonably Freddie selected PEA and Lacazette up front as their goals have kept us afloat (just) in recent games. Tim on 7amKO makes the point that neither Ozil nor Lacazette perform as well in away games but I don’t think Freddie was ever likely to start his first game away from home with a front three of PEA, Pepe and Martinelli.
I was surprised by the substitutions. I would have replaced Ozil or Lacazette with Pepe around 65 minutes but again Freddie may share the concerns UE had with Pepe expressed in his under-selection. A worrying possibility. I wouldn’t have subbed Willock with Torreira, I would have put Martinelli on at that point and given him time to make an impact. Saka for Guendouzi was unproductive but that’s young players for you again. Again I would have chosen Pepe at that point.
I don’t think that’s Freddie’s choice of ‘best team’. I also don’t think it’s time to get on his back. The selection was dictated by lack of time to prepare, dressing-room politics and pragmatism.
It’s a huge challenge for Freddie. Arguably this squad is worse than the one UE inherited, lacking the drive and goals of Ramdo and defensive nous and relative security of Koscielny. Freddie deserves our patience and support.
Bath@2853: well said.
An excellent note Bath, thanks.
The only info I can add is that Tierney had a training knock and was not risked as a starter. Why there is some thought that Mertesacker is trying to bring about a covert Teutonic coup defeats me. I hadn’t been as turned off by Mustafi this season as I have by Sokratis and Luiz, until Thursday when I thought he was poor . He was poor again yesterday but we aren’t replete with great ( any ) centre backs who can step in.
It’s way too early to be anything but supportive to Freddie . I was one of the first to be calling for Emery’s head but that came in his second season . It may take him some time to sort out the mess . If it does someone else may take it off his hands as they will see the season slipping away.
Thanks for the info on Tierney’s training knock, TTG. That explains Freddie picking Kolasinac to start. And I am with you in seeing nothing conspiratorial in Mustafi starting. Sokratis deserved to be dropped, Holding is out injured, Chambers was needed at right back and Mapravanos is still getting back to full fitness. That leaves Luiz and Mustafi as the available centre backs. So perm two from two.
Apparently Mertesacker’s latest edict is that all player meals are served with pumpernickel bread
He is also fining all players who arrive for training in cars not made in Germany
Anybody else thinking that this idea that Big Per likes Mustafi because he is German is the sort of thing you’d expect to find in the comments section of the Daily Mail?
I see the Bar since my last visit is still being run by the inmates,in the continued absence of the Landlord.
A lot has happened in the interim,but finally after much binding in the marsh,Emery has departed,and Freddie has been given the interim job of trying to repair the terrible damage done to the Club, that has made us a laughing stock on the pitch.
I never thought i would see the day our Captain would say,
” We were scared of Watford “,then and now the absolute worst team in the league.
But with the powers that be,dithering away,unable to see what everyone else could see,we continued to muddle on,with things going from bad to worse,the players riddled with indecision,completely baffled by the bizarre tactics and team selections of a cold blooded manager,with absolutely zero man management skills.
No actual framework or structure to be seen on the pitch,just a mishmash of different lineups,one week a back 3,then a back 4,different midfield lineups every week,no continuity whatsoever,nobody knowing who would be lining up alongside them from one game to the next.
How does that build cohesion and team togetherness on the pitch,where players automatically can make passes or make runs into the opposition half,knowing the ball will just arrive at their feet. ??
Long gone has been what we enjoyed most as supporters,the free flowing,quick passing,attacking moves that we loved.
To be replaced by the most turgid,defeatist,morally bankrupt,frightened football i have seen in many a long year.
Players afraid to express themselves,locked in the vice of the manager’s rigid laughable game plan,scared to fail,so make the easy sideways or backwards pass and pass the buck,as we lurched from one disastrous performance to another.
Quite why it took this long for Sanehli and Co to pull the trigger,baffles me.
Emery was brought in to continue with our attacking way of playing,and to fix our defensive issues,he has done neither.
But now he has belatedly been shown the door,i wish Freddie all the best in trying to undo the damage done.
It will take a while,but i do believe that most of our squad are up to the task,if they are given the freedom to play without fear of failure.
I would love to see Bobby Pires added to the coaching staff,to get the best out of Pepe,and to build up the confidence of the younger attacking players in the squad.
There is nothing like a couple of wins to get the momentum shift going in the right direction,so let’s hope that starts with Brighton on Thursday.
Excellent post Baff.
The statos at CIES have been analysing the clubs in the big five European leagues over this calendar decade, in part to try to find what makes for a successful club over the long haul.
https://football-observatory.com/IMG/sites/mr/mr50/en/
Their conclusions aren’t exactly rocket science.
Although money is more than ever a key factor, other elements come into play. Squad stability stemming from good strategic planning, as well as the ability of clubs to get the best out of the talents trained in their youth academies and to stimulate a strong sense of belonging to all parties concerned (players, staff, supporters, etc.), remain crucial success criteria even in the today’s hyper-commercial and globalised environment.
The listing of the 20 players who have played in the biggest percentage of our league games in the 2010s may be of interest, if only to provide some trips down memory lane. The figure after the name is total minutes played.
63.8% Laurent Koscielny 21,421
47.7% Aaron Ramsey 16,019
44.8% Nacho Monreal 15,055
41.9% Mesut Özil 14,058
40.5% Per Mertesacker 13,609
36.4% Theo Walcott 12,222
35.7% Héctor Bellerín 11,974
35.3% Wojciech Szczęsny 11,849
33.6% Bacary Sagna 11,285
33.6% Olivier Giroud 11,263
32.2% Santi Cazorla 10,808
30.2% Alexis Sánchez 10,125
29.1% Petr Čech 9,783
26.8% Granit Xhaka 8,995
25.3% Kieran Gibbs 8,493
25.3% Mikel Arteta 8,477
24.3% Jack Wilshere 8,163
21.3% Shkodran Mustafi 7,164
21.0% Thomas Vermaelen 7,036
19.0% Alexandre Song 6,384
We’ll face Leeds in the 3rd round of the FA Cup. It will be the 10th time we’ve drawn them in the competition. Seven wins (four after replays) and two defeats so far, the 1972 final and the 1997 4th round tie that was John Hartson’s last game for us. We hadn’t met them in the 3rd round until 2004, but both the subsequent ties were in that round so January’s game will mark four in a row. We’ve never lost in the 3rd round to Leeds, but given the way we seem to be able to end any unbeaten run right now, that might not mean much.
Great note GSD
Ned,
The last time we met Leeds in Round 3 was of course the night Thierry returned. I think that goal along with Arshavin’s winner against Barcelona were the two most iconic moments for me at Ashburton Grove. It’s hard to say how much Leeds want a Cup run with promotion so clearly their priority and a month , especially one with so many games is a long time in football. After recent weeks where our performances have been so appalling it is hard to have much confidence but football clubs turn very quickly. Eddie will of course be ineligible for them against us, if indeed he hasn’t moved on.
i see my call to arms
to throw away grumpiness
and cast down shitholery
has borne fruit
..
(not having read the long winded tripe you clowns post)
.
[PUNCTUATION PEOPLE]
.
(can’t emphasize it enough)
(stops and starts)
..
.
i’m only assuming
but i have faith
it has been glorious
and
long may it continue
can’t have the main man
back
to an
entirely paragraph bereft
brain clamp
.
.
.
i flag my posts
for them as wants to avoid them
an eager scroller downer
can
should they want to ignore pearls
recognise the shape of my contributions
and
move on with their life
.
.
.
yup
kind and courteous
you cunts don’t know yer born
the recent emergence
of
the same amount of lines
as my posts
posts
.
.
but with all the gaps filled in
.
.
.
could prove a very worrying trend
.
a very worrying trend
.
.
.
.
.
.
yes
a very worrying trend
indeed
.
.
.
we need to pull together
like my favourite
lifesaving too smartarsey grown up job
Caledonian cousin bath said
.
#alexa# “translate”
.
we’re likely in for a shitty ride
but
how long have we followed
these cuntin cunts
not long enough
UP THE ARSENAL
.
.
.
now fuckin break up yer posts
buy a fuckin sentence
ya big ornamental pooves
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vGOEUo_sLxY
Sound words cba.
Though not sure what sound
has to do with it
.
.
.
baff has spoken
don’t look behind the curtain
.
.
.
only have one Arsenal record
and let’s face it
good old Arsenal
is rule brittania with a big beardy chin
so that can prove problematic
to my head
and surroundings
so i favour the b side
though that came with its own difficulties
not unrelated
.
.
.
i should to a TED talk
poorly thought out threads abound there
.
replacement bus service trains of thought
.
.
SYMMETRY
.
.
A number of sinuous symmetry
Symmetry appreciation society in session
well taken 8ball
6 away
then a load
.
though
i am constantly getting told off
so i am for the bed
.
.
.
police the place 8ball
take no nonsense
‘holic needs disobedientationaires
starting kerfuffles
like he needs a hole
in his middle
asymmetricality
that’s not a word
i am for the bed just now
see you in a week or two
.
UP THE ARSENAL
help America Japan
but it fits the prevailing
theme of shapeliness being
more important than
content in our posts.
Or our team hohoho
this post contains non-words
too
Roger wilco Ireland.
Over and out
Make America Garrulous Again
excessive waffle on trivial
matters is what’s required
2895 was like a TV show
where someone uses a long
word and then another
character explains it.
Basically a thinly disguised
insult of the viewers
intelligence
As opposed to outright abuse
that some seem to prefer
which is better?
what do you think America?
Roger Wilco not a bad name for a hamster
Transpacific telegraphic
Telegraphed that one
Quite momentously
Well in there bt8.
The 29th century of the
long watch by the inmates
The outflung hand of Geoff Barnett.
How could you do it Geoff? I was
only 7 years old.
Still we kicked them hard when
they were down and struggling in
the early Wenger years.
@ OsakaMatt
I was at Wembley for the League Cup final where the elder Charlton brother along with others crowded our keeper out at a corner ( pretty sure it was Bob Wilson and not Fingers Furnell ) and again I think Mick Jones scored the only goal of the game .
Leeds always took the rules/laws of the game to the limits of acceptability l also suffered at the Swindon game , hate Don Rogers .
@Steve V
Fortunately, I missed Swindon
and Leeds. Unfortunately I was
there for Luton.
The Ides of March for Caesar
and all that.
Not really our luckiest Cup
though I did go to the Sheff
Wed final – the last time we
won it I think.
Interesting interview with
Licht on Blog News – he
thinks we’re suffering partly
because of all the experience
lost over the summer.
i see my call to arms
to throw away grumpiness
and cast down shitholery
has borne fruit
Fuck off.
🙂
I know the smiley isn’t necessary for you but some around here are a bit dense and need a fucking diagram for everything.
Steve V,
And I just realised it’s the
50th anniversary of that
Swindon game.
Still disappointed.
Of course Freddie cannot and will not be judged on one game but he still missed the opportunity to make an initial statement which I at least would have appreciated.
Whilst player v player choices can be rationalised / argued ad infinitum ( Xhaka / Totteira, Mustafi / Sokratis etc) he should at least have started with a front three of Pepe. PEA and Laca in my opinion. It’s Norwich, ffs, not Barcelona. Has there ever been a better opportunity this season to really get at an opponent and lift the spirits?
Simply sticking with essentially the status quo bears no positive for me. I eagerly await developments over the busy and testing Christmas period to see how a change strategy may be developed.
I hope Freddie does well – he was an inspirational player. Let’s hope his coaching fortunes match up.
UTA.
Pepe supposedly wasn’t picked or used because he didn’t do it in training, which again (to me) suggests the players are, and always will be, the problem.
Well in for the 2,900, bt8b. On we go to the 3,000.
Cynic@2909: I have often wondered what not doing it in training really means. That a player is just going through the motions? Not learning what he is being taught? Not showing signs of improving his weaknesses? Not playing in the way the coach is asking him to? Showing he is unhappy at not getting game time?
Generally not putting the effort in and cruising through it, I would say. From what I’ve heard we have a few like that, they only turn up so they can get to go home again.
The worst advice you could ever be given is to follow your dreams.
So … what if all you dream about is murdering people, or setting horses on fire?
Terrible advice that. Meaningless drivel.
Like reach for the stars. What stars? The ones that are billions of miles away? Have you got an extenadble ladder I can borrow?
Cheers
@ OsakaMatt
We’re giving our ages away 50 years can’t believe it , got soaked at that Swindon final , Bobby Gould got the equaliser , can’t remember whether it went to extra time or we lost in 90 minutes .
There was mitigating circumstances regarding that final it hadn’t stopped raining for a week and the weekend or whole week before the Horse of the Year show took place on the Wembley pitch which ruined all the drainage trenches under the pitch which left the surface a quagmire , and to make things worse we had a bug of some sorts go through the team .
I was lucky to go to the Charlie George cup final , got the ticket through the Scouts , the only problem was l was in the hub cap thieves end .
@Ned 2911
Or not kissing the royal arse?
Having an opinion or asking
questions? Not tugging
the forelock in the traditional
manner? Not jumping through
the pointless hoop and having
the wrong jib.
I wonder the same thing.
Nelson was left out the 18
altogether – was he not doing
it just a little bit more not-doingly
than Pepe?
Steve V
71 must have made up for it –
I might have joined the Scouts
if I’d known they were handing
out Cup Final tickets.
I remember Bob Wilson
saying in an interview that all the
stick the team got in the press
after Swindon toughened them
up and helped them win after that.
The current team must be hard
as nails based on that reasoning 🙂
A millennium since the armistice ending WWI. How many wars will have come and gone in that time?
OM@2916: ESR is another one who has slipped off the first-team radar.
SV@2195: This is the TV recording of the Swindon final (Brain Moore commentating). You can see how bad the pitch was. There is more sand on it than on Brighton beach.
https://youtu.be/Ah99SZP2il4
It might actually be possible that these younger players are not really thought to be up to dragging the team up by the bootstraps.
As fun as it was watching them beat shit teams in Europe, Premier League games are an entirely different matter.
Needs must and all that stuff
Ned thanks for the YouTube clip of the Swindon League Cup Final , the pitch was a disgrace and forgot about the black and white TV it was was painful viewing .
Depending what our winters were like most pitches ended up with large mud patches and no grass at some stage , don’t like to say it but I wonder how good George Best would have been playing on today’s pitches , suppose you could say that about a lot of the older players .
I always had pangs for Frank Worthington, but he’s the sort of “do it once in a blue moon” Jessie who’d drive me up the wall thesedays.
And in some places, pitches hadn’t got any better by 2011
https://youtu.be/Sj9KD-kjLMY
Steve V
The foul on our goalie in 1968 was on Fingers Furnell.
Bob played in 1969 against Swindon. A black day in a Gooner’s life
Steve V, I was also at the 68 league cup final v Dirty Leeds. Later in that match following a Leeds corner, the ball was punted long in the Leeds half. Our new / exciting forward David Jenkins ( well for a few weeks ) raced onto it towards their penalty area. Leeds keeper ( the infamous Gary Sprake ) raced out of the area towards the oncoming ball & player and totally took out Jenkins – a vicious foul & red card. The speed was too much for the ref who had yet to reach the half way line. No foul / card given and Jenkins carried off badly injured.
Dirty Leeds winning 1-0 with the hotly disputed goal. Young Jenkins the following year surprisingly went to that team in Middlesex I think in exchange for Jimmy Neighbour ?? – no doubt Ned & his monks will put me right on this.
Their was plenty of “action” after the match with the victors supporters.
Uply,
I think Jenkins was exchanged for Jimmy Robertson . I had forgotten the League Cup Final foul. We had a legitimate goal from Geordie Armstrong disallowed for a foul I think and theirs stood despite the block on Furnell. They were a very good side , way better than us but had a negative mindset which came from Revie. That was the first time I saw us at Wembley.
.
who decided accusations of whataboutery
was grounds for negating original points
.
.
when did that happen ?
.
.
.
it’s ridiculous
Yes, I was wondering about
ESR too Ned.
I really just meant the “not
at his best in training” has
become a kind of coverall
that is vague enough
to cover many possibilities
and still be true, whilst
actually telling us nothing
thank fuck
i’ve got a tag in my calendar
cos
this world is turning to buggery
.
released early eighties
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=g3C04A5Nxn4
blonde on blonde
arseholing it
like a wee game
.
.
.
if you vote or have for either o these cunts
YOU YOURSELF ARE A CUNT
.
.
i wish nothing
but greed based diseases
on you
.
.
and may that gout weigh heavy on your soles
.
ps
i agree cynic
ye can’t just do the cutting in
ye have to paint the whole room
and paper the stairs
for some
.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yS-6HCGCeik
Hello cba,
Anti-densist propaganda abounds.
And yet half the world has a
below average IQ
i like you
you are achingly clever
i like most
if not all
people here
so don’t think yer special japan
.
(big headed so and so)
Thanks cba, have a song from
me for a change
https://youtu.be/oNSp_MVXwQA
Can’t say much about the song as
to be truthful I only listened for
30 seconds.
But Kulak’s Woodshed is a good
name for a venue.
?
here
.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_EBvXpjudf8
an old tune
with someone who’s TRYING
and someone who isn’t
(oh boy hubba hubba)
and a few other people
mind you
judging by earlier conversations
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xllx8vqzrTw
might be less stimulating
for you old timers
my god though old people
joan jett
what a good looking woman
(she’s playing the guitar and definitely not her in her drawers)
just so’s ye know
.
[the cynic belt and braces paradox]
anyhoo
goodnight
i’m off to hide
before herself gives me grief
.
pt nthr dm n th jkbx bb
A Joan Jett song for Mus
https://youtu.be/LvoV2Lfk7Qg
https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=tE1axH-PocI
And Elvis Costello for Mesut
Is that enough dimes?
Anyway, enough of Mr Nice Guy
There’s a final 50 to steal
before the 3000
I suppose it is an Arsenal blog,
so some team news
Hector is hopeful of being
ready for the game and Dani
is the only absentee.
Freddie has identified being
competitive in transition sprints
as being the reason for our
leaky defence against Norwich.
I think in real words that means
the lazy buggers don’t run back
fast enough when we lose the
ball.
After deep reflection I have come
up with a 2 point plan, which I
will call the OM Fucking Fix
1) Don’t lose the fucking ball
2) Run back fucking faster
If Hector is back I hope Freddie
will play
Leno
Hector Calum Luiz Tierney
Guendouzi Torreira
Ozil
Pepe Laca Auba
I don’t think he will play that
team but I’m curious to see his
decisions at CB, CM and whether
we’ll start with a recognised
wide player.
Hopefully the fans will be right
behind the team tomorrow and
we can all be happier with a win
Your fucking fix is fucking flawed.
If you take care of point one, point two no longer applies.
OM@2951: As the late great Bill Shankly said, football is a simple game that grown men make complicated.
I like your team @2952, but expect Freddie to start the same XI as at Norwich, with maybe Hector coming in for Chambers if the former is fit.
Uply@ 2926: David Jenkins moved up the road in October 1968 in a swap that bought Jimmy Robertson in the opposite direction. Jenkins spent four years there before going to Brentford, whence Hereford United, Newport County and Shrewsbury. He then played half a dozen games in South Africa for Durban City in 1975, returning to the UK to play half a dozen games for Workington during their death throes in the Football League. Jenkins then dropped into non-league football with Dorchester Town, Malvern Town and Guisborough.
He had joined Arsenal as an apprentice (older ‘holics will remember those) in 1963 and made his senior debut in the League Cup against Gillingham in September 1966 three weeks after turning 20. His league debut came against West Ham the following season. But he only managed 16 league appearances (24 all competitions) before being sold to Spurs. His final game for us was a 2-1 home win against Coventry City. A sad but not uncommon football tale of a prodigy who never realized his potential. Never the same after the Leeds injury, perhaps.
A mere technicality Cynic.
Once the players fully understand
everything is sure to go well.
@Ned,
Seems likely on the team but it’s
early days so Freddie may surprise.
Both Jenkins and Robertson turned out to be bit-part players for their new clubs, both being moved on after a couple of seasons and few games. The swap should probably go down as a flop for both clubs.
A piece of Jimmy Robertson trivia: for many years he was the only player to have scored for both clubs in the NLD. He scored for the neighbours in October 1964 and for us in September 1969. Adebayor matched Robertson’s feat when he scored for Spurs in February 2012, having scored for us in October 2008.
happy st. barbara’s day (patron saint of gunners).
Didn’t know that scruz but seeing as I was born in Santa Barbara it seems a natural.
Some headlines linking us with Diego Simeone. Don’t know if it will happen but his record is inarguably good
Bt8
I’m pretty certain that there is no chance of us acquiring Diego Simeone as manager . Apart from the fact that he speaks no English he would be looking at a Champions League Club for his next job. Under Stan Kroenke we have slipped down the power list in Europe.Alarmingly far despite the amount we pay in gate receipts each season.
Rumours are that Stan and Josh are not keen to shell out big money on compensation for a new manager and that we have mortgaged our future in a big splurge this summer. Not sure that can be totally true but the situation with Pepe becomes ever more ridiculous.
Sad to learn of the death of Bob Willis. A giant among fast bowlers and a legend for the 1981 Headingley test.
bt8b@2959 and TTG@2960: My 2-cents on Simone is that if the Arsenal job tempted him, he would have succeeded AW directly.
TTG
This should be of interest to you,
Our under 18 squad are in Asia,playing in a tournament in Bali.
In the Group stage they were beaten first up 3 – 1 by Indonesia,but turned it around in their 2nd match,beating Inter Milan 1 nil.
They have to play Real Madrid in final group game,probably need a win to qualify for the knockout stages.
A good learning curve for the youngsters, who it has to be said,are struggling in the premier league back home, down near the bottom of the table.
I have never heard of their coach Ken Gillard,so not sure what his credentials are.
OM@2955: With a heavy fixture list coming up, Freddie won’t have the luxury of playing a settled side but will have to rotate carefully. I would expect tweaks to the team match to match and some Wenger-like substitutions on 60 mins to prevent legs being run into the ground.
Clive@2963: Ken Gillard was poached by Wenger in 2017 from Crystal Palace’s Academy, where he was highly regarded as a youth coach.
Evening Ned
Many thnks for that.
On another matter,
Given we are now technically in the bottom half of the table,albeit with a game in hand,i wondered if during Arsene’s long reign at the helm,whether we were ever this far down the table during the season.
I am sure we have been briefly down after say a poor start,but not this far into one.
Will be interested to see what stats the Monks can come up with.
Ned / TTG – thanks for clearing my befuddled mind with Jimmy Robertson. Glad to see the monks are getting no let up.
I speculate that the prevarication with the dismissal of UE and his staff may have been to financial implications – the management having to go to the owners requesting an unbudgeted £12 million hit on costs. The owners may therefore be unwilling to add to this further by buying out someone’s contract -i.e Rafa’s allegedly buy out clause £20 million. I expect we will be searching in the freely available or Lidl Aldi shop.
Uply
re dirty Leeds
Did you get to the FA cup final against them in 72. ??
They had a full side out and apart from Geoff Barnett replacing Bob Wilson in goal,we had i think same side as previous year against Pool.
Not much football got played,with Leeds constantly disrupting our flow with niggly fouls,which was always their favorite ploy.
A Cup final to forget for us.
Also i remember seeing Eddie Kelly get sent off at Highbury after Bremner wound him up in a league game which i think ended nil nil.
I was alone among my mates,when i was adamant that Giles and Bremner were far and away the 2 dirtiest players in that team.
Clive, I didn’t go to that one ( couldn’t get a ticket ). Agree that Giles & Bremner had no compunction in fouling ( it took a lot to get cards in those days ), what was particularly annoying with those 2 was they were snide foulers who also complained bitterly to refs if anyone dared to foul them. I had respect for the real hard men of that era viz our own Peter Storey, “Chopper” Harris (Chelsea), Tommy Smith (Liverpool) and even Norman “bite yer legs” Hunter of Dirty Leeds who gave it out and took it back in total acceptance of the code – not the 2 snide whingers mentioned above.
Half of the fancy dans today wouldn’t go on a pitch if those real hard men were playing.
Uply, Clive and Ned
Good to hear about the youngsters . As Ned said Ken Gillard is very highly rated as a coach and did well last season but has no great playing pedigree.
In 1972 Alan Ball had joined us and I think he replaced Ray Kennedy in the 1971 team with Barnett replacing Bob. I had a very interesting conversation over dinner one evening with Frank Mclintock who considered Giles the nastiest piece of work he had ever encountered, a man who always went over tge top in the tackle .
That game against Leeds where Eddie was sent off was considered by Don Howe to be the game where he realised we could compete with Leeds. A 0-0 draw that felt like a win
up 2969
amen
@2964
No doubt Ned. Tonight’s game
is probably the easiest (on
paper) league game until
February.
A run of wins against Brighton,
Wham and Liege would set us
up nicely for home against
Shitty, 2 away games, then
home against Manure & Chavski.
It’s piss or get off the pot for
this season in the next month
I think. I want to believe 🙂
Time for a wildly optimistic
forecast?
3-0 tonight, a brace for Laca
either side of an Auba goal.
1000 years since Sunderland
beat Dirty Leeds. I bet a week’s
pocket money on the game with
my Leeds supporting friend at
school. I happily collected on the
Monday but he cried and the
teacher made me give the money
back.
You just can’t trust authority.
Or Leeds supporters.
OM
3-0! That is almost Panglossian in its optimism.
We will find Brighton well organised and hard to break down . Potter is a good coach and they lost only 2-1 at Anfield . I would take any win of any kind tonight. I think we are in a false position at the moment….but it’s too high given current performances . We have it in us to turn this around with proper coaching . Good luck to Freddie . I do hope he looks beyond Mustafi and Xhaka tonight and Id love to see Pepe start .
I would happily take any
win too!
I’ve talked to a couple of well-connected Club Level schmoozers one of whom is in the media about the coaching situation. Alarmingly the Kroenkes are looking for an easy replacement ( ie a cheap one) rather than negotiating a big divorce bill for Rodgers or Pochettino etc. That’s very KSE and has fuelled the story I don’t believe about Patrick Vieira being favourite for the job. I admire Patrick enormously but he has shown nothing like the coaching ability to warrant favouritism especially for a job as difficult as our one will be. If we want to go down the old player route it is either stay with Freddie or recruit Arteta in my view.
The encouraging thing is that apparently and this is just gossip not ITK info Stan is becoming irritated at the time Arsenal is taking up in his empire and the PR problems he is having. While Wenger was there he drew any flak and was a safe pair of hands. Now the spotlight is coming down to KSE and the management team they have put in place. As the Board are effectively irrelevant now the criticism passes more directly to Stan and Josh . Coupled to this the value of the club has apparently fallen given income projections excluding Champions League revenue and one hopes this might annoy them enough to seek an owner who is more of a fan than KSE have ever been because in the modern world it will be hard to compete with their style of management . We need an outrageously rich fanatical Gooner to take us over. Is there anyone out there with a pot of £2 billion sloshing about ?
Interesting goss about Stan getting irritated, TTG. I do hope it’s true. I can see how such a ‘precious’ individual would find it intolerable to be in the firing line for a club and a sport with which he has only a tenuous emotional connection whilst his financial investment isn’t performing as well as expected.
TTG@2970: Brain Clough once said something along the lines of, unfulfilled players make the best coaches.
Clive and others@above: That 70s Leeds side was one of the nastiest teams ever, with Bremner and Giles at its heart. But it was also talented enough not to have needed to be so.
I admire Patrick enormously but he has shown nothing like the coaching ability to warrant favouritism especially for a job as difficult as our one will be. If we want to go down the old player route it is either stay with Freddie or recruit Arteta in my view.
So you would give the Arsenal job to one of two people who have never managed a team before ahead of someone who has?
Vieira may not have the coaching ability required but Ljungberg has shown nothing at all and Arteta’s abilities or otherwise are hard to judge when he’s alongside a top class manager with unlimited funds.
In fact, the way they’re blowing it this year you could argue he’s not exactly all that great a coach at all, based on results.
We’ll only know who is good enough (or not) when they do the job, but it all feels a bit like pulling names out of the air and anyone with an Arsenal connection will do.
TTG,
I’ve looked down both sofas, and unfortunately as I’m almost exactly two billion short I will not be making an offer to take over.
Just 20 more to 3000.
Off in a couple of hours to North London for a nice dinner, some red wine and then hopefully Freddie’s first win.
COYG
Ned and Clive,
No list of dirty clogging bastards from that vintage should be without John McGrath, Dennis Hollywood and David Walker who all like to leave both feet in when playing for Southampton.
DM @2981. And UNDER the sofas??
Experience ranking:
1. Vieira
2. Arteta
3. Ljungberg
(obvs.)
Lurk ……..
A word of warning to the wise –
You should never use “beef_stew” as a computer password because “beef_stew” is not strogenough.
Carry on.
A rare appearance from Trev.
Considering all the games we have watched from behind the sofa we ought to check back there for coins that may have fallen out. Stray silver and gold ones in particular.
Considering all the old players being without significant coaching experience who are getting tossed into the hat, Per must find it somewhat disheartening nobody has mentioned his name.
Whoops
Strogenough? Must have something to do with ze mental strength
I guess all the easy puns have already been made.
🙂
Freddie is the man in the box seat because he’s the in-house coach who isn’t on the UE travelling show. His inexperience is clear but he’s in the job because the Execs sacked UE without doing the ground work on who to replace him with. Given that the need to sack UE has been obvious to everyone apart from Cynic for weeks, this is crass negligence.
However we are where we are and FL8 has the ball at his feet. He may prove to be a good coach or a bad coach or something in between. Yet given that AW/Pep Mk2 is not immediately available, that the owners are allegedly disinclined to pay a buy-out clause for a new coach and the available coaches either don’t want us (Poxy Tina), cant speak English (Allegri – surely we cant go there again) or are tired old lags (Pardew, Fat Sam, …..), I think Freddie deserves a few weeks in the job to show what he can do over some recycled No Mark Spaniard like Marcelino.
He certainly cannot get a permanent contract unless by some miracle he turns this club around and achieves a CL spot. If he does that he has earned the post. He will also have more experience than either MA8 and PV4 as a head coach at PL level. That would in truth be fucking excellent!
We love you Freddie. Best of luck, fella.
Takes ball from keeper and chips it up the line to..
an onrushing hahafornian who’s left foot is equal to his right…equally bad…i stumble over it, and from the ground lash it across the field to…
… Half-a-lung Henderson
*wheeze*
who
*wheeze*
who …
“gimme a minute “
Striding forward through the midfield, with a CF4-esque single touch, stroke the ball out to the left wing to…
Trev meats it full-on @2986: Proof yet again that form is fleeting, but class is permanent.
Takes bath’s nonchalant pass and up-and-unders it into the box for…
*wheezes*
Hello CBA
What we need as Arsenal fans is a time machine, to take us back to the invincibles.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-G-OOIGBko4
well hello
Befuddled OAP,wanders onto some grassed area when a ball whacks in in the head and loads of people are shouting.
Wallop
Well in DM. Three Ton Mick.
uply for the win ?
well in dorset M
and howdy baff
Well in Michael of Dorset, and well TaBs it by that Irish hunk ( or something similar sounding ) .
3 big hitters there
Bath,
I’ve managed to lose a couple of stone this year as a result of reduced beer intake, so it’s Two Tun Mick, thank you!
Howdy cba, hope things are going well for you.
DM@3008, ? & well done sir.
i’m grand baff
and plus one to the
well done indeed
snake hips two tun mick
Well in for the historic 3,000, Dorset Mick.
Bellerin and Torriera to start. Sokratis in for Mustafi.
Leno,
Bellerin, Sokratis, Luiz, Kolasinac,
Xhaka, Torreira,
Aubameyang, Willock, Ozil,
Lacazette.
Bench: Tierney, Pepe, Chambers, Nelson, Martinez, Guendouzi, Martinelli.
Everything Holics!
That is a interesting line up and oh boy we need a bloody win!
Probably a good idea to give Guendouzi a rest given the fixture congestion coming up. Will be interesting to see how many minutes Pepe will be given, if any. Ditto Tierney, although Kola played well enough against Norwich to deserve to retain his place. Nelson for Saka on the bench is the other notable change.
Everything? ? That should have said evening ha ha
Bellerin did exactly what Tierney did for the penalty. Come on lads!
Shirt pulling goes on unpunished
Wake the fuck up it seems Brighton are playing at home not us!
We are so shit!
Brighton have been the better team and not surprisingly, we are down 0-1. At this rate we will be close to the bottom three by the new year.
Other teams have figured out how to play us and we now look toothless against the weaker teams even at home.
We are terrible in every aspect of a playing football, we look disjointed and clueless!
Fuck me we are shit!
Willock not good enough yet or confidence totally gone.Take him
Off.
45 minutes of absolute dross from our lot.
Players look like they are walking in treacle.
Brighton in contrast are pinging the ball about,full of confidence,each player knows his role and they have a clear game plan.
Could easily be more than 1 up but for a couple of mistimed final balls.
I think we are going to find out who the Club’s real supporters are over the next few weeks.
Ksn
Cynic will be telling you to grow a pair and that you are a Jessie but frankly Bath’s earlier post is spot on . We are beyond awful and the atmosphere here is very edgy .
What I will agree with Cynic on is that Ozil is a huge disappointment. We need our big players to step up but we are finding out the hard way that we haven’t got any.
This is a crisis that the management should have seen coming and being outplayed by Brighton after being outplayed by Southampton shows how far we have fallen
Honestly, Ozil is one of the worst players I can remember in an Arsenal shirt, when you compare reputation to delivery, and I do not, and never will, understand those who thought he was going to do anything more than he has done since he was given the chance to come back. He has been exactly what I expected him to be. Fucking useless.
KSN – Grow a pair you big Jessie 😉
Radford
Bit harsh mate
Very difficult for young players when they are coming into a team that is bereft of confidence.
We just need to move the ball quicker and get Brighton out of their comfort zone.
it’s all too easy for them at the moment.
And right on cue, we score.
We just don’t have the quality in the midfield to create like we used to under Wenger.
Has Laca scored ?
Yes!!! 1-1. Just the tonic we needed after half restart.
Cynic, too late in life to grow anything?
You could grow a beard. I am. I look a bit like Gerry Adams at the moment, but aiming for Grizzly Adams.
That’s what happens when you move the ball quicker between the players.
Gets the oppo out of their comfort zone,and the chances come.
look a different side now.
How could the lino fail to spot that?
Luiz is a useless defender. We should drop him as he really pegs us back.
I have to say this is meeeeerde.
We go back again, no one blocks the pass from coming in. Fuck!
And that is the end of that shambolic defending
So … no ‘new manager bounce’ at all then.
At least Freddie won’t be getting the job.
I reckon we might end up with a former Spurs manager landing on our doorstep before Christmas.
‘Arry loves a relegation scrap.
(I jest of course).
Fuck this shit! This is beyond awful!
It is not the loss but the way we are playing. We are worse than the bottom teams who at least have some physicality. We are a soft touch in every sense. Brighton played better than us for a major portion of the game. Cynic is right, our players , with a few exceptions, are dross.
There are no quick fixes. We will need a few seasons under a good manager to turn things around. At this rate, brace yourselves for a relegation fight.?
What on earth is Xhaka still doing at Arsenal after his shirt throwing?
We as a club have no balls off and on the pitch!
Reduce every players wages by 30% .You will see more effort then.
The only time Ozil looked half interested was when he wanted to have a row at the end. Should never be in the team anyway.
I’d have him out of the side until he leaves, even if he stays for the length of his contract.
But really, we’ve got two players in that team I’d keep and one of those is absolutely no help to the team if he’s not scoring goals.
Can we please stop picking Willock as well? He’s not good enough yet and struggling in a bad side is doing him no favours.
The club it tapping all of them on their backs yes you are a good footballes keep it up!
The reality is different as ksn has pointed out. We are dross however they need a kick up their arses nothing else!
I love the way Xhaka can turn around with the ball and run forward with it..
Fuck me hold on he can only do that in training ???
Sorry but this lot are such a bunch of average crapsters. 2 months without a win.
And to make things worse, thanks to that fucking cycling advert, I’ve got Bloc Party earworming me.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wAjrNnzjerk
After we scored I text my father to say we’re going to lose this game because we’re trying too hard to win it , being open , standing off and committing far too many players forward .
We’re in trouble from top to bottom , some massive decisions are going to have to be made soon .
I dunno about visit Rwanda, I reckon this bunch of wankers ought to be sent there.
Anyway, we are what we are and what we are in bottom six material on this form.
Good night.
IS, not IN
I see Blogs has a “Fuck You” list on his liveblog tonight but he left off the name of the guy under who the culture of the club as it is now was ingrained. And that’s … well you know.
He left behind a broken fan base, a piss awful squad, a club mired in a comfort zone mindset and will largely escape scrutiny for his part in this shambles, as Ferguson has since leaving United.
Arsenal don’t lack an identity, it’s just not one anyone wants to acknowledge.
Fin.
Lost the first half; drew the second half; lost the game on aggregate.
Looking at our upcoming fixtures, I fear we have already witnessed our final win of 2019. Perhaps we should be looking down, not up.
The club hierarchy have got quick decisions to make. I read Bath’s note which I think makes a logical case for retaining Freddie but he has no coaching experience and although he got a reaction in the second half we still looked ragged defensively and totally open
in midfield . We have to write this season off ensure we don’t get into trouble and bring in a coach who can give the team some structure. While Cynic is right in some respects about Wenger the team were significantly better than they are now. If we had picked a better coach than Wenger we might have stopped the rot but we are going through the agonies that United have been . It’s a very subdued train home tonight
Deeply troubling performance. These players are broken. There is a bit of belief but it’s fragile and it evaporates swiftly. Freddie has a massive task. Our forthcoming fixtures don’t help him one jot.
This is without question relegation form. I can see us making a panic appointment of an out of work experienced coach for the rest of the season to keep us in the division as Kroenke won’t be able to live with relegation. If we go down we won’t come back up while he owns the club. We might even drop like a stone.
Candidates? PL experience mandatory. Doesn’t bear thinking about.
Where oh where has our midfield gone? You might as well have had the octogenarian and septuagenarian fig-leaf board members out there for how ineffective they were both with and without the ball.
lumpy road ahead
.
geniuses to the left of me
in the knows to the right
.
i think bath it was
suggested we buckle up
.
.
.
all things considered
this is all STILL very dispiriting
Surely they have to bring Benitez in now. He is the only realistic candidate with experience of the league.
if you can see the light
at the end of the tunnel
.
might i posit that
your measurements are more fuckydoodaah
than sense would suggest
Sancho P @ 3061. Benitez is the best option of the coaches with PL experience but he allegedly has a buy-out clause of over £20m. Given the frightening possibilities staring us in the face this season I think that he offers a possible Get Out of Jail card but I’m not confident that Stan would bankroll it.
On our worst run since 1975 under Terry Neill apparently.
Important thing now,is not to panic.
Freddie cannot turn things around in 5 minutes.
Yes we are in for a tough period at the Club,but this is where the real supporters have to stand up and get behind the team.
If they take their frustrations out on the players,it will only get worse.
Easy to follow when winning,but i look at our amazing intrepid hardcore away mob who follow the team the length and breadth of the Country,and give the team great vocal support.
That’s what we need now at the Ems.
What’s past is past,and stirring it up isn’t going to change anything.
I can see us in the bottom half of the table till after Christmas,but my crystal ball gets a bit misty after that. !!
Aye cba, I’m not convinced the tunnel is even visible yet let alone a light.
Wise words, Clive. ??????
I was very nervous about this game and rightly so! The first half was really bad, there no single piece of belief in these players. There is no midfield there what so ever! Our CB’s are clueless as well and open for most of the time. Everyone does their own thing it frightening to watch. There is no communication on the pitch, Luiz kicking the ball out instead of passing it to Leno, we are the ones who are frightened! Us playing at home on our own turf!
When we levelled we didn’t apply enough pressure on them and we looked like conceding every time they went forward! Leno again had to make some great saves but this time we know how this one ended.
We are not going forward as a unit, same for applying pressure! We don’t defend as unit either it’s very pedestrian too! Simply not good enough!
Clive nailed it we need to get behind the team otherwise it could end ugly, I do tend to be harsh after the final whistle but I still hope Freddie can turn this around. No manager can turn this around, throw Pepe at it and it will be the same.
Got drunk, woke up late,
saw the ending and headed
back to bed.
Much like the players it seems.
Hopefully we will give Freddie
some time. To be honest I don’t
know why it’s headed south so
quickly but it has.
Maybe Licht was right about us
letting too much experience go
too quickly.
acknowledging disaster
does not mean you have lost hope
when saturday comes
clive
.
.
.
but
no amount of 12th manning
will raise a corpse
But i agree with GS54 and ATG,
finger pointing and blame game
stuff isn’t going to help.
Away to Wham next and have to
go there and grind out a result.
I think it’s unfair to expect Freddie to sort this, we are one of the poorest sides in the division and are in freefall. Bath is right to point to a pathetic midfield. How Xhaka has a reputation as a top European player I do not know, Torreira is underwhelming, Willock quite out of his depth, Guendouzi knackered and Ozil incredibly disappointing. Thank heavens for Leno .
Be afraid, be very afraid .
I’m sure I saw Sam Allardyce chatting to Tony Pulis outside the ground tonight .
I will post a derisory piece about the Kroenkes tomorrow. Their stewardship of the club is becoming disastrous and the chaps I go with and I are unlikely to renew next season
But it’s going to be difficult for
some of the younger supporters
who haven’t experienced some
of the truly shit seasons in the
mid 70s, mid 80s.
It seems Bellerin is lost for words and does not know why this keeps on happening. Everyone gives 100% so I’m not too sure whats next.
Can’t sleep. It’s my own fault for watching Flash Gordon serials until 4am earlier in the week and then not being able to get up in the morning. The body clock is fucked.
Give it ten minutes then back to bed…
silly billy
We could do with Flash
Gordon just now.
He could be a saviour that lad
.
The boy Gordon done good
tomorrow
“The team gave its best” says Hector Bellerin.
My old man had a phrase for occasions such as this.
“If that’s your best, you’d best fuck off”.
And that’s my cue to go back to bed. I’ll take a teddy with me.
The chorus of “This is Arsenal’s best squad in years” seems to be going a bit quiet, just sayin
On paper it’s a reasonable squad but on grass a different matter. There are quite a few that we would all be happy to see go and quite a few we would shrug our shoulders at.
Blimey 20 million for Benitez. Maybe not then. Pards and Curbs it is then.
Just read Hector’s comments.
Hard to see what else he can
say really.
Interviewer: What are your thoughts
on tonight Hector?
HB: We were shit 1st half, then we
equalized, then we fucked it up again.
All our players are crap
It’s unlikely he’s going to say that
and it wouldn’t help if he did
The defence is the worst I think I have ever seen. It was ironic that last night they interviewed Jimmy Magill and Billy McCullough at half-time because they played in a chaotic defence but we haven’t got a central defender of real quality in the club.
A number of people, including me felt that things woukd improve when Hector returned, Tierney was integrated and Rob Holding regained full fitness. Hector is a shadow of his former self ( which may not have been as good as we remember) , Tierney does look like a player but it’s hard to integrate into a team with centre backs like us and players like Xhaka ahead of you and Rob Holding seems still to be struggling with injury .
Confidence and rhythm are a huge part of success in football and we have none. Our marking at set pieces is terrible and we are tge most open side I have ever seen, Brighton had twice as many shots yesterday. We had no one in midfield as influential as Aaron Mooy and we were a rabble going forward.
On top of that we have some really weak characters – Luiz, Xhaka and Ozil who should have the experience and ability to lift the team but do nothing of the sort and Aubameyang is not a captain .
The whole thing is a car crash. Emery bears the main responsibility for the mess but the players should have the character and balls to fight back much better. We are in the brown stuff and the rest of the season will not be pretty
Thought provoking , one mans vision seems a lot better than three , where are we going .
You are blaming Emery for the mess but the seeds of this started years before he came along. Stan is the main cause of everything wrong with the club and will continue to be because he doesn’t care less. Wenger carries a lot of blame. He was the one man who could have handed over a club in a much better state a long time before he actually did. Pride and ego got in the way there. Ivan clearly knew nothing and should be nowhere near CEO roles at major football clubs. Raul has come along and put his marker down and also has an ego problem. His decision making has been woeful to date and I imagine he will bugger off like Ivan sooner rather than later. The others in that group are yes men to Raul and Josh. And then there is Emery completely out of his depth at PSG and subsequently here. Yes he is to blame for a lot of things player wise but Raul and Josh should have stepped in months ago. And the experienced players need to look at themselves. Some are simply poor and some are reasonable or even good but they haven’t been working hard enough. Blow 20 million on Benitez if thats what it takes and see what he can make of this mystery of a squad.
Sancho
You are absolutely right but Emery has made the problem so much worse. We struggled under Wenger at the end but these were first world problems compared with now. Emery had a lot of money spent on his team and did a frankly appalling job. He has given Freddie the shit sandwich of all time
Biggest signing arsenal can make right now is getting GG even at his age in on a consultancy level, He at least can drum in some organisation to the back 4, with that we should be able to at least nick a few wins.
Going further forward the next Manager has a massive job on his hands so many of our first team are nowhere near the required level for a so called top club, The midfield is non existent it cant protect or create, The back 4, no matter who is picked is completely devoid of any sort of organisation or leadership, They cant press or hold a line. And we have two Strikers who it seems may fancy there chances elsewhere.
Removal of the dead wood is an absolute must – Players like Ozil, Mustafi, Sokratis, Luiz, Xhaka need to be shipped out and replaced (Holy shit its scary how many need to be moved on)
This season is a complete write off already, Personally id give Freddie till the end of the season and ask him to intergrate as many of the youth team as he can, once we are safe obviously. The likes of ESR are the future and are not going to give you any less than the likes of Ozil.
Dark Days but hopefully we can start to move forward.
Up The Arse,
Chippy
Where’s that Russian oligarch when you need him?
Would he really have been worse that the current owners?
Food for thought but maybe not manna from heaven?
UTA.
If you mean Usmanov, he’s currently the majority owner at Everton.
Everton that are 18th in the table.
Everton that have just sacked their manager.
As for last night, read for me what TTG said. Except I don’t think I’m as close to giving up my season ticket as he is.
The morning brings light but no hope. This team is reminiscent of the Forest team that went down. The lack of belief, playing only sporadically as a team, but mainly as individuals and even then as shadows of their former selves. We are in deep shit and while I will support Freddie as long as he is in the job, a relegation scrap is too much to ask of him. I understand interviews of out of work coaches have started. Frankly I do not trust those in charge of our club to make the right appointment. The rot starts from the head in a rotting fish and that’s what we are.
On reflection I would now spend £20m to buy Rafa Benitez out of his Chinese contract. A man who has kept Newcastle up and who has won the EC with the Dippers. He might be the man who can both save us from relegation and take us forward.
Sancho P @3085, spot on sir.
The chorus of “This is Arsenal’s best squad in years” seems to be going a bit quiet, just sayin
That’s because Emery has gone, and they no longer have to blame him for everything although some will still try.
The architect of all this is Wenger. He had a lot of expert help along the way, but he is the cause of it all.
I see Blogs has come to the same conclusion. I’m sure Rafa would jump at the chance but can Stan come to terms with the expense? Does he understand the cost of not getting the right man in now?
Cynic, I really don’t think Wenger is the architect of our current situation. His failure to give up the reins is certainly a factor but how many top coaches voluntarily resign. The prime culprit is Stan who could have called time on AW at any time from his effective take-over in 2010 but did not and who has appointed all the suits above Wenger in the organisation. The rot in this club extends from top to bottom. Hence I have no confidence in our ability to appoint the right man now.
Blogs again talking nonsense this morning.
Wants Pepe and Tierney in the team but later says our transfer dealings this summer have made the team much worse. We bought four players in, who are currently available, he thinks we’re worse and yet he wants two of them in the team.
So he’s loading all of the blame onto Luiz?
You have to look at who is buying the players as well as the players themselves. Whoever that was authorised a spend of £97m for two players who are not getting picked, both of whom don’t actually look all that good. And that’s without Saliba who is not exactly being prepared for this shit show where he is.
It’s early days but we’ve spent £25m on a player from a truly awful standard of football, so I’m not expecting him to solve all our woes. He needs a proper coach to develop him before it’s too late though. Freddie’s first job should not have been to give Mertesacker a job, it should have been to call on one of the old school defenders to see if they fancied a crack at some mornings coaching. Keown obviously…
Bath, Really not sure Rafa is the man especially at those rates, Yes he may steady the ship but he certainly in my view is not the one to take us Forward, The days of the old guard managers are coming to an end – They are slowly being moved aside, Clubs are looking to younger more modern managers these days, Julian Nagelsmann would be my choice but im not sure how attractive we would be to him !
Cynic, I really don’t think Wenger is the architect of our current situation.
Depends how deep you think the problems go. I think the whole club from top to bottom is lax, rotten and complacent. There’s no hunger there. That is his true legacy in my opinion. The club needs a proper cunt to come in and shake it up, kick a few toys over and get rid of that mentality, as well as players who wallow in it. Hi Mesut.
As it is, we’re still in a culture of feeling sorry for ourselves and it’s no wonder the players can’t find what’s needed to actually beat some pretty dreadful sides. The good ones are so used to being pampered they don’t have the tools to cope and the rest are not good enough to handle the adversity.
I buy that Nagelsmann offers a better future but as you suggest, we are exceedingly unattractive at the moment and moreover he has no PL experience nor am I aware that he has experience of a relegation scrap. I would choose many options over Rafa if we were in a better state but do now believe that the task in hand is too large for a rookie coach or an out of work coach from the Spanish, Portuguese or other European leagues – horses for courses but please not Pardew, Pulis, Allardyce, ‘Arry etc.
Cynic @ 3098, with you 100% there, sir.
*Strokes ball towards penalty spot*
Passes sideways, with the goal open
taps in
101 is the new 100 🙂
3100 is a new tactical way of drinking of mine own invention, to make it look like I am a deep thinker about all things football, a-la the broadsheet soccerpseuds.
It’s the False 3101
??????
Well in Cynic, nicely disguised.
If it really were the 32nd century Arsenal settling comfortably into being a bottom half club wouldn’t be so painful.
And well in OM at 3101. Left ‘en baffled.
Enough trophies to go around?
Well in Cynic for the 3,100.
Clive@2966: We we last this low in the league table after 15 games in 2012/13. We finished that season in fourth. However, we were five points out of fourth after 15 games in 2012/13, not 10 points adrift as now.
Cynic @ 3095
“Blogs again talking nonsense this morning.
Wants Pepe and Tierney in the team but later says our transfer dealings this summer have made the team much worse. We bought four players in, who are currently available, he thinks we’re worse and yet he wants two of them in the team.”
I think that you are misreading his point there, I am sorry to say.
I feel that what he is trying to get across is, we brought in some decent players, (the majority of which are not getting picked), but the exits of Ramsey, Koscielny et al have left massive gaps in the team that were not really addressed. Luiz for Kos? Ceballos for Ramsey? Pepe for, well, we don’t have a clear choice at left-wing since Iwobi left, as such, so what was the plan there?
I am not looking to get into a pissing competition, I just feel that you may have misunderstood where he stands on the issue.
Me personally? I don’t understand why Freddie doesn’t just go back to his roots and try a 4-4-2. Pepe and Saca/Martinelli on the flanks, Ozil and PEA or Lacazette up front. He has most of the tools to get the attacking part right and, as we are clearly incapable of defending, we really need to go a little bit “Newcastle” at this point! Score 5, concede 4, take points. Points that we so desperately need.
As for this being Wenger’s mess. I think that this is both entirely possible and yet somewhat unlikely. The brightest lights right now are “the kids”, mainly kids that he signed and was working through the academy. What ifs don’t buy points, but I wonder if the transfer business could have been improved by simply buying less, allowing less to leave and promoting more of the youth and giving them more of a chance. I guess we will never truly know, but I can’t say that I feel that flopping this all on Arsene’s doorstep is entirely fair, given that we have now had two managers since he left and they have certainly not covered themselves in glory.
Early days for Freddie, yes, but does anybody here really think that he is the solution?
Wenger may one day spill the beans on what working for KSE was like, and we may all see the issues that he faced at that time in a clearer, different light.
Of course, we may never know.
Wenger must accept a large portion of the blame for how far we’ve fallen. His blind refusal to strengthen the squad when every man and his dog could see exactly what we needed was truly mind boggling. Season after season. We never recovered from it.
Apparently the lengthy short-list is full of people currently out of a job. It’s like offering the part of Hamlet to an out of work actor. Things will only get worse.
I am not looking to get into a pissing competition, I just feel that you may have misunderstood where he stands on the issue.
No worries, I just think he’s lashing out a bit now Emery is gone and the Kroenke record is worn out, so the hero of the summer is the new Thing That Is Wrong With Arsenal.
I prefer to blame Arsene Wenger, Mesut Ozil and Bagpuss (who was a poor replacement for Barnaby the Bear). 🙂
And don’t get me started on Teddy Edward.
I see Brenda has used our plight to get himself a nice new five and a half year contract.
I’m sort of relieved, I didn’t want the horse toothed bastard anyway.
I don’t like pointing the finger of blame at anyone, but I’m sure that Danny Fiszman would not have sold any shares to Kroenke if he had any idea of how the useless yank would fuck our brilliant club up.
Don’t think that Wenger should take the blame, the buck stops at the top.
Cynic @ 3113
Thanks for taking that as intended. I don’t post here very much anymore, and toyed with whether or not I should! Appreciated. Have a drink on me!
Yes, you are right regarding Blogs’ constant need to have a groan. It does get tiresome sometimes, although he does turn it around reasonably fairly when the team do. I just feel that he finds nothing to be positive about in the current team and structure, which I tend to understand.
I can’t blame Arsene entirely, not until I know what AFC Inc. looked like behind the scenes and how much of the crappy business was his doing. I think that the team that he left behind was playing better football for the most part and many of those same players now seem unable to raise their game or their attention span past Sunday League levels. That HAS to be the incumbent manager’s puzzle to solve.
I am still all about Allegri. Good English or not, he is the best manager out there right now. Freddie until season’s end won’t make much difference anyway. If we scrape up to top 6 or 7, he will be patted on the back and AFC goes on. If not, well, it will be good experience for him and the more of that he gets right now, the more chance we will have a solid Assistant Manager for whoever comes in and. potentially, still a future permanent Arsenal manager.
Not holding my breath though!
PS – Bagpuss, absolutely…He can go feck himself. Saggy old closet Spuds fan, indeed!
PPS – I don’t really want to get too deeply into it, mainly because this is mainly speculation and opinion, but Bergkamp sucked anywhere our side of the halfway line and is still, for me, one of the greatest players of all time.
Maybe we should build a team around Ozil, as we did with Dennis, rather than kicking him all the time for not being so good at some aspects of the game. If we could get the best version of the game going for him, he would be as fabulous as ever. It is kind of why I would like to see Freddie try the 4-4-2, just to see if Ozil can do the Dennis!
We don’t scream at Leno because he doesn’t score enough. Or any of the defence, for that matter,
A Bentley, no not THAT Bentley, is a luxury. It costs a lot, the maintenance is high, but stick it on the open road and press the pedal and you see what you got for your money. Sit in traffic and you’ll hate how heavy the clutch gets and the cost to output ratio will just make you despise it.
If you see what I mean?! 😀
I agree that Ozil needs to have a team built around him, as long as that team is Galatasaray.
B J ( Oops)
Two great posts and a nice interchange with Cynic who always gives as good as he gets. The point about Wenger is that in his two worst seasons he finished fifth and in one of those he oversaw the defeat of the League champions in the Cup Final. If Emery had stayed we would have been pleased to be fifth from bottom . Some of it is Wenger’s fault but Gazidis , Kroenke , Hill- Wood, Keswick , Sanllehi and Boris Johnson are all culpable .
Attack is the best form of defence unless you have Ozil and particularly Xhaka in midfield . You need high intensity midfielders who can both tackle and distribute . I would suggest Vieira and Petit as role models but apparently they are in their mid to late forties . So only slightly more mobile than Xhaka then
Sorry we were 6th in 2017/18 but the football at home was awesome
Already has my Hammers mates taunting me….make it stop. Someone…anyone…
Ned @ 3109
Thnks for the info.
I assume the unusual lateness of the reply from the Monks, was due to them currently having their hands full baking the mince tarts and Christmas puds,to give out to the poor, afflicted and distressed denizens of the local parish. ??
There would appear to be more Gooners than usual among them this year. !!
And for TTG
at least the under 23’s are keeping the flag flying.
They beat Blackburn 3 – 1 tonight,with 3 first half goals,
TJJ among the goals again,shades of the old Arsenal blowing teams awayin the first half,and game management in the 2nd.
They are now temporarily top of the table,with other teams still to play,
Despite your earlier misgivings about Steve Bould in a previous post,he has taken a few games to get the squad organised defensively,and now he has sorted that,the boys are functioning much better overall.
The first team seems to be the other way round,plenty of attacking quality,but a paucity of organisation at the back. !!
Clive@3122: You can’t keep the monks away from the tarts at this time of year.
Hammers mates
What is this treasonous nonsense? Explain yourself, young man.
Ned
I didn’t think the Monks were allowed a sense of humor.
But perhaps in the bright new world of the first century of the 3rd Millennium,a glimmer of fun is penetrating the darkest and gloomiest cobwebbed corners of the Monastery.
Whatever next.
Only for the festive season, Clive. Even Castle Ned moves with the times, despite our best efforts.
Well, enjoying tarts on cold winter
days seems fair, though you might
want to be careful of misunderstandings
if a Prince comes to stay.
A few years ago on here several of us were moaning about Stan Kroenke and the impact he was having on our club. One regular( then) commenter memorably said that he wouldn’t be negative about Kroenke until he could see was harming the club. Most of us had already seen the damage beginning.
To be there last night or for most of this season you’d need little persuading that the involvement of Kroenke is harmful to the club and the club’s fortunes have deteriorated since Stan took full control. Whereas we all felt Arsenal really was a special club that air of quality has gradually been eroded and there is no one at the heart of the club who feels the pain like we do because there are hired hands- very expensive hired hands at that. I’d exempt Freddie. He had a great career with us and we are his club but around him we don’t have the same commitment and ambition and engagement.
It’s usual to blame owners but they after all are the ones who can do something about things ! Kroenke gave Arsene too much freedom, employed Gazidis who was a disaster and has put in place the current regime who are covering themselves in something other than glory at the moment . Dein and Fiszman made some mistakes ( Kroenke was Dein’s mistake) but they were Arsenal men through and through and Dein’s drive and flair set up the success of the late eighties through to the Invincibles . He made a lot of money out of the club but without him we would never have attained the heights we did .
I cannot envisage our club being successful while the Kroenkes are in charge. Their judgement and execution has proved flawed and for Stan it’s an investment not a passion. Maybe some good may come out of the current situation in that he becomes fed up with the aggravation and looks to sell. But I’m not holding my breath . We are in much the same position Liverpool were with Hicks and Gillet in charge
Clive,
Thanks for the update I have been babysitting tonight and escaping from football. Freddie promoted John Jukes to the first team squad. It’s goid to see Bouldy prospering
Bouldy rocks and don’t let anybody convince you otherwise. There may even be youtube videos proving it.
As to the identity, let alone the prospects of John Jukes, I must defer to others. 😉
anyone got the blindest notion
what’s going on here ?
aah ahh
thunder T
move away from the microphone
the big folks are talkin
.
.
anyone ?
.
.
.
.
plus bouldy rocks didn’t die in vain
8ball
i chuckled
.
.
not outrageously
but
sufficient to warrant
your having thought up the joke
.
.
i miss the flights of mental fancy
swally used to bring
.
don’t give a fuck
it has contributed to this state of affairs
.
.
.
nowt beats shite thought genius
.
.
anyone
got any updates on ‘holic ?
?
.
.
.
oi DAVE !
.
don’t leave it too long
we don’t want herself
deploying
before you return
Herself deploys?
.
.
though
like a youngster
pedalling those first few
people thought i needed got
pictures of all glassware i gave away
filled with soon to be GOODNESS
.
some of the big carboys were 40 years here
immaculate
not a mark on them
and second hand when i got them
.
nice thing to do
i think ?
but thirst can twist yer eyebrows
bt8,
John Jukes, I would Hazzard a guess is
John Jules – possibly known as “Family”
to his mates.
ps
I expect you know that but then I
couldn’t have fitted 2 stupid puns
in one sentence ?
i found those most jocular
oh , levity !
.
8 ball is trying
hilarity just doesn’t ensue
he’s wearing four layers got an icicle for a nose
and youngsters
YOUNGSTERING !
i know what it’s like
everytime i watch one of my grandchildren
crawling about on the floor
i am petrified they’ll come to some harm
in some way
.
.
.
but that’s glasgow teenagers for ye
Cynic @ 3118 – Well in, sir! 😀
TTG @ 3119 – “So only slightly more mobile than Xhaka then”
Cannot. Stop. Laughing! 😀 😀 😀
I agree completely about Ozil being hopeless in midfield and Xhaka, at times, being only marginally better. That is kind of my entire point though. Play him in attack. Sit him behind a fast, deadly striker (we at least have a couple of those around the place!) and let him do what he does best…Create havoc amongst defenders when facing the goal.
I just miss watching him make those passes that could have found Lord Lucan! So very much.
North Bank Ned @ 3124 – Love it! Reminds me of a very old joke about two nuns in the bath…
“Where’s the soap?”
“Indeed, it does!”
i was taught by nuns
i was also taught by priests
i experienced no ill treatment from either
(apart from the beatings)
.
so who’s proud of their ecclesiastical fanny joke now ?
.
.
honestly
ye come on here
mocking my religion
.
“Yer a BIG man but a wee suit fits ye”
Small world, I was taught by
priests and nuns too.
I sat in the corner
https://youtu.be/xwtdhWltSIg
.
.
.
“yeah
an foythamore , mugsy
behave yeself , see
yeah “
.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FdghRwWfaOQ
but I agree, apart from the beatings,
intermittent brainwashing and poorly
thought out curricula it was a decent
education
could you have run further away ?
anyhoo
i’m for the off
herself doesn’t like me sitting up all night
like its gonna make a blind bit of difference
but
cheerio
fake slumbers beckon
afore she has apoplexy
.
.
UP THE ARSENAL
[still and always]
hahaha I do seem to have
run quite far away.
I’m off too, for a Saturday
nights drinking in my case.
Though the sleeping bit at
the end will be the same.
I just miss watching him make those passes that could have found Lord Lucan!
It’s a bit like a Diana Dors fan reminiscing in the 1970s about her days as Britain’s Marilyn Monroe. Long gone, never to return.
A bit like Lucky.
OM is right
Jukes is actually Jules.
But Jukes is more punnable and got you thinking
TTG, I fully agree. We set out on this road when Stan took effective control almost a decade ago. An American observer of KSE notes that their clubs become mid-table and rely on the fortune of discovering a lucky coach and a clutch of talented players but display no consistent strategy to improve.
This is a thoughtful analysis of our current plight and the last paragraph is particularly incisive:
http://7amkickoff.com/index.php/2019/12/06/toxic-arsenal/
John-Jules’s promotion to the first team would lend credence to the runours that Aubameyang will be off at the end of the season.
Some excellent points about Aubameyang in that article.
Bath@3163: Thanks for an interesting link. The comments are as divided on whether it is all the fault of the Kroenkes, Wegner, Gazidis, Emery, or the players as we are in this fine establishment.
Oh for the days when a bad season was coming fourth.
Thanks for the link Bath.
It is spot on and makes my heart bleed to read it.
I wonder if the person I referred to in my original post recognises his comment on Kroenke and also recognises how serious the problem is because of the tolerance of Kroenke.
Arsenal are in deep trouble and Everton are winning at half-time .
We have to worry about that stuff now
Duncan Ferguson showing what a team can do if they are motivated to chase every ball down.Attackers, midfielders and defenders.
I enjoyed Chavski losing.
Cannot believe how well and organised Manure are playing. Maybe I can jinx them?
OM
We need to be much more concerned about Everton than Chelsea. We are four points clear of the relegation zone!
In answer to a friend’s question I was thinking about where things went wrong for us and it’s salutary to think that Santi Cazorla’s injury was a real watershed. It came in a 6-0 win in the Champions League. Those were the days ! Boy could we do with that little man now
We were absolutely dreadful on Thursday, quite the worst performance I have seen since the move to the Ems.
There were only 4 of us who headed back to Lynn after the game. The mood was one of bewilderment. The consensus was that Freddie was part of the problems not the solution.
The players confidence is at rock bottom and we need a real MANAGER in situ with gravitas.
The mood generated into black humour as we scrutinized the Championship sides deciding which games we would go to next season. I decided to give Millwall a miss!
Has it really come to this Arsenal ?
When I look at the table I want to cry, it looks dreadful what direction is this beautiful blub taking? It looks like a free fall!
That would have been a miserable train ride home Delia,after watching a dire performance on Thursday night.
Quite where we are going to find inspiration for the busy month of December i don’t know.
How could we ” not turn up ” in the first half at our home ground against a very average Brighton team.
The players don’t seem to have the intestinal fortitude to dig themselves out of this current malaise.
You find a lot out about your squad,who all enjoy the limelight,giving it large when things are going well.
But when the Club is in crisis as it is now,how many of them are prepared to roll up their sleeves,get down in the trenches,and fight for every inch of territory,and put everything on the line to get back to winning ways.
On the evidence of Thursday night,not many at all.
Funnily enough, the bloke who was captain is probably one of those you’d say would give it everything, but sadly he’s just not very good.
I’d bomb some of the others out permanently though.
The BBC says 5% of young Swedes describe themselves as lonely, compared to the average of 7% in the other EU countries. The article describes this difference as “slight” but if they had consulted their statistician I am quite certain the difference would have been recognized as anything but slight.
Has anyone heard from the boss recently?
Possibly true TTG, but I’ll
always enjoy the Chavs
getting beat, a South London
childhood will do that to a
Gooner ?
What a shambles. Xhaka does what he did and now Auba takes a toilet break at a critical moment.
No from me Cynic.
Guvnor,
I hope your recovery goes
well if you’re reading.
What OM said @3180.
I join in wishing the Guvna all the very best. The team have hardly been a tonic for him during his convalescence . I’m finding football a very depressing subject at present. Looking at other results brings home the reality of how dire our situation will be as we move into 2020
Even more bouquets, best wishes and beneficent bounty for the Guv’nor and hoping you will be back soon.
Check out Leicester with the goal differential that is superior to Liverpool or Man City
The bright spot is that the women’s team is top of the WSL after beating Reading today. Miedema has scored 23 goals in 14 games. Could use a bit of that finishing in the men’s team.
Well said Ned. They are a very well coached team. The men’s team could do with some of their organisation.
We all hope and wish you get well soon, boss.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6o9kM0Y1c44
back to basics
keep your eye on the bloody ball
A win tomorrow would be priceless and would relieve some of the pressure on Freddie and the club as a whole. If we lose it is terrifying that we then have to take on Citeh . The strain will be intolerable and the media will have a field day especially if we decide Arteta is the choice for manager. A nice, safe win would be lovely . In our first game at the London Stadium we won 5-1 and looked terrific. How far away tgat seems now. West Ham are having their own crisis and have their own toxic atmosphere but they managed to beat Chelsea just over a week ago.
I can’t remember a more important game of this sort ( ie one where if we lose we are in a relegation fight ) since the mid 1970s . We had Liam Brady then and his genius pulled us through. I shan’t see the game but I will go through Stratford around 9.30 tomorrow . I do hope it is a happy journey home
Getting into the mood for a good old fashioned West Ham roasting.
One can always hope.
Just because we were shit yesterday doesn’t mean we have to be shit tomorrow.
Does it?
If you’re Tottnumb… yes.
Yes it does.
RIP the voice of Big Bird and Oscar the Grouch.
A toast to the undefeated Arsenal women.
*sets out to devise a plan to get their games included in my cable package*
Bt8
Sadly they are not undefeated. They lost to Chelsea a few weeks ago …but they are very good
Must have read the table wrong then. Quite sure they must be the first place Arsenal women though as I saw them listed in the first row
And hoping they get another chance to put Chelsea in their place.
19 January Arsenal at home to the Chelsea women
Don’t mind if I do
Been away from the bar for quite sometime. Missed a lot of you.
Glad to see you lot have kept the drinks going. It’s one of the few bright spots out there.
Lots of gloominess…
Our club look a shambles and we can’t seem to get out of our own way.
Can’t seem to elect functioning governments in Britain or Israel.
American politicians repeating damned Ruskie propaganda.
Our beloved barkeep.
Our club.
Sigh.
But, keep the faith.
Prayers can change people.
People, with enough prayers and accountability, can change things.
Even our club, with our owners and our staff and our players, will see better days.
Even our beloved barkeep.
Be good to each other.
See you on the high ground. Up the Arsenal!
RIP to Odo as well 🙁
Reports in the media that players not backing Ljungberg. Everton players played with real passion with the new interim manager in charge. We havent seen any change under Ljungberg. Our players don’t seem to give a shit. We haven’t won in the last seven games in the league and not sure if that will change today. We started the season quite well but can’t understand why we have suddenly become so bad. Worrying times.
Hey Lonestar, it is good to hear from you. Speaking of the power of prayer, up here I am praying for the sudden emergence of a pair of big, mobile, skilled central defenders who aren’t afraid to get into a tussle or two. Hasn’t worked yet, but I haven’t lost all hope. Yet.
How convenient and easy it is to blame Wenger and Ozil for everything that is wrong? Arsene did most things right and covered up a lot of apparent cracks which was then taken for granted, how come he managed to get players who could have played anywhere but chosen us? Ozil, Alexis etc? If at all it was Arsenal who had the pulling power, how come we are not able to now? Arsene managed a top 4 albeit 2 of his last two seasons and even in one of that got us 75 points which almost all times guaranteed top four. Most importantly, football was great to watch and there was a belief we can win, now we have none. He had his flaws like all did but then strengths far outweighed the flaws. Yes the time for him to go was there and should have on that glorious day when we beat Chelsea to win the fa cup in 2017 but then we may have been facing the same thing that we are right now. So this constant he kept us in shackles, he had too much freedom, he did not do this that is fairly disrespectful.
Mesut is the same, either accept the way he plays and build the team around that or not play him at all and sell him. Why offer the contract if you were not sure? If you feel Wenger insisted on it, he signed it in feb 2018 and almost most knew, Wenger was leaving. So don’t blame him if you had clarity. Mesut will always be the player who will create and not destroy, either accept it and play that way or say no thank you, cut costs and accept the loss.
It does not matter who we replace unai with, the board does not care, we need a complete revamp of ideas, functioning and most important players. Apart from leno and maybe auba and lacazette, who really will feature in any top-four teams? Ozil you ask?? he will eyes closed provided the team plays to his strengths. So effectively we have 3 players who are expected to carry another 8, is it even doable? NO. Miracles cannot keep happening and we cannot punch above our weight simply because other teams outweigh us in every sense. Can you imagine Liverpool may finish 100 plus points and we maybe 50 behind?
I know you’re an Ozil fan but he hasn’t done anything of any note, with any consistency, for at least three years.
Except suck.
You say we should build a team around him or sell him and we’ve been trying to get rid of him for about 18 months. He should not be in the team and never should have been this season, crisis or no crisis.
If we’ve learned one thing about Mesut Ozil in all the years he has been here it is this. You cannot rely on him.
So he is not the man to help us out of a crisis, weather alone or in a collective effort. He is the one who will hide, whatever the circumstances of the game. He has done it from day one.
As for blaming Wenger, I absolutely blame him for the culture of the club 100%. He used to rather insultingly boast that HE built Arsenal, as if the years before him never happened. Well it’s an empty boast now.
Innit.
Wrong kind of whether but I blame autocorrect (even though it’s switched off)
So Wham, Liege and Shitty to
come in the next week.
At Wham I hope Freddie will stick
to his principles and play an
attacking game.
I’d start with
Leno
Hector, Calum, Rob, Tierney
Guen Luiz
Martinelli Ozil Auba
Laca
I imagine many will disagree but
my main reasoning would be we
simply have to try something
different centrally and also I’d
like to get 3 goal scorers in up
front against a moderate Wham
defence
In reality I think Freddie will start
a similar XI to last time
As for the score I’ll take any
win but I fancy a hard fought
scrappy 1-0 tonight.
Time to set the clock for a
5AM wake up call.
Almost forgot…
COYGs!!!
Three points any old hoo has to be the order of the day. OM.
Ned knows.
Or the monks have told him.
Nothing less than 3 points. Any old how.
COYG
Luiz and Lacca dropped.
Team:
Leno
Bellerin, Chambers, Sokratis, Tierney
Torreira, Xhaka
Ozil, Pepe, Aubameyang
Martinelli
Bench: Martinez, Lacazette, Maitland-Niles, David Luiz, Nelson, Guendouzi, Saka
Holding failed his fitness test and Willock and Kola being rested for Liege, one assumes.
come on you overpaid blobs
show some respect or i’m gonna tattoo your foreheads with cheap ink
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=G9gCFnSWoaE
What would the Guv’nor have done with the ‘Holic pound? I’d wager he’d have been torn between the 14s available on a 1-0 and a 3-1 win, and plumped for the later on the grounds that we can’t keep clean sheets.
Ned. Agreed. The Guvna would do (possibly has done) exactly that. Hope all going well for you Holic.
Bellerin gone in the fetlock in the warm-up. AMN replaces him.
Kola injured, not rested apparently.
bath@3218: I hope he is fit enough to have done just that. Best wishes from Castle Ned, too.
COYG
Well, tonight is the night then…
It looks like I got what I wished for, a return to Freddie’s roots and a 4-4-2 (pretty much, but the Invincibles version wasn’t really classic 4-4-2 either!). Pepe on one wing, Martinelli on the other. Shame about Hector, but AMN might have a solid night, which we could do with in that position.
So, now I get to either eat my words or eat up three yummy points! I hate the taste of words so, well, you know 😉
Kola is that injured, he’s coming on..
Tierney injured halfway into first half and is being replaced by Kola who himself has a groin problem. Just when you think things couldn’t get worse…..
The one man in the team you wouldn’t want to have a free header, eight yards out, and of course it falls to him.
That is a red card all day for me. He’s off the ground and out of control, regardless of winning the ball.
Come on VAR, if you’re worth anything. Do the job.
Reckless foul by Cresswell and that cunt Dean Jones doesn’t even give a free kick.
Dean Jones is sharing a laugh with Cresswell!
Dean will always be a C.U.N.T
We concede! Not surprising.
AMN keeps giving away own goals. He is the culprit today too.
What the fuck is that cunt doing back heeling it on the edge of his own box? You stupid cunt, whoever you are.
*puts glasses on*
Torreira. You utter bellend.
Oh dear here we go again
Can it get worse than this? Pls dont answer….damn
15 years ago we were unbeatable, today unwinnable
We keep playing at this slow pace we will get nowhere. Move it faster guys.
The first 20 minutes seemed like there may have been some life in the old dog, again. Tierney injured again. Auba throwing his arms around again. Xhaka wearing a headless chicken suit again. Leno beaten by a silly, messy, scrappy goal where his defence basically went to sleep in front of him again.
It can’t happen again…
Can it?
At least Pepe and Martinelli look like they may actually have a bit of a taste for it. Although, after that grotty challenge from Cheatswell, I am amazed that we didn’t lose him.
But, feck me…COME ON YOU GUNNERS.
There is still something in this for us here. I feel it. But we absolutely must score a quick goal in the second half.
Xhaka saw Ogbonna steaming in and made sure not to get close enough to get hurt. Or prevent a goal.
Ksn. But harsh to blame AMN for that. It could have easily deflected away.
Rubbish performance so far. We need a good second half.
UTA
Ozil off please. He’s fucking shit. End of.
Please Arsenal aim to get the ball forward quickly , let’s have more energy and a bit of aggression in our play.
Xhaka saw Ogbonna steaming in and made sure not to get close enough to get hurt.
Made me think of that old Soccer Saturday segment when Frank McLintock was talking about throwing your head into the attacker’s face so you make it as hard as possible for him to score. As he said, you are going to get hurt and you might get a split head out of it, but he won’t score and it’s your job to stop him any way you can.
The modern player will never get it.
Another red card tackle by Cresswell. Dean at least shows a yellow card.
Cheatswell again.
Cunt.
GSD, saw replay of their goal and I agree to an extant. Xhaka (the chicken) avoided challenging Ogbonna, Chambers turned his head away as did AMN. Our defense is a shambles because we have too many weak kneed, scared (physically) players who don’t give their all.
Get Xhaka OFF ffs. Casual square ball then chickens out of a clearing header from the corner!
Fuck him off.
Guendouzi for Xhaka…
NOW!
We have two subs left right?
Xhaka off for anybody
Ozil off for Laca
Too late for my first scorer bet you young bastard but fucking hell that’s a relief.
Het the fuck in Mmm… Maartiiinnelllliiiiii
Martinelli!!!! 1-1.
Gabby! Yesssssss….!
At long last, he scores a quality goal.
Now fucking hold this lead.
Pepe!!!!!1-2.
Hold on to the lead or score more. I prefer the latter.
Play Pepe and Martinelli? Who said that? 😀
Auba, get in!!!! 1-3.
I have no idea how we’re 3-1 up because we’ve been fucking awful, but I’ll take it.
ksn @3255 – Option A is almost certainly not going to happen so, 4-5 fr the win! 😀
Believe, just fucking believe lads
Come on.
Fuck ‘em
We’re winning away
We’re winning away
How shit must you be
We’re winning away
Fast attacking play. Incisive passing. A backheel. A flicked ball and a volley…
It’s like we never really went away.
Said we, are, staying up
Said we are staying up!
This is much better from us come on
Guendouzi for Xhaka…
All of my wishes are gradually coming true!
Finally a win and three precious points. I had almost forgotten what a win felt like. Bring on Liege.
I’d forgotten what it was like to take joy from a game.
Well done Freddie!
Bring on City!
You can see by those hugs how much it means to those lads! West Ham was shit but oh boy did we need this!
Come on Arsenal! ??⚽⚪?
Yes!
Emerges screaming from
behind sofa?
Not the best performance ever. Not even the best this season, but, with any luck, the perfect tonic that we need to kick on and wrap up some points. Liege may just be a great opportunity for Freddie to play a really strong side, hope for a good result and keep pushing the confidence levels up for the Shiteh game.
What price a clean sheet against Liege and a sneaky 1-0 on Sunday?
What a result. What a relief. COYG!
Get the ball quickly to your star strikers and you score. Who would have guessed it?
We won!
We only bloody went and won!
And I had money on Pepe to score anytime in a 3-1 win. That’s what I call a result!
Well everything that could
wrong mostly did but we
came back for the last 30
minutes. Well done lads
What a relief!!! Hopefully this will restore some belief. So happy for everyone but most of all Freddie. COYG!!!
That 3-1 is for the Guv’nor (see @3217). Hope it is a sign he will take a turn for the better, too.
NBN, great call on the 3-1 for the ‘Holic pound. Hope you had it ‘Holic, and, and best wishes for a speeded up recovery!
A shout to Kola for the first.
Not in the squad, then on
the bench, then playing
and setting up the first all
important equaliser.
He’s been given some stick,
by me too, but if he did that
with a knock tonight then
a tip of the hat to you sir.
Couldn’t help but notice, we played with more confidence after scoring those three little goals.
And of course to Martinelli
for booting the cross into
the net. Dunno exactly what
that did for the team but it
certainly had me screaming
out some tension
You’ve a keen eye bt8, but
I noticed that too 🙂
The drinks seemed to go better
too ?
On a train full of Hammers who seem strangely depressed . I’m learning to do smug concern quite well whilst feeling very elated . Boy did we need this win .
Xhaka is shit, Pepe is class – who knew?
We are now seven points clear of the drop zone, and the same number off a CL spot.
Martinelli now the youngest Arsenal player to score on his league debut.
Let’s not forget the lad is still only 18.
Ned,
I heard on the post match review,that this was the first time for
8 years,that we had come back to win, from being behind at half time in an away league game.
That cannot be true can it. ??
InStat, a sports analytics company, has a performance index that rates players across the 35 European leagues The CIES Football Observatory has just published the latest InStat index, which covers matches this season up to those played on Dec 4th.
Unsurprisingly no one in our squad features prominently. Highest ranked is Guendouzi at 291st followed by Leno at 329th. Above them are some names that will be familiar as they were once of this parish, Serge Gnabry (20th), Wojciech Szczesny (121st) and Jeff Reine-Adelaide (216th). Encouragingly for the future, William Saliba is 185th.
https://football-observatory.com/IMG/sites/instatindex/
Clive @3284: That would have been at Chelsea in October 2011. Given we don’t win many away games, it might be true. I’ll stir the monks from their slumbers (the ones not at the tarts, at least) to check.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=h4c7hzt1_4Q
Monks at tarts? ?
North Bank Ned @ 3283 – The very definition of a mid-table side?!
The performance was not important tonight. The result most certainly was. We desperately needed a confidence boost, hopefully this will provide it. Just a shame we’ve got City next but who knows ??
Another question for the monks: What is Arsenal’s récord when Chambers starts in central defence?
Clive: It is true.
bt8b@3288: do try to keep up. See Clive @3122.
Rob seems to have been unavailable
tonight, Hector and Tierney injured
again. The defence still looks iffy.
West Ham didn’t punish us at 1-0
down and one deflected just wide
instead of going in. Little things
went our way and we got the win.
Our front four looked dangerous
once we’d scored. Luck and
confidence basically.
Based on that I’ve decided we don’t
need a manager at all – just pick
some random names (tea person),
tell them “you’re brilliant lads” and
hope they’re lucky.
Kickoff against Liege is at 6 pm GMT. Hope we keep our players fresh for Sunday against City.
ksn,
Martinez
?? Mus, Luiz, ??
Guen, Willock
Nelson, ESR, Saka
Laca
Not the worst team but I’m
not sure about fitness for
the full backs.
We are probably looking at AMN and Kola for full backs unless Freddie reckons Swanson is ready for a debut at right back, OM.
As pointed out by both OM and NBN, the full back positions are the problem given Bellerín and Tierney injuries. Hope Bellerín will be fit for Liege as he was only withdrawn as a precautionary measure. If AMN and Kola play on Thursday, we will have two knackered full backs against City, a situation the manager must avoid. Will be interesting to see the starting eleven for Thursday.
Yes, I’m hopeful Hector will be
fit, if not for Liege then for
City.
Was Kieran a dislocated
shoulder? I don’t how long
out for that generally.
Ned,
Or if not Swanson then Mavro
or Medley in a three might
be an option though it still
leaves other problems.
Seems rude not to take
the 3300 seeing as no one
wants it
Cynic, I am an Ozil fan but an Arsenal fan more importantly, if he does not do anything why would I bother to defend him, he is good in what he does, may not be great that we were hoping for but then the team has to play to suit his way or he had to adapt which he has tried to. Again not advocating that he is some saviour but he is far better than the way he gets criticized.
Wenger to be blamed for what? is he saying he built the stadium? he ain’t a mason or a civil contractor so don’t worry he did not build it. He played a major part in the transition and you cannot deny that he was one of the main reasons for it to happen. Were we there earlier, of course, did he make us better? of course, he did, will we be better after him, of course, we can. So simply saying because of those 2 for everything is fairly lame.
A win after what 2 months?? had forgotten how it feels and must say it feels a whole lot better. The moment the equalizer came, we knew we will win this and so we did. Confidence plays a huge part in everything and especially in sport, the first half was abjectly slow and then everything shifted a gear, Martinelli full of running, Pepe showing his class, torreira all over the pitch and then an unfit kola still managing to hold his own. Ozil yes Ozil played much higher up and it helped and overall 3 points which chowed gumption and grit. Midweek we will win too and maybe just maybe the city game is coming in at the wrong time to dampen the mood but you never know which Arsenal will turn up, till then we won and i am pinching myself again.
A huge part of this team’s problems stem from the midfield where there is no balance and we play the one-paced ( slow) , one- footed calamity that is Xhaka. He gives us nothing other than problems and if we could unload him and bring in a decent holding midfielder it will help us enormously.
I was also very taken with Aaron Mooy when we played Brighton . He is on loan from Huddersfield , I believe, but would not break the bank if we acquired him for next season . He is more of a box to box player.
I wouldn’t be surprised to see Robbie Burton play some part on Thursday. He is a tidy midfielder with a good engine. I think Zak Swanson may appear at full-back and we may see Mavropanos who has been doing well for the U23s with Mustafi at full-back. Freddie will know the potential of the youngsters.
If Tierney has dislocated his shoulder ( he seems a fragile boy) we won’t see him until the spring )
For what it’s worth I thought in the first half the gap between our midfield and forwards including Ozil was too big ,hence playing around our own area with no forward pass available , in the second half Ozil dropped closer to the defence which made it easier in transition to move the ball forward .
With the immobile Xhaka in midfield and Torriera all over the place we never had control in midfield until we scored and confidence slowly returned with the self belief and brilliance to win the game .
The same as a lot of posters on this site I don’t know what Xhaka brings to this team other than schoolboy errors , holding midfield player he’d have trouble holding a door open .
I am sure some of our
supporters would welcome
Mooy in the team (well one
anyway).
I watched him a couple of
seasons ago for Huddersfield
and he played well, not so
much the season they went
down when I noticed he was
sometimes left on the bench.
On Tierney, I hadn’t realised
a dislocated shoulder was so
long out. That’s a real problem
for us as I don’t see how Kola
can play so many games over
a busy December, January and
the LB options are limited.
Can Rob play there?
The really important news this morning is that Adidas and Arsenal are relaunching the bruised banana shirt as part of a retro collection.
The bad news is they want £75 for it.
I’ll keep wearing my original thanks, tatty as it is.
Well, after 60 minutes of the same old timid bullshit, we finally threw off our torpor and fear and started moving the ball swiftly, incisively and with purpose. Three lovely goals climaxing three lovely moves then an excellent exercise in game management.
I thought Xhaka was execrable throughout. The solitary upside to them Xhaka episode’ a few weeks back from which no one emerged with credit is that his departure either in January or June is almost assured. I will happily drive him to the airport.
I have no idea which Arsenal will turn up in the remaining games. We may see either Mr Hyde or Dr Jeckyl or glimpses of both in the same game but it is indeed a pleasure to watch us win a game and that win is important not only for the points but the team’s confidence and belief. It was moreover reassuring to see the positive interaction between the players and FL8 at the final whistle.
I hope the Guvna took Ned’s advice on the Holic pound and is now rolling in loot.
Well done Arsenal. The first step.
bt8b@3291: For this season, Chambers has started 10 league games, three of which we won, five of which we drew and two of which we lost.
In the four he played centre back, we won two, drew one and lost one. T
Overall, a 30% win rate when he starts against a 33% win rate when he doesn’t and a 20% loss rate when he starts v a 33% loss rate when he doesn’t.
OM: Well in for the 3,300.
BBC profile of Gnabry makes a point about how he was too injured as a youth with us to build his physical strength, so he was not strong enough for league football when on loan. Not an uncommon story for our youngsters, I fear.
https://www.bbc.com/sport/football/50556045
Nice piece from Charles Watts
https://www.goal.com/en-gb/news/after-46-days-nine-games-19-goals-conceded-the-smiles-are/uz0i35ujfjyl1sw5lqx9yx737
OM@3299: Medley can play left back though Tolaji Bola is the U23s’ regular left back. Playing a back three, however, just shifts the full back problem to wing back.
Ned,
Thanks, I’d forgotten Bola
but then I had a thought that
maybe Rob can play LB.
An all CB back four of Mus,
Mavro, Luiz and Rob is possible
I suppose. Or push Luiz to DM
and…..anyway to save on the
waffle it’s good that we at least
have some options.
Reminds of a few seasons ago
when all our full backs were
injured.
I agree with Steve V about Ozil dropping deeper and how it helped us to link play. Xhaka played a couple of good balls to him through the lines (everything else he did was rubbish and the difference between how brave he is and how brave he seems to think he is is massive). What we need is midfielders who find Ozil without him having to come back for the ball.
Chambers looked solid and has surely done enough to get another start. I’d be tempted to play Luiz instead of Xhaka because he can pass between the lines but not in defence. At least against Liege.
The difference before our goals and after was huge. Playing with freedom and confidence we look completely transformed. We need to keep that belief up and things can change for the better very fast. It will be hard to build league momentum with City up next. But they are playing as badly as they have in ages and if we could nick any sort of win (no matter how flukey or even if we perform badly) it could set us up for a good Christmas period. Even a good performance without the right result might not set us back too far.
Anyway, we’ll see what happens, but well done to Freddie and the lads for a long overdue win. We all needed that and it’s great to have 3 points in the bag again (without taking a month to accrue them)
UTA
Playing a medley?
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yTOSXc4su8c
I enjoyed the player’s reaction at the end. After hearing rumblings that Torreira is unhappy he seemed very connected with the fans, going to them to offer his shirt to a youngster and giving his cheek a little squeeze. Nice stuff.
Ozil gave his shirt too and all the players were smiling and relieved and took the time to celebrate with the fans. Freddie had a hug for them all and he went over to acknowledge the fans before getting out of the way and letting the players enjoy the moment. A bit of catharsis for all involved I dare say.
Then Freddie gave another excellent set of interviews. I love his style. Honest and realistic yet confident and solid. (Although he amusingly began about five answers in a row with the word ‘no’.) If he is not ready for the job with us this time round I think he is showing a lot of promise that he will be a top leader whenever his time comes. Which is good news as apparently he is a very good coach, but to be manager (or even head coach) you need to take charge and be a leader. That’s hard to teach and it looks to me like it’s something he has. Good man.
Paolo Sousa? Seriously?
Indeed Cynic.
P.S. we don’t want you.
Thank you Ned for the information about Chambers. It appears from the limited data available that Arsenal do better with him as a central defender, which is what I expected.
Confirmation bias at work?
bt8b@3318: It is a limited data set, and thus the results are of limited interpretative value. Chambers has started only 40 league games for us since his debut in August 2014 although he has started 111 Premiership games in all thanks to loan spells at Fulham and Middlesborough.
Ned
I add my thanks Re the Chambers stats.
I saw a lot of him at Fulham last season and he is much more effective in a holding midfield role than he is at centre back. In his various chaotic selections , Emery did not try him here. If we had better centre backs I’d like to see him play in a holding role but he is more effective than most of the other candidates. In the Southampton game where we could have conceded six or seven , he started as one of three centre backs, was the most effective and was taken off at half-time! We fell apart defensively after he departed.
I wonder about this team on Thursday .
Martinez
Mustafi Holding(c) Luiz Bola
Guendouzi Willock
Nelson Smith Rowe Saka
Lacazette
Might be interesting to bring Robbie Burton on if we are comfortably placed in the game and maybe also blood John Jules from the bench
We have to avoid a 5-0 defeat so hopefully we can achieve this
TTG@3320: Wenger always said (well, I recall him saying it once) that Chambers would end up as a defensive midfielder, not a centre or full back.
Your team looks likely. If you take out the probable starters against City, that is pretty much the best XI left, assuming Holding is fit. Mavropanos should get the nod if he is not. Burton and John-Jules on the bench is certainly a possibility. Both have been training with the first team. So has Olayinka, another midfielder. He has not been getting many minutes with the U-23s this season but can play right-back/right wing-back.
Ned @ 3292
Thnks for confirming,although i still find it astonishing,that it was indeed 8 yrs ago.
Interesting snippet from Freddie interviews post match,
In that his point of contact seems to be Edu,he doesn’t have many back up staff to work with,and he has been told to just take it game by game.
So one would assume that he is not the permanent solution.
Arteta seems to be the clear outright favorite for the job with the Bookmakers.
Ajax are losing 1-0 to Valencia at half-time tonight. Were the result to stay the same Ajax would go into the Europa League, a situation I would prefer us to avoid.
Clive
I join you in finding that statistic astonishing. It certainly signifies a deficiency in fighting spirit and playing method when chasing a game.
Re your point re Freddie I would like to say how impeccably he is conducting himself in what must be a very difficult situation. I hope the club continue with him as a leading coach if they bring in someone else .
Nobody seems to have an inside track on the name. Arteta would be a bold choice , Ancelotti a safer one but Napoli progressed through today to the last 16 of the CL so he may have a stay of execution
Evening TTG
More interesting snippets coming from players post match.
Leno has lauded Freddie for encouraging them to play with more freedom,and to enjoy their football.
As opposed to the straight jacket that Emery’s tactics imposed on them,
which drained all freedom of expression out of them.
You cannot undo the damage Emery caused to the club in 5 minutes.
But hopefully that 2nd half cameo will bring some of the joy back into the players performances going forward.
Pity we have City next up,but given they are low in confidence at the present moment,who knows what could happen.
Napoli have sacked Ancelotti.
I’d take Ancelotti. I’d actually be excited about him.
I would not be excited about Sousa or Marcelino.
Right
Screw it
No shame
I want
To score
All the 3s
Boom!
Wheels around in celebration like a Year 4 kid scoring his first goal on the big playground with the Year 5 and 6 kids. Full on shirt-pulled-over-the-head, spittle everywhere, Pele-claiming unadulterated glee.
I am Wright, Henry and Bastin rolled into one.
And if I’m not, well, screw it, I’m celebrating like I am.
big girl’s blouse
Clive & TTG: A bit more colour on the away game performances.
We played 154 away games between the two ‘come from behind at half time wins’ in question (Chelsea in October 2011 and West Ham on Monday). We were behind at half time in 40 of them. Of those we lost 31 and salvaged a draw in nine.
In 67 games, were were level at half time, and went on to win 29, draw 21 and lose 17.
In the remaining 47 games in which were were ahead at half time, we went on to win 39, draw four and lose four.
So the statistic is an oddity but heavily influenced by the fact that we are behind at half time in barely a quarter of our away games. And it is also clear that we are better at winning away games if we can get ahead by half time.
I have ALL THE THREES.
Ancelloti has three Champion’s Leagues.
Coincidence? I think not.
Bring me the head of Carlo Ancelloti.
And the rest of his sweet, sweet body.
Cba is clearly one of the Year 5 kids, GSD.
@3335
You’re just jealous cos Sarah in Year 5 said she thinks I’m more handsome than you are.
see 3335
Great minds Ned.
Have a drink. And shout something at the monks for me. You decide what. I assume that, like Santa Claus, you have a naughty and nice list?
and
3338
.
how could you ?
cba is not the Messiah.
All together now…
He’s a very naughty boy!
3341
see
3335
Bugger off you tart
*flounces off*
see 3335
.
“the cheeky wee madam”
honestly !
.
it’s like 3340 was never written
but
#hymns#
“dearly beloved
aren’t we all a 3335
wishing for 3347 “
Morning all.
TTG’s team looks ok for
Liege I thought (most of
it picks itself and a mix of
experience/youth in the
FB roles is good).
Ancelotti seems a bit stop-gap
but the fact that Freddie isn’t
naming any back room team
seems to show someone is
coming.
.
.
.
i could ramble
but i’m not feeling it
been sick as fuck last few days
.
its totally interrupted my quiff
.
a more old school hi stack pompadour
hasn’t needed more restoration
since Little Richard
sashayed when he shoulda sidled
.
.
.
“Thank you royaume uni”
“Can we have the votes from the Japan judges, please”
.
.
“d’ye know what
fuck the lotto ye ”
.
.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cDHcFDCgCbI
Cracking work from the monks,
some crumpet to go with their
tarts seems in order though
of course “spare the flagellation
and spoil the monk” should
remain the dominant principle
I suppose.
.
.
.
shower o ornamental shitehawks
may discomfiture inhabit yer
every fibre
.
.
The votes from the Japan
judges are
State execution 15 points
No change ever 12 points
Boys cry Nil poin
big smiles 10/10
funny cunt
.
.
(keep it light fella)
(keep it light)
“Have you ever noticed”
*laughter muscles flex*
“How comedians always have mother’s in law”
.
.
.
ha
oh
the terror of the homeless apostrophe
ha
.
innit
Conviction rates are around
99% once you get in front
of a Japanese judge apparently.
Admirable consistency or
judicial oppression?
what’s Japanese for diplock ?
“The streets are safe because
we walk in fear”
Wise words them
Dunno cba.
Jury system has only recently
started for some cases so
diplock was/is the standard.
boy o boy oh boy
god fuckin bless
anyone there
before an arse with an ego
an agenda
and a see above
.
.
monumental miscarriages occur
but
apparently
“there’s no smoke without fire”
.
.
i lived in London the whole eighties
the amount of clowns
who responded to my accent
by not being in my company
but thinking i’d really appreciate
coming up to me and telling me
what my sort were doing wrong
was regular
.
just tiresome
now’s when chris should come in
.
‘holic
if you are reading any garbage
written here last month
can i make a request
1st
can you please get better
and
2nd
can you post Chris’s doggy Christmas cards
i loved them
the big eejit
i can’t post pictures here it seems
and
of course
i’m aware i’m more annoying
than anything else
but
“Davy Davy give us a wave ”
.
i am far from a well man
but
i could still batter you good lookin , ya fucker !
?
.
.
[just wave]
please
we’d all like it
for Christmas
GSD in the 333x’s
So glad to see someone is enjoying themselves
cba ever since then, too
Chilly as a witch’s here
Got in the beer for the expected weekend carolers
Still need to get in more firewood but it’s too cold right now
Diplocks conjure no Christmas cheer.
I know, I Googled it.
*suspects that many drinkers are being careful what they wish for*
Interesting that Ancelotti is primarily being linked with Everton at the moment.
But not quite interesting enough that I would click on the headline.
From the rumours section of the Sky website:
“Paris Saint-Germain could launch a move for Liverpool forward Sadio Mane next summer if Neymar.”
Interesting. Mane is a better player in my opinion.
Rafa says he won’t rule out Everton.
Chelsea and Man City both have their eyes on Ake.
I wish Chelsea had loaned him to us and not to Bournemouth.
Bellerin to Barca rumour listed with a question mark at the end. Perennial but not unexpected if it were to happen.
Smalling to Arsenal rumour also listed with question mark, but the other clubs that are interested in him seem to be our current rivals: Everton, Leicester and Roma.
Enough rumours for the moment.
The doctor told me fewer rumours, more coffee.
Or something like that, can’t really remember.
Could the Guv’nor be lurking?
Recuperating and/or shopping for the grandkids?
I have some shocking, awful news. This was just posted on Twitter.
With his partners permission to tweet this I am sorry to say that @TheGoonerholic is in hospital and sadly not expected to come home. Pauline has asked if this can be shared as she doesn’t know how to reach people. I’m devastated like many of you will be.
Arseblog seems to be in the Vieira/Arteta dream team camp judging by his pictures.
3395. So sorry.
C100@3395: Awful news. Every thought and prayer with the Guv’nor and his family.
C100,
I have just seen it on Twitter myself and jumped on here straight away! Thoughts and prayers with Holic and his family at this difficult time! 🙁
Terrible news. Thoughts with Dave.
Kev Whitcher just broke this news to me (I don’t do Twitter) and I’m sat here, having been mired in my own insignifcant worries all morning, in bits.
Hoping for a Christmas miracle.
All love to Dave and his close ones.
Just heard the news. So terribly sad. My thoughts are with Dave, his family and everyone who is lucky to have him as a friend.
That’s just terrible news, so sorry to hear about Dave.
Bad news just keeps on coming, having lost my dad, also call Dave, just a month ago.
The Club have put a message on Twitter, responding to Victoria’s original tweet
Thinking of @TheGoonerholic, his family and friends.
Dave, truly Arsenal through and through ❤️
i just saw the news on fb. i’m very nearly about to throw up. i’m not a praying man, but i am about to be on my knees beseeching all there is to heal him.
dave, if you get to read this, thank you for all you’ve given to me, and to all of us, with your measured view, your humor, and your kindness. you’ve made my being a gooner so much better over the past 10 or so years. i surely wish you would get better.
much love, big man.
bill
i hope like hell the club is sending over bobby, tony, any of the first team, and anyone else to visit dave in hospital…
countryman, do you have a link to victoria’s twitter message?
Praying for Goonerholic to beat the odds.
nvm, found it.
@victoriamscott on Twitter
Sending all my love to Dave and his family.
Come on, Holic.
Just seen/heard the awful news thoughts with you all x
Having lost my father recently, I didn’t think that anything could affect me anymore.
Come on Holic, have the luck and the strength. Come on my son.
The long silence had alarmed me but I hoped the great man was gathering strength and recovering. I hope and pray he may still be able to recover and that he will be back among us.
This is a way bigger blow than anything that has happened to the club that we have been debating. That is trivial in comparison. The man is a top, top fella . God bless him
I am numb. Dave was always so welcoming, so friendly, on here and in person.
Let’s pray for a miracle.
And now Freddie responds on Twitter
“I can only echo the club’s message to say we’re all thinking of Dave and those around him”
How great to see how important Dave is to the club and all who run it. He bloody should be but not every club would bother to acknowledge a great supporter like him . Shine on you diamond ♦️
What TTG said one million times over.
Copy that, C100.
A decent response from the club and more particularly from Freddie who will have much else on his mind this evening. If anything will give Dave a boost, Freddie’s warm words will.
In truth Arsenal can only repay Dave’s support over many decades and more recently his measured and positive blogging by letting him see them lift big ears.
Dig in Dave, you wonderful man.
i’ve not been able to stop weeping this morning for more than five minutes at a stretch. dave’s the third one gone, or FIGHTing not to, in the last two days for me. i hate this shit.
as has always been eloquently said here (any other way, from dave?) by the landlord: “a virtual bar. real friends.” i am so grateful to know all of you (regulars and irregulars) both in person (snir, peter, paul) and virtually…
beyond gutted. ttg @1417, indeed.
I have never been to London. Thought about doing that in the summer next year. I had a plan to drop a message to you guys here and to try and meet some of you in person. I was also hoping that Holic might be around and willing to meet.
Holic, if you are reading this, please don’t let me down! As Henry once said: Do what the game demands from you. I suggest you do a dummy a la Kanu and move out of that tight spot. Come on mate, you can do it!
I have just seen the post on Facebook and have caught the updates on here. Such awful news. Thinking of you Dave and hoping for some better news in the very near future. My thought and prayers are with you, your family and your loved ones. Massive hugs big man.
Sending best wishes to Dave and his family. I really hope and pray you pull through.
Very sad news about our Guv’na. Prayers & love that you pull through boss.
Virtual bar, real friends.
Goonerholic has made me feel a part of the Goonerverse no matter how distant I am. The first time I wrote anything in the drinks Dave wrote me a personalized welcoming message encouraging me to become a regular. That kind of thing does not happen very often in this world, and I will be forever indebted to him for his kindness. A bit like we are all indebted to Lars for his wallet, and for everybody else who joined Dave’s wonderful community space. My heart goes out to Dave and his family, and I hope a cba-like miraculous recovery could be a possibility.
Like TTG and i am sure several others, the long silence since Dave first came home from hospital was worrying.
Emails unanswered,no updates in the bar.
Now it appears we know why,and the end game appears to be upon us.
I have lost 2 dear friends in the past 12 months,one just recently,both with complications of the Liver.
I must admit i had a deep sense of foreboding when Dave first told me his diagnosis,as i knew what lay ahead of him.
Pauline and their immediate family must be totally bereft.
As Hot Chocolate once sang, ” I believe in Miracles ” is all we can hope and pray for.
And not forgetting Dorset Mick @ 3403,
Commiserations on the loss of your dear old Dad,i hope the end was peaceful,and he got a good send off.
From one Maestro to Another, Both peerless among their crafts.
https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=KcDCJ5w3wo0
I haven’t been in the bar in a long while but just wanted to send my condolences. Dave was a very nice guy who gave me some computer help about 5 years ago, no pay, no strings, no attitude and he never even met me. I ended up making a small donation to Arsenal foundation in his name to quell my guilt. Best wishes to his family and everyone in the bar.
Andrew
That is terrible news this
morning.
The Guvnor has meant a
lot to many of us who have
never even met him. It must be
very hard for his family and
many friends now and my
thoughts and hopes are with
them all now.
Haven’t posted here in years, but felt only right to drop by today in light of the awful news.
This website was the place I made some great, and abiding, friends. It was where I learned an awful lot more about a subject I thought I’d already understood; what it means to be a Gooner. That was all thanks to Dave.
He has always set the tone, and defined what it meant to be the sort of supporter we should all aspire to be; thoughtful, kind, welcoming, up for a laugh and loyal to the core. A total gent.
Thoughts with Dave and his family tonight. Moments like this really do put it all in perspective.
nice to see some old faces, it’s been a while N7…
sucks as to the reason. here’s to dave’s health, and the strength to pull through…
Dave,
I’m hoping you will somehow get this and the many other heartfelt messages left for you today.
So sorry to hear you’re back in hospital – everything crossed here for your recovery.
I will be forever grateful for the wonderful place you created here and the friends that have resulted from it. This place has been a huge credit to you – appreciated by readers, contributors and The Arsenal football club itself.
All the very, very best to you and yours at a most difficult time.
Erin sends her love too.
Take care, buddy.
I just heard the news.
Holic, all of us here in Japan are sending you our support and we sincerely hope that you pull through and continue to bless us with your warm words of moderation.
Virtual Bar
Real friends
I haven’t said much in here for a few years. That doesn’t mean this place doesn’t have a very fond place in my heart.
Holic has created a lasting legacy. A place where we can all feel part of a group and a friendship.
We are all pulling for you.
I remember the first time I was fortunate enough to make to the Tollie. Holic was there and immediately saw me at the door with the bouncer, without hesitation he looked at me and said “he’s one of us”!
Always welcoming and always gracious. Arsenal through and through.
Get well Holic. I need another greeting.
Been a while since I’ve posted here in the drinks, not much on computers these days, but heard the saddening news from mutual friends that I’ve met over the years via this wonderful site and it’s oh so gracious host Dave.
Sending a prayer out to you and yours, mate for a full and speedy recovery.
Love and best wishes.
Paul, aka H2H.
I haven’t been in the drinks in years but now that I’m here, looking over my old stool, so many memories have come rushing back to the forefront of my mind.
I entered this bar 8 years ago, a boy still wet behind the ears and still so inexperienced about the world but the maestro welcomed me with open arms and introduced me to his community where I made friends I still treasure to this day.
I’m a man fully grown now but a man who is eternally grateful to ‘holic for my education in The Arsenal, a true big, friendly giant of a man who’d always give me the warmest welcome of a firm handshake and “Hello Wind!” at the Tollie, pint of Guinness in hand with the biggest grin on his face.
You and the family will be in my thoughts and my prayers Dave, we’re all willing you to a complete and full recovery.
Much love, always.
Alex (Wind).
Thoughts and prayers for Holic and the family. I’ve only ever been a lurker and casual poster in the bar, but a few years ago he kindly emailed me an invite to the Fantasy League and I joined. Thanks for providing a peaceful and thought provoking place to share my passion for the Arsenal.
Sending healing vibes and positive energy to Holic to make a full recovery. My thoughts are with his family and friends. This virtual bar is one of the best places on the interwebs.
Been a long while since I drank at the bar here. But here’s one to you ‘holic. Cheers from India
Simply echoing all the above thoughts and wishes. Thanks Holic.
UTA.
Gutted to hear that Holic’s health has taken a turn for the worse. His long absence was a real worry and our worst fears have come true. I hope he makes a miraculous recovery and we will be lucky to have him around for a long time.
What TTG and Steve T said.
As with so many others here, I am very upset to hear this terrible news. Fingers and everything else crossed that Dave manages to pull through. My thoughts are with him and his family.
Rooting for you here, Dave. You have to come back and see us win at least one European cup. It’s the least you deserve.
“Virtual bar, real friends”.
Truer words were never spoken.
I really am at a loss for words. Thanks to Dave and this bar I have made some proper friends and I desperately hope that somehow this shall end well however small the chances of that seem at the moment.
Dave, here’s to you.
xx
Such sad news. A Proper Gooner.
Such terrible news. Like others above I haven’t posted here in a little while, but felt it only right to swing by today to add my respects.
When I first posted on the site I had no idea how many incredible friendships I would eventually make here, and I will be forever grateful to Holic for his.
This is a special place created by a very special gent – thanks Dave for all you’ve given us.
That is a very sad news. To me following Arsenal and reading Goonerholic and all the contributors here have merged into one rich experience.
Wishing Goonerholic the very best. And hopefully, despite whatever the initial medical verdict might be, a recovery. A recovery that is long enough to see us lift a Champions League title.
I left a proper message last night but have to say I’m touched that my “Virtual bar, real friends” slogan remains as true today as all those years ago.
All down to you, Guvnor.
Let’s hope that all the warm words above, and from the club itself will give strength and comfort to Holic.
Clive@3427, thanks so much for your thoughts, and the answer is yes and yes.
Sometime since I’ve been in this parish, but just a quick word to wish Dave all the very best, and to say that I am thinking of you and your family at this awful time.
Always a friendly and welcoming face, I shall treasure the times we had laughing and drinking together pre and post games, and would like to thank him so much for the enduring and continuing friendships made possible by this site.
Arsenal through and through, he always understood that it doesn’t really matter whether the canon faced left or right, as long as it faced outwards. It was impossible not be swept along by the sheer joy he radiates when they win and impressed by his calming influence when they don’t.
I was knocked sideways by yesterday’s news. Hoping against hope that Dave may yet pull through so that he can discover that so many are rooting for him, and the affection and regard in which he is held.
Thinking of you mate x
Haven’t posted here for a while but came in to wish holic all the best.
Thoughts and wishes with you ‘holic and your family.
Am rooting for you harder than I have ever rooted for the Arsenal. Come on man, you can pull through this one…
I am too upset to express my thoughts coherently here.
David Faber is one of the finest gentlemen I have ever had the pleasure to meet.
That is all.
It’s lovely to see many much missed old friends back in the bar and indicative of the massive regard in which Dave is held that they are there. It’s just so sad that we are congregating because of his illness . Massive love and strength Dave you diamond ♦️
Well said, TTG.
Never has my name been so appropriate, even when the guvnor and I disagreed it was with politeness and calm heads, I’ve never liked a blog so much before in my life and goonerholic has been a large part of it for a long time.
I may not have posted as much as in the past, but I still came here everyday to read the reviews and comments made by himself and his many measured members of the bar.
My thoughts and prayers are with Dave and I’m hoping for just one more miracle.
How I pray for miracle for a man I’ve always dreamed to meet one day when I finally make the dream trip to the Tollie from East Africa.
What others above have already expressed is all .Thanks so much for the ride so far.
Long time since iv been in the bar but like everyone else just want to say a thank you to Holic an absolute gentleman,a real arsenal fan to the core.this site is one of the first arsenal blogs I followed im yet to see one that comes near it,so balanced and always fair.
Thinking of all his family and his friends at this sad time.
Thoughts are with you Dave – a true friend I will never forget that time we met Tony Adams together
Almost seems out of place to talk about football in the current circumstances, but the guvnor wouldn’t want it any other way…
Martinez, Mavropanos, Luiz, Sokratis, Maitland-Niles, Guendouzi, Willock, Saka, Nelson, Smith Rowe, Lacazette.
Don’t know the subs
I think you are right, Cynic.
Leno, Chambers, Medley, Olayinka, Martinelli, John-Jules and Aubameyang on the bench.
Slightly surprised not to see Burton among the subs.
Interesting selection. Will that be a starting three at the back — Sokratis, Luiz, Mavropanos — or or a starting four — Sokratis, Luiz, Mavropanos, AMN? Difficult to see a left back or left wing back among those starting, although two on the bench in Medley and Olayinka.
Long time reader, first time comment.
I just want to express my best wishes to the guvnor, a true Arsenal Legend.
If you are to go, you will be welcomed in the great marble halls in the sky.
i do certainly hope the landlord is feeling better today, and able to watch this. and that it makes him feel even better, rather than feeling like hiding behind the machine that goes *ping*.
ned, i’m guessing a back 4, but if a back 3 i could see willock as the other wing with guendouzi dropping back for the quartet of saka, nelson, esr, and laca.
COYG!
and i do hope those who’ve dropped by to give thanks for dave will stay and have a few drinks during the game. a round on lars’ wallet, more appropriate than ever on seeing the man himself above.
Not an exciting watch so far but we are starting to warm to our task.. I share Scruz’ hopes that we may see a bit more of some of the returning patrons above. Every one of you has been missed and seeing your names here (as well as long time lurkers who have posted) has been the only silver lining on the news about Dave. A reminder of how loved he is and by how many wonderful Gooners.
Still sending all my love and prayers to the Landlord and all who care for him.
COME ON YOU GOONERS!
COME ON YOU GOONERHOLIC!
too right not exciting, gsd. esr looks lively, mavro looks out of his depth, and the rest somewhere in the midst.
Mavropanos looks like a guy who hasn’t had a game in a long time. Hopefully he shakes the rust off.
fair enough, gsd.
Scruz. I posted it before I updated the feed and saw your post. For whatever reason he is clearly filling no one with confidence so far.
Quite like some of the link up here the youngsters. As always with younger players the next step is to find some end product.
Had the pleasure of visiting the Tollie last summer as me and my management were over for our son’s wedding. He lives near the grove, so we wound up renting rooms which looked out at Highbury — her majesty was always asking me why are you staring out that window all the time? Made a mental note to try to get back there in season with the hope of meeting up with the regulars and above all with the ‘Holic.
Wishing and praying for a full recovery, ‘Holic.
We created a few chances but overall nil all at half time is fair. We continue with mis passing, Hollywood passes and the disease of giving the ball away continues under Ljungberg too.
Been reading the blog for it seems forever.
Been thinking about you ‘holic for the better part of the last 24 hours – you’re everything I miss about England and going to Highbury from 1972-1995 and I wish you a full recovery – thanks for being the most generous of souls.
Tim
About 20 mins before kickoff my laptop had some sort of electronic heart attack. I was gonna stream the game (screw you BT) so I had to dash to the local Irish pub.
It was only after I bought a Guinness and the barman let it settle before bringing it over that I realised I had unexpectedly found myself watching Arsenal and drinking a pint of the black stuff.
This one’s for you Dave.
We concede another deflected goal, surprise surprise 😀
So bored with Sokratis turning his back on shots. Face up to them, you rotter.
Lousy start to the second half, concede early.
Saka, Nelson and Willock not showing enough hunger there…
Can I drive Sokratis to the airport in January please?
i can’t see us putting 3 more deflections into our net. fortunately. i’d rather win and top the group, though.
It’s not hard lads, if the ball is in your box clear it. Don’t pass it to the opposition.
What did you say Scruz?
Willock passing like this is the box is just insane!
gabigol coming on. for laca? or saka? esr has been doing the work this half.
ok, maybe i was wrong about the deflected goal count.
We gift another deflected goal in the match. We are becoming good at all these negative things. Eintracht will top the league and we will be second if we don’t concede three more?
Double greek tragedy
indeed, arthur.
gabigol on for sokratis. back four of luiz, mavro, amn and…
None of these young players look good enough to play at the top level
We’re going to get the result the team selection deserved, unfortunately.
@3489 – I really don’t get all the fuss about any of them, they all look like any number of young players we’ve had in the past. Not up to it.
Laca!!!! Time we got one back. Precious goal off a beautiful cross by Saka.
Great cross from Saka 😀
there we go.
Bit of magic by Saka (just when we were writing the youngsters off) and we equalize.
I think I’m going to eat my humble pie
suddenly, saka. aka sakaboom.
so, liege tiring? i can imagine some heavy legs on that pitch.
and he tracks back, too, saka.
and now auba on to administer the coup de grace.
say we’re top of the table, we’re top of the table!
sorry about the self-assist. i really thought someone would have scored the tonnage in that time.
Vitoria is doing us a favour
Frankfurt are losing, so we will definitely top the group (if we don’t concede!).
so, if the frankfurt game ends with vitoria up, we’re first. if they draw at the end, i believe we’re still first.
Yes those youngsters made up for their lazy approach but I still don’t really rate them yet, there are glimpses of what they can do but Martinelli looks the closest out of all of them.
Another draw but I’m glad we managed to come back from 2:0 to begin with.
Feels like a win. Liege played better for 75 mins but tired and we scored two good goals.
Qualified top of the group, so what are we complaining about.
I was hoping for a third one from us. That last free kick should have been taken by Saka….thought Nelson’s corners have been rather poor tonight.
I find it torturous to watch football on such a poor pitch. Inexcusable!
We could have lost and still gone through! Liege were winning by two and blew it. They must be gutted.
I couldn’t care less. On to City.
A Gooner I spoke to at the bar had this to say- “City at the weekend, God help us.”
Football is a funny old game. We could get hammered by City (we love to accommodate any and all teams on the slide by gifting them points) but if we got an unexpected result against them I think a lot of us might be feeling a lot more bullish about the tough run coming up. It would be so Arsenal to get poor results against teams we would hope to beat and then do well over a tough Christmas run. Can we make it happen?
The pitch was awful!
As usual Arthur I disagree with your assessment that our players were lazy. Honestly, I don’t know what you are watching.
Inexperienced? Sure.
Unlucky, as we conceded more goals from deflections? Yes.
Lacking clinical finishes from good positions? Undoubtedly.
Unstructured? At times we certainly were.
But lazy? Especially when you claim not to rate the youngsters because that are lazy? Laziest players were Sokratis and Luiz!
Our young lads worked hard. I happen to rate them a lot, but even if you disagree on that point I think claiming they were lazy in this game is a crap reason not to rate them.
Anyway, we scraped to first place in the group and I’ll join you in a Zubrowka to celebrate!
I thought we should have been ahead at ht. we had played our way into the game and looked quite silky going forward. With a couple of decent chances to score too. Their moments came from suicidal play from Martinez and the young Greek bloke (what is it with Greeks and gifts?). Thought ESR was the pick of the FH with Saka looking promising.
However we were second best for most of the second half. Defensively we got so much wrong. I do wish they would let MK5 get in to drill them. We also need to buy a decent CB in January because most of the ones we have make Coco the Clown (need a few miles on the clock for this reference) look like Baresi.
As MK said, Freddie is clearly a lucky manager. But his kids helped a bit. I don’t agree that they look like previous youths who failed to make the grade. Martinelli, Saka and ESR will be top players and Willock has a good chance if his development continues.
Winning that group should give us another lift and it’s never a bad thing to come back from two down.
I’ll take the credit for that draw, after knobbing off the kids and then Saka scored 🙂
Well in Cynic.
And I couldn’t agree more about the rotter Sokratis.
I don’t want to use a game he didn’t play in to bring up Xhaka’s failings… but that’s exactly what I’m gonna do! He is the only player I know who could pull out of a challenge that could have prevented a goal because he was scared of getting hurt and later in the same game get concussed when hit by a ball to the head. Stone and metal are as close as Granit and Irony.
Also, I wish Stuart Robson had more joy in his life. He seems to be wound up by his very existence. Everything Arsenal do that he dislikes is just the icing on the cake.
GSD,
I’ll raise a glass with you any time, I still think they don’t seem to be up for it perhaps it’s just me however, when I see Martinelli chasing every ball and playing without fear it looks a bit lazy to me and inexperience plays a big part into it. Perhaps it’s their body language.
I know they are young and as soon as they put that shirt on there is a huge amount of pressure on them. Unfortunately that comes with playing for this badge and I was glad to see a response.
Martinelli is not home grown but looks the closest of making it at the top level.
A shot of Żubrówka for everyone on the bar! Let’s raise glass for Dave! Lars this one is on me put that credit card away kind sir!
A very very very long time lurker…thanks GSD for the the description.
Someone who watches from afar, appreciates all, first match 1962, lives with the high’s and low’s, gutted that the man who talks my language and is a larger than life human being even bigger than The Arsenal is struggling…
Sleep well ‘Holic
I didn’t give a toss about the game tonight and decided not to watch it. Dave would probably not approve.
I noted Ljungberg changed the system and then changed it back. The initial team selection seemed odd and I suspect Freddie has been tarred with Emery’s brush and will confuse the players. We scraped first in a very weak group despite only playing well twice. Must be set to win it .
I’m in Dublin on Sunday and actually relieved I won’t be at the Grove. It will be brutal .
When the drinks sailed past the 2000 mark I had a bad feeling about the ‘holic.
I am rarely correct about anything- which bodes well for Dave.
Come on mate…..the seasons not over yet.
I don’t do praying but Im a pretty intense hoper!
Everything is crossed for a favourable outcome….
Top man Dave
If our young ones are as poor as the previous lot then I would like our club to ensure they stayed with us and not sell them like they did with Gnabry, Mallen, Bielik etc.
Fuck Jeremy Corbyn.
Fuck him to hell.
Public school Marxist and a traitor to the working class.
If I see him at the Emirates I’ll go over and kick him.
The tragedy for the country is that the Labour left cares more about running the Labour Party than running the country.
Jo Swinson also needs a bloody good beasting for voting for this General Election and I hope she loses her seat.
From bragging about being PM to losing her seat in a matter of weeks. Talk about delusional.
Cynic.
Every word mate. Every word.
Fair play mate, fair play. It was a good read…
Agree with Cynic @3462, it
feels strange but talking about
The Arsenal is what The Guvnor
would want.
I think Freddie just started who
he could with most of his mind
on the City game. Wouldn’t have
brought Auba on but all the
other decisions seemed fair
enough to me.
ESR did well I thought and it was
nice to see Saka make one and
score one. 2-2 was about right
really.
Last nights game , we had a very young midfield and IMO Guendouzi is the problem he’s all over the place which makes it difficult for the rest , it then becomes easy for the opposition to find space in turn over situations and because of this we don’t control the midfield . Guendouzi is always like this , he’s game needs to be reigned in , he also needs to be aware of the positions the rest of our midfield are taking up . ERS not a defensive midfield player high risk further up the pitch , Willock box to box , we were very good going forward but all over the place defensively .
All these young players need experience around them in game situations and be guided , the future does look bright but can we wait for all these players to mature .
Again the same as everyone else my thought are with you Holic and your family keep fighting .
TTG@3515: My 2-cents is that Freddie started with a back three for no other reason than lack of full backs, and particularly a left back.
OM@3522: I believe that when Auba came on, Frankfurt was leading against Vitoria so we still needed a win to top the group.
Whatever happens, and I’m still hoping the Guvnor will pull through, we have to keep this bar going. I may have been a ‘lurker’ but it was still the place I came to find reasoned, measured reactions to all things Arsenal. I was born in the same ward, same hospital as Dave, he’s a couple of years younger than me. This place is soooo important to so many of us. Let’s make plans for his legacy. I would like to contribute more … who else?
Bodumgooneress.
Well said. Thankyou. Dave started something important and it needs looking after. Whether custodianship is just until he returns triumphant or a longer term solution it is truly in the spirit of our great club. The Goonerholic bar must remain open for business. And everything else that goes on here.
Whatever happens, I’m in.
cba. Give us a tune mate.
We could all do with a smile.
bodrumgooneress, dead on. i’ve been thinking about the same thing. while dave’s articles are the heart of this place, i’d like to think that what we do here in the drinks have become part of its soul. one has to hope that we can keep it going, even in (god forbid) his absence.
and gsd, exactly. wondering where the ugly bastard has been the past few days. even something from his favorite band, abba, would do.
bodumgooneress, gsd and scg: same thought has crossed my mind. Monks in.
NBN, GSD and SCG. I’m very glad at your response to the equivalent of a ‘where is he/she on a cold, rainy night in February’ poster. I hope it doesn’t come to this but this place is so special that it must continue. Hopefully, the miracle will occur and we’ll find a new post from the Guvnor very soon.
And, yes, where is cba? That’s very worrying.
Deep commiserations to all those now living under a majority Tory government.
I did a “Joel Campbell” and got out while I could.
But I take no delight in saying that.
Look, the British people got what they voted for…..
we must assume then that they wanted a recurrence of The Troubles in NI and Scotland out of the Union….
It beats me….
Agree with those blaming Corbyn – he is possibly the worst Labour leader since M Foot.
If Scotland do secede and then choose to remain in the EU Britain would then have not one but two land borders with EU nations.
Love to see Tory “solutions” to that one…
Bexit will happen now of course but this shit fight aint over yet…..
My advice?
Get your arses down to NZ – we only have Volcanoes and 3am kick offs to worry about – and you’d be as far away from Boris as earthly geography would allow……
I hope cba can stop crying long enough to give us his take…..
And get well soon ‘Holic – you are very badly missed.
Bodrumgooneress, You are quite right to say this place must go on no matter what. Too good a cast of characters assembled to let them drift away so count me in. In the meantime hoping and praying for better news from the Guv’na
bodumgooneress
Funny enough I was thinking the same as other regular drinkers here and I’m also more than happy to contribute and then some more. I still hope there is a chance he recovers so fingers crossed!
Just to add my support to
Scrub, Ned, GSD. I’d be happy
to help Bodrumgooneress.
An island of basic decency is
always worth preserving, it’s
hard to make, easy to lose
and I don’t want to lose this
one.
Ned,
Yes, I thought that about the
LBs, it does say something that
Freddie didn’t fancy Medley or
Bola as cover though Medley
was on the bench. He did say
after that Saka wasn’t thrilled
at being LWB.
Personally I was pleased to see
ESR back as I think he’s a good
player in the making. It’s not
meant as a criticism of UE but
I was worried that ESR might be
slipping away.
Bodrum Gooneress
I’d be happy to help but out of respect to Dave I’d like to defer any discussion until we know more about how he is .
dave
you oul tart
please don’t break our hearts
.
.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QYTPXoWtLug
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BOCGT0Fl9FQ
.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hcPiip-xkyw
.
.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0jtScxMtncw
abba, you shamrocking bastard!
c’mon dave ya boogie bastard
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4MyJHh451Y4
my favourite abba song
is SOS
lyrics are bleak
been bla bla for
i only discovered ‘hol was where he is
today
thought i’d play a few of his favourite tunes
.
.
i just love the fella
he kept me sane
(stop thinking “well he didn’t do much of a job”)
he really did
here really did
.
god bless all here
and
god bless holic
.
i hate this song
stupid swindon likes it
so
oh
oh
oh
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MRUk9R3QNqg
.
it’s still shite dave
still shite
still shite
steaming
shite
yikes ??
aaaaaaaahthough
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AfK1IPLpcqs&app=desktop
.
.
NOW WE’RE FUCKIN TALKIN
and of course
i could pretend
i know the soft 80s soul
the main man also favours
.
i won’t
couldn’t
can’t
don’t wanna
.
“stop bullying me ”
.
.
wanna hear any of that slick shite
.
.
i wanna wanna
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_pYeb7OV8EA
.
.
.
dave is on the short road
i’m on the medium to aaaahhhhhh hysterical relatives
relative road
.
.
i really really hope Dave
has seen the Arsenal message
and Freddies
.
.
dave is arsenal
.
moooooooooooooooooooooo
.
i really hope he saw the messages
.
i fuckin hope he did
by fuck he deserved it
.
.
.
i like to think it has been my
*puts on sheepskin carcoat*
ballkickfoot nouse caused me to
rise through the ranks here
from
‘Arsehole most likely’
to
“inside inverted commas”
.
.
here’s a song for ‘holic
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WMGvQ2v-ZRM
the ornamental poooove that he is
.
THE greatest Arsenal book unwritten
.
the goonerverse robbed
.
.
heartbreaking
it’s not fair
.
what can we do ?
.
.
.
cry
.
yes
.
.
.
.
i only have one Arsenal record
but what a record to have
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vGOEUo_sLxY
.
quake in my b-side wake you delicate washes
.
.
what’s that ?
you don’t own a copy
.
.
.
i’m outta here
PLASTIC GOONERS !
terrychrisdaveandme will point out inadequacies
from on high
?
well having said that
the precise location
hasn’t been worked out
.
*shrinks to the back knowing i’m for down below*
.
.
.
.
*meets the other 3*
.
.
.
.
*chuckles muchly*
.
.
.
*buys canary*
.
.
lurkers ?
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vZKWffik1FE
.
the MIGHTY esso
named after the drummer
.
best not do the
“Well that was a long time ago”
40
when i bought that
applying the same numbers
world war 2 was just getting noisy
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=P5G3Ffta-ic
.
.
in answer to a few queries
i was not the best
just recently
but i’m still here ya fuckin nosey cunts
.
.
WHY I OUGHTTA !
imp fail
buoyed by nigel dodds
getting the bums rush
his mrs is an mep
she’s as thick as poundies
so
soon they’ll be both down the jobcentre
jobseeking
.
previous experience
might be interesting
is there a box to tick
for
pair o cunts
cos ye have to declare
marriage arrangements
and
changes in circumstances
.
all good there
so
.
.
.
any humpydoodlydoo
i made myself some delicious potato bread today
gorgeous and thin and dry fried to perfection
.
and the potato bread was nice too
.
*spins bow tie*
i’m wasted here
and
+1 thunder T
3536
.
what are you conniving cunts
gonna replace me with ?
.
statues again ?
it’s always statues isn’t it ?
.
.
.
pffft
so many other ways to celebrate my modesty
.
.
lazy
that’s what you are
lazy
CBA
We are gonna replace you with someone good looking with a proper taste in music ?
Can’t replace the irreplaceable mate.
Holic and CBA are mint originals
I just listened to Andrew on the Arseblog’s sad news and loving words about ‘holic, and didn’t know where else to go to post my sorrow at the news of Dave’s illness. I’m a long-time occasional lurker on this blog and have also often enjoyed Dave’s sage, witty and good-humoured contributions as a guest on the Arsecast. Clearly a lovely man, my thoughts are with him and his loved ones.
oi thunder T
stop being nice
doesn’t sit well with me
.
in the meantime
*hunts out
The Kings Singers
Jake Thackeray
and Richard Stilgoe albums
in case a party breaks out
at thunderlicious T’s*
.
.
always prepared, me
“we’re gonna ROCK and/or ROLL
until we…”
just can’t rhyme
with something we initially committed
ourselves to
.
Yeah !
.
https://vimeo.com/157221248
or
.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_g6YxkSqL20
or
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ma5BOoSpB4E
.
.
.
i’m so cool
sometimes
it hurts
.
.
.
yup
i did the hard yards for you clowns
when
if ye didn’t have the record
ye didn’t have the record
now
everyone is an expert
i’m sure some wee herbert(chap / man )
will see francoise and soil themselves
and begin a wet trousered obsession
or
not
.
i don’t care
fuckin weirdo s
.
.
.
*denies self thrice
afore the oul cock crows *
.
.
.
anything
to not think about ‘holic
.
.
yes
i’m toking
yes
i’m not drinking
.
yes
fuck off
yes
it’s heartbreaking
.
saw the oul heads
zico tabs
just heartbreaking
what are you conniving cunts
gonna replace me with ?
A parrot with Tourettes and a St Bernard.
CBA
Thackray and Stilgoe eh ? Add a bit of the Seekers and Peter, Paul and Mary and let’s get this party started!????
As long as its not too loud and over by 10 pm.
I’m reading Amy Lawrence’s “Invincible” at the moment and I have to say that I’m astonished at how deep the relationships these guys had, and have, is.
If you’ve not read this and, like me, thought it would just be like reading a series of interviews you should pick it up. It’s possibly the best Arsenal book I have ever read (so far, the wheels still have time to come off 😉 )
If someone sends Josh Kroenke a copy, the new Arsenal management team would be decided in about five minutes. Vieira, Keown, Bergkamp, Gilberto, Lauren, Ljungberg, Lehmann.
Take your pick of any number from that lot, with Vieira and Keown essential, and get on with the job of really getting our Arsenal back.
They all “got it”.
Assuming Master Kroenke can read, of course, although he’s so rich he probably has a chap to do it for him.
cynic
?
thunder T
?
.
bit ruined
cheerio
see you fuckers in a while
Yes bodrumgooneress, Ned, GSD, TTG etc (that’s cba an’all) – I’m in.
Mind you, we won’t be short of content for a while – until cba is reorganising my garden from the underneath, it’s hard to get a bloody word in edgewise round here.
In the meantime, still hoping for that miracle here and the return of the Guvnor.
Love to you H’ if any of these messages are getting through.
Hope you are still hanging tough, Guv’nor. Joining everyone else in the bar in hoping for that miracle.
Top work cba while I was sleeping
Ploughing the hard yards without benefit of mechanized tractor
Birmingham v WBA, happening now, looks a
considerably more interesting matchup than
Liverpool v Watford, also happening now
With Leeds up by 3 goals in the second half it is looking like they and the Baggies will both be 13 points clear of the third placed clubs.
Nketiah still on the Leeds bench.
But the still injured Carl Jenkinson didn’t even make the 8th placed Nottingham Forest’s bench so will not share in any of the blame for their 0-4 second half deficit to visitors Sheffield Wednesday.
Scottish League One, anyone?
Forfar 3 Dumbarton 3
Whilst Freddie is interim boss could we not have given (or give) Bobby Pires a short-term role in the coaching setup? He seems to be at London Colney fairly regularly and would (like Freddie) surely be willing to lend a hand for as long as the club needs it? And we could surely do with an extra body to lay out the cones?
Whoops! Dumbarton scored another one to take the lead
Have it!
Wow bt8.
I’ve tabsed the hell out of that and I’m putting the blame squarely on your shoulders. That’s what I get for going for the self-assist. What can I say? I saw my name in lights.
Hey GSD. An immaculate tabsing.
(That was a new one for the spillchucker but I have it the runaround.)
Well in bt8 for the 3600.
GSD,
Freddie made the point, very politely,
in his presser that he’s a bit short of
help in the current situation.
The Peerless Mr Pires does seem an
obvious candidate, I’d love him to
teach a couple of players to play
like him.
gave it the runaround, l should have written. A bit like Pires around the oppo defence
Also in Scotland, in the Lowland League,
Kelty Hearts 11 Vale of Leithen 0
Hearty performance
Ozil in the mire again.
Mesut Ozil: Arsenal distance club from midfielder’s social media post https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/football/50795173
3536 @TTG Absolutely in tune with you. I felt that my suggestion was premature and hope that it fades into insignificance and irrelevance and that the Guvnor pops up here again soon. He really is in my thoughts all the time. As though I actually knew him. Maybe I did, in some way.
Cynic
I read it some time ago and enjoyed it very much even though I had guessed the ending ?
I think their team spirit compares very closely to the original Double team. Those still around are very close and have enormous character and spirit. I compare them to the likes of Xhaka, Ozil and Luiz and it makes me very sad .
We are all biased because Arsenal is very special to us but all we ask is that players commit 100% to the club . Those guys in the Invincibles did. That’s why they achieved what they did . Having watched the last few games at the Grove the contrast is ridiculous.
I’m very fearful tomorrow. Unless we can find some defensive organisation it could be very nasty .
You’ll be there of course TTG?
Astonishing number of tickets flying around on twitter and ticket exchange.
C100
I have to go to Dublin on business so sadly I will miss it.
I say sadly but I’m apprehensive .
Hope all those able to go really get a very nice surprise
You can get as much as 6/1 about us beating City,and even 5/1 for the draw,such is the contempt we are held in by the Bookmakers.
And given our non existent defence,and City’s quality laden midfield and attack,who can blame them.
But football is a funny old game, no one expected little old Norwich to grab a point at Leicester,and Bournemouth with their long list of injuries and poor record at the Bridge,were long odds to beat Chelsea.
City’s defence has been their Achilles heel this season,so they are probably more vulnerable now than at any time,and if little old Norwich can beat them,then why can’t we.
Start positively,score the first goal and you never know.
Hope springs eternal,at least it does in my old red and white heart.
Only Arteta knows where his true allegiance lies.
Unfortunately the City players have no such doubt about their allegiance. As for their commitment compared to the previous two seasons on the other hand, it may be slightly diminished. At least there can be hope of it and that Arsenal have their tactics and commitment right.
Statistical oddity or revealing statistic?
6 of the 17 highest scoring defenders in the Premier League Fantasy game play for Sheffield United. There must be something about them the rest of the league haven’t figured out yet.
I have just tuned to listen to the Arsecast, and I had few and I’m sad fucker indeed!
I’m also Catholic and I we did go to church today we always don’t practice always but we still went and I did pray for Dave, that is the best I could do Holics!
Aa for tomorrow I hope we can nail them just because We Are The Arsenal!
As Holic use to say!
Too many spelling mistakes so apologies there, I hope didn’t make all sound too depressing
Well, unfortunately, llamas travel pretty slowly and I just heard the sad, sad news a couple hours ago.
Been taking in the drinks and tweets in a bit of a stupor.
Dave, you are such a kind soul. You, through your generosity and this site, made this Yank feel close to proper. I’m gonna miss you big guy. But I celebrate you as well. See you on the high ground.
Good to see some of the many names from years back. Bill, if you ever make it back to Texas, give a brotha a shout.
However I can help what comes next…sign me up.
Cheers, ‘Hols
Ozil has gone up in my estimation. There’s never a bad time to speak up for human rights, and it’s better than palling around with autocrats.
Ned@3607
I saw that story. And people say
the club can’t move quickly!
Though I must admit I’d prefer
us to be quicker in areas other
than fawning over repressive
dictatorships
The spillchucker strikes back
?
The team news for today is
not encouraging. Hector, Rob,
Tierney all out as well as
Xhaka and Dani.
Our hopes of a settled defence
by December didn’t last long.
Given the selection midweek I
guess today’s team will be
Leno
AMN, Calum, Papa, Kola
Torreira, Guen
Pepe, Ozil, Martinelli
Auba
Hopefully, we will confuse
City as they won’t know
whether to attack down the
right, left or middle.
Not a lot of options for
Freddie really though I
suppose we could add Luiz
or Mus as an extra CB.
Or push Luiz to DM.
Anyway, I’ll go for a heroic
2-1 win for The Arsenal.
Why wouldn’t Lacazette play against Citeh? Our defence is so porous that we need to score goals and I would always pair him with Auba if both are fit.
UTA
we always don’t practice always
Rather like the Arsenal defence.
The balance of the side is all important. OM’s side is about the best we can do with the injuries . Trying to attack Citeh with an unbalanced side is suicide. We need two wide men to work back and we need to be as compact as we can be. We are particularly short in midfield
We will always be short in midfield when Torriera plays, TTG.
Potsticker@3620: Well said.
The human rights record of Rwanda, whose sponsorship Arsenal takes, makes the club’s statement in relation to Ozil’s remarks that it is ‘always apolitical as an organisation’ ring hollow.
Well not really because there is no political statement in taking their money, simply greed. They can take the cash without having a view on political or moral issues.
We take sponsorship money from all kinds of cunts, you can have a moral view on everything from gambling to the environmental impact of jet travel, but you’d never have a pot to piss in if you did.
Meanwhile, China’s state broadcaster CCTV has removed Sunday’s Arsenal-Manchester City game from its schedule after comments made by Gunners midfielder Mesut Ozil, state media has reported.
It’s my sons birthday so they better make an effort today, he just got his Arsenal training track suit and he lives it ?
What’s the phone number for the NSPCC? 😉
Will be difficult to watch and I would take a draw. Mixed day so far as United draw at home but Totts win.
Martinelli starts. Luiz and Laca on the bench along with plenty of the youngsters.
Leno
Maitland-Niles, Chambers, Sokratis, Kolasinac
Guendouzi, Torreira
Pepe, Ozil, Martinelli
Aubameyang (c)
Bench: Matinez, David Luiz, Willock, Nelson, Smith Rowe. Saka, Lacazette
Spot on, OM.
Cynic@3630: If you take government money, you make an implicit political statement.
China’s response to external criticism is to say that any deviation from the Party line is a falsehood and then to impose retaliatory financial penalties (see NBA and Hong Kong passim). It should be called out for what it is and stood up to just as much as when Trump does the same.
lives it? Bloody spell check!
That is a decent line up considering…..
Martinelli just lets De Bruyne run and that’s been a large part of pur problem all season. Lazy bastards.
Aaaaaaaaagh
FFS that second ine way too easy
Atrocious by Kolasinac there but if his wide player was giving him any help, he might not have been so exposed. Who’s playing wide left again? Oh yeah…
I know he’s young but you haven’t a hope against this team unless everybody is prepared to work in defence. If your front players can’t be arsed to track players and work hard, you are fucked.
Then Pepe loses it and instead of trying to get it back, he spins away doing … whatever it is he was doing.
Attitude in this team is shit.
Just switched on and find we are two goals down. Cannot play our normal game as we will concede at least half a dozen the way we are defending. Wake up call for our players and our manager.
Guendouzi lucky not get booked that was embarrassing
I think I had enough of watching this
Kola injured. Saka on. Deliberate fouling by City not being punished by the ref.
The match is one sided and City are just cruising. Debruyna scores 0-3.
More pathetic defending.
This could end up being very nasty for us.
This is by far the worst collection of players I’ve seen at Arsenal. Just watching that corner and nobody looks remotely switched on, they’re all just standing in the box like a collection of extras in a zombie film.
We have fuck all going forward, the forwards are too lazy to work at defending, the midfield is all over the place and the defence is like “Help!”
When your best player, game in game out, is your keeper, you are usually heading for a relegation scrap.
I’d get Ozil off right now, he’s done absolutely shit all and even by his usual mediocre standards he has been by far our worst player.
First of all, just wanted to send all my thoughts to Holic and his family. I’ve enjoyed coming to this site for 5+ years and Holic has always been nothing short of an absolute gent. I won an Arsenal shirt on here 2-3 years ago, which I’ll always be grateful for. And when I connected with Holic on FB, despite his thousands of followers, he’d always take the time to send me a personalised message on my birthday, asking how I was etc.
As for the City game….I know De Bruyne has scored two absolute pearlers, but we are so poor. This must be the worst Arsenal back 4 in living memory. Ozil’s finished at the top level. I respected him in his Madrid-Germany-early Arsenal prime but we haven’t got nearly enough out of him for about 2 years now. Chambers is nowhere near Arsenal quality – so slow and his defending for the first goal was abysmal. And followers of my comments on this site will know I don’t rate Guendouzi. Lots of running and nice sideway passes, but nowhere near good enough defensively or offensively. A good manager could get, at best, marginal gains out of this squad, but these players aren’t good enough. The league’s moved on and we’ve got worse. We’re mid-table fodder now.
The thing that the Arsenal team needs to learn from City is not their attacking flair but the ruthlessness with which they foul opposition players the moment they are about to mount any meaningful attack. The Rodri hack on Kolasinac (knocking out our only available left back in the process) is a prime example of that. We on the other hand are allowing their midfielders 30-40 runs with the balls without tackling/fouling them. Premier League football in this day and age is all about intensity and we have just not shown any intensity at all. We have got players who look pretty on the ball but without the ball only a few like Torreira & Chambers show guts, gumption and intensity to win it back. Ozil has been the most sluggish and needs to be taken off at half time. Let’s bring on Laca – play a 442 and try some early balls bypassing the midfield. It’s okay to lose against a better side but not okay to go down without a proper fight leaving everything on the pitch.
I don’t want to watch any more of this. We’re not worth the electricity, so I’m going to watch Maniac Cop instead. Fuck Arsenal.
The End.
I have turned it off as well and started watching fourth season of The Expanse, much better than this dross! My son said to me…
Dad just please turn it off just look at them the are running around like a bunch of headless chickens in all different directions. He’s now in his room playing ga ws online
We are so ordinary. Only a masochistic Arsenal fan would be able to watch it. We are worse than many lower level clubs as they at least defend, show desire, lots of physicality and refuse to lie down. We have none of these traits. We are not even good going forward, something we thought we were good at once.
First objective for this sorry bunch is to make 40 points.
ksn,
They think they can just turn up and that’s it! No desire, no heart and most of no fucking balls!
….and fuck the management for allowing it to happen!
The good news is that we kept to three. That’s it.
City didn’t get out of second gear in the second half and still bossed it. Very dispiriting.
Freddie should just tell Raul that he needs more people in his staff if he is to continue anymore. It is appalling for a club of Arsenal’s stature to have an interim manager with just one person (BFG!) in his staff. Are we so downtrodden that we need to save on salaries of people by hiring two already employed people?!
It was also unfortunate that after a much needed win last week, we had to play city straight away. Whatever bit of confidence was gained in that must have evaporated completely today.
Absolutely, ATG. The management is responsible to a large extent. The last two coaches have done nothing to rid us of our weaknesses starting with our defense. Players cannot pass accurately, don’t run back when needed, look uninterested. All these things the manager can work on. I see a deterioration since Wenger’s days in our attacking play and our defense too has taken a turn for the worse.
The quality of the majority of players is also poor compared to players we had in Wenger’s last year. All downhill in the last two years and I don’t see anything improving in the near term. Just looking at the quality players City has compared to ours is unbelievable.
One win in the last twelve says it all.
We looked more combative when the youngsters were on. Perhaps Freddie should play his U-23 team. There is some quality in there and inexperienced as they be, would it be any worse than the way their seniors are performing?
Reading between the lines of the post match interview, I don’t think we’ll see Ozil again for a while. At least I hope not.
Jesus that was dire. Only Leno and Martinelli turned up.
Second half was one of the most boring 45 minutes I’ve ever watched.
You were best placed in your Dublin hotel TTG
This will be a long season for us. I miss Holic’s sobriety at moments like this one. Get well soon, Dave!
I take absolutely no satisfaction from having a very clear idea of exactly what was going to happen. My plane was delayed and I arrived in Dublin twenty minutes in. When my phone got reception I waited to hear how many goals we were down. It was two – three by the time I had cleared passport control.
I saw parts of the second half. If Citeh had needed to press home their advantage they could have won that game by six or seven goals. That is how far we have fallen under the Kroenkes. Arsenal is a laughing stock . Our great club that was a trailblazer for so long is now a club whose only challenge is staying in the division,
Our next two games at home will be awful too. We will lose to Chelsea and United. They won’t outclass us to the extent that Citeh did but they will win comfortably . When we play Leeds in the Cup much will depend on how much they care about progressing because if they are up for it they have every chance of beating us.
I have been going to the Arsenal for fifty seven years and I have never looked forward to it less. It’s not that we might lose its that we will play with such a lack of spirit and basic organisation . This team has reached a nadir of commitment and desire as well as being very poor at the basics let alone providing us with great moments. I’ve hated this season. I hated the style of football played under Emery and he bears the biggest responsibility for how bad we are but players like Ozil , Sokratis , Xhaka and Luiz are just frauds . They are very unworthy heirs to the tradition that Cynic described yesterday.
And I largely exonerate Freddie. He was given a shit sandwich by the awful Emery and lacks the experience to turn it around.
Meanwhile in Kroenke Towers we will look at the effect on the balance sheet and who we can get to work at the cheapest rate with the least compensation to keep us in the division.
Sorry to be so depressing and it’s even more heartbreaking when we think of dear Dave as he is and how sad he’d be at our predicament but I don’t do false cheerleading as some would wish us to on here .
This is a shit-show and will take skill, dedication and money to sort. I make the Kroenkes 0/3 on those criteria.
If Arteta is the new manager I think I will cry and it won’t be tears of joy.
You can go through this team from front to back and all we really have worthy of shouting about is a great goalkeeper. There’s undoubtedly some talent in there but it’s being strangled by the shit show around it.
A good team is made up of partnerships, it’s no use having a potentially good player like Guendouzi if you’re going to partner him with Xhaka and I would even say Torreira is not good enough. I know people keep on about him being a defensive midfielder but he ain’t. Look at how much room City had right through the middle all game today and where was Torreira? AWOL. Guendouzi will get criticised foir his efforts but at least he sometimes was in the right position.
He needs a Vieira alongside him, or a Gilberto. You stay, I’ll go, or vice versa. Currently we have a situation where one is probably saying “Where the fucking hell are you?” to the other.
But really defending starts from the front and we do not have players who will do the hard work. If Aubameyang doesn’t score a goal he’s not in the game. He does none of the work you need a striker to do when it comes to pressing.
Our defence is bad but it is shell shocked from getting no protection whatsoever. It’s no wonder it gets pulled out shape and backs off, there’s nobody giving any cover so they cannot press because they’re afraid to.
As for Ozil today just summed him up. He put more effort into shuffling off the pitch than he did into playing, which is the story of his Arsenal career as a whole. In the Arseblog liveblog, which I read post-match to see what he made of it all, he said Ozil kicked a water bottle. He didn’t, because it would have required more effort kick something plastic, so he settled for the comfort of his own soft woolly gloves.
Freddie implied that he would deal with that little drama but that he’s only the manager day by day, which suggested to me that he would not pick him again. I’d fine the waster two weeks wages and bin him myself.
So frustrated about how shit it all is and none of the candidates for manager feel right for me. Not in isolation anyway.
It comes to something when you’re hoping they’ve given it to Pochettino, but that’s where I’m at.
Plumbing new lows.
Not much too say about that
really. Basically, I agree with
Ned, if we’re going to be that
bad I’d rather play the kids
and see who can come
through.
No point in picking out individual
players or Freddie I think, we
were simply not good enough.
Frustrating as hell, this side does
remind me of the mid 80s when
we had some good players on
paper but they wouldn’t turn up
half the time.
plumbing new lows ?
.
mocking one of my predicaments
will not make you big
nor
will it make you clever
Mr Farawayacrossthesea !
.
*plumbs inadequately proudly*
.
ya cheeky wee madam !
.
.
.
“When you have harrowed
What I have ploughed”
etc
.
.
it’s not the man I am
but
by God
dirty words are mobilizing
young man !
.
don’t make me get on a plane , Japan
.
.
DON’T MAKE ME !
.
.
that will be a day full of eastern rue !
.
.
.
and no mistake
and
once
i beat 8ball
in the all night
race to the 4 thousand
you
my faraway friend
are toast
.
.
.
.
.
.
*gathers self and exits lavatory*
.
.
.
4000
can’t see it
and any road up
some lurkin cunt would probably steal it
from my once heroic grasp
tha basta !
fuckin lurkers
As if they’d let you in the
country cba.
Right 322 to go and then I’ll
nick the 4000
.
.
.
“i hope yer trip to dublin m’lud
is a good trip
and
may your first child be a masculine child”
Still, I’m a helpful sort
of fellow so…..
Achi iike omanko- that
Japanese will help you to
understand at customs
3678 ?
is maith liom ispíní
try that round here
that should get what yer after
.
.
.
honestly
these frisky foreigners
no respect
none at all
at all
at all
and
trev
you
ya wee fucker 3590
?
me in the ground ?
you’ll be there
tears and snotters
horsin down yer cheeks
in yer black veil
like a mafia widow
yer brillo pad red barnet
poking through
alerting security
.
.
“Please ….please …not the knee ..not the knee !”
and
anyway
more to the point
RUDE !
ye forgotten yer hippopotamus oath ?
baff wouldn’t behave like that
and he’s a real doctor
.
.
.
*winks at camera*
@3682
?
Would that be the breakfast
of champions?
*australian accent*
“depends which sport , sport”
Coincidentally I was out for
a dinner of pig’s innards last
night.
30 quid for pig’s innard
hotpot and all you could
drink
Usually they have a 2 hour
time limit on the all you can
drink deals but this one had
no time limit
but I knew it was time when
I went to sit down and missed
the chair
not my greatest moment
but I can tell you that pig’s
innards are better grilled than
boiled – a bit too oily for a
hotpot
listen
who amongst us
hasn’t done similar
?
i for one
applaud you
good man yerself
However the blowfish testes
starter was excellent
I’d recommend it to anyone
– well except a blowfish
obviously
.
now a ham is nice boiled
where’s the demarcation line
of ham pork and bacon
thanks cba, certainly gave my
Japanese friends a good laugh.
And that’s what christmas is all
about
I’d have to agree on the boiled
ham though
sets you up nicely – talking of
which….
indeed
i mean
if ye can’t make the Japanese laugh
has baby Santa even been born
I have a couple questions for all those who are better informed than me.
Did Fred have a defined playing style for his U23s?
Are our players worse than say players from the teams positioned from 10 – 19 on the log?
Someone tell Fred, Pepe slows the game down and all those dribbling he tries do not work in this league, they may work in France. Laca should be starting, instead of Pepe. Laca tracks back.
Someone encourage Fred to try the last team setup that Unai tried with Luiz playing the DM role. What happened to Rob Holding?
well
if that isn’t what’s needed chez us
that beautiful linked up
nonchalant gameplay
i dunno what is
.
it’s when the majestic
is made to look effortless
osaka M
.
.
.
.
.
.
*misses chair*
.
.
oh oh
someone broke into
the night time tree house of arseholery
with
QUESTIONS !
.
.
.
*picks self off floor and aims both buttocks at chair to evaluate*
.
.
i sincerely hope Dave is getting the drinks read to him
in his hospital bed
i really do
mind you
this one
kinda let’s the cat outta the bag
“imagine ye never heard this one , big man”
“don’t look behind the curtain”
“the great and powerful Oz ………”
.
.
.
.
fuckin saved that one
*hi fives self*
BOOOOOOOOOOOOOOM !
we’re all thinking about ye fella
.
how Gladys
in a monumental lapse of judgment
missed out on quite the Pip
i’ll never understand
.
.
her loss
.
how here has turned feral
with outbreaks of civility
that’s another bastardin one
the place is like a fuckin hippy commune
(apart from cynic)
(cynic strong)
(cynic brave)
(cynic heap good)
the grump is still ströng there
.
.
ummm
i dunno ‘hol
other business
i’m still off the beer
hating every second
still on the Arsenal
hating every second
.
.
other than that
things are dreary
* if someone is reading these to you
can i suggest to them
as guidance and for authenticity
imagine a chainsaw doing a gerry adams impersonation
.
always been my downfall
.
out of an evening
people wondering why the Milk Tray Man
is in the Dog and Bigot in hounslow
then
i open my face
and squawk for a stout
.
mass break for the door to escape the cacophony
leaving me with only
the lame and the lazy for company
.
.
.
oh
the tears my chiselled features have cried
.
.
.
and herself put the Christmas tree up yesterday
.
.
.
i think that’s you all caught up
big hugs from all here in Donegal
and
so as i don’t get trampled to buggery
by this eager lot
moooooooooooooooooooooos
from all the girls
.
.
.
.
.
.
all the best ‘hol
see ye down the road
.
.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DYAGkiDVOD4&app=desktop
herself put the Christmas tree up yesterday
I bet that made your eyes water.
(Sid James, Hackney Empire, 1957)
see 3714
I don’t mind Magnus Carlsen
hammering me at chess.
At Fantasy League football
too is a bit steep.
Anyway talking of christmas
trees and staying in,
I’m off out to another
Xmas party tonight (tenuous
that). Hope it ends better
than last nights.
I’m genuinely amazed at the incompetence displayed by those in charge of this once great club. Emery came in to replace AW and whatever anyone thought, the impression I had was that most were more than happy to give the man a chance. Personally, I thought he would get a minimum of two years. An indifferent season last year was followed by substantial sums being spent in the summer.
What has happen since has been nothing short of a disaster. None of the summer signings have improved the side. How they will develop in the future? Who knows? The only one who looks remotely worth the money is Martinelli. We let Ramsey walk away on a free and made Xhaka captain?
Emery had to go. It had just turned into one rapidly increasing downward spiral. But the fact that we have dismissed Emery with seemingly no idea or no plans in place for a potential replacement is just bizarre in the extreme. Have we really sucked Emery with absolutely no one at board level considering his replacement??? How on earth does such incompetence still exist???
We are imploding. Kroenke is absolutely clueless. Our very own Hicks and Gillette. We are an embarrassment. We’ve become a joke of a club. A total laughing stock.
Something needs to change and it needs to change now. No more time wasting. We need an experienced manager to come in and sort this mess out before it really does become too late. Someone certainly needs to be in place before the January transfer window.
Clueless and totally rudderless. We need some quality and some stability, and we need it now. I just can’t fathom how those running the club did not have plans in place after Emery departed?
I’m not looking forward to the festive Arsenal football any longer! I’m not sure where do we go from here.
Freddie has been served a rotten sandwich which stinks from miles away and there is no immediate fix, the Emery poison has spread throughout this team and the mental state of these players is shot to pieces.
As many regulars have pointed out, we a laughing stock no one knows what is happening and it seems no one has got any answers. We all know KSE will not throw money at these issues so be prepared for a rough ride. Even Freddie doesn’t know what the fuck is going on up there, so go figure.
There is also no plan and the management is responsible for that we are a shadow of what this great club used to be. Wenger kept us in the top 4th by a thread and since KSE took over they didn’t give a flying toss about the footballing side hence never invested. They don’t understand our club, our culture and what Arsenal is all about. They are in there for the money, same thing happened to clubs they acquired in the US.
As Steve T has pointed out they are our own Hicks and Gillette and things will not improve until they either sell or start investing. Hire the right management to run the club as the current one is fucking clueless!
Tough day yesterday. That was hard to watch. I thought we did a few good things but they don’t count for much as we did so many bad things. I liked Martinelli and Saka. Leno is vital to us.
Chambers is good in the air but too slow on the ground and we need defenders like Campbell and Toure with pace to recover and who are excellent in one on ones. We offer them so little protection they need to be more dynamic and mentally tough as well as keep switched on all game.
I hoped for more workrate and pressing from ESR in his half-hour but that’s more with a view to him not developing the kind of attitude prevalent in this team so he makes the most of his talent, not because it made any difference yesterday. Sterling is quality, yet he still works his nuts off. That should be the template. Martinelli shows more of this than anyone else.
All the stuff about our team and club has been written elsewhere so I won’t rehash it, but we need to get a new manager (and backroom team) ASAP. And we will have to steel ourselves for more chastening results and performances until we can (hopefully) turn this round.
UTA
The one thing I keep seeing is that when our defenders have the ball they look under pressure. Whoever we play against our midfield is so static and positionally unaware of how to drop into pockets of space that we make their press look brilliant. Even if the opposition just sit back in formation we manage to position ourselves so that all our forward passing lines are blocked. We have no central midfield partnerships. Although I think Torreira and Guendouzi are both decent players (probably excellent ones in different circumstances) they play like two individuals, not a pair. This is true of any midfield that we put out.
When we play it to the fullbacks they should have the option of playing it back to a CD, into a CM, or forward to the wide forwards. So often they have only one option. Retreat!
By contrast, when we don’t have the ball we seem to cut off no passing lines and our opponents move the ball forwards into danger areas with ease. Not just teams with City’s class but anyone we play can pass where they want or dribble forwards through the middle of our half without encountering a tackle.
It’s just awful. We don’t look dangerous. We do look vulnerable. Whilst this carries on we will continue to be the not-so-secret Santa that gives points to everyone else. Except we aren’t jolly. Just bloody miserable.
Can we play the under 23’s or 18’s from now till the end of the season? We are shambolic and I am sorry but for Leno, I wouldn’t want anyone in this team wear an Arsenal shirt again. No, we are not entitled to win or were ever expected to beat city but that we become an embarrassment at our home and did not even make their gk have even a half save( 1 apart), that is pathetic. The pace at which we play is pedestrian, the defending is non-existent and not one player out there is accountable for this shit. They walk off by throwing their gloves or kicking a bottle or even applauding the crowd, it makes no difference. We have no face in front of anyone and those players if they have any shame wouldn’t look at the mirror.
No manager can come and correct this mess easily, it needs a complete reboot, the whole club seems to be in a mire and unless it’s rooted off, getting an Arteta or even a Pochettino is just papering the cracks.
the last thing on Ozil, he can leave I don’t care, the same way he can make a statement about what is happening anywhere in the world as it is his personal opinion, the club had to say what they had to simply because he is our player and Arsenal was used as a reference, whatever line whoever took is their call.
Still sending all my love and prayers your way Dave.
We get Olympiacos
And Arteta by the looks of things……
Getting ready to smash my plates then! 😀
Why Arthur? Does Arteta like that? ?
GSD,
Not sure if Arteta is into smashing plates or eating paella 😀
I was referring to us playing Olympiacos….
If Arteta is thinking of coming after sitting through Sunday, he must have the optimism of a saint.
TD@3701: Freddie’s U-23s played 4-1-2-3 and attacking football in the Wenger mould. Holding has had a bruised knee. He is expected to resume full training this week.
The bookies have us as joint third favorites for the Europa League with Inter and Ajax behind Man U and Sevilla.
Re: “we need defenders like Campbell and Toure”
True enough, but Koscielny was the next best thing (despite what Cynic said about him some weeks ago) but Kos is gone now and had been declining for the last two years or so due to injury. If AW held us in the top four by a thread off the field, Koscielny was probably the chief one doing on it on the field.
Steve T points to the loss of Ramsey on a free and the appointment of Xhaka as captain. I agree those two events represent the low tide of bad management decisions over the summer but I would add the lack of replacement for Koscielny.
Lots of love Dave from the southern shores of Ireland.
Hope you pull through my friend.
Not sure why Ozil was not jettisoned years ago.
I’m not sure why we signed him at all, everybody knew he was a weak bastard. Good player, on his day, but we had plenty of weak bastards in the squad at the time and we just added another one.
Arteta joined us after the 8-2 defeat at Old Trafford.
There is a certain symmetry if he joins us again now ?
lonestar@3619, every time. and anytime i hear news on the big star in texas i wonder if it’s about you, glen 🙂
likewise, if you’re in hahafornia, my friend.
what an awful game yesterday. we really weren’t very good. we’re almost really good, but we miss our really good chance, and the other team, who is really good, comes back and nails theirs. that’s our season in a nutshell, it seems.
dave, hope you are reading this and laughing, and knowing you are cared for so much by so many. KEEP FIGHTING!
Anyone coming in will have a bloody mountain to climb especially as things stand I honestly think the management has not supported Freddie enough to begin with, will that change under new appointment? I doubt that very much.
We are rudderless from top and that is the main issue here it vents all the way down to head coach and the players.
Season’s greetings to Lonestar and all the other long lost ‘holics. 😀
Wouldn’t forget any of you found ones either. 😀
Nor the main man himself. Happy Christmas 9 days early ‘holic. Wishing you all the best every day. 😀
Cynic. My memory isn’t great but didn’t we sign Ozil just before the window closed after a summer when our farcical attempts to sign Suarez or Higuain had left our faces so covered in egg we couldn’t see who we were signing? We spent all summer trying to sign the ruthless striker we needed. Then signed Ozil.
Mind you, at least we never did what we did with Arshavin and just played him up front anyway.
If Arsene had just spent a few million quid more here and there to get the players we really needed we could have won so much more. I know he tried to be financially responsible and could not predict the blowup in Premier League money but it still grates that what he thought of as sensible precaution has been proved to be failure to invest in necessary assets. We needed someone to force him to spend but Dein had Usmanoved himself.
Still, at least we have learned our lesson. After the three big injuries last year it was good to see us use January to finally bring in Suarez.
Oh. Bugger.
Luis (bitey)
Denis (unbitey, in more ways than one)
Denis Suarez, the one player who possibly defines the Unai Emery era at Arsenal more than any other.
Or not.
There’s always the candidacy of Mesut Ozil, who possibly defines the Ljungberg and Emery eras, as well as the end of the Wenger era, more than any other player. Or Xhaka. Unfortunately, we still have two of the last three mentioned.
As to the signing of Ozil, GSD your description of that summer sounds correct to me. We were all hoping to get somebody to transform us into title winners, then it looked like we were getting no such thing, then we got the former World Cup and La Liga winner at the last minute. All the Gooners were starstruck and on here we were all changing our names to include umlauts to emulate our new hero. Until only very shortly after when we didn’t particularly like what we were seeing on the pitch, and Ozil lost his umlaut in all our descriptions.
Thanks Ned on #3734 above.
“Freddie’s U-23s played 4-1-2-3 and attacking football in the Wenger mould.” – Has he tried deploying this formation yet?
Again I say sitting Laca, in favor of Pepe is the wrong move. Laca brings more to the team than Pepe does.
Re: The BBC story,
“Saint-Etienne stadium closed over fireworks during Kylian Mbappe goal”
If PSG fans were setting off too many fireworks to celebrate Mbappe’s goal, shouldn’t PSG’s stadium be the one to be closed?
If St. Etienne’s fans were celebrating an opposition goal that way, shouldn’t they have their heads examined?
bt8. Presumably that one is about the security staff that failed to stop fans bringing fireworks into the stadium.
Pity the Emirates staff are so good. A lot of our players could do with a firework up them.
I was very happy with Ozil for a couple of seasons. He’s just gone downhill for a long time now. And doesn’t put in the effort. I don’t think he’s lazy but he doesn’t bust a gut. The game is so fast and furious these days and, despite his undoubted technical quality, he has failed to adapt.
A laurel rester and no mistake.
Philippe Senderos has retired. Shame. He’d have walked into our first team.
Mind you, most of us could beat Calum Chambers in a foot race without going faster than a brisk walk. And he’s not been worse than anyone else in our defence. Better than some even.
We can’t fix this quickly but we need to do something in January. We need two centre halfs (plus Saliba) and two midfielders before next season (to say nothing of other possible signings). We won’t want to buy players who aren’t part of a long term plan, so we aren’t gonna get four top players in January. But our immediate needs are so dire that we can’t do nothing. Bit of a tightrope that one. Hopefully we’ll have input from a new boss by then. For the first time I’m realistically thinking it might be a good move to sell Auba for as much money as we can get and then reinvest. Even losing him and Laca doesn’t seem so bad if we reinvest the money and use Martinelli well.
If Arteta is our man then just get it done Arsenal.
I’d be happier to see us build a team that gets the best from Pepe than do the same with Auba. Lacazette I’m not sure about. For a couple of seasons he has been my favourite player but he is getting more petulant and as Blogs has pointed out he rarely does the business away. He might flourish if Auba went.
This season I’d personally like to see him play at 10. Put Auba ahead of him, Pepe and Martinelli on the wings and give Ozil’s place to Laca. He’s a damn good player but we need to use him better. He has the vision to play passes in to the faster players and if a new man gets him up for it he has the tenacity to press from the 10 position like Ramsey used to. Plus he knows how to make an incisive run. I fear that he already has his eyes set on a move. I’m okay with that if his heart is not in it but if we could use him better he is a top player. It’s a shame he seems to be less committed and dynamic than he was but I guess it’s part and parcel of the team’s decline.
I guess we don’t know which side stepped out of the nearly announced agreement to sign Arteta when we signed Emery but it sounds like they may have reached nearly the same stage again?
(BBC says: “It is understood Arteta has told City this was his second conversation with his old club and a third, with Josh Kroenke, son of Arsenal owner Stan, has been scheduled – possibly as soon as Monday night.”)
If Arsenal stepped out of signing Arteta the first time, and the BBC report is accurate, Arteta must be saying to himself it is Arsenal now or never this time.
A lot of wailing and nashing of teeth in the bar after City embarrassed us on Sunday.
I must admit, more in hope than expectation,that after the confidence boost of the win at West Ham that we might have a spring in our step on Sunday,but 2 early goals killed us stone dead.
I just get the impression the players know Freddie is only a stop gap,and aren’t really putting the effort in despite what they may say in public.
It would appear Arteta is on the cusp,as the betting has been suspended on who will be our next manager.
What interests me,i s that i heard that one of the reasons he didn’t get the gig last time,was his demand for complete control of the football side of things including player transfers.
Whether this is still his standpoint,i guess we will find out soon enough.
I for one think he would be a great appointment.
A young hungry new manager,schooled under Pep,one of the best in the world, won’t take any shit,and cannot abide any slackers.
It will be his way or the highway.
Yes it will take him a while to get things sorted on the pitch,but i don’t believe that the squad is as bad as people make out.
Emery’s defensive,reactionary,bizzarre tactics and selections,has damaged the players mentality,and they appear to be afraid of their own shadow.
If they are giving the right coaching,with a clear structure, framework and strategy to play within,then i don’t think we are that bad.
Every player has to commit to the cause,buy into whatever plans Arteta decides is the right way to go,and give nothing less than 120% on the pitch.
Because if they don’t they are out the door,as he won’t abide anything less.
I can already see the sun peeping over the horizon as a new era dawns at AFC.
I look forward with great interest to the weeks and months ahead,as the Arteta revolution begins.
Always assuming he gets the gig in the first place. !!
If they take Arteta all the way to the brink and leave him at City again, it would be the height of arseholeism.
For that reason alone, I reckon the job is his if he doesn’t do the jilting this time around.
GSD has remembered well. I have a bit of hearsay information which I believe to be true.
Wenger was vexing the fans because of an unwillingness to spend . At a board meeting he was confronted by Gazidis and Keswick and told to pursue a mega signing because of negativity from the fan base heightened by the fact that we lost our first match of the season 3-1 at home to Villa ( largely because Anthony Taylor gave them two penalties) and sent off Koscielny .
Under pressure Gazidis pursued a deal with Real who were needing cash to complete the signing of Bale from the LWCs . It was felt privately tgat Wenger was agnostic about signing Ozil as we already had Cazorla , the Ox,Rosicky , Ramsey and Wilshere ( oh for some of those now!) We needed a marquee signing and thus we signed Ozil and were about to loan Demba Ba when Mourinho pulled the deal. Ozil was excellent in many games in his first two seasons but failed to turn up in the very big matches .
Our club is struggling and seem to want a deal that gives them a manager they don’t need to pay compensation for having needed to pay off Emery and his 9 henchmen – what on Earth did they do?. That deal is not finally agreed yet .
The upside of Arteta is tgat he might be a great coach but the downside is this is a very big first job and he wasn’t popular as skipper with all the players , including Ozil apparently! I hope he is able to bring in an experienced henchman who can coach defence ( Keown?) who has a positive Arsenal background.
I find it odd that if he is that good a coach Citeh would let him go but I understand that is the way Guardiola treats his mates .
Citeh apparently want compensation for Arteta. This will probably kill the deal but might make the Kroenkes fall out of love with the Money Pit that Arsenal is becoming . I’d see Ancelotti as a more likely option. He loves London ( I know a restaurant in Chelsea he ate at every week – and where he is very well-liked) Ancelotti might stabilise the club but Arteta might take it on much further
I’ve only just back-drunk sufficiently to see the terrible news about the Landlord relayed from twitter last week.
I join my best wishes with those of so many before me and hope that he manages to stage a recovery.
Good luck Dave.
*Wonders whether Snir was really that good on transfer deadline day or if people just liked hearing his updates, the facts be damned.*
To find out the answer I suppose the monks would have to be commissioned to do a comprehensive study. I do tend to think he was good though.
Morning all.
Great post from GS54.
Of course I think that as it
coincides with my own
opinion ?
Personally I wanted Arteta
last time and subsequent events
haven’t changed my opinion.
Hopefully Freddie will stay in
some capacity and so will
BFG and Bouldy. together
with them Arteta can do
well I think and our still
great club (what is this once
great club bollocks?) can
build from here with a
nucleus of decent players
that we already have.
Shitty are apparently only
asking 1m as compensation
for Arteta.
I can’t honestly see why we
would pay them anything –
we offer him a job, he accepts
and that’s it. A normal every
day occurrence. A short note
from Stan, one scumbag
billionaire to another, should
suffice.
OM. Watch out for St. Patrick’s Day this year when Saka is turned into O’saka nearly making your name redundant.
Assuming he continues to progress between now and mid-March that is, just to remain in the conversation.
Osaka means big slope, like
the one we’re facing now ?
In the long run we’re all
redundant – a cheery note
for the 1,800th anniversary
of European glory.
I hope we’ll have won the
CL by 3770.
I must say that appointing Arteta is a massive gamble. I agree with a lot of the sentiments above. He was a bright and intelligent player. He was an excellent ambassador for the club and an excellent captain. He clearly has the credentials and has been schooled by Pep for the last 3 plus years.
But working at a club like Citeh with limitless funds, a board that is both knowledgeable and supportive whilst working alongside one of the best managers in the world is a million miles from what is happening at Arsenal at the moment. We have an owner that is greedy and self serving. Someone who cares very little about the club, just as long as the money roles in. The board hardly rate much higher??
I loved Arteta as a player and I though he was an excellent pro. If he gets the role I hope he ends but building something really special. But I do think it is a massive gamble.
I wish they’d make a fucking decision already for various reasons
Although I would be a lot happier about Arteta if he’d gone to Rangers and made a decent job of braking Celtic’s stranglehold on a terrible league.
It would have shown us he could do A job if not THE job.
Still, as long as he sells Ozil in January he will be fine by me.
Breaking it too.
Anything can happen I suppose
but Mus is the more likely German
to leave in January ?
Clive @3757,
If Senor Arteta cannot abide slackers he’s probably coming to the wrong place, as slackers are one thing we are not short of!
Clive@3757: I hope your optimism turns out to be justified. I agree that this squad is a lot better than its current performances. But it will take the new manager some hard yards on the training ground to get it to realize its potential, not to mention some new defenders.
TTG@3759: Do you reckon there is anything to the rumour that City want a seven-figure compensation payment for letting Arteta go? If it is true, he won’t be a cheap appointment. I wonder how the total cost would square up with hiring a seasoned hand like Ancelotti.
OM@3766: Arteta is under contract to City until June 2021. City will want compensation to rip up that contract.
Steve T@3771: Spot on.
I was wondering if it’d be the
same sort of clear out that
GG did in the mid 80s.
Bit more difficult to do now
I think.
I rather enjoyed Merson’s “Other than the fact he won’t get lost on the way to training, I don’t know what else he brings to the table” assessment of Arteta.
That’s properly witty.
There will never be another place like this, ever. Dave you brought us
misfits together (look at the lot of you xx). Will cherish the memories.
Thank you Holic. Pauline, our gratitude for sharing him with us, over
the years. God bless. With love, Abb
Hey there Abb, Good to see your name in lights again. Sorry about Dave’s situation being the occasion.
Cynic. Sounds like Merson got that one from Lee Dixon, who has gone on TV supporting Patrick Vieira.
@Arsabeatbarca – what is going on with the landlord? I have been MIA from this page in the last few weeks.
Quick question folks. How have the other assistants that have worked with Pep @ Barca, B. Munich & others have fared once they became managers?
nurse, it’s been too long. what bt8 said at 3781. you were one of the ones i was wondering about…welcome home.
tapera doma, to answer for nurse abb, dave’s in hospital, not expected to come home. his health struggles over the past six weeks are why he hasn’t written a post since october, and why we’re holding the vigil in these drinks…hoping and praying for a miracle that brings him home, and restores him to health (whether or no he continues to write blog posts).
Thanks Scruzgooner.
sorry to be the bearer of bad tidings, td.
as to arteta, well, one can only keep so many fingers crossed. not sure i’ll like the appointment any more, in the end, than i did emery’s, i just hope we actually give him time to build a team. and that the team he builds plays with the speed of thought and movement that characterized arsenal’s better teams over the past two decades, and with a parsimonious defense. that’s all i want for christmas, that and dave to be well and with us. please.
If nobhead Merson has been witty it will be the first time and if he has also said something sensible it will be the first time too.I remember how he failed to turn up for the closing of Highbury just like he failed to turn up for a local ‘ Night with Paul Mersin’ locally a few weeks ago He pissed his career up the wall and Wenger didn’t hesitate to part company with the gobshite. Steve T’s earlier post sums up the dilemma very well. Arteta MAY be an inspired choice but a risky one . Ancelloti is a safe but uninspired one and it appears that Freddie has already lost patience with a lot of the senior players . If this goes wrong we could get into relegation trouble, if it goes right the club is rejuvenated. I would find this a very hard decision to make were I in charge . Thankfully for all Arsenal fans I’m not . If as is reported Arteta is insisting on a clear out before taking the job I might just go with him and await a very wild ride
What would a clearout involve? Two or thee senior players being sold in January as a warning to the others? Or a wholesale rebuild in the summer? Do we have any idea of what Arteta thinks of our youngsters coming through?
Arteta for me sounds like a long term prospect/project and if that is the case I want the club to make a bloody statement and tell fans what the future plan is and how are they going to go about it. It’s a massive gamble as he has never coached a team on his own accord. The issue here for me is that we are in a free fall and the players have hardly responded.
Ancelloti on the other hand as others have pointed is a safer bet, he is proven and will probably work his magic. Saying that he is also a gamble as we don’t know if the players will take to him and start playing again.
Great to see some well known names back in the bar! A glass of your favourite for everyone in the bar! Let raise a glass and drink to Dave’s health!
Where is Lars and his cc when you need him most? 🙂
Like TTG, I am grateful that I am not charged with the decision the FEC must make on our new head coach. I fully agree with ST and others that appointing MA8 is a huge gamble but in truth the appointment of any coach to a club in the mess we are in is a huge gamble. Whilst I have argued previously that this screwed up club needs a coach who has proven ability to sort out that kind of mess and build a competitive squad, I am not sure that that man is out there. Ancelotti has a wonderful track record with big clubs and good squads but who is definitely in the autumn of his career and hasn’t to my knowledge had to turn a club around in recent years. There is much to be said for appointing a dynamic, energetic and ambitious young coach with supportive references from A. Wenger and P. Guardiola. It’s going to take a few years to rebuild this club. That’s a young man’s job. Maybe it’s time for another brave appointment. Much like it was when we appointed a Frenchman working in Japan.
In truth, I suspect that the level and value of support from the owner & his apparatchiks may perhaps be more important than the experience of the coach at this point. A commitment to a ruthless coach directed clear-out and a rebuild is essential.
Great to see abb ?
Thoughts with the Guvna. ??
I would find this a very hard decision to make were I in charge
I wouldn’t, it would be a piece of piss 🙂
But first I would have to decide what I really wanted to do. Do I want a fix for 18 months to stabilise the place and ensure we won’t be relegated (and to be honest if this bunch gets relegated, as bad as they are, they ought to be shot) or do I want a manager for five years, to rediscover the Arsenal?
I’d also have to decide how much I was into it for, financially.
So… 18 month fix, major surgery needed to clear out dead wood and attract new players, when we’re struggling? Money available (up to £250m) and of the current available candidates it’s Ancelotti.
The longer term plan is a bit more difficult. I would be very tempted to try to get a coaching setup based around proper Arsenal people, with the head cheese being almost unimportant in a way. I’d want four or five strong characters who can carry the club on their shoulders, not one man and fuck knows who else coaching. I wouldn’t necessarily want Mertesacker, he’s a relic of failed Arsenal teams of the last ten years.
So I gave a list of people earlier up the thread and I’d choose any four from those (Vieira, Keown, Bergkamp etc) with Vieira leading the group.
Arteta wouldn’t be involved. If he wasn’t good enough for the job 18 months ago, nothing much has changed since.
Bath@3791: AW had managed 435 senior games at AS Nancy, Monaco and Nagoya Grampus before he joined us and had won the French league title, the French Cup and the Japanese cup.
So a brave, but not foolhardy choice.
Cynic@3792: Or was it that the Arsenal hierarchy was faced with a similar choice last time round — short-term stability fix vs long-term rebuild — and went for the former, which meant Emery over Arteta? This time round, picking the later, if that is the choice, would mean Arteta over Ancelotti.
I am coming to think that we could have gambled with a long-term rebuild immediately after Wenger. But the stakes for doing so now are much higher. Where we have fallen to means we have much less margin for error. For that reason, if no other, I would prefer to see Ancelotti in charge for a couple of seasons and use the time and stability that would buy to plan clearly for the future.
No need to worry about Ancelotti anymore,he has just agreed to the Everton job.
Thank Goodness.
Ned, I knew Arsene had considerable experience and silverware in his back catalogue before joining us. He was more an ‘outside the box’ or ‘left field’ appointment yet still a brave one given that his star had fallen in France and no foreign coach had hitherto been successful in the PL. I should perhaps have used ‘left field’ rather than ‘brave’.
It is time for our Execs to be brave.
DM @3776
I cannot disagree with that mate.
How are the dishlickers going.
Any of them running before Christmas. ??
TTG
Arteta wasn’t overly liked as Captain because he was a hard taskmaster off and on the pitch.
As a team mate,if you weren’t prepared to give the same 120% commitment he put in,then you got a well deserved earful.
Does that remind you of anyone. ??
So the players will know from his first conversation with them,that nothing less than that is not only expected,but should be the very least they can do for the privilege of playing for the Arsenal.
Timely toe poke?
slides in at the far post and skins the ball in with his noggin…
clive@3798, the last half of your post: just what we need. and if that peels off the dross, and we play the kids and flirt with relegation this year, losing auba and the rest of anyone who doesn’t want to be absent playing in europe, so be it. if that then leaves us with a hard core of players who are willing to give that commitment, and those we bring in do the same, we’re in good shape going forward, as long as we begin to win, and rise back upwards. there’s risk involved, but no more risk than i see leaving people who can’t be bothered on the pitch in the red and white…
We are of like mind Scruz
Not much to ask is it,as for me it is completely unacceptable not to give everything you’ve got,including leaving your mark on the opposition team over the course of the 90 minutes.
My brother’s Arsenal contacts,have told him we have agreed terms with Arteta,and it is now just about negotiating a severance fee with City.
The sense of entitlement of certain players at our Club will be coming to an end once he walks through the door.
For TTG
A cracking win by the under 23’s tonight in the PL Euro Cup 3 -2 against Dinamo Zagreb.
Down 1 nil early,then a JJ equaliser before half time,took a 2-1 lead in 2nd half before being pegged back late to 2 -2,only for that man JJ to pop up with the winner in stoppage time.
That gives us 2 wins out of 2 in the Group stage which should see us through to the knock out rounds in the 2nd half of the season.
Well in @3800 screws the oppo again.
*runs away in fear Arteta will see right through me*
I’m off to Goodison with countryman junior on Saturday.
I’ll be guided by the consensus in the bar. Is an away report respectful given current circs or should I refrain?
Countryman
I for one would love to read your report from up North at Goodison.
I am sure Dave would want things to continue in his absence.
And given how stellar your reports are,it would lift some of the gloom in the current sad circumstances.
Countryman, Dave would be all for it, I am quite certain. As for me please please please do post your characteristically highly readable report and have a great day win or lose or draw.
CM1000 @3804, I am confident the Guvna would strongly encourage you to provide a report on Goodison if you were able to ask him directly. Go for it sir.
New Italian study report claims death by heart attack is 40% less likely in study participants who ate chile peppers at least four times per week.
At an Indian restaurant in Boston I ate a ghost pepper many years ago and it was so hot I was certain I was going to die. Little did I know as it turns out, it could have been jolting me back to life.
C100
Dave would be very keen for you to produce one of your excellent away reports, of that I have no doubt. This is above all an Arsenal blog and this may be a historic match. I remember when you said you were going we joked it might be Max Allegri s first game in charge ! We got the initials right!
Ned
I think the compensation will be to pay up Arteta’s notice period. I understand it’s just over £1 million so by today’s standards modest. I believe he is assembling a coaching team but I doubt that he will be given much in the way of transfer funds unless we sell players first . If we do I hope Xhaka and Mustafi are right at the front of the for sale list and I suspect Cynic would like Ozil to go with them.
One rumour is Ramsey coming back on loan but I very much doubt that
The sun just peeping out
after a rainy morning in
Osaka. Arsenal analogy?
And C100’s report from the
away trenches to look
forward to as well.
c100
your away day reports are a cornerstone
of
here
.
was that really nurse abb ?
?
.
disparate shower
is what ‘holic attracted
each adding evenly to the whole
extravaganza
*cynic writes a hole joke*
.
so
it would be odd if ye didn’t
post an away day letter
.
they’re fuckin brilliant
.
.
safe travels for you and junior
and as much as happiness can be expected
may at least yer dinner bring you joy
.
.
UP THE ARSENAL
I’ve already nailed my colours
to the Arteta mast so I won’t
babble on about why.
However, I hope it doesn’t drag
on and he’s in place for the
weekend.
On Rambo, it would be quite
ironic if he came on loan
and Juventus had to
subsidise the big salary we
refused to pay him.
Like TTG, I don’t believe that
one.
there’s an amazing Arsenal
*dramatic pause*
book
“awwwwwwww … book … BOOOOOOOOOOOOOO”
.
.
lurking between all of you
fuckin brilliant writers
there’s enough businessy types
movers and shakers
could organize it
i always pestered Dave
get it writ lazy bollocks
.
.
.
the fuckin definitive ARSENAL book
but
high brow low brow no brow
in one dust sleeve
.
now that would be a tribute
here will be
forever here
but
taking a record out of its sleeve
treating it with care
dragging yer hairy hole
to the record player
then
sitting enjoying
with the record cover in yer hand
(or on yer lap for the joint builders – “hey there”)
is an experience
.
.
just think
it would be fuckin excellent
.
Dave’s words
the spine
.
sort it out
ya clever cunts
.
.
?
here’s an inspirational
moooooooooooooooooooooo
C100, go for it. The Guv’nor would be for it 100%.
Thoughts and prayers with you, ‘Holic.
start writing yooooooooooooo
think what the lolly
from it
could do goodwise
it would be brilliant
fuck off if you think
im jumping the gun
i’m not gonna tiptoe
i’m on the same short haul flight
so
seriously
get messages to Dave
if possible
but there can be no better tribute
to a proper Arsenal man
who can write about all aspects
of being a gooner
and
you fuckers are clever enough
to organise it
around ‘holics words
history
highbury
statistics
trains
crombies
cunts
memories
joy
sadness
the Arsenal
come on
.
blaaaaaaaaa
.
.
sorry
for going on
.
.
well
only a wee bit
.
.
.
sort it
.
talk is cheap
words are £15.99 in hardback
CBA
Despite the Queen’s patronage you can be a rude bollix but I think you have the kernel of a brilliant idea there. Whatever happens and we continue to pray for the Guvna it would be a wonderful way to pay tribute to the fantastic work he has done here for years . Whether it is a commercial prospect or just an online venture there would be an awful lot of people wanting to contribute…..with quite a story to tell.
.
.
thunder T
“commercial prospect”
.
.
my point is
a book
NOT
an online venture
.
‘holic knew and lived Arsenal
.
i know people would love to have a book from the big man
.
it’s not a kernel of an idea
it’s the idea
and
using words like
“commercial prospect”
only reinforces
my notion
that you
are one of the brilliant wordsmiths here
with the business connections
to take it over the line
so
please do it
there’s plenty of other cunts here
i’m sure
in the business world
who’d horse behind ye
so
please
make sure it’s a physical book
with
as is whatever bla
online etcs
.
‘holic deserves it
.
.
.
howdy ‘holic
if yer getting these read to you
or if yer reading them yerself
?
it’s a journey alright
holy fuck
i ate a Cornish pasty
just now
on the toilet
bodies , eh
.
.
.
it was lovely
i’m guessing
i’ve indeterminate minutes
afore i paper the bowl
with gusto
.
.
anyhoo
god bless all here
With many Cornish pasties you may as well have just tipped it into the bog and saved yourself about six hours.
i just had one
i have monumental plumbing problems
.
“So , random person . What did for cba”
“Well , it’s his innards wot dun im”
.
.
.
now cynic
i don’t wanna get too serious
but as a favour to me
will you throw yer weight behind
the ‘holic book idea
(just nod )
Christmas shopping to do later. What do you buy for people who won’t buy you anything, bearing in mind you’d rather spend all your money on yourself and you don’t believe in giving something for nothing back? Tight sod…
Can’t buy food because the inconsiderate gits have food allergies and I can never remember who’s got what.
Suppose there’s scope for a sort of Russian roulette game on Christmas Day – spin the wheel and hope you don’t get the biscuits with peanuts in.
Hmmm.
you need to be on board
to make it feel like here
As long as everyone else does all the work and I just share in the profits.
To be honest though, I did wonder what would happen to all of Dave’s writing over the years on here and I think, when the time is right some months from now with the agreement of the family, it would be a good thing to do to get someone who knows what they’re doing to trawl through the whole lot (not the drinks) and do a sort of collected works thing.
“if you grümp it”
“they will come”
cynic
i really hope you are involved in that
proper Arsenal and a pwopah cunt
that was my notion for the book
Dave’s posts curated
with
other people branching off for each chapter
I’m only one of those things.
But we do know publishers. Or know people who know publishers. Sports publishers with an eye for something club specific and (to coin a phrase) fuckin’ excellent.
It would need to be done by a proper editor/author type though, not some grouchy wanker who just wants to let off steam about Ozil 😮
please throw yer weight behind it
needs done right
holy fuck
just look at the material
(never mind the quality feel the width)
you like a quote
for what it’s worth
.
but it needs to reflect ‘holic
and HERE
That quote is worth 6p but with potential for growth. It could be a good investment in the long term, but it’s a risky one.
And on that note I’m off to buy Christmas presents for people and will come back laden with goodies.
For myself.
CBA
I don’t want to think too much at the moment about anything other than Dave recovering . Should that happen ( please God) we ought to think about collating his great work as part of a book for Gooners everywhere If the worst did happen the project changes slightly but let’s cross that awful bridge if we need to. But there’s clearly a will and ability to do something.
I do love the fact that you term your mates on here as ‘ the cunts’ . What do you call the people you don’t like ? ( Admit it you lurve us on here you old softie?)
3845
if here was commissioned
and officially signed off
do you honestly think
wolfie would have existed
.
why don’t all the big hitters here
talk to one another
and sort out a plan
thunder T
i think of all of you as my friends
what you think of me
i don’t know
yer all cunts after all
Good idea cba. There’s gold in them thar hills. I do know that it was one of The Guvna’s retirement plans.
.
i don’t want to blaaa
etc
but
i’d really like if Goonerholic online
was left Goonerholic online
but
‘holic got his Arsenal due
and
i think a proper tribute in book form
is fitting
following what i already suggested
[you really are a businessman suggesting previously suggested suggestions]
.
perfect for the job
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iVnkd_ls6xE
baff
absolutely
a tangible thing
3853
for thunder T
not thee
baff
i’m just a bit frazzled
at the minute
What he just said. When there was talk of this continuing, I thought a) it was distastefully premature and b) it was a bad idea anyway.
As for actually writing something for a book, I probably won’t be able to contribute. I tried to write several times for The Gooner over the years and could never nail it properly, including two articles for the new issue that didn’t come to anything.
I have to do stuff when in “the zone” and if I get distracted it all disappears.
I wonder if Charles Dickens ever hit a really hot streak, only to have it all vanish because he had to trudge to the shops to buy milk or pay a bill? Who knows what further untapped genius lay in his noggin, that we never got to see because he was chucking a few shillings across a counter to pay for his gas lamps?
Really going now.
Thought for the day – Buses are far too expensive and almost always filled with people you wouldn’t go near, yet here you are paying for the priviledge of sitting next to some stranger with an iPhone on permanently and BO.
A poem
A bloke on the bus
Smelled strongly of wee
Imagine my shame
When I found
It was me
The End.
Can’t spell. Another drawback to being a wrytor!
when did i say
WRITE stuff cynic
you were in my mind
the gatekeeper
with occasional comments
and
any book about here without that
wouldn’t be here
as for distastefully premature
i have my reasons
.
anyhoo
please all talk to one another
an antiseptic retrospective of here
is bollocks in my mind
here
is
here
for
all to see
.
an intelligent use of ‘holics posts
to spark memories from others
would create something different
.
.
.
anyway
im sorry
im just tieing things off
in my head
apologies
well
that
and
i’m right
An interview from 5 years ago that gives us an insight into the man.
https://www.arsenal.com/news/features/20150325/-my-dream-was-to-play-for-arsenal-
I hope he can achieve his objectives.
With Arsenal.
I recognise it’s a risk but sometimes you have to just cross your fingers and jump!
and
i promise
the estate of “me”
will not relentlessly remind people
i was right
You are indeed right, cba @3862.
i am though
aren’t i though baff
thanks
my minds a bit sideways just now
says you
“what ever other direction did it point”
?
Clive@3798,
Dishlicker one, Dundee Pete, did himself a mischief on November 3rd, and is having a well deserved break – having had 36 runs this year.
Dishlicker two, Dundee June has had just two runs, but is improving, and she’ll probably run this weekend at Poole, dragged back by the weight of my bet.
CBA@3835,
If your pasty contains “gusto” then it cannot be Cornish. It’s probably a Dorset pasty, in which case gusto is a permitted ingredient, along with all sorts of other rubbish!
.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BJIoDTcPGds
howdy dorset M
me oul mucker
?
hows things yer direction ?
CBA
I hear your fine message loud and clear. Leave it with us …you cunt
i’m for whatever reason
eating a lot of liquorice
maybe it’s because liquor is in the name
?
.
.
i really miss drinking
my mind
still disappears sometimes
moulded by it
but never quite gets there
.
herself etc
won’t let me drink
3871
love ye big man
‘holic’s legacy HERE
can only be trusted
to ‘holics
.
you will all together
reach agreement
.
i’ve been given so much
from the main man
.
you cunts chipped in too
?
*does festive politeness*
Will have to go back over loads of drinks to read properly but –
Abb – good to see you again !
Saw cba wondering above whether Dave is still getting our messages –
I heard yesterday that he is ??
His nearest and dearest are checking in here and other places and passing on all our best wishes, although the prognosis has not ultimately improved.
Anyway, more love to you Guvnor – keep trying to prove them all wrong !
And hugs and kisses for cba-
Haven’t forgotten you’re still suffering too –
And making the rest of us suffer with you ?
YA BUNCHA C…….
.
.
.
[SERIOUS TIME]
if any
of you were offended
by anything i said over the years here
i apologise
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
(you expected something rude here)
.
.
nope
.
.
i’m serious
nuance and nuisance
are so close
oh oh
the “Doctor”
who gropes people for a
what i’m guessing
is a handsome living
is in
.
the adorable ginger tart
.
move away from my calves
feely man
3875 right o
“Show us yer tits , Dave”
does that come under
best wishes
.
.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=P5G3Ffta-ic
i’m for whatever reason
eating a lot of liquorice
You’ll shit mountains later.
The sort of mountains that, after six months worth of rain in 48 hours, turn to mud and cascade down in a squelchy brown mess over a nearby village, engulfing everything.
Arsene Wenger says Mesut Ozil speaks for himself, not the club
Exactly the way he plays too.
ye snooze ye lose cynic
my heart belongs to trev now
move along
nobody wants a scene
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=q0JrV86EKCs&t=12s
now
behave
i’ve loads a these
Your heart belongs to anyone who will give you the time of day, you old farter.
CBA@3870,
I’m okay, thanks. Two monthly visit to local oncology department yesterday confirmed that I’m definitely still breathing. Will have several pints later today by means of celebration.
trev
you’re history
.
cynic is my new beau
.
.
.
cynic
you’re history
.
dorset M is my new beau
.
i miss the oul beer
you would’ve enjoyed my treacle stout
we’re talking 6month aged
in the bottle minimum
.
sure
holy fuck
my see through
was double distilled
then carbon filtered
.
.
.
all gorgeous
and cost effective
i’ve killed meself on the cheap
?
but
with flavour and purity
VID (very important drink) @3875
Not to overlook your colossal contributions ya cunt 😉
Liked 3877 too
£1 for a bottle of see through
50 – 60p for a bottle of stout
so
stout was a premium
CBA,
I shall stick to 6d Black today in your honour – the nearest thing to your stout that they sell in my local.
Cheers!
All bottles are see through*, I’m not paying a quid for a fuckin’ bottle.
*Apart from the ones that ain’t.
3893
.
RUDE !
.
.
.
when will ye learn
well get yer skates on
no need for winky faces with me
.
honestly
a winky face
you heartless bastard
cheers dorset M
have a goodun
i countenance only unapologetic insults 8ball
get me
all
three 9 plus other numbers
.
.
jealous much
everybody else
never gonna last the manufacture
of 100 short bursts of shite
to get to
the 4 thousand
mind you
grandson the english
made me laugh and laugh today
about whether he’d have to buy me an Easter egg
parent i made chuckled
parent i didn’t nervously tried
.
to break the tension
i just put the wee fucker in the coal shed
.
.
.
we let her out
when the wee man kept asking where mummy was
clearly someone was told Easter
either
before or after i had sepsis
and the wee fella absorbed it in
i don’t remember the sepsis thing
perhaps a doctor could explain
“Easy trev , i said a doctor”
(honestly he’s a nightmare)
insists on being called Prof Trev
blaaaaaaaa
blaaaaaaaaaa
shut up
but
in the interest
of brutal clarity
i think the general consensus
is his pocket money is safe
.
.
.
so sort here out
ya fuckers
8ball
ned
steve T
baff
dino
the MIGHTY sweeper
santa C
you are all in charge
arthur – take no shit
osaka M is the ultimate c100 away day jolly
cynic will wag his tail
but cynic is nobody’s tail monkey
.
.
.
all of this
by the way
is to be sung
to the tune of
la cucaracha
the rest of ye
i just talked to ye
that’s dorset M an Dr T
la cucaracha
la cucaracha
.
.
thunder T
that is not true
here
have this
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WMGvQ2v-ZRM
i hope you have free range workers
in yer Irish businesses
and they aren’t all cooped up
one eyed with their own shite
burning through their very existence
but £1 for 10 eggs
result
i heard
you were part of
big farmer
oh
the hilarity
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Wny_0pi4hR4
here’s a tune Dave
dunno if ye know it
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SdAcG24iI_w
CBA is on fire! 😀
it’s a medical condition
don’t be rude Arthur
FWIW, I just wanted to share with you guys that the current Head Coach for KSE’s L.A RAMS is only 33 (born in January 1986). He took his team to the Super Bowl in his 2nd year, only to lose to New England Pats.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sean_McVay
AAAAAAAAHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH !
AMERICAAAAAAANNNNNNNSSSS
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rqQT3oKA3v8
I see that NetEase, the Chinese online tech company, has performed its patriotic duty and removed Ozil from its Pro Evolution Soccer 2020 video game because of his recent comments about China’s treatment of its Uighurs.
https://www.bbc.com/sport/football/50843797
Wenger, though, has defended Ozil, sort of.
https://www.bbc.com/sport/football/50835754
And made a diplomatic comment on Arteta:
He’s intelligent, he has passion and knowledge – but so does Ljungberg….He will have to deal with the fact that he has no experience at that level. He will have to be surrounded by a good environment at the club.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eahC2s8DnHs
bye bye
snoozing
(Lull.)
But not an interlull.
Intralull?
CBA
I can confirm that no Irishmen were harmed in the establishment of our business .
Staff have a minute off every hour and a lunch hour once a week. That’s every single one of them.
Why we pamper them I don’t know but youngsters nowadays ….?!
We are even looking at giving them holidays in the company time share in Grimsby but no point in spoiling them. Especially as we sold it last year.
No human rights issues attaching to TTG.
Dorset Mick twice.
Good luck at Poole with DJ if it runs.
More importantly you have already had a winner, with the rear end specialist giving you a good report card. !!
Mind you if you are going every 2 months it must have been,or still is serious,so here’s hoping that this time next season when we are back in the CL having won the EL Cup under our new manager, that those visits will be 6 months apart instead of 2.
An update on the under 18’s,
They beat Cheltenham 4 – 2 on penalties in the FA youth cup this evening .
So a good week so far,with the under 23’s beating Dinamo Zagreb
3 -2 in the European league comp last night,to stay top of their group with 2 wins out of 2.
Thanks for the update Clive.
I’m not sure we are strong enough to win the Youth Cup this season but it’s good to see the U23s doing well but sadly their top players appear to be attackers not midfielders or defenders. It’s tough to bring young defenders into a team in our position but it may be an indication that as a club we don’t do defence very well. I can remember in the mid 80s us developing the likes of Adams and Keown and we blooded them early.
Not sure we have anyone to replicate that situation now or that we have any defensive midfielders although I have to say I have liked what I’ve seen of Robbie Burton .
Doesn’t look like we have the funds to buy much in January.
“Doesn’t look like we have the funds to buy much in January.”
Sounds like insider info to me. How about next summer, TTG?
Bt8
I don’t have much insider info and I’ve yet to see much useful reporting about this in the media( remember how wrong they got it in the summer?)
I’ve been told Sanllehi doesn’t think you get much value in January ( and Dennis Suarez illustrated that! ) and that we committed a lot of expenditure on an instalment basis in the summer . KSE aren’t going to splurge £200 m on defenders even if we could get them and we have Saliba joining next year .
I’d try to offload Xhaka and Mustafi and see who we could borrow in the loan market to stiffen the defence and defensive midfield but I’ve heard no names .Maybe Arteta has some ideas for defensive additions but again we are owned by KSE not the Qatari Government. I assume Arteta knows this ?
It’s nice to know The Guvnor
is getting to hear all the love
from the bar.
If you can define someone by
how many people are rooting
for you in a tough situation then
you are doing great Guvnor.
All the best.
I am not expecting anyone in
January either, maybe a loan
on a LB or a CB if Arteta has
someone up his sleeve
Thank you for the warm welcome guys. Missed you. xx
Important Holic hear from as many of us as possible.
Common thread among those who knew him (online or in person)
was that he made them feel special, he took an interest. A really
nice feeling. So for anyone left (made a mental list) who has
not yet … you know. please do. xx
And pray, please. We must surround him & his family with love.
Thanks for the link to AW’s
comments Ned.
AW is right I think in that
Ozil is entitled to give his
opinion.
abb@3932: all voices raised on high at Castle Ned. I hope the tantric chants are reaching the Guv’nor and bringing him peace and healing.
Reports that we have now
reached agreement with
Shitty over compensation
for Arteta. Announcement
is imminent on a 3.5year
contract.
Why do we have to turn everything into a long drawn out saga? If Arteta’s the man they want, just make the offer and get the deal done so we can all move on and start the rebuilding process.
Funny how the club were lightning quick to issue a statement about China though.. our master Stan just can’t risk losing those precious $$$$$ rolling in from his London branch.
@3936, there you said it. Just get it over with please, the latest I read was he is going to be in the stands for the Everton game, I mean seriously what is this circus? he will be in the stands, he will reach the ground floor, he will reach the away dressing room!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! ridiculous.
I hope Mikel brings a bit of compactness to the team. It is so open like a barn door which refuses to close. We need a team who can fight and if that means shutting shop so be it, the season has been embarrassment anyways.
Can Saliba be called back by any chance? are we looking at anyone in jan? questions remain as to what we need to salvage a season and we could start with a captain behaving like one.
Vinay
Saliba is 19. Give him time and that would start with a full preseason.
Loan in some experience until end of season, together with a DM.
Saliba is also out injured at present.
St Etienne’s league record this season makes encouraging reading for us:
with Saliba
P5 W4 D1 L0 with four clean sheets
without Saliba
P13 W3 D3 L7 with one clean sheet
Ancelotti’s rumoured salary at Everton: £11.5 million a year.
Arteta’s rumoured salary at Arsenal: £5 million a year.
If those numbers are true, I doubt the Italian was ever seriously in Kroenke’s thoughts.
I suppose a cynical man might
say Saliba will be some welcome
company for Kieran and Rob
in the injury room
In my time as a supporter our three most successful managers have all been appointed with grave doubts about their suitability for the job.
Bertie Mee was a left-field appointment and one that nowadays would be subject to massive social media abuse. The reality was we adopted a new business model with Bertie as front man and administrator and Don Howe as coach. It worked very well but collapsed when Howe left for West Brom.
George Graham had only managed Millwall before he joined us and some expressed doubts that he had enough top-level experience. He hit the ground running and his Arsenal DNA was a big reason for his success. He was a very different style of coach to how he presented as a playeru. I knew him a little bit and although he was a very charming guy he also had a lot of presence and you would not want to cross him . Brave choice but his legacy was enormous and helped Wenger.
We all know the Wenger scenario- ‘ Arsene who?’- The idiot savant Merson admitted the idea of a Frenchman who eschewed players drinking went down like a cup of cold sick in the dressing room . The rest is history .
Arteta is a gamble but it’s also potentially a very brave appointment because the upside is enormous. He needs experienced support and the fans need to be patient. This season is a write-off unless we can win the Europa League but if we can develop a strong team shape , be much harder to play against and play with passion and much more flair than we have shown I would be happy. It’s a tough time to start with confidence so low but if you do get a bounce the effect of a string of games can provide an immediate uplift .
We will see more of Arteta’s character over the next few weeks. He will communicate well and he gives out a mental toughness which he will need inside and outside the dressing room. He watched the debacle last week at very close hands so he knows what he is dealing with and will need characters to stand up . I would be astonished if he was expected to struggle on with just the resources we have but we aren’t going to sign many. As for Saliba C100 is exactly right. At his age he needs to start a new campaign without the pressure of righting the ship on young shoulders . A few unexciting but dependable characters ( the sort of people like Milner, Fernandinho , Noble and Gilberto ) are probably a priority. We need a tougher , more dependable core and I hope we can get rid of weaker characters like Xhaka, Ozil and Luiz but turnover can’t be too high . But though we have ability in this club we don’t have much character and this needs to be addressed pronto.
Time to strap in but I’m sure everyone wishes Arteta all the very best
TTG@3942, top post Sir. Agree completely with the enormous potential in the Arteta appointment. And your point about needing dependable characters right now is spot on. Arteta himself was one such dependable character we needed in 2011 and he delivered five fantastic years as a player.
Great analysis TTG. Time for two great Gooners, Arteta and Edu, with the help of Freddie, to start a whole new project we can get behind.
The January window should be interesting- both for ins and outs.
ttg@3942, but exactly. when i watched the game sunday they panned to the pair of arteta and pep in the seats, and arteta looked horrified. he knows what he’s getting into. and if he molds the team into a team that plays as he did, with that kind of commitment (never shirking what the team needed him to do), arsenal as a team and as a club will succeed. here’s to him, if/when we get him, and to his success.
On the last day of the transfer window 2011 I remember being in Dublin and keeping an anxious eye on the phone as our trolley dash took shape. As my plane took off I saw we appeared to have agreed terms with Arteta. On landing it appeared to be going through and then when I got in the car the deal appeared to be off because there wasn’t enough time to complete it .That summed up Arsenal in the transfer market then so aptly!
I turned off the radio and didn’t watch Jim and his yellow tie until close to the end of the window when it transpired that the Arteta deal was back on because he’d agreed to take a drop in salary to join Arsenal. I believe we waived a medical to complete the deal and also took Yossi Benayoun from Chelsea on loan. It was just after the 8-2 debacle at Old Trafford so he must have really wanted to join! The club was a mess.
He won two FA Cups, played in the Champions League every season and was exactly the sort of midfielder we need now.
My point is he could see beyond the immediate mess to a better future as a player and I believe he is doing the same now despite having been rebuffed eighteen months ago. He clearly cares for the club and has a belief he can turn it around. After all he’s sitting in one of the cushiest seats in football at Citeh despite their ( relative) struggles so he must really want to come especially as he has had other offers to manage in the past. I have a much better feeling about this than I did about Emery.Everyone on here knows I lost faith with Emery a few months ago. The moment of realisation for me was the Watford game where he had no clue how to hold off a very limited team who hadn’t won a point thus far .
Arteta isn’t a club legend, just a respected player like Brian Talbot or Paul Davis but he has the opportunity to become one and write his name into our history. He needs to grapple with a mundane situation to begin with and it may be a few weeks before we win over Cynic but I believe we will!
I doubt he has the respect or the authority to pull these wasters into shape but we will see.
I’m not one who particularly wants Freddie to stay. He’s Arsenal froo and froo, as the saying goes, but I’m not sure he’s much of a coach. I know there’s this thing in football where you need a stern manager and a chummy assistant to act as a buffer (or there used to be) but I would much rather have someone the players won’t fuck with as assistant if we’re having Arteta as head coach.
Bloody hell TTG
Just as i finish absorbing your post @3942, up pops another one at 3946. !!
Must have been a quiet day in the TTG household. !!
The calm before the Christmas/New Year storm.
My Brother did tell me of rumors that certain senior players in the squad didn’t want Arteta,they wanted Ancelotti instead.
The Italian know for being soft on his players,big cuddly teddy bear type.
Unlike the steel bayonet glittering in the winter sunshine that is Arteta.
Have no fear,he will lay waste to the Prima Donna’s at the Club,who won’t know what has hit them.
We may have to suffer a bit at the start,but once he works out who will bleed for the Club and who won’t,and gets the right structure and framework in place,the only way will be up.
TTG@3942 & 3946: Excellent posts. I hope you optimism proves to be rewarded.
…your optimism…
Clive,
It’s actually been a f…ing awful day. My sister-in-law has been diagnosed with cancer and a close friend has been taken into hospital and is unlikely to make Christmas. What with Dave’s situation it’s a miserable situation.
Arsenal despite our current problems provides light relief at a time like this .
Apparently Ozil is off to Fenerbahce in January. Only on loan, sadly, but he’ll be gone at long last hopefully.
So sorry to hear that TTG
They say things happen in 3’s.
I have lost two lifelong friends this year,one in April and one in October.
I am still praying Dave won’t be the 3rd.
Our Club travails pale into insignificance at times like these.
Christmas is going to be a very somber time this year.
Ozil to Fenerbahce again?
How many times has he joined
them now?
Arteta has basically a free half
season in the league now to
see who will commit and who
won’t. Personally, apart from
Mus I wouldn’t let anyone go
in January unless we’ve a
replacement lined up to sign.
Arteta only knows Calum, Ozil,
Hector and Emi from before I
think so it’s pretty much a clean
slate for the rest.
TTG, sorry to hear of the sad news in your family.
Great stuff there TTG @ 3942 &6. Couldn’t agree more.
And what bt8 said @ 3955.
It’s natural for various reasons that
senior players like Auba, Ozil, Laca etc
may have doubts.
As always none of them are bigger
than the club.
Story planted by an agent that Aubameyang wants to leave as early as January. Sell him then. Maximise that asset and use the money to rebuild, starting asap.
If he doesn’t score he offers nothing, he’s been a worse captain than Xhaka, will be 31 in June and he is mates with that bell from AFTV (that alone is reason enough to sell)
Get rid of the unhappy, the shirkers and the not good enough.
We might just about have enough players left for a six a side 🙂
Kolasinac out until January. That’s a few tough games . Probably means AMN plays there but it might also be a good idea to borrow a utility defender when the window opens .
Thanks for the kind wishes on here. It’s a very kind and supportive community
Re Aubameyang – if the Madrid £70m + Jovic rumour has any weight to it, I’d get the deal done on 1st January.
Spot on Cynic @3959.
Any player who is unhappy at the Arsenal and eyeing pastures new should be sold at the earliest opportunity for the maximum we can get. We will never have a team showing 100% commitment on the field without players who are 100% committed to the Arsenal.
Clear them out , Mikel.
There is a story in Bild that
Hertha Berlin will pay 45m
euros for Xhaka in January.
If only that were true.
I’d take the money plus Jovic
deal too. Sadly, I very much
doubt both stories.
If Kola is out I’m not sure
AMN is the best option.
He did play there before but
as I recall it was not a
reassuring performance.
I wonder if we’ll go 3 CBs
with Saka as LWB again.
Anyway let’s see if Hector is
fit as that will influence the
decision too.
Three centre backs, Saka and AMN as wing backs. Simples.
For all the talk of Ozil leaving, would anyone be surprised if he was picked to start tomorrow? It would be fitting if his last act as an Arsenal player was to kick his gloves down the touchline, but it wouldn’t shock me in the slightest to see Freddie pick him, if he’s actually picking the team tomorrow.
Oh hang on.
BREAKING NEWS
Once again, when Ozil is going to be dropped after a shithouse display, he’s picked up “an injury”
No LB and we go into the festive season? well, welcome home Mikel and good luck for you need it in plenty. The club captain and his brother are more busy on Instagram than on the pitch and half the squad wants out.
Everton maybe a game too soon for Mikel but i really would be happy if we can carve out a draw atleast there.
Signings in jan are very tough so no hope there but what would i give for a leader in the midfield and a warrior at centre back.
You’ve correctly identified the signings that should be our priority:
Leader in MF
Warrior at CB
Though any permutation of those qualities in those two positions would be upgrades.
I suspect we may address those deficits in January because we simply must. If necessary by loan deals for experienced players surplus to requirements elsewhere. This is a situation that demands short term solutions if the long term ones are impossible.
Morning all. xx
TTG, thoughts with your sister-in-law & friend.
Twitter update on Dave (Lucy Gooner) is very sad.
Strength, Lord, please.
And yes, banter, witticisms etc. about our club, do help us,
so please keep it up peeps. xx
That is very sad news ABB
but thank you to you and
Lucy for letting us know
official on pravda.com
https://www.arsenal.com/news/mikel-arteta-joining-our-new-head-coach
abb,
I just saw Lucy Gooner’s post it doesn’t sound good I have to admit, still praying he will pull through!
TTG, I’m sorry to hear that, my other half sister was diagnosed with cancer in the summer. She had two operations now as she had micro spreading and is awaiting results on Monday! Prayers all around for everyone in need!
TTG@3951: Very sorry to hear that. Thoughts with your family.
What OM said 3970. Stay strong, Guv’nor. Everyone in this bar still hoping and praying for a Christmas miracle.
Old age isn’t for cissies.
Thoughts and prayers all flowing ‘holic’s way. Didn’t think this would happen really but it sure gives me an empty feeling.
Every positive thought I can muster is flowing out to Dave. A Christmas miracle for him would be wonderful. Please God he can pull through
Very classy response by Unai Emery to Arteta’s appointment. He may not have performed well this season but he has departed with great dignity . I wish him well.
Rumours that Freddie is off to manage Malmo ! Our club desperately needs some stability !
Turns out we are still supposed to visit Rwanda.
Maybe Stan ought to visit London.
I would not be surprised if Freddie left. There was a valedictory tone to the thanks expressed to him in the official announcement of Arteta’s appointment.
Arteta’s comments about an underperforming squad and youngsters coming through suggests there will not be a wholesale clear out in January, maybe just loans for any Arteta considers insufficiently committed. Next summer may be a different matter.
Emery has made all the right statements since leaving the club, TTG. And his best move was not starting them with Good Ebening. 🙂
I am still of the view that there is sufficient quality in the squad to scrape a top-four finish. The new head coach just has to get the defenders defending, the midfield balanced, the forwards given the service they need and the whole team playing with more pace and compactness. As Cynic would say, simples.
Patrick Vieira rumoured to be in line to be coach of Inter Miami. Either stay in Nice or go to Miami, a tough choice as to climate. Fewer hurricanes in Nice of course.
I’ve been coming back to this bar since the very beginning. It was Arsenal that drew me here. However, it’s been said here on previous occasions that there are some things that are more important than football. That’s why what OM said somewhere above stuck a chord with me. This is an “island of basic decency.” Yes, I come here for the match reports, news, and opinions, and also to be entertained. But I realize that I come here mainly because it is a refuge – an island of basic decency (despite the swear words). For this, thank you Dave, from the bottom of my heart!
So, Arteta has now been confirmed. Massive gamble that I hope pays off massively. Loved him as a player and a very good captain. Here’s to giving him the right amount of time to get this mess sorted.
Keep smiling and fighting Dave. Sending love, hugs and oodles of positive vibes my old son. I hope things are moving in the right direction and there will be good news very soon. The saucepans send love and hugs too. Kick arse big man.
ttg@3951, so sorry. death sucks. and dying is fucking hard, not least on the people surrounding who love them. here’s to your friend, and to your SIL. give mrs. ttg a hug from an american gooner…and one for yourself.
as for you, dave, i hope this is read to you: KEEP FIGHTING. every breath is a victory against the dying of the light. we love you here, and all over the world there are people who love you who are breathing those breaths with you. happy christmas, let’s get you to and through this one.
welcome, mr. arteta. i hope the dark beauty of your helmet head doesn’t change to grey frazzles due to what needs must… agree with all of the above, even if we can only play six and the back four of the golders green ramblers!
Patrick Vieira rumoured to be in line to be coach of Inter Miami. Either stay in Nice or go to Miami, a tough choice as to climate.
Maybe he could go part time in both jobs and be in *ahem* Miami Nice.
I’ll get me coat.
“I don’t want people hiding,” Arteta vowed. “I want people taking responsibility for the job. Anybody that doesn’t buy into this is not good enough for this environment or culture.”
Love that.
Firstly, heard today that although the prognosis for Dave has sadly not improved, the family are still passing on all the love and best wishes and he continues to fight.
Come on, Dave, prove ‘em wrong mate. ❤️
SCG@3984: Well said. All breathing with the Guv’nor here at Castle Ned and sending every positive vibe we can muster.
Quite a few long posts to catch up with but I did notice, TTG, you have had some sad news too. Very sorry to hear it.
Can all this sadness just do one now please – these are nice people that need leaving alone. Thank you.
Potsticker @ 3982. – well said ?
Cynic, the other quote from Arteta that caught my eye was I have to get all the staff and everyone with the same mindset. Notable that he said staff, rather than players. It points, in my mind, to a malaise within the club, more than the squad, that many in this bar have suspected.
And this is a mantra for any football club to live by: You have to be in Europe and fight for trophies. The rest is not good enough.
Cynic,
Did you catch what he said about Ozil? 😀
“He’s a massive player for this football club.
“I want to understand how they’re feeling and what they need.
“He’s a massive player. I worked with him and I know when he ticks what he can bring to the team.
“My job is to get the best out of him.”
Just teasing 😛
Ghosts in for the magic symmetry of 3993
The quote I saw was different to the one you’ve used. He was talking about Ozil and the quote is
“I want to understand how they are feeling and what they need. Then I can take the excuses out of them and focus on the things which are relevant on and off the pitch. It is my job to get the best out of him.”
Which to me is not exactly a glowing statement. It indicates that he knows full well Ozil has been swinging the lead for years.
“Ruthless” Mikel
I like that already
No good evening but good fu*king night
go for it fella – sissies OUT!
Plays a hopeful pass to our midfield which scattered all over
Fine tuning to reach Ultra High Definition @4K and 50000000 MHz….Any clearer now with our new coach?
gunner_ks, you’ll be able to see chris down under (on high) with that tv…he still thinks his is the biggest on the planet…
gathers in the rolling ball, and makes a stunning diagonal pass with just a flick of the outside of his right boot to the left winger, haring forward, giving his all for the arsenal…
Bodacious backheel from the byline
Flying tailspin!
Well in, GSD.
Clive@3925, she’s in trap two at 9.13 tomorrow evening, and the trainer is confident…..
Get in GSD!
well in, you 40-ton gunnersaur…
Bravely dispatched, GSD among the flying bodies. Sartorial excellence and finishing too. The complete package
The last one I would have expected to be able to lurk so effectively. Big red package and all that …
Well in for the 4K, GSD. Nose down and empennage perfectly positioned.
GSD
You’re a goalhanger ?
We need you at Goodson tomorrow!
Cheers all. Found myself in the right place at the right time. Drinks on me!
I loved Arteta’s presser and I’m right behind him. I think he’s exactly the right man and he has my full support.
And a shout out to nurse abb. It’s always better when you’re in!
ned@4006, you (or the monks) misspelled “decolletage” third from last 🙂
here’s to ya, gsd. let’s go GUNNERS!!
We seem to have a fixture coming up in about 12 hours time. Thought we had been permanently relegated to playing on Sundays.
Who knew dinosaurs could
poach?
Fine words to read this morning
from Potsticker, scruz, Trev and
Mikel. And an inspired pun from
Cynic. And a symmetrical bt8.
My Saturday morning coffee cup
overfloweth.
Better than poached dinosaur, OM.
SCG: The monks know décolletage from empennage, believe you me.
But to the mundane.
Team news is Hector, Rob
and Ozil are being assessed.
Xhaka is available again.
My team would be….
Leno
Calum Luiz Rob
Hector Torreira Guen Saka
Ozil Auba Martinelli
If Rob is not fit, then Papa in the
centre and Luiz to the left. AMN
for Hector and Joe W for Ozil.
Bench with alternatives in brackets
Emi, Papa (Mus), Medley, Joe W (ESR)
Laca, Pepe, AMN (Nelson)
I’ve left Xhaka out the 18,
which Freddie won’t, but if
he wants out then I’d not
play him unless needs must
and to me they don’t.
Same goes for the rest but
who knows what bullshit
from the various media is
true.
Well once we get the science
sorted out Ned, poached
dino could be on the menu.
You could feed a lot of monks
with one triceratops:)
Better than feeding one
? with a lot of monks?
Hello Dorset Mick,
My Dad used to own greyhounds
for many years. The trainer was
often confident 🙂
“island of basic decency”…?
nah
never. i can’t stand “decent” people
remember legion of decency?
Thanks for two great posts, TTG. Sorry to hear the terrible news about your (and ATG’s) friend and SIL. Hope they all pull through. Very sad news about Holic. Prayers and thoughts with him.
Arteta will miss the game against Everton but I hope he has a winning start against Bournemouth away. He has two tough fixtures against a Chelsea (A) and Man Utd (H) to follow and those could define the remainder of the season.
I had never heard of the
Legion of Decency. The name
didn’t inspire confidence and
after googling sure enough
…..cuntishness
just a word though and it’s the
thought that counts
ksn,
Man U and Chelsea are both at
home, though I agree they’ll
certainly set the mood.
sorry trev ?
ha ha thunder T?
sorry cynic
just want any book
on ‘holic to reek of here
didn’t mean to bully
a new way of collaborative writing needed
the model of here followed
real time conversation
a private series of
different electronic group discussions maybe
EXACTLY LIKE HERE
on different ‘holic posts
with the great the good and
what famous names thunder T will bring
eventually cut to size
printed in the drink format
on paper
could be brilliant
and
look wonderful
.
.
.
a labour of love
but nothing of worth
is strolled to
and
the will and the ability
is here
so
fuckin get on with it
.
well
having read on
jeez there’s some rotten things happening
hearty good wishes to ye fellas
life never let’s ye down
if despair is what yer after
it’s fuckin unfair
.
now
really unfair would be
if Gene’s family don’t own the rights
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=X_OGX3jT2pA&app=desktop
.
.
.
.
perk up ya cunts
at least when
you were kids and
cowboys brought you presents
you didn’t have to
sing like nuns in a 1940s Disney cartoon
to get them
no siree
and
then all the drunk paddys
ran to the wagons
afore ye could shout
central casting
and
stole all yer swally
and then …
.
.
.
.
.
pull yerselves the gether !
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4Y5GtaTrPHM
.
oh and fuckin
ps
the 4000
was mine ?
there will be mince pies !
how could you dino ?
after my drinks here
gave you the confidence
that it didn’t matter what nonsense
you write
as long as the morons reading never …
…
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YsKGWo256Os&app=desktop
CBA
Her Majesty wishes you a Hapoy Christmas.
‘ One wonders how the old git is ‘ were her exact words.
May be too tight to get you in the New Years Honours List though.
I of course meant Happy not Hapoy. That’s near where OM lives !
Unlike me to make a typo ?
may Liz’s Christmas
be as thunderlicious as yours m’lud
i hope you have as nice a Christmas as is possible
god bless ye
now have a Bailey’s
eat half a Terrys chocolate orange
call it breakfast
and go out and
carpe that fuckin diem big man
.
.
UP THE FESTIVE FUCKIN ARSENAL !
and
all the best
to c100 and c100 (the Son of )
on their sojourn
and
a big ten 4040
to the main man
god bless ye ya adorable bollix
big hugs and rude words sent
the nurses are probably frisking
these messages
but
if one of them actually IS called Bridie Bridget Bernadette
i’ve it on good authority
she waves what needs waved through
didn’t mean to bully
I’ve only just stopped bawling and the cunt’s back to nick me lunch money.
MUMMY!!
?
?
maybe miki baby with the nice hair
shouldn’t take a leaf outta my nice book
and get into a blink first game
with some of our
need a punch cunts
If he lined up all the ones who need a punch to deliver one to them, he’d still be there on Christmas Day.
Sky Sports News ticker typoed Arsenal’s line up as “startling”.
Leno, Maitland-Niles, Chambers, David Luiz, Saka, Torreira, Xhaka, Nelson, Smith Rowe, Martinelli, Aubameyang
Lacazette, Pépé, Mustafi, Martínez, Mavropanos, Willock, Guendouzi
I’m expecting very little today . A point woukd be excellent but we might be on the end of 2 or 3-0 again. It’s a tough game and the team is full of lightweights. Onwards and upwards when Arteta takes full control
coyg
Struggling here. Our midfield is non existent, but you’d expect it to be with the players on the pitch.
Changes needed please. Pepe on for Aubameyang, stick Martinelli up the middle for 20 minutes. If that doesn’t work, hook GM and give Laca the last 25
Matt@4018,
I know exactly what you mean!
This trainer, Dave, is a man of few words, and is often right, but by no means always. He better be today, though!
Booth teams look short of confidence, a rather scrappy affair. Poor Malcolm has gone on an away day by train from Kings Lynn , he deserves a more enterprising second half !
OM, good that the game against Chelsea is at home, as you pointed out.
Boring game so far, but after the first ten minutes of Everton possession we seem to be comfortable with our slow, sideways, backwards passing game. Need to speed things up in the second half. COYG.
Laca and Pepe not even warming up with 25 mins to go and he puts Willock on. Clueless.
Laca for Auba. Doesn’t make sense as Auba can be a threat against a tiring defense. No speed up front, so maybe Pepe could be sent in. Another lackluster game with no creativity or penetration.
Wierd line up even weirder subs but hey what do I know
Looks like we will be going with youth going forward but there is too nany who not yet up for it. This is going to be a long bumpy season.
We look awful in defence, middle and up front!
Looked like a game between two relegation candidates. Poorest we have been for decades. Happy to take a point against a poor, poor Everton says everything about where we are.
That looked a very mid-table scrap — lots of effort but not much quality. A clean sheet and a point is about the best of it.
That was brutally poor. If those young players are the future, we’re properly in the shit.
Two teams who either didn;t want to win or were incapable of knowing how to.
At least the defence kept Everton at bay. Having two defensive midfielders playing as DMs provided some protection for once. Xhaka, dare I say it, looked as if the knock on the head he got against West Ham might have turned the switch in his brain on and Torriera was positionally disciplined (compare and contrast with Guenddouzi). Saka is a decent emergency left back for a left winger. Chambers had a solid game. ESR has shown these past two games why Emery had doubts about him; very anonymous for a No 10. He needs more seasoning. Really like Martinelli’s willingness to forage and harry. Lots for Arteta to work with, but equally lots of work to be done.
An encouraging point.
Nice to know we can keep a
clean sheet away
Still, lucky for us a top, top
striker like Theo wasn’t available
Not a great game at all. Happy enough with a point. The subs were odd. Nuff said.
I think our young players have a lot of potential and don’t agree with the idea that because they have had a few average games under circumstances in which much more experienced players have struggled that they aren’t good enough. They need rigorous coaching and a clear philosophy (built on work ethic) to get behind. The work starts now Mikel.
Sending love to Dave. I hope that we see an upturn in Arsenal’s fortunes coinciding with an upturn in Holic’s.
Everton have beaten Chelsea and drawn with United and Leicester so despite the thin gruel it was an important point. Positives are the clean sheet and the experience that our youngsters are getting. We are actually unbeaten away under Freddie, it’s at home where half the crowd is ready to mutiny where we struggle and we have two tough games at home coming up.
Football is so much about confidence and attitude and we will see an improvement when Arteta gets to work but it won’t be instantaneous and it won’t initially be pretty.
Credit to Chambers, Torreira and Saka particularly
OM
Great point about Theo.
He would have shredded us like he has so many sides since he left us
@TTG
It did provide me some amusement
as I typed it 🙂
Realistically I have seen us win
well at Everton and also be utterly
useless and lose 3-0 over the years.
It really wasn’t that bad today I
thought.
I tried not to comment during the
game as I know we’re all wound up
and want to win. But considering the
situation and the team I thought the
criticism was too severe. A fair
point, that was genuinely earned.
THeo would have had Saka on toast, he was superb against Chelsea.
I see Robbie Lyle and his band of … whatevers … are getting increasing levels of stick. There’s been a campaign of sorts on Twitter and it was all a bit confrontational at the game today apparently.
Surprised it took so long.
I’m watching Citeh v Leicester and in the first half Citeh outclassed them as much as they outclassed us last week. 2-1 does not reflect their superiority at all. Leicester have the best defence in the league statistically and a quality midfield and are being overrun. Boy Citeh must have a good coach ?
Cynic. If Theo had his biannual excellent game against us then he might do well against our teenage auxiliary left-back. What a player.
However, as you pointed out, apparently he had it against Chelsea, so left backs around the league can rest easy that Theo is as likely to score against them on Christmas day as on any other day of the year.
Just back from the game. Full report tomorrow but just to say today was the day that match going fans turned on Arsenal Fan TV.
Good.
Greetings holics from the great Masai Mara!! Dave, we are all rooting for you from as far as these parts of the globe!
Watching citeh play today reminds me of the Arsene days (ball moving forward and not backwards and side ways). I really hope Arteta can get us back to The Arsenal we all KNOW and WANT.
I remember the games that we didn’t win, Arsene would always say “we never passed the ball quick enough”. And the games we won late, “our quality finally got them tired”
He’s to Arteta given time/patience to get this project going again, and getting us to winning ways! Cheers holics!
Chambers is suspended for the Bournemouth game
Excellent point away from home,with yet another much changed side,and plenty of youth on display,and a clean sheet to boot. !!
Not easy playing at Goodison in front of a passionate home crowd,and an Everton side on an upswing in confidence and playing with great physical commitment.
I can’t remember them creating many clear cut chances,and i thought all our boys put in a decent shift.
I look forward to reading Countryman’s thoughts on the game tomorrow.
I am also pleased to hear Freddie say after the game,that the Club have said they want him to stay,so i hope that he does,given he was thrown in the deep end with the only support from Per,who as Freddie pointed out,has been running around attending Christmas events in the Community,inbetween supposedly assisting with first team duties.
Comical really.
I must also say i thought Mikel’s full press conference was brilliant.
Cut through all the bullshit,and has left no one in any doubt about his philosophy.
Well worth 15 minutes of your time to listen to it,or read it,if someone can post it in the Bar.
Things won’t change overnight,but i expect to see a far more committed group of players in the weeks and months ahead,as the new era under Mikel unfolds.
Remiss of me not to mention the sad passing of Martin Peters,the 5th member of that wonderful WC winning side of ’66.
I was very lucky to be at the final,and as a young man,it was a footballing day that i and anyone else lucky enough to be there,will never forget.
It’s getting very crowded upstairs.
Arteta’s first presser is here
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hU2mQR7FliE
Freddie post match on why he picked the team he picked, Man City, Ozil’s behaviour and the future
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=n2Hf_KSsbi8
Ljungberg telling it like we all must know it is. Well worth a listen at 4077.
What he said about Ozil’s behaviour must certainly go for Xhaka’s as well.
C100,
Look forward to your report.
Pleased to hear a few well chosen
words have been shared with
AFTV.
DM,
The first greyhound trainer I met
was Clare Orion at Wimbledon. He
was very kind and friendly to my
10 year old self. But a hopeless
tipster, a few weeks later he imparted
some advice to my Dad that cost me
my weekly pocket money 🙂
A good lesson for a young lad 🙂
Clare Orion? He wasn’t that big
a star 🙂
I meant Clare Orton of course
Pity Calum is out, he had a
good game I thought.
And a shout to Saka – did his
best in a shitty situation.
A thank you to Freddie and
on to Bournemouth
For what it’s worth I saw the game much as Clive did @4074.
But I would add that with Arteta and Ancelotti looking on it had the feeling of a momentous occasion disguised as a run of the mill occasion.
Ljungberg did the right thing to go with the youngsters and they repaid his trust.
of course we all recall
i’m slippy
dorset M
from i could be wrong
out the foreglen road
definitely dungiven direction
greyhounds
massive part of life
as ye know
the north of Ireland
never part of it
but
lived near people who kept them
and
their shite stunk
not an urban endeavour
should politeness
be yer life goal
(set up for a cynic joke)
.
now
that i’m here
Happy Christmas everybody
it’s a really shit occasion
but
stuff etc bla
.
.
.
Dave
thinking of you constantly
i don’t believe in god
but God bless you
yer a good man
and a kind man
thanks fella
.
.
.
(obviously i’m better looking)
*pffffttt*
*states obvious*
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
*organizes Milk Tray boxes for high altitude delivery*
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
*ruins festive chocolate treat delivery by squawking half way down his dissatisfaction at the effect this is all having on his recently invigorated sideburn and quiff combination*
.
“AAAAAAAAHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH”
.
.
*lands heroically*
.
.
.
.
.
*realises good looks and wealth aren’t evenly distributed*
.
.
.
.
.
*awaits assistance*
.
.
.
*tucks into Milk Tray in the meantime*
.
.
.
“Get thee behind me , coffee cream !”
.
.
WHAT A STINKER
.
.
.
aww jesus now
I . Would . Not . Be . A . Fan
.
.
.
(more feed lines for hot air jokes)
.
mais
ceci n’est pas une joke
ya pretentious cunts
.
have heard
.
the upload clowns
are starting to get grief
good
it’s a manufactured
one ring circus
about time
.
organized ineptitude
oof. hiccuppy greeshmas.
*stamps foot*
*flounces off*
” fargin merkans! “
Matt@4079,
A valuable lesson indeed. Fortunately for me, Dave Lewis is a much better tipster, and has more than trebled my pocket money this week!
CBA@4083,
Yes, I certainly remember I’m Slippy, beautiful blue and white brindle. Brilliant Irish dog that came over and won the English Derby. You’re right about Dungiven – the stud book actually says Limavady, just up the road. Most of Dave’s dogs were Irish bred, although he now has quite a few home-breds too. Much like the Irish ones, their shit most definitely stinks too!
CBA,
Have just checked the stud book, and I’m Slippy is a great-great grandparent of our bitch June. Small world.
This away report of Everton away is dedicated to the Goonerholic, Dave, who has always given me such licence to spread my prolix meanderings across this bar.
The clock radio fired into life. My wife muttered complaints next to me. It was 05.50 on a pitch black Cambridgeshire morning. Why do I do this? Went to give countryman junior a shake, before a shower, getting dressed and up and away by 6.30. We normally travel in my car, a large and comfortable Mercedes. However I was balking a bit at driving to Liverpool and back in the same day so countryman junior offered to take his car (insuring him to drive mine costs the GDP of a small country) and share the driving. Which was very good of him. So we found ourselves heading north in a 12 year old Vauxhall Corsa. Bless him he drove 350 of the 400 total miles, and put up with Dad’s playlist as well.
We made good progress through empty roads and decided it was time for breakfast at a service station on the M6 north of Stoke (what an architectural marvel that place is – not). The place of course, was very busy, many families, few football fans bar some Evertonians. No Gooners. A large coffee and a sausage bap for me, and full English and an energy drink for junior. Caffeine fuelled, we continued on. M6, M62, M57 and, eventually, Liverpool 4. Our parking slot, booked via JustPark, was perfect. On a quiet street, 10 minutes walk from the ground. Our host was Edna, a lovely brisk, efficient middle aged Liverpudlian lady with a strong scouse accent who was straight out of Bread central casting (sorry that one’s just for the Brits). She’d been looking out for us and popped straight out with our street parking permit, needed as it was so close to the ground that parking was severely controlled.
So to the ground. Everton are a founder member of the football league, were founded as St Domingo’s FC in 1878 and the old lady of Goodison has been their home since 1892. It’s not often at The Arsenal we have to bow the knee to a club with a longer history but we did here. The ground is surrounded by terraced housing and for misty eyed nostalgics like me is a lovely relic of my early years of going to football when all grounds were like this. The Gooners were gathering, and in we went. Now in such surroundings, our pre match snack had to be old school and it was. Steak pie and Bovril. Lovely.
Into the Bullens Road end. We had tickets in the back end of the lower tier. A low roof (which helps singing), one foot square pillars right in front of you, wooden seating with vertical backs that torture your spine. However I knew all that before I went and it’s the price of heritage. Highbury wasn’t all that comfortable if truth be told, and the view from the back of some of the stands was awful. So to kick off and, if truth be known, one of the parts of the day I had most been looking forward to. Everton has run out since to early 60s to the theme from Z cars (again Brits only, sorry scruzgooner, but you can look it up). Two klaxons to still the crowd then a rat a tat snare drum before the haunting melody kicks in. It’s my favourite and most evocative start of game theme in the whole damn league and it made the hair on the back of my neck stand up. Share the tune here.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1SgpgIlmgM8
The Gooner crowd were in really good spirits. Everyone was excited by the arrival of Arteta. It felt like we comprehensively outsung the Toffee men. Frequent outings for the Freddie, Martinelli and Laca songs amongst others. Seldom the sullen silence that has been the lot of away games since April of last year. Then just after half time began the thing you have probably already read about. A chant began
Get out of our club
Get out of our club
Now this tune, coupled with the name of silent Stan Kroenke has been sung frequently this season. But as the song concluded and swelled up again more loudly I could hear that the words were different
Arsenal Fan TV
Get out of our club.
The whole away end were singing this, and others coupled with the names of the organisers, Robbie, DT etc, who of course were in the crowd. One or two were a bit close to the knuckle, but I never heard a racist word as Robbie outrageously claimed later. Here are the facts as I see them. AFTV began as a joke. However in the end of the Wenger era and through the Emery era it has grown. Their thing is to find people with outrageous, toxic, negative and nasty things to say about the club. They film on the concourse and go to the games (Robbie sits just over the aisle to where I sit in the North Bank). They are watched, overwhelmingly, by fans from other clubs and by the media, who use them as a stick to beat most Arsenal fans with. In my humble opinion they have contributed hugely to the toxic atmosphere in our club in recent years. They make a very good living from their YouTube channel (reportedly approaching half a million pounds last season). The more money they make, the more extreme they have to get to keep their business model going. And they are cordially hated by most match going Arsenal supporters. This boiled over yesterday (probably because the game was a bit boring). I thought the chants were justified and agreed with them. Not however the physical stuff that evidently went on on the way out of the stadium. Some very well known Arsenal names who go to every game and who I respect, like Tim Stillman, went on Twitter to decry the chants as “censorship”. Sorry Tim, you are incredibly dedicated to Arsenal, but I thought this was virtue signalling.
The game was meh, two poor teams. You probably saw more of it than I did dodging around my pillar. I thought Saka, Callum, Gabby had good games. Xhaka was competent most of the time, but still managed a few passes that put team mates into trouble, especially Leno, and he slowed down the game again. But more fight than of late.
Back to Edna’s to collect the Corsa. A crawl out of Liverpool, then foot down as we hit the motorways. Home by seven. Just a 13 hour day following The Arsenal.
Great report, Countryman.
That is dedication, you have my admiration, especially for the car journey! If the full game was as crappy as the “highlights” you both deserve medals.
A great report that gives the match itself all the attention it deserved. Thanks!
Agree re AFTV by the way. I’ve never been a watcher but have seen things other fans have linked to, in order to take the piss out of us as a club, so I know who some of them are.
They are a complete joke. A rich complete joke, by the sounds of it. Shame, but that’s your modern fan for you.
Excellent report, C100.
But I am not so sure about some of the criticism of Arsenal Fan TV or the like. If people don’t like any form of media coverage they should not watch it or discuss it. Otherwise this kind of thing starts to overshadow the game after a bit.
It’s not as simple as that, they are a very high profile thing and give an entirely bad impression of the club and its fans.
It was thought badly enough of for the club itself to ask/force them to rebrand.
I’m sure it was set up with good motives, to give the fans a voice, but once you had “characters” involved who made it a success with OTT opinions and stupid over reactions, things then become difficult.
I mean we all say stupid things in the heat of the moment during games and we all have an opinion that can be ridiculed and mocked in some way, but most of us don’t cultivate an image and play up to it. It’s natural reactions.
All this angry manic depressive stuff* or the bludfamblud thing is just self parody.
*And I mean them not me.
🙂 Cynic. Agree with you
though.
I watched AFTV once and that
was enough.
Thoroughly enjoyed the
report C100, and heard the
Z Cars music on my
broadcast too. It certainly is
evocative of a different time.
Maybe we could do The
Magic Roundabout for our home
games 🙂
C100
Thankyou for a splendid report. You deserve massive congratulations for your dedication. The life of an away fan requires huge commitment and yet when the team reward us with a fine performance ( remember those days?) the miles home can pass in a trice .
I’ve never been to Goodison and believe Liverpool as a place to visit to be the most overrated city in England ( one to start quarrels raging), but you describe it so well, I almost feel I was there . The away fans are the really passionate ones and the arrival of Mikel provides grounds for optimism. The game was shite but we kept them out pretty easily and got some experience for the youngsters . I thought Saka was very impressive given he was out of position but he was clearly relieved not to be facing Theo who would clearly have torn him a new one ( heavy sarcasm!) Chambers did well. Xhaka didn’t commit a huge error but slows our midfield. If Arteta wants a team that moves the ball quickly his days are numbered.
As for AFTV I see them regularly gathering on the Ken Friar Bridge like hyenas picking over the bones of the club, banal idiots queuing up for their five minutes of fame ( yes I do occasional pieces for Gooner Fanzine TV but they are a much more constructive outfit). C100 is quite right about the increase in toxicity since they began and their need to continually ramp up the hysteria. I’m glad there was push back. It’s like Le Grove started a TV station . Very negative and extremely ignorant. We need some truth and reconciliation after the end of the Wenger era and the last few months of Emery and we need to give Arteta the time to sort the club out on the field. These prats will be all over him as soon as we hit the first choppy waters. I get the censorship issue but the ‘ noise’ around the club has overwhelmed constructive debate.
I hope they wind their necks in and try to find a more conciliatory tone .
Thanks for the report C100. You did Dave proud. I know that will rightly mean a lot to you. Top man
Manure doing their best to cheer
me up with an inept showing at
Watford so far.
Believe it or not I had a small wager on Watford to win and also one on Deeney to score two goals. So come on ffs.
Just curious do other clubs
have AFTV equivalents?
And also what is the bullying
that Tim S is talking about?
Surely the club aren’t sending
out henchmen types to rough
the buffoons up.
Though having had that
thought, Kola would make
an excellent henchman.
Move along there noisy halfwit
or feel my boot up your arse
Manure lose to Watford by two goals. Hope Chelsea and Totts draw.
Ksn,
Sorry, but I can’t find it in my heart to hope that the spuds ever get a single point!
Hmm, a Chelsea win would
be worse for us, but I think
a Spud win would have us
within 6 points of 4th after
our worst start in 30 or 40
years. Chavski have been
struggling and so I expect
Spuds to win.
It’s an odd season really as
the Top 3 have been clearly
better but the rest are
shades of mediocrity
The alleged bullying relates to a campaign, which has largely been online (aren’t they all?) to get AFTV out of the club, which is now spilling into confrostations at games.
It’s getting silly and doing nobody any good.
I think a cofrostation is what I saw at Goodison yesterday.
Only happens when it’s a bit chilly out.
?
“I expect Spuds to win” and
to think I criticised the late
Clare Orton as a tipster.
Hehe, when I’m watching the telly I can;t be arsed to switch to reading specs to use the laptop, so have to shift them down the bugle and do without.
Typos caused by blurred vision!
“them” being my telly specs.
Just seen the Chelsea penalty. Did Taylor really give that as a foul the other way? What a fucking appalling ref Taylor is.
Thanks Cynic for the
explanation.
As they are supporters I don’t
see how AFTV can be forced out
though I dislike what they’re
doing. Ignoring them seems fair
advice and I will do that.
However, if they’re really nicking
half a million quid a year out of this
bollocks I do wonder whether the
word support is real to them anymore
– they’ve turned something we did
on weekends as kids with our
hearts front and centre into a money
making enterprise. There is a loss
there that is saddening for them.
I just liked the word!
Taylor is letting VAR referee this game. A clear red that shouldn’t have needed VAR!
OM – Robbie Lyle has apparently used the race card to explain the campaign against his channel. There’s a few really good Twitter accounts retweeting stuff on this, not least @victoriamscott
Cynic. Are you listening to the commentary on the Spuds Chavs game? They keep referring to Anthony Taylor as an elite referee and have been questioning whether VAR is helping him if it keeps overruling him. They think it may be undermining his confidence.
They don’t seem to have spotted that VAR would be pointless if it confirmed all the terrible decisions Anthony Taylor makes, leaving him to keep making them with utter confidence.
Its not his confidence that they should be concerned about but his competence.
Shame VAR wasn’t around when Anthony Taylor was giving two penalties against Kos vs Villa four or five years ago, both awful decisions.
I hold grudges a long time.
I have it on a low level so can’t really hear it, it’s just there for a bit of noise as a silent match is terrible.
The issue has always been that if we had good refs, VAR wouldn’t be needed. VAR is just going to make bad refs worse, through laziness and cowardice. Why make a decision if a video ref can?
Have they mentioned racist behaviour on the telly at all? There was a tannoy announcement at the game, I’m reading… Spurs fans targeting Rudiger?
They have indeed Cynic. Gary Neville called for significant sanctions against Spurs.
VAR does a check to see if Alli has been fouled inside or outside the box having been played through. The check shows he was offside but that is ignored because the check was for a penalty not for offside. So, if he had been in box, VAR would be looking at a replay of a guy running offside, receiving the ball, getting fouled and they would award him a penalty.
It’s ludicrous and still needs serious improvement
It just beggars belief in this day and age, I really don’t get it at all and I’m of an age where racist language was part of every day life and on tv all the time.
They should close the stadium for a match or two.
Thanks, I will try to negotiate
the Twitter swamp 🙂
Happy as I am to see Spuds lose
at home, it’s not the best
result for us.
Hi OM. May I politely disagree?
Spurs losing at home is always the best result for us.
@4130. See 4132.
Evidently video refs can’t make decisions.
I don’t think VAR will make refs worse. They have been getting worse for years with impunity (the standard is the lowest it has ever been). At least now we can all see when they get it wrong and get overturned. That cannot be fun and I’m sure even Anthony Taylor might try a bit harder to get it right first time rather than keep looking like a tit in every game he refs.
Also I saw some of Watford earlier. Mike Dean is also a tit.
Me too C100, Taylor has
been a pisspoor ref for a
number of years
40 point deduction, surely?
Spurs stadium announcement was a laughable slap on the wrist with no mention of penalties let alone the lifetime stadium bans that should have been raised as a specter in the eyes of the racist fans.
This chat on Sky with Souness, Cole and Neville about racism is great.
I agree Cynic. But what about the awful, pompous, arse covering presenter (Dave something). Neville makes a lot of sense and some great points and Dave cuts him off and says “I have to make it clear that Gary is giving his own views and they do not necessarily reflect the views of Sky Sports”.
I think Neville’s going to twat him once the cameras are off.
I had to give a number of people a lift to a carol service so only saw the first half and if you hate the Spuds it was very encouraging. They were completely outplayed and went long very early ( to little effect). Glad Taylor was humiliated. He actually presented Villa with three points that day just as Graham Poll did in 2001 when he intervened to give Newcastle an incredibly undeserved win . Like C100 I bear grudges for ever!
I felt quite sorry for Dave Jones in that exchange as I think he made it clear he had been ordered by a producer to distance Sky from what Neville had said (I am compelled to etc etc)
Souness made me chuckle when he just stopped himself from saying that maybe these blokes have a nagging wife at home and never get a word in. He half said it, then recovered and said something about big personalities at home and when they get to the game the mask comes off and “This is me”.
They were all good though, especially on the PFA, Kick It Out etc.
I still hope he twatted him. Pompous little nerk.
I’m contemplating an official complaint.
Another stellar away day post Countryman.
Like your nostalgia for the grounds situated within the Towns themselves,surrounded by terraced houses, i loved the the old style cafe’s,with buttered rolls filled with a wedge of cheese a foot thick,and a mug of tea so strong you could stand your spoon up in it.
I always looked forward to going away with my Dad to far flung corners of England.
Going back to the late 50’s and into the 60’s, the local supporters all seemed to wear the same grey mac whatever the weather,topped off by the ubiquitous flat cap.
Unlike you,we always went on the train,and if we were going up North,we often went up on the Friday night and stayed in a local
B&B,or stayed with one of Dad’s old Army mates.
Another memory that has always stayed with me,was particularly all through the long winter months,up to Manchester/Sheffield/Lancashirel/Yorkshire,there appeared to be a permanent light mist/hazy fog hanging over the area as we arrived,and it never went away,which looking back,i suppose was more due to the heavy industry,coal/steel etc that was still strong back in those days.
The sun never seemed to appear at any stage,so it was like watching a game in a permanent half light.
Those were the days.
So a big thankyou Countryman,for evoking some of those long lost but never forgotten memories of a bygone age,which i loved my Dad so much for taking me to.
Thank you Clive. Your words are truly appreciated.
I still like a cheese roll and a strong cup of builders tea.
One of the best gifts I’ve been given has been going to football with countryman junior since he was five. He’s 20 now. Hopefully, when Everton have moved to a retail park on a ring road, he’ll remember his visit to the old lady of Goodison, like he’ll remember those FA Cup finals at Wembley.
Countryman
I am sure your Lad enjoys it as much as you do.
That bond between Father and Son is unbreakable.
He is now steeped in the ‘Arsenal Way” and long may it continue.
And like me,long after his Dad ‘s life is done,he will have those same lifelong memories of your football life together,that i still carry with me for my Dad.
I trust also that like you and me,he has a little hop skip and a jump,and an internal big smile,everytime the mob down the road lose. !!
Last time we trailed Sheffield United, Wolves, Newcastle and Burnley at Christmas?
And Leicester, shoulda said
In recent years Leicester have largely been a very well-run club and their owners have been very ambitious. Similarly Wolves ( although I don’t like the Mendis model) have spent a lot of money and expect to be a Champions League club soon . Since KSE took us over we have no right to look down our nose at other clubs. We’ve made some poor decisions, employed some poor people and are not helped by the toxicity of a large part of our fan base. It is not a lot of fun going to the Grove at the moment and it hasn’t been for some time.
We are all ( or most of us are) optimistic this will change but I understand that we may have major FFP issues if we don’t increase our revenue next year with CL income. This may mean we have to sacrifice some ‘ big’ players or high earners and it will mean our scouting and tge quality of our academy will need to be top-drawer. Auba, Xhaka and Ozil could all depart in the winter window for this reason
Mary Berry?
Thanks for your excellent match report CM1000. You paint the pictures so well, it’s almost like being alongside you.
I have no time whatsoever for AFTV. A poisonous brew of negativity that, like Le Grove, I eschewed after an initial perusal. I am astonished by the sums they are said to have earned through their activities. I think that speaks volumes for today’s society. One of the most appalling things I have seen recently is the MSM interviewing its ‘stars’ as if they speak for Arsenal fans in general.
I completely share the view that they should ‘get out of our club’ expressed by the chants. I also think Stillman has made the wrong call suggesting that it’s an issue of freedom of speech. It’s about their persistent misrepresentation of their views as those of the average Arsenal fan. They appear to have contributed significantly to the poisonous atmosphere in the fan base in AW’s latter years and are hardly likely to facilitate the supportive and patient mood that our new coach will need. I hope the campaign against them continues and succeeds.
Great report on the day trip to Liverpool 4, C100. So evocative of a bygone Britain.
And you have done the Guv’nor proud.
bt8b@4148: Never in the Premier League, not least because this is the first season in which all those clubs have been in the PL at the same time.
Thought for the day: We would have been better off winning half the eight games we have drawn this season and losing the other half. In that event, we would have been four points better off, sufficient to take us level with Wolves in sixth.
Scary thought for the day: Every team that has won fewer games than us this season is in the relegation zone.
Freddie is staying!
Woohoo!
Arteta continues to say the right things:passion and commitment are non-negotiable and every player starts with a clean sheet.
This is beyond belief- utter piffle
https://www.google.co.uk/amp/s/www.express.co.uk/sport/football/1220494/Mikel-Arteta-awful-interview-Arsenal-told-of-alarming-issue/amp
One of the problems with modern medical is that it gives platforms to idiots- Holloway, Merson , Durham , Collymore come to mind
Why would you be interested in anything that Paul Merson says about anything?
It’s all an agenda. Oliver Holt in the Daily Fail is using AFTV to dig out all Arsenal fans and is linking that to Arteta being a rookie manager. Durham started all this in 2006. It’s highly irritating.
Glad to hear that Freddie is staying.
And because Ned’s Monks are still very busy preparing the Christmas feast,i had to turn to the Nuns to be told that the scoreless draw at Everton was our first for 77 league games,and also it was the youngest side we have fielded since 2011.
And to BTM,
where are you, ??
Haven’t posted in the bar for a while which is unusual.
Hope all is okay.
Freddie’s not dead which should make us all a bit happier, if not break out in a Motown dance groove. Perhaps both.
Why would you be interested in anything that Paul Merson says about anything?
He can be very funny and also occasionally insightful, although mostly dim, such as his blinkered notion that Arteta is coming here to get us to play like Man City and that’s why he will fail. Errrr…
Merse was born with his brains in his boots, a bit like Gazza. One of the beating creative hearts of George’s teams, it’s a great pity that he’s been reduced to being the village idiot to pay the bookies.
A lot of the major media figures in football do a disservice to the game. It is by far the most popular sport in the country but a large number of people who follow football are not the brightest and many of those who have played it are very dim and have only the fact that they played the game at a high level to justify their right to comment . Take Merson- he was an appalling professional. I saw him once pull up at Highbury on the pitch totally out of breath. A man completely out of condition. By his own admission his multiple addictions drew his concentration away from the game and Wenger parted company with him at the end of his first full season. He did play for England while at Middlesborough and Villa but his career was in decline after Arsenal. While very one-footed he had great talent and one suspects a more resilient and intelligent man might have created a much bigger legend as a player than he did .
But as a pundit he realises this Cockney geezer schtick , prepared to be outspoken at the drop of a hat , makes him ideal for Sky. Forget the fact that he pissed his career away he has a platform on Sky that enables him to pontificate on people who have achieved much more in the game. Sky, BT and TalkShite don’t have to be right or insightful they need to be controversial and provide click bait for websites. This diminishes the status of the game but provides at a base level a rough and ready debate which while miles from reality , generates enough heat to keep a number of ‘ fans’ who thrive on the sort of sensationalist agenda they espouse happy. There is always a crisis to dissect , a manager to sack , a player to vilify . Never mind that it does the game a huge disservice it makes money by subscription or advertising revenue. It’s the element of football I hate and it is so ingrained now we will never see the quality of debate that serves the game properly. It’s becoming a game for morons with loud voices and outlandish opinions. That debases the game we love
TTG speaks truth.
This forum has to live on.
Where’s cba?
I put in the bit about the sausage bap and the steak pie just for him.
Sorry there was no time for a ruby on this trip.
TTG
Couldn’t have put it better myself.
As for Arteta,
He has clearly hit the ground running.
I have just watched the footage of his first training session on Sunday,and if what i saw is anything to go by,given he has 3 more days to work on them before Boxing day,then you can expect to see the ball being moved at a much quicker speed between the players at Bournemouth.
All the squad have been given a clean slate,so it will be interesting to see what plays out over the coming days and weeks ahead.
Injuries excepted,it will be fascinating to see the first line up of the new era on Thursday.
If the players step up and we get the win, we could be in for 2 cracking games at the Ems against Chelsea and Utd.
It is 36 years since we last played a game on Boxing day whilst languishing in the bottom half of the table.
Let’s hope i am long dead and gone before it happens again.
I would rather listen to Merson than someone like Jeremy Wilson, who writes the kind of pseudo-intellectual nonsense that makes your average art critic sound like Stan Ogden.
False nine my cock.
TTG@4159: That Express article isn’t even worth lining a budgie cadge with.
And well said @4165. When you say It’s becoming a game for morons with loud voices and outlandish opinions were you referring to football or the media, or perhaps both?
Clive@4161: The monks assumed everyone knew that already. 🙂 And you dally with nuns at your own risk…
Both are intensely annoying. Merson has a brain the size of a pea and spends the week trying to think up controversial things to say . You will never get an intelligent or interesting insight from him but if you get off on Cockney rhyming slang he’s just the job.
Wilson is one of those writers who treat football as high art. In the middle you get some excellent writing from the quality broadsheets and some of the best bloggers but I’ve always detected a negativity about Arsenal. It only subsided when Wenger’s team was so good and so exciting to watch everybody acknowledged them. I must avoid sounding like Untold Arsenal!
Ned- I think football has been badly served by tabloid media . TalkShite is in the forefront of that movement .
Clive@4168: I have just watched the training footage, alerted to it by you. Encouraging body language among the players. They were very attentive to Arteta, like new boys on the first day of school. You could sense his authority.
TTG@4172. It was a rhetorical question, but you are right. TalkShite operates like Fox News in the States, plucking at emotions and raising unanswerable questions that are used as the premises for erroneous conclusions.
One big plus with Arteta over Emery is that he is a good communicator. There was a feeling that players had a problem in following what Emery said and that led to a lot of confusion on the field. Arteta played in the league for more than a decade and has worked with Pep for close to four years which will give him a head start. He will need time to get the right players and to get the team playing the way he wants. So in a year’s time we will know if he was the right choice but the feeling is good and positive. Can’t wait for the Bournemouth game.
If 5 years ago you had asked me if I wanted the future of our club to be in the hands of former players who know what the club is about and are making a future for themselves after hanging up there boots I would have said a resounding YES.
If I had to guess I would have gone Vieira, Keown, Bergkamp and Lehmann. I never saw Arteta, Freddie, Per and Edu on the horizon!
But I’m looking forward to what they do…
Very interesting piece by Guillam Balague on the development of Arteta as a leader
https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/football/50827317
Mikel brings in warmth around the club and maybe I am slightly biased in favour of him in saying so. He was one of those model professionals you wish to have around in a team and now that he is the coach, it makes it even better. So whatever he says, does for the next few weeks will be welcome. It will eventually even out is also a given.
We play the cherries away, chelsea and united home and then palace away with the leeds game in between, mikel need wins and if we really play well, we can win all. Knowing though how we are playing currently, a mixed result is likely to happen with loss/draw away and maybe beating either chelsea od united at home. The sad part this year has been that we dont even look like winning our home games.
What can be done by him to turn this around? starters, play your best 11, have a compact midfield, do not play sokratis and luiz together and for heaven sake approach games to win and not to lose. Good luck Mikel.
Happy Christmas ‘holic and family
Thanks and love always
It’s going to be really weird not having any Premier League football to watch on Boxing Day this year. I refuse to pay for Amazon Prime for the “treat” of watching things on a computer screen. Tramps football for me on Sky. Rotten Amazon bastards.
But …
Hope everyone has the best Christmas they can. Eat, drink and … eat. And drink.
Wishing Holic and family all best wishes for Christmas and hopbig for a medical science defying recovery to flabbergast his physicians and give them a spectacular paper in the Annals of Internal Medicine. ?
You can do it, Guvna.
A very merry Christmas to all ‘holic’s, coupled with what Bath said, and a toast to absent friends.
Wishing all holics and their families a very merry Christmas. And what Bath said.
what baff and all have said about christmas, miracles for dave and family, and drinking (though i dare say dave might offer us a bit of a warning on the last one!).
c1000, top match report above. love to learn about the z-cars, reminiscent of thunderbirds and other 60s tv music. and while robbie seems like a nice man (i met him in LA this summer), fuck AFTV. i watched it once and not again.
it’s just 10 am on christmas eve day: the fire’s lit, along with christmas candles, the tree lights are winking, tomorrow’s duck is thawing in the fridge, my son’s asleep after a late night, and my wife is pottering about getting the kitchen ready to make mince pies. a warm and merry christmas to all holics, and their families, from the scruzgooner household here in wet, beautiful felton, hahafornia.
Merry Christmas to all the ‘holics. May we all celebrate half as well (at least) as scruzgooner. 🙂
Wait until his nipples start hardening ….???
Happy Xmas to one and all.
c1000@4185, that one would have added to my barrel of lost liquor at the pearly gates. snorted a chuckle straight outta my nose, glad i wasn’t sipping the first manhattan…yet.
merry christmas, especially to you and ttg, who made that vitoria victory even more special.
oh, and so interesting to see *that’s* what you remember of our tolly pints discussion. ???
A very merry Christmas to all Holic with a special prayer for Dave that we will see a Christmas miracle
Merry Christmas everyone !
Scruz
I still remember the silence that fell around us, and the careful one pace back of the regulars …….
Good on you my old china. You’re a diamond.
???????
Merry Christmas all.
Thoughts with you and your Families.
Norcal and scruzgooner both here at once? The drug deal must be on. 😉
Not sure it can really be on without Pires is King but getting closer …
Already halfway through Xmas here in NZ
Merry one to the lot of you, but especially to Dave and CBA – good luck chaps
c1000@4190, as may be. but you missed the wistful smiles on the ladies’ faces…
Wishing you all the best that life can bring, Merry Christmas to you and a year full of blessings. May God bless you with a festive, loving and peaceful celebration this Christmas and all throughout the year.
Still praying for Dave here keep strong big man we love you my friend!
Merry Christmas Holics wherever you are ?☃️❤️?
Lurks in line with last defender waiting for long ball over the top.
The move is on as my superior pace takes me clear of last defender.
The ball lands perfectly for my trusty left foot as i arrow my shot across the keeper to the far corner.
The ball nestles in the back of the net,and i raise my hands to the heavens where Gooner Terry and Chris are smiling and giving the thumbs up,as they watch the game on the biggest TV screen in the Universe.
Merry Christmas to all from Sarajevo!!!
Trust everyone has had an enjoyable Christmas.
A toast to everyone who has made the bar so special.
A toast also to absent friends,and a miracle please for our dearly loved and much treasured Landlord.
If there is a God,can you please ensure this is not our last one together.
Fine words, Clive, can I echo every one of them?
Clive
I’m sure there is and Amen to your fine good wishes !
Sorry to have to post we lost the guvnor this morning
RIP Dave
Oh my word…………. dear this is really shocking news! 🙁
Our thoughts are with Dave’s family at this really difficult time. I really can’t come to terms with this.
I will digest this for now….I’m crying now… God bless you Dave!
RIP Dave. We love you and we will miss you terribly.
Words aren’t adequate at times like this.
A very fine man is dead and our thoughts go out to his family. Christmas will never be a time of joy for them again I would imagine .
He leaves an unfillable hole on this blog and in the lives of the people he touched.
God bless you mate. I will drink a toast to you as will all Holics but with a very heavy heart.
After the holidays are over it might be the time to think about keeping this blog or something like it going in his honour but I think we need time to mourn and reflect first
RIP Holic – Top Gooner
Sincere condolences to Dave’s family. It’s never a good time, but today of all days.
I hope Dave knew how much he was loved and how important this little corner of the Arsenal Universe was to so many people. Knowing him, he would have played it all down, but I hope he knew and was secretly chuffed.
I was on the receiving end of his many kindnesses over the years and will miss his voice, both in print and podcasted terribly.
RIP. Keep an eye on us all from up there…
RIP to Dave The Goonerholic. The creator of the finest football blog on the internet and a top top bloke.
RIP mate it was a genuine pleasure to know you.
This is terrible news. Thoughts and prayers with the family. The virtual bar has lost more than a real friend. We have lost a guiding light and a truly irreplaceable man who has left more of a mark on the world than most. Top, top bloke. RIP, Guv’nor.
RIP Dave. Hope his final hours and moments were peaceful. It truly is a measure of the man that he has deeply touched so many, often, such as my case, without ever even exchanging words. I find myself overcome with sadness this morning and can only imagine how those closest to him feel. Condolences to his family and all those he held dear. I hope that in the future this blog and the outpouring of love and support is seen as part of his legacy and may provide some solace to his beloved.
I echo TTG’s sentiment that in the it is imperative to maintain a corner of the internet where his memory may live on and this community can continue to thrive under his guiding light. For now though, it is time to mourn and raise a glass to the Governor.
Shocking news. I always read the blog. A truly sad day. RIP Big Man.
My sincerest condolences to the family. They can be proud. This blog has to continue!
I suppose we will have a minute of silence before the match tomorrow…
I will miss you Guvnor.
Thank you for everything.
It was a great blog and you
a great guy.
My condolences to your family
and those around you at such
a heartbreaking time.
It says so much for Dave how deeply he touched so many people through this football blog. Thank you ‘holic though we never met I regarded you as my friend and guide to all things Arsenal. What a sad day. Love to the family and thanks for lending him to us his readers.
Just heard the very sad news. A very good man taken far, far too soon. RIP Guvna, I will toast your memory with a glass of your favourite Talisker. Sláinte mhath, maestro. ?
Snir tracked this down and posted it elsewhere. He’s a rare visitor here now so I thought I’d share it in this virtual bar filled with his kindred spirits and real friends. A fitting reminder of our excellent landlord and his warmth and generosity:
https://www.islingtongazette.co.uk/sport/football/arsenal/friday-fanzone-q-a-david-faber-aka-goonerholic-1-4995120
Too, too sad xx
up for prezzies and stockings. now i see this about dave. those are not quite as important, now.
rest in peace, dave faber. we are going to miss your sanity and humanity, and your lovely friendship. your memory will always be a blessing.
condolences to his family especially, and to holics everywhere.
Oh no, a sad sad loss and how horrible for his loved ones that it’s on Christmas Day.
The world is poorer today for a truly lovely man.
We’ll all miss you for the rest of our Arsenal supporting lives, Dave.
Sleep peacefully, mate xx
Sincerest condolences to Goonerholic’s family.
Even though I knew him only through this forum and a few personal emails this feels like loss of a close friend.
The way he maintained this blog — with charm, humor and integrity — is an example for other football fans.
Maybe we can discuss in the new year how to keep this forum alive. I will be happy to offer any technology/hosting help.
Bath ,
That was a lovely, typical profile of someone I wish I had known much better but felt I knew extremely well. Does that make sense ? Thanks for enclosing it
Dr. F
I am sure we will be in touch early in the New Year . It is obviously vital that we follow the wishes of Pauline and family
Just been made aware of the really sad news. Dave was a truly special man with a unique talent of being able to unite Gooners from all over the planet and from all walks of life. A man who always had time for everyone and someone whose company I had the privilege of enjoying on numerous occasions. A top man in all walks of life that will be sadly missed.
I’m sure we all have wonderful memories of Dave but I just wanted to share one. On 30/10/12 we played a league cup match away at Reading. It was the famous 5-7 win. I took both my kids to the match. In those days they would have been 12 and 8. I had arranged to meet Dave before the match in a local hotel. Somewhere I could Park and feed the kids. I met up with Dave who was his normal self. As always, he was fantastic with my two, engaging in fun conversation and making them feel welcome.
Having left Dave, we started our walk to the ground. Ben turned to me and said, “was that Goonerholic?” “Yes,” I said. Wow, he said, as we kept on walking. “He was nice,” Ben said. I can’t remember my reply but it was something along the lines of he’s a top bloke. A few minutes later Ben turns to me and said, “Dad, what is a Goonerholic?”
I remember sharing a beer with Dave only a few weeks later and recounting the tale. As always, he just laughed and as always, he would always ask how the family was in every conversation.
RIP Dave. Top top man who I will miss dearly. My thoughts and condolences with all of Dave’s family and friends. God bless big man.
Steve T,
That was a great memory I was there myself….with my son who was seven years old then. I believe I have managed to arrange some free parking.
I remember Dave offering his chips to my son which he gladly accepted. It was a bizarre game of football but it was my second time I have met with Dave a true gentleman and such a positive soul.
Way too early to go I will miss him tremendously 🙁
RIP holic…
This blog of his and the top top top quality discourse amongst commenters, are a testimony of the superb human being he must have been. Just knew him through this blog and shall eternally be thankful to him for it. Condolences to his family and friends.
I would echo what others have posted before, this forum must be kept alive. There could not be a better tribute to ‘holic.
Rest in peace Dave/‘Holic. You were a great man, a great writer & an inspiration to us all. Sleep well.
I have very few photos with Dave, mainly because I only met him a few times. So this one is precious. I’m second from left.
https://twitter.com/countryman100/status/1209916100680585216?s=21
Love ya, ’Holic. Sad I never got to meet you, but I’ll always remember some (not all! We had too many!) discussions here. Arsenal will remain for now of course, but without people like you there would be no club. I am sure the world is worse off today, especially the arsenal speaking world. I’d even go so far as to say the whole footballing world is worse off today. And Leicester.
Rest in peace, ‘H.
Thanks for giving so much of yourself.
And just like that,the Big man was gone .
I was born in the London Maternity Hospital in Hanley Road Holloway in1950, just another birth among many.
Little did the Hospital know that a few years after my inconspicuous arrival,another young boy would be born,who would turn out to be the finest Arsenal blogger in the Universe.
Not only that,he would also turnout to be the wisest,kindest,friendliest,welcoming man to all who had the good fortune to cross his path.
Dave and I go back almost to the beginning of his blog,and i have to say that with very few exceptions,they have been the most enjoyable years i have had following the Arse.
We have been through the good and the bad times over the years,but despite me winding him up in private on regular occasions he never ever tipped the Arse for anything but a win.
Well the winners today are Gooner Terry,Chris,and many other Gooners that have passed,who now have the honorable
David Faber, striding among the heavens with them.
RIP mate.
I have so enjoyed this place reading great blogs and posts without any of the nonsense you might get elsewhere. Thanks Dave for providing this space and being a friend to so many.
The Goonerverse has lost one of it’s very best today.
Thoughts and prayers going out to his family and loved ones.
Rest in Peace, Dave.
Just woke up here. Boxing day in Sydney.
very sad news.
For almost ten years every day have opened up the Goonerholic page , even in off season to see if any discussion is taking place.
‘Holic let me write a few pieces when Arsenal visited here a couple of years ago.
Made me proud that people had bothered to read.
He and this blog had that ability, that everybody was equal and everybody could have a opinion.
He will be sadly missed, this blog must continue .
What i want to see now is the Arsenal play like the Arsenal for the remainder of the season and beyond. If only for Dave.
RIP Dave.
@4233 – nice one, Clive.
A very sad day for his immediate family and for the Goonerholic
vertual family who have lost a great friend.
I never had the pleasure of meeting him, my misfortune but you guys who did know him have expressed your appreciation of the man, Dave (Holic).
Let this not be the end of the bar , this is the only place to drink on line.
RIP Dave
Rest in Peace wonderful man.
Thank you for sharing time with us all.
Such sad news. My thoughts go out to Dave’s family and friends, and everyone here at the bar.
RIP Dave.
Terrible, terrible news. Every condolence to the Faber family. We must do something to immortalise his memory. Keeping this site going would be fuckin’ excellent
This site MUST continue. It’s the least we owe the Guvna.
Such very,very sad news. My thoughts are with Dave’s family at this time.
I was born many years before Dave in St Mary’s hospital which morphed into the Whittington Hospital when the NHS was formed – situated just in the London Borough of Islington – prime Arsenal territory.
When Dave started Goonerholic, I avidly read it for the pure love of Arsenal that permeated from his prose. His Friday evening previews were legendary with the unfailing £ on the Arsenal to win, helped by some soothing beverages to assist. Many moons later I plucked up courage to join in the drinks and was made most welcome by fellow imbibers. A solace of decency in the Wild West of the internet.
Some years later I made the pilgrimage to the Tolly to meet the maestro in person. He went out of his way to introduce me to many other ‘holics who were there. It was an absolute stellar day out.
A few years ago after I lost my wife he sent a wonderful supportive letter – he was the most thoughtful person you could meet.
We have lost a man who was a truly wonderful person who happened to truly love The Arsenal. There was only one Goonerholic, we shall all miss you terribly. RIP Big Man.
I agree wholeheartedly with Bath, Pangloss and everyone else who has said the same in a slightly different way.
TTG@4225, that certainly does make sense. Holic poured his heart and soul into his blogs and was the same warm, welcoming, optimistic and thoughtful man in everything I saw him do.
BtM generously invited Dave and me to join him in executive seats he had for the FA Cup Final against Hull. You’ll remember we were 2-0 down after 15 minutes and almost 3 down (thanks Kieran for that block) until Santi pulled one back before half time. Half time discussions were tense. 5 minutes after the second half kicked off as the team toiled to find its rhythm Dave took a call from someone and said to us, “Sorry fellas, that’s a friend who needs help. I’m going to have to go right now.” Without hesitation, he left to help that friend, missing one of the great Arsenal recoveries and Rambo’s winner. “I managed to catch it on TV later,” he said when I next caught up with him. A gem of a man.
All men are dust, a few are gold dust. Dave was one of those few.
We have lost a special man. My overwhelming sense is that, partly as a tribute to Dave and partly because it is a place of great dignity and common sense everyone wants the blog to continue in some form. CBA wants us to write a book.That’s a tougher project that needs real thought and planning . I’d be happy if I can get details of Pauline’s address to approach her after she has laid the great man to rest and we have observed a decent period of mourning and then we could discuss her wishes and how we might do it, if she says yes.
We could then work out the logistics . I think that is a decent plan but should there be someone out there who knows her well and would be better placed to have that conversation then they should do so. Let’s enjoy our memories of a great fellow and return to this in the new year. I think we might set a very big number on this blog in tribute to him.
RIP Guv…
So sorry to hear the terrible news that ‘holic has gone, life is so unfair. All the comments above show how much Dave was loved by so many people.
God bless you, Dave, and your family and friends.
A very sad day indeed. Rest In Peace Dave. You were truly a rare Gem. I pray your family will have the fortitude to bear this huge loss. Rest well great man.
Sad, sad news.
Rest well ‘Holic.
I’m crying. And I don’t know what to write. I’m just in bits.
It’s hard to explain to my friends and family that I have spent the day with just how much I love Dave. I was a young man when I first began reading his words. My dad left our family home when I was in my early teens and as I tried to come to grips with growing up without his guidance I looked for figures who could teach me the lessons i needed to learn. A few years later I found this bar and i found in Dave someone who was so, so wonderful. Someone wise. A King who tended his kingdom with compassion and strength. A clarity and firmness that made each and every one of us welcome and that also made damn clear the level of behaviour he expected from us.
I didn’t just learn about Arsenal from him. I learnt about how to be a man.
He inspired me to get dressed up as Gunnersaurus to go to games. This thing he made mattered so much to me I wanted to show it any way I could, even if that meant wearing stupid gear and looking like a… (dunno what word finishes that sentence right). It just mattered and I cared. I wanted to honour my moniker as a way to honour this place and him. It sounds odd but I wore my silly outfit as a sign of respect. I wish I had told him that. I wish I had told him how much he meant to me. I’m still crying as I write this.
The response from all the patrons of this bar when I did my charity skydive dressed as Gunnersaurus, and the platform Dave offered me to share it with you all was more touching than I can express. And did a lot of practical good to young kids without as much as we might hope all kids get. That was a tangible and beautiful example of how much good he did here and how truly brilliant the drinkers here are and have always been.
I love Arsenal. But Dave was so much more to me than that. He has had a huge positive influence on my life. Without a shadow of a doubt knowing Dave Faber made me a better man.
The world is poorer without him. But I also believe we are all pilgrims, travelling and learning together, and that he will be back in another form and his soul is simply on the next leg of a long, long journey. So I wish him well. I celebrate his incredible life. I give thanks for all his deeds and words. I send my love to his family, to every friend of his, to all those who will miss him.
I am more grateful to have known him than I can put into words. I send my love to all the people who knew him best. I hope you can hold the pain of your loss next to the brilliance of his life. He was a true legend.
There was, and there will only ever be, one Goonerholic.
Guvna , MYSRIP.
well said, gsd.
Tragic news, RIP ‘holic.
Arsenal and humanity have lost an exemplar of loyalty, kindness, and propriety, at a time when both these universe need more of these virtues and guiding lights like you. Lurking in this special corner of the internet where you carved out this eclectic and erudite community has always been a way for me to calibrate my Arsenal related thoughts and feelings.
You will be sorely missed. 🙁
Condolences to ‘holics family, my thoughts are with you and I hope you find the strength to bear this immense loss.
I’ll always remember David Faber, the one and only Goonerholic, for what he did for me and for so many others with this virtual bar where real friends were made. I’ve just had a peek into my copy of Arseblog’s “So Paddy Got Up”, for which Dave wrote a chapter and was very happy to sign for me, he signed it like this: “Thank you. Dave, holic.”
Dave was the kind of man who would thank you when you should have been the one thanking him. That alone speaks volumes of his character and the sheer quality of human being that he was, it was an honour to have known you and to have met you, my friend.
My sincere condolences to Pauline and his family, I wish them the strength to cope with this loss but also to keep moving forward regardless of it.
God rest the maestro, long may his legacy go on and a big part of that legacy is this blog.
May he rest in eternal peace.
Devastated to hear the news that we had all been dreading. I was hoping so much for another match preview, another match review, for ‘holic to recover somehow. He enriched my life, even though we never met.
My deepest sympathies to his family and friends.
Rest in Peace Holic
A good man
An Arsenal man.
Dave would have wanted this blog to focus on the Arsenal . Yesterday’s awful news was followed by an outpouring of wonderful memories and tributes . Leading figures in the Goonerverse acknowledged his wonderful life, his kindness and his love for the Arsenal.
I pray that the team will do him justice today when we ask the question ‘Can Arteta do better?’
Frankly after news like yesterday football seems a bit trivial but Dave wouldn’t have seen it that way especially as an exciting new chapter is opening for the club and I believe we will see progress until the end of the season.
In a few short days Arteta has had to try to lift a confused and unsettled squad and to try to restore confidence and set a more robust team pattern . He isn’t a miracle man but I do believe he will communicate his ideas well and every player will be aware he is playing for his future . Some will see that future away from our club . If that’s the case so be it, we need fresh thinking and in some areas fresh players . If there is one thing that I want from today is that we are much harder to play against . We have been chronically disorganised at the back conceding from set pieces and letting teams attack us at will.
Today let’s hope that changes , our players respond to the new man in charge and above all honour the memory of one of the finest fans our club ever had- a man who would I suspect have put the Holic pound on a win . May I be cheeky enough to venture the notional Holic pound on a 3-1 win for the Arsenal
Come on you Gunners !
Thanks TTG, that was a difficult
post to write I think. Though I
never met him personally I think
you’re right The Guvnor would
want us to continue talking about
the club as it’s the thing
that brought this particular
community together after all.
So I will, but to anyone
who may think that is disrespectful
I am sorry and it is sincerely meant
as a gesture of respect.
3-1 is a fair shout but we kept
it fairly tight at Everton and my
guess is we will try to do that
again. Hector and Papa may
replace AMN and Calum.
Otherwise, barring injuries I’m
expecting a similar starting XI.
1-0 to The Arsenal.
Arseblog on Dave is a must read this morning.
https://arseblog.com/2019/12/h/
An overwhelming sense of dread came over me when I opened Arseblog and saw the photograph of Dave. Despite the looming sense of inevitability over the past few weeks one still hoped he would pull through. Like others have said on here, although I never met him, I felt I almost knew him. What an amazing tribute GSD. You really have done the Guvnor proud. My heart goes out to his family and close friends at what has been, and continues to be, such a dreadful time for them.
Lovely piece, GSD. We share your pain.
Quite right TTG. Dave would say, “Whilst a new era begins we still need to focus on the three points, buddy!”
COYG
BMBD
Rest In Peace Goonerholic. Your great personal qualities and strong moral compass shone through in every word you wrote. Condolences to your family but also utmost sympathies to your grieving regulars in here too. From afar, I could see a very special bond and kinship amongst you all. Pretty rare I daresay these days. Good Health to you all for the next decade, may it also be a bit better than the last for the Mighty Arsenal, but if it isn’t, so be it. COYG.
GSD
That was a beautiful tribute that would have meant a lot to Dave . Thank you
Fine words from everyone above.
Back to ‘The Business’
He’s picked Ozil.
Arteta OUT!
🙂
COYG in the spirit of Goonerholic.
Terrible news and very sad to know that we have lost Holic. Condolences to his family, his friends and everyone in this great bar. He was always balanced and tolerant in his views and we will miss him hugely. RIP Holic.
I just read the sad news about ’Holic. I never met him in person but from the way he was described by the regulars here, I have no doubt he was a top, top guy. So long Dave, you’ll be missed by the whole Goonerverse. I wish Dave’s family strength in this troubled time.
Rest in peace, Dave.
Well, not a bad first 20 odd
minutes. We seem to be
getting it forward quicker.
We concede first again by making silly mistakes and losing the ball in the wrong place. But I think we have played better than we have done under Emery.
We look vulnerable down
both flanks, not surprisingly.
Look ok going forward, need
Laca/Auba to get their shooting
boots on. And to keep getting
the ball to Ozil.
Oh, and improve the crossing.
Still can’t believe that Dave is no longer with us.
If these players have anything to prove then most of them are shit and should be shipped in Jan.!
Deepest condolences to the family. I am just a man who reads the site and drinks, but I miss the Guvnor already. Thanks for everything, and heads up.
And one thing, I would also like to thank this community for being such a brilliant Arsenal family.
We are playing much better than recently but the final ball has been awful and they’ve punished us for that. We need more in the second half but the signs are there that we may find it. Still plenty to play for.
Come on you reds. Do it for Holic.
Err, come on you yellows!
Pace is a problem we can’t deal with and King and Fraser are causing plenty of problems problems. We should get own pacemen, Pepe and Martinelli, in to counter.
Auba, get in!!!
Get in Auba! Come on!
Good man Auba
Deserved an equaliser
Teletype says lashing rain and Auba again.
And a Bournemouth bonanza of yellow cards in the last ten.
Willock just fudged it!
Haven’t seen the game but the commentary I’ve read hints at us being more on the front foot than we have been, and certainly in away matches. 1-1.
Another draw but we have made some improvement. With some more work by the new coach we should get into top six.
All in all I’m not happy with a point we had chances to win the game and Willock should have scored towards the end. Then again I’m no longer that bothered.
Good performance. The Arteta effect was noticeable.
Welcome back iBtm.
We’ll win again.
Don’t know where
Don’t know when
But I know we’ll win again
Some sunny day
On today of all days, you need to be bothered on behalf of Holic, Arthur.
It’s easy to imagine that he would already have posted a very positive missive on the vast improvement in commitment, midfield control and passing accuracy resulting from four days of Arteta’s tutelage. He’d be disappointed though that our attackers decided to have one of their less impactful days.
Another draw. Could have
gone either way at the end
to be honest.
We wasted some very good
opportunities 2nd half and
it really wasn’t Laca’s day.
Wanted the win today.
And it’s a bit emotional just
now as there’s a big Holic
sized hole. Best to you all.
iBtM,
I’m certainly bothered about Dave buddy perhaps that’s why I wasn’t bothered about the result.
We out scored the opposition in terms of shots fired. Laca is badly out of form and I would play Martinelli instead.
Just heard
Absolutely gutted
Sincere commiserations from New Zealand to Dave’s family and friends.
I guess this bar is closing… its been a real pleasure …..thank you Goonerholic
IF @4292
Not necessarily.
I stumbled upon this blog and had my first drinks from the sidelines after our 8-2 defeat to Man United. Had been an Arsenal fan since 1997 from Indonesia. The defeat was hard to take, I was lost, angry, and finally went online to see what other Arsenal fans, particularly those closer to the team in London felt.
What followed was a lot of back drinking, and then more drinks about the last minute trolleydash which included Per, Andre Santos, Park Chu Young (if memory serves right) and last but not least, Mikel Arteta. At a time when we were facing a crises, Dave’s was a steadying voice to me and my Arsenal fanhood.
I remember he posted about the hard times Arsenal faced in the past thirty, forty years, and I was heartened to read all this, believing that things will eventually get better again. Thanks for making me feel closer to The Arsenal Guvnor, you will always be a big part of my Arsenal journey although I never met you. Rest in peace.
I was both not bothered and extremely involved today . IBtM nails it . Dave would want us to be very bothered and he would have seen a better performance. Arsenal wasn’t built in a day but there was an Arteta effect. We just need a few better players but the heads didn’t go down and the shape was better . The midfield actually played quite well but Laca didn’t have a great day . Things will get better but quite slowly
Just watched their goal a few times. Saka gives the ball away weakly on the wing, does not get back to defend, Luiz does not stop the cross, Torreira lets Gosling get in front of him, and due to Torreira’s small size he has no hope of getting around Gosling to prevent the goal.
Didn’t see the game. I found a stream but gave up after about fifteen minutes.
Poor result, but seeing as at least six of the starting lineup shouldn’t be in the team at all, it’s no surprise. The view that this is the worst squad we’ve had in the Premier League era is unshakable.
Still. Sunday…
Still, it is a point away and we came from behind to get it. Sounds like enough to say the glass is half full.
A good away performance today, we played with much more creativity and a higher tempo. Unfortunately our strikers misfired badly.. and Saka and Nelson were really poor with their deliveries.
As Bergkamp’s The Man said @4289, a lightning quick, upbeat match report from Holic would be just the tonic right now
Surely not a Tabsing?
IF @4292, not if we can help it. The site is hosted on Arseblog’s server and I think he’d be sympathetic to continuing that arrangement if we asked him. We may need to subscribe but I for one would be happy to stump up a reasonable membership fee to keep this association going. I have no idea how the blog is posted though as I like others simply e-nailed a document to Dave when I wrote for him once. I’m sure Arseblog would offer a tutorial.
Dave, you brought us here … look at all these beautiful people, some
names, from a very distant past. Only someone very special, could have
built this place. I hope you are with your Dad, and Gooner Terry meets up with you.
My condolences to Pauline and his family and friends, but know we
all loved him and will never let him go … Never. xx
Gutted that the boys couldn’t pull that one out for the ‘Holic. And even more saddened by the realization that we’ll be missing his always measured match reports and unwavering support for the Gunners.
Anything Bathgooner @4301 we can do, count me in. xx
I agree with BtM that the Guvna would have noted the green shoots of recovery after only 4 days of MA8 applying his own brand of manure and fertiliser (stick and carrot for traditionalists).
In the first half the passing was much crisper, more incisive and notably more purposeful than it was under UE and a further upgrade on FL8’s improved outputs. It’s a shame that we conceded when we did as we had had much the better of the first 35 minutes during which we had failed to execute the half chances we created through poor final balls, blocked shots (credit stout defending by the opposition) and shanked efforts. I thought the turnover that led to the goal came from a flick by Auba that Left Saka with little chance as we attempted to play our way out on the left but as so often recently, simply played our way back into trouble. The central defenders did not cover themselves with glory either but that’s become tediously usual in recent times.
Heads didn’t drop and we kept playing our game with the belief we could at least gain parity. The deserved equaliser was an opportunistic poacher’s goal by PEA from a deflected Saka shot. There was ample time for a winner but while we had several promising breakaways, we conspired to mess all of them up and in truth, over the 90 we didn’t trouble their keeper nearly enough to deserve the three points.
We were grateful for Leon’s reflexes on a couple of occasions. I do hope he’s not tempted by Bayern. We will be better with proper fullbacks. Nonetheless the young stand-ins did a good enough job. We do need better CBs. No question of that. Torreira and Xhaka looked more comfortable than they have in ages. Did I see the ghost of MA8 in Torreira’s movements today? Özil worked hard for 60 minutes. We haven’t always said that. Nelson had his best game in a long time. However PEA (his goal and a curved high shot apart) and Laca were off the boil today. I thought we might have benefited from an earlier contribution from Pepe.
Hopefully Pepe will recover from yet another unsanctioned act of GBH in time for Sunday.
Little green shoots? More work on the training pitch required. Rome wasn’t built in a day.
Excellent abb. It’s good to see you back, ma’am. Pics of your generous tribute to this place have been circulating in recent days.
TTG, CM1000, OM, and others have indicated a desire to preserve this island of Gooner sanity. There’s plenty of literary talent amongst the Holics though perhaps lacking the highly tuned, mellifluous and historically grounded style of the Guvna. I’m pretty confident that ‘Blogs will facilitate that as he too was a close friend of Dave.
Stick around. X
Bath
Provided it’s a collective of like minded souls (i.e I think it’s a very big ask to get any one person to shoulder this burden) count me in, for cash and content.
CM1000 (your moniker for me from now on), agreed. TTG has a good plan and we must seek the family’s consent. I don’t know the family but I do know that both Lucy and Victoria from Twitter have been in touch with Pauline and I’ve met Lucy several times with Dave.
TTG, Bath and anyone else. If we need to exchange private messages without putting personal emails or phone numbers on an open forum, easiest way is to follow me on Twitter @countryman100 and then tweet me requesting a Direct Message (which we can only do if we are following each other). We could then move to WhatsApp or similar.
Good plan.
Blog is hosted on WordPress, it’s really easy to post content and manage comments etc. Update links add remove stuff etc. I have created one myself. This one has been hosted on the same server as Arseblog. We need to ask Andrew how much do we have to pay monthly to keep it up.
Propbably not the right time do so but we would need access as admins to begin with.
I’m already following you but as you’re not following me yet it appears that I cannot DM you. I must confess that I have barely used Twitter. (@bathgooner)
ATG. Good to know it’s easy! I’ve already e-mailed ‘blogs to tell him of the aspiration of the community to continue the Goonerholic site and ask his advice. It’s far too early to ask the family (I agree with TTG that we must have their permission) but I didn’t think it too early to let ‘blogs know of our aspirations in case he pulled the plug in the next few weeks.
I didn’t know you were there! Follow request sent.
Oh and I apologise for my political rants on Twitter Bath. Just ignore them.
Just found and followed you ATG.
Anyone else I’ve missed?
i’m not a real writer, and, for once, slept through the game…even though it started well after sparrowfart. a late night of celebrating christmas with my wife and son my only excuse.
c1000, baff, ttg i’m in. cash or counting or site management, whatever is needed.
glad to hear the boys are on the up, even if it’s just the cold soil rising above the first green shoots of a new year. on to sunday!
and c1000, i’m not on twitter, but loop me in as it gets going via my email, please. or i can give you my whatsapp there…
baff (or nurse abb) what are these pictures of which you speak?
i got the feeling reading blogs today that there was no time pressure, though i don’t know how far forward dave paid for the space…
I think TTG has all your contact details scruz from your visit earlier this season.
C100
That’s a good plan save for the fact that I do not tweet( deliberately, I abhor the practice)
I will give up my principles for Dave’s sake but will sort this tomorrow after I’ve taken another dunking at FIFA or SuperMarioKart from the grandkids !
Just to wind Cynic up I thought Ozil was our best player for the first hour today .
I already have you on WhatsApp Scruz. You need not sully your fingers with Twitter
CM100 @4315. No worries, mate. I tolerate many opinions I do not share in people with whom I have other important things in common. None of us are identikit in every respect.
I would like to help continue ‘holic’s legacy here in whatever way, if I can and if appropriate. I’m not a great user of Twitter but happy to partake in Whatsapp or Twitter even though I’m not a great user of the latter.
Bodrumgooneress @4323, Our WhatsApp group is set up “Holic’s Forever”. Follow me on Twitter and I will follow you. You can then send me a direct message containing your e-mail address and I will send you an invitation to join the WhatsApp group.
Same applies to all interested in preserving this site.
Incidentally my e-mail to ‘blogs has bounced. I’ll explore the reason.
Personally think this should be locked and left as a permanent (as long as Blogs is willing to keep it hosted) archive of Dave’s writing.
I know why you’d want to keep it going, but it can never be the same. You can always get together and set up your own, after all.
I’d like to see someone who knows what they’re doing collect the best of Dave’s writing into a book, with the co-operation of the family (in due curse) with a charitable cause supported.
Just my tuppence ha’penny of thoughts, but it’s all far too soon anyway.
Deeply saddened by the news. Dave created a wonderful haven for all of us holics, he shielded us from the ambient negativity while delighting us with the best (and fastest) match reports.
More than this, he was a great human with whom banter was a delight over the years. Life is full of twists and turns and even though I took a break from participating in these columns I remained an avid reader of Holic’s musings. While we never met in person my life has certainly been much better with him in it. I will miss you Dave.
My hope is that from wherever you are, you’ll enjoy the dawn of another great era with our new gaffer.
So long ‘keep.
c100@4316. Just followed you on Twitter.
Happy to help in whatever way I can with keeping this place going.
Locked blogs which are archived, in my experience die . The trick is to bring Holic’s writing to a generation who never knew him and that doesn’t happen if you put his work in a dusty old ( virtual) vault . I’d like to see a blog continue which showcased his writing on a regular basis but which had real relevance to current supporters by continuing the sort of format we had before. A community which treasure the man’s work and uphold the spirit of the bar he created is a much more powerful tribute to his memory . Just my initial musings and far too early to decide anything
As for the game today, we were much improved in attitude and tactically. If Laca had brought his shooting boots with him, we would have landed the national ‘Holic pound easily. Like Wenger, Emery and Freddie, Arteta picked Xhaka as a starter. But I thought Xhaka slowed down our quicker-paced passing today. He doesn’t seem to start thinking what to do with the ball until after he receives it. If he wants to go Hertha Berlin, let him go in January.
Cynic, very interesting thoughts. As you say, ‘it’s all too far soon anyway’ but, in time, your ideas should form part of a wide discussion with ‘holic’s family as to the best idea of how to honour and somehow continue his legacy. I still can’t quite believe that he won’t be posting on this first match with Arteta at the helm. It is just so sad.
All viewpoints respectfully listened to (in the great traditions of this blog). The family wishes must be respected. My personal views are those of TTG, but I respect cynic’s which are also valid.
Bodrumgooner- very much agree with your last sentence.
Bathgooner @4324 I’ve sent a request to follow you on Twitter via mariecoggin@Snazzy_Specs.
Forgive me
Bodrumgooneress.
Been away for a while battling a whole lot and sadly our football club never helped.
I checked into the bar
from time to time to see the Guvna
But always met his absence
My mind told me to hold on to our essence
For how long I had to wait
I couldn’t equate
Until Arsenal responded to Victoria’s tweet
Even at that I felt it’s just a heat
I could overcome with a victory sweet
Oh my dear Dave
May all you left behind be safe
May your prayers be heard
May we see your wonderful personality in the world ahead
Thanks for being a Barman extraordinaire
Thanks for accommodating homeless gunners here
Thanks for creating a legacy for as long as humanity exists
Thanks for being a real big man
You’re loved.
Roy(Nigeria)
So many lovely tributes , ‘holics . xx
Scruzgooner @4318 The picture is of our stone at Arsenal
“Virtual Bar. Real Friends.” Good to see you, friend.
BathGooner,@4306 I will follow you on Twitter. However, please don’t
follow me, except for direct messages. My twitter is about saving
the world (sighs, it’s pretty dire, TBH) .
Countryman100 @4309, I’ll follow you as well (same request).
TTG @4328 Cynic@4325 & ATG@4311 We appreciate your thoughts &
opinions and input.
Our very own Ollie wrote a lovely farewell to Dave, on twitter.
And Snir, as well. Means a lot, to hear from everyone, can’t
tell you how much. Virtual hugs to everyone. xx
Just popped in to put my respects.
Everyone else has been much more eloquent than I ever could.
I’ll miss you, Hols…
Cynic @4235, your point of view is valid and may be the preferred option of Dave’s family and I believe their wish should be paramount. However I am inclined to agree with TTG. There may be other obstacles to maintaining the site as is with multiple contributors of previews and match reports and it will be impossible to preserve the ambience generated by the wit, wisdom and historical grounding of the Guvna. The simplest approach may be to try to preserve the atmosphere of TV e drinks with a WhatsApp group. You are welcome to join the WhatsApp group we’ve established to discuss our options.
RIP Holic!
Since many years I’m an occasional reader of the blog, especially when things don’t go well, and the insight of someone who has seen it all to put the things into perspective.
Wanted to see his view on todays game and already feared the worst when I saw when his last post was.
Really sad news. Wish his family all the necessary strength in this hard time
I just followed you C100. Also tried to send a message to you. How to join that WhatsUp group?
What’s your twitter handle?
Bath is the administrator of the what’sapp group. Follow him on Twitter, get him to follow you, then DM him your mobile number. Bath is @bathgooner
Have just followed you BG
Connection established!!! Excited to be part of this.
GSD@4251: A most touching tribute.
It has been heartwarming to read how the Guv’nor touched on so many in so many ways, and always with kindness, care and humility.
nurse, what’s ollie’s twitter handle?
thanks for letting me know. when i was in england this fall, i found gooner terry’s stone. i’ll have to refund that one next time.
cheers!
Scruz @4345, @OllieRoo
It’s somewhat concerning that we’ve heard nothing from cba for several days. I hope all is well with the handsome devil.
Abb @4335, if you want to join the WhatsApp group examining future options to keep the Holic community going then I’m going to have to follow you so that you can send me a phone number by a DM on Twitter. It also looks like an e-mail address alone does not allow access to the group.
I promise not to get upset about your views on saving the world. I’m pretty broad minded and I might even agree. I’m rarely on twitter anyway. I only went back recently when it was clear that it was the only place to learn how Dave was doing. As CM100 observed, it’s a useful way of exchanging contact information through its DM facility without sharing it with the wider world.
A good summary from Barack
@4299 really.
We actually allowed less shots
than usual with a 2nd and even
3rd choice defence.
Thanks for the impetus Bath.
I will join Twitter and then
whatever What’s App is.
Bathgooner, I, Paul B., followed you on Twitter having never tweeted before now
@PaulBary1
Also followed Countryman100 on Twitter for what it’s worth.
What bt8 said but as OsakaMatt.
I have lost my tweeting virginity,
I think. It was all over quite quickly.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xiukuoSjDj0
Adios
(nerds, idiots, geeks, vultures, teetotalers, non-smokers and vegans will never die)
Also what Ned said about
Xhaka. He slowed us down
noticeably yesterday though
he deserves some of the
credit for us looking a
little tighter centrally. He
did also play sone nice passes
too.
His agent is saying a deal
for 20m could be agreed
in January with Hertha
Berlin. I thought it was
35 or 40m last week.
Anyway if he wants out then
off he should go
It feels like the Arsenal time warp could be unwarping. Leastwise, time has certainly moved along as proven by the presence of Arteta and the absence of Goonerholic. Strange days indeed.
My name is hellasgooner and I have been a Goonerholic-holic for many years.
Unfortunately we never met, but you will be sorely missed Guvna, its gonna be very tough on the virtual wagon.
R.I.P. David Faber.
hellasgooner,
Your contributions to the drinks have always been appreciated, not least this time.
RIP Dave