Effort But No Guile, And Title Hopes Hang By A Thread
Apr 17th, 2011 by 'holic
They say it isn’t over until the fat lady sings. You can’t move tonight for plump lasses gargling with Listerine and clearing their throats. It’s that close. They’re ready.
I have to say that blogging that one is going to be extremely difficult. A seriously close contest, and we knew it would be, provided the sort of finale that must have had the neutrals gasping in amazement. Sod the neutrals. You cannot blame Arsenal supporters for feeling utterly frustrated at once again snatching a draw from the brink of victory.
Having said that, I don’t think you can fault the effort that the side put in until the eleventh of eight added minutes. It’s the minimum we can ask for. Liverpool, confident in their game plan, contested every ball and broke when they could. For our part we refused to be harried out of the game and probed throughout. When a side of Liverpool’s quality sets out not to lose and catch you on the break a degree of patience needs to be exhibited. It seemed patience was in short supply in the seats.
When things are going our way then we gobble up the rebound when Reina spills Walcott’s fierce drive, the Koscielny header goes in instead of hitting the bar, and van Persie just stays onside when released for a cool left foot finish. Things aren’t going our way. Effort needs to be allied to creativity and fortune. The latter are in short measure.
The second half saw more of the same. Liverpool hunted in packs, and fortunately the much-vaunted pairing of Carroll and Suarez played like strangers, unable to locate each other until the big Geordie departed the game with what looked like a painful knee problem. His misfortune was nothing to that suffered by Carragher, stretchered off after a nasty clash of heads with his young full-back, Flanagan. Still we plugged away, and three chances fell the way of the man you would want to have them, van Persie. The best of the trio drew a very good one-handed save from Reina.
Despite the commitment it has to be said that we were seriously lacking in guile, and wave after wave of attacks floundered on the final intricate pass, or the cross into space. It happens sometimes. The strangely muted crowd were finally roused when the added minutes were shown. Eight were rightly added for lengthy stoppages for the injuries to Carragher and Carroll. They were all but up when Cesc attempted one last time to find a yard of space in the crowded area, and Spearing upended him. No complaints about the award, and van Persie was the calmest man in the stadium as he found the corner perfectly.
When things are going your way the final moments are negotiated by a combination of running the clock down by retaining the ball, or by hoofing it outside the ground at the first sign of danger. When things are going your way there are not eleven additional minutes played, but before I get accused of sour grapes I must say, borrowing Phil Dowd’s watch aside, I thought that Andre Marriner was outstanding today. Regulars will know it is rare for me to praise the referee, but he got just about every decision spot on today.
That includes the final penalty. Sorry Arsene. You had a justifiable complaint about the time added, but to deny that was a foul was wrong. It is the latest in a long line of big match gaffes by the perpetrator. Those who follow the Eboue cult are following a spelling mistake, frankly. Earlier he had provided a threat down the right that Liverpool did well to negate. All that was thrown away with an absurd challenge on Lucas as the ball was heading away from goal and the last blast of the whistle was surely imminent.
Eboue has let us down at White Hart Lane with a foolish sending-off before. His suspect temperament is too much of a gamble in big game situations. Everybody says he is a great lad to have in the dressing room. I agree. Let’s keep him in there on Wednesday, even if Sagna is not fully fit.
So I have a familiar tailpiece to write. We have surrendered yet another opportunity to put pressure on United. Six points behind with six games to go is surely curtains, but we have to battle on. We need to beat them in a fortnight, win our other five, and pray someone else beats them so we can steal the title on goal difference. You don’t have to tell me how unlikely that is, but it is all we have. Let us clutch onto that by our fingernails before the divas’ start singing their painful arias.
309 Responses to “Effort But No Guile, And Title Hopes Hang By A Thread”
Holic,
Great piece as always, rather more sober than the 50 years specials of the past couple of days but hey, that’s us at the moment.
Have reset my hopes and aspirations as follows:
Beat LWCs
Beat Manure
Stay unbeaten until the end of the season
Finish second
These, I believe are more realistic goals for us right now but still very tough if we’re honest.
Drinks for all in the bar please Mr. Barman and a large one for yourself.
excellent write up as always ‘holic. i’ll need a drink tonight..
pls pls pls beat the spuds on wednesday… the boys owe us
can’t defend a 4-0 lead with 20 mins to go.
can’t defend a 1-0 lead with 1 min to go
we’ll be lucky to finish 2nd
Sorry but worthy of a re-mention:
“Those who follow the Eboue cult are following a spelling mistake, frankly”
Naughty but very nice maestro. Cheered me up no-end. π
Gutted. I wish Eboue had been more careful at the end.
no no no no no no no no no. This was not down to Eboue. It was down to the infectious diease that is Wenger. 1 minute to go, the ball goes into the box every person on this team, all these useless clowns that Wenger tells us have ‘mental strength’ or are ‘improving’, panic like school girls and, instead of just putting it away, They fumble around and give away the free kick which led to the penalty. But it is not a one off. It is the same as the four goal humiliation by Newcastle, or the disgrace of the league cup final. Or the throw away to Spurs. These collapses have become THE defining feature of Wengers Arsenal. The manager is a dithering, bungling shambling wreck of a once fine manager, and he is not able to stop his nerveous anxiety spreading to the players. There was a time that if you lost a game, or drew one, youd could do it with dignity. Not with this debacle that Wenger has not only created, but seems to be proud of!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! If he is not put out of his misery now, these players will be so badly contaminated by him that no matter who comes in will not be able to cure them.
Personally I think its too late already. All things taken into consideration, this is the most shameful Arsenal team I have ever seen. Tehre have been worse teams, but none so spineless and embarrassing. And as for finishing second? I honestly think we will be lucky to finish higher than 4th. If we cant beat sunderland and Blackburn when absolutely everyone else does, and cant hold on to a lead against Liverpool with 1 minute to go, just who are we going to beat? I would not be in the least surprised if we were playing in the CL qualifier next year.
The message is clear – WENGER GO BEFORE YOU DO MORE DAMAGE. Surely everyone can see it at this stage!!
‘holic
Great piece….but you’re naming names with the Eboue thing. Isn’t our inability to change the play and get a 2nd striker playing as a striker against a VERY inexperienced defence a bigger issue?
As for their pen….Eboue was too close to change his run and Lucas takes a very clever (and dishonest) half stride to the right….
I rarely blame AW….but I really think the disowning of Chamakh recently has been pitiful. He’ll get something on target in a 25 min appearance, playing NB out there never ceases to amaze me.
Either way I’m still sickened as I’d never given up on this team…
i got a question for you ‘holic.
can you scan page the pages of history and confirm that this is the only arsenal team who have not learned to hoof the ball long in the dying minutes when we are defending a lead?
it amazes me how often we fail to do that.
*sigh*
Fuck-a-doodle- do
One of your best, Holic. I can’t summon anything comparable on this fine sunny Virginia afternoon.
The BtM-ometer showed 90% of all attacking play was Arsenal’s, but the lack of pace, the “I’ve got the ball so I’ll just wait until ALL of the Liverpool players are in front of me before I move with it” mentality and yes, the complete lack of guile were rather too deja-vu against one more ordinary team that comes to defend.
I thought Cesc looked off the pace all day. I wished Theo would, for once, just believe in himself and take on his full back and run rather than than constantly playing the ball inside. Eboue is our pantomime clown. I’m sure he’s a lovely fella, but your dressing room crack is right on the money. What a sucker!
Good game for Diaby until he misplaced a pass and then the BBB, our thirteenth man, poured out their puke. Good decision by Arsene to replce him with Song. I’m sure others, I’ll leave it to Steve T) will comment on the wisdom of putting Bendy on the right wing. Theo off was a good decision, but SURELY, Nasri should have gone wide right, Arshavin left, Bendy at centre-forward with Robin playing off him? Ah well.
“The much-vaunted pairing of Carroll and Suarez played like strangers” is being kind. They played like two kippers. That these two together at 59M cost ~19M more than the entire Arsenal squad shows the defect in King Kenny’s tin can crown. He overspent by 40M. Liverpool have a long slow climb to descent ahead of them on this showing.
T.S. good one at No 1. I agree.
Does anyone else just want this season to hurry up and finish?
On an afternoon when stoke (Stoke!) have made it to the cup final, we’ve contrived to shoot ourselves in the cock again for what feels like the umpteenth time since Xmas. Same story as usual – scratch an inch below our first xi and we’re found wanting.
From a fan’s perspective, a 0-0 draw would probably have been preferable to what we witnessed at the end there. We’ve all taken body blow after body blow these last few months, and this one felt like it topped them all.
Hats off to ‘holic for crafting a much more balanced and wise headed summary of the day’s events than I, and most others, could have pulled together.
I just took a walk across the Fiszman bridge, took a look up at some of the newly erected images of Gooner greats and said a quiet prayer for another Paddy Vieira or Tony Adams. You’ve been able to feel all determination and confidence abandoning the current side for weeks now, and I think we’re all longing for just one performance of pride and grit so that we can all believe again. The Barca first leg feels an age ago.
Someone above said it best in terms of our goals for the rest of the season. A defeat In midweek and it feels like the wheels might come off entirely, although I suspect that game has draw written all over it.
Then, once we get to the summer, the manager simply has to sort this mess out. He can’t be held entirely responsible when individual players self destruct, but it would be negligent to let us roll up again next august with the same side, plus a couple of “new signings” in vermaelen and frimpong. Half a dozen players simply have to go, if only on the basis that some of them appear to have mentally punched out already. How he achieves that sort of squad turnover while maintaining balance and order I have no idea, but the time has come to send a clear message to squad players on high wages: you perform or you’re gone.
Anyway, onwards and upwards. Please god let us hammer the LWCs in the week and make life bearable again. I’m engaged in a media blackout (this blog aside) that feels like it’s been going on forever and it would be lovely to actually look forward to an episode of match of the day for a change.
I’ve read your blog over the last few months and in general admire your views but I think that you’ve definitely had one two many if you saw effort in that performance.. I saw a severe lack of urgency and players trotting around like it was a pre season friendly.. Effort is players busting a gut to get in the box even if it means having to bust another one to get back and defend.. I saw very little effort and no desire and that is the saddest thing about many of this teams performances over the last couple of months.. I’m a non-drinker so a stiff black coffee please ‘holic
cant even summon the energy to tell Sleeping Giant to go back to sleep .
49 unbeaten, one word. Caesar. Google him.
Sleepinggiant,
“Surely everyone can see it at this stage!!” that intransigent attitude is the reason opinions have polarised. Blinkered people who will not debate, who insist they are are right and everybody else is wrong.
Wenger may be responsible for picking the team, but once those players go over the line it is their responsibility to deliver. You cannot blame him for Eboue running through the back of Lucas at that particular moment. Yes, Lucas was cute, but if that happens at the other end you want a penalty.
Too drunk and too pissed off right now to see any sense in anything.
Even the Liverpool supporters at the pub came up to us and almost apologized for the penalty – hell, even a rabid ManU fan was just as upset as we were, he said he wanted them to win the league for real and not because of a ref fucking up big time.
Fuck off whoever it was who was the ref tonight. I am sure you will enjoy the great big paycheck signed “A. Ferguson”, but you are still a wanker.
Better stop there or the landlord of this pub will have to throw me out.
Pints to anyone who wants them. See you tomorrow.
Nice write up Holic ..calmed me down .. Dont really agree with you ..Their pen was a big dive .. but Eboue was a fool to fall for it .. then agin i would have called for a pen had it been us in that situation. We bottled it again and i am so depressed words cant describe it. Theres a mathematical chance left but .. most likely Kroenke’s female countrymen will break out in song any moment now.
N7, I hear you, and admire the way you will discuss where we disagree calmly. The body blows is something I can understand.
Oh dear. My inner Arsenal fan keeps me hoping a miracle will happen but the pragmatist can see clearly that this team has well and truly lost its mojo.
I didn’t watch the game but caught a glimpse of the pen and eboue was clumsy and for me he is a liability anytime he plays. Shame, we really had a good chance to put man utd under pressure. Now I fear another limp end to the season
BtM @ #10 (BtM for P.M.???),
Cheers. It would at least leave us with a little pride and a half decent-ish end to a(nother) silverware free campaign. I’ll be shouting my lungs out at SHL on Wednesday. Any BBB’ing around me will cause trouble!
TABS @ #13 (unlucky for some???),
Heh, thanks for that. I was just about to issue clear directions to an over-stocked medicine cabinet but just couldn’t be arsed. They’ll be plenty more drinks like that before the night’s over….
Now our hope lies in Balotellis mind games….
I’m surprised no one else has mentioned it but the lack of nous in certain players is unreal long before he gave the pen away he almogst let Liverpool in by collapsing in a heap a good 30 seconds after a tackle it was cringeworthy and he should have been subbed then and there! Then again when the manager keeps defending them and blaming everyone else is it a surprise they never learn,
Actually Chippy he was raked down the back of the ankle in that incident and tried to stay up until he realised how much it hurt.
I’ll let him off that one.
I’ve just spoken with a Liverpool supporter, and he said that Eboue was key for them. “Threw us a lifeline,” he said.
Does Eboue push on from here, and make a key impact during the run-in, or is he due for a rest?
Thanks ‘holic.
I should add that even in my dark pit of despair I wouldn’t want to be associated with the “wenger out” mob.
He’s a great manager being let down by some of his players, but I can’t think of anyone else who would even have us competing on the budget he’s had.
Lord knows he doesn’t get them all right, but I’d take him over the alternatives (particularly that porto gaffer who gets touted on other blogs despite being all of 33 years of age and having a single season of managerial experience to his name) and twice on Sunday.
I’m just praying he leads us to the promised land and puts the boo boys back in their place.
Walcott made robinson look like freaking Ashley Cole.Pool came with three unproven players and we made them look like Baresi,Riijkard and Gulitt what a gutless,clueless,prideless performance from the most inept Arsenal side i have had the misfortune to watch for the last 30 years.
Holic,
There was bugger all wrong with him when the attack broke up with them getting a corner he trotted back fresh as a daisy !! Shame you carnt morph his attacking play with Sagnas defensive nous have quite a player on your hands,
Holic, I am asking in exasperation that people agree with this. I am open for debate on the subject, but I simply cannot see a single advantage to Wenger staying. Simple as that.
Now with that said, I think your comment about ‘he cant influence what happens when they go on the pitch’ is an unforgivably lazy cliche, and, apart from that is complete rubbish. For God’s sake have you had your head in the sand for the past three years or so? If Eboues aberation was a one off, I wouldn’t make this comment, and I wouldnt be as inconsolable as I am today. But its not a once off. These things are happening nearly every second week now. And its not confined to Eboue either. One day its Clichy. Another its a mix up between Chesney and the massively overrated Koscielny. The next is Squillachi or Denislon not picking somebody up. Always when the pressure is on. Humiliating collapses have become a more recurring feature of Arsene Wengers Arsenal than flowing football. They are endemic. The manager, and only the manager has responsibility for instilling organisation and plain old fashioned balls in his team. All that Wenger transmits is his own indecision, fear and anxiety. You cannot use a cliche to hide the fact that he is unable to put a team out that can stand up to pressure. The fault for these collapses is Wengers and only Wengers. The same way that he can take credit when his team wins something with good football, he is absolutely, soley and completely culpable for turning out a team of spineless jellyfish that I find infinitely more embarrassing to watch even than some of the dross of the Don Howe era. At least they were just poor, Arsene Wengers Arsenal is a team of gutless losers.
Predictable result and performance, some good quality signings (NOT more unproven kids who are unlikely to make it) are desperately needed to rejuvenate this squad. As well as the well documented defensive shortcomings we have a real lack of quality in the striking department.
To talk of the title is fanciful. This year was a great chance to win it, Man U & Chelsea are weaker than they’ve been for years and Man City are still flakey. They will all be much, much stronger next year.
One other thing, Wenger’s churlish delusional behaviour at the end is a continuing embarrassment to the club.
Sorry holic, but what is this effort that you are referring to? I saw a lethargic (another) performance. No one moved off the ball. The team was absent of any ideas and they were playing for the title. The sad but was that. Liverpool showed more commitment in the last minute than Arsenal did all game. Sick of these performances by such an overpaid bunch of so called footballers
Those spineless jellyfish you rant about are second in the table and beat Barca, less you forget.
They are inconsistent, because of youth, because they haven’t won anything. I’ll agree they need strengthening, but ‘supporters’ like you are a problem, with your ‘I am right and the majority are wrong’ attitude.
Not a pleasant day
Once again an Arsene ‘inspired’ team cannot win against a team wanting a draw or , if lucky, a breakaway winner.
No plan B to counteract a block defence (which nearly every opposition team has evolved over the last few years), and unbelievable restructuring after substitutions that produced an even more ineffectual side wandering round the outside of the block defence
Can AW not remember how TH , Limpars and others would be fed by long and/or cross passes that stretched and destroyed defences.
Over the course of this season, I have seen forwards so often ready to run if the pass came , but it ‘never’ did, This is why Theo, Chamikh AA and Bendtner (in no particular order) have not scored enough, because they have not been fed what was an essential part of their individual games. The concentration has always been plan A – the perfect goal walked into the net
Along with others here, I can only regret the missed opportunity of a runaway Premier League title which we knew was a strong possibility
AW doesnt know best – lets drink to special new manager to come
sooner than later
At this point I think I’d like to see Fabragas go. There is no question that he is a great player, but he just has not played consistently up to his potential except for a string of games this winter. And he just doesn’t seem to be a good leader as captain. We have a young team that will still be young next year. We need a captain with true grit. Selling Fabragas to Barcelona would likely double our transfer budget, allowing us to shore up the defense (including 1 or 2 holding mid fielders) while leaving enough in the till to bring in some creative attack-minded midfielders like Nasri.
Of course, that means we would have to rely on Wenger to sign players over the age of 12. I am still a Wenger supporter, but I am nervous that even with the budget, he won’t make big moves in the transfer market.
You can call this team many things, but I think it’s just plain daft to call them “losers”.
Second in the table, unbeaten in the league since early December, out of the champs league to the best club side in living memory, the fa cup at old Trafford (has anyone actually won there this season) and made the final of the carling cup, despite the debacle that followed.
I’m not saying all’s peachy (see earlier posts) but can we have some perspective please?
If we’re going to debate how to take the next step and win something then fair play, but calling the team losers is a poor way to go about it.
In case anyone is wondering Baz’ post has gone not because he was a Mickey, but because he abused people here. Fella made fair points, just won’t have anybody abusing Gooners here.
Van Persie scored in the 98th minute, 8 minutes added on for Carragher. Where the fuck did the other three minutes come from? The last kick of the game should have RVP’s penalty. But no! Wait, Sir Alex Blue Nose is in the crowd. Marriner switches on his mickey mouse “fergie” timepiece and the rest is history, it has been a fiddle from day one this season. To give Fergie his crowning glory the premier league is bent, riddled with cheats and bribes. And Dalgleish? You told our manager to “piss off” then “fuck off” in full view of the cameras. I bet you don’t even get reprimanded.
this is what happen when youn have guys like denilson , aluminia , eboue, sq18 . And AW , what he think ? why he keep sticking with such players . always something amateurish mistake .
tragic yes, but this is eboue last game with arsenal and I undrestand now why fans have problem with him .
In a way I’m glad this happened (though glad isn’t really the word) – it prevents the papering over of the many cracks that are forming both on and off the pitch.
This summer is massive for the club, we’ve come close to the title again but need some changes to pass that final hurdle.
The playing staff need an overhaul, move on those who have stood still or regressed and make space for the best youngsters plus some new signings. This will hopefully include someone with pace, confidence and better technical ability than our current sole speed merchant.
The coaching style and methods also need looking, starting with attack and defence set pieces and moving through to open play defending. I’d suggest that the coaching staff also need refreshing, especially on the defensive front.
Tactically things need to change or at least effort should be put in to developing a 4-4-2.
The medical side of things need further work as well – GPS vests weren’t quite enough!
Im not saying he should follow my suggestions but in general Arsene has this summer to make changes. If we start next season without anything having happened then I’ll be forced to think he’s sadly lost it.
Where has the offense gone?
(1)-(1) vs. Liverpool at Emirates, against no Gerrard and 3 reserves
0-0 vs. Blackburn at Emirates ffs
0-0 vs. Sunderland at Emirates ffs
(1)-3 vs. Barca; no shots on goal.
etc. etc. etc.
Pundits always say that with Arsenal, just get them away from Plan A and there is no Plan B. Wrong; there’s no Plan A right now….
And match commentator said at one point that Arsenal looked tired. They did. But if Arsenal are such a young team, then the one thing they shouldn’t be is physically tired, right? No, it’s a mental tiredness, and tightness, and I’m afraid that can only come from one source, and that’s AW, whose reactions at match end really shows this in spades.
I’m not for AW getting the sack, but I do think there comes a time when players just need to hear a new voice or two. Bring in a couple of deputies, one on the attack side, one on the defensive front, and let them run with the tactics, AW.
…I mean develop a 4-4-2 as well as the 4-2-1-3 we have now…
Another disappointment in another home game. I have to admit that i have only seen highlights but i can’t help feeling hard done by again. I agree that some of Wenger’s players are not up to standard but you cannot tell me that some of the recent ‘bad luck’ that has befallen us at home would have happened at OT. Its an old drum to keep banging but 3 mins beyond the overtime allocated is the most Fergie-time we’ve seen. Coupled with a stonewall penalty shout against Sunderland when Arshavin was rugby tackled by Bramble and we have 4 extra points that keep our hopes alive. Why do we sit back and question our side when things dont go our way when its such a regular occurence that we are victims of ridiculous decisions. You can even throw the Newcastle game into that. Yes Diaby deserved a red card but so did Nolan and one of the pens would have been considered a farce in the South American leagues where diving is second nature. I just don’t feel that we have been worse than United this season but at regular intervals we have seen Utd get unbelivable decisions in their favour. Twice Neville should have been sent off in games that were level (Stoke and West Brom away), Vidic survives a red against West Ham whilst 2-0 down and Nani stays on the pitch against Villa after a blatent elbow and sets up the equaliser. You can call me a blind Wenger fan but I like my football fair and it hasnt been that way all season so is it a surprise that everytime we have had a chance to close the gap on Fergie’s boys something unbelievable goes against us? We are not perfect but fighting against 12 men in a lot of games has been our downfall far more often this season than our own failings.
Keep the faith and pray the Geordies try on Tuesday night.
Happy fifty years. Can always be cheered by the thought that another doesn’t have this hope dashed every year π
They are just permanently shite.
I think it is fair to ask questions about the substitutions.
72′ Nicklas Bendtner for Jack Wilshere
73′ Andrei Arshavin for Theo Walcott
81′ Alex Song for Abou Diaby
Three strikes and you’re out, they say, and that was three chances to get Eboue off the pitch.
Yes, four minutes in to their next half century. They must be so pleased.
Atleast there was no mention of this teams “mental strength” in the AW post match interview
Most important thing we can do this summer…sign a decent bloody defensive coach..PLEASE!
These spineless jellyfish that I ‘rant’ about are second in the table, when if they had shown even a micron of guts, they would be first in the table and have at least won the Lague Cup. And that is the kiernel of the problem. They are not a bad team, they are potentially a very good one and with a less disfunctional manager, the world would be their oyster. And it is not down to ‘youth’ that they are inconsistent – Lionel Messi is young I think you’ll find. Their problems stem, in my opinion, from the fact that they have a manager is so neurotically desperate for success that he has forgotten that it is his responsibility to shape and manage that success. To instill in them a shape and a discipline to make his obsession for success a reality.
The rest of your comment, frankly does you little credit. Firstly, you criticise ‘supporters like you’ – you dont know the first thing about me as a supporter and I have to say your comment has more than a hint of Peter Hill Woods ‘we dont need their type’. Yet you are accusing ME of being divisive. I think Wenger is long past his sell by date, but let me tell you I have hated watching his decline. That is my opinion. simple as that.
Secondly, we did not beat Barca. We only won a first leg of a last 16 match in the champions league, with a 2 -1 scoreline that gave them an away goal and effectively gave us less than 20% of a chance of progressing. It thats what you call a victory, then I think I am happy to be one of those ‘supporters’ you think are the problem. Taking glory in a precarious lead in a last 16 match when the tie was actually all but lost in that leg is the kind of ambition I’d expect from lesser clubs like Spurs or Chelsea. not Arsenal.
@ Sim. If Arsenal is to win, they can’t blame losses (or draws) on bad luck or unfair decisions. And we certainly can’t whine about how United get all the decisions. Its all part of the game. Its “part of the pitch” so to speak. Winners must build enough cushion in games to overcome the bad luck. Frankly, United deserve a lot of credit for doing just that – and for capitalizing on good fortune when it comes their way, something Arsenal never seems to do.
I’ve not done the maths, or read through the drinks, but I am guessing that it is highly probable that Manure could win the league at our place. Is that right? We cannot let that happen, surely?
Also, did anyone else see Van Persie being bowled over in their penalty box early in the second half? Or did I dream it?
So having a pop at Wenger, the team, now PHW, in this of all weeks. You obviously aren’t open to a respectful debate. There are sites more suited to those with closed minds, frankly.
“Can’t complain about the effort put in”? Holic, you need your head seeing to. The players today were pisspoor in almost every department: only the oft-maligned EbouΓ© actually ran at the opposition, despite the fact that Walcott can run the 100m in ten seconds and rather good with the ball at his feet. The rest of them, bless, just couldn’t be arsed to, say, get forward into the box, have a fucking shot at goal, or simply do anything other than control the ball and offload it sideways, before ceasing their jogging and getting back to walking. Oh, and if our centre forward, RVP, actually fancied bursting forward when we’re on the break, instead of simply looking for the pass, on his heels, in midfield, then perhaps we might have a couple more points. And if someone could tell the team that they should help their team-mates out, rather than gormlessly watching them attempt to evade two or three Liverhoof (who were pretty average themselves, today) defenders, that would be helpful. The headless-chicken nature of our defending was also an area of effort I greatly appreciated today.
We have seen this performance before: lethargy, arrogance, and a breath-taking lack of effort all contributed to poor results against Spurs, Wigan, West Brom, Blackburn, Sunderland, West Brom AGAIN, Liverpool (the first game of the season, as well as today), Newcastle, Huddersfield, Orient… I’m sure there are more, but those are just the ones that spring to mind.
Finally, for Wenger to ‘have a point’ about the time is just untrue. Blinkered vision if ever I read it. I timed the stoppages in the second half: two minutes for Andy Caroll and his knee, the poor lamb; and just under six minutes for Mr. Carragher. Add in five substitutions (30 seconds each, half minutes rounded up to full minutes: i.e. 2.5 rounded to 3) and Liverpool’s (including that twat Dalgleish) time-wasting, and, conservatively, we reach eleven minutes. Eight was a farce – so indeed Wenger does not ‘have a point’.
He, though, is not the villian of the piece: I really feel for him. Yes, tactically he leaves something to be desired, but ultimately the shower of utter shite that was the Arsenal team today, and on so many other days this year, were, collectively, a disgrace to the badge and to the shirt. I exclude from this Chesny and Wilshere, as today I didn’t see them do a great deal wrong.
Rant over, though I stand by everything written.
Hey TS , I fear you might be right , though heartening to see some common sense in other posts . Off to get a curry , and then force myself to watch MOTD2 .
Perhaps you could slip me something from the medicine cabinet , to ease the pain and knock me out until wednesday .
Holic , great write up as usual , only things i’d add ;-
– i thought the crowd were pretty up for it today .
– As BTM points out the BBBs certainly had an effect today , necessitating the substitution of Diaby , who was our most effective central midfielder on the day .
– I’ll wait for the telly before i comment further on the Liverpool pen but from where i was sat , it looked a stonewaller .
See you when the drugs wear off .
So you and I saw a different game Max. Do you mind if i don’t join in the name-calling.
It is astonishing that supporters who were silent for two hours at four are making such a row now.
I thought it wasn’t a pen. Jamie Redknapp was wanking over it — man that guy … I would hate him if he wasn’t so hilarious. He is stupid and can’t get words out fast enough, making horrible grammar mistakes.
Sorry, but watch Eboue. He is always looking at the ball. He bumps into the player but was always looking at the ball. Player went down too easy.
Still, you should be concentating more at that stage of the game.
Our defence has been laughable for 5 years. It’s like a bunch of headless chickens that run around freaking out. Do they just zonal mark? It really looks like they do because they never stick to players.
Anyways. Shame. The ref should have blown his whistle but let it go past +8 minutes to the pen. Why? Who knows.
And that Heysel stuff isn’t welcome here.
51. Max — what are you on?
2 and a half minutes for Andy Carroll’s knee? I watched the clock. He went down at 51:40, and then the game kicked off at 62. He was down for 10 minutes.
Max, when the fourth official showed eight minutes stoppage time, I’m pretty sure that the substitutions and the injuries had been accounted for. You can add 30 secs for the Van Persie goal, and 30 secs for the RvP booking. There is then a double booking (Lucas an Eboue) over their free kick, at least one minute there, and the Liverpool goal (another 30 secs.). These were clearly not added by the ref, as when Liverpool scored their penalty the final whiste was blown.
So, I think the real issue for us is where the three minutes after Liverpool restarted came from… You can see that Liverpool thought it was over, with there ridiculous long range effort from their centre. The fact that 9 minutes were up when Szczesny boots the ball up field afterwards, suggested that almost everyone thought that the final whistle would blow. I know I did.
There’s a lesson there for our players. The ref. decides when the match is finished, so retain possession until the fucker blows his whistle.
Sadly true, Snail.
Nobody to blame but ourselves for the panic that set in. Still a bit hard to take though, especially after Dowd played on until Sunderland scored at their place earlier in the season. Four points surrendered to dodgy watch batteries?
-there
+their, re Liverpool long range effort.
…and another thing, ‘holics. Those that were anti-Citeh cup win last night.
Now Stoke are through still think that? Want that cunt Shawcross to get a medal ahead of Padddy and Kolo? π
Wow the bar’s busy tonight. A lot of infrequent faces here…complaining!
Just click on this link if you’re disappointed with today’s result!
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wkURz6H0I0I
As ever, a brilliantly balanced response, which, in the context of such a crushing afternoon, is no mean feat. That said, although I love Wenger to bits, there is a pattern emerging and I think Sleepinggiant has a point. Something isn’t right when we seem so inept at seeing out matches – it might be our style of play but it might also be something deeper, something mental, and for that surely Arsene has to take responsibility. Sky’s pundits, one of whom was Smudger, made the points that, first, Arsene never seems to take it on chin – it’s always someone else’s fault, or bad luck, never the players’ – and, second, that we’ve given up more points in the last 10 minutes of games then any other team in the Prem (which sounds odd, so it might have been than any of the other top 4, but the point still stands), both of which argue for a change, be it in attitude or personnel or style or something, to stop what feels like ground hog season finales.
I’m abstaining over Easter, so will contemplate on this with a peppermint tea.
‘Holic, I know may people have many ideas about where we are weak and where we could improve, but I don’t think we are that far away. I thought the Djourscelny centre back axis worked well today. They both looked more composed, at set pieces you could see the back four were communicating and holding the line well.
We bossed the midfield for long stages as well, and the defensive units did seem to mop up and look after each other.
I think our fundamental weakness comes from our vulnerability to opposition breaks and our own inability to break quickly. We always let the opposition get all their defenders back while we try and pass our way to goal.
I think that is our fundamental weakness now. We don’t use the channels as well as we should, we don’t play ourselves in behind their defensive lines as swiftly as we should and we simply do not attack the ball in the opponents box. I used to say to the Mrs (when Henry graced our field each week) that if one of our players was thinking of passing to Henry then it was probably too late. I think our current crop are thinking too much.
I think that is our Achilles heal this season. Yes, you can point to individual errors and defensive cock-ups, but for a team with our reputed technical ability, we really haven’t scored as many goals as our chances suggest we should.
Anyway, I’m no analyst, but that is my gut feel from having watched us, admittedly from the armchair for the most part this season.
Ferguson was in the ground today. I think he used his human magnetism to stop the ref’s watch just long enough for their goal. He’s pulled that trick before. Either that, or Marriner saw Liverpool play in all black and got confused.
Either way, the title’s gone for another year. But let’s not be so arrogant to imply we should win every year. There are other good clubs in the league too.
I cant believe we are here grasping at straws that Liverpool’s penalty was in the x minute instead of the y minute. Djourou got away with a cast iron penalty in the first half, what goes around etc etc.
It doesn’t matter. What matters is, for whatever reason, today, against increasingly weakened opposition as the game went on, we were inadequate. The word ‘effort’ has been mentioned, well, I didn’t see much effort today, but to even think that the players weren’t giving it everything seems preposterous.
So, maybe we just aren’t really good enough. Who was our MOTM? No-one is my suggestion.
Is it fitness? Is it lack of leadership? Does the manager lack motivational skills? Is it too fucking easy to turn up, jog around for 90 minutes, then go pick up a Β£50,000 pay check?
OK, well I’ve asked about 6 questions and answered none of them, so par for the course π
Have enjoyed the debate tonight, lots of different views.
After the game, I overheard Stan on the phone to his wife saying “Oh shit, what have I done???”
A very balanced peice…Walcott was running up blind alleys all afternoon but saying that no one was making the runs when he did make a cross. Cant fault the effort I just think the formation and general tactics need to be overhauled. Diaby had a great game and so did our defence..Was gutted at the end..saying that I am very pleased with the fact that after 9 pints I am still able to see the keyboard…up the Arse boys..this time next year we’ll be millionaires..COYG…
Holic
GIVING UP IS FOR WIMPS.!!
What a bunch of wowsers in the bar tonight.
Utd have got some tough league games coming up sandwiched between Schalke twice in the CL.
Until it is mathematically impossible,we can still win the Title.
Where are everyone’s Testicles for God’s sake.
We win at Spuds and Bolton and it’s game on.
Moaning and whining is for others,NOT US.!!
Cheers
Clive
Ah, Danish, me old pastry. It’s always a good laugh when you drop in to spread some mirth and joie de vie. You must come more often (when we win, for example) – strange coincidence that you only turn up when things go against Arsenal.
Sleepy -The message is clear β WENGER GO BEFORE YOU DO MORE DAMAGE. Surely everyone can see it at this stage!!
As Sam Goldwyn might have said “include me OUT of the everyone camp”
I think you’re saying the team’s fine, Fire AW? That’s new. Mostly we hear “Sell the team, fire the manager, pay megabucks for a Carrolesque kipper and appoint King Kenny or his like – presumably to take us to lower than second and failure to even qualify for the CL, never mind BEAT Barcelona (and of-course we DID beat Barcelona over 90 minutes – unlike so many who’ve tried).
You’ve added a new twist. Good one.
Good smiley at the end there SR about Stan. (P.S. Is that a dead animal he wears on his head or what?)
Sir Clive!
Clive’s record player is on and Clive Jagger is singing Street Fighting Man.
I like that sound, Clive. Everybody here needs to get their Ya-Yas out and get with that beat.
Good evening gentlemen. A pleasure, as always.
Six wins, Chelsea beat them too? Not sure about the first bit, but it isn’t over quite yet.
Mr Noel,
A coherent post after 9 pints is to be congratulated. I used to make the mistake of re-visiting some of my late night posts, only to die of embarrassment. Now, I just tell my kids one of life’s lessons, if you make a post to a blog when you are so pissed that you cant even open the fridge to get out the last beer, dont read it the next day.
Not only coherent, but also spot on. I think it was a month ago when I (and behind 8 ball) said we gotta play 4-4-2 to have an aerial threat and AW didn’t listen, but the rest of the team did. Now we are constantly floating crosses into the box for the opposition keeper to gladly catch.
In the aftershock of today, one thing keeps bugging me, why bring Song on for Diaby?
Not quite up to 9 pints, but not that far away, holic ’til the end.
Clive @ #67
Fair point. *Hangs head in shame*
Per #19, I’ll be roaring the team on at the home of half century mediocrity on Weds night and I’ve applied for a reversal of my chemical castration.
Turn the volume up to 11 please man. π
“It is astonishing that supporters who were silent for two hours at four are making such a row now”.
Not really astonishing. With twenty minutes left it was easy to hear the BBB rev up their pukers. The atmosphere in the ground turned and even on TV you could feel the nervousness sweep right around the stadium. The commentators in the US were making polite apologetic comments on the “patience of the Arsenal fans” as “What the feck was that, Bendtner” could be heard very clearly- encouraging Nick to his very best effort on their behalf presumably.
Credit to Kopites and even the Deeply Indebted and impecunious Man IOU fans. They get behind their team. At the very moment when United fans roar their team on for a final push at Old Trafford, the BBB make our players doubt their every attempted move. The thirteenth man from hell – who demand leadership on the field then piss off early to catch their tube. No wonder Cesc wants to get back to Barca.
This isn’t new. I notice it more at The Emirates than I did at Highbury – but then, it’s easy to be a good fan when your team is invincible. Being a good fan when your support is needed and you’re pissed because your team is getting beat – well, that’s harder. Sounded like our lot failed the test today.
Keep the manager, keep the players, get rid of the fecking BBB.
SR @71 – the BBB were killing Diaby. Arsene took him off before he imploded. He’s been having a good game up until the green puke started to vomit forth from bilious belly’s of bile.
Lars @ #15
I’m sharing in your pain ergo I’ll share in your alcohol too. Cheers mate!
TABS @ #52,
There’s some horse tablets waiting for you behind the bar but there are several others in here tonight whom I’d much rather see knock themselves out for a while.
Sure, we’re all p*ssed off by the result this afternoon but why do some always feel the need to come into the bar, vent bile and then feck off, never to be seen again until the next disappointing result?
I fear that it’s the BBBers that will be the un-doing of our results for some while to come. Get a grip boys and get behind the team that you say you love.
Hello
I am writing for the first time on any respective ARSENAL blog,It may be a long one but read this carefully before you foolishly comment.
I have been supporting THE-ARSENAL since 2000,Its not just todays game against Liverpool,Its been happening for almost 4 years now,
and our eyes are still closed we are still blaming our team,manager,
referees,you see buying players will not exactly solve the issue THE-ARSENAL has,you will be more frustrated with new players maybe a new Manager but still the same ARSENAL as we always say after we
lose,has this never come to anybody’s mind or are we all falling into the same trap.
ITs Time THE ARSENAL needs all you’ll fans Prayers,I dont Know but i think its nothing but Bad Luck ,some kind of Curse hanging around our
GLORIOUS ARSENAL’S neck,We fans all around the globe are doing almost anything for supporting THE ARSENAL,then why not do that extra bit and pray to our LORD that the curse is removed from THE ARSENAL.I dont know how many of you will think i am Mad. but give
it 1 think atleast before this keeps happening in our bright future.
FROM T000NITES with LOVE AND RESPECT to THE ARSENAL.
Not sure where to start really. It is all so predictable these days as far as I am concerned. I go to games now really not expecting too much. I was not confident at all today. Not at all. And I hate it, it should not be that way.
We played just poor for me. Lack lustre, no pace and no real drive. Yet again we throw away points in a game we did not deserve to win anyway with another defensive fuck up. Is anyone really that surprised?
Some valid points above in my opinion say quite a lot but quite frankly I am fed up looking for escape goats. Put simply We just are not good enough. Blinkers off people, heads out of the sand, take a deep breath and smell that coffee. Fact is we are just not quite there.
Few positives for me today. I thought Diaby played well. Jack looked solid again and WS looked commanding in goal. That is about it. Not sure who it was above that thought the centre back pairing looked good. At times they looked like they did not know the other existed.
Don’t agree with you holic on a few points today. Sorry about that. Effort? The effort by some was shocking. I counted on at least 5 separate occasions when we lost the ball players just walking back. Liverpool were breaking and what did we have? RVP, Cesc, Bendtner, Arshavin and Nasri all walking. Heads bowed and bloody walking. Sami was the only one at various stages that would get back.
Leaders. We don’t have any. The last 2 minutes proved that. It was a shambles. Reminded me of the Champs League game at Anfield a few years back. We should never have been in the situation. Mass panic leads to the free kick. That should never have happened. Row Z and beyond boys.
Liverpool played with 2 kids at full back. So why take Theo off? Granted it was not his best game but why not just tell him to run at them? Then we bring on Nicky B and play him out wide? I will never ever understand that one. Can someone explain to me why he is forced to cross the ball when yet again there is only one red shirt in the box and six black ones???????
Alex Song? Why? He came out to warm up at half time with his leg heavily strapped. He appeared to have something strapped behind his knee. He came on when we were chasing the game and looked both laboured and tentative. If he is fully fit then I am a monkey’s uncle.
One last point, can we stop with this fan bashing please. Everyone is frustrated at what we are witnessing. No more than those who turn up week in week out. The atmosphere where I sit was good today. Many were more than up for it. It is Just a massive shame the performance did not deliver. For those who watched it at home please don’t tell me you were not moaning and wanting more? I for one am getting a tad cheesed off when I keep reading posts saying the fans were quiet and not up for it.
I must admit that I feel quite low at the way it has all just blown up. I have always been a glass is half full person but will not joining the merry band who seem to think that the Mancs could lose 27 nil one week and we might win 35 nil etc etc. We are 6 points behind them and the way we are playing at the moment we could struggle to even get another 6 points. Please do not fall for this 2nd in the league stuff. We all know that this has been the worst Prem League re quality for many a year. The league was ours for the taking this year……….
Oh well. I just hope we turn up on Wednesday.
BTM. Where do you get this about giving Diaby stick? Could not be further from the truth where I was?
I do think you have to appreciate that many turn up week in week out. Through rain and shine. Many spend a lot of money in doing so. The frustrations vented are not just from today. It comes form a whole season of frustration, and dare I say it but under achievement?
I’ve re-watched it and I do think it was clumsy from Eboue, and unnecessary, which is key.
Evening fellas. I won’t stop cheering any Arsenal team. I don’t even think it’s a choice, I just couldn’t do it. I’m sure their gutted too. But the pattern here is so painfully blinding to ignore. I don’t think there’s much use to doing anything but getting behind the team til summer. I also recognize though that the same has been asked of us before only for the summer to be used to do little to nothing about our weaknesses (which is not to say we don’t have many strengths). I gotta say, Wenger post-match comments were about as depressing and uninspiring as anything I could imagine- if he’s got a card up his sleeve, he sure is hell is keeping it until his last dying breath.
I’m sick of relying on refs and other teams and chance and luck to determine our fate… it just kills me. The talent is so tangible in this team, I just wonder if Paddy’s mid-week comments aren’t a bullseye.
Guinness, please. I’ll be around for a bit if anyone cares to join.
Good stuff at 78, Steve, You’ve been consistent, supportive throughout this frustrating season and, often with the kids in tow, one of our most regular attenders.
The microphones being used by the two Fox commentators were picking up much more than usual of the bleating than usual. Made we wonder if they’d put an extra mic there deliberately. Diaby and Bendtner were getting big time stick from the folks near to the commentary box.
Believe me (or ask Her Nellieness) the air here was absolutely blue when Eboue gave away our penalty. I have to put both hands up and admit to that (as well as repeat what I’ve said often – Eboue has lost any skill he may once have had as a RB).
My beef is with the clowns who boo Bendtner and Diaby ON to the field. BOO + BOO does not = More Confidence does not = More Goals.
50 YEARS AND COUNTING
@433 Lucas definitely set that up, but I agree with you- Eboue in that instance was pathetic- damn, sometimes our players seem to lack all sense of context. The determination is quite intangible… fuck, I feel depressed.
Steve T- I’ll buy you a drink. You are a quite measured and thoughtful when pissed. I can’t disagree.
BTM. Must say that I did not hear anyone boo Diaby from block 4. He was warmly received when he came off with many around wondering why he was being removed.
Feel a bit for NB. Coming on when the crowd are already at their wits end is not easy for anyone. The expectation levels are already elevated. That said, if you do give interviews and say that you are the best striker in the world then you kind of make a rod for your own back. I am not one for booing players. Certainly as they enter the pitch. That just beggars belief. But all clubs have their fuckwits and I guess we are no different. I am glad to say that none appear to be near me. Loads of frustration though.
PIK. I think Paddy was spot on.
clive
united have ONE game sandwiched between relatively easy semi final against Schalke (lets face it if we drew them we would be very very confident). that game is against us – tough ? not on yesterday’s showing.
having seen united take apart chelsea in quarter final i have no faith that chelsea will do them or indeed that we will get anything at the spuds. so all quite sunny, really
I go out for lunch and the bar gets very testy.
Frustrated as hell but I don’t think lack of effort or spine were the issues today. We’re in a funk (if I’m using that word correctly) but this team isn’t shite overnight. We’re not 8 players away from title calibre, just one or two and some self belief.
I don’t think the owners rely on blogs for Arsenal suggestions (with the exception of this one just a few thank God). Imploring Wenger to go if we finish 2nd would make some Arsenal supporters out to be as fickle as the Chelsea and City fans we mock. Manchester United and Arsenal haven’t dominated English football by getting rid of managers who finish 2nd. We’ve finished 4,3,2 the last 3 years I assume…on a budget…with the new stadium on board and a stable footing.
Patience gooners and if you are less than 15 years into your support I understand that is a difficult concept but Wenger will win more more trophies with this side. I maintain it’s the strangest season in a generation or more so seeing it slip away hurts. But if we finish the season unbeaten that run in the league will be 20 games, that takes some heart and commitment. If you can’t see that then we disagree.
I don’t want to see 5 new regulars in August….nor do I think we will. Get behind the team…
Sorry for rambling…I love this club and things are far better than so many people make out.
Last thought…3 points for a win for so long now it should be obvious that the secret is to avoid draws even if you lose 2 extra per season pushing for wins in level games. Our ‘slide’ coincided with drawing matches…..oddly our goals against will probably be 2nd best in the league….so the changes needed don’t automatically rest in the backline.
@ Steve T- and that’s just it isn’t it? When NB talks so much about his individual greatness, and after each goal he scores seems to have a confirmation moment of being god’s gift to humanity rather than the simple pleasure of collective success, it’s hard to distinguish the boo boys from those frustrated with a lack of earnest effort. A player’s motivation is a difficult thing to discern from the outside, but there’s a reason Wilshere, Nasri, and others don’t get the same treatment, and it’s not strictly talent. Those guys make mistakes, have bad days, etc but generally seem to give a shit- meaning, when the game is on the line, they give it there all, and they don’t spend more time talking about themselves then enjoying the success of their team.
I realize that I am talking from afar and am not in the stadium, so I’m not speaking to the specifics of game time mood at the Emirates, but I don’t know a single supporter who was furious after the Blackburn match simply because we didn’t win- it’s all in the manner of our difficulty that is frustrating. I’ll support Arsenal for decades to come without a single title- but assuming the players and giving their best. It just doesn’t feel like that right now (I say feel because it’s something I’ll never get to find out).
Here’s a weird thing……we’re the only side to have scored more goals away than at home in the division this season. Plus that’s with two fewer away games thus far.
I’m not a master tactician but does that say more about our home atmosphere or style of play/tactics? Is our fundamental flaw our failure to break down teams that seek just a point? Home sides (even poor ones) rarely, if ever, start matches content with defending. We find it somewhat easier at present to create chances/score goals away as a result.
Just thinking aloud, but if we’re looking for solutions that might be a key thing to look at.
It is so frustrating to get frustrated every time.
I’ve said it a couple of times this season, but once again – I’m well and truly shattered.
Holic, another very good blog. I was referred to your blog by Arseblogger. I watched the game and all in all I thought the team played well,especially in the first half. There was effort and people seem to forget its Liverpool we were playing not Blackpool . Anyway I thought EbouΓ¨ did well until the end, he got to close to Lucas and messed up. However i didn’t hear anyone say about the terrible kick out from W.Z. Right before their free kick. It was utterly terrible barely reached the half way line and straight to a Liverpool player. If only he had kicked it out of play or took a little more care with it. I guess that’s youth but I’m extremely disappointed…. again! Just a note with the fans frustration and moans and groans at the players for every little mistake it was clearly taking a toll on the lads.Keep up the great work Holic and maybe a pint of Guinness to some of the Arsenal players wouldn’t go a miss.
I’ve been trotting around the world in the last month or so and have been pleasantly surprised how relatively easy it has been to watch all our games on TV in godforsaken places. The premiership plus Barca and RM games are available anywhere in the world now and that is no surprise. It’s a shame the likes of Blackpool and Wigan are playing in the EPL because they would mop up almost every league in the world. No other league has this lethal mix of pace, skill and tactics. A handful of clubs in South America could perhaps avoid relegation in the premiership and if you took all the best players in Korea and Japan and made one team with them they’ll probably do ok too. Asians sprint for 95 minutes non-stop while south americans walk for 89 minutes but in the end all these teams are not even championship material. Arab and African leagues are comical each one in their respective way. In the end the only league that impressed me was Turkey, not that much for the football on display but for the support. Nearly one kilometer away from the stadium and you can hear them like if the guy next door was pumping up the volume on his home theater setup. Hopefully our new owner will get working permits for some of these guys, we could well use Arsenal supporters from Istanbul.
Because just in case you were wondering, telling people around the world you’re an Arsenal supporter makes you as popular as a member of the North Korean communist party these days. The best you can hope for is a merciful silence but in a few occasions I’ve been made fun of. Argentinians have a good sense of humor I must say. “You’re an Arsenal supporter? So which one of your players don’t you hate?” had me laugh. “Here we love them or we shoot them” was another good one. That being said the team is really popular, I haven’t met a football fan who doesn’t know the Arsenal, Cesc or Arsene.
This season has been a tough one but only because of the promise it showed.
We’ve had several instances of bad luck and even more of horrible refereeing. That’s not to excuse some of the performances but sometimes our reaction seems a bit savage. They’re our team and you cannot seriously tell me that Arsenal could do better than Nasri, Robin, Cesc, Song, Wilshere, Ramsey, Chesney, Djourou, Vermaelan and Sagna. I’ve excluded the likes of Walcott, Clichy, Kos and Gibbs because they could do with a little consistency, but they’re awesome too.
Look at those names. Every single one of these guys will be a great one day if they aren’t already.
Our biggest problems this season have been consistency and creativity. I liked 2007/2008 and 2009/2010 a lot more than this season because the team played so beautifully on several occasions. Yes, we didn’t win anything but I don’t think there was any equal, other than Barca, to how beautiful our football was during those two seasons. We got fatigued in the end but had the squad been just a little deeper, all of us would’ve been sitting proud.
I think overall that’s the biggest gap. You can develop consistency (through playing together) but creativity requires something extra. Arsene absolutely needs to bolster up the defence and perhaps look at our attacking play very carefully. The degree (mostly speed) to which we penetrate hasn’t been all that great this season and our attack has generally followed three patterns: quick interchange through the middle, cross through right/left or over-head pass.
Its decent enough but predictable and every time we’ve relied on only those three moves, we’ve dropped points. We need a little more than that. I’m no expert so I have no idea how to fix this but as we all know, this team is little bit away from being great. The biggest challenge is keeping our squad together and considering the value of certain players.
We already have a strong first 11. We just need a more creative squad.
@43
“Three strikes and youβre out, they say, and that was three chances to get Eboue off the pitch.”
Are you serious? Please don’t tell me that you had the foresight to see that Eboue was going to do something risky.
I hated the substitutions but no one batted and eye at Eboue until the final minute when a huge majority found their scape-goat. The man hardly plays and when he got his chance today, he did well. I cannot fault him for, possibly, one mistake.
The big question is, why in god’s name were we defending a free-kick and chasing the ball in the 99th minute? We should’ve been at Liverpool’s corner making them work for every sweet second.
We missed Sagna’s composure but its foolish to pin the loss on one guy alone. The ref was clearly walking around with his head up his arse in injury time and we provoked three risky incidents after our penalty. If there’s blame to distribute, take a glare at the whole team, not at one fellow.
So with this refreshing outlook I have come out really appreciative of today’s game and actually pretty impressed by the composure of some of our players because I must have watched on the same channel as BtM and I could hear the abuses thrown at some of our players from the get go. As Steve T would say, same old, same old.
Anyway we started slowly but got into the game pretty well even if some players were a bit below their best. The best Liverpool could do is run like Asians and defend like Citeh. All in all we deserved to win but that’s football for you.
I thought Eboue did very well even more so for a guy who played every 3.5 games this season, he was unfortunate on the penalty (and Leiva was astute to stop abruptly way before he reached the ball). The 3 minutes of extra added time was just a pure disgrace too. It’s shame because the boys deserved better even if the support did not.
Heads up, our next game is at WHL and I can’t wait to hear our wonderful away supporters drown out the LWC.
Ok lads, some very valid points here, some clearly fueled by emotions after a game, some probably fueled by the odd sherbet to many, but understandable. Now, morning after lets have some perspective.
To the WE out brigade. Come on. The man is a genius. Yes some of ha decisions bewilder us but come on. he is competing against teams who, on a whim, when things arent going well can bang out Β£70 in in Jan on 2 players (chelsea), teams that think nothing of paying 120 mill on 5 strikers in 2 years and only one would get in our side ere the squad cost about that (city) and ofcourse, man ure who lets not forget have, after sending fortunes on this side, rooney, valencia, rio, nani, berba etc have also been very fortunate this year that other sides, including us have been so inconsistent.
I know I for one would rather do things our way, the arsenal way, and dare I say it, the wenger way. How can you take pride in getting to glory by simply spending millions on poor players, then banging said poor players in reserves and spending even more on replacements until you stumble upon a good one. How good was 10 years ago when we were the best side in the land with a side put together by this great man, on peanuts. It gave me for one a sense of enourmous pride a city or chelsea fan will never know.
Lets face it, tiote doesnt get that goal, yesterday ends on 100 minutes, and we find just one goal against blackhurn and were champions. Thats how close it s. And still doing it the arsenal way, a way admired throughout the country no matter what, a way the others wish they could.
Yes im frustrated to, es we NEED to win something but getting rid of our genial manager who, in my 20 years of going to the prmised land has given me the best memories I could have hoped for in football. We OWE him for the good times, we OWE him for the memories l, for TH14, for RP7, for B4, for the 3 titles, the 4 ra cups the season invested, the champions league final the football the winning the league at WHL and OT. Whatever we do from now you will never forget those, we OWE him, how dare people call for the mans head.
IN ARSENE WE TRUST
Sorry predictive text made some of that nonsense, supposed to be PV4 not B4 and season unbeaten not season invested. Cheers
Interesting point about the crowd, Steve. Backing up BtM they were embarrassingly quiet throughout on the box. Liverpool made all the noise, apart from some very audible booing in the second-half.
BtM those mic’s could be anywhere in the ground. I know behind the goal in one North London derby I was asked to tone down my appreciation of the visitors as I was being broadcast live across the globe!
More than one person has said they were up for it, so apologies if that is the case, but they must have kept the mic’s away from the pockets of good support.
Just not good enough today or at the critical junctures this season. Frustrating as all hell.
Still completely drained emotionally. Will start to catch up on the drinks in a bit in an attempt to put the game to bed and move on. Not been a very good morning, in the celebrations after we scored a few of us fell over and I took the worst hit and now my right knee is a bit banjaxed so I can’t walk properly at the moment. Been in a lousy mood all morning, but I’m only going to allow myself an hour or two more of sulking and whining and then that’ll have to be it.
Cup of tea and some pain killers, please.
gonnery ry
look at it this way: if united had been more consistent in first half of season and/or they hadn’t lft in the late goals to fulham everton and birmingham they would be out of sight. should we send some more straws for you to clutch at because you must have devoured the last lot.
a few years ago we may have been admired elsewhere – when the “promise/next year story was fresh and plausible – but now i sense that we are a bit of a novelty item. “oh look, arsenal have found a new way to screw up”
Those who follow the Eboue cult are following a spelling mistake, frankly.
Heh, excellent.
Thanks for the write-up, ‘holic;
hair of the dog please
And where I was yesterday I think is usually quiet but support was OK in the first half. However crowds got impatient and started moaning very early in the second half.
“ref decisions even themselves out over the season,” – great now we’ve had yet another ref playing 50% more added on time this season -remember Sunderland – aaaggghhh!- I’m looking forward to at least ten shitty ref decisions to go against manure in the next six games to make things fair and even!
Nice one Jack the Lad – can’t believe that the senior player of the year went to a chimp though – it’ll take him a while to work out how to peel the skin off the trophy
Having read todays drinks and having (somehow) slept overnight , I would like to offer an alternative reason to those blaming it all on Eboue and Diaby (when was the last time those two scored for us – was it so long ago??)
In recent seasons our defence has been frail, but we have done well because our front players have outscored the opposition and this season this has not been the case often enough.
After supporting Arsenal for more than 50 years, I will never change my colours, but the message to AW remains the same – dont make promises you cannot keep
Make the end of season a good one COYR
Diaby? Are there really people ‘blaming’ yesterday on Diaby?
He had another very good game yesterday.
I don’t quite know how Diaby got into the conversation, Ollie. He was good yesterday, and if his more exalted but ‘untouchable’ colleagues had been as productive we would not be facing another divisive post-mortem.
The sooner we get independent timekeeping the better.
Such matters cannot be left in the heads of unregulated referees “minded to even things up”.
Ferguson has had one match this season when things legitimately seemed to go against his team and just look at the fuss he made.
Never has the phrase “you make your own luck” been more true.
Out of all that happened yesterday the one moment that summed it all up for me was when Robin scored.
Quite rightly he tried to whip up a pathetic Emirates crowd.
But where was his maturity in accepting a yellow card for taking his shirt off. Remember, his alleged dressing-room anger at Diaby kicking the ball away.
Forget the hypocrisy, but if RVP misses a game between now and the end of season because of his yellow-card tally what then?
Maybe this is what that arse toad Hansen means when he says we’ll “never win anything with kids”.
hansrott
there are no more suspensions for yellow cards this season – last date was last week i think. the extended celebration was probably the cause of time added on for the liverpool attck though …..
Indeed, ‘holic.
I did think about that, hansrott, well not in terms of missing games, but just in terms of silly bookings deserving being told off. No doubt it plays with the added time, but the added time thing is just ridiculous in the context of Liverpool timewasting during the whole game, and ultimately being ‘rewarded’ by more time added on.
That’s what grates, on top of the stupid panic and brainless Ebouism.
It’s still not over, this is true, but Senor Holic I’m afraid I have to agree with those who didn’t see the same effort and application that you did. Way back towards the beginning of the drinks someone said there was a general lack of urgency throughout the game and that’s exactly what I saw. We should have had a pulsating encounter but what we got was ambling football, holding onto it for so long that Liverpool were given all the time in the world to get back into 2 banks of 4 time and again. Same old, same old I’m afraid.
Please, Arsenal, just put one over on the LWC’s and a little pressure back on Man IOU. Hoping against hope because we’re still not out of our funk.
as my manc brother in law repeatedly tells me, added time is there for both sides.the objective is to achieve 90 mins of available playing time and it open to either side to score during that time. time wasted doesn’t “exist” as the ball isn’t in play or available to be in play.
Camberwell, I have no problem with anyone holding a different view and expressing it without abuse. I think there is a different perception of what is acceptable effort. I saw players working hard to find space where little existed. I’ll agree the mythical handbrake wasn’t fully released, but much of that I think could be down to a massive crisis of confidence. In my view some are confusing lack of effort with poor form. I accept I may be wrong in your eyes.
*rushes into bar, downs swift pint and rushes back out. Not in the mood for conversation, though I wish you all well π *
The joy of watching Arsenal has long gone for me I’m afraid. The excitement and anticipation of a title challenge run-in used to give me an incredible thrill. It was a titanic battle of Arsenal vs United to see who would win the title. (Remember those days?)
Now it’s all to predictable as we go out with a whimper once again.
I used to celebrate every goal that Arsenal scored (whether at the match or watching at home) but now I don’t bother.
When Arsenal score it’s pretty irrelevant. It got to the stage when I would only celebrate the 3rd Arsenal goal as I knew we would win the match, but alas this season it seems I have to wait till we are 5 up before victory is assured.
Now after yesterdays debacle, we cannot even celebrate a last gasp winner in the 98 minute! The club is a shambles and there is only one man to blame for this – the manager must go!
He was once great and I used to hang on his every word in interviews as he was witty and assured. Now he a gibbering wreck of a man who has lost his sanity.
Catalan, a good tactic.
I was of the same persuasion earlier this morning and I tried to lighten the mood at 105 but there were no takers.
I’m not giving up just yet, and whilst there may be the need for a serious inquest at the end of the season, we have a serious engagement on Wed night, irrespective of what happens at Newcastle, and anyone not wanting to SUPPORT the team, can F R O.
Zico….. I am on the train, but in the sleeper cabin, with my head under the pillow.
If you’d care to have the steward leave a tipple by the door, I’ll have it when I wake up.
Chilled Boddies for Catalan, barman (steward), for when he wakes up.
Happy train will not be derailed till we run out of track (aka mathematical impossibility etc….)
A mixture of bewilderment and deja vu from my camp.
I’m getting pretty sick of home matches now, there is always someone, or a group of people, who simply aren’t prepared to get behind the team and spur them on, they pounce on any mistake right from the off, football is a game where mistakes are made as part of the whole 90 minutes. You try something, if it don’t come off, then you try again.
But our problems are a right mixture, I can go back decades and not really come up with what we’ve seen in the last 4 seasons, – each one a title that could have been won with a bit more in the dept. that matters.
What we have is one two or three players that, per game, don’t put in the required push. The problem is that the names of these one two or three change… Diaby for instance can have a good shift (did yesterday) but have a stinker against Sunderland for instance. Denilson, Bendtner, half a dozen others, all suffer from the same plight. Even Wilshire suffered from “unable to pass accurately and consistently” syndrome yesterday.
If we are unable to score a goal in open play for 3 home matches running, then there must be a fault with the strikers, as the team on the whole enjoy possession and half chance creation.
But we had three strikers in yesterdays squad, with our 4th one out on loan, surplus to requirements seemingly.
So, where does the fault lie?
Perhaps the midfield aren’t actually generating the half sitters that the forwards require? Ok, lets change that around then, bring on AA and ND52, and… errr… wait a minute, what’s NB52 doing out on the wing?
Perhaps I won’t go on, what I’m saying is that either AW has lost it tactically, or that he realises that the players he has aren’t able to put to the sword the type of play that we enjoyed with Paddy Thierry Freddie and Pires as the core.
Which on the budget available over the last few years leaves him rather stuck as well.
The next part of the conundrum is the referee situation. From Saha being 2 or 3 yards offside, yet scoring a goal, to AA (v Sunderland) not being offside (but called off), to yesterdays complete pantomine of 11 minutes extra being played, to name but a few… I have to say i’m becoming disinterested in the whole shebang.
I think I’d rather have watched a nil nil than yesterdays cock and bull.
This team doesn’t look interested.
Where’s the fight?
Just a bunch of pampered ninnies with losing now part of their DNA.
PS contrast the Arsenal Subs reaction to scoring (sitting down with their legs stretched out!) with that of Carragher – who made regained consciousness and walked back on the pitch at the end!!
http://www.dailymail.co.uk/sport/football/article-1377906/Jamie-Carragher-absolutely-fine-clash-heads-Liverpool-team-mate-John-Flanagan.html
Sorry – what time was fighting for the title yesterday!?
*what team*
Zico @120 I’m still in the train but I have a feeling that derailment is imminent….and I am desperatley trying to find a way out to avoid massive collision
Who made Eboue the train driver? π
Oh fuck it…might as well enjoy the damn ride! Easier said than done
Exactly Harsha – don’t let the b*****s grind you down.
Next stop, Shite Heart Lane.
Or Shit Hart Lane for people who care about such things…..
Afternoon all.
Ollie @ #102,
Heh – do great minds sometimes think alike? See my post @ #4 π
Zico/Dr.C/Harsha,
HT still in tact, if a little dented, for those that can summon up the necessary perspective (not easy). Suggest possible change in final destination for this season and stops along the way per my post @ #1. Thoughts?
No one person can be blamed for yesterday. We fight as a team, we win as a team and we draw/lose as a team. My guess is that the players and management are feeling as p*ssed off as we all are today. Doesn’t make it make it any better but if anyone really thinks that our team doesn’t care about results or lack of them then I’m delighted to offer directions to and an inventory list from the medicine cabinet.
Cheers all!
what an awful time to be an arsenal supporter!guess its a good thing we have another match in 2 days.a passionate lot aren’t we?I can’t imagine so many internal debates amongst the mancs or the chavs.we just need to calm down and concentrate on other things(until the spuds match).
On to the match,watched it with a liv fan so u can imagine how painful it was when they scored.As much as i like to criticize diaby he was good.The worrying thing is that cesc is playing at about 75% of what he was last season.
We can scream ‘wenger out’ ‘sell den, ben..’ ‘mass clearout’ hysterically every time the team play but that is not the solution.We need a defensive coach.because the team tried their best last night and we did create chances mostly from crosses(lack of plan B?).We just panicked(as usual) in the end.
I definitely want man city to win the fa cup now(I prefer men over dinosaurs).cheer up and celebrate spurs’ 50th anniversary.
harsha@124 heh
Zicos @ #s 125/6
It’s all the same horrible, crumbling Sh*t!
My only concern about Weds night is to get in and out without catching something horrible and infectious.
The bio-suit was acquired over the weekend. Win, lose or draw I’ll be burning it outside ‘the home of half-century mediocrity’ after the match π
TS @ 1 – yesterday I was livid and could not even consider getting out of the waiting room, never mind get anywhere near the 1st class compartment.
Today? It aint over till its over. Defiant to the end.
I still think you should put something on top of that bio suit, just in case. If you don’t fancy the deep sea rigging I suggested previously, what about a suit of armour? You can never be too careful π
Guinness for me, and whatever you’re having.
zico,
That’s the spirit!
OK, will investigate suits of armour that can also accommodate a bio suit. Metal, however, tends to be quite reactive with the type of substances found in the marshlands.
I’ll join you in a pint of the blackstuff, nice one.
Class comment re: the over-rated Galen at #105 BTW. I’ll take a bunch of bananas just in case, it might cause a vital distraction when he’s trying to peel Eboue π
I’ve read people taking pops at Arsene Wenger for having persisted with Eboue, and for not having brought in better cover at right back.
Afternoon ‘Holic and Afernoon all ,
Well , still wandering around in a stupor brought on , not only by TS’s horse drugs , but also the ever more creative ways our team can manage to throw away a hard earned victory .
Still , its the Spuds next , so no resting on our collective Arses .
We need a miracle , but they’ve happened before , and they’ll sure happen again , so can i take a seat on the Happy Train to that most accursed of places ?
TS , given this is your first visit in nigh on thirty years to the house of horrors , may i respectfully suggest you need your own anthem for that extra little bit of protection against the most dreadful things you will see , hear , smell etc . Get the Gooner hordes to sing along and i think all will be well ;-
He’ll Drink , He’ll toot ,
He’s in a Bio-suit .
True Storey , True Storey .
Newcastle beat the Mancs , We beat the Spuds , three points behind with the mancs to come to the Ems . Beat them and the new found confidence will lead to a goal-rush and we pip them on goal difference . Simples .
Drinks for all at the bar , barman , and , of course , one for yourself .
Here’s a thought. Crazy as it might be. How about everyone who is an Arsenal fan and is fortunate enough to attend a home game at a beautiful Emirates stadium that was responsibly funded through in large part Wenger’s ability to field an incredibly competitive team on a limited budget get behind the lads in full voice for every remaining games THROUGH THICK AND THIN. Something the team has enjoyed on the road this year from the amazing away support. My apologies for the run on sentence Holic.
Bearded, Thick and Thin is exactly the kind of support we need, as well as boisterous, raucous and loud. If Blackpool can make twice the noise with 16,000 than we can with 60,000 then maybe we need to learn the lesson that less is more? I would take a few thousand empty seats anytime (not sure if the club would) if it means that the naysayers will mind their own business.
‘holic as a devoted member of the Eboue cvlt (note mispelling) I must say he made a bad mistake but made good contributions the rest of the game. Also, this: Eboue taketh away but giveth in ever greater abundance. Amen and barman please pass some of the holy kool-aid.
Bt8bbnn – exactly. I don’t know if the players would know what to make of it if the home support all 60000 (minus the away section) really tried to rally them when the going gets tough. I also find it hilarious that people who jump all over diaby, bendtner, etc when they have a few poor touches clam up like cynics when their team need them the most! Don’t want to generalize too much of course as there are plenty of wonderful gooner supporters who have perspective. I would just like to see more belief when it is needed most.
Bearded. Do you actually go to games?
No need to worry about the support for the Spurs game though. TS will be leading the away support all decked out in the bio-suit and singing that lovely tune composed by takeabowson.
TS, make sure you bring some lasagna to share with all. That and I’ve heard rumors that Guinness minimizes the negative effects of SHL. Might not be anything to that rumor but best be safe.
I’m still found wandering the happy train (mostly around the dining car). Wins against Spurs and Manure to restore some measure of pride please.
Takeabowson, I needed that this morning- well said. Wake up Catalan, the dive is over and we are coming out swinging against the LWCs. I don’t know about Eboue, but 8ball, how is that kool-aid?
pires, If you don’t hear from me again I’ll be sure to let you know!
Steve T – I live statewide so not a regular, but I have made two trips to the Emirates in my time. Again not trying to generalize as I said. So by your questioning am I to assume you think that the home support is good when the going gets tough.
Speaking of coming out swinging, maybe Eboue will do just that at WHL? Not to risk getting a red card mind you but using Harry Potter’s cloak of invisibility so the referee will be completely unsighted. You talk about a Plan B? Well there you have it Arsene so the implementation part is all yours. Just remember what to say in the post-match press conference (hint: I didn’t ___ it.)
TABS @ #133,
Er, thanks! I’ll be more than happy just to join in with our legendary away supporters and see the boys score a goal or two at Mediocre Central. Love the positive view on up-coming results. It could happen, no matter how unlikely. I’ll join you in that drink. Guinness please Mr. Barman.
Joshua @ #139,
Lasagne??? I thought simians preferred bananas but hey, what do I know? π Totally with you re: beating LWCs & Manure – it will help to restore pride and bragging rights.
So Eboue is a swinger?
That could explain the tiger suit, I suppose π
Joshua, get yourself up to 1st class compartment where you will find True Story, Dr Catalan and his Medicine Show and BT8BBNN all dispensing different types of prescriptions. The Happy Train isn’t a happy train for nothing, you know.
I like many others, have just received my call to arms from Le Boss in my weekly e-mail – bring on the simian scum (or words to that effect).
True STOREY even – apologies, mate.
Steady zico, steady….. π
I may have missed that memo from AW as my last contact from The Arsenal was PHW’s announcement about KSE. I’ll try to live with that snub and will focus my attentions on Wednesday’s match instead. Both teams should really be up for it for all kinds of reasons. What are the chances for an all-action goal fest?
Holic,
Looking forward to your match preview and multiple mentions of 50 years of failure, etc. π
Barman? Drinks for all in the bar and/or HT. Cheers!
Zico, your mention of prescriptions reminds me that mine must be in the mail. Is the medicine cabinet open yet?
…. and no need to apologise, TS is much easier anyway.
Our posts crossed – my ‘steady’ remark was wrt your comments on our beloved Emmanuel π
Didn’t know that ‘nasri was a medical type BTW….
True Storey, Did you forget to open the medicine cabinet? This is not a good time …
Barman, until confirmation comes that the medicine cabinet is open please make mine a double Glenfiddich with a cock swizzlestick with the cock missing.
The Happy Train nearly fell off the rails for a second there. Pardon me while I regain my composure :<)
The whole team panicked within the last 30 secs of the game as usual when failing to kill a game trying to hold on to a meager one goal lead!
But saying that:
1) How is it that Lucas was the only player to go down in the box (not once but twice) for the free kick and the penalty?
2) Lucas stopped abruptly so Eboue would run in to him
3) Is it me or was it not an obvious goal scoring opportunity when Lucas went down (for the penalty)?
hmmm?
Inspector Cluso on the case here!
TS @147 All-action goalfest are you sure our cardiopulmonary systems can stand the excitement at our advanced ages ,piling upon the stress of what we’ve been through already? A 1-0 to the boring boring Arsenal would be more my speed at the moment, especially after Newcastle and Sp*ds earlier this season as well as the 4-4 with Sp*ds a few seasons back when we were fine until Clichy fell on his arse. No heart attacks yet but no reason to take a turn at cardiopulmonary roulette. And TS you are correct, I am not a doctor and do not self-medicate either which is why I stay in close touch with Eboue.
‘nasri ‘ #150,
Due to the nature of some of our visitors yesterday, I felt the need to lock it to prevent further self medication and possible cases of abuse.
As the mood of the clientelle seems somewhat improved now, it is officially re-opened.
Note: I will leave the keys with The Barman during my absence on Wednesday evening (UK time). Should something unsavoury happen e.g. a terminal case of end-of-seasonitis I will pass my MC responsibilities over to zico until the middle of August.
TS, I’m struggling to keep up with the drinks, but liked the random posts I checked π
Good luck on wednesday! I’ve just found out that C+ are showing the Spanish wankfest Edition 2 instead of our game, which they will show at 11.40pm. Ridiculous.
I am not going to submit myself to the torture of waiting until 1.30am to know the result though, not on a weekday anyway.
The ‘not watching the game’, will be totally unbearable though: do I check some text updates? Do I wait until what I expect to be the final whistle? What do I do between 9 and 11pm? Twitch like your average wheeler-deeler?
TS @155 Good thing the cabinet is in good hands. There are a few truly dangerous items in there we would not want to get in the wrong hands, say for instance Cus*p or any of those other space invader types.
Ollie,
As a well balanced and sensible individual you have my blessing to an ‘open door’ on the old ‘MC on Wednesday evening.
I’m no MD, others here have genuine qualifications, but there is stuff in there to calm you pre-match and stuff to pick you-up should you decide to stay up and then find the need to sleep quickly on a school night.
I believe other individuals here also have stuff to make you feel happy should the unmentionable thing happen at SHL but I wouldn’t know anything about that.
‘Spanish wankfest Edition 2’ indeed… love it! π
‘nasri @ #157
I notice that you said good and not safe π
Right – 8 ball @ 148 – I thought that you were on Kool Aid (and therefore being British just assumed that all Kool Aid had some of Ken Kesey’s magical additives) – apologies if you don’t get the reference.
TS @ 155 – handing the keys to the medicine cabinet to someone as irresponsible to me is just inviting a visit from the old bill. I was going to suggest that you hand them to Catalan but then on second thoughts…..
Ollie – one twitching wheeler dealer is more than enough for this small planet, thanks. I suggest you switch your phone off, go and get bladdered and then turn on your TV at 11.40 pm and wake the neighbours with some deranged screaming cries of jubilation.
PS for Ollie,
If the MC doesn’t address your needs, feel free to text me for updates during the game but please forgive any spilling mistooks as typing whilst wearing a bio-suit is not going to be easy.
zico @ #160,
If the temptation fits…. π
Wowza! The jollies are out! I’m just sitting up on the hill watching this whole purple haze unfold. Sipping mate of course (with a little spike from behind the 8 ball). Very nice….
With this much drug-induced joy, why don’t we take the field Wednesday in that hideous next year’s away kit with this line up:
Arsene in goal
Gibbs right, Adams and Asharvin CB, Bendtner left
Cesc, Nasri, RVP, and Wilshere can run around in overlapping figure 8’s and Szcezcny and Eboue can just run at their defense going buckwild.
Light ’em all up from the medicine cabinet first and go crazy on ’em-
I put a hundred on us winning 12-7.
Pires @ 164
i’m there with you – its beautiful man .
Top top post .
I know you are pretty clued up, TS, but usual rules apply at the swamp. Keep ’em peeled. Snidey scum don’t keep it firm on firm.
Inside the ground give it a lungful. Outside play it by ear and be safe. Things have changed since we used to go regularly and there were a lot more than three thousand of us. The neanderthals have got brave with ten to one odds.
Most important of all be the lucky charm that gives us victory π
Fifty years, and never again.
PIK, are you drinking under the influence of medication? That’s a yellow card offence…
…if I don’t get any π
zico @160 Feeling a bit unsteady contemplating the true meaning of Eboue’s free pelanty giveaway, my kool aid reference was more the Rev. Jim Jones mass suicide in british guiana variety, but I can’t remember what the additive was on that occasion so the Ken Kesey is just as relevant beyond doubt. Besides, being in temporary charge of the medicine cabinet as you are until Wednesday night I would say you can just make this stuff up as you go along.
Thanks TS!
zico, I’m tempted to follow your plan if you ask me now., but I’m sure I won’t be come wednesday :p
We will find you a stream Ollie, fear ye not π
Whoops! Zico, having reread TS’s post it looks like if you play your cards right you could be medicine doctor until August at least. Talk about a long hot summer, this one might be it.
PIK, Wenger said the players just need to enjoy their football and your selection could provide that extra fun factor we’ve been lacking. The medication policy may require further study.
… further study of a highly clinical yet soothingly recreational variety …
Ollie, I hope to start my own deranged screaming about 8:03 BST – and go long into the night. You may hear me, in whatever outpost you happen to be (France?) – it will go something along the lines of
“50 years you twitchy cunt, forever in our shadow
50 years you manky mob, and another 300 to follow
50 years of being dire, hoping only for us to lose
50 years of being small and watching Arsenal lord it over you(se)”
OK zico is Dr z, BtM is Dr Who, who is Doctor Feelgood?
Milk ‘n alcohol – now you’re talking.
Top man zico
Bearded at 142. Been twice. You really are speaking with a lot of personal knowledge then?
Where I sit the home support has always generally been good. On Sunday fans sung their heart out. Quite clearly from the comments on here that was not the impression given on Tele.
You will always sadly get idiots. There will always be a minority who think it is acceptable to boo arsenal players. But I do get very annoyed when those of us that turn up week in, week out. Through thick and thin, come rain and shine are slaughtered by those who view from an armchair. I have watched more than enough games on the tele and I have the same emotions as I have when I am there. You can’t tell me that you did not shout at the screen when Eboue gave that penalty away yesterday? Please don’t tell me that your frustrations are not vented when you watch the same wasteful arsenal, or you witness yet another defensive error cost us points?
We are all arsenal fans. We all want the same thing. I would not dare be as arrogant or as ignorant to question the commitment of those that do not get to games. All I ask is that people stop continually having a dig at those of us that spend thousands every year supporting our beloved club. There will always be fuck wits but the vast majority of us that turn up every week may well have an opinion, but we all want the same thing.
Time to stick together, not to start an internal cull of our own fans.
Nice one ‘Holic π
zico @145: Eboue in a tiger suit? In the Happy Train? Blimey, it’s less time in the medicine cabinet for me then!
Like it Steve.
Cheers.
Yep, well said, Steve. .Here’s to you (the kids) and not to the fuck wits.
Very nice piece by Stuart Robson on Talking Tactics on http://www.arsenal.com.
I think he’s condensed and summarised all of our collective comments quite nicely. I wonder if Arsene watches these every week and what he thinks if he does.
Steve T – I am speaking with my personal knowledge which is just that. Personal. And you are of course free to quantify it how you choose. You are likewise entitled to your personal knowledge which you articulated well and which I fully respect. You are clearly not one of the idiots who are on display at the stadium when I have gone and who unfortunately sometimes come through all to clearly on the tv. So my comments were in now way directed towards you so I apologize if I have offended. It sounds like the Emirates could do well to have 60000 of you. On your last point I could not agree more. Getting behind the team is and always will be the best and I would argue only rallying point for all fans to come together.
50 YEARS AND STILL COUNTING
Stuart Robson is not everyones cup of tea, but he is direct, easy to understand, concise and knows his stuff π
‘Holic @ #166,
Thanks for the advice. All joking and banter aside, I’ll confess to being more than a little concerned regarding personal safety, especially on the way back. Fortunately, I’m going with an experienced hand who knows the score far better than me.
As you said around the time of the last NLD, “….they will always be c*nts”…. and trouble-making c*nts are the worst sort of c*nts.
Really looking forward to your match preview. It’s that ‘gloves-off’ time of the season and I think that our away form this year will carry us through on the night.
It would be unbearable should the small club in N.London do the double over the pride of London. Perish the thought and let’s do our best to keep them out of the CL for next season.
Holics
Good to see the DOOM AND GLOOM of Sunday evening has dissipated somewhat.
Let’s all remain positive and SUPPORT our Team 100% till the end.
I have borrowed BTM’s crystal ball and i see Paul Schole’s bastard twin ending Rooney’s season at SJP with a brilliant shin high sliding tackle,he gets a yellow card much to the fury of Old Red Nose.
He then takes out Nani with a craftily placed blindside elbow,and as a piece de resistance,in the final minute with the game scoreless,he follows up a spilt ball by Van De Sar and manages to toe end the ball into the net while colliding with VDS and rendering him unconscious.
Meanwhile at the Lane with the game on a knife edge at 2-2 going into the final minute,Manuel’s cousin twice removed,punches the ball into his own net from RVP’s corner.
Cue bedlam in the red half of North,as gap is now down to 3 points and the agony and ecstacy of being a football fan continues for another week.
Cheers
Clive
North London indeed.!!
Bravo Clive !
You’re born in a cross-fire hurricane and on a roll, Clive my man!
The Spuds will be singing “Gimme Shelter” after your Wild Horses induce a 19th minute Nervous Breakdown at SHL.
Don’t get me started-up BtM!
Clive, you have been hiding your light under a bushel π
Thanks all for cheering each other, an more importantly me, up!
Thnks Boys,
Of course Utd could go and win 4 nil at SJP,Spuds knock us over,and the Chavs belt the Brummies at the Bridge,and we could be 3rd by night’s end.!!
But i would rather,’ LOOK ON THE BRIGHT SIDE OF LIFE.!!!
If Fabregas is not on the pitch, I want Szczesny as captain.
http://www.arsenal.com/news/news-archive/szczesny-we-owe-the-fans-a-result-at-spurs
joshua
talk is cheal. didn’t they ow it us on sunday. or any of last 6 games ?
interesting post here. the wagons are circling around arsene and not before time.
http://www.arsenalnewsreview.co.uk/news/2017/30/Why-are-Arsenal-s-wages-111-million/
TO: I DONT KNOW ANYMORE
If im clutching at straws, so be it, but rather that than to deminisethe man who madeusthe teamwe are today and have been for 13 years, who you gonna replace him ugh. Steve Mclaren, Tony Adams, WHO WHO WHO. he isthe man for the job. Always has been and until he is ready to call time on a magical, team transforming 15 years then leave him.
Just remmber the later grahamyears. The 95 season and rioch debacle, he saved us. Support him. In ARSENE WE trust!!!!!!!!!!!!
I agree, talk is cheap. But as for Szczesny, I think he’s shown there is more than talk (his performance and celebration against Barcelona for example).
Wenger deserves his criticism. His team may indeed come up short this year. But it’s not forgone yet. If we believe it is hopeless, and that’s the message we send to the players, then we have absolutely no chance.
The summer is the time to ask the hard questions of the manager and certain players. Nothing will change before then. I’m not saying that the frustration needs to be forgotten or put off. Just don’t make it everything.
And title challenges aside, there is a lot left to play for this season. Finish second and it’s the highest finish since 2005. Beat Spurs and Man U and we lay the foundation for next season.
All we as supporters can do is throw everything we have behind the current squad and be their twelfth man. All we can do is give them that extra bit of belief that has often seemed amiss this season. All we can do is stand up and sing:
“We love you Arsenal, we do,
We love you Arsenal, we do,
We love you Arsenal, we do,
Oh Arsenal we love you!”
Zico @ 173 Heh π
“Spanish wankfest edition 2” – Heh, Ollie
TS, hopefully you will be a lucky charm at the shit lane
As ‘holic said thanks for cheering us up, Clive
I’m sorry I lost track, who has the keys to the medicine cabinet again?
idka
I’m afraid if you think anybody will be swayed by anything produced by that bitter little man then you are severely mistaken.
Joshua @ 195 – spot on.
‘the wagons are circling’ ???? Around a manager who has us in 2nd when we were expected to finish somewhere between 4th-6th before the season kicked off?
When did some get so bloody unrealistic? There’s a club we play this week who chop managers every five minutes if you’d rather follow them and you probably know why – because Spurs haven’t had a chance to win the league with a handful of matches left since when? 1962? They’ve been in the top 4 once in 20 seasons……those are reasons a (big?) club keeps trying new managers.
Things aren’t perfect and yes the last 5 weeks have been a nightmare but if you let Arsene go and we finish 4th next season then what? Do we become Chelsea?
Perfect Tim, I don’t know anything was off beam there. One wheel on his wagon and he’s still rolling along……
Fat Sam’s available isn’t he? Or maybe Ancelotti would come over and help us NOT win anything for much more invested (74M in the Christmas sales), or maybe king kennute of the kop cold be tempted and bring carrol and Suarez with him for the 10M they’re worth.
Or better, Hawwy might come and ensure we don’t win anything for another 50 years.
Arsene, in the meantime, will have the PICK of clubs anywhere in the world.
Myles Palmer? I think he’s even lost his ‘so bad he’s amusing’ value for me. He’s probably ghost writing for The Grove, now? ;).
zico, I’ll be lending an ear at 8.03 tomorrow then. Or 9.03.
Lol @ bitter little man π
Tim – I remember when the critics predicted the following finishing positions:
1) Chelski
2) Manure
3) Citeh
4) 50 years
“We love you Arsenal we do”
@ 203 Goonertown
Yes, but given how each of those teams have been poor this year, in hindsight do you accept Arsenal had a great opportunity this year to actually win the title?
And blew it.
The Wasp –
We should have won the Beer
Indeed we should have and I’m one of those who believes the loss in the Carling Cup Final was the beginning of the end this season.
But my point is related to the League. Hypothetically we overacheived, but in reality we’ve underacheived.
Utd are going to win the League with one of the lowest points totals in years.
That is frustrating.
Just to serve the point, Utd should end up this year around the 80pt mark.
Arsenal are likely to end up somewhere around the 70- 73 pts mark – potentially the worst season in points terms since the aberration in 2006.
Compared with the last 6 seasons, have we progressed this year – or gone backwards?
2010 β 75pts (3rd behind Man U on 85 and Chelsea on 86)
2009 β 72pts (4th behind Chelsea 83, Liverpool 86 and Man u 90)
2008 β 83pts (3rd behind Chelsea 85, and Man U 87)
2007 β 68pts (4th behind Liverpool 68, Chelsea 83 and Man U 90)
2006 β 67pts (4th behind Liverpool 82, Man U 83 and Chelsea 91)
2005 β 83pts (2nd behind Chelsea 95)
No assessment before the end of the season provides any real answer, wasp. If we finish second then you have to accept it will be viewed by many as progress. I hear you when you talk of opportunity, and imply a reduction in quality of our rivals. I think that misses an improvement in quality behind what was perceived as the big four. Not just Citeh and LWC’s, but further down the table I think standards have improved. We have given away points foolishly, but to suggest, for example, that West Brom didn’t deserve their win at the Grove is to overlook an important factor.
Myl*s F*cking P*almer…. it’s what the medicine cabinet was invented for.
‘Holic @ #208
Nicely put. I also subscribe to the school of thought that this isn’t the worst championship in years, rather the so-called lower teams have mostly raised they’re games considerably both in terms of tactics and outright footballing ability. Anybody can take points from anybody – it’s been proven all season long amongst all the top clubs.
Second is no shame. Second is so very disappointing for us given the promise that the season still held for us around 5 weeks or so ago.
To change your manager and clear out half the team because you finish second and qualify for the 16th year running for the CL is, frankly, potty.
An improvement in the tactical side of our game (this is where I’d like AW to improve most), letting a few of our second-teamers go and making a couple of key new signings will make the world of difference. Consistency is the key. It WILL pay-off sooner or later.
Wasp –
I agree with Holic. If we finish second this season then that would be progress in my eyes. Then if we are using stats to show past performance, we could also use stats to make a forecast.
It would go a little something like this:
2009 (Finished 4th)
2010 (finished 3rd)
2011 (finish 2nd)
2012 (finish 1st)
Now Iβd put a spare pound on that! π
Drinks all round!
idka: I’m sorry, but a link to ANR is not going to convince many. How can you take anything written by a Tottenham fan who supports Arsenal seriously? (Yes, he has himself said he is a Tottenham fan who supports Arsenal, it’s not something I’ve made up)
Been really busy at work today and will be for the rest of the day as well, which is good because then I don’t have time to worry about tomorrow. I’ll be a nervous wreck anyway when the game starts. Think I need some sweets from the TS cabinet of magical goodies!
I can see a massacre tomorrow and the LWC will be the recipients
Lol! (A bit of Mick McCarthy there for you all to brighten up the day)
TS @ 209 – ah, but YOU no longer have the key π
(Take note, Lars). π π
Gt @ #211,
Nicely put, that would be progress for sure. Let’s hope we can at least secure second spot this season. It’s not going to be easy with The Chavs breathing down our necks. At least it will motivate them to beat Manure as I’m sure they would rather finish 2nd than 3rd.
Harsha @ #196,
zico has given you the answer to your question @ #214. I was going to hand them over for Wednesday evening only, however, in his excitement he must have sneaked up on me in the bar last night whilst I wasn’t paying attention. Hey ho, they’re in good (not safe) hands. Wonder if I’ll ever get them back now? π
Oh, the (ir)responsiblity π
Dr z has a tonic for whatever ails you (unless of course you hail from “the marshes”, in which case there is, quite simply, no hope for you).
PS – TS I am totally with you on your last paragraph @ 210 – pretty much sums up what I would like too, possibly augmented by an aggressive replacement for Pat Rice, for “motivation” in the dressing room.
Dr z, suggest that you liaise with Dr C before issuing prescriptions to fellow ‘Holics unless they are for marshmen in which case please over-prescribe away π
I’m not sure on the ‘Silent Bob’ issue. It does look like he’s set to leave this summer but I do wonder if he isn’t capable of the odd hairdryer form time-to-time? Maybe we’ll find out more if he departs. Whatever the case, it feels like we do need to bring in some experience, like TMG, both in the team and the back-room staff.
PS from TS: I wonder if Pat’s already been approached for his memoirs? That would be a great read, esp. his time working with Le Boss.
TS – you know me
Glad to see the happy train is picking up steam again this morning (or maybe zico left the medicine cabinet open too long). Here’s to a happy 50 year celebration on Wednesday.
Joshua – u trying to infer this job is too big for me?
As well as being the Happy Train convenor my role now involves elementary keyhole surgery and pharmacy supplies – and Management says I cant multi-task.
Now what are ya snortin’?
I’m always apprehensive about derbies but for some reason never about Manure games. Tomorrow would be a good start towards the right result required at the end of the season. An extra incentive is that we are still the only unbeaten team in the league in 2011
Newcastle away for isn’t a given for Utd tonight. They have won only 2 of their last 5:
The recipients of a Massacre 2-1 Manure
Wigan the Enigma 0-4 Manure
The Chavs 2 – 1 Manure
The Jobseekers 3 – 1 Manure
Stratford United 2 – 4 Manure
As for tomorrow we’ve won our last 3 in 5 π
You do just fine, zico. And I’m sure TS will appreciate your expertise as he ventures into the marshlands.
GT, Quite true about ManU and Newcastle. With Joey Barton on the field, United may go down to ten men with injuries alone.
Afternoon ‘Holic and Afternoon All ,
IDKA @ 193
1. Myles Palmer is a c*nt of the highest order . Link us to his pile of steaming turds , and you might as well go the whole hog , and link us to Katie Price’s beautifully written ” How to keep your dignity in the maelstrom of modern celebrity culture ” or Harry Rednapp’s equally impressive ” How to be a cheeky chappie , whilst you rob and pillage your way through the East End , the South Coast , and the Tax Office .”
2.Mihir Bose , on whose information the ” letter ” is based is a financial journo who knows diddley-squat about football , and is a Spud to boot .
3. I’ll tell you why we pay our players more than the spuds – cos they’re much better players !!! In the last 5 years , in our most unsuccessful period under Arsene , we have finished 3rd , 4th , 3rd , 4th and 4th . In the same period the jokers from down the road finished 4th , 8th, 11th , 5th , and 5th . This has been their best period of the last 20 years . For the previous 9 years they failed to finish in the top 8 !!!!!
Get out the wage Bill for Manure , the Chavs , Barca or Madrid for a more realistic comparison and the we’ll see who’s managing their budget properly .
Your article and the link you provided , cheap shots all , and whilst we’re on that subject , Ill have a snowball please Barman .
Drinks for all at the Bar who recognised Myles f*cking Palmer for the complete tosspot that he is .
Finally , the Horse drugs are beginning to wear off and there are so many Doctors in the house I’m confused . Don’t think tomorrow night is a good time to introduce self-medication – my hands will be shaky , my palms sweaty , and emotions heightened . I need an attention-diverter – Will there be any nurses on duty ?
Zico @ 221 – nice to see someone in charge and showing the requisite authority – i’ll just go and get my pipe …
TABS @ #225,
Well argued, great points, top post. Perhaps you could cut, paste and email it direct to ANR? Blogs does a decent parody of the old c*nt as Myles Mendacious but you knew that already π
Nurse? The rubber gloves please for TABS….
IDKA @ #193,
Just in case you’re feeling a wee bit ostricised, don’t worry, I dared to mention another huge c*nt last year, P*ers M*rgan, quite inadvertently and I was banished to the naughty corner (quite rightly) for at least a week.
Barman? A drink for IDKA to ease any pain.
Dr z,
Please try not to run out of supplies before kick-off π
Joshua –
A player like Paul Scold (ouch!) would have come in handy against a physical team like the Magpies! π
Please take a bow TABS @ 255
What GT just said. I’ll have a G&T to celebrate.
Put it on my tab……(whilst I get my coat).
TS @225 , Ha ! and thanks . The old rubber gloves weren’t quite what I had in mind , but hey … beggars can’t be choosers ..
Do you think the Barman would draw the line at the regulars having a room at the back for a little bit of … ahem … relaxation therapy , at times of great stress ? … might need a completely different licence for that i suppose .
GT @230 and Ollie @ 231 thank you kind sirs .
Now where’s Dr Z When you need him ?
TABS @ 225 – great post – take a tablet son – (does that mean we can call you TATS?) π
TS @ 228 – trying hard mate, but the patrons are quite demanding – I thought I would just have to stand beside the medicine cabinet and grin inanely, (that was the my take on the job description) but there is more to this key lark than appeared at first glance….. Some of the punters have started supplying there own hardware (TABS) which helps.
Have you practiced drinking through the bio-suit yet? Sounds like a challenge.
Dr Z @ 233 – A proper laugh out loud post – get yourself one on me , whilst i fill my pipe
Dr z, that’s a triple heh with a large dollop of phnaar on top. I think I may have warned you that the job is not all it’s crack(-pip)ed up to be. Regulars bringing their own hardware is not much help when there’s nothing left to fill it. Good point re: the bio-suit, needs a re-think π
TABS, when you relieve yourself after a few pints can we call you TAPS? Thanks for that perfect assist @ #232 (sooo tempting) but like some of our team (unfortunately) I’m going to avoid going for goal and will pass to another ‘Holic for them to try and smash it home.
TS – Any derivation of the name fine by me , as long as we dont find ourselves in the Gents together and you start calling me TACS … Phnaar phnaar
tabs@225: in addition to that, you should also consider the fact that wages are not reported in the same way by all clubs – or, to be more precise, for tax reasons some clubs try to hide wages as “image rights”. Image Rights are supposed to be used to compensate players for merchandise that the club sells with their name/face on, but since this has significant tax benefits compared to wages many clubs use this to pay the player (or manager, for that matter) more money with less tax and they are not included in the “wages” column in the financial reports. This means that any comparison between two clubs for just the wages column is pointless, becuase it is simply not the whole truth.
There is a court case against Man United amongst others where the HMRC claims that the Image Right concept has been used to escape taxes, they are demanding around Β£12m in additional taxes for wages paid to Wayne Rooney and a few others. And if they want Β£12m in taxes it is quite easy to see that the initial payments must have been pretty hefty.
zico, I know you have the keys, but I think we shall still call it the TS Cabinet of Magical Goodies in honour of the first custodian. Maybe we should have a bronze bust of True Storey in front of it?
Lars , very good points made in you first two paras and a very funny one made in your last . Have one on me .
PS not of course that i am in any way against a bronze statue of TS , A finer example of custodianship rather than ownership it’s difficult to imagine .
TABS/TATS/TAPS,
TACS? There’s more chance of zico settling his tab or Twitchy accepting an invite to the annual tax inspector’s ball π
Lars,
You are too kind. You can forgo the bust in exchange for a medicine cabinet that isn’t totally wrecked by the time or if ever the keys are handed back. BTW, I think you should place your order now with Dr z if you want delivery of anything pre K.O. tomorrow.
Great point re: the wages/image rights. Sounds like just the sort of scheme that would get instant approval within SHL.
Storey: if memory serves me, Ol’Twitchy is actually part (though not himself directly, it’s the club who paid him) of those court cases. Though I do know for a fact that Steve Bruce got in a legal fight with Wigan (or maybe it was Birmingham) over image rights after they had sacked him, and that was when I first learned of this way of paying people. I even remember thinking that there must be something fishy here – I mean, who the hell would want to buy anything with a picture of Steve Bruce on it???
zico, following Storey’s advice – could you make sure you keep a few happy-pills for me in case I need them before KO tomorrow?
Pints all round!
Lars,
Once again you are supplying good information and laughs in equal measure.
BTW, maybe the Brucey merchandising was for a Haloween special?
It must be time for a cool refreshing pint so cheers!
This bar is evolving into quite something else now.
I’ll have what everyone else is having. Whatever that is :).
TS @ 239 Ha , ha love the twitchy metaphor .
Lars @240 there’s a semi recent football book out which details the financial corruption in football , including merchandising rights . There was a whole paragraph on the ” real ” reasons as to why ‘arry left West Ham , when they were riding relatively high . Basically , ‘Arry was found with his hands in the christmas box , and the Chairman wasn’t happy that he’d employed a bigger crook than himself . All there in black and white , and needless to say , ‘Arry didn’t sue .
Name of the book escapes me for the mo , but a good read , and will post if it comes to me .
Choo choo…all aboard the happy train…
@ 208 Holic
@ 211 Goonertown
@ 210 True Story
I know any end of season critique is premature… but I suppose my big question is –
Do we accept another 6 or 7 years of 4th/3rd/2nd?
(Will Stan finally be the one to bring AW to account and demand a 1st place finish?)
I have just the concoction Ollie – dig in (hold your nose when you swallow though).
Lars – Happy Pills come not from the medicine cabinet, but the zico Happy Train’s own first aid kit. Happy Pills on the Happy Train – we have boxes by the gross.
TS – I am thinking about investing in a digital security lock for the medicine cabinet because this chain around my neck, (with key attached), is getting quite rusty – fecking thing keeps dropping into my guinness! I will calmly ignore the slur about me settling my tab btw – you and BtM are running a fruitless campaign on that particular front, as you will see in due course.
Yes, the ever evolving Holic Bar – where else could you find such a haven for football gossip, medicinal stress reliefs, tax evasion strategies and an all round laugh while having a few pints…!
Good to see spirits alive and well given recent results.
Some of you lot are certifiable π
Just a quick note to let you know I have a family dinner so the LWC’s preview will be late, and will be alcohol-affected…
Look out π
‘Holic @ #248
An alcohol induced LWCs preview? Now I’m REALLY excited π
…. BTW, nothing wrong with being a crackpot e.g. have you ever heard of a schizophreniac complaining of being alone?
Joe @ #247
Can you imagine how boring this place would be if we were still on for the quadruple? It would be football this and football that….
heh, good luck, ‘holic.
Should be fun. We’ll see if i read it tonight or tomorrow.
holic – tis a badge I wear with pride π
An alcohol induced post is unlikely to be too visible to some of my customers….sorry fellow patrons. I for one am looking forward to said post.
Hilarious read, the past few drinks π
I’ll order a few happy pills too for tomorrow, Dr z
…and do we have to submit a formal request to the barman about the relaxation room somewhere at the back of the bar?
Harsha ,
The barman hasn’t said no , so i’ll take that as a yes , and i’ve got the key to that particular den of iniquities .
4 lovely ladies on offer this week ;-
1. The first , a lanky slim english lady , likes to be up front . Prone to acts of great stupidity abroad but very docile when performing in front of a crowd .
2.A young welsh number , very fast but struggles to find a climax . Speaks fluent gibberish and likes to be paid in bananas .
3.A lovely dutch girl . Likes to do all the talking and is surprisingly dirty .Plays with both feet , but needs it laid on a plate .
4.Finally , Our piece de resistance , a more mature brazilian . Been taking lessons from her spanish neighbour up the road , and offers no defence whatsoever .
Be sure to form an orderly queue , there’s a whole state of Goonerdom that want to see these four shafted tomorrow .
Holic @ 248 Wow! π
The Wasp –
Yes if it means progress in the one way or another π
The Wasp @ #245
Fair points and very easy to answer from my perpsective:
No and possibly.
I don’t think releasing Wenger now or in the summer will necessarily solve the issues of the squad. Also, for a club as large and as successful as Arsenal, you need an identified replacement before letting a (great) manager go. I cannot think of anyone who would be a better person for the job today.
There would be less disruption and more continuity if someone is brought into understudy and be groomed for the role, under the wing of Le Boss, and then transition both into their new roles at the right time. It’s only my opinion of course. My day job is not running a football team.
News just in…
http://www.arsenal.com/news/news-archive/37871/injury-news
Fabianski is now our only player now still on the treatment table!
TABS @ #254,
You out did yourself again. Classic! Glad to see that you’re working on assumed consent but there’s no way I’m doing any of the shafting π
Dr z @ #246,
Er… apologies mate. I’d ‘forgotten’ that BtM has been winding you up on the same issue π Please try and look after the equipment. It’s only been in your charge for less than a day. Tsk….
I appear to be late on this one…
http://www.arsenal.com/news/news-archive/wilshere-wins-pfa-young-player-award
It appears here is progress from this season we can point to, amongst others so far!
Just my opinion π
TS – No worries – your active participation not required . You are merely expected to look down from on high and bellow your encouragement .
Forgot to mention one slight drawback – the Dutch girl struggles to last the hour , and likes to end things by being pulled off .
Ollie @ #242,
Yes, it’s all getting a bit out of hand isn’t it?
We need a few sensible types to strike up a proper Arsenal/footballing conversation and stop this nonsense about spudette filled pole dancing rooms (sex), medicine cabinets (drugs), and good music (rock and roll).
*looks across the bar, waits for someone to take the lead, suppresses a snigger*
TABS,
Well, I am dreaming of ‘happy endings’ at The Lane…
I’ll have a crack at the football thing.
Not wanting to pull the emergency brake on the happy train, but is anyone else concerned/unsurprised by Alan Pardew’s pre-match comments?
It doesn’t bear well for the prospects of the barcodes giving the I.O.Us a chasing tonight when their gaffer is front and centre calling Ferguson “the main man” and thanking him for all his helpful advice over the years. Just send him a valentine card Alan, no need to take your feelings public.
I hope I’m going to be pleasantly surprised, but I reckon we’re about to see the flattest Geordie performance since Jimmy Nail was last on Top of the Pops.
N7
Thanks for raising the toon, sorry tone.
I hadn’t heard those comments yet but what a sycophantic little groveller he is for doing that. Nothing would surprise me though. The barcodes should give all of their opposition as tough a time as they gave / we let them give us this season. Especially Manure.
You’re sparking the conspiracy debate with you comments.
I would offer you a beer but I’m trying hard to be sensible here.
Heh. Barcelona having trouble with UEFA: http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport2/hi/football/13126928.stm
N7 – They (British Managers) are all the same – they love nothing better than to roll over and have their tummy tickled by Whiskey Neb, it would be funny if it wasn’t so nauseating and cringeworthy at the same time.
We really can’t expect anything from them tonight, nice as it would be – its not as if the Indebted are going to go 4 goals up and then forget that they are professional footballers all of a sudden. I mean, that sort of stuff is for Roy of the Rovers comics………oh.
Would still be nice to see Barton kick a few though – Nani and the Tex Mex for starters.
TS @ 259 – “take care of the equipment” – I told you this is a tough gig – especially with the hordes of zonkers who have all found their way “to the back room”. Oh, and apology accepted.
TS
I’m 100% positive that the crowd up there will do all they can to lift the team and intimidate the mancs. I’m also sure that players like Barton will fancy a crack at the big time charlies.
No conspiracy theories from me, they do us no favours at all.
But Pardew’s comments did make me raise my eyebrows – exactly the kind of stuff we didn’t want to hear from him.
First round on me if the Toon army somehow turn them over.
Evening Holics,
Apologies for not being around lately.
Looks like the BANTER keeps getting better and better on this lovely happy train π
Who’s got the key to medicine cabinet now? I think I need a fix after today.
I agree no need to dwell on Sunday now lets get behind the lads tomorrow night it’s a very special one too and I hope they will do us proud!
Waiting for the alcohol induced preview then Holic! π
TS you are on fire my friend!
N7 ,
Pardew’s comments nauseating – sychophantic adoration masquerading as honest assessment .
I dont hold out too much hope tonight , but i’ll be at the bladon races nevertheless .
N7+TS
Just an hour and fifty until we find out
What’s all this then…
http://www.guardian.co.uk/football/2011/apr/19/arsenal-cesc-fabregas-arsene-wenger
Sometimes I’m not all together certain on his disposition.
On another note (sorry guys, I ain’t got money for the happy train admission), I was driving with the missus to our local costco and saw another local Texan with the Arsenal badge in the right corner of his rear window… then I saw the “OU” logo in the other corner of the window.
A damn Sooner fan…
First Eboue, then a damn Sooner fan…not sure how much more I can take. Can one of you toss me something strong from the medicine cabinet. I just need to go to sleep.
Lonestar – there is nothing more the British media like better than stirring the shit on behalf of the Catalans……
Btw, you don’t need to pay to board the Happy Train, you just need to believe that Arsenal are indeed the greatest team, the world has ever seen…..
What’s a sooner? Rhymes with Gooner, can’t be all bad?
Thanks, Zico.
I still do, and always will , believe…
Although Sooner rhymes with Gooner, there is not much else good about it because “OU” stands for the “University” of Oklahoma Sooners. I use the word “university” loosely. That “school” is the rival of my alma mater, The University of Texas.
Sooners are like LWCs, except they are red (another strike against ’em).
I’ll settle in a back booth in the passenger compartment on the train towards positivity.
Zico said it all @ 273 π
Heh zico! π BTW, re: the MC gig, if you don’t like the heat…
N7 @ #268, totally with you esp. re: conspiracy theories. They’re generally just that, theory with little supporting fact and a huge activity trap.
ATG, welcome back!
Right, The Barman’s out for a while so I’ll get the drinks in and I think they’ll go on Gt’s tab just for a change π
TS – I’m always happy to share the drinks with family π
Well tomorrow is the much awaited home game, now no excuses fellas you dont have any more domestic cups to play so you cant put off the inevitable. Its duubbbbbbleee time!!
All the Gooner websites are running scared.
I would like to say I am quietly confident especially after Mrs an Miss Cusop witnessed your demise at the weekend in the posh seats.
If the Holic pound is anything other than an away loss then it will be wasted
PIP PIP
Well what do ya know?
I guess the horse manure felt it was lonely at the top!
Manu Eboue must now be a relived man!
We just have to show the LWC’s what day of the week it is tomorrow!
Drink up guys there’s another round on my tab on the way! π
π π
I see Hernandez was tonightβs Lucas in his moment of desperation!
Cus’
When you ban folks from coming onto your site after the hotchickens were dumped out of the Champs league unceremoniously, you really should show more humility.
We’ll put you jokers back on the short bus tomorrow and, very shortly, after that, we’ll be able to rinse out the stench you brought up onto the European stage.
50 years…50 years.
And Man IOU shows they know how to drop points too. The happy trains still moves forward.
TS – I have mastered the art of the medicine cabinet – “one to you, one to me…..” – no more complaints. (Kiss the key goodbye π )
Now then, fantastic that the barcodes took points of the Indebted tonight – Pardew is still a cunt though.
The HT is gaining momentum again people…..
Squeaky butt time for the knighted one. Could his horse be running out of steam?
well done the Toon . The door may not be open , its not even ajar , but it sure aint locked . I’m still a Believer . Lets go to the Spuds and give that door an almighty push ,
Forgive Cusop his excitement , its natural to feel like that on the eve of your annual cup final .
I take it all back.
Thank you barcodes.
Thank you Pardew.
Come on you gooners – we’ve been given (yet) another chance. Time to show all the doubters what we’re made of.
Three points tomorrow night and it’s properly game on.
It would be absolutely beautiful to win the title after all that’s been said this week. The dream’s still distant, but it’s alive.
Lonestar goes all matrix and thinks he is agent smith LOL!
great game tomorrow could not come soon enough
Well done The Barcodes, that was f.helpful.
Now COYRRRs and let’s stuff those Lilly White C*nts right up the ar*e (ahem)!
Cus my old mucker! How we’ve missed you. After we’ve finished with your lot tomorrow night, the only double you’re likely to be doing this season is getting knocked out of the CL and failing to qualify. See you at your crumbling dump tomorrow night?
Okay Jaime blah blah blah!
Time to face the twitch machine tomorrow
Time for another twitch fest! Oh me so twitchy me love you long time!
Sorry! π
Our resident pet cock has turned up. And in a burst of irony mentions the Double.
JFK was merely a twinkle in Lee Harvey’s eye the last time you won the league you cock – mediocrity doesn’t even begin to describe your pitiful swamp like existence.
I told you we shouldn’t have given the Bouncer the night off – it stinks in ‘ere.
he he he @ the crumbling dump! π π Oh yeah!
After results like tonight am I alone at feeling unbelievably pissed off and frustrated at the ridiculous points that we have thrown away this season?
Right barman it absolutely reeks in here at the moment!
Please open the windows and get the bleach and hot water ready!
I’ll do the muppeting, I mean the mopping up myself!
Cusop. Quick question you might be able to help me with. What team has won the league the most at shite fart lane?
…which club in their whole existence has won the league less than Arsene Wenger has in the space of 5 years for Arsenal?
Game back on lol what a season
ST, the fat birds stopped gargling, cheer up! π
zico,
Actually, the banter with you and TABS today has polluted my normally innocent mind and I instantly linked Cus’ use of the word ‘double’ with something far, far smuttier but refuse to type for fear of a lifetime’s banishment to the naughty corner once our Barman returns.
I’ve opened all the windows and soaked the doormat in disinfectant as I’m expecting a number of visiting c*nts, sorry spuds, over the next 48 hours or so. For gawd’s sake lock-up the ol’ MC for a while – we are not giving fine substances away to marshmen and cock wearers.
There’s a crate of Newcy Brown behind the bar to celebrate a manure hiccup and to help get us in the mood for tomorrow night.
I wonder what a drunk ‘holic will come up with for his new blog now! π
So Cusop wants a double ? the last double the spuds managed in the north london love-in ? – 18 years ago , yes you read right , 18 years ago – and even then cos we fielded a reserve side a few days before a successful FA cup final .
In that time we’ve won 2 proper doubles , won the league unbeaten , 3 other FA cups and a european trophy . The Spuds haul in that time – 2 mickey mouse trophies – whoopee F*cking doo .
Maintaining you are anything like our equal is like maintaining that Katie Price is the intellectual equal of Stephen Hawking .
Ollie,
I’m hoping it’s time for some proper fighting talk. The away support tomorrow will be as up for it as the boys on the pitch.
Join us in the Newcy Broon. I can’t stand the sh*t normally but it tastes OK when Manure drop a couple of points on Tyneside. π
TS @297 – still firing on all cylinders i see – lol – have another Newky on me .
So, once again ManUre drop points. We are thrown about the gazillionth lifeline of the season, it is a very very weak one but nonetheless a lifeline. I have to admit to feeling pessimistic about tomorrow, but the overweight females just took a step back from the stage.
Storey@241: hmm, hadn’t thought about that possibility, but nbow that you mention it it sounds plausible. I mean, what could be more scary than having someone appear out of the dark wearing a Steve Bruce mask?
zico, could you perhaps place a box of happy-pills on my seat on the Happy Train? That would be just great!
Heh TABS!
Bunch of muppets π
OK, if you insist, I’ll have a NewK Brown too.
And goodnight.
Steve T @ 294,
Now there you go again, hurting the feeble minded with hard things like facts and such.
If ‘Hols were here, he’d tell you to place nice with the turkey-buzzards…but he ain’t here so I say give ’em hell!
Heh.
Sack Alex Ferguson…Man U have no Mental strength..not scored for 180 mins…Buy more players blah blah blah…sound familiar. Time for a big one at the lane and maybe man u to do a Rory Mclroy..
Watched the game last evening via DVR without knowing the score. Thought we wouldn’t get anything from the game but was thrilled to get the goal at 98′. With all of the injury time the recording cut-off just as Liverpool was setting-up for the free-kick and the announcer said “goals are almost never scored from a free-kick this close”….and I thought to myself, wanna bet?….I checked the final score on the internet and I just shook my head as I saw 1-1. I realize that they didn’t score from the free-kick but a penalty was the next best thing for ‘Pool. When are these guys going to learn?
Please, please, no more “we can still win the title”. It’s almost as if they keep saying it to convince themselves. Mathematically it’s true, but we go to shambles when the game is on the line. Unbelievable.
said this would happen (points dropped tonight)….
keep the faith
Barkeep’s back…