BFG Forms A Barrier On The Thames
Apr 20th, 2013 by 'holic
Finding the right words to cover that performance is an impossible task. Every journo and blogger will be called out by half of their casual readership for being too negative or bottling it. So where do I begin.
“The three points are everything and how we get them doesn’t matter at this stage of the season.”
Only half true, for me. Certainly extending the gap to our closest rivals was a must today, and tonight we can take pleasure from a five point lead over our nearest and dearest. Points are worth much more than games in hand, particularly when those extra fixtures are against Manchester City and Chelsea. What we also needed was not to lose our only true central striker for a foolish challenge.
Andre Marriner set the standard as early as twelve minutes in when Steve Sidwell arrived late, high, and out of control on Mikel Arteta. It was a clear red and at that moment eleven professionals should have known instinctively not to give the man with the whistle an opportunity to level things up.
Fast forward to a nervous closing phase and Olivier Giroud’s ill-judged challenge on Manolev. Yes, I have seen the arguments that it was harsh, that Giroud had played the ball first before his foot rolled over the top. I understand it was a debatable call, so people are debating. At the end of the day though this was a risky challenge that didn’t need to be made in that area of the pitch. Giroud did catch the Fulham lad on the follow through, and I’m pretty sure most referees would have accepted the same invitation to appease the locals.
It was I’m sure no more than misplaced eagerness from the big man, but of all the positions for us to lose a player for three matches, that was probably the worst. We have nobody else who can do the job that Giroud does, and so we will have to adjust our shape for some vital matches ahead. Theo Walcott into the middle would make some sense if he were playing the way he was before he got his new deal. That would create an opportunity for Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain on the right. Lukas Podolski up top is the other option we have tried rarely this season, but his experience might just swing it his way.
For all of the frustration at the late card and our inability to convert superior possession (62% according to the BBC) into control of the match, there were some real plus points. One would most definitely be the clean sheet, for few would doubt Fulham looked the more dangerous when attacking, ten men or not. Wojciech Szczesny may have had Sian Massey to thank for an offside flag when he parried a free-kick straight into the path of Manolev. He also produced some fine saves and none better than when our old friend Berbatov was put clear in the twentieth minute.
In front of him Per Mertesacker was outstanding. He may have secured the points when applying the finishing touch to Laurent Koscielny’s goal-bound header as the opening half limped to a finish, but his defensive qualities were to the fore as we escaped a tricky away game with those all important points. There is no doubt in my mind that he was the man of the match by some distance.
For all that we can see that one or two key players are not currently at their best we must also acknowledge a run of six unbeaten Premiership encounters that have yielded sixteen out of a possible eighteen points. We are the form team in the battle for those top four places even if the last two games have shown we are having problems opening up well drilled and combative defences. With Manchester United up next that is something we will be working on at Shenley this week.
For now I think I will just have a quiet tipple and thank our lucky stars. Lady Luck appears to have taken a bit of a shine to us.
691 Responses to “BFG Forms A Barrier On The Thames”
Aw Holic you chopped off my riposte!
Tiime for a retrospective punt of the ‘holic pound on Mertesacker scoring first????
Hello there – maiden first comment!
Top 3 – that’s where we gonna be at the end of the season.
COYG
Damn! – 4th then
Is it just me or was Cazorla really rather rancid today? He and Arteta were giving the ball away like its goin out of fashion. You expect that from Walcott but not from our Spaniards
Monreal too Ody, although he made some vital tackles to be fair. He just couldn’t pass wind today π
Not seen any of the game. Sounds as if we huffed and puffed a bit but got the all important 3 points. Letβs hope the Spuds play a half fit bale, lose and end up with him out for the rest of the season.
On a massively positive note I am just about to start the first bbq of the year. I have some, tandoori chicken, jerk chicken, some pork and some homemade burgers awaiting my attention. All to be washed down with a barrel of Adnams that I have, with my name all over it.
Enjoy holics.
Steve T. Enjoy the grilling. It sounds a good deal more enjoyable than the grilling Harry Redknapp is getting these days from the press corps. π
Nice and straight-to-the-point review. Didn’t watch but from news all over, the team is now playing with the vigour & zeal required to achieve things. F**k fancy football when the points are at stake.
ReDs all the way.
Bring on the ManUre.
aD
Vince – couldn’t agree more with your sentiments.
In fact youβre so right Iβm getting out my best headed paper and fountain pen to write to Peter Hill-Wood, informing him that Wenger, a manager with many yearsβ experience coaching at the top level of pro football, ought to be sacked forthwith and replaced by a keyboard warrior who probably stacks shelves for a living but has played Championship Manager A LOT.
Iβve also ordered a case of Dom β59 in preparation for the treble weβre guaranteed to win in 2014 under your expert tutelage.
Steve T – my mouth is watering!!
On the way over. Whats the address again????
Holics. You are all more than welcome.
14 months too late but Arry finally going down. And without Bale????
Richard defending Vince? You guys must have a real special relationship. That’s sweet.
A real George Graham experience today. Centre half nods in a goal from a set piece and we defend doggedly for a 1-0. Vintage stuff!
Bring on the Mancs first the Blues to stuff the Spuds then the Reds to see our gloroius return to form!
spot on, holic. and the lady was definitely with us…she’d had three blushes, which seem to have spared ours…
lol, ‘holic. i was wondering if I might beat relegation due to post deletion, hit refresh and you became my uncle bob.
cent’berry from the last drinks, hilarious link, and spot on. I really hope we appeal the red, I’d much rather have HFB in the team than not.
Nice review ‘holic. Your ability to write balanced posts like this on days like this is one of the major reasons we all frequent this bar.
http://t.co/MMdxvcM7XV have a read people.
Scruz, cheers mate.
ben with a small ‘b’, I’ve got just one thing to say to you:
Stop – Grammar time!
ben, it’s ‘your’ not “you’re”.
Not sure that Kos’s header was goal bound, ‘Holic. Goal-bound intended, may be, but I suspect if left unattended by the BfG it would have ended up bouncing harmlessly wide of the far post. (If cricket broadcasts can show the projected path of a ball, why don’t football ones, btw?)
Good gub, one goal is never never enough and i was nervous for a bit there. Shame about Geroud but maybe a change will give the oposition something else to think about. Gernivho?
GW@25: Podolski would give opposing CBs a more physical challenge than Gervais would pose. Plus I don’t see the Flipper being half the defender that Giroud is. That is an oft-overlooked but important part of the Frenchman’s value to the side.
What’s happened with the recent post numbers slipping one?
What to say about today’s match…hmmm, well I’ve seen us play much better and drop points so I can’t complain. Thought the red on Giround was perhaps a bit harsh given that he touched the ball first but I’m no expert for sure (either are the refs from what I’ve seen). I realize he went over the ball and caught the man on the ankle. You have to say he should have know better given the standard that was set by Sidwell’s red. Why he went in standing up I’ll never know, just slide and poke it away or pull out of the challenge.
So for the next three games do we have to change tactics given we don’t have another striker that can head the ball in the net? If we cross the ball 15 times in the next three games without a genuine threat upfront I will go bonkers. Worried that we might attempt to be even more tippy-tap now centrally around the goal.
We need to take a few more shots from outside the box, you just never know what could happen. Hopefully the boys will be ready for Manure. I’m not worried about the Spuds, if we do our bit everything will fall into place. Cheers.
Poldi will fill in for OG just fine.
A shame about OG but as stated above, he shulda been smarter.
Gimme a fit poldi any day of the week … and twice next sunday!
Ha.
Three points. Nervy. I thought fulham deserved something after a heroic effort. But as said above – we’ve played better and gotten nothing. So, meh. The football gods are fickle indeed!
I’m with you Holic – a stupid and un-necessary challenge.
Only saw the game from about 38 minutes in – and the goal apart, witnessed a lot of keeping-posession-but-going-nowhere-football.
Still, 3 points, clean sheet – one nil to the Arsenal.
I would have bitten your hand off for that at 3pm.
I was at the Cottage and really squirmed throughout the second half in which we were lackadaisical,disorganised and very uninspiring. It was certainly due to BFG and Koscielny we survived. Nobody else played remotely well but Ramsey worked his socks off and Arteta completed 92% of his passes without once playing one with any threat whatsoever.
The two biggest culprits were Giroud and Walcott who were awful. Their movement was non- existent and when Giroud got free late in the first half it brought to mind Tommy Docherty’s remark to Leighton James ‘ son,your speed is deceptive,you’re much slower than you look’. I don’t think I realised quite how slow he was until that moment. I really don’t think we should appeal his red card unless they might increase the suspension because it is frivolous. All the Gooners around me felt it was a good excuse to give Podolski a run there. I have been critical of Giroud for some weeks on here and frankly I don’t retract it. We will never become as successful as we want to be with a donkey like him leading the attack. Yes he has got a reasonable number of goals but he brought to mind John Hawley today.Nuff said?
But huge plaudits to Mertesacker. He is a proper defender and held us together. Plaudits also too to Sian Massey who got a tight call absolutely right. She is as good as any linesman ( forgive the old expression) in the League.
‘Yes he has got a reasonable amount of goals…’
Isn’t that a big part of his job? Donkeys don’t usually get a reasonable amount of goals!
“We played with the handbrake on and tried to keep the lead without taking risks”
Anybody else heartily sick of hearing that? It’s up to him to make sure we give 100% in every game and if we’ve got players who frequently don’t do that, get them out.
I know we won today but that handbrake attitude is why we’re nowhere near winning anything. Top four or not, changes required. And big ones, in attitude at the very least.
I’d argue Man Utd employ that handbrake strategy a fair bit and have proven themselves very adept at doing so – the problem isn’t the strategy, it’s how good you are at employing it.
Ned 26, ‘holic is fumigating the bar.
Gedo, you’re right, Giroud’s tackle was at most a yellow and never a red but I think him sliding would have made the tackle worse than it was.
Homer, Poldi obviously has issues with his ankle, didn’t you notice how he pulled out of 50/50 tackles and as a result didn’t win almost all(if not all) of his attempted tackles today?
Ttg, Charlie knows!
And Charlie knows again @33!
https://twitter.com/crazy_gooner/status/325699382609592320
Heh. Spot on.
Got to say, there are some players emerging in this squad who I absolutely fucking love, world class or not. The BFG, Kos, Ramsey, Jack, Jenks, etc. Players with a bit of grit who get what it’s all about.
We have a bit of steel about us now. Looking forward to watching the boss add some extra quality to the mix over the summer.
Great report holic. Still not seen any of the game but I am already agreeing a lot with Zico@29.
Enjoyed your calming words Holic after such a match. Balanced as always. Cheers.
N7, heh, he also has the same as Adebayor and two more than Nasri.
Charlie
Tony Hateley, Peter Crouch, John Hawley, Ray Hankin, Lee Chapman, Andy Carroll and so on got ( or get ) loads of goals but they aren’t good enough to spearhead a team like Arsenal who need mobility as a prerequisite in a central striker. Giroud to his credit produces some great flicks and lay offs but he is too slow and not clinical enough.
Ttg: donkey?
Ha! Thats an excellent joke, well done!
OG divides opinion. Obviously.
Its his first season in the epl for petes sake. So TH14 starged off clinically and never missed eh?
And the dutch skunk – he was dead on right from yhe start. Oh … Thats right; no he wasnt.
Seemingly though, differnet rules apply now to OG?
Ha.
I have a lot of time for OG. I think he could very well be a 25 goal a season striker and give us all the other stuff he currently does (assists, defensive work, etc).
Overseas strikers generally take a season to settle in this league. I’m looking forward to seeing what OG can bring next term
He cannot, however, be our only viable option up front. Either Poldi wants a run of games there once fit or we need to buy.
Ttg did you could you tell from Drogba’s first season in the Epl that we would one day be happy he’s leaving the Chavs? He moved to Chelsea at the same age OG came to us, from the same league, OG’s stats are better than Drogba’s at the same stage in his career. I know stats ain’t all that but that’s worth giving the guy more time, surely?
Below average performance, but still the desired result. For a whole period of the second half we were under the kosh, ten men had us with our backs against the wall, we looked happy just to hoof it forward a few times, it was unreal.
Santi is wasted on the wing, play him through the middle and let another play out of position. No disrespect meant to TR7 or Jack, but neither of them are 100% fit at the moment and it’s stiffling our creativity.
Another gripe is that we don’t shoot enough, we’re always looking for that next pass, I’m not saying shoot on sight, but we don’t have to pass the ball into the net either.
OG’s tackle was silly, but it didn’t look like a red card, unlike Sidwells challenge, to me, but I’ll have to see it again to be sure.
When all’s said and done, we got the three points, so job done, but man o man, we made hard work of it and it wasn’t pretty.
TTG, I wouldn’t put OG in the same boat with Lee Chapman, That’s real harsh.
N7, nice post. I believe we all, including Arsene, agree OG is can’t be our only viable option upfront, and I think the only reason Arsene is not playing Poldi there yet is because of his injured ankle.
Missed the match today, as the wife heads the committee to beautify the downtown area, and all hands, including me, were on deck. I tried to argue that the best way for me to help beautify was to keep my ugly mug in front of the telly, but that did not sway She Who Must Be Obeyed. Will have to settle for watching replay on Tuesday.
From what I’ve read, the side suffered as much from fatigue as from handbrake application. Let’s not overlook the aftereffects of the Everton slugfest, as accounts of their loss today indicated that they were well off the pace.
Excuse my typos and tautologies, I’ve had a little too much of the good liquid.
Arse end of the season. Great day out, with great company. Couldn’t give the tiniest bit of a fuck if it wasn’t brilliant.
Three points. That is all. MOTD wankers… bring it on.
just a really poor performance when we played 75% of the game with a man advantage.
the OG challenge wasn’t near a red card for me. steve sidwell’s was, but this is a league where http://www.dailymail.co.uk/sport/football/article-2294816/Callum-McManaman-horror-tackle-Massadio-Haidara.html goes unpunished. i think the card should be appealed though. honestly, i don’t know who to put up front if we don’t have the big frenchman.
i’m willing to give OG another season, but he doesn’t look like he’s good enough to start at this club right now.
i agree that santi on the wing is a waste. i think we did start to look more dangerous as soon as jack came on, but plenty of errant frantic passing quickly negated jack’s forward impetus.
what i find confusing is that walcott gets the start in this one when i thought gervinho would have been a much better option, considering the opponent.
for me, ramsey was absolutely dreadful today though there weren’t too many that covered themselves in glory. 5 fouls out of 9 (3 in a span of about as many minutes), a yellow card picked up for a foul in a very dangerous spot when we were barely holding on, simply awful forward passing, 3 seriously woeful shots, and a completely wasted counterattack when he couldn’t even get the shot on target.
Yep.
Were terrible. Venga out!
Im an arsenal fan! My Prescious!!
Hello lads. Now Holic, I counted FIVE saves by Woj. Bonafied saves. This is why Woj is MOTM for me. However, I’m more than happy to have the BFG share this most prestigious honor π Now as for OG, he needs a rest, and now he’s got one. Is it just me who thinks Gibbs creates more chances than Nacho. Please feedback on that, fellas π And Holic, I agree with Gedo, we need to start shooting from outside the box! Arteta, Poldi and OX very capable π
8ball@9 (I hope. 6:52 should be reliable!): ‘arry’s getting a grilling from the press? Really! About bloody time. I haven’t seen any though, can you provide links please, I need some light amusement.
Yet another quick question: Which would you rather see from now to the end of the season? Wonderful football leading to a big win, two entertaining draws, an unlucky defeat and fifth place or four turgid performances where we are always on the point of being overrun but finish ahead (to the amazement of ‘the pundits’ who appear not to understand that if you score more goals than the opposition you will tend to win a lot of matches) and third position in the table?
Note that beautiful football and third place isn’t one of the options on offer above.
I KNOW which one I’d prefer; I don’t have to think about it. (Yes, I do remember the “George Graham years”.)
Agreed that beautiful football and a high league position should be an option, and indeed was an option a few years ago. Please let’s leave discussion of why it isn’t until after the end of the season. Even better would be to pass the summer discussing how to ensure that it becomes an option again next season and for several seasons after that.
COYG
Abb.
yes. Yes. And … Yes.
His work rate is good, he’s not the finished article yet by any means. Only 26, he’s got a lot of goals and it’s his first season. He’s also largely playing on his todd up front, despite the 4-3-3. It’s no coincidence for me that his best spell came when Walcott was giving him ammo and supporting him a lot more. This is not to blast Theo at all, although he’s been poor recently, but Giroud needs more support.
And I know he missed a couple of sitters in midweek but all strikers do.
If this is him not quite clicking, imagine how good he will be when he peaks. I think if he could just find a touch of aggression, controlled properly, he will be great. But is it in him?
OK, my tuppence worth…
It was three points. And three potentially incredibly important points. We played like shit for most part, but we won.
The red on Sidwell was unquestionable, but the red on Giroud was ridiculous. It was one foot, he got the ball and was not out of control like Sidwell was. Now, like others have said I’m not sure it is necessarily a negative for us because Giroud has looked absolutely knackered from the WBA game and on.
We all (well, most of us at least) said before last Saturday that seven points from these three games would be an OK result and that is what we got. It would of course have been better with nine points (no shit, Sherlock?) but seven puts us in a relatively decent situation. We will have to hope for some help from Man City and Liverpool tomorrow.
Right, I dont think I had too much more of interest to say, really π
Boy, I’m running out of fingers to count the names. Speaking of fingers, have two on me, multi-name boy.
Lars – dangerous precedent. If we all shut up just because we had nothing of interest to say there’d be an awful lot of silence in the bar.
“Adam Johnson with two team mates inside him”
It’s after the watershed but really…
Haha, good point, Oxon!
Abb, it’s not just you, Gibbs does craete more.
57, it’s in him.
Kevin, Gibbs loses the ball more because he takes more risks than Monreal and creates more than him too, Monreal doesn’t give us width, keeps it simple, doesn’t run at the opponent rarely crosses and almost always passes the ball in-field everytime he gets it.
Ps. I’m not trying to knock Monreal, he’s a very good defender, I’ justt pointing out the diffrence between him and Gibbs.
Homer π Cent, thank you so much. Still learning fellas, from YOU. So don’t be shy, it’s all good for someone like me π
Another perspective about Giroud: if say instead of us he joined Newcastle — a lot of good French players in that team — and had the kind of return he had in his first season (17 goals, 8 assists and most of them are very skillful lay-offs) as well as the really underrated defensive and physical dimensions (he is regularly tasked with dropping deep, wining the challenges , lay it off to Santi et al. and then sprint into the box) he brings to the team us majority of Arsenal fans would go bonkers about why Arsene didn’t bring him saying “he is exactly the kind of player we need” .
He remains exactly the kind of player we need to thrive and flourish in this league, to strengthen and complement the intricate build-up play. The problem is we also need the other type of forward, highly mobile and very accurate, to play with him or in place of him. Both Theo and Gerv — Theo more prominently — had briefly threatened to become that player but whereas I have not given up on Theo yet, but his lack of guile and trickery show no signs of improvements for him to become that player. A fit Poldi would have obviously been the best choice, but equally obviously he is far from fit. If the rumors are believed to be true, a summer surgery is waiting.
The best attacking football we have played in this season is with Santi-Theo-Poldi-Giroud playing in triangles and opening up spaces at will, where passing intricacy was supplemented by fast and accurate movements with and off the ball. When teams drop deep and Santi is almost double-marked we need to rely on direct runs at defenders and sudden change of tempo to open up space: TR7, OX and Gerv have these qualities to varying degree. I think both TR7 and Ox — more than Gerv because of his penalty area loss-of-confidence — remain key for the run-in, especially Santi showing signs of tiredness and Theo out of form and a bit of confidence.
Poor performance?? We compliment Manu for playing shit and still getting results β but we slate ourselves when we do exactly the same.
Itβs the business end of the season and we have CL spot to compete for. 3 points is what its all about and I donβt give a fiddlers how we get them.
The big lesson we’ve learned over the past 12-14 games has been the importance of getting the defence someway right. A good defence provides a basis not only to win matches, but also to get consistency. The reason we find ourselves in such a good position to claim that CL space – is all down the defence and little to do with the attack!
On the Giroud front, I can understand the point made by Ttg and indeed by others on here. Sure heβs not the quickest, nor is he technically good and his movement is poor at times. But he works so so hard and he has scored goals (17). I like the idea of having 5-6 players who all contribute, rather than one egotistical, self centred, disrespectful, prick who thinks heβs carrying the team on his back. I also think, for example, that there are better DCMs than Ramsey will ever be β but the boy has got grit, and weβve been in short supply of that too in recent years.
I really think Wenger is building a very very good squad. A squad that will not just compete β but one that will win too. There are better players than both Ramsey & Giroud out there, but not necessarily ones that work as hard or as committed. Giroud turned down Chelsea, Ramsey turned down United β they both couldβve earned much more money β that means they believe! Theyβre up there with Arteta for me β busting a gut to put the team first.
Thought it was fair enough to give Giroud a red, we’d have been spewing if it had been Berbatov on Mert. Three match ban isn’t it?
as bad as Theo was, he had the pre-assist on the goal π
Anyone else notice that Bassong (Norwich) had a shirt on with no name or number on the back?
H2H, I saw that on MOTD. He also seemed to have cotton up his nose, so presumably his original shirt had got blood on it. A player is allowed to change into a numberless shirt in those circumstances.
Cent’berry
Please don’t compare OG to a world class striker who he will never remotely emulate. Drogba had pace,power and Charima. OG is a clever build up player,good in the air but pretty one footed
H2H-you’re probably right the Lee chapman comparison might be going too far! But as you can tell the lad has not convinced me!
By the way what a little useless shit Alan Shearer is
Good deducing there Lars.
Now I’ve seen OG’s tackle again, I’m still not convinced that’s a red, I think that the ref did it because he’d already given a red to the opposition.
Alan Shearer doesn’t think we’ll make the top four………
BRILIANT!!! π
“We have nobody else that can do the job that Giroud does” –
to borrow a line from the review Holic.
And there is the problem that was identified by just about everyone at the beginning of the season.
The non-appearance of Podolski in a central role has been a surprise. What hasn’t, is that Chamakh, Park and Arshavin have produced nothing all season, and are now either out on loan or preferring to enjoy the capital’s night spots.
That is why we have no striking options and Olivier Giroud, in his maiden Premier League season, is completely cream crackered.
Add to that list the other well known names that the manager will only allow on the pitch in absolute emergencies, and we have the reason for a performance today that even Arsenal Player criticised as lacking pace, movement and players failing to take responsibility.
The players who are trusted by the manager have played practically every game and are now looking tired, which is why, especially away from home, we are having to ride out twenty minute onslaughts at the end of every game.
It is, at this stage of the season, as everyone knows, all about the three points.
We are getting them, thank god, despite some performances that are pretty poor, thanks to fatigue rather than any lack of effort or desire.
Seven clear days will now, hopefully, allow some energy to be regenerated in all those tired legs and minds before Dutch bloke and his new hug buddies arrive at the Emirates next Sunday.
We then have to spend the summer spending sensible amounts of money to furnish ourselves with a squad that contains players of sufficient quality that they can take a turn on the pitch now and then, so that we can hopefully avoid this sort of scramble again at the end of next season.
Very good quality would be an improvement, not necessarily the super super quality that we can normally neither find nor afford.
Still, it’s up to third tonight. We are catchable but we’d all rather have the points than the games in hand.
Here’s to a couple of injury inducing tonkings for the Spuds and the Chavs tomorrow, and may Dutch bloke’s chocolate leg melt in our balmy Spring weather sometime before next Sunday.
What I noticed on MoTD was Gibson playing ‘after you Claude’ with Sessegnon, in sharp contrast to the kicking and body checking he was handing out to Theo on Tuesday.
They generally seemed to lack a certain ‘determination’ today that they were only to eager to demonstrate on Tuesday.
Maybe, N7 is right, and they were as knackered as we were.
They, like us, have a very good first team and not so much backup.
Shearer is a boring, ignorant, smug, hypocritical little shit.
The perfect partner, in fact, for Hansen.
Trev
Very much agree,I think you have put your finger on some very important issues about the amount of untrusted deadwood in the squad. I do not rate Bendtner and he has behaved like a prize prat in recent years but he is probably the same sort of quality as OG and would have given us another option upfront.
Given the number of games we have played our workload has not been excessive but we have not been able to rotate adequately for the reasons you eloquently describe. The key question is whether we really do try to add super quality or Arsene’s parsimony will rear its ugly head when push comes to shove in the summer
Trev, the difference for Everton today was also that the ref stamped his authority on the game straight away. If we had that ref, or the ref we had today, the midweek Everton game may have been a very different story.
All conjecture of course. π
===
Shearer’s an empty designer shirt.
Fact. π
is Helen Keller.
……on crack.
Awwww, Guv’nor, you’ve deleted him. Mine@58 now makes no sense at all (if it ever did :-)).
You might as well delete it too.
And this one!
Trev, Joe and Dr Faustus, found myself nodding my head in agreement with your observations. Good job fellas! Now ttg, first you try to pawn off Gervinho π and now you compare Bendtner with OG! Giroud much better than him, I mean where do I start on that one π Like most here, I just feel OG needs a much deserved rest (not 3 games though !).
Trev, TTG: I refer you to mine@54(?, posted at 11:00pm) above. Last paragraph, second sentence. Pretty please?
Personally, I’m not particularly bothered about the injuries or the tonkings tomorrow – it’s ALL about the points – but I’ll raise a glass to a melted chocolate leg.
Night all
COYG
Trev. Add to that list Bendtner, Campbell and Wellington. All forwards on the payroll but nowhere near good enough to step up to play a part.
Still, I’m with Snowy. It’s a good 3 points. Rest those weary limbs and hope for a scouse Citeh double tomorrow.
Oxon, re your @54.
Are you reading my (our) eg @72.
I think everyone is saying the three points are the most important thing, by far, and I think you know they are too.
We are simply commenting on the possible reasons for what even you must think are disappointing performances, as the Guvnor is suggesting at the beginning of the review.
I don’t think ttg or myself are moaning or criticising the players who are playing.
If you don’t like the discussion on the state of the squad, then I would respectfully suggest you don’t join in, rather than telling us not to have it.
Dr F.@64: not much to disagree with there. Plus don’t forget OG’s defensive work.
Steve T,
Indeed, but I was limiting my comment to the players who are actually here and taking up limited squad places.
Was very scared of this game.
Got it out of the way.
Third is ours.
I’m happy.
nite Oxon and hello Steve. Meh, I’m wired. Watching Stoke v Everton. Sure hate the 5 hour time difference. But rest assured, your drinks will not go to waste! So c’mon holics, talk!
Abb, you ARE wired.
Everton were playing Sunderland – if that’s today’s game you’re watching !! π
Snir is happy.
Oxon is grumpy.
Only five more to find. π
Heh Trev, well that’s what I meant to say π
But unfortunately Stoke are gonna stay up π
In a recent survey 6 out of 7 dwarves said they weren’t happy. π
I must say Trev that the more I think about it the more it baffles me. Especially when you look at those that have departed in the last few years.
We look tired at the moment. I will be a lot happier if results go our way tomorrow. Snir, I wish I had your confidence. I really do not want to have to go to the geordies needing a result.
Evening Abb. All good in your world I trust???
Yes Steve, pretty good. Arsenal makes me proud and happy. Just love em!
Melted chocolate leg please, barman. If that goes down easy I’ll try the melted vanilla leg next.
Duncan: Ok.
Some nice stats. Kos won 100% of his aerial challenges (7?). Ramsey had 129 passes, 88% were accurate and 52% went forward. Sadly, Theo’s pass completion rate was only 23%.Not sure what is holding him back. He must find a way to impose himself more, like OG and Gervinho do, both ends of the pitch.
It’s times like these I’m grateful for being asleep when the game is live (at 3.am our time), and can record to watch it when I wake. This meant that 15 minutes into the second half, when I could stand it no more, I fast forwarded through to the end of the game with eyes glued to the score. We won! Then I could watch the game without a care in the world. π
Lucky Arsenal, as they say. Except losing OG for three games. Yellow card at best that one, if Marriner hadn’t been looking to balance Sidwell. Poldi up front is the obvious replacement, and ABOUT TIME TOO, imo. What he has done to be a permanent bench-warmer has me beat. How Santi can be so anonymous week after week and yet still start every game is equally mysterious. Yes, he played some stormers early in the season, but that was ages ago. It’s not just because he’s playing out of position either, he’s looking as you would expect from a player new to the EPL at the end of the season … tired and inconsistent.
Possibly the best news of the day was Everton being beaten, which puts them out of contention. Although being beaten by Sunderland does put our home draw against them in an uncomfortable perspective.
Whatever happens next week – and that includes winning against a Manure unlikely to be at their most dangerous – we have QPR, Wigan and Newcastle to wind up the season. None of them will have anything to play for, so we could hardly ask for an easier run-in.
Thanks Duncan (#96), I needed a laugh after today’s tensions. You don’t understand much about football, in particular how to build a team, do you! Yep, we could sell all those players and buy Bale and Falcao … and who else with the remaining zero pounds?
Oskar
A word of support for OG. I’m sorry to lose him for three games. While I want Poldi in the side it would be for Santi not OG whose major problem is lack of service. The number of times crosses from the wing (when someone even bothers to attempt them) fail to get past the first defender is criminal. And getting it to his feet through two walls of defenders is like picking the lock of Fort Knox. We’d also miss his invaluable defending.
Oskar
as usual , squire
you saw the same game i did
well played
Oskar, # of crosses from the wings, yes we have fallen short with that of late. More frustrating is that when someone does put a beauty across, no one is there to anticipate it. #Broken record π
Abb knows
Hi Impec ! Hope all well w you. Fox Sports talking up our defensive record. Very good indeed π
the 101 is a peach to be attained – particularly in the middle of the buggerin’ night i’ve had
any buggerin bollix can knock in on the ton
ton plus one
yup
takes a footsmith to curvalicious one in for da ladies
π
typing shite even though it’s a pain in the wazoo is good for the soul
not good for me creepers soles though
.
i am feeling the early stages of countrification
.
was gonna bring me records here cos i’m gonna be here for a while
but
transport is a problem
so
as well as a well thought out purchase plan in the cheaper of the two supermarkets – that rhyme with piddle –
i now have people queuing up to come here to offer transport and commune with nature
or indeeed meet a man who can spell queuing
.
anyhoo
bla de bla
.
* kicks herself to start beatboxing*
.
i’m the worst half baked be-freckled pharoahe monch
etc
an stuff
mutha etcs
and such
yeah
Cazorla’s our torchbearer, no player in the current set up can take their game to the opposition like Cazorla, he’s different gravy. It’s the imbeciles fault he has to play with dross every game.
We could buy GΓΆtze, Draxler, Jovetic and Suarez for FREE, duncan? That’s after we’ve spent the entire Β£120m you quoted on Bale (Spuds say they’ll accept Β£65m for him) and Falcao (around Β£55m). And which of them would play in goal, because you’ve already sold all the keepers in the club remember!
Such a clown. π
Oskar
Cazorla has done bugga all in recent weeks, he needs a rest or a wake-up call.
Oskar
evening duncan and oskar
grrrrrrrrrrrrrrrr
*tramadols self*
how are you ?
Better than you I suspect, cba! π
Oskar
well
you see
i’m fine and dandy
i have to keep dandy in a cage out the back
but
part from that
i’m fine
.
how you oskar ?
*ggggrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrssssss again*
*suspects trev may have been right*
*haven’t checked on the health of the bitey beast*
*cares not a jot*
*gggggrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrr*
*reconsiders*
.
*brings dead postman back and lays him at ‘holic’s back doorstep*
I don’t have an obsession with Bale and Falcao, duncan, they were examples of what star players can cost these days. But I do believe we should have a proper keeper, which your selections do not allow for.
You seem to think that to replace practically our entire squad with a handful of stars would somehow make Arsenal a better team. Which is why I questioned your understanding of how a team is constructed. You think starting afresh with Β£120m would solve all our problems. If that were true Man City, who have spent many times that amount in recent years, would be unbeatable … yet they cannot get out of the group stages in the CL and are not even the best team in Manchester. They are a team of champions, NOT a champion team.
You are partly right in that money needs to be spent, but an idiot, apparently, in deciding how much and where.
Oskar
*goes out to bother sheep*
Players are worth what clubs will pay for them, duncan, and I have no doubt Real or Man C would pay such ridiculous prices if they really wanted those players. I would love to see Bale and Falcao at the Emirates, but I wouldn’t want AW to spend that sort of money on anyone.
Oskar
Make sure you can tell the ewes from the rams, cba! π
Oskar
120 oskar
that says more about you than me
keep flying that flag, peaches !
π
Oskar — I think Poldi’s very limited appearance can only be explained by the fact that he is still carrying the ankle injury. And as Cent had earlier pointed out the way today he was avoiding challenges it is obvious.
TTG, I found your dismissal of Cent’s very relevant comparison of Giroud with Drogba revisionist. In his first two seasons Drogba scored 16 goals each. And playing for a title-winning side with a plethora of excellent talents to share the burden. If you unearth the media comments after the first season you would find not many was that enthusiastic and he didn’t look that technically accomplished. Powerful but not the unplayable ruthless striker that he eventually became.
Giroud’s first touch is actually excellent, especially for a big man, look at his assists for the examples. His off the ball movement is very good too. And given a little bit of time and space (the lack of which is a main gap between Ligue 1 and PL) the finishing is accomplished as well. His close-controll in very tight space and his pace with the ball are the technical limitations that he needs to improve because that is what manifests into the missed opportunities. And both of these can be improved. Equally importantly our crosses and corners have been just awful — the worst part of current Arsenal side’s game — all throughout the season and hence Giroud could not use one of his key strengths as much as was expected. His tally would already have crossed the twenty mark if the quality of our crosses and corners were say that of Everton’s.
We need someone else — may be a fully fit Poldi — to complement the attributes and strengths of Giroud, and in our best attacking performances they played excellently together. But don’t write this player off. We have been trying to build/buy/invent someone like him for a long time — years of patience of Bendtner — and as Arsene said the next season will tell us more about him.
Ffs, duncan, you started this with your #96, the biggest piece of nonsense I can remember seeing in these drink sessions … get rid of 9 of the present first XI plus all the keepers and every player out on loan … and replace them with 6 star buys. And you’re still defending it???
When you’re in a hole…
Oskar
Fair enough, Dr F, but Poldi was fit enough to thrash in the third against Norwich,and if he’s not fit why is he on the bench every week? He must be worth trying from the start at this critical time of the season, and if he breaks down, well … only four games left and the off season to fully recover.
I’m dying to see Poldi and OG working together for a whole game.
Oskar
Oi Oi – someone’s had a big champ manager session last night.
Morning.
According to The Times, Usmanov is now the richest bloke in the UK. He is now worth 13.3 billion.
Ridiculous amount of money. I mean, how can you survive on that??????
Last Sunday, I woke up at about 5 in the morning and couldn’t fall asleep again. This morning I woke up at 7 despite going to bed at 2.30. And not a hint of a *boilk* either morning despite being out drinking the night before. Not that I am really complaining, but WTF??? π
Still feeling pleased with the three points. I had a look at the league table last night and as an illustration of how much things can change because of the result in one single game, I noted that if we had beaten Man City at home instead of losing to them we would actually have been sitting in second place right now – albeit with two games in hand, but still – and as a counter-example we would, had we lost to Sp*rs at home instead of hammering them, have been one point behind both Chelsea and Tottenham with tho games more played, i.e. we would have been pretty much out of the running for a top four spot. Not that either of those games were, in the end, in any real danger of finishing any other way than they did but they were both heavily influenced by early red cards for the losing team.
And of course, like everybody else I really, really hope that we can get some help from Man City and Liverpool today. I must say though that Man City didn’t seem to impress at all v Wigan last weekend from what I’ve seen and heard from that game and Spurs are getting their player back so we’ll have to hope that he’s not quite back on form yet.
Right, breakfast time…
Morning Steve and holics,surely they should let him come on board two heads is better than one especially one as rich as him.personally i don’t care where his money came from if he can make us be the best we can.if he came on board and invested in the squad we get back to winning ways I would be delighted.on giroud I’ve thought since day one he lacked half a yard of pace which makes it even more frustrating not playing to his strengths,not knocking him as I think he’s being very good for his first season.
A reminder gents. Please stop feeding the troll and quoting post numbers.
As Mrs Blogs once said don’t get in a fight with a pig. You will both get dirty and only the pig will enjoy it.
Thank you.
@Holic re Pigs – π π
cba –
Great stuff. I am instantly transported to a paralell universe reading your posts.
Bothering the sheep now ?
At least they don’t bite back as hard as the dogs. π
Good stuff by Arseblog today.
And having seen the Giroud red card again, I would be surprised if we didn’t appeal it. That should never have been a red, it’s a yellow and nothing more. One foot, what little force there was in it was directed downwards and it was not in any way out of control – that is simply not a red according the laws of the game. It is quite comparable to the Kompany red at the Emirates in my eyes, and that one was rescinded. But then again, Kompany is of course one of the star names that the FA wants to keep on the pitch at all costs and Giroud isn’t.
nope trev
no
am currently sat in my drawers
there’s one staircase down and one up
i am in need of the going up half of it
but
there are stirrings up above
on the stairs
not in me
as in an amateurish pycho-self-diagnosis way
nope
there are several guests here
three of whom are ladies
well to be honest two of them are
one’s a lolatrampooza of the highest regard
but neither me or thee three need to encounter me sat at the computer in me undergarments
not that i’m not a vision in same
it’s just my left leg still looks like a poorly maintained butcher’s shop
mmmmmmmmm
meat
*goes to fry sausages sans pantaloons*
π
Massive π @cba!
Cba – Fucking hilarious! π π
two pork and sweet chilli
two pork and leek
normally i wouldn’t thank you for a leek
π
but these were most delicious
.
i can’t recommend sausages highly enough
there was a gravy boat with half of last night’s chicken gravy still in it
but
i – in me drawers – had steely resolve and maintained the dignity for which i’m renowned and strode past it
(for strode read limpy staggered)
anyhoo
morning all
have a very merry sunday
Afternoon All,
Great report ‘H. You managed to steer your account straight through the middle of the two extremes that you identified. Well played Sir!
Another almighty “phew”. Three points in our bin, (thank you very much, very grateful), but a dire performance that at times bordered on the negligent. This wasn’t football with the handbrake on, it was football with your wheels clamped and a great big obnoxious Parking Attendant smirking that it’s gonna cost you a million pounds to get your car back.
And it all happened after a reasonably bright start. Sidwell’s sending off, (he can have no complaints), seemed to disrupt our rhythm far more than it did Fulham. Our performance thereafter in the first half was possession football at it’s most tepid (or so I thought until I saw the second half!), and despite both our numerical and technical dominance, the clearer sights of goal were at the other end. Well played Schez.
Fitting then that our two best outfield performers, (perhaps our only 2 performers on the day), combined to make the goal. The Big German was clearly our stand out player, but Kos wasn’t far behind him.
1-0 then, Fulham down to 10, and HT. Lovely. Time for a relaxing fag in the sun. What could possibly go wrong?
Search me what went on in that dressing room, but it seemed to me that when the team came out for the second half, they were gripped by a paralysing fear of losing what they already had.
Long periods of possession football followed in which we showed absolute no ambition to get inside their area, let alone score. It was a mindset that I just couldn’t get my head round. It was fairly obvious that Fulham’s sensible game plan was to get to the last 15 mins with only a one goal deficit, and then throw the kitchen sink at us. That we allowed them that opportunity so casually was negligent in the extreme, and on another day it could easily have gone horribly wrong.
The culprits were many. Monreal had his worst game in an Arsenal shirt, Sagna did little to show why he is still keeping Jenks out of the side, Arteta was at his most negative and flirted with a second yellow, and Walcott was hopeless. Rosicky and Cazorla (once again wasted on the flank), seemed more interested in playing their own version of keep ball than engineering any threat to the Fulham goal whilst Giroud looked like he has done for the last month – like a man who’s just got out of bed and who really needs a couple of hours extra kip.
His tackle at the end was that of a tired man. He was a tad unlucky given that he slipped, but I have no complaints with the red, and I would be amazed if any appeal were to prove successful. Personally I’m quite pleased that a change that I have been screaming at Arsene to make has now been forced upon him, although I would obviously prefer the big man to have been available from the bench.
Numbers evened up, and with Fulham scenting blood, the last 5 minutes was toss of the coin stuff. The final whistle signalled a celebration for the three points, but there can be no doubt that this was a game where the performance was awful.
The question posed above in the drinks – would you rather have the three points or a beautiful performance? – was, with respect, an irritatingly stupid one. Of course everybody would rather have the three points – duh!!! But simply because the three points are the primary objective of an afternoon does not mean that other aspects of the performance cannot be discussed.
Apart from the fact that a blog that did nothing more than say ” we won, Arsenal ra ra ra, so shut up” would be a tad tedious, the performance can be used to gauge our chances of staying in that top 3/4.
Yesterday’s outing spoke of a collective nervousness which is unlikely to be consistently successful over the next 4 games if it is repeated.
We got away with it yesterday. Let’s hope Man City and Liverpool can provide the necessary tonic to make our victory really count.
apologies ‘hol
but i’ve got a funk in me typin fingers
tried to go out for a constitutional – to be honest in no small part to prevent publishing my still drunk from last night bullshit – quickly found out that it was not a good idea
i did see a swingball set up in a front garden
but it had a chair on one side of it
every scenario under the sun was played out in me head on the brief return journey
did there used to be two chairs and there was a whole stand-up-sit-down big yellow bat fight
only god himself knows
anyhoo
sorry ‘hol again
last nights hangover has become todays drunken bullshit
although
i’m having roast chicken again today for me dinner
and it’s quite the dolly parton of the chicken world by the looks of it
mmmmmmm
poultry bosoms
bye bye for real now
the visitors are all up
i have to become the host with the least
.
cheerio
I’m sure you will entertain them maestro π
Some excellent drinks above.
Wenger quoted in todays Sunday Times:
We were poor in the second half, but I would put it down to psychological reasons: we were scared of mistaking a mistake and there are a lot of problems for 11 men playing against 10
Why are we scared of making a mistake?
This is hardly a team of callow and untried youngsters. And what is the great “problem” playing with a one man advantage? I don’t remember it being too much of a disadvantage to Man City at our place…..
Arsene Wenger says some weird things…..
*making a mistake*
feckin Apple
Various hehs @ cba, and a few wtf are you gabbing abouts. π Entertaining stuff though.
Good stuff tabs, you’ve saved me some time there.
Doctor F
Please don’t try to tell me that Giroud is comparable with Drogba. He is at least two classes below him as a player. You make good points re the quality of players around him but he was playing in a Mourinho side then and they were less attacking. But the BIG difference is that Drogba wins big games like Cup Finals . He was our bete noir. In the Premier League he hasn’t scored (or played well) against United, Citeh,Chelsea,Spurs or Everton, There’s a message there.
He did score against Bayern granted.
I have never booed an Arsenal player in my life and I’ve seen loads worse than OG. But I think it illustrates the regularly aired issue here that Wenger doesn’t bring in top quality always because of a (self-imposed?) transfer embargo. We hear the “top,top quality argument about signings. well OG isn’t and never will be that and if wenger has decided to go with him as our top striker next season we won’t be breaking our trophy drought anytime soon.
Feed the, trollllllllllll
Let her know it’s Christmas time.
Alright, I know it’s only April but you get what I mean.
Sorry by “he” I meant Giroud not Drogba in line 5 of 138
No Lennon for Totts, good sign.
Nasri we love you. Ha ha ha ha
The lesbo does something for us!!!
Haha – the fat lesbian does it. 1-0 City.
Cheers H2H.
Totts 0 Dykes 1
tabs:
Yesterdayβs outing spoke of a collective nervousness which is unlikely to be consistently successful over the next 4 games if it is repeated.
Play like we did yesterday against ManU and we are in for a massive tonking, that’s the simple truth. However, I would be very surprised of we did. There was an enormous pressure on the team yesterday and it increased further after Sidwell got sent off. Sadly we didn’t handle it very well, and there is no question that the players need to have a look at themselves and ask what they are so scared of.
zico: the first part of that quote I take more as an explanation than an excuse, but then it seems like he couldn’t stop himself from trying to throw in an excuse too but it just sounds a bit wierd as you say.
TTG – I will remember what you just wrote here and remind you of it when Giroud will be 25+ goal striker at the end of the next season. The lad will come good, all the ingredients needed are there along with the attitude. Are there better strikers than him around? Definitely, but I see no reason why he would not be able to become on of the top strikers in PL.
Eandy @ 147: Me too!
ttg: I think you’re missing the point of what Dr Faustus is saying. Giroud doesn’t have to become as good as Drogba to still be of use to us and comparing the criticism of Giroud to what Drogba experienced is in my eyes a very valid comparison. There is every possibility that Giroud will improve next season (just as well as there is every possibility that he won’t of course) and there are plenty of examples of players who in their first year ore even two years have been labelled donkeys and flops. Bale is one recent example, and even Cristiano Ronaldo was called a one-trick pony who could only dribble and dribble and dribble until he ran out of pitch. I am not comparing Giroud to any of them as players because that would be rather stupid, but the way they were very quickly dismissed is quite similar to some of the criticism that Giroud has been subjected to.
Bloody hell Nasri, that should have been 2-0!!!
har de fuckin har har
we’ve got a vegetarian
wouldn’t ye know it – he’s the one fella i don’t know
he’s the brown rice based other half of a good friend
what the fuck is she thinkin
.
in other news
i did fall over
complete arse over tit
but was completely disguised by my other half
who said – “he was bitten”
she made no further elaboration
.
she didn’t need to
.
.
.
.
.
anyhoo
.
bye again
.
forever yours
.
me
Yellow for Osodoff? (whatever his name is?)
That was a red.
cba,
Was your ” mmmmmmmmm poultry bosoms ”
a morning greeting to one of your guests, or a description of lunch.
Due to your unique style of writing, it was not entirely clear π
Lars @146 – That’s fair enough, I hope you’re right. However, the pressure is unlikely to ease from here on in, whoever we’re playing. If are fortunate to go one up against the Dirty Mancs, what we absolutely mustn’t do is go into a collective shell like we did yesterday. We will, as you correctly say, get tonked if we do.
And very good sense on Giroud. Again, the two extremes of the argument that still rage strike me as hyperbolic nonsense.
Giroud is a good player. Comparisons with Hankin, Hawley(!!) and Chapman (!!) ?? Come on Ttg, that’s not on π
Comparisons with Drogba are valid. Drogba had a very average first Season. Does that mean I think OG will become the monster Drogba became? Probably not. That seems unlikely.
But is he an excellent addition to the squad who has for the most part had a very good first Season? Absolutely.
To me, he is a good player, who has some way to go before becoming top drawer. Having played a lot more than he might have anticipated, in a far more physically demanding league than that to which he is used, he is now struggling, and has done so for at least the last month.
He badly needed a rest. He will now get one. Whether that is to our ultimate advantage, only time will tell.
Oskar @whatevernumberitisnow (approx 98-99)
Regarding Poldi;
What he has done to be a permanent bench-warmer has me beat.
I’m not sure if you are familiar with the Bundesliga, we get all the games here and I’ve been watching Poldi for years and I can tell you he’s been a shadow of himself. Yes, he has some great stats and has got a more then decent return for his first season, but I don’t believe he’s at 100% (fitness). He seems to have great difficulty in running, plus he shirks out of 50/50 balls, this is not the Poldi I know. The rumour mill is suggesting that he needs surgery on his ankle which he will undergo in the summer. I hope he gets fixed up, because if he does we’ll have one hell of a player.
Regarding Santi;
…..Itβs not just because heβs playing out of position either, heβs looking as you would expect from a player new to the EPL at the end of the season tired and inconsistent.
While I want Poldi in the side it would be for Santi not OG
Respectfully, if I may, that’s two sentences that contradict each other. You say that Santi is not being played out of position but would like to see him replaced by Poldi? They are two completly different players. At risk of sounding like a broken record; Santi is wasted on the wing, especialy with TR7 and LJW not at 100%. It’s no wonder he’s cream crackered, he’s got the wing and the centre to cover, to paper over our shortcomings, he’s basicaly been asked to fill in for two positions. His natural tendency to drift inwards is also, one of the reasons, we lack width, the other being Walcott’s ability to magicaly disapear into thin air lately.
The Remaining Games.
……..we have QPR, Wigan and Newcastle to wind up the season. None of them will have anything to play for…….
You’re joking right?
They’re all fighting for their PL lives! Many are saying that QPR are down, but until it’s mathematically impossible they will still be fighting for every point. Wigan may be tired due to the FA Cup final, but they will definetly need a result against us. Lest we forget, both those teams beat us in last years easy run in. As for Newcastle, they too are far from safe, the so called magic 40pts mark may not be enough this year, so let’s take nothing for granted.
Unless ofcourse you were being sarcastic, in which case ignore the previous paragraph, but please, sir, accept a drink of choice on me non the less. π
Bollocks. 1-1
Defoe puts them ahead π
Hello Channel 5
3-1
City, feel free to fuck off you bunch of massive cunts.
I knew this would happen when City wasted all those chances in the first half.
Bale puts the nail in City’s coffin (and ours?)!
FFS.
Manchester City are utter cunts. 3-1.
How shit is Mancini
Lars I’d go with that!
The only upside I can see here is that Utd might have nothing to play for next weekend.
So if United win tomorrow, we have to give the cunts a guard of honour next week.
I do worry the boost that this Will give to their belief.
Citeh. How Many more millions do you need?
Mercenaries without balls.
We now must beat Utd next week or we’ll be finally put out of our misery.
Bottler.
Which is a bit like saying that the upside of a shit sandwich is you’ve had dinner.
I couldn’t care less about giving ManU a guard of honour, to be honest. If they secure the title tomorrow our chances of beating them will increase (if only ever so slightly) and if having to line up in some empty and meaningless procedure is the price to pay for that I’d do it all day long.
We need something from Liverpool now.
WTF just happened, I was away for a bit and came back to see the cunts scored three… MEH!!!!!!
Citeh cuntsticks, still I’d rather givre the otherscumbags from that sewer a guard of honour then have them win the title on our turf.
Squeky bum season is in full effect.
trev
i wasn’t aware i had a unique style of writing
i must say though
i hang meself laughin at the nonsense that falls outta my face
the next day
or two
when
i require insights more than the great man that is ‘holic himself provides
and
i discover shite i’ve scribbled computerwise
mind you
more oft than not
mortification takes over with the embarrassment
of the tripe and onions i’ve typed or indeed triped
.
etc and a few bla s
The most ridiculous thing in this whole situation is that we actually still have a small chance of catching City. It would take a lot, but that they, with all their millions spent, are still not out of sight for us is quite incredible.
Exactly, Lars. This result is the optimal one if we are to end up second. Or is that just looking for a silver lining, no matter how distant the cloud?
meh, funny enough .com already updated the table according to City win, damn them useless oil cunts
That’s why Mancini may not be in charge next season. Credit to AVB he made excellent positive changes but Citeh’s second half performance was dire.
Ah, well – like I’ve said all along the important bit long-term is what we do in the summer. Another summer of losing our best players will only have put the inevitable off for a year even if we do manage to get into the CL this season. Whatever happens in these last few games we have to hold this team together and add to it.
…not that I don’t care if we finish in the top four, mind. I really, really don’t want to finish fifth or lower.
Break out your jizz umbrellas. Bale scored against City.
Meanwhile City have 68 pts (played 33) and we have 63 (pld 34). Lars and NBN, it seems their 2nd place finish is far from guaranteed. Lose the next one because they feel they can comfortably coast home and they’d rightly be looking nervously over their shoulders.
Thank fuck we won yesterday, eh?
Main thing is we stay in touching distance of our two rivals until they play each other. Got to keep the pressure on.
I think we need a minimum of a draw next weekend. I also suspect we will appeal OG now.
We need to beat Utd. LWC’s are away to Wigan and the Chavs play Swansea at the bus stop. #noroom4error
First we wanted the mancs and now we need the Mickey’s to win?
How filthy can you feel in one day? π
It does feel a bit much, H2H. Not sure yet if I’ll watch any of it.
But in all the cheesedoffness directed at City, let’s not forget that ultimately we have put ourselves in this situation with our, shall we say, less than magnificent performances away at Norwich, at home to Sunderland and a couple of others.
all three of the three fellas here are manure fans
yup
write yer own farm jokes
so
h2h
i feel sullied in so many ways
.
one of the ladies is too
well
bugger me sideways with an open umbrella
but
she says she doesn’t “follow” “soccer”
but she is a “manchester fan”
.
aaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaahhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh !!!!!!!!!!!!!
Heh H2H @185 – far less filthy than if you had supported their opposition.
COYScunts
well, i still dont see spurs going 5 for 5 the rest of the season..if they do…..they can fuck off.
city played utter bullocks on defense for those 3 goals
piss poor defending
the french lesbo did all she could for about 20 minutes to help us out and then Clichy did all he could for 10 minutes to blow it…like a gael force wind, clichy prevailed.
time to get something from manure
our last 12 games W9 D2 L1 despite what people say….
too much toodoo
prawn cocktail crisp sandwiches
though tasteapolitan
is not a roast dinner
*considers putting foot down with a firm hand*
Can’t trust a scouser to do fuck all.
Chavscum 1 up.
I’m with NorCal @ 190.
And god that was some horribly familiar defending from Clichy.
Lars @ 180: Absolutely agree. We must not lose anyone from the core team this summer. We may see one of Mannone or Fabianski go and be replaced by a very senior ‘big name’ GK, but unlike many I don’t think that is an absolute must. We may lose Sagna, but even though his form and fitness both have dropped and Jenk is coming along very nicely, I still think Sagna should be kept. As is TR7, who when fit remains one of our best players. Experienced heads like them around the dressing room and an absolute must to win anything.
As by all indication Per-Kos is the better defensive pairing, it would be intriguing what happens with TV5. Hopefully he will not look for an easy way out. I also suspect that Arsene may attempt to try him in an alternative position of the DM — which may work excellently for him — to rotate with whoever we buy in the DM position or with Coquelin. Speaking of which, Coquelin may be one of those whom we would be tempted to sell though I think it would be a mistake. We need enthusiastic young utility players like him who can fill in gaps in various positions.
Faustus, I think that if there is an alternative position for Vermaelen I’d rather play him up top than in the DM position. His problem as a central defender is his propensity to lose his cool and attack when he shouldn’t which is something a DM can’t do.
And while I don’t think we’d really have any trouble attracting players good enough to improve us even without the lure of CL football (for one year anyway, after that it is a totally different ball game), I do most certainly fear that the projected loss of income will make the club too cautious in it’s spending.
187 (or there abouts) Lars
Indeed, failure to qualify for the CL will be our faults and no one elses, relieing on anyone to do us any favours was always going to be risky. At the end of the season the table doesn’t lie and the top 4 teams will be their on merit (even if they are all kuntz)
Bath 188.
Always the voice of reason. π
Dinks ball into the box….
Shoots
BANG
Clearly I got the rebound from Oliva’s shot. Thanks for the assist, mate.
I couldn’t agree with you more H2H. It’ll be our own fault and no-one else’s.
Spuds had over a weeks rest to get prepared for the citeh game while we’ve just staggered through 3 games in the last week and taken 7 points.
We have a full week between games for the rest of our fixtures whereas the week between 4th – 12th May, spuds have to play 3 games, 2 of which are consecutive away fixtures to Chelski and Stoke.
Liverpool appear to be on their holidays. Not good.
Well in bath.
Still rooting for Liverpoo, even that do not fancy their chances to turn this one up.
Joe @ 202
Spurs have been saved by Chelsea’s progress in the cup.
Ten days ago they looked dead on their feet and were missing their talisman. Then Chelsea’s win over Utd gave them a weekend off to rest and recuperate. It also meant that there’s now a material risk that the game might be played at a point in the season where a draw will suit both teams.
Fucking irritating, but those are the circumstances and now we have to deal with them. We’re still on better form than either the LWCs or the Chavs, but I suspect we may need one or two players to really stand up and drag us over the line here.
Likely to go down to the final game again.
I think they’ll see this as a must win in the second half – for pride/ to finish above Everton/and for Brendan over Rafa.
Good start!
Does a team which routinely loses to the likes of Norwich, Blackburn and Bradford, and is incapable of ever beating any of the teams above it in the league, deserve ‘Champions’ League football? Discuss.
UC @ 206…Er, yes if it finishes top 4 in the PL.
WTF Suarez?
Uncle Charlie: that can be debated, but rather in the context of “should the tournament really be called Champions League?”. It hasn’t been a tournament for champions for ages.
Chelski 2-1 up, I see. No reason for me to watch it, then.
Mugsmashers look capable of pulling it round this half, Lars.
bath, still think Liverpool can equalize, need to sub Hendersen off though. Sloppy.
Well, great minds and all π
I’ll watch it anyway then, bath. Or at least keep it on in the background while I make myself some food.
abb, I was thinking that he makes Rambo look like Beckenbauer!
Heh. Saw Beckenbauer play aginst the Rowdies, btw.
Rowdies?
Never saw him live. Oozed class on TV though.
Still oozes class π
Suarez accused of biting Ivanovich!
Suarez bit Ivanovic – he is a poisonous little sod
ROUTINELY? lose to Norwich, Blackburn and Bradford?
That’s going a bit extreme, uncle.
I will suggest that any team that is always rebuilding to start the season will struggle for consistency every season. That has been us over the last 3-4 years.
Suarez is a massive idiot and anyone who would suggest he should play for us is having a laugh. I would never support that fool.
I don’t think the Premier League is strong enough to accommodate 4 teams in the CL. Teams like Arsenal, Spuds and Everton end up qualifying by default rather than merit
At least we would feed him properly so that he didn’t have to snack between meals.
Yes, well apparently this isn’t the first time either. Is he friends w Tyson? π Bath, Beck played for the NY Cosmos after his career in Europe ended.
Being hypocritical here, but there is sumpin appealing about Suarez…he is soooooooooooo naughty but game after game he gives it his all.
Uncle Charlie,
That’s an Arsenal team that often makes it out of the knockout stages and I believe spuds made it to the quarters last time they were in it. Is that a reflection on the PL or that 32 teams is too many for a “champions league” designation and what if they expand it even further?
Aah, Jonjo Shelvey coming on – now that’ll really scare the shit out of Chelsea… What a crap day football-wise.
Being a racist, biting cheat does not get overlooked in my book no matter how ” determined” you play.
Sorry ABB.
Shelvey replaces Downing.
Everything you need to know right there in why we don’t want to end up like Liverpool…..
Nutshell, z.
Charlie @ 220: If La Liga can have four teams in CL, PL can definitely too. Fully agree that the quality of PL has dropped in last few years rather alarmingly, whereas Bundesliga is really improving fast, but these patterns come in cycles and if PL teams underperform for a few years at a stretch the UEFA coefficient would automatically take care of your concern.
Arsenal’s CL performance has been consistent and an accurate gauge of the team’s relative quality in last 5 years. SF, QF, 2R, 2R, 2R . And the losses were at the hands of a very good ManU, an excellent Barca, an equally excellent Barca but under dodge circumstances when we almost pulled it off, a good AC Milan, and Europe’s for team in Bayern but only by away goals rule. We have outperformed Man City in CL the three years this glitteringly assembled team of superstars have been playing in CL.
In other words, we have very much deserved our places in CL, played well but not well enough to beat the very best in Europe because we obviously lag behind in terms of resources. We belong in CL as much as any other team in Europe does.
ffs
NorCal, Henceforth my prefacing being a hypocrite π !
@ 229: “…dodgy circumstances…” and “…form team…” . Phew!
For those who are hoping for ‘Pool to put in a performance, don’t. They have nothing to play for, and they are terribly under-qualified to begin with despite the occasional bursts of pretty football. Our home draw against them was all our fault.
Liverpool is an abject example of how not to overreact and go crazy in the name of recapturing past glory.
I saw the preface…. But you still said he was “appealing”. Nothing appealing about that punk.
6 minutes!
COYMSs
zico, all too true.
YES
2-2!!!!!!
Heh, that’s what I normally expect to happen to us!
Biter bites back.
He’s still a total putz.
NorCal, I believe in redemption. Or I’m in trouble π Read a true account of a Spanish Matador who had gored a bull. The bull would not fight back. He ambled over to his assailant, and looked at him w pleading eyes. This matador decided he could never do this again. He became a champion of animal rights. And wouldn’t you know, Suarez scores π
Bite that Chelsea!!!!!!
POY?
Thankyou, Racist Cannibalcunt. Now you can serve your multiple match ban and go on holiday early.
You have to love Suarez’s hunger! And after making a meal of it!
Rats have their uses.
That result is huge for us….get your seatbelts on
He’s got to get done for the bite though, right?
Was he not banned for like 10 games or something for doing the same in Holland?
Oh Joy, Oh Beauty, Oh Happiness and Delight.
I never thought this could happen to Chelski.
What a beautiful day!
Chelsea snake-bitten….literally!
Won’t do much for Suarez chances for player of the year, though…
Zico.
Yes he was.
A mixed day.
Cunts bottled it against Cunts.
Cunts get a late draw against Cunts.
Bordeaux drew 2-2.
Alialialialialiadière scores for Lorient again.
Lovely day by the river yesterday but boy was it cold!
Ha ha! So this happens to the best of the goalies as well. π
Now CL place is fully in our hands. Win all and fourth guaranteed. But I would still maintain that if we win all we will get to third.
Seeing the drinks above, heh, what happened? Did Suarez bite someone’s ears again? :s
Well, if you need a favour from someone within a bunch of cunts, it matters not a jot if, in the end, it’s the biggest one that helps ya.
Good to see top man snowy on an away day again!
zico, I can’t see anything other than a ban for Suarez, and it will probably be a long one. I mean, he did something really dangerous and bit someone – it wasn’t just a good, honest leg breaker, after all..
Ollie, he bit Ivanovic in the arm.
Suarez appears to be little more than an odious human being.
But well done ya bastard!
I was too busy to follow the game, but just saw the replay. The cunt really did bite him.
Surely that’s the end of him in the PL?
Suarez is truly odious. Biting someone? Really? Is he just a three-year old?
Haha, glad Suarez was still on the pitch to nick two points off the Chavs BUT …
unbelievable behaviour. Ivanovic should report him to the Police for criminal assault.
Hopefully, that is a career-ender. Or at the very least, a very long career-interrupter.
I hope Liverpool weren’t counting on raking in Β£30m in the Summer.
Also, doesn’t Suarez realise the health risk in biting a Chav?
Heh Ned.
Tabs, career ender?
‘fraid not, There’s always a place for cunts of low moral that have a smidgeon of talent.
How else would Chelsea or Citeh exsist?
Hey, Woj got got the Allstate ‘save of the week’. The one where he bravely threw himself forward π
Man City – you useless gits, I hope Wigan embarrass you at Wembley.
Suarez – I could kiss you you insane bastard.
Yeh I know H2H. You’re right of course. Just wishful thinking on my part.
I believe he was banned for 8(?) games in Holland for biting? If the FA/Premier League have any balls at all (yeh, I know), then that ban should be doubled.
Then there’s the consequences that might flow from any criminal proceedings.
It won’t end his career, but it might end his career in this country. Will Liverpool still want him? It’s difficult to see how they can possibly defend him. Will anyone else want to be associated with him in these circs?
I wouldn’t want him at Arsenal, however good he is. His headgear wouldn’t suit our kit …
pbs.twimg.com/media/BIZAz6iCMAA9gip.jpg
erm Charlie, just mind his overbite. Tetanus shot( thanks to Suarez) v being ‘Shawcrossed’ and facing months of rehab. End of. Except Shawcross is still out there wreaking havoc on lower limbs.
Whoops.
https://pbs.twimg.com/media/BIZAz6iCMAA9gip.jpg
van Persie Kakkerlakken.
Heh tabs that one’s gone viral…
Just saw the PL table. Chelski have +31 goal difference, we have +30. If they draw with the Totts, which will be by far the most pleasing result, they will still have that one goal margin, which will take them to the third place.
The point is that yesterday we blew our chance to improve our GD against 10 men Fulham. If GD appears to be the deciding factor in the end, yesterday’s game will be seen as our failure, imho
That is the worst case scenario and unlikely to happen, but let’s make sure it don’t.
Cheers Lars. heh Ned
heh tabs
Oh nooooo. Multi name boy has found a new seam of monikers to mine.
In other news, it look as though this season will be going to the wire. I think we’re all going to need as much mutual support as possible at this bar. I will attempt to curb by flights of “irritating stupidity”.
COYG
Ah it appears that the cleaner’s been in again. Thank you O wielder of the magic broom – a pint on the bar for you landlord.
LO @ 273 – yesterday is not the game to criticise for not scoring more goals….plenty of draws and losses where this season may have slipped.
Please don’t Oxon.
Re my earlier recent post:
-by
+my
This reminds me of my angry cat, and I found it funny.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=J6oErbZnkgc
tabs: I hope Suarez will get a lenghty ban. It may seem as my earlier post on the subject says that I think he shouldn’t, but I very much do. I was just having a go at the ridiculously weak officiating of bad tackles. Suarez has previous, both in this league and abroad, of various really stupid offences and I don’t know if the rules allow for taking that into consideration, but if not they really should.
Indeed Lars.
…but to conclude the weekend, in the end we got favourable results in two games out of three. Not too bad after all, even if I had hoped for more.
And I will be keeping my fingers crossed that ManU secure the title tomorrow. Like I said I couldn’t care less about doing a Guard of Honour at this point (we were never competing for the title this season anyway and we need to focus on our business), and if nothing else then maybe doing that will put a fire in the belly of some of our players. And if it doesn’t… well to be brutally honest, then it’s really time to start worrying.
Every chance counts from now on in. Final positions could come down to goal difference.
Lars knows
I haven’t checked the maths, so I have no idea whether I want the Mancs to win tomorrow.
I just want us to beat them. The rest is irrelevant at this stage.
Ol, if they win tomorrow, they win the Prem and will have a party this week. Can only help even tho Baconface wants to break points record and will want to won at our place. A few sore heads and blunted reflexes on their side can only help.
‘holic, it looks like you may be better at betting on marathon times than on football or golf matters π
Defence on language misunderstanding number 2:
Suarez heard Ivanovich described as a beefy Serb and mistook him for Bouef aux Herbes.
Bath – Haha π
Whichever way, I won’t applaud them as they take to the pitch next Sunday :p
Turned out nice again!
Can I just add: I’m probably flying solo on this one, but I’ll give Utd a clap next weekend if they’ve already won it.
I fucking hate them, but you’ve got to show a bit of class + hopefully our players will be using the occasion for a spot of motivation.
No matter what way, they will get a full one finger salute from me next week. Both hands. π
They can’t see or hear me through the TV so no worries about class, N7. π
heh baff
I don’t clap cunts, nothing to do with class π
*takes free-kick*
*heads in*
Think I might get the century π
Oh well in Eandy! π
I’ll settle for the glory position.
Impressively tabsed tabs. Oh, and well in – I expect – Eandy. Bye bye MNB
Well in Eandy!
“I donβt clap cunts, nothing to do with class”
Nothing to do with class, no – you can get the clap from any cunt…
(ok, that one was a bit below the belt…)
I ‘ll get the ton, for sure!
But, well in Eandy π
I half-expected someone to run away with that theme, Lars…. π
Catching up, post numbers irrelevent;
Heh Tabs, great pic.
Ollie, mathes are futile indeed. have to do, ie win all our games.
Good stuff Lars.
N7, indeed, even though they are cunts, we are not, and clapping is the honourable thing to do.
Heh Snir, van Persie Kakkerlakken.
For the benifit of those who don’t speak dutch, that = vP cochroaches. π
Heh. Lars. the clap is indeed below the belt. π
Evening all,
looks like I’ve inherited Ollie’s jinxing skills.
Missed the Citeh goal but caught up with the score during the first half.
Turned the radio on at the second Spuds equalised, so immediately turned it off again.
Turned it back on at the very second they scored again.
“Bugger it, 2-1 !!!”
But no, it was 3-1 !!!
When do Man Citeh ever collapse like that ?!?!
After turning the radio back on to instantly hear Chavski taking a 2-1 lead at Anfield, the stupid thing found itsself turned off until after the final whistle was safely over and, what do you know 2-2 !!!
As for the rest. I’m with you @286 (approx?) Lars.
So, as football fans, would we rather have the down-to-the-wire emotional roller coaster of an end of season like this one, or to have it all (if 3rd or 4th is ‘all’) wrapped up by beginning to mid April and play out our last 6 games with nothing really at stake ???
Don’t ask me …….
Btw, a round of clap, or applause, for Lars.
You pays your money and, generally, gets the clap π
A positive thought, amidst all the calculations, equations and end of season anguish.
Come the summer and DENIELSON will be back – just LANS !!! π
Oi Trev, don’t try to give me the clap…
Denilson, heh.
And first Lars, then you Trev.
Nothing to do with me anymore, but make wiser use of these skills, folks π
@244
Racist Cannibal
Hahahahahaha!
Couldn’t stop laughing
A soccer ball isn’t a hot potato! But time after time, I see players (any team) who panic and don’t take the few extra secs to pass to a mate who is open. You would think this is covered in practise π
H2H – I told you of our (Maccabi fans) brotherhood with Ajax fans (F-Side and now Vak 410).
When Maccabi played Ajax in the CL in 04-05 I went to Amsterdam and the first thing they taught me was Feyenoord Kakkerlakken π
Cool, Snir. π
I miss Balotelli !! π
Take more careful aim next time, CG.
Evening all.
Just back-drank, so many top posts, as usual.
Dr F @64, excellent stuff.
Ttg @70, Dr F knows at 117.
TaBS, Giroud’s tackle was never a red for me and I will be dissapointed if a Ref gave it against our oppnents.
All the results didn’t go the way we wanted but I thankGod for the ones that favoured us and I hope/pray we ultimately get all the right results to finish atleat 3rd.
I’d rather we gave Manure a guard of honour, it might actually make our players want it more next season.
I believe you Gents have said every other thing that needs to be said so here is to good health and Success for The Arsenal. Goodnight pals.
Liverpool found a way to defend him for racism so I’m sure they will probably find a way to defend him for biting too. How far have the mighty fallen.
Back in wintry Minnesota again, just in time to shovel snow off the walk for the umpteenth time. Stinson Beach, Bolinas Bay and Olema seem so far away now.
On a happier note, I’m sure Suarez can get a job in professional wrestling in a few years. If they can do an effective job of innoculating him for rabies first.
LFC, make Suarez take saliva test and pay for Ivanovic’s rabies shot. Suarez now on his second football player bite. Better watch it. In our town three dog bites and it gets put down. No appeal.
If ever allowed to play in the Premier League again must only be on strict condition he wears an electronically monitored Hannibal Lecter muzzle 24/7. Only exception during supervised feeding times.
Well, looks like the red racist bugsbunny got his moves from the spud idiot ..
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JzXBSvngRR0
For those with long memories United gave us a guard of honour when we won the League in 1991. We had won the League earlier in the day and subsequently stuffed United. I suppose the right thing to do is reciprocate but I will find it very hard to clap a team I is like o much.
Personally all I care about on Sunday is that we win. There will be a lot of press coverage this week on RVP’s return. Clearly while I disapproved of the way he handled it I must reluctantly concede that at 29 it was a professionally correct decision but in terms of showing loyalty to a club that had stood by his poor discipline and constant injuries it was a selfish one. I suspect a lot of journalists will take great pleasure in dredging the story up this week and we will get very wound up if we bother to read it. Hopefully Wigan will do something to take the pressure off by beating Spurs on Saturday.
Defoe is given a yellow for biting an opponent and Suarez is given nothing at all? If biting an opponent is not a red card offense, or worthy of retrospective punishment, what about biting a teammate I wonder. A referee??
http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport2/hi/football/teams/t/tottenham_hotspur/6076094.stm
Well, the story seems to say Defoe was given the yellow for something else he did within seconds of the biting incident, which was not seen by the referee.
Either that or the referee gave the yellow card for the “nibble” but either way it is rather interesting that Defoe’s bite seems to have provoked a multiplayer melee. Suarez on the other hand. Not a Spud, but has a previous biting history, and a long history of being an unsavoury character. Ban the mongrel.
it looks like you may be better at betting on marathon times than on football or golf matters
Sorry Ollie, I wanted a bottle, didn’t expect the main prize π
Why is it presumed that we have to give Utd a guard of honour if they have already won the title? I don’t recall that being in any lawbook and I don’t see it as a mark of class or respect. Given our current nervy mindset I would see it as a sign of weakness that would almost certainly have a negative impact on our performance. Bollocks to that.
Agree with you Noosa, but with one exception. It is expected that we should acknowledge what they have earned. If you or I are in that guard of honour however we are plotting to make these bastards suffer today.
We will make every effort to make them suffer…
Championssssssssssss!!!!!!
I’ve waited for this ten years!!!!
Ten years!!!!!!!!
I love you Maccabi!!!
Congrats Snir.
My second team π is the Redding U-6 robots. I feel we may lock up a championship too this season. π
NorCal – Maccabi is not my second team, it’s my first so it’s a bit different π
I am so drunk.
Drank so much champagne.
We need a character like Suarez or Balotelli at the Emirate not some bunch of weak ass losers who are happy n prepared to do a guard of honour for a traitor like RVP n his fellow devils. That cunt is eyeing the golden boot, don’t think he’ll take it easy on us. Hope Vermalean will be there to give him an assist. I can never imaging a Viera led gunners forming a guard of honour for d devils.
The minute Walcott got a new contract he got stuck on the wing and now seems to me to have lost interest.
Put the Pod up front; Ox on wing; boot up Carzola’s arse and let’s git ‘er done!
I’m getting real narked at this dick-dancin’!
I think the trouble, ‘holic, is that Dave let me believe on Twitter that I had won π
Impressive performance from him!
Naija – it is accepted practice. Done every year by every team.
Famously, Red Nose used it as an incentive for his team when Chelsea won the league. I hope that we do the same..
DonΒ΄t turn it around and use it to fit an agenda of our team being “weak”.
If you don’t fancy watching United winning the title tonight tune into Soccer Without Limits for another Google Hangout with Siany, featuring Arseblogger, Andrew Allen, and yours truly.
I will post the link before we start.
You mediawhore, you! π
Hey NorCal, Steve T (and anyone else who coaches kids ) … you may be interested in this video of Farca kids training…. it may explain their success a little!
Easy routines to pinch…
https://www.facebook.com/pages/The-Football-Couch/172846609463484
The video was posted on April 18th, so scroll down to it… sorry, couldnΒ΄t find any other way of linking it (Tech imbecile)
Holic
Will you be disappearing mid-broadcast again? π
Doc C at 339. Spot on. They should be looking at that in exactly that way.
I will check out the link later. Many thanks.
CG @ 339
I’m thinking exactly the same re: incentive.
We form the guard of honour, the players look each and every one of the scum straight in the eyes as they pass, the crowd give a tepid round of applause and then straight after the match the players, manager and board sit down to discuss exactly how we can prevent such an atrocity from ever occurring at our ground again.
Pretending those cnuts aren’t champions won’t get us anywhere. We need to acknowledge it, look at what they’ve done that we’ve not and then fcuking up our game so we can knock them off their perch.
We’re appealing it. Big mistake IMO, because Wenger himself said he had no complaints about it on Saturday. Frivolous appeal, extra match ban.
how we can prevent such an atrocity from ever occurring at our ground again.
Sell players to Man City. Oh. π
Nothing frivolous once you see the replay.
Not that I think this has a chance in hell of being successful, mind, but there won’t be an extra ban.
The only case of extra ban I can remember is still the Aliadière slap or something (when he was playing for Boro, I believe?).
All the post Suarez fuss has led me to discover this video of Madrid’s own ΓΌber-cunt Pepe losing his shit in the most dramatic fashion.
Not quite sure how I’d missed it previously, but THIS is the sort of behaviour that wants your club to be sacking you:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bz5-_I-VmTQ&feature=youtube_gdata_player
As for the appeal, I can see the logic. We need something from Utd. If we don’t get it then it may not matter whether or not we get OG back for the final day; the jig may be up. Got to keep the pressure on the Chavs and LWCs.
Pepe, oh yeah, he is one dirty cunto.
Ollie, a few years ago they handed out the extra “frivolous appeal” ban pretty much to any unsuccessful appeal but they don’t seem to do that anymore. I think we have a good chance to get it through, once more I point to the Kompany red at the Emirates which was quite similar in terms of force and general shouldneverhavebeenaredness. In fact, that tackle was probably worse than what Giroud did but it still got rescinded.
Do only the starting 11 walk through the guard of honor? If that is the case I wonder if Ferguson would even start RvP if they wrap up the league tonight. Arsenal show them respect by providing the guard and they in turn show some respect by not parading van Stapleton through it.
I was thinking that about them not handing it anymore these recent seasons.
Totally forgot about the Kompany red, good point.
However. FA. Consistency. Hmmmmmm.
(well they are consistent with it is about not reviewing decisions on bad/dangerous tackles. Didn’t see any of the stuff yesterday, but I heard some Spud player got away with a yellow, something that could still lead to a ban in France if it was deemed worthy of a red on later review…)
Bearded: chances of that: 0%
Why is it that adults aren’t supposed to go mad about anything? You gotta keep a lid on it. And if you don’t then people are apparently entitled to say what they like. “You haven’t grown up. You’re a moron. Your conversation is trivial and boorish. You can’t express your emotional needs. You can’t relate to your children.” And you die, lonely and miserable. But you know, what the hell, every cloud has a silver lining.
Ten years… Ten fucking years!!!
I’m not so sure Ollie. There would be self-serving reasons for purplenose, van Stapleton, and especially the little child inside van Stapleton to want to do avoid the level of vitriol it would bring out the crowd. A guard of honor sans van Stapleton might get a polite applause from the crowd, however, if he is walking through the guard it may be a lot more difficult for those on hand to applaud let alone not boo.
You’re far too considerate, Bearded.
vanStapleton might well feel very sheepish about it, but I suspect Funguscunt relishes the idea of sending the Dutch Cunt to get a guard of honour.
Bearded, if they do indeed wrap up the title tonight (which, let us not forget, we haven’t seen yet even if them not beating Villa seems fairly unlikely) I think Sir Rednose might leave RvP out of the squad altogether – not out of any sort of sympathy or respect for us, but he might do it because he thinks that without RvP in the team the crowd won’t be as fired up which in turn perhaps won’t fire up the Arsenal players as much. Title already wrapped up or not he won’t want to lose this game, that’s for sure.
Guard of honour and full cannon salute;
https://fbcdn-sphotos-b-a.akamaihd.net/hphotos-ak-frc1/734006_439858099437778_1753025631_n.jpg
If I know old Rednose he’ll probably sent the Dutchman through twice.
Personally, I’m not booing him. I’m glad he fucked off and I wouldn’t have him back. If he wants to play for Man Utd he doesn’t belong at Arsenal.
Plus, we can’t afford to carry a goal-shy centre forward for 13 games ; )
By the way, didn’t Tom Hundredstone get one rescinded quite early on in this season as well? I have a faint memory of an Everton player also being let off the hook, but that might have been last season.
Can’t remember the cases Lars, but I’m sure there were at least one or two other than Kompany.
Everton player rings a bell.
Alternatively, there’s always this: http://twitter.com/GeezyPeas/status/326335862885466113/photo/1
Sorry I haven’t had time to read all the recent (today’s) drinks but I’m glad we’re appealing Giroud’s red card.
He made a clear controlliing contact with the ball before the opponent. At no time were his studs facing upwards, in fact, by the time the contact was made the studs were pointing downwards.
If anyone was ‘late’ into the challenge, it was the Fulham player.
I can see nothing in the challenge to warrant a red card, but the chances of it being rescinded are still, admittedly, very small.
He does need a rest, it’s true, but it would be great to have him around for a few games should the card be reduced to a yellow – no chance – or a single game red.
Please win it tonight ManUre and leave the Dutch bloke out on Sunday.
I can see nothing in the challenge to warrant a red card, but the chances of it being rescinded are still, admittedly, very small.
I’m of that school of thought too, Trev.
Not for the rest though. Man U lose tonight and Sunday, vanCunt or not on the pitch.
If this was 7 years ago I could see purplenose doing it. Unfortunately he and Wenger seem to get along more now, as a result of him not viewing Arsenal as a threat, so I could see him leaving van Stapleton out. I miss the pizza throwing days.
We’d be mad not to appeal OG’s red, that was never a sending off offence, he was there first, got the ball, then went more through it then over it (the ball).
Oh, congrats Snir, don’t get too drunk……………..
Oh, maybe too late, π
Snir, Scratching my head trying to remember when you last said anything trivial. Happy for you! Catalan @ 342 Delightful video. Folks check it out, you’ll find it right below the pic of Ryan Giggs π Now I risk being the odd person out here (again). Because I really love the game and all the fanfare that comes with it … we should do the Guard of Honour and do it with sincererity. Our time is coming and the glory will be ours, for the whole world to see. Believe!
Lars @ 351: Exactly, very similar to Kompany’s red card. Giroud’s sending off is precisely the kind of red card decisions for which the appeals process were set up. Though it may have looked like a reckless challenge from referee’s perspective at that moment, it was anything but. It was not even an intended physical challenge where sometimes the tired legs lead to a ‘violent foul’. Giroud got to the ball cleanly and then slipped. Even if the ban is reduced to one match, it would be significant.
I think the ‘expected’ guard-of-honor can and should inspire the team to prove themselves in their own eyes and to the supporters that they are as good as the champions and can beat them. One of the biggest negatives of this season’s performance has been our very tepid shows against top teams — except for Bayern and Man City away — and if we approach this with confidence (which we should have now) and hunger I see no reason why we cannot outplay them.
Too right N7 – do you think either Fergie or RVP will spurn the opportunity to parade in front of the Arsenal faithful to demonstrate who the better club/manager and how he made the right decision?
You can be certain that RVP will be playing with the same sycophantic smiles and behaviour we saw at Old Trafford earlier this season.
So Wengers “show him respect” is a load of bollocks from where I stand !
I have no problems with the guard of honour. Thats what a classy club should do. But seeing that self serving cock with a league title will always grate.
Having said that, Manu also face Chelsea on May 5th at Old Trafford. Fergie will see Chelsea as a bigger threat to a 3rd CL campaign than either ourselves or Spuds and I think given a choice, he’d prefer to see chelsea not qualify now that Mourinho is supposed to be coming back.
On the Giroud tackle – his right foot slips at the time he makes the tackle and the loss of balance contributes to his left foot coming over the ball from a grounded position. There’s no apparent malicious intent or recklessness so the logical reasoning would suggest it be rescinded. But making any assumptions on logic being applied by the FA………..
Daydreaming, but how sweet it would be to actually give ManUre proper tonking of lets say 4, 5 goals? We will win, I am oddly sure of that for some reason, but I would love for it to be by big margin.
Agreed with the opinion that we should give them GoH should they win it today, if only for the reason mentioned here before, to fire up our guys to give it all against them.
As for Rotten van Pigsty being involved in the parade or not, frankly, I dont care, he is not one of ours anymore, acted like a proper cunt towards the Club and manager who made him footballer he is today. So if anyone should feel bad or sheepish that day, it should be him.
Eandy, for once I wouldn’t mind us winning through a dodgy penalty.
I’d laugh. Just to see Funguscunt explode.
Eandy @ 372: I must say that particular scenario had played in my wish fulfilling mind now and then. π For many of us who became Arsenal supporters in the early days of Arsene-era from geographically distanced shores, ManU is the competition, the enemy. Not LWCs — a bit of a comic side-show, may be — and not the nausea inducing nouveau riches of Chelsea and Man City. But Man U. And I haven’t forgotten the 8-2 and the media mirth in the aftermath. However unusual the circumstances and the result might have been, it remains as an unbalanced equation that ought to be corrected. One of these days.
Keeping with the theme, when was the last time we beat Man U by more than one goal in a League game?
Ollie @ 375: Depressing … 2001-2002, 3-1 at home. Henry double. Not my memory which somehow had imagined a phantom 3-1 win at ManU much later with Cesc and Adebayor, but Wikipedia. π
Ahh, there is also a Community Shield 3-1 in 2004. That I remembered.
Dr C,
Thanks for the training video. Will have to watch, maybe tomorrow.
Snir,
I knew Maccabi are your first team, I was just giving you a bit of a go because of the previous 1st/2nd team discussions. Congrats again.
Enjoy the day/evening/ morning all. Cheers
Doctor Faustus
I really wish that Manure were still our main enemy/biggist rivals, but the reality of our current situation is they are not. If they win the title tonight or next week matters not, they have literaly strolled it this year.
The whole return of CvC and the guard of honour bollox is nothing but a sideshow, do you think they give a monkies about it? I don’t, and neither should we.
The only thing that should matter is what we need to do, what we need to take from this game and that is three points. Truthely, I don’t think they have been that great lately, but we’re still going to have to be on top of our game to get the desired result.
Cheers Faustus. Far too long ago. Was it the game when Barthez spectacularly cocked up?
I’m completely with you there, H2H.
That’s the one Ollie.
It was great when the Keystone Keepers used to play for other teams. π
H2H @ 379: I agree with your pragmatic assessment of the reality of our relative situations. It is just that the part of the psyche that identifies with Arsenal as the footballing team also identifies with ManU as the key opposition, for me, and daresay for many like me.
And I agree with you that I don’t really care whether we given them a GoH or not, my point was given that we would be expected to do so (no need to create a negative media vibe) how to turn that in our favor to win that game, and (hopefully) win handsomely even though an 1-0 would do as well.
About RVP, I really have no strong emotions. Or grudge. Or disdain. I expected him to move, I didn’t expect him to behave that well while moving, and once someone moves I more or less stop caring about them either way. So agreed there too.
If I was Arsene I’d force everyone of our players, even those not in the matchday squad, to line up and give the Manure cunts that guard of honour. I feel our players don’t hate them enough and we need to build that hate again.
I don’t give a fuck about RvP, he can score 70 goals on Sunday for all I care, so long as Arsenal get the three points I’m happy.
H2H,
I will agree that they coasted to a title this year. Their point difference has been because they only have 2 draws all season. They were able to turn draws into wins and scoop the full points. Something we have been able to do of late as well, save Everton. They won the league by only being consistently above average, everyone else had spells in the season when they were average or worse. We were wildly eradict the first 2/3 of the season. That’s why I think it bodes well for next year if we can keep almost everyone and augment with some depth at the positions even my dead grandmother now knows we need.
Always rebuilding will mean always struggling for form, that is the one thing that we absolutely must avoid this summer and I think we just might.
Cent @ 385
Spot on.
And remind them all that Santos’ show of matey-ness with you know who all but ended him as an Arsenal player. Well, that and the crapness.
Utd are the real enemy. Don’t let them forget that.
Well I for one want him to play and I want him to get all the vitriol that is coming to him.
Arsene can take his “respect Robin” and do one. Why the fuck should we show him any respect, the Judas cunt?
Remember this is the club that presided over the paedophile chant for years until it got too excruciatingly embarrassing, even for them.
I also haven’t forgotten his snide and malicious challenge on Sagna at Old Trafford.
Drink on me Zico.
Days like these make me wanna throw everything away and go back to Israel.
Can’t believe I won’t be in the title clinching game…
:'(
Personally, I just don’t want anything to distract me from my barracking of Patrice Evra.
It’s all about priorities.
Oh and about a Guard of Honor, I think it’s a stupid custom.
You shouldn’t clap the enemy. You should fight the enemy.
I hope we break the cunt’s legs and he never plays again.
van Persie Kakkerlak.
That mother fucking cunt. I have nothing but hate for him. Nothing. Just hate.
I don’t clap my hate figures.
Haha N7. I fear I may find myself in danger of being thrown out of the Stadium on Sunday π
Boxer Mike Tyson is now following Luis Suarez on Twitter after the Liverpool striker bit Chelsea defender Branislav Ivanovic during Sunday’s match between the two clubs.
http://metro.co.uk/2013/04/21/mike-tyson-following-luis-suarez-on-twitter-after-anfield-biting-controversy-3661133/
He obviously hasn’t heard about the Evra incident……….
Yet! π
Cheers N7.
Snir, congrats on Maccabi’s victory. I wouldn’t wish injury on RvP, or indeed anyone, I’d rather he suffered loss of form, those 10 or so games he found goals hard to come by where, apart from our games, the best I watched this season. The joy I get from watching Adebayor these days is orgasmic.
Cent – I don’t wish him loss of form, because that would mean he would still be playing and I might see him in that kit.
It makes me sick.
I want his career to end. Plain and simple. I want him to stop playing football, and I certainly don’t care how it happens.
Another case for a meteorite then, but they never bloody show up!
Its a game chaps and RVP is a human being. Don’t descend to the depths of the idiots who disfigure the game.We are Arsenal. We are better and bigger than that. You can dislike Van Payslip without wishing him physical injury.
Only noticing the drink number now.
Oh well, I’ll take the goal then! π
Well in Ollie.
Agreed about the proper thing being to show respect to RVP and Man United. It is classy and will give Arsenal a psychological edge. If the United players got the opposite reaction from the crowd, it would only give them more determination. But Van Payslip is a good one. π
Totally agree 8 ball.
399 and 405 spot on from where I’m sat.
The Utd fans will love it if we all go mental at RVP and it’ll only gee him up. We just make ourselves look small.
That’s not to say people shouldn’t respond however they want, just that the ultimate, for me, would be the whole stadium acting as if the Dutchman never so much as played for Arsenal. That’s what would hurt him the most.
Hopefully OG will win his appeal and grab a hat trick. That way we can show our ex his younger, better looking replacement.
Yikes – should have been “403”, although 405 is also a great post that I agree with every last word of.
What this club needs is more interesting trolling.
Oops too late. The gaffer is quicker on the trigger. Feel free to delete my response and this post Holic – shouldn’t have bitten.
Not good enough Trolls?
I blame Wenger. If he spent some money weΒ΄d get some decent Trolls.
And I blame Ramsey. Oh. Is he out of fashion now? Okay, erm….
Be here at 8 for the Google Hangout if you fancy it …
http://soccerwithoutlimits.com/swol-arsenal-hangout-april-22nd-2013/24660/
Ttg knows @399.
Well in Ollie.
403 and 405 agreed.
CG 409, Giroud is the new scapegoat; I blame him.
Can’t wait for tonite. Siany and company π Will have Manu game on in the background. Catalan, if they post a training video on goalies, please let us know π I mean, how do you teach someone to leap in the air sideways … fascinating! Esp. when the mats are removed π
Who cares what the United fans will think?
I can’t act the way I feel because of the United fans?
Who the fuck cares what they think??
Robin van Persie is a cunt, and should be called that. End of.
Yes, I want him to suffer, it clearly isn’t just a game. It is much more than that. It is what keeps me going through the week, and anyone who hurts The Arsenal, for me is someone who deserves to suffer.
Have just been to top, ‘holic, I find it nearly cruel that you are the only person to win a prize that is not a drink, heh π
I have to say for once that I am not convinced. RvCunt has a bit of a short fuse and could completely lose it if the atmosphere is hostile to him.
(which means a red card, hopefully he doesn’t injure one of our players in the process though)
2-0 IOU already.
The title is theirs. π
That was some goal by CvC though.
Ollie, we might not be so lucky this weekend. He’s playing like a man possessed against Villa, and making the commentators touch themselves in delight.
Agree with ttg, above. Class. Restraint.
We’re not Millwall for fucks sake.
Twitter tells me that some commentator made it sound as if Fungucunt ‘unearthed’ CvC….
A man possessed can self-destruct when faced with abuse, CG π
and ManIOU are up 2-0 already.
Thanks to the Dutch D-bag. Is Villa even trying???
…and there’s the hattrick.
Thank fuck I’m watching with the sound turned off. Don’t want to hear the commentators commentate with one hand.
Villa could yet go down, they’re that bad. Hopefully Wigan can win this weekend and push them closer to the trapdoor.
Anyway I don’t care about guards of honour or how we treat RVP etc – I just want us to get a result on Sunday, everything else is immaterial. It’s a tall order, but not impossible.
Homer – so if we abuse him that would make us Millwall?!?
The classy thing to do is to do the guard of honour, so that is what we should do. And then we go out there and do absolutely everything we can to get the three points.
Charlie, it will be between Villa and Wigan. I think the others are safe, or at least will be. It is highly unlikely that both Wigan and Villa go on a run, so one more win for the teams on 37 points will probably be enough.
Sadly he wins it for United.
Worst bit of transfer business we’ve ever done.
Snir. I love your Passion and I love your pro Arsenal ways. But wishing a player physical harm that ends his career is quite simply embarrassing I’m afraid. You are better than that.
Thank fuck they wont be winning the league at Emirates.
#somethingThatOnlyWeCanBoastAbout
I’m afraid it’s something we can’t boast about either, Sajit my friend. π
Give them the guard of honor. Then beat the crap out of them.
Easier said than done though. Not because of their quality but because they will play with a freedom that winning the league gives you. They have nothing – ABSOLUTELY NOTHING – to lose.
On the other hand, we will be tentative & have lots to lose. Can see us playing with the “handbrake on” – as Arsene would say.
Sadly, I fear that this will work against us. And we will bottle it.
@H2H .. Why?
Steve – you see it as embarrassing. I don’t.
We’ve had this discussion before.
I wasn’t raised with all the class thing, I was raised to support my team and hate everyone and everything else.
The guard of honor to me is absurd. That shows respect to the enemy (they’re not opponents, they’re enemies). I don’t have respect for the enemy. I only have hate.
Arsenal and that’s it.
Forget what the media will say about Van Pussy and him being proved correct now he has a champions medal.
The ends do not always justify the means.
By that reckoning we have that issue in all our remaining games then, as QPR will have nothing to play for, or Newcastle, and Wigan might be down or even safe by the time we play them.
Sajit, we’ve never won anything at our new ground. (Emirates Cup don’t count)
Ah.. like that.. But hey,we’ve won stuff at OT. π
hell.. thought villa would give them a fight, but looks like Cvc really wants to get it done… arrgh.. hate that we gave them the league..
Agree with charlie. all i want is we give them a run for the money and get the 3 points..
@ 426,
Wenger did say doesn’t sell players to see them win title elsewhere….there’s a fair few players that have disproved that theory unfortunately. Add Van Puss to that long list now.
Sigh.
Indeed we have!! π
If you don’t want to watch that lot you can watch me drinking delicious Innis & Gunn here…
http://soccerwithoutlimits.com/swol-arsenal-hangout-april-22nd-2013/24660
I owe the truth to you guys: I am a cunt.
And it’s ludicrous to say that selling RVP to Man Utd was our worst piece of business ever. We bought Francis Jeffers for god’s sake.
Well said, Snir
Snir,
Abuse is one thing. Giving him the business and booing his touches, look thats just football and any pro should be expected to deal with it.
And you I think you know my argument was not the booing CvC’s touches make us Millwall. Turning into a violent, ignorant pack of muscle headed fools would, however, seem to take us that direction.
I’m not going to argue with you. No. 1, sadly I have work to do this afternoon and 2, i generally enjoy your posts, and am not trying to wind you up. We can agree to disagree on this issue.
But don’t get me wrong, the Dutch D-bag is still a world-class D-bag. I think we agree on that.
RvP at 441:
Yes, lad. We already knew that!
The cross that we have to bear.
I was asked by an acquaintance of mine at the start of the season, who knew that I was an Arsenal fan, what my thoughts were on United signing van Persie.
I could not give vent to my inner-most thoughts (I was at work) so I went for the “if they can keep him fit, he will score tons of goals for United, but it’s an expensive gamble for someone who has only proved to be injury free in one of the last 8 seasons….”
Right there was what I really hoped for.
Not some Shawcross thuggery, just a visitation of the curse that seemed to plague him all those years with us, so that it proved an expensive mistake on Ferguson’s part.
But what do we have?
Virtually single-handedly he has won the league for them, and that with the benefit of a 10 game drought. Took no time to acclimatise – just proved what he is – a world class player. And the bit that bothers me more than anything else about it all, and is the real cross that we have to bear, is simply this:
If the roles were reversed, you just know that Ferguson would NEVER have sold their only world class player to us.
Holic, Enjoyed the ’round table’ talk. I think I’m warming to the idea of a more exp. keeper mentoring our Woj. Agree that RVP played a significant role in United securing the title. As I’ve said before, selling him to them was (fill in the blank). You were right to point out that we have no one else to replace OG and that has put a lot on his broad shoulders. The bit I enjoyed most was the discussion about our midfielders stepping up and start scoring goals. How true! Why can’t Wenger let Arteta play more forward, we know he can score! Anyway, please tell Siany and both Andrews π that I thoroughly enjoyed their company.
Zico, I know Fergie would never have sold him to us but you will do well to remember the circumstances that made us do it.
He didn’t want to stay, we couldn’t afford to lose him for free, anything could have happened concerning his fitness e.t.c.
Zico, I agree with much of that, however every player has his price,. I seem to remember one red nosed geezer spouting;
Γ wouldn’t sell that lot a virus”
a few weeks before relinquishing their prize asset to that lot.
Still, as the song goes…. fuck ’em all!!
Snir. You are wishing physical harm on a fellow human being. That has no place in a modern society. Sport involves respecting your opponent. You can hate them as much as you want, but to play any sport involves a degree of respect. It’s sport, not some ghetto gang brawl.
Arsenal are an institution. An institution that stands for a lit more than just football. You need to see that.
Steve T on point. Totally agree.
Btw – Utd’s league campaign thus far, apparently no red cards or pens conceded.
Now the league is won, maybe fergie will let the officials give us something at the weekend, just so it doesn’t look too suspect? Or is he going for the perfect season?
zico:
“If the roles were reversed, you just know that Ferguson would NEVER have sold their only world class player to us.”
I’m not so sure. If the roles were truly reversed, i.e. them having just scraped into the top four for a few years and us winning or almost winning for a few years AND ManU having to actually pay attention to an economical reality, I am quite sure he wouldn’t have had much more of a choice than we did. Sure, he would never sell anyone in the position where they are now but I still maintain that Arsene had little choice. And besides, he did sell us Silve… umm, sorry, scratch that bit!
If you wanna see a real battle, check out the Your Ropey League for the top 4. I started the weekend at third, but I’m now down to fourth with Holic in second…….
All could change tonight though.
Note to self: refresh before posting a drink that you were interrupted while writing to see that you are not just repeating what others have already said…
heh Lars.
House bought in Manchester in March.
‘Whatever happens, I’ll always be a Gooner’. In May.
The ridiculous demands.
That Statement.
No Robin, you are just a cunt.
Just had a quick look at the ManUre game. Five minutes to go, they are 3-0 up and about to secure their historic 20th league title… and not one single person in the crowd as far as can be seen on the telly is standing up!
I mean, seriously… how much fun can there be in supporting a team where you take success for so granted that you aren’t on your feet dancing and singing in that situation???
Steve – I had the same, err, argument with Snir in the summer that you’re having now. I think he means it. I don’t really know what more to say.
Lars – ask me again in five years time. Actually, there’s no need, by then we’ll both have learned from experience. #everhopeful
Lars. And they didn’t score a 4th?
You’re healed.
Trev next π
Oxon, I like your optimism π
No Ollie, no fourth goal! I suppose the game is over by now though, so maybe they scored one later but that wasn’t down to me in that case π
Well, for what it’s worth, I don’t go along with reverse psychology thing of ‘be polite and honourable to RvP and that will hurt him most of all’.
Judging by the disdain with which he treated the club and us fans last summer, he will simply jog along and assume we, – yes that’s us guys – didn’t really mind anyway.
I want him to feel the dislike, insult and complete lack of respect that he afforded us over last summer.
I’m not going to use the word ‘hate’ and, personally, I don’t want his children to have to visit him in hospital with broken legs.
If I think back to Diaby, Eduardo and Aaron Ramsey, I don’t want to see anyone with broken legs.
If ManUre have won the title over 38 games then they deserve it. They can have their guard of honour but I won’t be applauding.
If van Persie plays, he’ll get plenty from me during the game, and I hope he remembers the welcomes given to other “I’ll always be a Gooner(s)”, proper Gooners like Thierry Henry and Robert Pires.
And I hope he thinks about the stink he is going to get, and thinks about the club that believed in him and supported him for eight years, not the poxy ten goalless games he quoted that drove him jumping into the arms of Sir Alex Bleeding Ferguson.
And I hope he feels like the cheap, ungrateful shit that he became.
Geoff Shreeves may be a bigger cunt than RvP.
De Gea improved, after all the abuse he took early on. I’m ok giving him a nod. Feel more resolute then ever that we will play our very best on Sunday. We beat Barca, ACM and Bayern. What other club can boast that. Steady lads.
Me, I’ve always had a soft spot for Roberto Martinez. Roll on Saturday.
COYR, Come On Wigan (one week only)
Nice work from zico back there. And Lars, and avfew others.
Trev 464, once more today I find myself totally agreeing with you π
Cheers Ollie. π
Trev: “I want him to feel the dislike, insult and complete lack of respect that he afforded us over last summer.”
Amen to that.
“And I hope he feels like the cheap, ungrateful shit that he became.”
…and to that.
At the end of the day we had the option of selling him to Juve for less but didn’t.
Wenger had the option of telling Fergie to fuck off and slamming the phone down but he didn’t.
I somehow doubt the the management at the club are that bothered that Van Puss has won the title. I suspect deep down Wenger is probably proud in some twisted kind of way. Hence his cry for us to show his protege some ‘respect’.
What we feel as fans and what those in the game feel are at polar ends of the spectrum.
Van Puss could give a fuck what we think. No more than the management did when they sold him to Fergie.
I am again likely to be in a very very small minority but I won’t be booing rvp. It makes me physically sick to see all these ex players with league winners medals. Perhaps one day stan, Ivan and the boys will take a long hard look at that when they are contemplating the next profit making transfer window.
Just ask yourselves a few questions. When we finished just short of winning the league what did we do? The mancs finished just short and what did they do? We made a profit from selling players and now don’t challenge. They bought the best player in the league.
So all those full of hate and anger, spare a second to think just exactly where it should be directed. It should not all be aimed at one dutch man.
Trev @464, well fucking said!
Steve – we’ll just have to disagree then mate.
As I disagreed with Oxon in the summer.
I wouldn’t want him to break his leg from a Stokish challenge because I don’t want those challenges in the game.
I would not however feel sad if he were to get injured.
Homer – the abuse he would get would only be boos and songs. Nothing more.
How about the guard of honor fall upon the Skunkster like so many Roman Senators fell upon Caesar?
Not to kill him, mind you…just rough him up and then walk away.
BMBD
What Steve T said.
Steve T
There is no doubt that we should be looking at more than the Dutchman and asking ourselves some searching questions.
Doesn’t mean he should get a pass – for all the reasons Trev has posted at 464.
Cheers Cent,
And back atcher for your @385.
But steady on the ‘hate’ mate. ‘Envy’ of their success will do me, but I do understand where you’re coming from.
It’s just that I’m watching the news on TV here, and pictures of innocent people with their legs blown off.
I find it hard, in that context, to find relevance for hatred in what is supposed to be a sport.
I’m getting this odd sense of deja vu here. Man Utd won the title against us with a drab 0-0 draw back in May 2009 and I’m sure the same discussions were had then. The more things change…
In the end they’ve finished a gazillion points clear of everyone this season. In fact, without Man City being the recent football equivalent of 1980s Ben Johnson, they’d have won the league by a mile the last two seasons. Not the most competitive period for the Premier League really.
Anyway, enough soul searching to be honest. I’m going to begin a re-watch of Buffy the Vampire Slayer tonight, and I’ll worry about the weekend’s football on the weekend.
North bank 1: no, we didn’t. They may have wanted to buy him, but we can’t sell anyone to a club he doesn’t want to join. Once again, he bought a house in Manchester in March, i.e. long before last season was even over.
And all those slating Wenger for asking people to show RvP respect, can you imagine the outcry in the media if he said anything less? He gets so much shit from the media for no particular reason anyway, the hacks would have a field day with the “sore loser frenchie in sore loser shock disgrace outrage scandal” angle.
I get that Zico. But if we take off our Arsenal bias my guess is that you will struggle to find anyone in football that will think he made the wrong decision.
Don’t get me wrong, I won’t be cheering him. But can you honestly say from a non arsenal perspective that he made the wrong decision. Ask yourselves this as well. If Dein had still been at the club do you think his contract issues would have been dealt with earlier. One other point, just think what we might have been if we had actually used the money to buy a replacement????????
Fuck me, if only….
If Dein were still at the club wouldn’t we be playing at Wembley now or something.
I find it hard, in that context, to find relevance for hatred in what is supposed to be a sport.
Spot on Trev, sir.
Steve, if Dein Sr was still at the club, there is a good chance that Dein Jr wouldn’t have helped in the carnage the way he did….
Whether RvCunt made ‘the right decision’ or not, he went about it in a despicable way.
I think he made the wrong decision.
Trophies are not everything. Integrity counts and he owed something to Arsene and to the club.
David May has a championship medal. Matt Le Tissier does not. I know who I respect more, and it’s not just because one was a total clogger.
Van Persie could have stayed with us and been a legend. He could have quietly gone to Juve, won the title and gone further in the champs league. Instead he joined our hated rivals and delivered a kick in the guts to the man who made his career. His parents didn’t think he should do it. His wife apparently didn’t think he should do it.
I can categorically say I wouldn’t have done the same in his shoes. Integrity; it fucking matters in football and in life.
Each to their own, but that’s my two cents.
I’m okay with booing rvp or any other opposition player, what I cannot except is when we do that to our own player, don’t care who he is.
Completely agree that booing is one thing but wishing someone to get hurt or have his career end is completely different thing. Think beyond one man, think about his family.
I worship Arsenal but trust me there’s nothing holy about hatred.
I agree with NBN that Van Cunt won’t give a shit about how we feel or what we think. His “you guys” statement clearly illustrated that.
He’ll be thinking about his healthy bank balance and his shiny new Premier League trophy.
As fans I think our energies would be better served by supporting our team and ignoring the ungrateful cunt.
I meant I agree with NB1 @ the end of 472.
Charlie. No, not in my opinion.
The long and short is that we have no idea that went on behind the scenes with RVP. None of us were privy to any of the discussions. RVP is not getting any younger. It genuinely breaks my heart to say it but for him, of course he made the right decision. We have made a token effort at ambition and it has bitten us on the arse yet again.
My Dein point was more that he was not replaced, not that he isn’t there.
Well discussed all, Steve T and N7 you each make excellent point.
Gutted, personally, that we’re even in this situation and how we seem to be here often- rather than move from strength to strength, we sell and sell and get to enjoy the great resiliency efforts that keep us competitive without ever ever ever in anyone’s mind actually challenging for a title.
I was specifically thinking of Steve T’s comment at 473. Everything else was shite. π
Cheers Trev, the kind of hate I meant is the kind that led to somebody throwing Pizza at Sir rednose at Old Trafford and nothing more than that.
N7, can I share your two Cents @486? Thanks.
We, the fans, have one club, one love. There is no transfer option, we won’t move to the highest bidder or switch for trophies.
The players are employees of our club, nothing more, nothing less. Ofcourse every once in a blue moon a loyal one comes around but that’s not so often. Things ofcourse can also be turned around, ie, a player wants to stay but we want him out, no one complains about loyalty then, do they? The so called dead wood are also Arsenal platers too, right?
Problem is (as I see it) we, as fans, transfer our desires on to them, the players living our dream, we want them to care as much as we do and we want that so bad that we even fool ourselves into believing that they care as much as we do and feel what we feel, but they don’t, to them it’s a job, a career.
We all love Thiery and Brady and gave them heroes welcomes, but when push came to shove they both left us for pastures green, don’t kid yourself that they didn’t. RvP’s departure was inevitable when he said he wouldn’t sign a new contract, we found solace by argueing that he would stay for one last year, we were wrong.
He had already decided he wanted to go, he didn’t think the club could match his ambition and who among us can really argue with that? There’s not one of us who haven’t questioned our commitment to be better over the last few seasons, so why should we expect anything different from someone who was there day in and day out and was prive to a lot more info then we get?
Yes the way it transpired left a bad taste in the mouth and he became the instant quintesential bad guy. I will boo him and I will call him names, but do I hate him? No, and more importantly can I blame him for leaving? No, I’m afraid I don’t. Sorry.
Multi-name boy comes in and Oxon goes out. Does this improve the bar. You decide.
Night all.
What H2H said.
PIK. Thank you….. I think??????????
π
Bild are reporting that Goetze has signed a pre-contract with Bayern.
I hope Arsene has a plan B for that Β£30m.
Golaso!
Man, that’s a hatrick of failed attempts on my part. I’m your everyday Giroud!
Or not… π Of course, I meant it to bounce of my shin and bumble into the side net. π
Arsenal miss out on transfer target N7. No plan B????? You will.forgive me if I am not massively surprised.
Dubious, PiK. π
Where’s that yellow card when we need it…
BMBD
Ha ha Steve T. It’s just the difficulties of bringing in those “super quality” players I guess.
Cavani looks super quality to me. Pretty please Arsene?
H2H knows.
The sooner we accept that loyal modern day footballers are now the exception rather than the rule; the better our state of mind will be.
It’s a harsh reality but such is life. We need to concentrate on supporting our team in this bitter Champions’ League qualification battle.
I have no problem with the fans who want to boo RVC. However, the team need to focus on their goals and we need to support them and not lose sight of our imminent goals due to the sideshow.
N7. Is it just me or are we linked with these players for years and then do Bugger all about it until it is too late?
It felt that way with Hazard, but I’m still not convinced we wanted him at that price.
Goetze, we’re meant to have bid Β£30m for twice, most recently in Jan. if he didn’t want to come there’s not much we can do. Most German starlets want to stay in Germany and who can blame them.
I felt Goetze was a bit of a long shot and not clear how he’d have fit with Wilshere and Cazorla.
If we have Β£30m burning a hole I’d like to see us take a run at a centre forward. I’d also like us to demonstrate that we still have it in us to pull off a big transfer under pressure.
I completely agree with you at N7 @486. Just my opinion but I watched the interview of RvP (below) after the game today and to me his demeanor is not one of awe at finally feeling like a champion but rather one of realizing winning a championship in the fashion he did wasn’t satisfying like he might have thought it would be. It was never going to be as amazing as if he had won with Arsenal. He is still richer than he ever would have been had he stayed, but the actual feeling of sporting accomplishment will never be as fulfilling in Manchester.
Also every player who wins a championship will undoubtedly hurt fans of other teams just by definition of beating their teams. However, van Stapleton, and to be fair Campbell and others who have made similar moves, have the distinction of knowing they have a whole set of supporters who once sang their name and wanted to celebrate in their championships together who can’t stand the sight of them.
Yes it was more of a risk to stay and maybe never win that championship but no great reward is without its risks. He took the easy path. A champion yes, but a legend never.
http://www.101greatgoals.com/gvideos/robin-van-persie-post-match-interview/
H2H, dubious or dooby-licious? π
Steve T- I have the same feeling over and over with that. How do we have an expansive, cutting-edge secret-filled scouting network and endless unverified backroom meetings and all we manage to do is sell and buy fast only when we have a suddenly injury-trimmed squad? That’s a lot of ‘ball watching’ with no action…
And how do you get that gig?! Sounds great! π
Good stuff H2H, and all of you.
What do we want a piece about tomorrow night?
I’m doing requests π
Holic. How about a piece about how many names one bell end can use on one blog?
Haha π
Let’s get ready for a warm welcome for that scum who used to play for Feyenoord.
Somebody here don’t hate him and even don’t blame him for leaving the Arsenal.
Vomit…now.
Steve T: Haha! The season would be done and dusted by the time holic finishes that piece.
You could make it a multi series epic.
Cheers guv’.
How’s about a liitle something from a year when Manure were relegated. π
Fergie sold the Dancing Queen to Real Madrid and they are direct competitors with ManUre at the European and commercial level.
Well, I’d like an opinon piece on the managerial styles of AW and SAF. Nothing to do with board decisions, just how they are, as managers. Kinda fitting, don’t ya think π Ok, I’ll get ‘real’. Your fav win over United will do just nicely π
Steve T, Impec.
Santa doesn’t have a list of names that long.
*doesn’t even….
Here’s the problem H2H, I remember United going down clear as day courtesy of a Denis Law goal.
It pales into insignificance to the night Tottenham got relegated and I dj’d that night.
Every record with the word down in got played that night π
Heh, we’ll save that one for another day then….
I can hardly wait though. π
Say what you will about the Mancs, Ryan Giggs winning his 13th title is the stuff of legend.
It’s snowing outside.
Trophies are not everything.
They are if you’re a serious club and a serious footballer. You find your trophy at your level though, so for a mid table team that has a real prospect of going down, the trophy is survival. If you have ambition in a lower league, the minimum is playoffs and then promotion.
If you’re Arsenal, the trophy really is top four, with third a bonus.
Any player who is truly ambitious and wants to achieve will go where they can win actual silver cups and medals though, no matter what their level. So the “world class” performers will want to play for United or City, because one is a team coached and managed by a winner and the other has the finance to fluke it occasionally and always be in the mix for things. The Premier League is a two team league again.
Lower down the leagues, lesser players will want to play for a freshly relegated PL side, because their parachute payment should give them an advantage. It doesn’t always work out, but that’s why you had Jordan Rhodes going to Blackburn. It was just his bad luck to sign for a club run by total morons.
My point being that the best players will always want to play for the best possible club, because trophies DO matter, and if you’re not a competetive club you end up with Gervinho, Ramsey, Walcott etc and the better end of your squad leaves. They might stick around and give it a go for a year or two, but if they have any real regard for their own career, they go.
Trophies are all that matter to the players who really matter. It’s the ones who stick around at clubs that pay well with no chance of winning anything who are the dodgy ones. We have loads of those.
RvP’s post match comments proves what has long been suspected. He is one massive cunt.
So you had to wait for so long, did yoiu? You prick, if you werent nursing your glass ankles season after season, maybe..just maybe, you would have won the league earlier. Where the fuck where you when we needed you most?
H2H … #155. We are confusing each other. Regarding Santi, try rephrasing my what I said about him to read “Heβs looking as you would expect from a player new to the EPL at the end of the season tired and inconsistent … and itβs not just because heβs playing out of position”. I want Poldi on the left in place of Santi.
You clearly know more about Poldi than I do, but the German with the punishing left foot who was instrumental in destroying WH can’t be all that unfit!
Sorry for the delay, I spent yesterday in hospital having a minor op. Ticker now good for at least another ten years, so I’m assured, and it is my ambition to see us holding the CL cup within that period!
Oskar
And yes, I was being optimistic re Wigan, Newcastle and QPR. But they’re not down there among the league’s also-rans because they’re classy teams, and if we drop points to them we wouldn’t deserve to be Top 4 anyway.
Hopefully Wigan can play the way you’re worried about on Saturday! π
Oskar
I’m amazed to hear you guys don’t hate the Dutchman.
How can you not?
He disrespected your biggest love in life, The Arsenal.
That warrants hate.
As for RvP and all the other mercenaries, that is how football is these days. You might have expected club loyalty back when wages were little more than paid to miners, but today there is real wealth to be made by taking every opportunity when it is offered. RvP, approaching 30, knowing that as a striker he may have no more than another 3-4 years at the top, was absolutely right to take the money (and the trophies) while he could. He could be be out of work around 30 years before most people look to retire, and whatever he does he won’t be earning anything remotely close to what he makes from football. Of course he did the right thing by himself and his family. He could live 60-70 years in retirement!
Give the guy a break.
Oskar
It feels like much less than a year since City were crowned champions, which can mean only two things. Yes, I am getting old. And yes, it must feel like even a shorter time for City supporters.
News item: Phil Dowd will be in charge of Sunday’s match between Arsenal and Manchester United.
We have no chance.
I don’t get what the modern footballer and modern football have to do with anything.
I don’t care what modern footballers are like, I can still hate them for being a cunt.
I detect a certain amount of immaturity in this bar.
Oskar
‘modecodling’, bill?
I do despair…
Oskar
For the youngsters here … Real life doesn’t begin until long after footballers retire. π
Oskar
@541 – Oskar – My dad would argue with that claim π
Mitch Goldhar, Jordi Cruyff, Oscar Garcia – Thank you. I love you. Truly love you. Ten fucking years.
Speaking of ex-players, first half of an excellent interview with Eduardo in the May issue of Arsenal magazine. He talks about the basic financial insecurity he felt after that injury at such an early age with an young child to take care of. And how that alone was a strong enough motivation to work so hard to be able to come back at the top level.
Life of a top level sportsman — despite all the outer trappings that may make it look so glamorous — is continuously shaped by a deep anxiety about maintaining livelihood and status beyond the very short years of sporting excellence. And the self-doubts about one’s achievements. In addition, given the somewhat unusual trajectory their lives take from an early age they do not necessarily get the chance to cultivate the inner abilities for a balanced perspective on life.
They are human beings, with warts and all. Criticize their insecure and yet egoistical ways, criticize their moral failings like you do with anyone else (hopefully yours included), when they play for the opposition discourage them as much as you want, all per course of normal human interaction. But wishing bodily harm on another fellow human being just because he has disappointed your (self-constructed) tribal affiliations is just psychopathic. Take a deep look inwards and cure yourself. If there is a war raging, it is inside you.
Sports is not an outlet for bloodlust. We have, hopefully, moved beyond the times of gladiators.
Anyone comparing Utd selling Ronaldo to Madrid with us selling RvP to Utd didn’t really understand my point @ 446.
No point in labouring it ….but trust me, when did Manchester United ever sell us a player when it was in our interest at the expense of theirs?
And irrespective of whether I’m right or wrong, come Sunday, I reserve the right to be bitter and twisted and give the dutchman all the venom I can muster, the Judas cunt.
Pity I’ll be in a pub 440 miles away….. π
Faustus – the fact that he’s a human being doesn’t make him less of a cunt.
In fact, I’m sure there are many here who wish for others to suffer because they got you fired or stole your girlfriend or who knows what so that claim doesn’t satisfy me.
He is akin to a girlfriend that cheated on me with one of my greatest enemies and not only did she not become fat but she became hotter.
I could care less about his family or about him. I care about my love and my love only, Arsenal.
Anything that would work in favor of The Arsenal is fine by me. Anything.
Snir. The biggest loves of my life is not Arsenal. The biggest love in my life are 13 and 9. The fact that if one of them ever made it at the top level that you could want one of them physically harmed because they play for the wrong team disturbs me greatly. One day hopefully you might get that.
The funny thing is that you have already said that arsenal are your second team. What would you do if arsenal played Macabi? I think that was your team? Please forgive me if I got that wrong. Would you hate Arsenal? Would you want arsenal players injured?
By all means hate your opponent but do so with some perspective.
I don’t know if we really have a pint of pride left in us. When I saw RVP celebrating being a champ yesterday my heart bleeds.
“I have been waiting for this for a long time” -RVP
U can’t tell me that had it been we still have Adebayor, Cesc, Nasri n Flamini, RVP would not have been uttering that in d Emirates.
Ade= #25m
Cesc- #32m
Nasri- #24m
Toure- #18m
RVP- #24m
Song- #15m
Flamini- free
Henry- #18m
Cole- #5m + Gallas
Total- #161m + Gallas
We sold our 8 seasons for #161m + Gallas.
Good good Snir, let the hate flow through you! Hate is the key to the Dark Side!
Bloody hell Snir! Remind me never to get on the wrong side of you.
Fuck United, Fuck Van Persie, And Fuck Evra (God i hate that utter utter bellend)
That is all π
Today’s Arseblog is well worth a read by the way on the subject of Man Utd and RVP.
Darth Charlie, heh.
Chippy 552, I can only applaud.
Indeed Darth 553, top stuff
@ 525
If trophies are everything then modern day Chelsea are a great club.
I rest my case.
Breaking news…….
Sky have just reported that Liverpool have accepted a bid of 21 million euros for suarez from Borussia Munchoncentreback.
Just saying like.
π
The only fans who say they aren’t are the fans of clubs who don’t win any.
So the fans of 90%+ clubs that exist then?
Snir,
You’ve lost me on this one, mate.
Arsenal FC the biggest love of my life ? Fortunately not.
Like Steve T, my biggest loves are 9 and 4 years old.
I’m not going to drone on for ages trying to convince and compare. I would just ask you to remember and do one thing.
When, one day, you have children of your own, and you have seen one of them seriously ill, please come back and write that post again.
If you can.
To me, hate in it’s true sense is an extreme of emotion. Real hatred at football matches is what results in extremes of violence – real people with families of their own being indiscriminately stabbed or murdered just because they support their team.
That should not happen to anyone just because they go to a football match.
*joins forces with Charlie*
And I have a family of pixies at the end of my garden .
Wenger calls for RvP respect
.
Trev and Steve T,
I’m completely with you. My wife and our unborn child are the ‘things’ I love more than anything in the world.
I really like Arsenal and I get a lot of joy out of watching a good game of football, but that is a drop of water compared to the ocean of happiness those two can bring me (sorry – I’m gushing (please excuse the pun), I’ll stop now).
I can’t buy into this outpouring of hatred either. It is a vile emotion and will do more damage to the one who keeps it in their heart than to the intended recipient. On top of that, footballers as human beings tend to be shallow, self-centred and materialistic and I would never waste my precious energy on being angry with them; they are my performing monkeys, the court jesters of my life, there for entertainment and nothing more.
As for the visit of Manure, if I had a ticket for Sunday I’d clap them. I don’t like them one bit but a bit of sportsmanship should go a long way in a world that has too much selfishness and looking-after-number-one.
Keep on keeping on Gooners.
I would never waste my precious energy on being angry with them; they are my performing monkeys
Gareth Bale takes it to the extreme mind π
Ive mellowed as the years have gone by in all honesty i think modern day Football and fotballers in general are so far removed from their roots i really cannot get as hyped up as i used too, Once they were one of us now i see them more as fleeting performers on stage,
Today campers, for perhaps one day only, I am angry-fan.
I’m fully with Dr.z re: Sunday. F*ck them, f*ck him, f*ck their fans and f*ck their guard of (dis)honour. I am unable to be big about this.
BTW, I would expect exactly the same treatment were the tables ever turned.
I’m also fully with Trev & Steve T regarding children, perspective and real love.
*returns to cave*
Chippy – HEH!
Oh ffs…..
IF we’re going to bring wives and children into it – then I reserve to right to mention pet hamsters. Mine tasted wonderful last night when I bit his head off watching Van Staplecunt score the second goal.
Obviously I need to take some classes in yoga or mediation so I can be as anthropological as my fellow holics……..
I propose a guard of honour where all the players turn their backs on them as they trot out from the tunnel on their hooves………
Pigs. every last one of them.
There can be no greater love than the love one has for one’s Speedoes.
Snir, mate, you will do well to take the advise of Trev and Steve T, I take pleasure in hating my/our opponents, especially when said opponent(s) is of despicable character, but if moderation is not allowed to prevail even the most pleasant of all things pleasant becomes unpleasant.
I detest RvP, if by chance I meet him I will probably not even shake his hand, I can’t trust him with Β£5 of my money, the only time I would help him is his life was in serious danger, but would I wish bodily harm on him? Never! That’s taking it too far.
Wolfie, Heh.
I have no problem with hating out opponents. I hate the mancs. Just not to the extent where I would want any of them crippled.
I also think a few use their hatred as a way of covering up for our inadequacies. Hate the mancs and rvp, but don’t use it as a scapegoat.
Afternoon All,
Blogs bang on the money this morning imo.
Don’t give a flying fuck about the guard of honour either way. Who really cares?
Man Utd winning the league? If it isn’t us, I couldn’t give two hoots. It is already forgotten. I certainly won’t be lauding them, or worse, using their success to rub our own noses in it.
Van Persie? Can’t believe we’re still having this discussion. Yawn.
Hate? Depends what you mean by “hate” I suppose. As Blogs points out, football is a pantomine and it needs it’s heroes and villains. Nothing wrong with a bit of abuse to show your tribal loyalties. All part of the fun in a “he’s behind you” kind of way.
But “hate” in its most visceral form? Course not. Football is not war. If you think it is, you need to go and see a psychiatrist … sharpish.
Joe @ 560
Nice post – I think I’ve already agreed with you @ 331.
The sickening chants re Arsene over such a long period and people suggest that we show Utd. respect? The crass, bullying, arrogant behaviour of Ferguson over an even longer period and we should show Utd. respect? We owe them nothing.
I grudgingly acknowledge their achievement in winning the title but bollocks to a guard of honour – there is no honour in that club to salute. Shake their hands in the ridiculous “respect” charade that the FA ludicrously persists with and then try and give them a serious hiding.
UTA.
Glad to hear all is good with the ol’ rikky tic, Oskar sir.
Afternoon all.
Sorry cannot argee with the Guard of Honour thing rembember them doing the same for us at Highbury after we had won it – Yes they are Cunts but they are the champions and we should respect that (Hurts i know) Lets just hope we end up getting the same result as we did that season and give them a right tonking !
If we don’t do the guard of honour they will be given extra incentive to beat us. That is enough reason for me to do it.
TABS – SPOT ON!
Football is not a war it’s a game and we all know what he did to us and the club with his stupid statement on his website. Total bollocks if you ask me. He used the club as his getaway and I will remember his words exactly. I believe they were something along “Arsenal have no ambition” however the only company without any ambition here was him! Just goes to show how quickly a player can change his mind. Days of loyalty are over for most of these guys anyways enough about that cunt please!
I will boo him and will probably call him names. He still a world class player and I will never wish him any harm but that is it. Nothing more nothing less for what he did he will be remembered as a complete and utter CUNT!
END OF!
Why is guard of honor even being discussed? ITs a tradition (atleast since ive been watching PL) and us breaking it will llook stupid.
My last comment got my thinking back to that warm day,
Remember watching Ian Woan (I Think) Smash home the winner for Forest and the whole of the Plimsol going mental before the landlord emptied his fridge of his finest champagne (Well it tasted sweet and good to me – But i was still a relative whipper snapper) so its was probably Asti Spu -manti !
After finishing his fine offerings we all staggered out rather drunk and walked up towards the old girl in high spirits for our game against the Mancs – Im sure that was the year of the Battle of Old Trafford but may be wrong, but if it was – For them to perform the Guard must have been even more gutting lol ! Happy Days Indeed,
Trying to remember who scored for us Think Thomas got one or Two anyone else help without cheating π !!
‘Chelsea FC are probing allegations that Yossi Benayoun was the subject of Anti-semitic chants from his own fans’
I read that and immediately thought “we’re a classy club, no home fan in the Emirate would ever do that” then it hit me; if Gervinho/Ramsey was a Jew quite a handful of our fans would have done that at some point this season.
A brief poem to match the quality of Arsenal’s current expectations:
I think that I may never see
A sight any lovelier than Szcznesny
Pumping his fists and kneeling on the turf
As Andrey Arshavin brought Barsa to earth.
Chippy,
Without looking didn’t Alan Smith get all three? I know that he was given a penalty, but can’t remember if it was for the hat trick or for the Golden Boot.
Not sure Mate i thought for sure Thomas got one but may well be wrong as i say i was a little worse for wear π ! Now you mention that i think Smith may have needed it for the Golden Boot, Im sure someone will tell us soon enough !
Haha, you and me both! π
Happy St Georges to all you in Eng-er-land.
Lets be honest tho getting them two mistaken is quite an easy thing to do they are so alike they could be twins π !!
Haha. Impossible to tell the difference. π
Cheers H2H. I’ve got my red rose on and I’m looking to slay a dragon!
Chippy at 568. spot on.
The one ting I do remember was finding out the result and thesn seeing the players come out to warm us. It was party time already. Lee Dixon had some massive donald duck hat with a moster beak peak.
Steve – that’s a bit different because I don’t consider Arsenal as the enemy.
As for wanting him injured, I’m not gonna want him to be on the end of a Stokish challenge because I don’t want that in the game but I won’t lament the fact that he’s injured if he does, just like opposing fans don’t care when our players are injured.
Trev, sorry but I don’t believe that nobody here hates other human beings, and since football along with family brings out the most emotion, chances are that would encompass the most love and hate.
Fortunately, I am able not resort to violence despite hating certain players.
I may hate them within myself but I have my boundaries and would not go beyond them and be violent.
Fortunately, I know how to separate between hating a player and actually turning that hate to violent acts towards other people.
Steve T,
Haha forgot that bit! id love to know where he aquired such a hat – it was most impressive !!! Great party after too !! Im even more worried now tho 3 of us were there and we carnt remember who scored the goals – But we can remember Monster Donald Duck Hats π
Snir,
Of course some human beings hate other human beings. That’s why television screens are full of dead and mutilated bodies every evening at ‘news time’.
To relate that to football though is absurd.
I’m more than happy to laugh at every defeat and misfortune of our rivals and opponents.
I probably spend far too much time thinking about, and engaging in, football matters in general and Arsenal in particular. I support the team with passion and shout, jeer and swear – when my daughter’s not with me – at anyone who wrongs us on the pitch.
Hate I reserve for paedophiles and thugs who do indiscriminate harm to others.
Joe,
No apologies from me for backing up Steve T – if he hadn’t introduced his children into the debate, I would have anyway.
The reason ? Snir’s post @529 – go and read it if you haven’t already.
Then maybe direct your “ffs” somewhere else.
I have to say I’m surprised that someone with such usually considered opinions can’t understand such a basic human response.
Still, we’re all entitled to our opinions, that’s my last word on the subject. Take it as you will.
Predictably, the inconsistent FA have rejected Giroud’s (not sex-)appeal.
Bollocks. Rumours Cavani has gone to PSG.
It appears that the transfer window is now open. Can we get a move on?
FA’s inconsistency is ming boggling. How can anyone looking at the replay of that incident from multiple angles decide that it still fits the 3-match banning violent foul category is just inexplicable! Really incompetent … but I guess not unexpected.
Hope Poldi is fit enough to carry us against Man U. Or would Arsene go for Theo/Gerv?
N7 @ 586: We could have never afforded Cavani anyway…Napoli had said something along the lines of 60 m Euro was it would take someone to make them sell Cavani. They have started a rather lucrative business supplying PSG then, first with Lavezzi …
I don’t think it is inexplicable at all Faustus.
I completely agree with you on the inconsistency point, but there was no way that appeal was ever going to be successful.
An awful lot of people viewing it through red and white tinted glasses.
As the rules stand, it was a red. AW pretty much admitted it in his post match interview.
No complaints at all.
Chippy. I think pretty soon after Donald Duck hats I was hammered. That may be why I have no idea of who scored.
No reduction at all on OG’s ban.
Fucking Assholes the F.A.
That’s just too easy an insult. I almost feel guilty now!
tabs @ 589: I will admit my bias, but the fact that the foul happened as a result of a slip and visibly the attempt was only to drag the ball back which he did successfully makes the foul obviously without intent, akin to say when someone trips himself up and ends up colliding with an opposition player. I think — but I could be wrong — the idea of the appeals process was, among other aspects, if it can be unambiguously demonstrated that there was no intent in the challenge then a red card for violent foul can be rescinded.
Anyway, no point arguing over this.
WFT is it with these transfers starting to hit the news?
Window’s not open yet?
And lookit the way Gotze just fooked over Borissa right before their big match with Real. What a fool he is. No respect at all for BVB – the team that made him! Maybe he’s been taking transfer lessons from the Dutch Skunk.
Homer, nothing unusual at all about that. We announced the Podolski signing at about this time last year (even a bit earlier, I think), for example.
Bayern clearly have an eye on winning the Bundesliga by Christmas next season.
Ahh the joy of six (hundred) shall be luxuriated in by a lucky individual in a few seconds’ time.
No self-assisting please. π
Faustus, not arguing with you, just putting a different slant on it as I saw the incident.
Does there have to be intent? Not really. Not to compare the two incidents, but I’m guessing even Shawcross didn’t have an intent to break Ramsey in two. Shawcross was rightly sent off though for a recklessness that made the subsequent damage he inflicted a possibility.
Was OG reckless? In my view he was. I thought he was always second favourite for the ball, and was stretching at pace. To then try and spin on the ball just accentuated his lack of control. Was it any real surprise that he slipped?
When he slipped as he made contact with the ball, he then went over the top of the ball and caught the Fulham guy halfway up his shin. You just aren’t going to get away with that in the modern game unless (a) the Ref doesn’t see it or (b) the ref is incompetent.
I would also distinguish it from the Kompany sending off at the Emirates, which it is being compared to elsewhere, in that Kompany did not go over the top of the ball.
Just my opinion Sir.
it’s up for grabs now!
Ping?
scruz it is. congratulations to the young numeralogist who stepped right up and had no fear!!
tabs @ 599: I agree that yours is a valid perspective as well. One can definitely see it that way too, as evidently the FA did. π
So, unless Giroud plays in the Newcastle match and then scores a hat-trick the twenty goal prediction is not going to come true. Pity. I really thought he will get to that mark in the first season.
Now that he is not playing, I am sure we will see some excellent crosses from Sagna and precise corners from Santi. π
Time for Arsene to surprise us all tactically as neither of Poldi/Theo/Gerv can be used as the pivot that Giroud was playing. I won’t mind Santi-Poldi-Theo/Gerv/Ox as the starting front line. Santi-Poldi-Gibbs had some very good combination plays at different times in the season, and if TR7 is fit I think he is a better choice as the advanced MF and can also switch seamlessly with Santi. I hear a lot of criticism about Santi playing on the wings, but that is where he has played in the majority of his career and as long as the frontline is mobile and positionally aware he can be as creative cutting in from the left.
Lars, that’s one good memory you have there. Thanks for the reminder.
Poldi’s old club FC Koln was in the drop zone, or where they already down – i don’t recall which (surprise suprise). IF its the latter, and Koln was already down, then i think its a bit different. Borissa still has all to play for and Gotze is key for them. Oh well.
I never really thought he was a legit target for us anyway.
Cheers!
Trev @ 584,
I do take your comments seriously – and indeed appreciate and respect your opinions on every thing you have to say.
If I have in any way offended you – I sincerely apologise.
My “ffs” were not directed at you in any specific way, but in a general tongue in cheek manner which I think in fairness most people took that way.
I think it goes without saying that football has its place in life. I too have two young children which I have mentioned before on this site, and like you, they too, mean everything in the world to me.
I obviously didn’t bite my hamsters head off, nor did I really I have difficulty with the “guard of honour” as I said in my post at 371. That was, of course, before RVP scored a hat trick last night – which did grate with me, and still grates with me, if I’m perfectly honest.
As for Snir’s comments: well truthfully, there are many comments that young Snir has made on this site that have irked me in the past. Rather than be specific and get involved in some heated discussion that inevitably involves exchanging opinions on religion, morality and politics……..I just accept the fact that this is afterall a football blog and thats what it should be confined to. I make allowances for the fact that Snir is just a young kid whose heart, I believe, is in the right place even if he’s prone to making the occasional rash comment from time to time. I choose not to pick him up on it because we were all young once. As such – I did not read too much in the “hate” thing.
Yep that’s all fair Faustus.
As for how we go about replacing him on Sunday, I’d go with Poldi if he’s fit. That appears to be an almighty big if, so in the event that he isn’t, I’d go with Gervinho before Walcott.
I’d also think very seriously about giving the Ox a run out on the right, who has looked far more dynamic than Theo in recent weeks.
Is the Prince of Denmark fit? π
Prince of Denmark ??????? Sounds like the name of a pub.
I still have a slight bellyache. Didn’t stop me from playing football, it really doesn’t seem to do much beyond the slight pain but it’s annoying.
tabs, according to ‘Loan Watch’ (not that you can trust them usually), Bendtner was on the bench for Juve last weekend. (unused, naturally)
Heh. π
I still have a slight bellyache. Didn’t stop me from playing football, it really doesn’t seem to do much beyond the slight pain but it’s annoying.
tabs, according to ‘Loan Watch’ (not that you can trust them usually), Bendtner was on the bench for Juve last weekend. (unused, naturally).
Faustus, in France, every single red is judged on its own merit for bans length, I believe.
And well in, scruz.
Approves 602 and 605 too.
Ollie – Really, I didn’t know that. For some reason I had it in my head that Juve had got fed up with him and sent him back to us.
Btw, I was hehing at Steve’s pub thing rather than the fact that you had stomach ache π
Gervinho or Walcott at the centre of attack?
God, open the transfer window or take me now!
*Note – post may suffer from melodrama*
‘Suarez to appeal ban if more than 3 games’.
Since the FA have clearly expressed that 3 games is insufficient…..
Someone sadly retweeted John Crosscunt earlier, tweeting about we not having a spare centre-forward blahblah.
That would be John Cross, champion of the Walcott cause in all its aspects, including the ‘centre-forward’ bits?
Cunt.
Tonight’s game is both in BeInSport and Canal+.
I guess that’s what you get for having the CL only on pay-channels (and possibly because there is no French club left?)
Joe – what football posts of mine have irked you in the past :)?
Steve, Trev – check your email.
CF is the place where we couldn’t really afford to miss someone, even if that someone was having a torid time over the last few games, he still brought something to the team the “replacements” can’t.
Poldi would also be automatic choice to fill in, but he’s frighteningly off the pace (sorry Oskar), based on last weekend’s showing he is far from 100%. That leaves Feo or Flipper……
Let’s put it this way, I think chances will be at a premium and if we can manage to thread a ball through their defence leaving a one on man situation, who would you prefer that chance to fall to?
Sorry, the answer Thiery Henry doesn’t count. π
Must admit that an interchangable front three of Ox-Feo-Gerv may be interesting. Would be a complete waste of time lofting crosses in the box at them, but seeing that we can’t cross for shit anyway I dont think that playing the ball on the deck would seriously disrupt our flow.
Tabs,
I too thought TGSTEL had been returned to us by Juve, albeit knackered and requiring surgery and new undergarments – at any rate out for the rest of the season.
If he is back in the fold, and fit, is he even nominated in our squad, ‘cos his Juve loan was supposed to be for the season, was it not ?
I have to say, at this point, but please don’t tell anyone, I would take him over Wally and Gerv up front.
I’d certainly give The Ox a go on the right wing though.
Serge Gnabry up front ? Highly unlikely, but surely more likely to actually do something than Wally or Gerv.
It would be most unlike AW to promote a youngster for a game like that though, so here’s hoping Poldi is fit. And praying. To whoever you like. π
Doesn’t Poldi come from the land of Dr Mueller and horse placenta ?
Must be able to get 90 minutes out of him with all that jiggery-pokery. π
Holic,
Have you not noticed me here ?
Must be time for tonight’s piece. π
Trev, he’s at Juve, we can’t have him.
My worry is not about Gerv or Theo up front as such, it’s more about the not winning balls in the air.
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Ha, made you look π
Which goes to some extent in the same way as H2H’s post. Well, for the times when we have the ball.
I think (or is that hope) that Feo and/or Gerv could pleasantly surprise a few on Sunday.
Hey Ollie,
Feo and The Ox usually interact well for England. Maybe they could cause a bit of havoc together up front.
Bayern score.
I realise I couldn’t care less.
The only thing left I care about is that Real don’t win the thing (and in a perfect world, that would mean Dortmund wins the semi and the final).
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Ha! Made YOU look. π
Er, ‘holic, I see no new post….
Haha, I only saw a red name and ‘>>>>>>’, didn’t even check who posted, which is unlike me.
Red card for zico though, the clever cunt π
Busquets really is an uber-cunt.
You have to wear red at least, Trev;)
Naughty zico π
Your fav win over United will do just nicely
Already done, Abb π
http://goonerholic.com/2007/01/the-five-minute-final/
Er, Ollie
I’ve been at work all day. It will be a late one as I am currently watching Bayern rip Barca a new one π
Trev @618 – As Ollie says, he’s obviously still at Juve, so wherever we read it, it was clearly wrong. Even if he had been at the Club, he wouldn’t have been in our nominated squad, so wouldn’t have been able to play.
And in all seriousness, I would take either of Theo and Gerv before him. I really can’t stand Bendtner.
Dr Z – Hehs π
H2H @617 – Take your point that Theo is more likely to snap up a one on one, but perhaps the first question is who is more likely to fashion a chance in the first place? Don’t remember Theo even being in a position to score in recent games. Just my opinion but I think Theo would be swallowed up by Vidic and Ferdinand. Whether Gervinho will fare any better, is of course, a moot point.
Snir Gueli — Were you born and raised in Israel? Perhaps that would go some way to explaining your extreme views. Anyone born/living in a war torn nation has my sympathy,and for those of us that dont,it’s difficult to comprehend the culture of hate that is a consequence of such a life.
I suppose its true that we all hate something….. I hate rice pudding for instance. I also hated my son getting cancer…….I pity you….its just a game pal.
Don’t know how to do a red moniker, Ollie. π
iLliterate. π
tabs: I’d probably be tempted to play Vermaelen up top before Gervinho. At least Vermaelen know how to win headers (well, at least when he’s not gone walkabout and is in the wrong place) and can shoot the ball without it hitting row 33 of the Upper Tier more often than it’s on target.
Trev, you only have to enter something in the “Website” box to become red-faced.
Lars, perhaps it was Gervinho’s unerring accuraccy in hitting the exact same spot in row 33 that convinced Wenger of his ability.
What Lars said.
Even if I was expecting him to use more imagination for his website
Lars and all, have we already COMPLETELY forgotten Gervinho’s relatively recent good (if still rare) games? π
Shame on you.
IF, you may be on to something there π
Ollie, I did try to come up with something a bit more fun but couldn’t be arsed…
“Website box” ???
Good to go red every now and then π
Heard today that Bayern have won 4-1 fourteen times this season.
And 5-1 or more, six times.
And we beat them 2-0 on their own pitch. Oh, for consistency.
Vermaelen up top Lars????
I want some of what you’ve been drinking tonight π
Trev, under the one where you enter your email address.
tabs, I don’t really want Vermaelen up top, it was more of an illustration of how desperate we are if Poldi isn’t fit enough to play there.
(Cue him playing there and getting a hat trick on Sunday…)
Ollie, I haven’t forgotten his good games but they were on the wing where I think he’s much more suited to play.
Nice to seeBarca being chopped down to size. If Bayern go to the Nou Camp and tear Barca a new one as I believe is possible I wonder what the reaction will be. We got closer to Bayern than probably any of us thought possible.dont expect it to be mentioned much!
Glad the ‘ hate RVP’ debate is over or at least suspended. I was grateful for the sanity expressed by Trev,Steve T and N7. Football is so visceral it releases emotions we didn’t know we had ( or possibly hope we haven’t) .i think the early skirmishes in the transfer window show who the really ambitious clubs are. PSG are just another oil rich set of spivs but Bayern are an interesting model which thrives without the huge input from TV money which we receive in England. They operate with stealth in the transfer market and will usually be the number one target for aspiring German footballers. I think we have debated before that there are super signings- ones that are valued at Β£30 million or more and with the attendant wages they will bring these appear out of our league. They are likely to be picked over by Barca,Real,PSG,Citeh and the Chavs. United may be in for them as well. Beyond that there are the next echelon of players who might not yet be established or who have failed somewhere else.but Bayern are a self- sustaining model who compete successfully and are probably the club that we could aspire to be most like in terms of our planning and execution.
Cavani,Goetze, Falcao and the like are in the first category of superstars with mega salaries. Jovetic,Fellaini, Bentheke etc in the second. Arsene has served us well in the past by uncovering unpolished gems in the past or players like Henry and Bergkamp ( who he sourced for Dein) who had tarnished reputations because of mishandling elsewhere. He has done a brilliant job in this respect but occasionally he misfires. Spectacularly ( in my view) with Gervinho and Santos and Park and slightly( in my view again) with Giroud. But I think in the last three years he has done well with Koscielny, Arteta, Mertesacker, Monreal ,Cazorla and Podolski. The issue is can these sort of players help us to close the gap? We have become a sort of Everton on steroids and we should be pushing away from the LWCs rather than seeing them come back to us.Perhaps this really is the time to buy super,super quality and try to sign the sort of players that have been outside our reach. This is where the new regulations in the PL and FFP will hopefully bite.
So our big hope is that Arsene has his pre- 2004 glasses on and not those he has been wearing recently and that he can see some young geniuses no one else has spotted
As for Sunday I think the only chance we have against Vidic is to expose him for speed. He ate Giroud for breakfast at OT. Maybe we gamble on Theo with Poldi as back- up.
Looks like offside is definitely allowed in the CL now.
Gone red ?
π
Takeabowson, It’s defo time to take that bow !! Alan smith Hatrick ’twas indeed ! Bruce Penalty for them Unfortunatly for me and Steve T no mention of Thomas or Donald Duck on the scoresheet π
I wanted Bayern to win this game before the Gotze announcement this morning.
Clearly designed to unsettle Dortmund. Clearly the behaviour of cunts.
The fact that they’ve heavily watered their pitch for this match only increases my distaste. I hope Barca can turn this round, although I doubt they will.
TTG – from where I’m sat that’s a very good description of the lay of the land.
Well done, Trev in red!
I would love at Barça but I sense the inevitably conclusion of that particular Champions League.
The Dark Side of Cuntery (which happens to be wearing white) will prevail.
Utterly predictable, Bayern are bottling cunts, especially against the biggest cunts.
Barca getting screwed over by the refs, now that’s something you sure as hell don’t see every day.
Glad Barca is getting sussed out …..
Four nil ooouch….. π
Impressive from Barça.
They’ll still fuck up the final.
Yep, fair enough Ttg.
We all have to hope that FFP will bite but it’s not looking good so far.
Man Citeh will get Β£40 million a year, for ten years, as sponsorship for the “area around the ground”, and ManUre are now to get Β£20 million a year from sponsors of their training ground.
So super rich sponsors will pump in the money that the super rich owners – one and the same ? – will no longer be allowed to.
It cannot be right that a club that, with it’s own earned resources, has risked so much to improve itsself, and finds itsself still unable to compete at the top level.
But maybe we will.
Bayern may have been helped by the ref for two of the goals, but fucking hell they are destroying Barca completely with their power and pace.
Come on we reds ! π
Posted this in the wrong drinks earlier…..oops.
Not really Arsenal news, but always awesome to watch Barcelona get humbled by a team we outplayed π
Bayern are a scary team.
Trev – have a look at my 616
barca are half the team without messi on form and fitness… we faced them in the past 3-4 years and always game them a fair fight.. and never got any credit for it… for once barca are not favoured by the refs and look at them! little kittens.. good job bayern !
Loving watching the forces of darkness crumple.
Robben is still a Bale-sized diver I see.
Since when were UEFA anti-Barca? Looks like the ref read his annual bribe letter upside down…
Alba wtf….. π this is a joke red card end off!
As is gridiron blocking. But all adds to the humour. Shame they have Robben though…
God, but I hate Adrian Chiles
Will do Snir, it’s on the tDeskTop. π
That was quite a brutal dismantlement.
Good to enjoy a game without caring who wins though.
But I stick to my prediction that Bayern will bottle the final against Real.
Practically as certain as them bottling against Cuntski last year.
I wonder if we’d get any credit for winning up there now…!
Oh dear. I think Barca’s cheque must have got lost in the post. I reckon Angela Merkel confiscated it.
Not that I give a shit really…
No way we will get any credit for that Snir and I still predict German final, with Dortmund eventually winning it (since Bayern deserve to lose the final again for their last years inability to finish Chavs off)
Also reveling greatly in this kind of humiliation of Messilona, nice to see tables turned and see them on the receiving end of some really crappy ref decisions. Karma had to even it out some day:P
Bayern are clearly more concerned about Dortmund than Madrid.
I would fucking LOVE Dortmund to win this thing.
Robben MOTM for me.
Not a chance, Snir.
Likewise N7, since I think we are closer to Dortmund than to Bayern…Bavarians are ManU of Bundesliga, while Dortmund did some really great job of nurturing their own talent in to working, flowing, attacking game which wins them stuff.
Which is exactly what we are trying to achieve. Also I have a thing for Jurgen Klopp, really likable guy.
One-man team, no depth to the squad, can’t defend, all passing and possession and no cutting edge. Where have I heard that before?
So would I N7, so would I….
Right, shut it now Chiles and co, stop the Bayern-related onanism, yeh? Getting a bit nauseating now.
I wrote on FB on March 5th that one of Bayern or Dortmund will win the CL.
I have seen nothing to change my mind yet.
I am certain the final would be Dortmund vs. Bayern.
Bayern 0 Arsenal 2
Performance of the season
Cant remember the last time I saw a Barca team getting their arses whooped. Proper schooling.
Tabs. Feo tucked one away nicely over the weekend….
Shame he was a mile offside, but still.
TTG. Bergkamp was not a Wenger signing. He arrived when Rioch was in charge.
4-0 to Bayern Munich!?
Wow. Arjen Robben is still the biggest diving cheat since, well … anyone in Barca’s squad, so putting aside him, still thrilled to see Barca get stomped.
And isn’t it odd how Suarez deliberately chomping on a man’s arm merits the same suspension as OG accidentally going over the ball and catching a player.
And with Arsenal in a fight to the finish. What a bunch of fucking shitheaded morons at the FA – pardon my crudity. I’m not a conspiracy theory type, especially not regarding the English FA – that pack of c$nts couldn’t find their collective fat asses with both hands and a fucking fog horn – but … ahh whatevers. (And while shitheaded is probably not a real word, it seems to fit the flow, so eff it!) Okay, rant over.
https://fbcdn-sphotos-g-a.akamaihd.net/hphotos-ak-ash3/529088_10151339634272024_1039458377_n.jpg
Red army?
Snir, the press to give us credit for beating Bayern? You’re having a laugh, right?
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H2H- actually he was. The agreement to sign him was made before Rioch became Mansger but deferred until afterwards to give his reign some impetus. Just as Wenger suggested Vieira and Garde as signings before he arrived, Dein asked him who to sign the summer before when it became clear he could not/ would not leave Grampus. He suggested Bergkamp.