At a time when Arsenal seem to be under attack on a weekly basis, it would seem ridiculous to join in with any criticism of our own – so, being obtuse, that’s exactly what two of our bloggers have decided to do on ‘Rant Friday’.
London’s Beef
Wenger doesn’t do himself any favours in his attempt to get referees to give our skilful players more protection. The task is profoundly hindered by his tacit acceptance of Eboue’s amateur dramatics. I am, of course, being generous here; Eboue is cheating, as we all know, when he rolls around on the floor feigning injury.
Bearing in mind just how much of a cheat Didier Drogba is, it would be easy at this juncture to make a sweeping generalisation about the mind set of all Ivory Coast players but then, completely contradicting the assumption, they have someone who I doubt has ever feigned and injury in his life: Kolo Toure is one of the games true gentlemen.
Not knowing the Ivory Coast and leaving myself open to accusations of bigotry I, nevertheless, can’t help but wonder if the country is divided into a culturally French part and a culturally English part. Anyway, the fact remains that while Wenger allows Eboue’s cheating he makes his job much harder which in turn makes the likelihood of a Ramsey type injury to yet another Arsenal player even greater than it needs to be.
Rasputin’s Beef
I agree totally about Eboue’s histrionics. I have seen him on more than one occasion writhing in ‘virtual agony’ when we are a goal down with just a few minutes to go – time wasting for the opposition! My rant for Friday would be on a broader topic.
My issue is with Arsenal’s training staff who have consistently failed to improve (let alone eradicate) basic flaws in some player’s games.
They couldn’t stop Lazybarndoor straying offside. A lot of the time when Henry was offside it was a clever and deliberate ploy; defenders never knew where he would be, he’d even hide off the pitch or behind the GK.
Why can’t our training staff drum into our goalkeepers the importance of communicating loudly and decisively with the defenders? It’s simple, if they fail to do so, get them to stand at opposite ends of the pitch and shout to one another – or don’t they share the same language?
Why on earth, when we had a week to prepare, was there no player who had been instructed to cover the back post when Stoke took a long throw? Why is it we must lose possession more than 50% of the time when we take a throw in because players aren’t showing for the ball.
Why is it a high percentage of our corners don’t get beyond the first defender?
What is the point in bringing Theo back to defend corners? It would be better to get him to stand on the halfway line thereby tying up 2 or even 3 of their players and trying to clear the ball out to him quickly so that he can use that blistering pace and be attacking the opposition goal before they know it.
Can no-one really spend time (an extra hour after training) to improve Sagna’s crossing? I thought one of the things we prided ourselves on was that we develop players – so why can’t we develop Sagna’s offensive game?
Anyone would think I don’t love our club with that long list of moans, but it’s just that I really don’t understand. We are characterised by the intelligence of our manager and the integrity of the club, yet it is just not very clever to accept failings that it should be possible to cure.
The often quoted view of those who love to criticise us is that we think we are above the more grubby aspects of the game, but as Arnold Palmer put it many years ago “The harder I practise, the luckier I get” ….. Success is 90% perspiration and 10% inspiration. I think a few of our players may need to work a bit harder at some aspects of their game and the training staff should be held more accountable when things don’t improve….. but then what do I know?
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Morning AA’all,
Tomorrow will be all about positivity before we burn Burnley so today we lightheartedly get a few things off our chests.
Morning Rasp
I liked your suggestion that Wenger might have been better off by going to Comparethemerkats.com…it made me laugh.
I am so excited about the game tomorrow. I am jumping up and down already.
I totally agree with every obsevation you make.I would like to add one more…..teach our goalkeepers how to kick a ball.
Oh shut up how can u be so negative??? Stop being a baby and grow up. Get behind ur team. Sure u were one of the boo boys against eboue but since then the guy deserves lots of credit for pulling up his sleeves and showing how good a player he is. Been excellent latley
Hi Melvyn,
Another thing our GK’s do (Lehman was the worst) is to roll the ball out to a defender when opposition players are bearing down on them and they have to hurriedly clear or play it back to the keeeper. Lehman even did that when our player was looking in the opposite direction on occassion.
This isn’t a Spud site is it? 😉
EE makes me laugh – it isn’t just the dive, it’s the way he lies in a starfish shape on the ground afterwards everytime. He’s like a puppy looking up at the ref.
Drogba is in a different league – it isn’t just the dive, it’s the moaning and whining afterwards, the 15 minutes of limping until the ball comes anywhere near him.
The training issue is more serious for me. In one way we must be one of the best trained teams in the world, given the close play, the training facilities etc. But on an individual level some things are mystifying. The Lazyboyor offside is a good call, but what about Theo’s crossing? If someone like Kevin Keegan can learn basic skills surely Theo can. Does he spend 2 hours a day crossing the ball over and over again with a coach who knows the technique inside out?
The defensive co-ordination is another one for me I’ve commented on a few times. Do they actually practice as a unit?
It’s a mystery but like London I can’t wait for the game. I keep thinking now that Chelsea and Man U only need to lose 1 game and we will go top, then we’ll stay there.
Hi Imran,
Thanks for your comment. We’re behind the team 100%, if you read back you’ll see that. We can be mature enough to discuss Arsenal without feeling that we’re being bad supporters simply by covering some matters that perplex us. Nothing’s ever perfect.
Hey Imran, welcome aboard. I sit next to London at the Emirates quite often, he’s never boo’ed EE. We are all pro-Arsenal here.
Do think Arsene should keep speaking out or quieten down for a bit?
No-one’s had anything but praise for Eboue on here regarding his constructive play. He was our man of the match and had his picture in the centre of our headline banner for nearly a week.
What a good blog. If you go regularly to The Emirates as I do, you will hear all the fans continually moaning about Sagna’s (and Clichy’s) crossing of the ball, the lack of positive goalkeeping, although that may just be down to having sub-standard goalkeepers etc, etc.
The non-covering of the far post that resulted in Stoke’s goal from Delap’s throw was laughable if wasn’t so serious and also I’m afraid very predictable. What on earth was Sagna doing – well nothing actually.
As you say if these faults are so clear for everyone to see from the stands, why are the professionals who have all week to work on these things, so blind to them
Imran
I stand by my point: by not addressing Eboue’s cheating Wenger is making his job more difficult than it needs to be.
Or Imran are you trying to tell us that Eboue does not cheat?
Jim, are you looking forward to the Clock being reinstated? Welcome aboard.
Some of us are Emirates regulars. Sagna seems to have gone down hill, can’t quite figure out why. Any ideas?
I don’t like the diving, especially the rubbish diving but why do you think that increases the chance of injury to other players in the team?
2-0 or 3-0 tomorrow hopefully Burnley weren’t at all good away from home under Coyle and Laws seems to have made them worse. I don’t want 2-1 with 5 minutes left.
I’m a little bit worried Campbell and Diaby are being saved for Porto – but I gues Burnley at home is as good a game as any to use Sylvestre and Denilson – although itr would be really interresting and a very good sign for Eastmond if he gets a game at DM. Hopefully Walcott, Eduardo and Bendtner can get into/stay in form as well. 8 wins for the leagu, I think this has to be one of them.
Hi Alfa
Yes I would like to see the clock re-instated. As a club that like to boast about its history and one-big-family character, I was amazed that the clock was not incorporated into the new stadium. What a feature it would be amongst all the modernity of The Emirates.
A little story that may interest some of you :-
I am about the same age as Harry Rednapp who let slip that his dad took him regularly to Highbury where they would always stand on the back step (it was a bit higher than the others) near the clock. From my early days, right up into my late teens, I would meet two mates early for every home game and we would stand directly under the clock on the back step. So for a number of years I was probably standing next to ‘arry.
You are spot on buddy! Same mistakes all the time. I ask myself the same.. Dosnt anyone at Arsenal preview the matches and see where we go wrong.. For example against Stoke we all know what Delap will do… why on earth allow it to happen????
90% of our corners go straight to the GK.. Why not play wide?? 90% of the oppositions’ corners threaten Arsenal.. why wouldnt Arsene instruct the GK to command his area??? Why get caught at counter attack all the time??? Why not have defenders defend.. especially when we know they do not have the pace???
Against these might be just empty rhetoric bcoz no one seems to listen at Arsenal
Morning All.
From where I sit it is not just Arsenal who waste set plays. The number of corners and free kicks that you see either hitting the first man or straight to the Gk drives me potty. The England game this week was the perfect example, what is so difficult that a professional player cant hit the penalty spot area 8 out of 10 times, when kicking a stationary ball is beyond me
Morning all, I can’t see the problem expressing your concerns about aspects of our teams play. Anyhoo I’m looking forward to going to tomorrow’s game more than usual because of the outpouring of support we’ll see for Rambo. A healthy addition to our goal difference would be welcome too and it’ll be nice to be level top on points comer 5pm.
Fine postRasputin.
Friday rant day?
Why can we not have two players in the box for crosses (in the unlikely event of a cross being accurate) As Nik’s goal os Saturday showed, we CAN score from crosses but we should have a player running to the near post as well as the centre.
And why when we are playing Theo can he not have a pass into space as opposed to his feet? Even the Spuds can do that for Lennon
Danda
Arsenal really miss RvP in this area – his delivery is probably the best in the PL.
job difficult ??
i really cant understand the ongoing critizism of Wenger,if its not Eboue or Denilson who gets bashed…its the determination of the team,or being to young..not winning..not buying..or something else….or even the medical staff.??
set pieces i doubt it very much if the problem isnt attended to..
wake up and answer this..Wenger told us all 3-4 years ago he had a five year plan..and i must say ..this season.. if we had escaped the major injuries we would be top class…id even go so far to say that we would had been top of the league…and with a gap to other teams….so wengers plan is working just fine…
to have opinions are great even necessary,but to not accept facts are just stupid…
finacially we are well off….injury free we have maybe the most interesting and talented team in the world….we are young..
to me we are the future…and i am more proud than ever to be a Gooner…
have a great weekend All..
It’s Friday, time to be happy the weekend is here !
I can understand this negativity and frustrations of our players and who knows, maybe Sagna is perfect in training, maybe Walcott beats 3 players and puts it on a plate for Bendtner to slot home easily we don’t know. That’s the thing here.. we don’t know.
I’m sure a lot of things are worked on by the coaching staff and I can’t believe that certain things aren’t worked on. Saying that I would be bald now if I see another free kick outside the box rolled along to King Kolo to slash 40 foot over or straight into the wall. Another frustration, walking the ball into the net ALWAYS……. but when it works it’s the kind of football that has everyone purring and that I am extremely proud. Another team will do it once in a season and go on and on about it, fact is we are getting bored of it but it’s better than everyone getting frustrated and shouting SHHHOOOOOOOOOTT when clearly it’d need to be a worldy to go in…
So come now lads, this isn’t a time for frustration this is the time we pull together and make a real race of this title.
You never know, at the end of the season Utd and Chelsea could be telling us how their team is too old and past it…
But I suspect we’ll still want 11 new signings 😉
Morning All from your “blue quadrant” regular…. that’s the only gripe I have…
Hey Radders, I bet you wish you were going to the Grove tomorrow.
Hi Livers and all the new guests,
Look, we love Arsenal. I don’t sit up till midnight most nights doing this stuff because I’m a massochist. Of course we’re 100% behind the team and I shall be at the Emirates on Saturday singing Aaron Ramsey’s name. Friday’s is traditionally a very quiet day in the blog world, so we thought we’d try the idea of having a ‘rant day’ and just lightheartedly get a few things of our chests, because on saturday, its get behind our boys and the quest for the title.
Spud site 😆
Hi Irish, we’ve finally smoked you out of your billabong then 😛
Of course Rasp.. I understand that.
I jsut think Blog rant day should be a Monday or Thursday for some reason 😉
Poor old Eboue – if he stopped the diving and play acting he’d be extremely popular IMO
Okay must be off again 😦
Laters Rasp (and all)
Morning Chris
That is a good question and I realise now I should have given it more explanation.
It seems clear to me that Wenger would like our more skilful players to get more protection than they are getting at the present time with the obvious hope of avoiding further leg breaks. This puts referees in a position of having to make a decision in our favour and when faced by one of our players feigning injury which is just a polite way of saying cheating I believe that decision is made far more difficult than it needs to be. Wenger could help himself far more by telling Eboue to stop cheating.
OK, Livers.
Monday is actually one of the busiest midweek day on the blog, so depending on how today goes, we will move it to thursday or just drop the idea. I do think bloggers could be a bit braver and join in – we all have things that irk us. It’s a shame to be scared to air those views because someone is going to accuse you of not supporting the team.
Hi Livers
I agree blog rant should be Monday or Tuesday……Friday is a day for getting excited about the weekend football.
You rotter London! – today’s post was your idea 😆
I didn’t chose the day so it is all Rasputin’s fault 😉
I’m going to sue 👿 😛
Rasp, I agree with London 🙂
Getting excited about tomorrow and beers tonight (although being dragged to Theatre tonight)
Hahahaha
OK, I resign – one of you two make the decisions 🙄
But London, I’ve got your emails as evidence 😆
P.S did anyone rant at Eboue when he dived for the free kick against Barca 😦
OK, we’ll have ‘touchy feely friday’ from now onwards – I’ll have a sick bucket by the side of my PC 😉
Morning tomstoned
That is a really good comment, although, a tad harsh if you don’t mind me saying. How many times have you seen Eboue unnecessarily writhing around the floor and thought to yourself I wish he would stop that? And how many bad crosses has Sagna sent in where you have found yourself saying: I wish he would practice those a bit more.
Both these concerns are only what we have all thought at one time or another so it’s not exactly Wenger bashing now is it?
Livers
That was a genuine free kick 😉
Morning all – lively debate I can see 😉
Anyday is fine for a rant if you ask me but I’m a girl so I get to rant whenever I want 😆
How can there be supporters that think that Eboue is not cheating when hes writhing around on the ground? I’m shocked that anyone would condone it. Its laughable and AW should do something about it I agree.
I’m really excited about the game tomorrow and with the chavs not even playing in the prem this week the top spot is there for the taking. Hopefully Mick McCarthy will take their game against the mancs a bit more seriously this time.
You don’t have to all run away just cos a lady comes into the room 🙄
One thing I’d say with Eboue is that he has cut about 80% of the crap out since the boo day.
I bet Liverpool fans don’t maon about Gerrard half as much as we do Eboue and Gerrard is far far worse
Don’t you have to do the washing or something Peaches.. honestly 😉
Take a deep breath Peaches
I see T shirts are all the rage 😉
My main problem with players feigning injury is that they should be up on their feet running back to help defend. Often when a player (not just Eboue) is playacting, it’s because they’ve cocked up and lost possession and want to make it look like the other fella’s fault. I like to see the midfield busting a gut to get back and defend when the opposition pass the ball through us – that’s something that Theo doesn’t get any credit for.
Just great to be a gooner
Nah, I don’t think so Peachy, McCarthy will send the tea ladies and under-8’s out to face the Shrek and his cronies.
Is Eboue out of contract this Summer.
What lady, oh sorry irish.
Me and my stats again.
This season allowing for original line ups, subs and injuries we have played 105 different combinations at some time on the pitch.
Hi ben,
We’re lucky, Arsenal is a club like no other. I wrote a post a couple of days ago saying that our way is the right way and that is something I strongly believe.
Livers
Eboue has cut about 80% of the crap out but anther 10 wouldn’t go a miss. He is as you say very close to being consensually as an extremely good player, if his rasping shot had gone in last week he would be regarded as a hero but his rolling around in the area trying to get a penalty when he was so obviously cheating makes it far more difficult for referees to give penalty in genuine cases like Ramsey’s earlier shout.
Hi Ben
I vote your comment best of the day 😉
Washing!!!!! Thats for women, I’m a lady 🙄
kelsey – did I see you sneak in there?
rasp – dead right about Theo, his pace comes into its own if he needs to track back and put a foot in – something he doesn’t get enough credit for IMO
oh someone noticed then peaches.
By the way great idea rasp and London to have a bit of a rant – doesn’t stop you being top gooners – I know how passionate you both are even sharing the ‘watching behind the sofa syndrome’
London yeah I agree. But I love Eboue and I won’t hear any more bad stuff OK… I said OK !
Sorry Peaches, here’s £40 go get your toes buffed 🙂
where’s my coat
Problem is lads… when was the last time Eboue made any of these histrionics?
You will find he has been well and truly ticked off about it and has bigtime calmed it down.
I totally agree with u on ur comments. I think Wenger has to as a matter of urgency critically look at ur suggestions especially how make Sagna a good crosser of the ball. Anyway, see u at the end of the season when ARSENAL shall lift the premier league trophy. Do u believe? u better believe and be positive. I remain strong as ever on my resolve. Emmanuel from Nigeria. Ciao
Eboue? He has improved as ever. Lets support them all.
Wish all GUNNERS fans success. Emmanuel
Thats ok, I’m not really offended 🙂
Simon Barnes has written a very good piece in The Times today about the stresses of being a football manager following the death of Keith Alexander the manager of Macclesfield Town. Its quite long but well worth reading.
http://www.timesonline.co.uk/tol/sport/columnists/simon_barnes/article7050289.ece
Hi there Emmanuel. We all believe. See the countdown to the trophy on the right of this page near the top.
SFH, how about the Stoke match? There must have been at least 3 times when he ended up sprawled like a starfish.
He is lot more focused now. Even so, Eboue is like Stingray: ‘Anything can happen in the next half hour!!!’
Morning SH and welcome Emmanuel, thanks for your comment.
Eboue still managed a starfish only last week!!! I’m going to do a starfish count tomorrow and SH we can compare notes on Sunday.
Stingraaaay, stingray da da da da da 🙂
Thunderbirds was much better though – you rang m’lady 😆
Alfa – I thought that was Thunderbirds where they said that! But you could be right, I’m more a Twizzle man myself.
to be fair, in that stoke game i can only recall the penalty incident that involved eboue.. but was that any worse than good old england captain stevie gee and his antics?
eboue is nowhere near the awful creature he was in seasons past.
he has matured.
Chary, the full quote in the title sequence was “Stand by for action. We are about to launch Stingray. Anything can happen in the next half hour!” from the base commander.
My very last word on the subject 😳
Mind you, I would pay a lot of money to have that and the title music played next time EE comes on at the Emirates.
SFH EE is much much better than Gerard, he is in the same category as Drogba for me. London is right though, AA complaining about unfair play doesn’t wash if we do it (hence my criticism of the recent Gallas tackle, accepting it wasn’t that bad).
Yup, that’s right Alfa, it wouldn’t make sense for it to be in Thunderbirds as each episode ran for about 50-55 minutes or so.
SFH
I agree Eboue is much better than he was, but the point of the post is Wenger is not doing himself any favours by allowing it to continue in any way shape or form and I don’t really understand what justification there is in saying that Gerrard is even worse. I know he is and he is hated for it.
Come now London..The point is, do we actually think he says anything to the players about it ? I’m sure he has a word with Pat and he says something…
Problem is 9 out of 10 times no-one can understand Pat
Livers
That one is for Rasp. I’m on Eboue duty today.
Ok squire
Off subject, what do you think Senderos would look like if he let his hair grow? Bear in mind that we have never seen him in any other way than shaved…….I’m going for tight ginger curls, this is the only explanation I can come up with for him never growing his hair……..ever.
I think he’d look more boss eyed if he had hair.. don’t know why though
Forgive the thoughts of a GOM (grumpy old man) but I think every day should be a rant day 😉
LOL London re: Swiss
Strange that every time someone says something negative about Eboue, someone will defend him! I believe his theatricals are beyond defence and are an embarassment to our great team. One has to ask why Eboue – who is a fine player and has improved enormously – needs to play “starfish”?
I think people defend him Big Raddy because of his improvement and has cut out a lot of the so called starfish. Yes there are certain elements but he has become a cult hero these days and as long as he’s doing his utmost to help us I will always defend him.
BR – you have answered the point i was making by referencing stevie gee
why is it pool fans will back their man to the hilt.. even in light of worse antics than our man..
yet our man.. who has improved not only his behaviour but also his game… still gets some of our fans on his back?
makes no sense, he was an awful player, and an awful amateur dramatist this time last year.. but the lad has got through all that crap and come out the other side and now gets standing ovations when subbed off.
i commend and fully back any man that makes a fuck up.. but has the tenactiy and spirit to come back and prove doubters wrong.
Livers
“He’s doing his utmost”? Not quite. He has improved and I for one was on my feet as part of the standing ovation he received against Sunderland but he is not doing his utmost if he was he wouldn’t be rolling around cheating against Stoke. If you think how much you hate Drogba for his cheating and would never want to see Chelsea get any advantage what so ever, don’t you think the same of us when they see Eboue cheating? How does that help Wenger change referees minds to want to give us more protection.
SFH
I he cut out all the crap he would be in an even stronger position than he is in now.
he is getting there, london
lets just support our own.. definately now that he is showing he is making strides towards full rehabilitation.
“i commend and fully back any man that makes a fuck up.. but has the tenactiy and spirit to come back and prove doubters wrong.”
Couldn’t agree more SH. But I also agree with London about the theatricals. He doesn’t need to do them and it is time he stopped. Otherwise, Boy & Wolf syndrome.
London, to be fair I hadn’t seen him do it much this season and I was a bit pie eyed when the Stoke game came on in the boozer..
i still got to say, aside from the pen appeal at stoke… what other theatricals from eboue are we talking about?
Am deep in the mire now, just told my wife she isnt a lady cos she does the washing.
Ok didn’t allow me to post.. so google Guillem Balages article on Ramsey and Shawcross… pretty much spot on
Dandan !!
SH. It is not only the diving it is the exaggeration of any supposed injury, but as you say, Eboue is much better than before, which beggars the question; if Eboue has recognised the problem and is working at this side of his game, why can he not eradicate it completely?
BR – again, i ask… apart from the pen appeal.. which i feel is now an isolated incident… where are all these other “theatrcials” in his game?
you will find he is 99% of the way there.
SFH
There doesn’t have to be more than the one diving (cheating) penalty incident at Stoke. That alone, sends the wrong message to referees, the very same people Wenger is trying to get on our side in order to secure more protection for our more skilful players which in turn will help avoid further Ramsey type leg breaks.
i implore you all to listen to the lastest arsecase on arseblog today.
phillipe auclair is a guest and talks wonderful sense regarding the ramsey injury and the brit pack press response following it.
excepetional journalist.
agreed london, but it is a very isolated incident nowadays.. he is nothing like what he was.. nothing!
My point exactly Stringefellow Hawke ..
I’m sure we’re bored of the Ramsey / Shawcross debate but has anyone seen this. Seems a bit of sense has spoken..
http://www.mirrorfootball.co.uk/opinion/columnists/guillem-balague/The-Guilem-Balague-Column-If-Shawcross-had-been-called-Santa-Cruz-or-Aldo-Duschler-and-Ramsey-Wayne-Rooney-would-the-reaction-to-that-tackle-in-England-have-been-different-article344131.html
Sorry Livers your comment went into spam sometimes the links do that
dandan – I’m certain your wife must be a lady, fancy you even questioning it 😆
Ah there it is.. thanks M’Lady
London-SFH, the EE dive against Sunderland was right in front of me and I can say he was body-checked/blocked by the Sunderland defender. When he “bounce” off the guy he seemed to rebound and obviously lose balance as the upper half of his body was shoved. From memory I got the impression he was taking a breather while on the floor cos the block happened after a long, mazy run up field and here was just a bit out of breath. Because he didn’t just bounce up a milli-second after he was shoved could be why people thought he stayed on the ground too long. I heard a guy on the ground shout at him to get up, And I’m convinced when he got the assist to set up Bendy’s goal he went to that same bit of the crowd(near the corner flag), where the less than encouraging shout came from to celebrate the goal.
So Diaby definitely back in but Sol out, so we should have:
Tapas Waiter
Eboue Fish head Verminator Clichy
Cesc Diaby Rosicky
Eduardo Bendy Arshavin
As we are on the Stingray theme, I found a pre-Man U picture of Silvestre…
LOL Alfa, anyhoo I’m off- for those meeting up pre match tomorrow I’ll see you there.
Come on you rip-roaring goners!
Good Weekend everybody, let’s hope we’re all on the up for Monday 🙂
Eboue has been one of our best players of late. what kind of blog is this. It can’t be an arsenal one with all the negative crap written about arsenal….
Wenger behaves exactly how a manager should.. you protect your players at all cost.
people rehash the same old rubbish insults and peddle it for new ideas.
We have to defend ourselfs against the tabloid press… tabloid radio and sky sports and now we have to defend ourselves against so called arsenal supporters… who can’t make constructive critisms only insults about our team….Denilson is the one singled out now… when you guys finish i wonder who will be next. …. A cultured left foot is like a breath of fresh air compared to this site.. that’s the f%$**ing troof
Hi Troof, welcome back.
I also found a picture of TV and Silvestre training together. Burnley don’t have a chance:
😆
The TROOF,
The truth is that this site is nothing like ACLF or LG because there is no ‘party line’, we can all make our minds up individually and not be slated for differing with each other. Like those two excellent sites, we are fervent Arsenal supporters – they just express their concerns from opposite ends of the spectrum. We have been in support of everything Arsenal on here and that includes today’s post. To say ‘this person is letting the club down by this particular action’ is not anti-Arsenal, quite the contrary.
Burnley have the worst record for away goals conceded in the premiership, so maybe the required 4 goals difference to sit us on top of the prem is a realistic expectation.
Quite an interesting moan/rant, well written. It always makes me smile that I can predict what mistake each player is going to commit before he does it!
Troof.
I understand why you write such a remark.
However as Rasputin says, we are ALL Arsenal fanatics. Would you prefer that we all kneel at the Church of Arsenal and accept everything that the team do and Arsene says?
The fun of blogging is to be controversial and chat, nothing more. I happen to think that we can do without Eboue’s histrionics, others think he has completely stopped them. We disagree – that is the point of the site. It is by discussion that we can see other points of view. To close down discussion is not the point of a blog.
I thought Sol was a disastrous signing. London said otherwise and he has been proved to be right. Thankfully!
Mayank. Did you predict Fabianski at Porto??
If you did, you are clairvoyant 😉
Hi Mayank,
Slightly depressing though when we can predict what the opposition are going to do too eh??? Drogba for one – the b’$%£&*d….. we should paint double yellow lines around the boxes at the Emirates to stop the Balckburns/Boltons etc from parking their buses.
Strewth Troof. That’s a bit harsh, I frequent both ACLF and here. Both have there merits. If you had taken the time to read the prologue to today’s post, you would with a little thought have understood what today was all about, neither London or Rasputin can be classed a doomers, that doesn’t preclude them from being realists, lighten up mate and enjoy a community that believes Arsene and his club are both special, but not so precious that they cannot be discussed objectively
Rasp. Work for you tonight 🙂
The Troof
Try and remind yourself how much you hate Drogba when he does his impersonation of a star fish. Are you naive enough to think that people don’t feel the same way about Arsenal when Eboue does the same thing. The point of the post is that Wenger’s job of getting referees on side to protect our more skilful players is made more difficult by Eboue’s cheating.
I know he has improved, I watch him every week but he would be even better if he cut out the cheating all together.
To have a site in which discussion of the pros as well as the cons, the good as well as the bad, is frowned upon strikes me as being unhealthy, undemocratic and down right narrow minded.
Tut Tut Raddy: Sol a disaster, what were you on that day mate lol
Thanks Raddy, I’ll do my best 😛
i think the sol signing proved a lot of us wrong.. i was not too distraught about it.. but never would i have believed he would come in and perform so well at his age.
i think it’s his spirit and never-say-die attitude that has had the most positive effect on the team.
i loved the way ricardo fuller was bouncing off big sol after the ramsey tackle… was hillarious.
Hi BR
Yes, I remember that, I was right up there on my high horse that day.
Sols problem was the manner of his leaving as a footballer he has always been first class, hmm on second thoughts maybe West Ham was a bit dodgy.
we are going to need sol or gallas back for tuesday night, big time.
silvestre will be ok against lowly burnley, but he is not good enough against tough CL opponents.
Oooh OOoohh, I predicted that Sol would be our only signing and I ws delighted – can I have some browny points 🙄
Watch the end of the vodpod Fabregas v Stoke (top right of the page) to see Sol orchestrating the ‘Invincibles Huddle’. I’d expected him to be a great defender still, but hadn’t anticipated his motivational powers.
Careful SH, you’ll start me and London off again 😆
I hope Silvestre is up for the job tomorrow and I’d like to see Almunia keep a clean sheet as he needs to be at peak confidence for the rest of the season.
BR, Of course I knew!
Rasp, interesting point that, maybe the players and managers are just too habituated to a certain playing style. Might also explain the diving (esp for Drog and CR9) being more of a reflex than a thought out process.
Most bowlers (sorry about the cricket talk) aren’t able to change their bowling style even if it causes injury.
man that stoke youtube vid really gets me at it… like i said on my blog… that game and all the events that led up to the wonderful last gasp victory.. is the start!
Good point Rasp
I didn’t anticipate Sol’s powers to motivate either.
I can live with Sivestre playing tomorrow but I got a sinking feeling while reading SFH’s comment and the thought of him playing in the week.
Mayank. You are amongst cricket lovers here! Another fine win today.
SFH. I am still basking in the afterglow of that game!
Dandan.5.26. Just the usual armful of heroin with a gram of coke chaser!!
If Sol takes us to the title, AW will be responsible for the best two CB signings of recent years. Who would have thought it when he signed the unknown TV?
And there was I BR thinking you were on the strong stuff LOL
BR
No one.
BR, I wouldn’t call myself a cricket lover, but you can’t really not love some things about it if you live where I do.
About the Sol thing, it will be a revelation if he takes us over the line and might cause Wenger to change his policies about re-signing and age.
True Mayank. Perhaps one can teach an old dog new tricks!
I look forward to reading of WG signing a 2 year contract extension.
Does anyone know if Sol is on a pay as you play contract as reported by some of the press
I find that impossible to believe. It is getting clearer that Sol’s job is as much off the pitch as it is on.
I have a new theory, lets keep everyone on short-termers, 8 year contracts do nothing to improve loyalty as we’ve seen. I say especially about the Denilsons and Eboues. Did you guys know Eboue’s contract is up? Might explain his performances. The performance curves and the contract renewal dates do seem to follow a pattern that we’re all too familiar with.
The idea of Fabregas on a two year contract scares the life out of me. The length of the contract I would like to see him on includes his grand children.
I think in these times of economic crisis that Clubs will start to play hardball with players. At least I hope so.
Fabregas seems to be the most desirable product in World football ATM, but I would rather AFC refused to sell him until the final year of his contract, otherwise what is the advantage to the club of getting all the players to sign long term contacts?
lol London.
London. We should recall that no player is bigger than the Club. When Fabregas decides to leave the EPL champions and holders of the Champions League, we will find another genius.
AFter God8 came TH14, after him Fab4, next JW or Luke Freeman or ??
I think the only advantage left to having long term contracts is that in the event that a player wants to leave the potential buyer knows that he will have to pay the market value rather than a reduced fee because the player will be a free agent the following season.
Andrew might know about the contract if he comes back on.
It is strange that a contract in football is different to a contract in any other business.
Whilst I understand your point London, I despair at the egocentricity of footballers. How does the contract work in Spain and Italy where they put a sell-on value into the contract?
Can a player walk away from the club?
London,
speaking of contracts, you were right to call out Totti yesterday. Roma apparently pay him about £70k per week so less than Gallas if you can believe the rumours. However, Totti will also go on the board for 5 years once he retires so it’s like a 10 year contract – not bad for a player in their 30s. He makes another £10m+ a year from endorsments etc.
If I should be re-incarnated, can I be Totti?
BR I think that the only difference is that a player can only play for the club that holds his registration with FIFA/the FA. So they can ‘walk away’ as much as anyone can walk out on a job, but they can’t play for anyone else unless the FA say so.
But BR, then you wouldn’t be a gooner. What would be the point?
Alfa.
If I were to walk out on my job, my employer would be within his rights to refuse to pay my wages. One rarely hears of that in football. But hey ho —– I give up on the intricacies of football contracts and finances. It is hardly my specialist subject.
And,….
Of course Totti is a Gooner…..
Dinner, red wine, my wife and X Factor.
All adds up to my departure for the night.
UTG
BR, even Totti couldn’t top that.
My guess at Wenger’s team tomorrow.
———-Almunia
Sagna,Silvestre,Vermaelen,Clichy
—Diaby,Fabregas,Denilson
—Walcott,Bendtner,Nasri
And, yeah, I supose that would be mine as well, I will give Arsene a call and tell him that that will be acceptable.
Rosicky won’t start as he played 90 minutes just three days ago.
I agree with that team London but I do want to see Campbell at least once playing at THOF.
Walcott for 60 minutes – we’re gonna be so fired up for this game tomorrow, I hope it rubs off on him.
I’ve just noticed – shock horror – that we have still scored more goals than the chavs. Arse and the mancs hav scored 66 and the chavs 65 oooooooooooooooooh its gonna be close.
I reckon we will see Sol on Tuesday, although, in those special circumstances I wouldn’t be unhappy if we were made to wait a bit longer due to the return of a fit Gallas.
I’m with you Peachy – Sol will get one hell of a welcome when he finally comes home.
Morning all
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