Posted by RockyLives
Our season is over. Depending on your perspective we have either over-achieved or under-achieved. We are either poised to reap the rewards of our prudent financial planning and sweep all before us next time, or we are stuck in the Groundhog Day of a past-it manager still peddling his discredited philosophy. Take your pick.
But one thing a new season should bring with it is a clean slate. Before a single player – sorry, ball – has been kicked in the 2010/11 season, every squad member can be a potential hero, every new signing can be the final piece of the jigsaw, every limb and sinew can be strong enough to last a whole campaign without breaking down.
And in that spirit of optimism, I want to humbly make a proposition to the players who will wear our beautiful red and white next year.
Like all supporters, I have strong views about the relative merits of our squad, about who should play where and how they should play, but I do not presume to usurp the role of the manager and coaches. That’s their job. My job is to be a supporter, and it’s in that context that I want to make my proposal:
“Dear Arsenal Players
As representatives of Arsenal FC you are the inheritors of a long and splendid tradition and every time you walk onto the pitch you carry with you the hopes and dreams of a vast community of supporters, from small children to centenarians.
But whether you were scooped up by our scouting network straight from the creche, or whether you are newly arrived among us in a whirlwind of press frenzy and feverish expectation, you need to know about The Rules.
Not just any rules, but The Seven Rules of Being an Arsenal Player.
The Rules were once known by heart by every Arsenal player and they hung on the wall of the home dressing room at Highbury in a metal frame made out of old shell casings from the Woolwich Arsenal.
Somehow, during the move from Highbury to Ashburton Grove The Rules went astray. There are various rumours about what happened to them: that they were lifted by George Graham when he popped in for ‘one last look’ at the old place; that a Sp*ds supporting construction worker grabbed them with the intention of taking them as a trophy to N17, only to find that he couldn’t part with them and now keeps them in a shrine at his smelly one-bedroom flat in T*ttenham where at nights, on his own, he secretly dresses in red and white and watches old videos of the 1971 and 1989 seasons; there’s even a story that a spectral Herbert Chapman took them into the ether with him, ready to return when we are at our most daunted and our enemies are crowding all around.
Whatever the truth we can only hope the original document will one day be found again. But for the time being, you players ought to know what was written on it: a list of Rules based on your responsibilities as players to us, the fans. Here they are:
1. Always Salute the Travelling Support
When we lost at Blackburn in the penultimate game of the season I heard that only two of our players went over to show their appreciation to the thousands of fans who had made that Godawful journey to the arse end of nowhere on a Bank Holiday Monday. If true, that’s a disgrace. Most supporters earn less in a year than you earn in a week and they forego holidays, new cars and all manner of comforts to support Arsenal. Even if we have lost, even if we have performed dreadfully, there is no excuse for not saluting the travelling fans at the end of a game.
2. Always Salute the Home Support
I know it sounds obvious, but the home fans also deserve your appreciation. I have been at many games at the Grove where the result or performance has not been as we would have wished and half of you have trudged down the tunnel without even a backward glance at the supporters. You may be feeling disappointed, or even embarrassed at your own performance, but believe me, we will still appreciate it if you face us and acknowledge our support. You will be applauded off no matter how badly you have played.
3. Keep Your Agent Under Control
Agents are an unwanted but apparently necessary evil of the modern game. If you have to have one, try and remember that they work for you. So even if you are looking to move away from our beloved club, you should do so in private and not in public. Allowing your agent to tart you around Europe via the back pages of the red tops like some old slapper shows no respect for us, the fans, or your team mates who may be adversely affected by the publicity.
4. Play Up, Play Up for the Arsenal
We understand that your fortunes on the field will vary, that some days it won’t go for you, that you’ll be carrying an injury or you’ll be struggling in an unfamiliar position or your touch will have mysteriously vanished. That’s OK. We also know that on other days you’ll be a world beater and we sincerely hope there will be more of those ones. But what we can’t forgive is NOT TRYING. Even if you’re having the biggest stinker of a game of your career, we’ll forgive you if you are trying your hardest. Just look at how we applauded Nicki Bendtner during his performance against Burnley, when he missed seven open goals. We didn’t mind because we knew he was still trying and not hiding.
5. Respect the Club and Its Traditions
Do not give interviews saying that one day you might like to play at a ‘bigger’ club: you are already at the world’s biggest club. Do not kiss the badge then angle for a move elsewhere. When you refer to the club in public, refer to it as The Arsenal: that will immediately tell us fans that you know and respect our traditions. If you happen to leave, always speak respectfully of your former home (for evidence of how to do this, look to the words of Henry, Pires, Bergkamp). Do that and you will always be welcomed back.
6. Know That The Club Is Bigger Than You
We live in a footballing age of colossal wages and colossal egos. And as a player surrounded by yes-men and hangers-on it is easy to become self-obsessed. But if you just open your mind you will find it even more rewarding to recognise that you are a part of a great historical project. Take comfort in the fact that you are an actor in a story that also includes Cliff Bastin, Alex James, Ted Drake, Jack Kelsey, Charlie George, Bob Wilson, Liam Brady, Malcolm Macdonald, Ian Wright, Tony Adams, Dennis Bergkamp, Patrick Vieira, Thierry Henry and others too numerous to mention. Embrace that heritage and the heritage will embrace you long after you have hung up your luminous pink boots.
7. Know Your Enemy
You’re a professional. You have to treat every game as it comes, the next game is always the most important etc etc . But never forget that for we supporters, playing the muppets from up the Seven Sisters Road is always something special. That’s the game where, more than any other, you really do have to put heart and soul on the line. For more than a decade we have kept them firmly in their place. Now, after our first PL defeat in such a long time, they are sniffing around us like jackals around a distracted lion. Next season it’s your duty to put them back in their place. Nothing less will do.
Follow these rules and you will help to rebuild a contract between players and supporters, one that has been cracked and creaking these last few years. You still have our support, but, let’s be honest, the relationship has been shaky at times and on both sides we have been guilty of behaving less well than we should.
But if you keep this simple charter close to your heart, you will truly feel the atmosphere change and you will experience a virtuous circle of mutual support and success.
2010/2011 is a fresh start. Let us rediscover the love.”
RockyLives
Arsenal News 24/7
arsenalarsenal.net 
Brilliant !!!
Woo hee – first first first……!!!!
I’m runing around the office like a toddler now
If I’d have known I would have put ‘Boom – in the battle of…’ or some other bollox !!!
Seriously I will never get this 1st, 2nd thing that some people (or kids?) do.
The most famous 1st placer even got found out as a ‘performance enhancing technology’ cheat.
At the risk of scoring a saddo’s hat trick, I must clarify that my first post is a comment on the brilliance of Rocky’s post, NOT any joy at being first.
Right, I’ll go do some work now and leave you all in peace
Top class post Rocky,
Another possible point might be ‘Be very careful what you say to the press’
Congratulations on occupying all 3 podium places SS 😛
Seriously, you need to send this as an open letter (snail-mail) to Gazidis and Wenger!
Very good set of rules! You have a valid if not sad point when you mention how much things have changed between the players and us, the supporters!! I remember the days of being a Junior Gunner and sitting next to the dug out in Arsene’s first ever season, the players then were great! I was a kid, I know but it felt like I was part of the team. Now it seems that I have given over 20 years of my life supporting the Arsenal and ain’t getting much back anymore. They need to print this rules and stick up around the stadium, pin it on new contracts or even print it on the back of their shirts instead of numbers!
Morning HG and Carlos – welcome to the site,
I suppose the ‘Arsenalisation’ and the return of the clock are attempts by the club to rebuild the atmosphere. We want to feel more like supporters and less like ‘customers’.
Podium Rasp…lol.
Can you edit me into 4th 7th and 9th places please.
Ta.
Morning all,
Great stuff there R Lives, a lot of what you say is a nod towards the traditions/innovations that Herbert Chapman strived it instil in the club.
Perhaps the club is looking to the past traditions as a way forward – I say this because in my membership renewal pack there is a biography of Eddie Hapgood, a player I only have a passing awareness of.
Again, great read there.
Excellent points, well put. Good work Arsenal Arsenal…in stark contrast to some of the other, frankly woeful/embarrassing Arsenal blogs that are out there (not pointing the finger at any fat twat in particular, Myles Palmer)
With a screen Name like RockyLives I should have expected such a good article and indeed you should email that to the club whether youd get any sort of reply other than the standard response is anyones guess, but it is a top quality read and very very true,
fabulous post RL, i wonder how many players read this site…. print it out…. hand it out… and read before every game.
Moorfire welcome to a grown up blog with polite, positive contributions…. really myles palmer does not deserve your attention!
Good read RL. It is true of all football today unfortunately not just Arsenal. The players have become bigger than the club and the ref let alone the fans. I know at the moment we are all crying out for big name signings (me included) but this sadly is where it all went wrong, no club loyalty…sorry sound like a right saddo bleating on about the good old days. Especially like the image of the spud in his flat.
Great stuff RL, great stuff.
Terrific Article Rocky, I bet word gets round and you get loads of hits with above average comments.
Moorfire hi. Careful, Please don’t mention that name on here its like farting in a cathedral.
Gonna sign our first new player today, the season starts here.
great post-one to gladen the heart in these depressing times of civil strife between elements of the gooner empire-i’m deadly serious when i say that this should be sent to our CHAIRMAN,MANAGER,CEO,CAPTAIN & PLAYERS-PLEASE,PLASE DO SO ASAP!
Ok that’s the politeness over with, let’s get this blog started.
“Rasputin Says:
May 18, 2010 at 9:11 am edit
Yes, that’s the way I see it too tommy. I think we should never lose sight of the fact that it is Arsenal we support. I do get the distinct feeling sometimes that loyalty to AW exceeds loyalty to the club from some sections.”
There isn’t a single person on this site who is more loyal to Wenger than he is to the club, there isn’t a single person on this site that believes he is, or should be, above criticism and there isn’t a single person on this site who does not want the squad to be strengthened.
So when Geoff’s disciples come on here spouting their nonsense and are given logical reasons why they are wrong it angers the hell out of me when they scuttle behind that cowardly retort that you love Wenger more than the club or as they call anyone who disagrees on LG….AKBs
Very interesting piece of ARTICLE. Gunners rules the world
Morning London,
As one who professes to want a no-holds barred, all opinions welcome site, how do you feel when a blogger comes on here and tries to express an alternative view (not mine) but is virtually driven off?
I did not say that anyone on here put AW before the club, to re-quote the salient part of my comment “I get the distinct feeling sometimes”
My comment has nothing to do with Geoff, and the term ‘spouting their nonsense” is disrespectful to another blogger who has a firmly held conviction.
You forgot number 8……..sign for Barcelona once Arsenal have made you a star name!!!!
Great post Rocky L.
Send it to the club and players, its funny when Sol came back he still had a bit of it in him and it stood out.
Hi JSP,
Every club loses one of it’s better players once in a while (manure) for a variety of reasons – even Barcelona.
I love this paragraph Rocky….
…… Take comfort in the fact that you are an actor in a story that also includes Cliff Bastin, Alex James, Ted Drake, Jack Kelsey, Charlie George, Bob Wilson, Liam Brady, Malcolm Macdonald, Ian Wright, Tony Adams, Dennis Bergkamp, Patrick Vieira, Thierry Henry and others too numerous to mention. Embrace that heritage and the heritage will embrace you long after you have hung up your luminous pink boots.
quiet here today…. may have to get some done.
does anyone know of players reading blogs?
i noticed on some website or other one of the young guns being interviewed and one of the standard q’s was which blog is there fave… i couldnt find any archived interviews though to get a better idea of who reads and favours where!
i wonder if players are discouraged, monitored… if i was a player i’d be constantly referencing blogs to aid career development.
* some work done!
Ah a post to get he heart pumping – top stuff Rocky L.
I’d like to have disciples – Geoff can I have some of your disciples 😆 Ah we all love Geoff really 😀
We’re all waiting for the Cesc to Barca deal to be confirmed apparently TommyS – I get the feeling some so called gooners want this deal to happen. Go figure !
morning chary, cant see it happening…. smoke fire whatever…. we get this every summer! if it happens i aint gonna lose sleep over it though.
who is this geoff??? i read every day and comments… but ive missed this one!
Maire – I wouldn’t mind a few disciples too. Still the thanks and pleasure you hope other gooners get from reading your articles is reward in itself.
BTW – shouldn’t you be in bed by now?
TommyS – I’m well aware that its election time at “Mes que une club” right now so there is a good deal of posturing by all the candidates. What I don’t get is gooners thinking this is the first time it has happened and being surprised by it, I mean we got this year in year out with Paddy & Tel – and they stayed for 8 and 9 years respectively. They seem to have the memory span of humming birds.
Morning Chary – Back in your time zone, back in Ireland for the last week and a bit. Ah the cold – lovely!!
I think we’d all like disciples. It’d be fun, they’d fight our corner for us 😀
Fantastic, but help write these rules in Russian.
Ah right Maire – for some reason I thought you were still in the land of the barbecued kangaroo.
Funny you should say that Maire, but in my culture if I’d chosen a certain life path I could have had actual disciples – the trouble is I’d have to live a life of renunciation and austerity. I like too many worldy pleasures for that to happen!
Ha ha nah got the big bus in the sky back. Starting work here in a week or two.
I adore my worldly pleasures Chary – adore them.
You obviously dodged the ash clouds then. What do you think of the Chamack-attack in London “reports”? Signing imminent or the usual story of a transfer in to Arsenal taking an eternity?
getting freaked out here and paranoid! chary seems to be in conversation with some gezer called maire? yet maire posts aint appearing on my comments?
i see chary and i see irish G….. but no maire… whats going on???
Oh sorry TommyS – I always call Irishgunner “Maire” – you’re not going potty, mate.
LOL i give up!
Got stuck in Heathrow for 8 hours because of the volcano Chary but it could have been far worse although after 23 hours on a plane I just wanted to get home.
Signing imminent Chary but it still took a year – he was meant to come last summer.
Tommy – I’m a female geezer btw 😉
Tommy – I write for another site under the name “Maire” its my name in Irish.
I am am a die-hard Arsene fan and have been from the moment I listened to his first interview and realised that we had we had gone from a Cowboy (GG) Via a Martinet (BR) to an educated true professional manager. So many of our managers called themselves professionals simply because they got paid for doing the job. Things have improved post Wenger but he was a class apart, a breath of fresh air in a fog of ex pro footballers, who got the managers job because of their playing career.
He is IMHO simply far and away the best thing that has happened to Arsenal since Herbert Chapman. Of course he like all of us is not without faults and his desire to deflect criticism away from his players seems to have been seen by so many modern fans as a deliberate policy of leading them astray or indeed lying to them. This makes no allowance to the fact that these are public utterances to a rabid press who care nothing for football or Arsenal only tomorrows sensational headlines (LOOK AT THE MAIL THIS WEEKEND AND OUR WORLD CUP BID)
That being said I am first and foremost an Arsenal fan and have been for 60 years completely committed to the dictum that no one is bigger than the club. But Wenger has never in my eyes ever given any indication that he thinks he is.
Arrgh Maire, so an 8 hour delay wasn’t really dodging it. Mind you I was stuck in Madrid(on my way to Fuerteventura) for 2 days over Xmas by the ice so I know what it’s like. Damn that Barajas airport !
60 years Dandan 😯
I’m on my 16th year but I’m only a young ‘un yet 😉
It was a bit inconvenient Chary but I met a poor women there with two kids who got stuck over in Australia in the original cloud so was delayed by two weeks and then she got as far as heathrow and got caught AGAIN and was there over night – she was nearly crying. She just took the flight to Dublin to get back to Ireland when she should have been flying to Shannon – I felt so sorry for her.
where in Ireland are you from Irish
Limerick – the home of Irish sport 😀
Hi dandan,
I hope you don’t think anything I have written was having a ‘pop’ at you. I admire your fortitude greatly although I am not always as resolute in my faith 😆
Just for the record, although I’ve written it many times before:
…….AW is the best manager we’ve ever had, He’s turned us into the first modern 21st century football club in the UK and I don’t believe any other manager could have achieved what he did in the first 7 years or the last 5 …. oh, and I do not want him to leave.
…. hope that clarifies it for anyone who suspects I have an underlying agenda over and above my wish to keep the yin/yang balance on AA.
NO,no Rasp was responding to Londons Post, and laying my cards on the table as to How I square that circle, Arsenal first Arsene second
Its Arsenal first always, I don’t think anyone puts Wenger first its just that some are more patient than others or regard having a financially stable club with a bright future as more satisfying than spending millions to win the league once off before going back to oblivion and wondering just where to get the cash to pay the debts off will come from…
Irish we won the league, but one nil to the Arsenal did my head in. Never again please,
I love the “1-0 to the Arsenal chant” though
Good day to everyone and thanks for some nice comments.
I wrote this piece because, although I would generally characterise myself as a Wenger supporter (although always an Arsenal supporter first!), and although I believe he will bring us new signings this summer and success next season, I have an underlying worry about the character – or lack of it – in our squad. The end of season collapse seemed to particularly highlight this.
I came to the conclusion that things like going over to your away supporters at the end of a game are manifestations of team spirit – and team spirit is what was so desperately lacking against Wigan and Blackburn. I doubt that the players are ever told how they should conduct themselves towards the fans, but maybe it’s about time they were told that they have responsibilities as well as rights.
OK, sermon over.
LOL Irish I suspect you are a wind up merchant
Rocky@ I agree the players should acknowledge the part the fans play in subduing the opposition after all you often see the senior players indicating to the fans to ratchet up the noise.
I don’t agree the players lack character, coaches like Bouldy and Brady would soon recognise this and those players would be moved on.
Wigan IMHO was caused by mental tiredness and the culmination of a horrendous run of injuries and GK errors and the here we go again syndrome hit them.
Haven’t we all been there at some time or other.
Rl. That is a fantastic post, and as has been written should be sent to each and every member of the Arsenal staff.
And I loved the fantasy paragraph (I assume it is fantasy!!) about the disappearance of The Rules.
Wigan/Blackburn. One could argue that with Cesc in the team the players would have gone to the away fans . And we would have won both games
skybet now 1/3 cesc a barca player by 1st september.
ME???? 😆
Guillem Balague has made his annual Cesc to Barca statement 🙄
Dandan, notwithstanding injuries, repeated GK errors and here-we-go-again syndrome I think the players wearing the shirt could and should have fought harder. There was still third place to fight for, let alone self respect. Blackburn, in particular, was a depressing watch. I think many less talented Arsenal teams of the past would have fought much harder in those games. They may still have lost, but they would have gone down with honour.
BR – fantasy? what fantasy? (cue spooky music)
That may well be true Rocky, but dont you think they will learn and benefit from that,
If Cesc goes do you think that LJW will be given a start in the first team.
DD, I think that bad character habits can spread like a virus – and good ones can sporead like a vaccine, which is why I think AW will put strength of character high on the list of attributes for anyone he brings in this year.
So yes, I think they will learn and benfit, but only if there are people to learn from.
As for LJW – I don’t think he’s ready yet and the pressure on him would be unfair. However, depending on his recovery, I do think Ramsey could make the step up (although he’s a different style of player to Cesc. He reminds me more of Stevie G, without the obnoxiousness).
If Cesc goes I think we will buy a tasty DM. play Song slightly more forward and Nasri in the Cesc role.
1/3 is not very good odds for us loyal Gooners 😦
BR – Remember ‘Arry had very short odds at leaving the spuds during the summer too. Its all rumours and speculation.
Guillem Balague also said at the start of the season that Liverpool would be serious challengers for the title… He’s not the oracle.
” Fabregas has now informed Wenger of his desire to play for Barcelona next season and the Spanish club understands that the Premier League club will demand a fee in the region of £30 – £35 million. ” 🙄
What are we a charity? He’s worth £60million at least.
i think the money involved would be around 30-35 million…………………….
with ibrahimovich and yaya chucked in to make it into a realistic offer.
Balague has 100s of “sources” and he comes out with 100s of “dead cert transfers to La Liga” every summer and one might happen.
Last season he did get Ronaldo to Real right – and no-one saw that coming 🙄
If it were true they could keep Ibrahimovich – couldn’t be looking with him acting the muppet on the pitch. Change it for Messi + Yaya and £50million and we’ll see.
Irish – LOL
Its the same old crap every summer. If Cesc leaves he leaves but I’m not going to worry my little cotton socks over it – besides I’m 95% certain he will stay.
Presumably, if we got £35m for Cesc, that would be added to the warchest and we’d have upwards of £70m at our disposal 🙄
Ibrahimovich is better than Nik and as bad as Ade 😦
it’s for these reasons, and we have had them every bleeding summer since 1999, that i cannot wait until the likes of wilshere, jet, lansbury, gibbs, aneke, afobe and freeman make it into the first team under wenger.
And we can let it all gather interest in the bank?
I’d rather Nik – least he has mastered the art of running.
SFH – Yep, its always less likely that an English/Brit/Irish player will leave the team. Ah to have another Tony Adams…
the aptitude of ibra with the attitude of nik would make for an extrordinary centre forward.
It may be completely mad but I would take Nik over Ibra, except ……… Ibra must be really hurting having been the kingpin at Inter and now no more than Plan B at Barca. So he will be fired up to prove himself, and I believe he would suit the PL.
Irish. We have players who have spent their entire careers at AFC, they just are kids at present but they may well turn out to be aka TA
IF cesc decides to go then so be it. I would rather he stayed but PV and TH both stayed too long when their hearts werent in it. If the player wishes to leave, the club will go on and if we get Yaya and 35mil out of the deal it wont be so bad (providing we spend it on players) But in saying that i still dont think hes ready to go.
SfH. It would make him a white Drogba
I hope Cesc stays, but, as andy says, if he goes we’ll move on.
But, as Macbeth once said: “If t’were done, best t’were done quickly.”
” So he will be fired up to prove himself” – Ibra being “fired up” would just put him at the speed of normal people…
I think Rambo and Jack will be Arsenal 4 life.
I hope JET gets a chance next season, I’d like to see him getting stuck in the EPL.
Ah Macbeth that mad bastard!!
JET is sure a big lad, he has a touch of the “wardrobe” about him!
I agree about MacCesc. We would have more time to sign a replacement and a whole pre-season to work on the new tactics required….
He was a Celt…..
Here’s an apt MacBeth quote:
“If you can look into the seeds of time,
And say which grain will grow, and which will not,
Speak.”
Think there’s a lot of good young blood just waiting to get their chance at the moment. 3-4 years and we could have half the England team playing for us.
anyobody who has no idea yet about the pair of beasts we have coming through the academy in afobe and aneke.. can catch them tonigh playing for england in the u17 european champs.
afobe is that good… he was lured, unsuccessfully, by barca earlier this season just before he signed pro terms with us.
they offered him far more money…… but he signed for the arsenal.
brilliant case in point re: the point i made earlier.
what channel SFH?
Had to go back and read some of MacBeth now that it was mentioned – my favourite Shakespeare play by a mile. Would love to see it at the Globe. I even have a “MacBeth” t-shirt 😳
Anywaaaaaaaaaaaaaaays – suppose the U17 won’t be on BBC or ITV SFH?
on eurosport guys and gals.
spain v france is the opening matche on at 4.30
be some real talent on display.
this age group is great fun to watch.
they seriously have no fear
by the time they get to the u21, they are more disciplined and reign in the driblling and showy skills.
Don’t have Eurosports 😦 Back in my youth it used to be a free to air channel, now you need sky.
be plenty of free streams available, i will post em up later for ya.
My internet has gone terrible slow lately for some reason.
It took me 3 hours to *ahem* download something yesterday and it turned out to be a big pile of rubbish and now I can’t get my three hours back ….
Cesc is going 😦
The previous comment is not fact, but my sad realisation that the likelihood of him leaving is now way past 50/50.
If Cesc does go there is something really wrong at the club. He’s like Wenger’s son if you get me, there is noway Wenger would just let him go.
Why you say that Rasp ? I’ve seen a quote by GB that was pre Cesc coming to London but nothing else ?
I don’t think they could afford him in all honesty
I don’t even think he’d inform anyone he wanted to go until he speaks with AW…….
Lot’s of mischief making I fear
A lot of “sources” and “friends of friends” again
It makes me laugh, same old quotes but leaving out key quotes.
Sky don’t help and it’s as if we have to keep denying things…… It’s like the old Vieira stories each year. Although I do believe he’ll go one day I don’t think the day is yet….
I hope I’m right
I don’t want it to happen, but there is a growing body of evidence (albeit fuelled by mischievous journalism) that makes me believe he is off. They have just announced on Talkshite that he is intending to tell AW he wants to go. It’s a no-win situation for me if it happens, but I advise you to prepare yourselves mentally for his departure.
Maybe the club is holding back on the good news re Chamakh because they want to use it to soften the blow if Cesc leaves. Yaya would be a MUST as part of the deal.
It wouldn’t make sense for him to go this season anyway – 1) They can’t afford him because they’ll have to fork out big bucks for Villa and there is no way in hell they’ll recover 50% of what they paid for Ibrahimovich unless Citeh’s stupidity shines through
– 2) Xavi plays his role and he has at least another season or two in him.
Hope you’re right irish.
Rasp – Wenger would be the FIRST to know. Not his agent, not Barcelona, not his mother or sister or his friends, Wenger and that’s FACT!!
It doesn’t make sense for a 22yr old to give up the captain’s armband of one of the world’s most prestigious clubs who only need to sign 3 players max (under the guidance of one of the world’s best managers) and who are on the verge of something massive on the hopes he can slot somewhere into Barcelona’s team….
Silly boy if he leaves, silly, silly boy.
Yes and Wenger’s gone missing 😦 not in the country. Once again he’s going to be working for french TV during the WC when he should be concentrating on getting the new players we need – don’t we pay him enough?
Arsene would (quite rightly) never try to keep hold of a player that wanted to leave – what would be the point?
Rasp AW did state he wanted all signings done pre World Cup
😆 you crack me up rasp.
Rasp – stop fretting mate, whatever will be will be but I don’t see Cesc leaving, so why worry about what probably won’t happen?
When TH14, PV04 etc left they were past it anyways so the situation was different as was that of Hleb because he wasn’t an integral player, not in the same manner as Cesc.
The media are bored today and are rehashing old stories – not one new thing has come out. They “understand” this and that…
Livers, I’ve already poured scorn on that statement. If he is claiming that all the signings we will achieve will be pre-WC, then those that are hoping for 3 /4 are likely to be bitterly disappointed.
Only time will tell – ignore me 😕
irish, the media aint the only ones who appear to be bored
a quick read of some blogs will have you in stiches.
don’t people have lives outside of arsenal?
Cheer up mate nothing has happened yet 🙂
Cesc will be a story all summer as will us being linked with 74 million keepers
Rasp – turn that 😦 upside down 🙂
SFH – Arsenal is the common denominator amongst us all. People ain’t going to talk about their shopping lists on blogs ha ha so today’s news is Cesc
So TalkSh**e are saying Cesc is off? Surprise, surprise they are cooking a whole lot of froth about our star player. Do you see them peddling the Shrek to R Madrid rumours ? No, because it gives them so much more pleasure to de stabilise us than the Manks – they worship Sir Drinksalots mob unconditionally so it’s nothing but sycophantic praise for the Old Toilet mob from them. You can just imagine Adrian Durham and Stan Doggymore salivating at the prospect of sticking the knife in.
Cnuts the lot of them.
Just for you irish 🙂
true irish, but maybe the context they use to discuss all things arsenal or all things cesc today is just plain daft.
it’s almost as if they need to keep posting shite to get others to post.
it starts a viscous cirlce of… shite talk
and such cirucmstances….. maybe it would be better to talk about the arsenal shower gel you just bought down at waitrose.
😉
It’s obvious Cesc cares for The Arsenal but it’s hard to blame him for wanting to go to somewhere that there’s a realistic chance of silverware.
i;ll miss him though, there wont be many left with a true Arsenal heart like him.
Best Cesc / wenger moment ever
Ah I buy my shower gel in Aldi – far cheaper 😆
to make matters worse… it seems cesc’s sister, who is a regular in twitterdom, is now getting annoyed with the vicous tweets she is recieving from angry gooners re:her brother leaving.
certain types of blogs have helped to massively lower the standard of gooners.
talksport is winding me….. i shouldnt listen to the shite, but my gripe has always been arsenal fans ringing them up and lining there coffers.
talkshite have just interviewed guilam balague who seems in the know.
the reason i’m wound up is that adrian “lowest of the low lifes” durham thinks arsenal have a duty to let him go back to barca on the cheap because of the way we recruited him from them.
arrrrghhhhhh….
Don’t add to their listening figures TommyS – they are a waste of your time. Life is to short to waste on that low life.
who are these prat gooners that are ringing up and calling for wengas head????
arrrggggghhhh……
Guilam Balague is the one who is fuelling all the speculation.
Afternoon blogger folk, good to see you all so happy. Rasp are you not at your best my friend.
All is well in the Arsenal world we have three choices, we keep Cesc and spend some money, we sell Cesc and get a swap plus more money to spend or we sell Cesc and get loads of money to spend. every one’s a winner
Get your shopping lists out guys.
http://www.guillembalague.com/rumores_desp.php?id=278&titulo=Fabregas informs Wenger of desire to quit Arsenal for Barcelona this summer
Oh dear Jebus turn it off before ye all go mental – ah listening to music = blissful 😀
Hi dandan,
I’m a sad footballing romantic I’m afraid – it’s the way I’m made.
Nah its the way your mum put your hat on Rasp LOL
😆
would yaya improve our team?
would he be accoommodated at songs expense?
Standing on your mama’s porch you told me it would last forever………
Ignorance is bliss, if I don’t hear it then a debate isn’t happening. Fuck talksport….
Young Ireland will come I think if Cesc goes
I fancy he and song together
S.Ireland is trouble…. short a couple of pence in the head.
Short of a few follicles in the head 🙂
Does he come on here occasionally then
i think Aw will show he is not as belligerent as many believe him to be.
a revert back to midfield monsters.
song, yaya and melo.
bring those barca midgets on 😆
Alive alive o Stephen irelands grandmas alive alive o
No thanks anyone that buys a pimped up motor like he did for his mrs needs shooting not signing 😉
“Standing on my mama’s porch”…. had me humming there, Irish. Summer of ’69 were among the best days of my life!
Ireland is Decent player tho Chippy & have you checked out Billy G’s wheels ?….. someone sure pimped his ride!!
http://www.faniq.com/blog/Arsenal-defender-William-Gallas-Chrome-Mercedes-McLaren-Blog-20739
350k for the basic car plus extras like a door handle and windows……
Its a great summer song Raddy – just a pity its raining outside.
Meant to be a “heatwave” at the weekend though.
That’s nasty!!
Do you remember the days when no one was interested in our players…..happy, hastle free, summers. Now look at it, stress every way we turn, I blame Wenger for getting these players that everyone wants, before he arrived we were content with transfers like Eddie McGoldrick. Damn that Wenger, what has he ever done for the club?
I’m practicing trying to make the D&Gs welcome. How am I doing?
Ah Eddie McGoldrick – the last Irishman to play first team football for The Arsenal, from memory…
Does anyone remember the scene in ‘Carry on up the Khyber’ where they are having tiffin whilst being shelled, apparently oblivious to the building being demolished around them – well that is what it it is like on here compared to the other blog sites 😆
First sunny and warm day for at least 6 months here. Sure to rain at the w/e – we are going to a garden party!
I have decided to be Cesc free for at least a week unless there is a statement from AFC. Too much repetition and unsubstantiated quotes.
It should be remembered that we have yet to win a trophy with Cesc in the team (ooops, he was in the 2005 FAC side)!!
😆 Are we the Comical Ali’s of the blog world?
Well, I’m happy and that’s all that matters 😆
I haven’t looked around the blogworld. Thanks for the warning.
I guess it is because apart from Irish, we have all seen it so many times before. When Charlie left, and Liam (oh that still hurts) etc etc.
Most of the bloggers haven’t left home yet and this touches on the fear of Mummy abandoning them…..
London do you mean when our players used to nick things from the carousel at Heathrow to get some PR
London. An obscenity like Damn will make any D&G’er feel entirely at home 😉
I think we should save our ‘tribalism’ for opposing teams when on the terraces/at the Emirates not direct it towards fellow supporters.
We can be just like another site if that is what the majority want, I just thought we were trying for something a little more reasoned.
LOL DD.
Or a drunk player wraps his car round a lamppost and gets 3 months. He got a plenty of PR for that!!
& now has been banished to Azerbajan (isn’t that a Harry Potter country?)
Haha never seen gallas car before cheers Raddy they have another common trait as well they are both radio rental 😉
He is a good player but trouble seems to follow him at every turn I’d rather let young jack or Aron play there and improve other areas of the side ,,,
If he has said he wants to go then we should hold out for top dollar as he has 4 years left on his CONtract!
If he doesn’t like it tough he is our prize asset.
How about arteta as a schemer, we still need centr halfs, tackling midfielders and a top keeper, if we get those it’s worth the sacrifice.
Hi Benwell
I am working on the basis that I will believe it when I see it but I agree that the club should hold out for top dollar which I am sure they will and that will take time. If this is true and Cesc is hoping for a quick deal he is going to be very disappointed. Unfortunately for us this is going to be dragged out for the whole of the summer.
It makes me laugh when he says he wants his future sorted out before the world cup, his future is sorted for the next four years, but apparently not!
We didn’t really get top dollar for TH but this is different as he is still an emerging talent.
rasp, you seem mighty touchy today… what’s the matter?
benwell, we got ridiculously top dollar for a finished 31 yrd old who had given his best years to us and to football in general
we actually ended up making a profit on him 😆
Hi SfH, thanks for asking,
I’m not touchy at all I promise you. I have merely worn my heart on my sleeve. When I first posted on here that I now think it is likely Cesc will leave, several bloggers treated me as though I was hysterical. But it has been obvious since then that many are beginning to consider it possible that he may go – and one of us had to say it first. It’s nothing to do with being anti Arsene although I’m sure elsewhere some bloggers will treat it that way.
If he stays, I will be delighted to have been wrong, but we can’t bury our heads in the sand, this is the main topic occupying the minds of all Arsenal fans.
Watching England u-17’s and Connor Wickham reminds me of Nik B. Nothing from Afobe…… yet
Rasp. as long as should he leave you don’t join the thousands of D&G’ers who will scream “I told you so” and blame Wenger, you are forgiven
rasp, the problem here is, you keep bring Aw into every point… what has saying cesc is leaving got to do with being anti-arsene?
i have noticed you making a point about not being anti-wenger at the start of a lot of long, heart felt posts… even on occasions when there is no need to bring him into it, that does strike me as odd.
if cesc wants to go, like ronaldo wanted to go last season… it has sweat FA to do with aw or bacon face
for the record, we need to remember this is just on the back of balague stating “cesc will ask aw for a transfer”
that is all this is made up of and every radio station, blog and paper are running with the same one liner.
madness 😆
There is nobody on here who thinks Wenger is above critisim — nobody, nobody, nobody — but what many will not tolerate are lies told about him.
😛 Raddy, I don’t even like adopting the term D&G ers or AKB’s as they come from another sites. As far as I’m concerned the two opposing sites are as bad as each other (in terms of the comments not the articles) and I wouldn’t particularly wish to align myself with either even though there are bloggers on both that I admire.
Funny thing Rasp should he leave, the world will go on turning and we have the best part of three months to sort ourselves out.
I suspect Arsene will be even more determined to prove to Cesc he was wrong to leave that is if he goes we don’t know yet, those Spanish presidents statements ain’t the most trustworthy in the world.
dandan,
If I were Cesc, I’d want to go to Barca in all honesty. He wanted us to buy Villa a couple of years ago when it was obvious we couldn’t afford him. If he goes to Barca now, he will be playing alongside the likes of Villa (probably), Messi, Xavi, Iniesta, Alves – the list goes on.
He is just entering his peak years as an athlete/footballer and it is logical he would want to be in his home country, playing for the club he has always supported amongst his friends and family – in short with the best players in the world and for the best club in the world.
None of this means I’m being disloyal to Arsenal – I love Arsenal and always will.
You are right Rasp, but sometimes those terms fit.
Heresy………..
Lol
Wonder how Dik Advocaat will egt on with a strong character like Arshavin. I have a feeling sparks are going to fly.
Rasp I can think of no reason at all, that might make anyone doubt your loyalty,
We have seen many great players in the red and white have their turn in the sun and move on.
This great club of ours will always be bigger than the players and the real supporters, not the doomers. will understand as your last post shows, that the time comes, we let them go with our blessing and thanks for services rendered and assure them of a certain welcome whenever they want to return
I don’t think Avocaat has a snowballs chance 😉
London do you remember the doom when Ray Kennedy went to liverpool of all people
Agree 100% dandan. I think we held on to TH14 for a season too long (at great financial cost)and the focus was too much on him and not enough on the team. We will have to adapt if Cesc leaves. We won quite a few games without him last season. Hopefully other players will emerge from his shadow.
And Stapleton to Man Utd
Dandan
I do remember the loss of Kennedy, I was very young and couldn’t understand how he could possibly want to do such a thing but it was the loss of Brady that left me walking the streets, shaking my head and talking to myself, by the way I don’t think Cesc is going anywhere, his manager is Saint David Dein’s son and as far as I can see the only reason the denial has taken longer than usual is because he is renegotiating his contract at Arsenal. I expect Arsenal to announce that Fabrégas has signed an extension to his contract in return for another humongous pay deal.
IT wont be long before we have a core to the side that has come through the accademy
LOL oh dear us old uns are cynical buggers
Afobe looks a fine prospect. Not scored yet but very comfortable on the ball. This kid could be another gem
DD. Speak for yourself. Old? Moi?
with regards to advocaat and arshavin
they were together for a few years at zenit, they seemed to get on well until he wanted away after euro 2008.
re: fab
i 100% expect a similar deal to the one utd did with CR7 in 2008… give us one more season, and we wont stand in your way the following summer.
great goal england
Being a Young One and a girl the biggest loss for me (until Thierry Henry) was Charlie George – I was besotted with the man. In fact I laugh to myself now when I see him at the Emirates – what would he do if I told him that I was mad about him 35 years ago?
Great goal in the under 17’s for England 🙂
Blimey – just got home from work and read the London Standard on the way. Three pages devoted to Cesc’s departure including a massive piece by some no-mark journo who writes hundreds of words about Wenger’s lack of transfer spending in the last five years without even mentioning the stadium move!!!
How do these morons remain in employment.
And of course the only source for all this coverage is Guillem Ballague. Unbelievable.
If Cesc stays, will there be an apology? Of course not.
get in afobe
Was that our boy that scored the third?
Afobe has just scored the 3rd for England,good long range strike – he’ll have that trained out of him soon enough 🙂
ask for your phone number peaches LOL
England’s two CF’s are huge. Bigger at 17 than I am now!
LOL Chary
Evening Rocky – they’ll all look rather silly won’t they but they’re journos so they probably don’t care.
Rasp has put forward a very good argument for why Cesc would want to go. Whats interesting to me is why Cesc would have changed his mind from the last time he said he loved Arsenal and was an Arsenal player.
SfH. Any other AFC kids in the squad?
i had a long chat with charlie george over at highbury house one night a few years ago when there was a property night thing on… aw was also in attendance…. it was the day after we lost to blackburn when sendross was moved to RB and benni cut in and scored late on.. i remember as somebody in the crowd called aw out on that… anyway back to charlie george… amazingly enough, he was stood at the back of the room dirnking on his jack jones, nobody gave him a seconds notice.
so i went and said hello, gave him all the usual blarney about what a hero he was to me as a youngster etc etc and he was a bit schindlers at the time, slurring slightly, and he said something along the lines of “most of this motley crew here tonight would’nt have a clue about me from any other joe in the street”
how strange is that? can u imagine th14 standing in a bar in islington in 30 years time and being unrecognised?
Outs9de the area Radders – unreal.
R Lives – that Gulliame whathisface looks a right oiley so and so. He seems to be on a one man mission to undermine the Premeier League in favour of a Liga.
I suppose he has to do that before Spain is the next country to go the way of Greece and slide into terminal debt and he 2clubs in Spains’ spending power dwindles away.
No doubt dandan, no doubt 😆
I was once coming down the stairs at Highbury and walked straight into him and his entourage of bodyguards, the bodyguards looked at me as if I was threatening – he must get a lot of women of a certain age fawning over him 😛
just chuks aneke, br
attacking midfielder in the mould of diaby/jet
I had a table full of customers at Highbury a few years ago He came and sat with us Peaches we talked if old times, he was highly amused because i knew he had got in trouble for buggering about on a bike at training years ago,
Told me DB10 was the greatest player he had seen, said to watch him on the training field was unreal, he could do things Charlie could only dream about. so there you go we all have heroes
Its true about people not knowing who he is – he walks around the perimeter of the Emirates before going into a game – my young friend that was with me once, didn’t recognise him until I told him who it was.
So true about Thierry Henry though SH, did you see my comment the other day about Thierry doing a Renault Clio advert on Capital radio – they play it about 4 times an hour – makes me smile 😀
CG. Proper Gooner. The man cares.
Dandan – I would agree with C G’s choice there, DB10 is my all time favourite player. The first game I went to I saw him play and although we lost I couldn’t believe the little things he did; although on the night Manu Petit looked a class above everyone else.
Chary, nice move there, bringing in the global economic crisis and the plight of the PIIGS. Here’s the scenario – Cesc goes to Barca for £50m. Spain goes bust. The IMF and the EU impose massive financial strictures. Barca are skint. We buy back Cesc, along with Messi and Iniesta, for £20m with Diaby thrown in. Result.
peaches – we are blessed to have be old enough to see both CG and TH14 play at the primes in the red and white of the arsenal.
in this day of mass media, he would have been a proper superstar of epic proportions.
he did slightly let his talent go a bit after the double season
on this sky sports programme, time of our lives, bob wilson, frank mclintock, and george graham were reminiscing about he doublr season of 71.. and they were not altogether that pleasant about CG.
I used to sit next to a chap called Dermot in the Clock End. He presented Big Brother on TV. Charlie often sat a few rows behind me and it was only the old ‘uns who recognised him. But Dermot was mobbed!!
DB10 is my all time favourite too (and I’ve watched some greats play for us over the years. Dennis oozed class as a player and a man and, unlike Liam, he finished his career with us.
Yeah R Lves – I don’t know if I’m clutching at straws there but you never know.
Additionally I don’t really rate Gwillerame Blagerreau’s so-called expert info.
Yes well string, Charlie didn’t like Bertie Mee thought he was a jumped up little Army man who couldn’t play for toffee’s. Bit of an East End lad our Charlie
yeah dandan, that was exactly what they said, he did not get on with the regimental mee.
Dandan, just to pick up on something we were discussing on here earlier today. You seemed quite forgiving of the end of season collapse this year:
“I don’t agree the players lack character, coaches like Bouldy and Brady would soon recognise this and those players would be moved on.
Wigan IMHO was caused by mental tiredness and the culmination of a horrendous run of injuries and GK errors and the here we go again syndrome hit them.
Haven’t we all been there at some time or other.”
If – and I stress the word ‘if’ – Cesc does leave this summer, I wonder how much the spinlessness we displayed at the end of the season will have played a part in his decision? If we had beaten Blackburn and Wigan and finished in style, I suspect any doubts he’s now having would be significantly less.
Charlie was sold because he was a free spirit and that was how he played. AW would have loved him
That you will never know Rocky It was Cesc’ who was their talisman getting injured that finaly did for them I feel, but that is only supposition. Like you I cant know.
I seem to recall that Charlie was sold because he preferred the bottle to the training ground and that is why he never fulfilled his potential.
Of course that is just hearsay
He lacked discipline and respect for the management, BR I am not saying he didnt like the bottle most of them did Pre Wenger. Al;though I am not sure if he did
Top comment Rocky wondering about how Cesc felt following the collapse at the end of the season …….
Whatever his faults who will ever forget that long mane flying as he ran,
or him flat on his back in extra time at wembley against the pool
Too true DD
& with that memory of a beautiful sunny day I bid you goodnight
Me to I am away Gnite all
True DD – I can’t know, but it seems at least plausible.
Goodnight all.
Statistically 6 out of 7 dwarfs are not Happy…..
Morning Raddy 😛
It appears that Cesc may have wiped £10m off his transfer value in the eyes of Barcelona by stating that he would only go to them – Cesc will now find out how much his love for them is reciprocated in the form of a sensible offer 😦
Morning all
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