Posted by RockyLives
Let me take you back, dear reader, to a late spring day in 1987. April the 5th, to be precise. Life was very different then – no internet, for one thing – so as I and 25,000 other Gooners made my way to Wembley Stadium for the League Cup Final there was a real party air.
We hadn’t won a sausage for nearly eight years, not even one of those little cocktail ones on a stick, and in all that time we had only once managed a top three finish in the League (or The First Division as we called it then). Worse, in three of the previous six seasons we had finished below the Tiny Totts. Suffice to say that if it was today we’d have been going to the old Twin Towers gripped with angst and, no doubt, with various internet idiots demanding we show our displeasure by baring our arses at the team before kick-off or walking out before we’d arrived.
But these were more innocent times. Acid House was all the rage, Dirty Dancing was on at the cinema and we were so relaxed as a nation that we even let an Aussie win Wimbledon. So we Arsenal supporters were happy, even though everyone told us we had no chance against our opponents – the greatest team of the age, the mighty Liverpool. For the Scousers it was set up to be an emotional day, as their talisman striker Ian Rush was going to be playing his last game for the club before heading off to Juventus. Liverpool had never lost a game in which Rushie had scored.
In due deference to the scriptwriters, Ian Rush opened the scoring. The Liverpool fans assumed that was that (as did the TV commentators, I was later told) but George Graham’s Arsenal were about to stick two fingers up to fate, karma and providence. Two goals from Champagne Charlie Nicholas turned the game on its head and we lifted our first trophy since the FA Cup in 1979. I don’t remember much of the day after that.
So, apart from being the ramblings of an old fart, does this have any relevance to us now? I believe it does. There are parallels between then and now.
We went into that final after a long period where success was a stranger. A few years earlier a ‘great’ Arsenal team had been broken up. Although they never won the league, the team of Brady, Stapleton, Jennings and company reached three FA Cup finals in successive years and narrowly missed out on the European Cup Winners Cup, losing on penalties. The Arsenal team that succeeded them was unable to maintain that standard. In the five seasons before 1987 we finished outside the top five every year:
1986 – 7th behind Liverpool, Everton, West Ham, Man Utd, Sheffield W, Chelsea.
1985 – 7th behind Everton, Liverpool, Spuds, Man Utd, Southampton, Chelsea.
1984 – 6th behind Liverpool, Southampton, Notts Forest, Man Utd, QPR.
1983 – 10th behind Liverpool, Watford, Man Utd, Spuds, Notts Forest, Aston Villa, Everton, West Ham, Ipswich.
1982 – 5th behind Liverpool, Ipswich, Man Utd, Spuds.
The main thing that strikes you on reading that (apart from: Southampton? Wtf?) is how ignominious some of those campaigns were – regularly finishing behind not just the Tiny Totts, but other London rivals like Chelsea and West Ham, even QPR for God’s sake.
Yet, as a fan in those days, I didn’t seethe with resentment about it all. It was part of the swings and roundabouts of football and, during those years, we were on the swing that didn’t work and tipped you into the dog poo when you tried to stand on it.
Anyway, back to the point. By the time of the 1987 League Cup final we had endured some very poor years following the break-up of a successful team. But the parallels don’t end there.
Although the Arsenal team that took the field that day at Wembley contained some seasoned veterans like Viv Anderson, Kenny Sansom and Steve Williams, it also relied on a core of very young players whose careers were just starting.
The following all played a part in that League Cup victory: Tony Adams, aged 20; David Rocastle, 19; Niall Quinn, 20; Martin Hayes, 21; Perry Groves, 21; Michael Thomas, 19. Which just shows that Arsene Wenger is not the first Arsenal manager to put his faith in youth.
We don’t know what would have happened if the omens had been obeyed that day and Rushie’s goal had won it for Liverpool. Maybe we would have gone on to win league titles and cups under GG anyway, but somehow I doubt it, or at least I doubt it would have happened so quickly. That win – that piece of silverware – imbued in our young players the idea that they were winners. How else to explain the extraordinary character they showed two years later at Anfield to win the title against all expectations on the last day of the season? It’s worth noting that eight of the players who featured in that game at Anfield had also featured in the League Cup win in 1987. The winning virus had been acquired and more silverware would follow in the years ahead.
Our current squad needs that winning virus too. They need to win a trophy. If they win something as a team it will carry them forward to new and greater successes. Other teams, players and fans won’t be able to say “show us yer medals” or sing “you always win f*ck all.”
That’s why I believe that in the coming season we should go all out to win BOTH of the domestic cups and not just aim for the big prizes of EPL and CL. Imagine watching Cesc walk up to lift a cup at Wembley! How great would that feel? (Please stay Cesc – it’s going to happen).
By all means we should use some of the younger players in the League Cup if it’s against lower division opposition, but let’s also sprinkle experience and quality throughout the team and on the bench. In the FA Cup, it should be our strongest team every time.
Let’s give this Arsenal team – which, to me, seems poised on a knife edge between greatness and failure – the taste of success. I believe once they get it, they won’t let it go.
For 1987, let’s read 2011.
RockyLives
Arsenal News 24/7
arsenalarsenal.net 
RL. Lovely read and some very valid points. I had forgotten how young that team was. And how young they were at Anfield.
The winning mentality is so important. It gives a player the self confidence to say to himself “I can do this, I have done it before”. MU and the Chavs carry an arrogance that we just don’t have ….. yet.
Winning a Trophy turns boys into men
Did you know that the man in the hat and glasses in the above picture is Kelsey 🙂
Morning all
That made me look up BR. LOL
Rocky, another superb article, I was at the game I remember the groan as Rush scored, followed quickly by every Arsenal supporter vocalising the fact at the time that Liverpool never loose when Rush scores first but how gratefully wrong we were. Happy days.
On the subject of Liverpool, reading your post reminded me of just how powerful they were regarded at the time.
And, oh how the mighty have fallen.
“we were on the swing that didn’t work and tipped you into the dog poo when you tried to stand on it.”
Top drawer, this really made me chuckle.
Good point London – I should have said that the Scousers never lost when Rushie scored first (not just when he scored at all).
Of course, there are other lessons one could draw from 1987 – namely that a period of relative failure was ended when a new, hungry manager was brought in! (Not that I’m suggesting we get rid of AW).
Morning all,
Wonderful read Rocky.
I shall be ‘suggesting that’ if we sell Fab4 and leave the money in the bank and the summer ends with Chamakh as our only signing.
Morning Rasp
And the justification would be that we have Arshavin, Nasri, Diaby, Ramsey, Lansbury, Wilshire and Denilson who can play in that position.
Wenger doesnt give a fuck about the domestic cups. having watched Inter-Bayern last night maybe he should change that because in will be one cold day in hell before this current Arsenal team aquires the same tactical nous,balls and winning mentality as inter or Bayern.
Morning London,
I should have stated my position more clearly. I don’t think a replacemnent for a Cesc-type player is necessary – as you point out we have enough of those. I mean if we don’t at least attempt to sign a GK, CD and then possibly someone more defensive to play in midfield and maybe a proper winger. I’d settle for the first two from that list.
I agree with the thrust of this article. Note that 1987 actually ushered in the longest period of success in the club’s history – 6 trophies under GG followed in short order by 7 more under AW. Critical to this success was the incredible defensive solidity created by the first of these two men; in effect, AW stood on the shoulders of GG to take the team to even greater heights of success – but with the passing of the old rearguard he has eschewed renewal of this part of the team, favouring an unbalanced approach of too much possession + attack.
Does he have the will and humility to recognize this and build the foundation of a winning side once again? I’m not so sure.
Morning Danish,
For someone who dosen’t care, Arsene certainly does a good job at pretending when you watch his reaction from the bench these days. Pat Rice could bear testimony to the increasing frustration that he displays.
There is no doubt that he prioritises the Prem and CL – his team selection for the other cup games is proof of that. I really think he believed we had a chance in the CL, prem (or both) but since we failed and there is more money available, he should consider ‘another way’
Nice post which hits the nail on the head, especially around the “seething and resentment” of many arsenal fans.
In those days we didn’t have the internet which, regarding football, more often than not serves to work fans up into a frenzy 24/7!!!
Keep up the good writing and good luck to the team for next year.
Hello family enclosure man
Welcome to the site, I am not the owner but I know that intersting comments like that are very welcome here, I hope you come back and by the way if you have a post you would like to write have a look in “Be our guest” above.
Morning fam’enc’man,
Welcome to the site. I am thinking along the same lines as you – but the statement has always to be punctuated with acknlowledgement of the achievements – building and paying off for the stadium and training facilities, financial stability etc etc.
We will know in about 10 weeks if AW is prepared top drop some of his ‘mission’ in favour of a more pragmatic approach – I’d feel happier if he was working for us and not French TV during that period.
Rasp @11.12, if the summer turns out that way I might join you.
Hi Adam and welcome,
It’s always a humbling experience to look back at past achievements and realise how much more ‘worthy’ everyone appeared to be. Similarly humbling was watching the Blackpool players and fans celebrating yesterday.
It’s all about the ‘burden of expectation’ – we consider ouselves to be a big club and therefore we should have the ambition always to win, and for new supporters who haven’t lived through the lean years it is more of an expectation than a bonus.
The manager has it within his power this year to significantly enhance our chances of returning to winning ways.
Ha ha Rocky, I’d probably change my mind if it came to it 😕
Morning all. Great post. I’ve said many times that I dont like the way AW treats the cups as though they just get in the way. Its true that the kids have had some good runs over the years but ultimately they ended up losing. These kids need to learn how to win. 4 kids playing amongst the 1st team would learn far more and give us more chance of winning at the same time. I agree with you Rasp that whether Cesc stays or goes we still need GK CD AND DM.
andy, agree on both points. Young players can learn from a run in the league cup, but they’ll learn more if they’re alongside seasoned pros (which, in fairness, has happened from time to time in our LC runs).
Morning Andy
Do you expect to see a new CB if Gallas stays?
Morning London. Expect or want ?
I think we need one, WG would have to be an injury concern now and with JD unlikely to have a huge impact for a while a long term replacement should be a priority in my opinion. However i think that if he stays then aw will keep it as it is and call jd his “new signing” to replace silveste
Morning all
Good read Rocky, how interesting that the team that started the winning ways in 1987 had so many young players in it.
I’m hoping that we’ll have a better mix of age and experience now that AW has some money to spend but it has to start with the defence IMO.
Wengerball is wonderful but the fantasy of always outscoring the opposition has yet to come to fruition largely because we don’t know how to defend as a team. Some reliability required at the back – have I mentioned how a new goalie would be an advantage here 😉
andy – sadly I think you’re right about JD being a ‘new signing’.
Maybe he needs a woman by his side to encourage him to spend some money – shall I volunteer to help out 😆
Andy
Expect or want….good point.
If Gallas stays I do not see us buying a new CB. I have more hope than most when it comes to JD; I think he and Gallas will share the right CB until JD eventually makes it his own. I am in a tiny minority who doesn’t think that the left footed Silvestre is going anywhere especially if Gallas stays.
That said, if Gallas goes I expect us to buy.
As for what I want, the list is too long.
I think you have it there Peaches, my wife is trying to kick start the economy on her own.
I have to take issue with the more pessimistic views on here. I will be absolutely amazed if we don’t buy at least one new CB and GK and possibly another DM. Wenger has said since signing Chamakh that he expects to make one or two more signings.
Of course, I could be wrong.
Good point RL shouldn’t be negative. Just trying to brace ourselves I think. I do think(hope)things will be different this year but once bitten twice shy and all that.
Rocky,
I have have been generally disappointed with our transfer activity over recent years but have been able to deal with it under the belief that it was forced upon us under the pressure of economic prudence.
I said yesterday and repeat today:
1. Arsene has said he wants all transfers completed before the WC – and he’s running out of time!
2. We haven’t been seriously linked with any other players.
3. It is entirely in keeping with his statements and past performance.
The most likely reason for my lack of faith is that it prevents me from being too unhappy if I’m correct 😉
On the other hand, you and others are welcome to rub my nose in it if we do bring in some quality players that can slot into the first eleven (i.e. of Chamakh’s calibre)and are better than what we currently have, because I will be too happy to be offended.
Hedging your bets there Rocky 😉
With respect to all those who hold possitive views on this site we have needed a CB and a GK for a couple of years now.
On the 1st September 2008 Gooners were waiting until midnight for news of any signing. Following the signing of Nasri during the summer AW said he expected to make one or two more signings hhhmmmmmnnnnn
Looks like my nose might be joining yours Rasp 😆
I don’t accept the suggestion that we might not buy a new CB is being negative, I just have more faith in Djourou than most.
My biggest worry now is not whether Cesc stays or goes but whether it makes AW take his eye off the ball and fail to act on the defensive issues. If Cesc stays does that make him our 3rd signing ? hehe
Hi peaches,
Arsene’s reputation is a major asset to the club because he is a legendary manager and players want to train under him – so shouldn’t he be ‘schmoozing’ with the players (and their agents) we’d like to bring to the Emirates rather than working for French TV?
If Cesc stays it will be our biggest signing of the summer, a truly world class player.
Isn’t working on French TV the most efficient way to schmooze the most French speaking players and their agents.
I dunno London – it may be? Do you think that is his motivation?
But he’s said he doesn’t want to sign players at/during the WC.
Of course AW would LIKE to wrap up his business before the WC, but that doesn’t mean it will be possible. It’s not entirely in his control. If potential sellers want to drag it out it may take longer.
Like you, Rasp and Peaches, I have felt let down over his transfer pronouncements in recent years – but I sort of understand why it had to be that way. This year I genuinely believe the finances are different and, crucially, that he has finally come to accept that some of the current squad will never make the next step without help.
I don’t care if the new signings are not big names (how many of us really knew much about TV until the immediate run-up to his transfer?). But I do really, really hope they are players aged 25 and above who have won things elsewhere.
Rocky,
What a fantastic signing Milito was for Inter and for at the age of 29 I believe – an investnment that has paid huge dividends for them.
I like that RL. I think with big names come big ego’s and they dont tend to fit with The Arsenal. Just good honest pros who have bin around a bit and can help to educate our squad.
Hi Rasp
No, if I am honest I don’t really think that that is his motivation but I am less critical of him watching the World Cup than most; in fact, I would be more worried if he wasn’t.
That said, I don’t expect anymore new signings unless players leave ie Fab and Gallas. So if he is watching the World Cup bon chance.
Rasp – good point about Milito. I would be delighted for us to sign some players who are getting on a bit but can still give us two or three years. I would have been in favour of us bringing back Anelka at the time he went to the Chavs…
Chamakh is no spring chicken and who expected Milito to be so useful?
Anyway, isn’t the point with transfers meant to be that AW identifies them and Ivan the Tolerable goes and gets ’em?
Agree about Anelka although he can be a bit selfish.
Have I mentioned how Thierry could be just the man to help Theo learn some tricks and make the most of his pace 😳
…so whether AW is at the WC or not doesn’t really matter.
I think you’re right there Rocky, I’ve always assumed that Arsene draws up a list and tells Ivan to go get ’em.
Peaches, now don’t start the selfish debate or we’ll be back into whether or not Arshavin should have passed to RvP versus Fulham!
Seriously though, while my Cavalier heart would love to see TH14 back in some capacity my Roundhead Head (?) thinks that (a) we have enough strikers and (b) for what we would have to pay TH we could probably do better.
Chamakh is surely just at the start of his peak years (26) so we’ve bought him at exactly the right time. Not so with Silvestre 😦
No player is going to want to come to the Emirates because Ivan asks them, he’s just a cog. AW is a pivotal part of the process. Maybe working at the WC raises his profile and that is of benefit to the club. He could go to the WC as a free agent, I’m sure the club wopuld pay his expenses and then he’d be able to watch the games he wanted and have plenty of free time if he wanted to research signings.
Still think Melo is on his way to us this summer. Oh and green and upson aswell.
Rasp – agreed on Chamakh. He’s the right age.
Chamakh is expected to be a first team regular, Silvestre on the other hand was only ever bought as back up……but you are well aware of this.
andy, Chamakh, Melo, Upson, Green – that would do me just fine.
Allow me my unreasonable prejudices London 😆
There you go Rocky/andy, we’re almost in perfect agreement – I’m not so sure Upson is the best CB we could get.
Its a bit hopeful I know but could be done for £25m ish
We could do better I know Rasp but trying to balance what would be ideal and what is more probable.
A good barometer of the nervous mood of Gunnerdom at the moment is that the top link on Newsnow Arsenal for the last 24 hours is one headed: “Wenger misses UEFA lunch to tie up Fabregas transfer.”
Needless to say, there is no substance in the piece to justify the headline, despite the insider knowledge it hints at (apparently the author learned that AW missed a UEFA lunch, then he puts 2 and 2 together and comes up with 93.5 and presents it as fact).
I’m making the point not to slag off the blog in question, but to highlight the state of high anxiety we’re all in (including me – I helped it get to number one spot).
I knew Fish-head would creep in there somewhere rasp 🙂
Rocky – surely Thierry would come back just for the love …… and a nice apartment in Hampstead ……
……. I’d cook for him if he needed but I don’t do cleaning or washing 😛
Peaches – we could throw in a Renault Clio for good measure. Va va voom!
Ha ha ha ha Rocky 😀
The Clio deal ends this weekend I think so he’ll be gone from my radio too 😦
As we’re all having to admit that as much as we don’t want it to be the case, the main thing on our minds is ‘are we going to sign anyone?’ ….. how’s about a pact just so that I’m not the only one who sticks his neck out.
Can we all agree:
1. To let it be known if there is a player that they think we are more than likely going to sign i.e. there is some hard evidence
2. That there are currently no players that fit into the above category 😉
That article just goes to show how blogs and journos are so good at manipulating any small fact to suit a story.
Anyway I don’t believe that Cesc will go this summer and actually probably not next summer either but then we’ll have another torturous transfer window.
I think Cesc will give us one more year and he’ll play for the shirt in that year.
yeah one more year for cesc, that would give barca time to save up and pay us what he’s actually worth!
Good article – I rememeber that day well as a 15yr old standing behind the goal. Couldn’t see much but what a day. I never thought I’d ever see Arsenal win a trophy and we did it that day. Never thought we’d win the league and we did it 2 years later. ‘New’ Arsenal fans are spoilt eh and dont remember the days when we were average and ecstatic to win the league cup. Just look at the teams we finised behind in those years. Football was a level playing field then. It’s shit now and all about money.
I was behind the goal too Russ. You’re right about the teams we finished behind in the early-mid eighties. In the five years between 1982 and 1986 no fewer than NINE different teams finished in the top three (although Liverpool were champions in four out of those five years). Contrast that with the PL, where the long-standing ‘Big Four’ has only been broken on a couple of occasions.
Welcome Russ,
Yes, its the money that has changed everything, we can still take pride in the integrity and standards of our club compared to most others.
BR,
actuallly it does look a bit like me, but in 1987 I was away on Her Majesty’s Pleasure 😉
Nice article Rocky.
Rocky do you live in Surrey by any chance ?
This is why the Arsenal fans that were born around that time have had the privalege of seeing a very successful side in a new era,even if we haven’t won a trophy for 5 years,is it really a big deal.We are one of the most solvent clubs in England, have nearly doubled our attendances,and have had some great highs and a few lows.Our turn will return, while clubs like Liverpool are near the brink and others will follow.
Hi kelsey,
I hope you are right. One thing that could change the whole ethos of the club would be a buy-out/takeover. I see a Nigerian businessman has lodged an interest in buying Lady Nina’s 16% share.
Kelsey – yes I do – how do you know?
Rocky don’t tell him anything he’s a spy 😎
There has been too much back stabbing in the boardroom, rasp.Hill Wood is just a figure head with 0.8% of the shares.
Stability has to be the most important thing for the moment.We appear to be debt free now on the Highbury Square project, so all future sales are profit.
I don’t want to see several changes to the team but a keeper and a dominant defensive mifielder are a must for me.
City will continue to spend like crazy, but that won’t necessarily buy them success.United have already curtailed their spending, and Chelsea have to get younger players in.Liverpool are in near crisis, yet Spurs via Joe levy seem to have an open cheque book.
No one is saying it is going to be easy, and when I hear some supporters say “we pay the highest prices for season tickets” it comes across that because of that, they are entitled that we win trophys.
Football just doesn’t work like that, does it.
Next season will be massive.Wenger’s possible last year, a possible takeover and of course our captain, will he or won’t he stay.
I thought I heard someone in the garden last night. Old boy with a hat and glasses.
RL,
Aha. I used to live in Cobham, quite near you 😉
no peaches i am a convicted …… 🙂
Do I know you Kels?
Not sure about this Nigerian bloke. Apparently very bad conditions at his sugar refinery.
I don’t know if you know me, but one day i will tell you how a few of us on here met on a blog and after a few posts realised that we either knew each other or knew others who knew us. Small world RL.
Anyway I am much older than i look 😉
It wouldn’t surprise me if we have people in common Kelsey. Never enjoyed HM’s hospitality though – never got caught!
Lady Nina is asking way above the face value of her shares – presumably because she knows that if either Usmanov or Kroenke buy them, they will be able to launch a takeover bid. But since I know nothing about finance, I expect the experts on here to put me straight.
Talking of getting caught – what have John Higgins, John Terry and Fergie got in common? 😆
Hi Rasp I tried to put a new post in and it went pear shape, have sent a copy to peaches do you want me to send it to you
RL,
don’t take me literally. it was actually a bad joke, started by someone on here, who is no longer allowed to blog on here.
evening all haven’t read the post yet, so will have to go back to go.
News of The World and Max Clifford, rasp.
Hi dandan,
Don’t worry, it’ll be in safe hands with peaches – but send it to me by all means for insurance 🙂
No I didn’t know if poor old peaches was up to her neck in tea chests, quite happy to leave it to her she always sorts me out, in the nicest possible way Rasp
Hi dandan – up to my neck in BBQing – I feel like I’ve spent the whole weekend cooking …….. actually thats because I have 😀
Offspring just about to leave me – fed and watered. Time for a nice cold glass of something 🙂
Oh, what a let down Kelsey. I had visions of you as our answer to Norman Stanley Fletcher.
My rented house has a hot-tub so I might have to imagine I’m in Barbados 😛
Irish – if you look in at some point, good luck with your first day at work tomorrow …….. probably best not to be caught blogging on your first day 😆
dandan – your post has come through with weird changes in the font when I put into drafts – did you have that problem? Can you just co back to your original word.doc and see if the problem stems from there? Pretty please 🙂
yes i did have that problem will try and send yo a different way
Hi Peaches – thanks 🙂 LOL I’ll not chance my luck on the first day – see if I can get away with it Tuesday 😉
So is Nasri going to move into the middle – I’ve now changed my mind that Cesc can just fuck right off, we owe him nothing. Enjoy the Barca bench.
Ah I’m just annoyed – I hope this Cesc thing is sorted before the week is out because its doing my wick in already……….
Have sent you a new email try that please
Irish – repeat the mantra
‘We love Cesc Fabregas
We love Cesc Fabregas
We love Cesc Fabregas
We love Cesc Fabregas’
dandan – I’ll have a look now, the hot-tub has stopped slooshing 😦
Theres no email yet dandan – must be heading south 😆
I’ll love once I’m sure we have him Peaches 😉
Irish you were going to teach me how to post the post on Facebook – wanna meet me on our personal facebooks now?
To the same tune …….
We love fifty million
We love fifty million
We love fifty million
We love fifty million
😛
Oh yeah Peaches if you are about 😀
Doesn’t scan quite as well rasp 🙄
dandan said he was sending me another copy of his post can you see if he sent it to you too. The first one had strange font changes in it.
I’d love €5 right now, never mind €50mil 😆 Ah being poor ha ha
OK I’m going over – watch my back 😆
OK peaches.
Irish,
What are your hopes for Rosexy? next season – is he even staying?
LOL okay Peaches 😆
I think he’ll stay Rasp and do pretty much the same as he did this season but better 😀 He’ll not be a definite starter but would hope to start 50% of the games.
have resent it again to both you and Rasp, bloody thing LOL
Thats ok dandan, I can see its arrived now – must’ve been held up in traffic 🙂
Shame 😦 the Fran Merida transfer has been confirmed. What was the point in making a last minute effort to get him to sign a new contract when he was going on a free?
Its Arsenal Rasp – we seem to be in the habit lately of leaving everything till the last minute.
Maybe he was offered Cesc’s place if he stayed
my internet keeps crashing and the server is so slow, maybe dandan has the same problem. I read hot temperatures can have an effect on transmission,but not sure about that.
Ah hot temperatures – it was 25c today in Ireland, IN IRELAND 😀
rasp can you have a look at dandans post please – I’ve taken the ‘odd’ bit out and changed it in Word but when I put it back into drafts it goes back to the wierd font.
Any ideas?
It’s a funny thing irish, up to when everything went wrong – we were scoring in the last minute and then bloody Kevin Phillips scored that late goal for Brum when Almunia was so crap, he pushed a ball he could easily have caught into the back of his own net and we lost 2 points.
That was the turning point of the season for me. The keeper had let us down once too often and the ‘belief’ just drained out of the team, how can you avoid conceding silly goals with a clown like that between the sticks?
Sorry Irish my phone rang and I couldn’t complete our chat. Sounds like you should be in the front row so that she can see the effort you’ve made 🙂
How highly do you rate Almunia, rasp 😉
Umm, I thought so.
No problem Peaches – I must be off now anyway. Damn right I’ll be front row ha ha chat soon
I rate him so highly that it would make me immensely pleased if he was totnum’s number one 👿
Merson made a good point today about cesc. he said why should we sell him for 30 million and then 4 years later Barca could get much more for him.Recouping their outlay and making a fat profit.
😆 rasp
Have you got time to look?
kelsey,
I think in a strange way, Barcelona have betrayed Cesc. They’ve courted him, openly discussed their desire to recruit him, no doubt encouraged his Spanish team mates to tell him how wonderful life is at Barca and yet they are only prepared to play an insultingly low price for him – do they value him or not? If I were Cesc, I’d be feeling pretty unhappy about the whole affair.
But kelsey, that would mean that he wouldn’t want to stay at Barcelona for the rest of his career in which case he shouldn’t move for at least FOUR years 😉
Had a look peaches – dandan’s put a hex on it 😦 the only answer is to type it out again in wordpress.
Exactly rasp – its all so underhand. I’m sure its widely acknowledged that he’ll move back there at some point in his career but part of his career is being at Arsenal, he’s our captain and we have built a team around him.
Oh poo – I was hoping you wouldn’t say that 😦
Maybe I’ll try changeing it to another font and see if thats any different.
Hangs his head in shame, doesnt know what he can say. other than forget it, its no great shakes anyway, was just meant to be a talking point, sorry
dandan,
Don’t be daft its a great piece and well worth the few seconds it will take to retype. I don’t want you riding off into the sunset me ol’ mate 😛
LOL nah I wont do that, my computer buried the first draft I did as I literally put the last dot in, so had to rethink and retype it again, the rest you know. very strange.
dandan – I’ve just re-typed a couple of sections and they jumped back into the strange font.
Can you try to copy and paste the word document into an email? Maybe we can trick it into forgetting its gone weird ……………
Thanks rasp
I have tried that, it wouldnt have it, but will try again
No don’t worry, I just emailed it to myself and it didn’t work – thats some hex
sorry is on its way again
Anyone use Google Documents?
Very good, free and easy to use.
GOOD MORNING BR.
nope not used them myself….
scouring newsnow before i give in and start work, its the summer thing you know.
and it looks like nothing’s doing….
ATVO said a lot in its method… for the press release on chamachs signing…. was wenger in attendence or was it just a q&a dodge
carlos vela tonight will probably have the games of his life…. arsenal will have to play in green to get the best out of him!
why would some nigerian dude with heaps of money want to buy 16% of arsenal when its a two horse race.?
I am really looking forward to seeing Vela tonight, if I can find a stream.
Perhaps he needs to feel an integral member of a team to function, and being on the periphery is difficult for any young man who is an established International
How rude of me…
Morning Tommy
it’ll be on tv wont it BR?
…
no apologies required mate, i just painted a face on my football and called him friday!
Morning all,
How long has Vela got left on his contract I wonder? He is another young player who you couldn’t blame for wanting to move in search of first team football. We have to get out of this habit of letting players go on a free (Merida) – not good business, manure even got money for Silvestre 😉
i dont have a problem with anyone leaving aslong as we get the asking price. that should be any buyers first point of call – how much arsene? but no this would be too honest for the galactico collectors!
we were linked with Schwarzer, Mertesacker, Melo in one article yesterday…. i’d take all 3 of them. mertsacker is 6ft 5!
Me too TS. All 3 would be great.
Unlikely the England game will be shown here (DK), but there is certain be a stream
DK ? where are you raddy?
oh denmark, sorry dude
Morning all
Theres a NEW POST