A dictionary definition of “hope” is: “the feeling that what is wanted can be had or that events will turn out for the best.”
In recent games there have been certain Arsenal players who, when they receive the ball, induce in me the opposite of hope.
What I mean by this is the very personal effect they have on me when watching the game. It’s not scientific. It’s not based on statistics or chalk boards. It’s just my gut feeling.
But if you knew me and my gut, you would know that that’s quite a big feeling.
Here’s how it works.
The opposition (it could be Bolton Wanderers, it could be Manchester United) have been attacking. The attack fails, we win back the ball and start a counter-attack.
As we surge forward I have feelings of great hope or great hopelessness depending on which players the ball goes to.
If it goes to Prince Robin I feel hopeful that we might fashion a goal. If it goes to Ramsey or Oxlade-Chamberlain or Gervinho I feel hopeful we might make a half chance that will lead to a goal.
But there are certain players, and it pains me to say this, who, when they receive the ball, fill me with a feeling of hopelessness.
And I mean literal hopelessness: I stop hoping that we will score a goal during the current move.
Chief among the culprits are Theo Walcott, Andrey Arshavin and Marouane Chamakh.
When I’m watching a game and the ball goes to one of them, I stop paying full attention. Maybe it’s time to get another drink or go for a pee. It’s certainly not a time to feel excited.
The predictability of the ways in which Theo or Arshavin wll screw up a promising move is really quite depressing.
It goes like this:
Theo will get a through ball inviting him to run at the opposition defence. He will charge forward, but if any defender gets even the slightest challenge he will be muscled off the ball and will go to ground looking for a free kick that will never come. His physical frailty is really quite shocking.
Walcott: 30 passes: 73% successful: 27% forwards
If, by chance, he avoids the physical contact he will run in a bad line towards the corner flag or the penalty area and deliver a pass to the opposition defence or will fire a shot well wide.
With Arshavin it’s even more straightforward. He will pick up the ball and run in a straight line from our left wing to the opposition penalty area until the two or three defenders who have tracked him dispossess him. As the opposition break away to attack us, he will stand with his hands on his hips looking disgruntled.
Arshavin: 36 passes: 71% successful: 50% forwards
As for Chamakh, do I even need to explain why his contributions leave me devoid of hope?
Chamakh: 27 passes: 70% successful: 26% forwards
Obviously all these culprit players have their moments when they do something good, but the point is, when they get the ball I (and most Arsenal fans watching, I suspect) know that our attacking move is probably at an end.
So what do we do about this?
One answer is brutal: we get rid of Walcott, Arshavin and Chamakh and we replace them with players who carry end product in their game.
Another answer is that we keep working with them to get them to rediscover their form. All three have had purple patches in their Arsenal careers and the fact they are doing so badly now must say something about their confidence or the way they are coached or even the way the rest of the team is playing.
I would say that Oxlade-Chamberlain, Ramsey and Gervinho all offer end product. There’s no way of knowing about Park given that we never play him (although that may be enough of a clue to his abilities). But we need to focus on players who can make a real difference between now and the end of the season.
That means (sadly) less Theo and Arshavin and more Oxo and Gervinho.
There are no new signings coming in, so we need to make the most of the squad we have – and that means AW recognising who are the hopeful players and who are the hopeless ones.
He will need to be courageous – but circumstances may soon force Arsene to show more courage than he has done in many a year.
RockyLives
* The chalkbooards used in this post are from random games and are only used to illustrate the areas of the pitch in which the players operate.
Arsenal News 24/7
arsenalarsenal.net 
This one is for you Chas. I know you like the total footie experiences, so you might like this one ‘De Kuip (name of the Feyenoord stadium – ‘The Tub’) kraakt (creaks)… Based on last Sunday’s game between the old rivals of Feyenoord and Ajax…nobody sits down in these sort of encounters..
http://nos.nl/video/335839-de-kuip-kraakte-tijdens-klassieker.html
Brilliant, TA.
Bouncing terraces instead of ones full of effin bin bags!
Morning
Minus 30 at night. Too cold to ski
SO RIGHT!
Walcott is the worst player in the league. Get rid now! Pathetic excuse for an Arsenal player.
Morning, Evonne, sunny and warm here, scorching -5C! 🙂
Chas, you have really crushed my bon homie by being binnist!
How would you like to be called an Effing Bin Bag? Eh? Eh?
I liked that TA, and good morning to you, but no Bin Bags allowed in Dutch grounds then? Why’s that?
‘Another answer is that we keep working with them to get them to rediscover their form’
… but in the case of Walcott he has not improved in 6 years under the great management and coaching skills of Wenger. Not a single thing has improved. Not only that but incompetence is rewarded by Wenger with yet another game and another contract. It beggars belief. He is bound to get an odd goal because the sheer number of games he gets – even a blind squirrel finds an occasional nut!
And you know that thing that gets me about more than anything is that when he blasts a cross over the bar or shanks a shot the look on his face – where am I going for dinner tonight or what new book am I going to write – no passion or anger just hey-ho another day another shite load of money.
Many years ago I kept saying to people that Walcott will get Wenger the sack and that day is getting closer.
Thanks for the post, Rocky.
Although I sympathise with most of what you say, I’m not sure AA should have a headline post which singles out players not playing well.
What I’d like to know is why the manager sees x, y and z players performing to consistently poor levels and yet continues to pick them without turning their form around in some way.
Sounds as though The Ox is doubtful for tomorrow. I wonder if Andrey will play?
Sorry RA.
Someone on twitter posted that Arsenal have announced that no bin bags, other than those purchased at the Armoury will be allowed into the ground on Saturday. 🙂
Interesting post Rocky. I think you are right re the feeling of ‘nothing will come from this’ that these players create at the moment. I have always felt Arshavin lacked a desire to give his all for the team, the club. It has always been about him, his website, his fantastic flicks and backheels, his impossible goals etc etc. Now that this seems not to have lost his ability to score a goal once in every four games and produce regular assists, we are left with a footballer who has very little left to offer to us. this could still change, but I am pretty sure he’ll leave this month.
Chamakh is a sad story. We probably played our best football at the start of the 2010-2011 season and he was a vital part in it. Now he is totally out of form and his shortcomings have been painfully exposed. His confidence is low and all he does will continously be compared with RvP. I don’t think he’ll recover from this predicament anymore.
Theo is a totally different story. I don’t share those feelings with you regarding him. Yes he frustrates and disappoints regularly with regards to his decisions on which attacking option he goes for, and lack of finishing off of chances, but this can always change any minute with him. He has a thicker skin than we think, and unlike Arshavin or Chamakh, he can refind his form quickly – from one game to the next. If Theo signs a new contract, I think he will develop over time into a squad player rather than a regular starter in our first-11.
Morning Iwona,
It might be snowing in Oakwood by the end of the weekend. Minus 30……eeeeek.
Chas, who is this nice man RA — is he a friend of Bin Bags?
Will you and he join the Bin Bag protest march at the Emirates tomorrow?
Or do you think we don’t have a leg to stand on?
Your analysis is pin point. None of the three players referred to make a significant contribution to team.
Walcott has maybe some potential because of his age as a luxury
player who can come off the bench when opponents tire and have
some impact then, but he is not worth £85,000pw to do that.
The other issue with all three is their unwillingness to track back and defend. In teams like Manchester United all players are expected to work hard whether in attack or defence. At Arsenal
we have more often than not three or four passengers, which is
why we are conceding so many silly goals.
http://robinvanpersie.com/2012/01/26/visiting-maradona/
Morning all, nice post Rocky and indeed a worry is the lack of forward passes, however in mitigation Cham is a hold up player and as such you would expect him to play back to goal and therefore play the way he is facing, to be effective he needs midfielders and wide men supporting him, unfortunately the wide men have normally gone too far past him or are not close enough to him meaning he gets isolated.
As for Andrey I still hope he rediscovers the form, we have complained plenty recently about the inability to unlock a defence, well there is the man to do it, but whilst every misplaced forward pass is groaned he is more likely (as are others in our team) to pass back or sideways to a teammate to avoid the abuse. Thankfully Arshavin still plays forward despite the catcalls which is probably why Wenger still wants him in the team.
A busy day ahead for me, one doing up my website on WordPress, and secondly catching up on work.
See you all later…
Rocky – ‘shocking post, both the facts and the proposals to get rid of 3 key players.
I suspect that the facts are correct information and therefore would justify ‘disposing’ of AA, Theo and Chamakh. However, it is very unlikely that they will go in the very near future. Perhaps Arshavin, but not others.
So, what do we do with them? They have to play and if the facts are available to us, I am sure Wenger is aware of those too. Why nothing has been done to improve the situation, which frankly is becoming dismal? Are they unteachable?
Too many questions and not enough answers.
BBA,
The question has been posed as to who will put the bin bag on Stan’s empty seat!
I feel EXACTLY the same.
Except I think Gervinho is also in that catergory with Walcott as well. Sure he can go round players but he also stumbles over his own feet when trying to pass.
I think we should really give Benayoun another chance. Why else is he there!? He’s a workhorse, got a powerful shot, quick, and a good touch.
Walcott’s miss against Bolton was dreadful and cliche of himself.
Some Arsenal players have a crisis of confidence. They are in desperation for a win!
Hear is the delema!
How to play an opponent equally desperate as you?
How to be at your very best, when every touch of the ball is judged by own fans?
How to keep full concentration when the opposition supporters + fans wearing your colours routing for you to have your worst game?
Arsene did not go out and purchase the players we demanded that he buys, despite they not bring available or will to leave in January.
What I would not do is join the boo boys or the rubbish brigade. But give my total support to the end of the season. The window is shut, no business can be done now. We have no option but to stick with what we got. Personally, I ain’t going to help none of the opposition over my team.
Interesting and controversial Post, Rocky. 🙂
I have grown to know you, over the past year, from your Posts, and it goes without saying that I know you to be a thru and thru Gooner with well attuned antennae and a genuine love of the club.
I say this, not because you need my support, but to dispel any notion that you are being disloyal. Your Posts are always brilliant and this one gives us the chance to bring our views, on the current different playing values of our players, out for an airing. 🙂
You have obviously picked up on a growing perception of dissatisfaction from some (all?) fans regarding the limitations of certain players, and you have also balanced this nicely with the ‘good’ feeling fans get when certain other players are in full flow.
I am agog to see how the chat goes on this — so well done, again, Sir Rock!! 🙂
Let the action begin! Oops, it already has!! 🙂
thinking back to the Bolton game it was one of those days where nothing was coming off in terms of attacking – RVP denied by the woodwork twice – just didn’t get in the net. However a clean sheet. Something to build upon.
Looks like a team lacking confidence and killer hunger and determination in front of goal. In rugby circles down here it would be called “mongrel” its a sort of backs against the wall, fight to the finish attitude. I’m not saying blind aggression or anything but something more focused.
In other news Ryan Nelson has sent himself to Arsenal purgatory by signing for Spurs – how could you buddy! Now there is another 34 year old you would want in your squad – captain of NZ team, great player but now the enemy.
I, for one, feel sorry for Arshavin. Here’s a player who suits the Dennis Bergkamp role, who after playing first team football for 10 years it told to move out to the wing….and is meant to be able to have the positional know-how to defend. Yes, he might not be giving his all for the club….but he’s been messed about too much
Excellent post Rocky. I am of the opinion that Arshavin and Chamakh will be gone at the end of the season.Wallcott is a different kettle of fish. I think he would benefit from someone like Dixon or Winterburn mentoring him on all the things fullbacks dislike in order to bring that to his game. From my observation he is a player who can exploit space, but he often positions himself too close to the opposition. I think he would benefit from looking at videos of Freddie Ljungberg as he was never one for a trick to beat a player but thevtiming of his movement got him in time and time again
Chas – snowing in Oakwood? Lovely, I love snow. But it is so cold here, that we are house bound, too cold to go out 😦 Where did you get ‘Iwona’ from you monster?
A different style of post from RL. Interesting.
Expect AW to work with the players because as you indicate they have shown the class necessary to contribute – frustrating as they are.
Chamakh’s form is particularly worrying, even if he came on a free. To play only 6 balls forward in a game and fail with 3 of them is proof of his inability to be penetrative.
Dan – to compare Arshavin to Bergkamp is a blasphemy
Interesting post from The Rock today – of course I’m going to incur the wrath of the shark today by saying I think AA still has a lot to offer and a mercurial talent like him has to be used wisely and his skill coaxed out of him; something that a decent manager should be able to do.
As for the other two I’m less sure of my view.
Wot, no Tavern widget on the side Raspers ??
@Evonne 10:42 absolutely right!!!!!!!
Dan. This Arshavin thing is another Urban Myth. When AA has played centrally he has been anonymous, if he was really a central player don’t you think AW would have given him a run there? He is after all AW’s most expensive signing.
Or do you think you know much more about football and AFC players than AW?
If you look at his movement from the above diagrams you will see that AA has license to go both centrally and out to the opposite wing.
Yes, he plays centrally for Russia, but look at Russia’s results!
Morning all,
Thanks for offering an alternative style of post rocky. I know your intention was not to create a forum to lambast players.
I am a fan of Arhsavin-the-potential. This post is not about stats, but if you included goals and assists, the order would be Arsh 1st, Theo 2nd and Chamakh a distant 3rd.
The chalkboard does show that AA is more industrious across the pitch whereas Theo’s sphere of operation is much narrower – whether this is as a result of directions from the trainers or because they are free spirits doing what comes naturally I don’t know. I would think that within the team structure, the best approach should be to use each player to his own strengths.
chas – thanks for the chalkboards, they took me ages to sort and analyse but a very useful addition to the post.
From here Evonne….
https://arsenalarsenal.wordpress.com/2012/02/01/winter-winds-match-preview/#comment-120010
ditto re Arsh Raddy 😛
No probs, Rasp.
RA. Thank you for both the compliment about what was just a little jokey gift for Mrs. Raddy, and the book recommendation.
I read Shogun when you were still short trousers and then went on to read all Clavell’s books. Over the years I have read Shogun at least 5 times and enjoyed it every time,
ATM I am reading The Art of Racing in the Rain by Garth Stein.Very good.
By definition, a forward pass is more likely to be unsuccessful than a back pass because it has attacking intent. The chalkboards show that Arsh has not stopped trying to take risks even when they have frequently failed of late and induced groans from the crowd. I think he is a ballsy little player but chooses (rightly or wrongly) to preserve his energy for when he has the ball rather than chasing it. He only really tracks back when he can sense real danger. Noit a team ethic but evidence of his individuality I think.
Chamakh seldom takes risks. His confidence is nil, but I’d like to see the victim mentality replaced by tempered anger with more aggression in his play – at least his intent would be obvious to all.
The Bearman@10.27 fine comment! 🙂
Evonne, how exactly, are you keeping warm?!
Pat: we really could do with a mongrel – I like that word
Morning RA, hope your bloodtests went well?
Morning, Raddy, 🙂
Garth Stein is another author I am not familiar with — yikes that is the trouble with ignorance — by definition one is not aware of what you don’t know. 🙂
I shall look Stein up innmy local bookshop, and do a little research on Jackson Pollock — and him being a Yank to boot!! 🙂
Of course, I always have an excuse — “I am not into abstract art” — ermm, sounds a bit weak – shoot!! 😦
“…but in the case of Walcott he has not improved in 6 years under the great management and coaching skills of Wenger.”
This comment pretty much sums up my feelings on all three players – but not as an attack on the players but in that I don’t think any of them have been coached or managed very well.
With Arshavin, Wenger took a typical no.10 and forced him to be a winger. It has failed miserably. With Chamakh, we bought an out and out front man, not a prolific scorer, who would hold the ball up and feed off crosses. Our style of play was never designed to suit his game and therefore he has looked out of place.
Finally with Walcott we bought a speed merchant reliant on balls in behind the defence. Our style of play means he is constantly faced with a defender sat deep that can show he down the wing. He isn’t a bad player, but he is easy to defend against playing the way we do.
Wenger’s “great management and coaching skills” have presided over players looking good in his system one day and then awful the next (Ramsey and Gervihno also fall into this category). So the question for me therefore is how much is down to players and how much is down to a system that very few of them are suited to.
Richard, that is a very good comment. Ultimately, the system Arsene wants to play, is what makes us, and has made us ever since he became our manager, so different and successful. The value of the system is more than the total sum of the individual players. Good football players fit into any system, but it takes time to get players to understand it and perform well in it.
Arsene is working on that at the moment, and to answer your question, the system is as much – if not more – to blame as/than the individual players. But for most fans it is easier to pick on the individual players, than blame the system/ the time it takes to build a new team…
Richard. 11.04.
I have to disagree. AW buys players whom he believes he can mould (many examples). I think this is why he prefers to buy very young players who are not fixed in their perceptions.
The older purchases ARE played in their positions … Arteta, BFG, Sagna, Santos etc,
And I have yet to see Ramsey have an awful game.
TA,
Do you think Arsene’s system is the same now as it’s been since 1996?
This is the label for the chap alongside’s seat who didn’t come back for the 2nd half last weekend.
http://twitpic.com/8f3riq/full
TA. Isn’t that always the way with a team game? It is a blend of concerted team play and individual excellence. That is why Messi is so outstanding – yes, he has unbelievable skills but he is also a team man.
Chas, no. There are some red & white lines through all his systems though. I feel Wenger is currently facing his biggest challenge in terms of establishing a formation/system that will make us successful again. Without Cesc, N, and Wilshire he has not got a suitable pivot for his current team. Although, I am also not sure whether N or Wilshere would have been up for it at this stage of their careers either.
Well, I am off the fence, at last. 🙂
I think the cases of Chamakh and Theo are linked. What the hell am I on about I hear you say (metaphorically).
It’s like this. Before we contracted Chamkh, there was a clamour from the self proclaimed “fans who know” for a big CF who was good in the air to complement RVP and enable more rotation in that position.
AW always anxious to do as these fans tell him — agreed. (Or maybe he just thought it right without their advice) 🙂
Theo, with his pace and now extensive experience of wing play, was seen as the ideal partner for Chamakh. Whizz up the wing, steady himself and put in precision crosses for Chammy to soar like an eagle and into the jolly old l’oignon sac (onion bag).
But the theory and the practice did not mesh. Chamkh without the ‘aerial’ service looks poor (sorry GIE/Wonderman — holding the ball up is not enough on its own 🙂 ) and Theo who’s crossing is often woeful, had no one to aim at anyway.
So Chamakh’s demise is all Theo’s fault then? No. He is slow and cannot keep up with Theo; he also wanders over to the left wing too much, a la Thierry, and again is not in position to give Theo a target to aim at.
What to do?
Chamahk: He is a very limited squad player and if that is what AW wants — then so be it — not one for me. I feel his confidence will never recover and he should be allowed to go.
Theo: Everything Rocky has said in his Post chimes with me, but I saw the young, 16 year old, Theo and he was brilliant.
Great pace, cool finishing, accurate crossing! What has happened to him?
I live with the hope that he rediscovers the form and panache of the Theo of old, and he does have age on his side — but do we have the patience? The jury is out for me — but AW seems very confident.
AA: A wonderful imp of a player when he came to us (reminds me of Rasp) who seems now to be deeply affected by the fans apathy or the hostility shown towards him by some. Sadly, I think it would be in his and our best interests if he returned to Russia.
Let me finish by saying, that if they all manage to come thru this period with renewed enthusiasm and rekindled skill I would be a very, very happy Gooner to be proved wrong.
BR, yes to a certain extent you are right.
Wenger always plays a variation of the total football brand and that means that players have to fit into his system. I believe the average manager plays a more straightfoward, less-dimensional, system of football and will buy and develop players who will fit the more traditional roles. Theo would fit perfectly into the right wing position at the Mancs for example.
If you join Ajax, Arsenal, Barcelona, and one or two other teams, you will be transformed as a player. This does not suit everybody.
TA,
Why would he persist with it, then?
TotalArsenal – I agree that the system is what makes us, but the one we have played since Cesc emerged and this year is fundamentally different to the one which brought us success.
Our game, no doubt more suited to the European front, is now about possession and control, whereas back in the championship winning campaigns we had a style based on rapier like penetration from fast breaks and inside forwards running behind the fullbacks. That space now no longer exists because our possession led approach is so slow in building, allowing two banks of four to get behind the ball.
I actually don’t believe good players can play well in any system, great players can – but how many times do you see very talented players leave one club only to look a shadow of themselves somewhere else? A good system can make average players look good and good players look great and the greatest testimony to that is what Ferguson has done with his current squad. Unfortunately when it isn’t right, players that should be performing week in, week out look lost on occasion and can’t seem to pull two decent performances together.
Big Raddy – I’d agree that he buys players he thinks he can mould but ultimately if the mould is broken, how are those players going to be improved? As for Ramsey, well apart from his finishing being consistently awful, I would say he hasn’t had an awful game but against both Fulham and Swansea, in particular, he didn’t look great.
I’m not sure Chamakh was ever a target man who held the ball up when playing for Bordeaux.
Chas, I like the message 🙂 Maybe you should add one of those little travel cushions (you know those you get in aeroplanes)?!
I think he persists with it because it is in his and Arsenal’s DNA. It is what makes us different and in the long run it is likely to lead to success. It is probably the only way to compete with the Manc clubs, the Chavs and Europe for us.
A more practical person (like Ferguson etc) would go back to 4-4-2 in the short term. But a Genius is usually not a very practical person. It is both frustrating and exhilarating that we have such an enigmatic manager.
Hi TA, 🙂
I know you have staunchly supported Theo, and why not, but do you think he sees himself as simply a ‘squad’ player?
He seems to be quite full of himself and would not happily agree to that premise, and an unhappy bunny is not conducive to good team spirit or rapport.
I think he should be given more time to become a true ‘star’ – if that does not work, it would be beneficial to both sides for him to move on, rather than have him as an expensive and probably unproductive squaddie!
The system that we play now was built around Cesc, it worked beautifully when Cesc was dynamic and enjoying his football with us but as soon as Cesc went off the boil we could all see that the system didn’t work………… it doesn’t work now and all we do is slow the play down and rarely get behind defences.
Arsene prides himself on us having intelligent players well I don’t think what we have are intelligent enough.
Of the three players mentioned in the post I would say that Arshavin has the most ability to shine and Chamakh the least. I am still always hopeful that Theo is going to remember that bit of magic he produced when he was playing Fifa 😉
Great post Rocky. I hope Theo can go on and become a great player for the club, but i admit that at times he is a bit shit.
Interesting debate about the system. we first started to employ it in 2005 when first Utd and then others deployed 3 in the middle against us. The result was that our all round game was nullified and Viera in particular looked half the player. It was then extended to incorporate cesc in the attacking role of the three midfield players and currently we have Ramsey playing that role.
The only way i can see the system been changed in the near future is if Wilshere and Chamberlin mature to the point were they can play in a 442. In 1998 we used Raymond wide right but every time we lost the ball he tucked in thereby making a 3, with Overmars staying wide. By the looks of Chamberlin, i think in future he could play that tucking in role, and of course we will have the exceptional Jack in the middle. Whilst i write this ime getting excited. Ime sure that midfield combination will lead us to inevitable glory in the years to come. Bring it on.
Nice positive reply, TA; I’m sure TMHT would agree. 🙂
I want to believe it is likely to lead to success in the long run.
evonne – brrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrr Grandson is having a lovely time, there are four men, a digger and a dumper truck to bark at in my garden today. Stay warm, eat cake 😉
Hi RA, when I was 23 I believed I would become a CEO of FTSE-100 company, now I am not even a squad player hahaha 🙂
I agree with your last paragraph, but I don’t think he will become a ‘true star’ wherever he ends up. He could easily become a supersub at a topteam in England/Europe!
Hello All
This post wasn’t really meant to be an out-and-out criticism of those three players, although of course that will be seen to be its effect to some extent.
I perhaps should have spent more time extolling their good points. If you had asked me a year ago whether I would swap Bale for Theo I would have said “no way”. Now I would take the deal.
Likewise for a long part of Arshavin’s Arsenal career, every time he got the ball he inspired in me the opposite of hopelessness.
During his first couple of months Chamakh looked exactly what we had been waiting for – a striker who gave us something different.
The unexpressed thought in this post is that maybe it’s not the players’ faults…
TA – your last post is something I’ve long thought, that our system (like Ajax/Barca) is asking players to do something more than the conventional.
The danger with it however, is that finding enough players who can play this way is always difficult, especially with financial restraints and with established players leaving because they don’t believe in the long-term approach.
It also increases the risk because by asking them to do more than the conventional, many actually forget the basics. Look at the problems we have from set pieces, the covering of running midfielders and how bad our wingers are at tracking back and I think a large part of this is related to the demands placed on them to play the “all-round” game.
The biggest strength I’ve always seen in Fergie’s teams is that every player knows his job and what is expected of him – even if that job is unremarkable.
Richard, 🙂
Not sure I have seen you on AA before, but I like your reasoned and well explained points.
I find myself in agreement with some of the points you make, and not with others — but that is what it is all about.
It is a pleasure to chat with someone who is both civilized and erudite and prepared to debate without personal recriminations towards others.
That fits well with the ethos of this blog! 🙂
Rocky,
I take back completely what I said on first reading the post. Your words have generated a fine and reasoned debate. I was wrong.
I concur 120%
TA,
The top FTSE 100 companies don’t know what they missed in you! 🙂
You could be right about Theo as an impact sub.
When he first started to play for us, he came on to rapt delight from the fans and we gloried in his cameo performances and lightening dashes down the wing.
The professional game always ‘works’ the new guy out tho’ and without someone like Cesc to magic up a defence splitting pass to put him into a sprint with a defender he looks very lacking in dribbling skills.
Chas, ‘wrong’ never came into it!! 🙂
Anyway, your belated support for poor old Bin Bags puts you in good stead! 🙂
Chas
To be honest I wasn’t sure about writing this post, so I kind of shared your own first impression!
It was partly a comment of Rasp’s, that there is something in our coaching that takes away the players’ confidence, that persuaded me to write it.
As you say, some very good comments and fortunately hardly any nonsense.
Cheers, boys.
Looks like Lindegaard is out for 4-6 weeks. Perhaps the claret-conked Caledonian could take Almunia on loan!
RA – Its always nice to be on a blog where reasoned conversation can take place. No one is right all of the time but that is what debates like this are for.
I actually think one of the major reasons for the frustration in and out of the ground, is because the fans see a talented batch of players but they just can’t seem to produce it consistently.
Walcott was almost unplayable against Chelsea early this season, yet fails to impress in many other games. The same goes for Chamakh’s start last year and Arshavin in patches.
It leaves you with a much higher degree of dissatisfaction compared with say the period in the mid-90’s where we had a very average group of players trying very hard but incapable of anything beyond the mundance.
Lots of fans will say that the current group don’t try as hard as those guys but thats absolute rubbish. The stats show the players are running longer and further than not only the opposition but also historical comparisons and that’s why I always come back to the feeling that its the system where the changes have to come.
Richard, another fine comment. You should write a post about this: AA welcome contributions from anybody!
MU/Fergie are struggling as well though. The only reason they are still fighting for the title (and for nothing else btw) is that the rest is struggling too at the moment. Everybody is in transition including the Mancs.
Interesting point re good/great players fitting into different systems. I think I agree with you. Wenger makes players better like you suggested, which in a way is vindication of playing in a Wenger system: in the long term it is good for the players as well.
The Fabregas-system could have worked, but like Peaches suggested, we became too dependent on him. In a proper total football system this would not happen, as other players should be able to slip into the ‘role of fabregas’. But there have been other factors as well.
The pre-Fabregas system was not just based on ‘rapier like’ penetration. We had a lot of possession those days as well and were allowed to penetrate teams by our passing games, whilst hemming in the opponent in their own half for best part of the game. I agree with you we lost the ability to break at speed a bit this season. I think that will change if and when Jack returns. His vision and passing ability is very promising. Ramsey is not very far off either.
Last season: 4th (19 wins, 11 draws, 8 Losses, 72-43)
Topscorer: Robin van Persie (18 goals)
Most assists: Cesc Fabregas (14 assists
——————————————–
This season so far most assists: RVP.Song,Gervinho, all 5
Walcott,Ramsey 4.
I have of course always rated Theo 🙂
I think the solitary blame for poor form is the lawn bowls pitch at The Emirates.If we had a few bobbles all those misdirected shots would have gone in.
I think in the case of Walcott and Chamakh it is just a question of time until their balls drop 🙂
Well here is a bit of nonsense Rocky.
I was incensed by the stupidity and bile of the Post on another site, today, so in one of my alter egos I ladled on one of my most egregious and stultifyingly gormless comments agreeing with the Post in what I believed was a transparently sardonic manner.
I was mortified to find my comment was accepted, without a quibble, by all and sundry. They accepted it at face value as complicit agreement with, or acceptance of, the putrid views expressed.
More fool me! 🙂
Woooo, I am loving these comments from Richard, such an intelligent way of analysing our short comings.
On Walcott: he would make a good impact sub, but there is no way he would accept that role right now; he still believes he should be starting every game.
BBA,
I saw it.
They may have sussed you were taking the p*ss and therefore just ignored it. 🙂
I think the bit about defending Leningrad in the snow might have given the game away. 🙂
Richard/TA,
Reading the ‘system’ comments between you both with interest, it strikes me that you are both making valid points.
In a parallel universe where I was the manager of AFC, (I know, so far fetched it would have to be the parallel universe 10 over) I suspect that I would make a decision based on logic, first and foremost.
Let’s say I had a strong penchant for a particular tactical system, 4:3:3 or 4:4:2; and having made my choice, lets say 4:4:2, I would then buy or nurture players capable of playing in that system.
Alternatively, if I inherited a set of players, I would then calculate which system would best suit their particular attributes, let’s say 4:3:3. I would not try and force them into my preferred 4:4:2.
But logic is not what an intuitive game like football is all about, and I think teams, or players in the teams, should be capable of switching between the various systems, and as a non-coach, I do not see Arsenal changing tactical formations enough during games.
Probably bollix — but I have admitted I am not a coach!! 🙂
Chas,
Not as subtle as I thought then! 🙂
Lenningrad, they most probably think it is east of Ipswich, which it is .
Good points RA. I think AW will persist with his vision, system and formation until it works again. He will accept the risk of losing individual games for the sake of continueing to believe and develop his system of play. I don’t think he will ever change…
Peaches – keeping warm, eating cake, just look after my grandson x
Out for a while – catch up later 🙂
I think Chamakh and AA will definitely be gone in the Summer. Sadly Theo will still be here.
I disagree with the comment about the mancs. Most of there players still look shit even though they are getting results. The one player of thiers I really like is Valencia.
JT stripped of his England captaincy, bravo!!
Hello GM,
Thought I’d say hello in case you thought you’d blog-farted. Everybody disappears at lunchtime which, I presume, is the moment in the day that you get a spare moment to comment.
I agree the manc players are largely average and it’s their system which produces better results than ours.
I most definitely agree about Valencia. He is one of the prem’s form players. When ol’ bacon face uses him at right back, I think, hmmmm, can’t really see Theo being used likewise.
TA – I think you are right, I don’t think Wenger will change the system. I guess my point would be that you don’t necessarily need to make wholesale changes, just minor tweaks.
For example, there are points in a game when it may actually be beneficial to us to allow the other team to have the ball, so that when the chance comes we can exploit the gaps behind their attackers. Our equaliser against Utd was three direct passes from our penalty box to a shot on goal.
This however relies on the players, first knowing how to defend properly and second knowing how to spring when you win the ball back.
Had to happen, Evonne.
The whole country (apart from chav supporters) would have found it impossible to back an England team with him as the leader.
I said after the Man Ure defeat that I thought we would go on a long unbeaten run in the EPL.
So far I’m right 🙂
GM – its interesting you raise Valencia because he is the one player beyond all others that I think emphasises how important it is to know you job.
He is told to get down the wing and deliver crosses and when the ball is on the other side to anticipate the cross. Its simple. He rarely cuts inside because that closes off space for other players and hardly ever swaps wings.
His game is no different to when he was at Wigan and yet rightly he is seen as being a key player at Utd. His biggest struggles seem to be when Rafael plays behind him and tries to overlap all the time because Valencia doesn’t want to be a winger who covers the right-back, he wants to be one or the other.
He is also a player I genuinely think would struggle to play for us because his game doesn’t have the variety which you need to have to work in our system.
That is no slight on him – but again a pointer to why our system is always on the knife edge as to whether it works or not.
Good news about terry. I don’t think they should pick him. I love the way the say his court case is after the final. As if we’re going to get anywhere near the final.
Rocky – long unbeaten run? Hm. So what can you see in your crystal ball now?
Evonne
I’m still seeing a long unbeaten run (although it may include some unsatisfying draws 😦 )
Interesting post Rocky, not that I altogether agree with you, AA’s Red heart lies in his homeland not in the shirt he wears to earn his living, whereas Chamach, has suffered from the famous second season syndrome he has been found out by the opposition and does not have the stomach for the intensity of the premier league.
Wallcott however has the ability to do the job required of him and will in tandem with the Ox, over the next few years, use his pace and power to penetrate the banks of four, so beloved of teams visiting the Emirates.
On another issue any one dumb enough to go to the Emirates armed with a black bag shows IMHO how little they now of this great game of ours. Toys and prams spring to mind when I think of them.
I was on Twitter late last night dandan. the whole black bin bag thing will make us a laughing stock. (more than we may already be for the doomers that may turn up)
Ime going to nick my chinese neigbours black rubbish bag tonight. I know its full of delights coz i always spot cats and foxes swarming round its aromatic contents. I will take it to the game (were ime been accompanied by my bouncer client, other wise i would not be taking it to the game), and if i see any one trying to place a bin liner on a seat (well, not me, my bouncer client) i will dispose all its exoticicaly delicious contents over there head.
Haha, Terry. I’d love to see the guys’ faces when your bags are searched on the way through the turnstiles!
The black bag thing won’t happen for two reasons:
1) the stewards wouldn’t allow it and as you suggest, other supporters wouldn’t allow it either;
2) someone pointed out that black would make it far less visible than if it was left red, thereby hiding any empty seats!
Chas, my bouncer client is so big he could probably fit the bin bag in his pocket. My problem is getting him to agree to it without annoying him. Hes rather tempermental for some reason. hahaha.
It would be deemed racist in any case.
Are these protestors the same group that went on that “we want our Arsenal back” march last year?. I actully had some sympathy for that mob, they seemed very old school and it was more a protest about ticket prices than anything else. This bin bag thing is just plain stupid though.
I love how some of the “we want our Arsenal back” think Usmanov is the saviour. Doe they think he’ll give it back to them?
Hi Richard, I agree with you regarding small tweaks to the system. Wenger seems a bit stubborn at times.
With regards to allowing the opposition the ball at times: we allow the opposition plenty of the ball now but when we get it back we often don’t change gear quickly enough. I think this is just a matter of time, but at the moment the team is not clicking together enough. We are often too slow in our passing game and lack movement of the ball, whilst our deeper, cut-through passes are either not risked enough or don’t come off.
I wish we would start to dominate games in midfield again this season. We now have a far better defence than last year (once everybody is fit again) and with the Gerv and the Ox we have players who really fit the Arsenal system. I am patient though – it will come!
when ever i see arshaving or Walcott in our starting line up it makes me sick and the i curse AW. Wenger we love u so much , don’t let this love to turn into hatred please…………….
Hi Dandan, 🙂
I am back replete with delicious fish and chips! 🙂
Who knows, one day we can exchange fish shops to try and decide which is the best! 🙂
Of course if we cannot agree we will just have to keep going, again and again. 🙂
You are quite right about the bin bags gimmick. It is such a lame and pathetic nonsense!
Hi Terry, 🙂
Your bouncer mate seems someone you should keep in with. Is his telescope bigger than yours? 🙂
Greetings Redders,
Not sure? He might be one of those hugh lumps cursed with a small apendage. hahaha.
Hes a good man to know. Bouncer at Sophisticats lap dancing joint in central London. I sometimes go there to conduct scientific research.
TA,
I absolutely agree with your 3:04 comment agreeing with Richard! 🙂
My own bugbear at the moment is slightly off topic, but is in accord with your 3:04 agreeing with Richard 😉 in that when we get the ball back from the opposition, almost every Arsenal midfielder, and often Theo too, either passes it back to where it came from, or to the CBs or even to the GK, or dribbles around in ever decreasing circles (like the oomagoolie bird) before eventually releasing the ball.
Impetus, fast raiding, high speed attack — what are they?
Really irritating!
RA, we are in total unison (platonically speaking)! 🙂
We need our players to be confident on the ball and attack the space in front of them more regularly, even if it means they need to get past a player by themselves. The Gerv and the Ox have this quality and young Aaron is showing it more and more himself. Jack has it and so does Santos.
TA, as you are Dutch, I thought I should explain the oomegoolie bird comment above, so here goes. It is best described in a British poem/song regarding a visit to the Wild West show! 🙂
Song:
Oh we’re off to see the Wild West Show,
The elephant and the kangaroo,
Never mind the weather, as long as we’re together,
We’re off to see the Wild West Show.
Reciter:
In the first marvelous gilded cage ladies and gentlemen we have the oomegoolie bird.
The oomigoolie bird? Faaan-TAS-tic!!
Reciter:
Yes ladies and gentlemen it’s the oomigoolie bird.
Now the oomigoolie bird flies at a very great height;
but it has very short legs.
Every time it comes in to land it shouts “Oo me goolies, Oo me goolies”!
Brings a tear to the eye!
Reciter:
And in the next marvellous gilded cage ladies and gentlemen we have the Fukawi tribe.
The fukawi tribe? Faaan-TAS-tic!!
Reciter:
Oh yes ladies and gentlemen, the Fukawi tribe.
Now the three-foot tall Fukawi tribe lives in deepest Africa where the grass is four feet high and comes up over their eyes!
They are known to run wildly through the tall grass, jumping up and down shouting, “Where the fuck are we? Where the fuck are we?”
Reciter:
And in the next marvelous gilded cage ladies and gentlemen we have the mountain goat.
The mountain goat? Faaan-TAS-tic!!
Yes ladies and gentlemen, the mountain goat is an amazing animal. It farts and jumps from crag to crag, and from precipice to precipice, and then back again.
It has science baffled, as to whether the farts make it jump, or the jumps make it fart!
That explains it all, I’m sure! 🙂
Achtung Ausfahrt! Very funny RA. Where do you get those stories from?
As a boy, I was convinced for a long time that trees made the wind by moving from the left to the right… 😀
TA,
Trees DO make the wind by moving from the left to the right — don’t they? 🙂
As to your question — it’s all down to a misspent youth in more than one country! 🙄
I always like the German use of ‘fahrt’ in words — and ausfahrt – exit – sounds exactly right!! 🙂
The only positive of today is Raddy’s prematch tomorrow.
I must confess that after last game I gave up, again. The pain is becoming intolerable, a couple more results like that and I won’t be able to continue with my hobby
Afternoon all, I agree with Richards description of rapier fast (I usually call it pinball) attacks. We used to mug the opposition with our speed, one minute they’d be attacking our goal the next they were picking it out of the back of their net.
Obviously not every goal can come from that process, but the number of backward passes by our attacking midfielders in the chalkboards illustrates the point. Its OK to try t play like Barca when you’ve got players at Barca’s level. It is dependent on fluidity of movement, perfectly timed passing and control and an understanding between players borne from hard work on the training pitch.
We have changed our style of play but the downside is that we give the opposition time to get 10 men behind the ball and then lack the guile to unlock their defence or the playesr willing to have a go from distance.
Rasp,
You make some interesting points. i suppose my question then is counter attack football dead?. I watch every televised game know to man and rarley see a 3 or 4 touch counter attack that leads to a goal. Some one help me, why is that?
Cheers RockyElvis.
Its a complete mystery to me why Andrey and Theo get so many minutes on the pitch, especially Andrey. I’d be tempted to play Miquel at LW ahead of the little Russian, so poor is his contribution at times.
Theos great monments are very very good, but too few and far between. He really is a rollercoaster of a player, which when I think about it, is a more apt analogy than I first thought.
Rollercoaster cars are asisted to the top….then, even though it may loop the loop and rise and fall..ultimately you know its going downhill and slowing down.
Hi TMHT,
I agree that style of football is seldom evident these days and I would imagine its because teams have become better organised defensively. but the degree to which we slow things down has become ridiculous at times. We can be attacking the opposition’s box one minute and passing it back to Sz the next. Those wonderful triangles and multiple passsing options that we used to create have disappeared. There are times when Theo and Arsh receive the ball, take it forward and maybe have a choice of one player t pass to.
Hi Rapers, that’s something I’ve noticed that’s happened more in the last 3 or 4 years – no one makes themselves available for receiving a pass nowadays.
As you say, the guy with the ball either has the option of one person to pass to or no one.
What is with that ?
It’s got me puzzled, it’s almost as if no one wants the ball anymore.
Evening all,
I wrote a post at the start of the season about Theo when he went on a bit of a good run and hoped he had come of age. Now, I personally don’t think you can go on a good run if you haven’t the abilities.
I don’t think the boy is a footballing genius but he can use his speed to his advantage (once he loses that speed he needs to move to the MLS or Qatar).
I’m hoping Sagna coming back will help him, we’ll see. Plus, he can take the challenges when he wants to, he looks for the free kick too often, but if he just keeps going like he did for that goal against the Chavs he’d be better off.
Another question here, if a ManUre fan can be accused of a racially aggravated public order offence today(the alleged offence on tuesday) then why is he in court 8 days after the event yet John Terry does not have to go to court till 8 months after the offense ?
Where is 26 when you need him ?
Hi Rasp,
We do seem to play to many ineffecient passes. I suppose its a fine line between reatining the ball and been direct. maybe the time is coming were Arsene will reavuluate the system in order to make us more effective. When he spoke about 3 in the middle recently, he said it was required because having only 2 empties the midfield and with teams playing a pressing game then if they win the ball back they are immediatly putting your defence under pressure. in essence then, does this indicate that Arsene is employing a negative approach?
Hi Maire, you must be over in Blighty now – unless you are in the airport lounge or something.
All true Rasp,
The reality is we are still creating a great number of chances per game with our current style of football, despite its limitations, but we are just not taking them. Double 98/Wonderman (?) stats yesterday said it all. And it is not just a matter of buying another finisher: we need more goals from the whole team.
TMHT,
I think its the movement thta we have been lacking. The timing of forward runs and the abilty of our midfielders to deliver a defence splitting pass. RvP’s movement is fantastic, but he is so often isolated. There should be oncoming midfielders to give him an option. Whenever the ball goes out wide, our mids are lining up outside the box, surely one or two could make runs that will at least draw defenders out of position. It is very difficult to pierce a well organised defence that has two lines of four correctly positioned.
When Theo’s one on one, he has to use his pace to change the angle, instead he runs straight at the keeper and opens his body up so the keeper knows exactly where it’s going.
I honestly think he’s not confident he’ll take the ball with him if he tries something different.
He only ever scores when he hasn’t got time to think. Why on earth hasn’t he learnt how to take a keeper on in the six years he’s been with us?
RA, would you rather have grown up in one place, or are you happy your parents took you to different countries to accomodate their careers (and give you the privileged life as a result of it)?
Chary – Nope I’m home by the fire with fish and roast potatoes, and some beer 🙂 Have to get up at 4:30am, flight is at 6:30am (glad I live so near the airport) – see it at the Tavern at 11.30
TA,
If you are saying we need a proven finisher then I am 100% with you. Someone who can play off of RvP so we at least have a two pronged attack instead of focusing everything through RvP.
We have a history of focusing too much on one player. First it was Henry, then Cesc and now RvP. Henry was lucky because of the super quality that surrounded him for most of his time, brilliant players like Cesc ad RvP cannot do it on their own.
That’s sounds like a long day you’ve got lined up Maire, hope you’ve packed your black bin bags for the ever so useful protest 🙂
I’ll see you(and whoever else is due to be there) at the Tavern shortly after 11.30 – catch you later….
Me plus 2 Chary – no bin bags 😆
Rasp, are you suggesting 4-4-2? And do you agree with me that once Aaron, Theo, Gervinho, the Ox, Arteta and Song start scoring goals more regularly we would make real progress – that this is the real missing link at the moment?
The epitome of our “interchangeable triangles” was in 2008 when we had Cesc, Flamini and Hleb all playing well together. We almost won the league that year.
It does feel as if we don’t have the personnel for that approach right now. I wonder if we might be improved by making Arteta the out-and-out DM, giving Song a rest and having two of Ramsey, Benny and TR7 in the other MF roles.
I think ManUre are still capable of fast breaking attacks leading to goals.
No TA. it dosen’t have to be 4:4:2, it can be more fluid than that, but it does require one or two midfielders to get forward more quickly than they currently do.
TA,
Your 5:09 is a good question.
As a kid, I thought moving around was what everyone did! 🙂
Where my parents were was good for me. I don’t really have any ‘roots’, I suppose, but that has never bothered me.
What is it like being a Dutchman living in England? 🙂
Without having met you, you seem very English with a classy Dutch veneer to me! 🙂
Rocky,
Excellent debate sparking post. You are filled with “great hope” the moment we start to “surge forward”, sadly I no longer have that feeling. I am missing my first game in ages due to a family commitment on Sunday, and tragically I just don’t have that feeling that I’m going to miss a good entertaining game. Its not the results that bother me as much as our ever diminishing style of play.
God, that sounds awful.
We must drop Song ASAP because at the moment we are playing every game with 10 men.
Arteta has the discipline to play there and Rosicky has been great in his last few starts.
As for support, I am currently on my way to my 3rd love, the Leeds Rhinos game!!!! No bin bags there, that’s for sure!
Ps, it’s fooking freezing!!!
Legs,
Leeds Rhinos — I am a Wigan warriors man myself! 🙂
(I worked in Wigan for a while — it was OK!!)
Slim and Red,
Rhinos and Warriors! What are you on about? Sounds ghastly whatever it is. And very Northern.
Evening peeps,
Fine post Rocky, I used to hate It when Jeff Blockley had the ball !.
Too much technical stuff for me, when we have the ball, Attack !, when we dont have It, stop the muvvers scoring , simples ! 🙂
So there`s going to be a black bag demo !. I`ve heard that the chief activist/protestor/instigator will be wearing a orangie coloured bag, they call him Satsuma Bin Liner, evil bastard !
Rasp,
It should not be forgotten that the last time we won the Premiership, we had a very different type of player in the team.
Thierry, was probably the most athletic and most prolifically gifted goal scorer the EPL has ever seen.
Theo might be able to match his speed (doubt it) but not his goal scoring. Robin is scoring plenty, but cannot match Titti’s speed.
GIE or GN5, the resident statos, may have the info to hand, and it would be interesting to see who scored our goals in the last premiership winning season, and compare that data with the current team.
Speed of counter-attack and goal scoring is the key, but can only be achieved with the appropriate personnel. Do we have them? I don’t think so.
CliC,
Stopped in Okehampton today for a Full English (aka The Greatest Meal on Earth) and looked at The Sun or Mirror where AW was apparently saying how concerned he was about playing Robin for the third time in seven days!!!!
Ummmm, bet Park is thinking “Thanks for the vote of confidence there Boss”.
Apologies, Micky Legs,
I was getting my Gingers and Jailhouse mixed up! Doh!! 🙂
Rugby Union > Rugby League
Ah, but Jailhouse, was it ‘award winning’ otherwise it doesn’t count! 🙂
RA,
Awards are not dished out like confetti this side of the border. That’ll be CliC’s homeland you are thinking of.
Irish, 🙂
I also support and go to watch Sarries (Saracens) — I just love wearing the Fez and waving my hands – Tommy Cooper?
I also have a great affinity for Manly (Sydney) Sea Eagles. And I will be up most of Sunday night watching the Super Bowl when my other love ‘Big Blue’ or the NY Giants play New England Patriots.
If you are getting the impression that I am a sports ‘tart’ — guilty, your Ladyship!! 🙂
Who do you support – Leinster?
Legsey,
I was in Okehampton this morning aswell,and had the bestest beef curry pasty in the world .( a little bakers on the left,before the traffic light`s , coming from cornwall end ) Then I went up to Bellstone village , luvely !
Glic and Legs… your paths crossed… had you only know you could have got together over a Full English/Beef Curry Pasty and swapped amusing stories of our title challenge this year…
Redders,
Why Is It called the SuperBowl ? Do they play with a bowl ! and why are they the World Champions, when It Is only In America ? ( that also goes for Baseball and Basketball ). 🙂
GliC,
We may well be meeting people in the Belstone Pub sunday lunch!!!
Great place to start a walk from, or end it!
If you went over that traffic light, and turned right up towards the military camp, take first left and there is a cafe (more American Diner). Superb.
Incidently, the best pub on Dartmoor is The Elephants Nest, above Mary Tavy, Nr Tavistock. One of the best walks in England is nearby up Tavy Cleave.
RA – Leinster??????? Not if you put a gun to my head, Munster, Munster, Munster always. The finest rugby team in this world. Bloody hell we had some great times in the Heineken Cup with those two wins. Saracens have Peter Stringer now, good bloke but couldn’t get into Munster side anymore. Simon Zebo is one to watch as well, tricky guy for us.
As for the NFL, I’ve tried to watch the Super Bowl but fell asleep – too many breaks in play. I only know the NY Giants are playing in it cos Lady Gaga was tweeting about it (NYC being her hometown) 😆 though she’s more baseball than NFL.
Glic,
Before I go — you need to take TerryM in hand – he is consorting with some great hairy bloke who carries a hand of bananas in his longjohns and answers to the name of Godzilla.
It will all end in tears — and probably up a tree!
One flaw In that Rocky, Who said we find our Title challenge amusing, more like uncontrollable weeping ! 🙂
Irony GLIC, irony…
Nobody answered a question I posed. How low do we need to finish to avoid the Thursday Night Tournament? I would rather we had a season to regroup and focus solely on winning the league next term.
Legsy
I think if we finish 7th we’re OK, provided we don’t mess it up by winning the FA Cup…
Legsey,
Thats where I was this morning, The Tors (Belstone Pub ), Mrs glic loves It there, nice walks as you say. glic jnr will be doing some building work for approx` 3 months at Mary Tavy. One of the nicest spots for a lunch is Fingle Bridge near Drewsteington, It`s beautiful in the summer, well worth a visit !
Micky – 7th
I know Rocky 🙂
Rocky,
Bugger, I forgot about that (FAC Winners qualifying).
Europa League would be good for the kiddies to play in if we were to qualify.
A Rhinos win, a Gunners win and a Giants win and I will be one happy, ginger male!
I married my wife because I thought she said she loved ironing.
Turned out she’d said “irony”.
Ironic, I suppose.
When was the last time I wanted both Manu and Spuds to win ?.
Please no Europa, please.
Fingle Bridge. I know it well. Superb there by the river. You would love The Elephants nest. Then follow road on up onto the Moors. There’s a spot to park. Walk up to your right until you find a Leet and follow it for about a mile and you are in Tavy Cleave. You won’t regret it.
Rocky – I love ironing, ask Peaches. But i am not prepared to get married again, ever 🙂
chas – you don’t want Europa because we laughed so much at spuds and mancs on Channel 5. I agree with Irish, it would be good for the youngsters, and more games for us to watch
Hi all
Legs – you do know that the game is tomorrow don’t you?
I’ve been to Okehampton, used to go Pony Trekking near there up on the moors 🙂
I was going to say that 7th might not be low enough to avoid the shameful Thursday night cup and oooops you’re right if we win the FA cup we’re doomed 🙄
Awfully cold here in Hertfordshire and I’m lumbered with the grandson who will want to be walked at some point 😦
Evonne Hi.
Peaches – lumbered with my grandson???!!! Lovely! I miss him lots
I wonder what prices It would be for Thursday`s ? . The CC is a cheap night out and thats 10 X better, 15 seat Exec Box for Europa £150 ?.
Chas,
Saw your comment on Chamakh. You are dead right. All the talk of him being a holdy up player is utter b…….
evonne – I take that back, I do believe he’s going to be picked up 🙂 He’s had such a lovely day 🙂
Glic,
I am not sure why it is called the Super Bowl. It is an ‘inter’ league World Championship Final between the NFL and the AFL Football Leagues — but I am not sure.
The college league call their final the Bowl – so perhaps it was called the “Super” Bowl for the professional football leagues to distinguish them??
Again, I am not sure about the ‘world’ series name — I was told it was named after the NY World Telegraph newspaper, but my bestest friend who supports the Boston Red Sox told me it was an ancient challenge (early 1900’s) to a ‘World Series’ between the Sox and some other team who’s name escapes me!
Hopeless, aren’t I? 😦
Do the no alcohol rules apply to the Europa cup too?
CliC,
Can you imagine. Thursday. Home to Dynamo Inverness Roundabout! Bloody Cosmic.
We are playing first this weekend.
3 points and the other games become interesting. Anything less and they are meaningless.
I can’t see further than Arsenal v Blackbin Liners.
Evonne, I don’t want Europa for purely selfish reasons. The season ticket includes the price of 7 cup tickets. CL plus FA cup yes, but 4 or 5 Europa games I don’t want to see!
Legsey,
How can I refuse a recommendation like that !, shall do it in the summer. 🙂
RA,
Its definately named after a World News (newspaper) that sponsored the series.
Chas – does that mean the club is likely to bump up the price to accomodate extra games?
Micky hi.
Peaches – he is a joy, be good to him. He loves pigs hooves, please buy him some to chew
Will 4 layers of clothes be enough for tomorrow?
timpayton tim payton
Red and White holdings (Usmanov) paid 16k for 2 shares today. That’s super high and shows they are very much keen to be players in #arsenal
How close is he now before he has to make an offer or whatever he has to do next?
Is that four layers plus a coat?
Peaches,
£8k a piece. Remember when they were starting the Bond Scheme during last season of standing North Bank and they were £500!
I just don’t think I’m a pigs hooves kind of grandma 😳
Off topic – Some man named Joe Budden (who appears to be famous) is saying Eddie Murphy is dead. I like him in films.
Evonne sorry didn’t explain well.
The ticket will still include 7 cup ties.
No Europa and season ticket holders get a refund.
Europa and you’re suddenly paying for games you don’t want to see. As peaches says, ‘It’s shameful’ playing on Thursdays..
Never mind Redders, even though i`ve always followed the Pats it`s not important like Arsenal, so for your sake, I hope your team wins as it probably means a lot to you ! 🙂
Irish – not where I am. They are predicting -28 tomorrow, a bit warmer than today, may chance some skiing
Peaches – i think the shares have been 8k each for some time now. Kroenke bought most on the cheap, but the price has been steady for yonks
I think it was 16k each
GM – really?
Afan Lido P – P Aberystwyth
Postponed – due to frozen pitch
Gutted. I was lookinf forward to that
4 including the coat Peaches – t-shirt, polo neck, jersey, coat, I think I’ll topple if I put on anymore 😆
I think it must have been 16k each too, just trying to find any info on the purchase – Hi gm
I’m guessing evonne. 8K sounds too low
Hi peaches. How’s your pad? 🙂
I thought at one time , A Manholes Virus was paying something like £12000 a share !
Irish – big scarf really needed too and a hat if possible. I might have to give my furry hat an outing tomorrow. I usually only wear it at night but needs must ……….. promise you won’t laugh 😉
Evonne, they are called pigs trotters!! 🙂
Legsy,
I was embarrassed not to know where the title “World Series” came from, but speaking to a couple of buddies they are not sure either, so I googled it 😳 and here is the Major League Baseball take on it — no one seems to know definitely — so make up your own story! 🙂
—- Some have speculated that it is called the world series because it was originally sponsored by the New York paper The World. This idea is debunked by baseball Hall of Fame Museum in 1999. ”
[O]thers have asked that question of the staff at the Baseball Hall of Fame in Cooperstown, N.Y. in recent weeks. “There’s no evidence suggesting it was ever sponsored by the New York World newspaper,” said Hall of Fame researcher Eric Enders.
When the World Series between the National and American leagues began in 1903, the owners borrowed the name from the world championship series held in the 1880s between the National League and the American Association. Enders concludes the name didn’t originate from the name of the long-defunct newspaper. It sounds like an urban myth.”
Good night! (btw, my baseball team is the New York Yankees) 🙂
Scarf. gloves and thermals Irish. It’s horrible
Evonne – Are you in Poland?
GM – Pity, that match looked like it would be a stormer.
I think gms right, £8k too low.
gm 🙂 I don’t go there anymore, I have a new home. I don’t even know how GiE found it!!!!!!!!
Thanks Glic — it is!! 🙂
Tomorrow.
Chas – oh ok, I understand now. I don’t think it is shameful, some good teams to meet on the pitch, excellent practice for the youngsters. One year off EPL seemed to have done Magpies a world of good, same might apply to us re CL. Having said that I am confident we will finish 4th
Peaches – i know, just teasing 🙂
GM – Have all those. Actually must root out my Arsenal hat later.
I’ve tweeted Tim Payton asking him to confirm the purchase price.
Peaches – Promise I won’t laugh at your woolly hat if you don’t laugh at my pink hat and red scarf ensemble 😆
A woman a work who likes to think she at the top end of fashion wore an orange scarf with red shoes to work the other day – it offended my eyes 😆
Jailhouse,
my dad bought two North Bank upper tier bonds which, I thought, were £1200 each. I think they went up straightaway the club realised everyone wanted to guarantee a seat.
RA, re your earlier question: I am an Anglophile, so it is easy living here. I love the ‘lightness’ of living here, the language, the British sense of humor (although different from mine), and the way footie is truly enjoyed here – almost like a form of art. The admiration DB10 for example enjoyed here, by the fans as well as the media, is second to none. In my view, the British are world champions in recognising and praising real quality in others.
What’s the reason you made the UK your permanent home – am I right to assume this?
The cold weather does terrible things to ones fashion sense 🙄
Silly man, needs to learn to give out the right info first time …….
timpayton tim payton
To clarify that’s 16k for each share. Kroenke paid 11.5K. It values Arsenal at more than £1bn
Arsenal Gentleman @ArsenalGent
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FavoritedFavorite · Close Open Details Kouranne Gibbois, Carlos Juarez, Abraham Dolby, Andrew Saint & Jacques Wilshére all unavailable as Arsenal try to extend unbeaten run.
Total,
Judging by your Posts, writings and comments. I think we`re lucky to have you over here ! 🙂
timpayton tim payton
Red & White say short term aim is 30% of afc. They say under Premier League rules this gives rights to financial info. Lawyers will get rich
I had a headache that day Peaches 😦 and bless her she was trying to be nice to me but her colours just kept clashing in my fucked up head.
On the footy – When is Santos due back?
Usmanov will own Arsenal before long. Sad day for me.
Am I right In thinking that, If Usmanov wanted to buy out Kroenke, He would have to pay £16k per share for them all , because of buying them last 2 @ £16k each . I`m sure I read that somewhere !.
Irish,
Hopefully before the Verm gets injured!
Oooops, shockingly bad taste that one.
Coat.
Arsenal Gentleman @ArsenalGent
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FavoritedFavorite · Close Open Details Strikers Martin Cholmondely and Tarquin ‘Tarquinho’ Gervais also unavailable due to continued involvement in the Oxfordshire Cup of Nations.
Don’t joke 😦
gm,
I bet those Chavs are missing the Dashing Duke of Drogshire !
Right. Off.
Irish, have a great day.
Catch most of you here tomorrow for The Big Raddy.
duke of drogshite
Alfy @AlfoGooner
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FavoritedFavorite · Close Open Details @arsenal_tickets Calling all @Gooners, can’t make tomorrow’s #Arsenal game. 1 ticket in the upper East Stand – paid £50, but I’ll take £30!
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gm – Irish knows how to hashtagff, why don’t you ask her?
What do you need to know GM?
GLIC 🙂 thanks!
Joseph Barton @Joey7Barton
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FavoritedFavorite · Close Open Details Right I am off. For the record,Adrian Durham from Talksport and The Daily Mirrors, Darren Lewis are a pair of spineless maggots. Goodnite x
How do I #ff lots of names Irish
Oh now I get it……the Black Binliners…..Doh
Ski-wear is the way forward tomorrow.
Just when I solve one mystery another appears, what is a pig’s hooves grandmother?
Hi Rocky,
I’m just tuning in for the day and I see that you have used some great statistical data to substantiate your point.
As you are aware I am a big fan of data and charts and use them frequently but in this instance I feel that the usage is most unfair to the players.
In order to use data as a base to determine an average or a trend you need to assemble far more information than just a single game for each player.
Also we have no idea of the oppositions defensive structure in these games and how the players were marked,
So IMLTHO these stats simply cannot be used to determine whether they even had a good game, let alone a good season to date.
I don’t happen to have a very high opinion of the players in question but I feel it’s clutching at straws to use single game chalkboards as their executioner.
I hope Miyaichi gets a game at the weekend. I’m looking forward to seeing him.
Hi GN5,
The chalkboards were my idea – Rocky knew nohing about them. As it says at the bottom of the post, they were only intended to illustrate the areas of the pitch in which the players operate.
The %’s are accurate for those chgalkboards only and do not represent the player’s performance overall.
LB. You obviously do not have a dog, nor does RA. It is pig’s ears not hooves which are sold in pet shops as dog treats. Yuk..
Best left alone ….
GM. Me too, I think this lad has something special, though I have only seen the youtube clips..
Well that’s phase 1 of the treble!
Arsenal to win by at least 2 goals and Giants to win by 6 or more points and I will be loving this weekend!
Ps, couldnt give a shit about the Giants, come on you Gooners!!!!!
I met a fairy today who said she will grant me 1 wish. I said I’d like to live forever. The fairy replied sorry can’t grant that wish, so I said ok I’d like to live until Arsene Wenger wins the treble with Arsenal. The fairy replied ha ha you crafty f—–.
Big Raddy. My 9 year old Boxer (George) loves pigs ears.
Anyone got a spare for tomorrow.
Sure I could pick one up face value outside but thought I would ask here first.
Right you Gooning gonads!
It’s gunna be 6-0 tomoz!
I’m even going to swap 3 players in my dream team to get RvP back in there as captain!
We owe the Blackburn c-o-unts a good hiding, and I’m confident it’s going to be tomorrow
Come on Arsenal!!!
Oops sorry Rocky – I guess that I should have addressed my post to Rasp.
Rasp –
Even given your escape clause the charts only illustrate the areas of the pitch that the players operate in for one game – which means nothing in the overall context of their performance.
I wanna talk football. Read TA and Slim Ginge if you wanna know abot football.These 2 guys know about football and were ARSENAL is going.
Dutch Master and not so fat Ginge, “The ghosts of the 30,s are stirinG”.
The chalkboards don’t give a lot of info unless used over multiple games, however, they do show one key thing, that our wide men fail to get to the bye line. Something that is much more productive than early crosses.
TMHT,
Are you blogging under the influence!!!?
Don’t be sending ‘I love you’ blogs, or you will regret it in the morning! 🙂
I’m currently watching Life of Brian. ‘he’s not the messiah, he’s a very naughty boy’!
The captain’s message email from AFC has this in it, *And Finally I think it is important to mention, earlier this week, Ivan Gazidis pledged the Club’s commitment to tackling homophobia and transphobia in sport.”
I didn’t know what transphobia was.
chas. I think it was a spelling mistake … he meant “trainsphobia”. Like DB’s Fear of Flying ….
Ah cheers, BR.
Good job I haven’t got that as I’m getting the 8.28 to St Pancras!
Morning Chas and BR,
Match day, and I want to go. Damn this addiction.
Morning Jailhouse,
You have to fight this madness. One day at a time 🙂
Just watched the Arsene press conference. Definately wasn’t ruling out Arshavin transfer. When asked about being 7th and his worst league position, he said “I take that as a compliment”. So hard not to love that guy.
Superb riposte from AW
I saw that comment interpreted elsewhere as him sticking two fingers up to the fans! I suppose we all see what we want to see.
Has The Ox revovered?
BR,
Are you at home tues/weds next week to receive goods?
Last I heard he was still being assessed, JLM.
Enjoy the game, just off.
BR,
Just seen your email. Never mind, its the thought that counts. You can recieve a Cream Tea and pretend you won 🙂
Legs. Home on Weds.
What are the feelings about the AC games? I need some input prior to the per-matches
When Arsenal lost to Fulham I searched for another sport to find solace in and found something called “The Wild Card Play offs” It’s a bit like the play offs in our second division to decide who goes up. I understand very little about them and even less about these Wild Card things. But, it took my mind away from the fact that we had lost.
The following week we lost to Swansea and I discovered the NFL Play offs; this was quite good therapy, I didn’t have a clue what was going on and I cared even less but mercifully their games go on for ages.
Next up Manu and thankfully there was even more long drawn out Play offs to watch and no mention of Arsenal any where. If we lose today I’m going to be glued to the Super Bowl……Go Giants, go Eli Manning……………I think that is how they say it.
Legs. A man’s word is his bond.
LB. I play the Blues 🙂
Raddy,
My feelings prior to Bolton were to rest Robin for all non-PL games and focus on 4th. However, if we drop points today, I would reverse that and say only play him in the Cup games, and against Spuds!!!
You will note from that comment that I take a very pessimistic view of our chances in any match without Robin.
I’ve just realised that in times of Arsenal Lows, I go onto ebay and auctio sites and comfort shop for my collection. How tragic is that!
My wife can guage the Arsenal season by the anount of small packages that appear through the post.
What do you collect?
Very selective Chess Pieces. ‘err indoors has threatened to buy me an anorak if I don’t get better, and she’s in the mental health business. Quite worrying really.
Conversation killer. I thought that might happen 😦
Morning all, I am released from my web design purgatory.
Take a look tell me what you think http://www.tbsnorwich.co.uk
Good discussion yesterday.
6-0 to the Mighty Arse today filled with counter attacking goals and forward passes.
Enjoy the game those who are going.
Jailhouse I thought it was going to be Whiff Whaff bats 🙂
LB – me too! I started to watch rugby and investigated chess. All in vain, I am foocking hooked on the bloody Arsenal malarchey
Morning all
Raddy – waiting for your prematch 🙂
Fantastic consistency 🙂 He is a class of his own, what a guy
GiE,
Very good site. I have three minor shareholders in my business and one is always banging on about monthly management accounts. I keep telling him I have more important things to get done (like blogging). I will not be showing him your excellent site!
Raddy,
I am not sure that I mentioned dogs yesterday.
Evonne referred to ‘pigs hooves’ which is technically correct they do have cloven hooves, – but I was being oh so helpful 🙂 suggesting they are normally referred to as ‘pigs feet’ or ‘trotters’ — altho in the US they would probably be called ‘hogs feet’ in many areas.
No dogs were mentioned in the composition of this explanation! 🙂
Oh, and good morning to you sir! 🙂 And to you other early risers! 🙂
GiE,
One whiff whaff bat. Edges nibbled by mice. Still the champion though, although the club is now down to three!
GIE. Excellent website. Easy to navigate and read. If I were to suggest that you brighten the blue of TBS which is hidden in the black background, in order to make it more legible, would you be offended?
Legs. Weirdo 😉
Me bad RA. Must have been the alcopops
GIE,
Very good Website design! 🙂
Raddy,
I wouldn’t mind betting there are people on here with even sadder collections than mine.
Morning all.
Won’t be around later today but I hope we don’t make a “pig’s ear” of the game today especially loking at our next 4 fixtures.
Samba is a strange one, not even in the squad. I would have liked him in our team, and for the reason he is not playing I actualy think we will get it together and bang in at least 3 goals. A doubt about the Ox, but I am sure RVP will start.
Best of luck with the website GIE.
Morning all
evonne is waiting and no dogs to walk ………………….
New Post …………………….
today I don’t want to talk about football and I’m going to play Hopeless 2 instead, sorry.
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