Written by chas
After a pleasant drive up the A1 with the sun bursting through and illuminating the clouds of smog over Middlesbrough, we arrived in Sunderland in plenty of time for a pre-match libation. The William Jameson on Fawcett Street offered fine ales at rock-bottom prices, a combination few can refuse.
http://www.thecastleinn-lulworthcove.co.uk/images/realales/large/harviestoun_bitter_and_twisted.jpg
Several pints of Bitter and Twisted later (£2.05 a pint) we were suitably refreshed and ready for all that the footballing gods were ready to throw at the Arsenal once again. A brief walk across a river and past a statue of a man running for a bus took us to a very windy and chilly Stadium of Light.
The team news was encouraging with the Ox and Le Coq chosen to give the side a much-needed injection of youth and vigour. Really early on, Coquelin went for an innocuous challenge, was seemingly fouled, Fergie’s Rent Boy gave nothing (a theme which reoccured throughout the game) and the net result was another full back in the sick bay. Squillaci came on to rapturous applause with Vermaelen shifting to left back.
Arsenal’s best chance of the half saw Gervinho put through by Robin in a swift attack (a rarity these days). The Ivorian struck it well forcing Mignolet into his only real save of a fairly tedious first half. The other notable chance for Arsenal came when van Persie seemed to be flattened in the penalty area but amazingly FRB gave nothing.
Sunderland’s only real chance of the first half, of course brought the inevitable goal for the opposition. A ball dropping to the edge of the Arsenal area after a Larsson free-kick fell to Richardson in far too much space and his deflected shot hit the net. The same ‘one chance one goal’ scenario is usually seen at the Emirates, but as Sunderland had virtually set themselves up as the away team, it all seemed worryingly familiar.
We heard some brain of Britain Arsenal fan saying at half time that Wenger wouldn’t buy anyone now and if he did in the summer it would be too late. Sometimes I despair.
The second half began much as the first only worse. This time two players Rambo and Squiddly were limping and were replaced by Walcott and Rosicky. Ramsey, in particular had been battered for the first 50 minutes with no protection from FRB and it must have been a blessed relief to wave goodbye to Cattermole’s studs.
The game seemed more stretched as Arsenal searched for an equaliser left and right, right and left, backwards and forwards across the pitch. Sunderland had some dangerous breakaways as a consequence and their crowd (well the small number that turned up, that is) actually started to make a little noise. The second goal came from one of these counter attacks and looked as though it had dribbled in off the post followed by Oxo’s shin.
A half chance fell to Robin’s right foot but he chose to use his left and the ball went high. The last incident of note summed up the game from an Arsenal perspective for me. Only a couple of minutes left and a short corner was played by Song to Arteta whose return pass rolled harmlessly off the pitch. Both players looked at each other and almost accepted that that was how things were going to be today.
All in all, I’d say our performance was an improvement on Wednesday but not the boost to both players’ and supporters’ morale we all craved. Out of the FA Cup and clinging on in the CL. More injuries, hopefully none too serious (TV5 looked to be carrying a knock for the last fifteen minutes as well). On the bright side, we’re still fourth and Chelsea are still shit. Spuds up next. If we beat them we’ll all be smiling again.
Player ratings – I’d give them all 4.
(Apologies for any factual inaccuracies. I was watching through an alcoholic haze, thank Dennis!)
Arsenal News 24/7
arsenalarsenal.net 
we’ll bounce back. Of that I’m cerain.
And Arsene said he thought all the players did well. I do not think any true Gooner wants 4 displays every week. Get real Mr Wenger.
Thanks chas for an eyewitness account that told me more about the game than I gleened from watching it myself. Its been hard to see the game in perspective when the result was so disappointing, but your report has redressed the balance.
I was harping on before Christmas about the fact that we can expect 1 injury per every 2 games on average and that it would be the extent of those injuries and the personnel affected that would dictate our success this season.
We have to hope that TV and kozzer will both be fit for the spuds, Sagna at RB and Gibbs at left I suppose. What I don’t want to see is our midfielders all wandering around as if they don’t understand their role. We have a week to school the midfield to cope with the likes of Modric, Bale and Parker.
We cannot just focus on our game, we have to set ourselves up to negate the strengths of the opposition as well as exploiting their weaknesses. We do not have the quality of players any more to ‘just play our game’, we need to do the basics well and everything else will follow.
Well done Sir chasney, hope you had a nice time up there in the frozen wastelands of the North despite the result ! 🙂
Beat the spuds and the last two games will be a distant memory, we are due some luck !.
Thanks Redders, I appreciate that earlier comment. 🙂
Unfortunately we won’t remain fourth for too long.Our current form and our run of fixtures will see to that.This side has no cutting edge whatsoever and we will not beat either Spuds or Liverpool.
The time has come for massive changes at the Club or we can carry on living off past successes.
rasp,
Just getting back to the basics of discipline , shape , hardwork and being hard to beat will be a good start, plus a little slice of luck injury wise !.
Hi glic,
The injuries have been a constant factor over recent years, so we should really expect them to be a given. I’m not sure we’ve had any more injuries that manu for instance. It would be interesting to know how our number of games lost per player per season due to injury compares to other sides.
Chas, 🙂
In the circumstances, an excellent report. 🙂
fuck 4th,,4th is no good we need to winning titles,lets shit clubs finish 4th were arsenal and should not be brainwashed into thinking 4th is success,its not,its financially acceptable but its not success,,im sick of this fixation on 4th,you gave the players a 4/10 rating,are you serious,that was worse than wednesday night! are you blind,we got beat by sunderland not milan,,wake up please
Well irish gooner, you could at least have thanked the author for providing the forum to vent your spleen.
I don’t think chas is responsible for the team’s performance, he just made the trek up to the cold north east, paid his money and then spent time writing a report late into the evening when he got home – a proper supporter I’d say 😕
Finishing 4th seems to be the sum and total of Arsenal’s ambition these days.Anything else is a bonus,a great club in decline so sad to witness,total soul destroying.No direction,no fight,no inventifness and no clue.Slowly but surely in decline.
Gotta respect all those great fans that travelled to Milan and Wearside.
These people make great financial sacrifices to follow the team.
Especially in these times of economic downturn.
Would be nice if the team repaid them somewhat against Spurs next weekend.
Why wasn’t Gibbs playing yesterday?
Did he suffer a reaction to Wednesday?
Apparantly Coquelin had been troubled by his hamstring all week before the game.
A risk too far? Now he’s out for 3 weeks probably.
And so it goes on and on….
I read a report that said the mancs have had more injuries than us. I think ours have been more key I though. howard webb shouldn’t be allowed to ref our games just like atkinson doesn’t seem to be allowed to ref the mancs since redface said he didn.t like him. Thanks for the post chas. Twitter and the rest of the internet is going ballistic best to avoid it.
I posted an interview, yesterday, that Kroenke gave in which he reaffirmed his intention ‘not to throw money at the wall’ to buy over-priced players, and that Ivan (Gazidis) and Arsene had his complete trust in the way the club is being run.
Some of us on here applaud the sound business sense of running a financially sound club; some of us believe that the only way to compete for titles is to join the ‘sugar daddy’ clubs and to hell with financial common sense. Others think it is possible to spend money on one or two quality players without upsetting the financial model or joining the sugar daddies.
I guess someone is going to be right as we seem to cover the whole spectrum there — of course everyone else will be wrong!! 🙂
Speaking of which, there is a growing and inarguable malaise discernible among the fans about the perceived problems at Arsenal, but what is not clear is what do the fans actually agree on that is wrong ?
Perhaps someone can do a summary and help me understand the consensus on the solutions to our ‘problems’.
–Apparently, we pay our players too much and cannot sell them on.
–Or, we don’t pay players enough because we are tightfisted and cannot sign quality players.
–Of course, Wenger is past his sell by; doesn’t know anything about tactics; etc, etc.
–But surely Wenger is the best manager the club has ever had; Wenger revolutionized football training, diets, scouting; etc (includes Ferguson and other managers).
–We all know the BoD are syphoning of profits, dividends and refusing to spend the cash on players, and stinging the fans with exorbitant prices.
–We do not want a ‘sugar daddy’ owner to blow huge sums on Arsenal players (Usmanov), becuase we are Arsenal and too classy for that.
etc;
etc;
Well, there are so many conflicting views by definition there are goinf to be some very unhappy fans whatever happens.
My solution? Get back to winning and everything will be OK!! 🙂
Hi BT62,
Thanks for expressing your opinion reasonably.
In reality, 4th is all we have to fight for now this season, but we can at least do that – fight for it. Put every last bit of effort into providing CL football for the players and the supporters next season. We may or may not bring in players over the summer, but one thing is for sure, all the top players want to be in the CL.
Well done Chas, in difficult circumstances.
We are still fourth, and we have to collectively believe that we have enough about us to be there after our 38 games, starting next weekend.
RA
I totally agree with everything you just said.
The murky water that we all as Arsenal fans have to wade through every day is caused by the mixed messages we get from our beloved club.
No facts are given about finances or player wages or transfer fees. Everything is so much behind closed doors that the fans themselves have to make assumptions. It’s these assumptions that invariably clash and create the different views that you here every day on blogs etc.
Until the club is transparent with what is going on then these conflicting views will never go away.
To hell with 4th… if we are being sold the future then lets buy into it… hanging on to 4th spot is maybe the problem.
I can take a year out of europe if Wenger is prepared for a proper revolution at the club
Lets start the rebuilding now. Release almunia and squillaci. Tell walcott and Arshavin that they are playing for new contracts on the same money and if they don’t earn them between now and the end of the season then they can get their agents to find them new clubs.
Bring ryo back and experiment with the formation for the rest of the season – play a 4-4-2 against milan
don’t worry about the results.
Get keown in to drill the back players
Feed the OX – build your team around him – he is good enough and the same age as Tony Adams was when GG made him Mr Arsenal
Make bids for players – you don’t need to wait to secure them in the summer. Sign them now so that our ambitious players know what to expect
We don’t have the players to play barcelona style possession domination – our team have 65% of the ball and play it around the centre circle where eventually one of our lumbering central defenders slips and conceeds possession to an average striker who out paces him and score…
Barca play midfielders and ball players in defence and as good as our lads are they would never make it in a creative midfield.
i truly am a believer in wenger – but he needs to get out of this bubble of his own making – i think that given a small bit of breathing room he can take 25 players to the league title next year.
and thats any 25 players so if RVP and Vermaelan want to leave then fine
I know you dont do post`s Redders, but some of your comments are just as good as post`s, always fine reading, you bloody clever clog`s you ! 🙂
I cant stand this sitting around with ManCold, I`m off out for some fresh air with my puppy ( I bet you dont take your pussy out for a walk on the Moor , Micky ! ).
i think that in the entire squad we could get rid of minimum 10 players.players we have bought in over the last 3/4 years are very average..we had a very average squad last year . after the league cup final mess(typical arsenal performance,i will never forget that 2nd brum goal)we collapsed and were very lucky to finish 4th .this year we did not have a good start and the collapse has started again, we will not finish 4th unless those around us implode.what did the club do to prevent a duplication of last season?nothing.the BFG (mertesacker) looks promising but pair him up with someone decent.sagna i would keep, koscieiny as a back up the rest of the defensive unit, i despair.and one last thing all the top players want to be in the champions league total balls…we have been in the champions league for god knows how long, how many TOP players joined us?none its about the money did nasri join shitty for CL? no money,cashley at chelsea for CL?..no money …gettin sick of being second rate
Good morning all.
Chas “The Video King”, everytime the cameras zoned in on the traveling Gooners i telescoped in to see if i could spot your boat, but to no avail. I then realized of couurse you had coshed some poor camara man and it was actulay you filming the game.
Rasp,
Your comments yesterday about our policy been some sort of fantasy, and i note today that you followed this up with the spot on reason why it has not acheived more i.e. losing our players when they reach maturity. What you didn’t add was the changing internal and external envoirements we are living in.
Let me explain. From Arsenals point of view the chains have loosened and people will be surprised to see what is going to happen in the next couple of years. The Asburton Grove project forced the club to break even in the transfer market and have a rigid wage structure in place, making us vulnrable to losing players. The loans arsenal received came with provisions (covenents) that we maintained a certain amount of income in the bank. We have also been extra conservitive with our finances because the property portfolio became, at one stage, hughly risky.In addition to all this, we have been hamstrung by commercial deals with the emeriates sponserships.
All these burdens are soon to be lifted. We are on the verge of major finacial changes. Our wage structure will soon be smashed and we will pay top dollar to our top players. We will also have surplus funds available to buy a major player every summer (super qualaateeee)
The end result of these changes will be that the fantasy of building a great team, will soon become a reality. The people that have crtitiscised the Clubs policy have underestimated the impact of the Ashburton move, and now they are underestimating the benefits that are soon to be reaped.
We grow financialy stronger, our rivals grow finacialy weaker. we possess great young players, that this time will stick together, our rivals do not. We have great management and a footballing philosophy that not many can match. great times are just round the corner, wait and see.
Thanks TMHT, I know finance is your specialist field. That’s all great and I believe you. One thing worries me – why the hell couldn’t the club tell the supporters something along those lines?
The answer is simple, when you run a business, you want to get away with spending as little as possible whilst making the maximum profit – who wouldn’t?
It’s alright to let the media invent conjecture about us having ‘X’ amount of money and buying player A,B or C but the club wouldn’t come out and say we are definitely going to spend more even if they are certain the finance is there. This brings us back to the pithy question of ambition v profit. Businesses focus on profit, supporters live on ambition.
I pray to God you are correct TMHT.
I’ve grown tired of watching the same season on DVD for the last 6 years!!!!
By the way TMHT, I still believe that the idea of building a team for 2-3 years time is a fantasy and nothing in your financial analysis disuades me from that opinion.
LB is correct that the goalposts have been moved due to the big money clubs and may yet be rearranged when/if FFP takes effect, but there should be no reason why the 6th largest club in the world cannot compete at a level higher than it currently does – hopefully when the things you predict come to fruition, that will be the case.
I hate to disagree with you Rasp, but profit was not the motive for keeping “shtum”. Arsenal, like all football clubs live in an incredibly competitive envoiremnet and any public acknoledgement of weakness is soon pounced on by rivals.
On the question of profit, if some one comes on here and shows me the club has paid dividends, consulatancy fees, loans, or any other form of remunaration to shareholders then i will fall off my chair.
The reality is that our owners, past and present(Redders article with Kronke interview) make there money form capital growth i.e. the vaule of there shares increases and when they sell the make money.
More importantly, people must always be aware that long term investors in football need success on the pitch to maintain this capital growth.
The club is on the precipice of great success, with a team that will be a match for any you will see in europe
Hi folks, Chas well done to you firstly for travelling to the northern parts and also for the match report….In most difficult and trying circumstances.
I know personally I am in a dark place which isnt helped by the last two results and I am not been outwardly negative, as to be honest, although not happy with circumstances in my personal life, I am becoming more positve about my future everyday, thanks to all your messages of support the other day and to peaches, I count you as a true friend.
Anyway back to arsenal, I have staunchly defended, Wenger, and certain players as well, I laid my cards down and said I would give wenger and his changes a chance, that I have i believe. Even now on our day we can beat just about anyone, especially if all are fit (unlikely I know) but the point is we have a talented squad, some are underperforming and this is where the problem lies and its seems with vivid evidence yesterday that the players (all) have a massive mental weakness that is dragging and holding us back.
The slightest issue seems to blow up and cause mass panic and hysteria, players look forlorn and do not take any responsibilty.too many players looked for excuses to get off or not try yesterday.
It was similar in many respects to the body language displayed at the end of last season.
Will we get 4th, maybe, because Chelsea are even more unpredictable, and Liverpool havent got the players.
We as a club need to decide where we are going, what do we want to be? a team that challenges properly and has true ambition or one that might have a good season depending on way too many external factors fall.
We cannot fool ourselves nor can arsene wenger fool this arsenal faithful anymore, either we make the required changes over the summer or we fade away as a major force and become a 4th – 8th club. I am not advocating spending exuberant amounts of money on 3 or 4 players, we need some strength in character and 1 or 2 class players to add to what we have, we still have a basis of a squad to make that step back up, dont take the step, lose our big players year in year out, end of.
I feel for arsene, he has been dealt a wicked hand by the gods of injuires for so long he must have done something to upset them. But he must change his ways or his legacy will be remembered for all the wrong reasons.
My love remains, my faith is dwindling……Gooner till I die whatever happens……..
Hi Terry, I hate to disagree with you too 😛 but I find the notion that anyone is being fooled by our club spin as laughable. We are seen as a club in decline in footballing terms but a strong if conservative business.
It matters little what the club PR churns out, the evidence is plain for all to see, the level of success on the pitch is declining. I cannot agree that we are on the precipice of success as the current squad of players is not up to the quality of previous years. We do have 3 or 4 exciting young prospects (as always) but we cannot pin our future hopes on them alone.
Well said TMHT.
If we didnt stick together and keep bashing our manager and players, we are no better than the scum fans down the road.
Just saying..
Chas,
Thank you for taking the time to write a match report after travelling home from the game, as I said yesterday the only real plus from the game was conduct of our away supporters – simply fantastic.
Hi Harry, sorry I hadn’t read your comment when I posted my @ 12:52.
First let me say I am glad you are feeling better about your personal life, I hope things continue to improve for you; and secondly, I completely agree with your last 2 paras.
TMHT,
Is your analysis of Arsenal finances simply your opinion or do you base it on any factual inside knowledge?
Do ye guys think with such a big club as Glasgow Rangers going belly up, FIFA/UEFA will be more inclined to push through their financial plans?
If they do, we’re laughing.
Chas – You are far more balanced and forgiving than I would have been if o had travelled all the way to Sunderland to see that.
What bugs me is that it wasn’t the worst Arsenal performance In recent times, it was the same, shot shy, inept, lilly livered, sideways sideways, tippy tappy, switched off performance we have seen from Arsenal away from home, time and time again since we lost Patrick Vieira and Sol Campbell.
Moving Vermaelen to left back again? Stick Squilaci there and make him think himself lucky. You keep your best players in the middle of the pitch.
Disgraceful lack of effot in midfield.
If we play like that against Spurs then that is the end for Wenger.
But they won’t. Gibbs and Koscielny will return. Vermealen will go back to left back, Song and Arteta will get a rocket, Arsenal will play fast, at are tempo, unlike the last to games. Great clubs don’t roll over against rivals. I feel sick this morning, but the empire will strike back.
I have a polite question for you Rasp, can you show me where or when Arsene or the Board said we were ‘building for the future’?
I think I might love you TerryM for your unflagging enthusiasm, and sensible comments — as long as you keep your periscope to yourself! 🙂
Cynicism is a natural response, heightened by the prevailing despondency caused by recent results, especially when the question of available funds is discussed, but frankly, it is better to avoid further disappointment by accepting Kroenke at face value —- he is not going to throw money at players, now or in the future.
Years ago, Danny Fizman said, in as many words, the only way the new stadium could be built would be by cutting our cloth accordingly and relying on bringing young players thru’ our youth system. AW said much the same thing over the years.
Let’s face it — at that time, AW milked the French and Spanish markets brilliantly for years, at little cost too — but that was then — now every other club has caught on and the transfer market has changed out of recognition.
As Terry said above, the property market also screwed our cashflow forecasts when it took a dive in the current unforeseeable economic climate, and that has taken us a lot longer to recover from.
It will happen — just don’t expect it to happen any time soon — it’s not that we were not told of the ‘plan’ years ago by Danny Fizman.
Bloody Spurs coming thru’ so strongly in the last couple of years has made things so much worse from the fans perspective to boot.
I can’t answer that Rob, I was quoting fellow bloggers who use phrases with the message: ‘just be patient as the master plan will reap rewards next year/the year after’
I can’t see the point in getting hung up on semantics. Obviously every business has to plan for the future and that includes recruiting/developing players, but I don’t see that there is great cause for optimism with the current set-up. Hopefully things will change.
If you want some light relief search for the video of chisoras fight with haye at the press conference after the klitchiko fight. It is hilarious. I’ll try to find it.
Harry, I hope things work out for you mate, and ime pleased your starting to pull through.
G5, Its my opinion. I dont profess to be in the know, i just try to make logical conclusions from all the information available and i could be completely wrong, but obviously i hope ime right.
What ever the future holds in terms of success, its great to be a Gooner. Totnumb coming to our place next week and i cant wait.
http://www.thesun.co.uk/sol/homepage/sport/boxing/4139335/Dereck-Chisora-and-David-Haye-brawl-at-Munich-press-conference-as-Adam-Booth-gets-injured.html
Chas – you are a hero!!
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Nhxxfp4hYAc
So boxing is just WWF now? Staged! Staged! Staged!
Hi Harry, glad to hear things are getting better for you.
RA – Hope you’re well. I read your interesting article from The Guardian, about how Arsenal fans should consider themselves lucky to follow such a great sporting institution that is our club.
Maybe the author has a point, but in response, only one club has spent more time than us in the top division – Everton.
Both Liverpool and Man Utd have spent less time than us, yet have five and six titles more, as well as multiple European Cups.
Over the course of my advancing years, Arsenal have won 6 titles, 7 FA Cups, 2 League Cups, a UEFA/Fairs Cup and a European Cup Winners Cup. But there have been 11 losing finals and many fallow years during that period too.
Support works both ways, and the two need to respect each other for the whole set-up to work. There is no divine right to success, but I associate the club winning silver-ware as a gesture of gratitude to fans for their years of loyal and undying support. The very least the fans deserve is eleven players that are prepared to fight for the right to wear the jersey, and who realise what a privelige it is to represent The Arsenal.
Hi Chas thanks for all the hard work on top of a disappointing day.
Terry you are making me lazy sir, your summation of the situation is in my estimation correct and as I cannot put the case as succinctly as you do I find it easier to stay quiet. However
Funding is required for the great leap forward that some fans dreams are built on, other clubs have done it they say, yes they have, but the elephant in the room is debt. Look around and see the perils that face many of the famous names some fighting for their very survival, all caused by lack of financial discipline. Then take the time to ponder the ramifications of the implementation of the financial fair play rules.
“We at Arsenal lack trophies” is the stick that is most often used by fans to beat the board and management, joyfully echoed by the populist press. Who’s real beef, is what they call lack of transparency. In other words the club like all good companies does its business in private away from prying eyes.
My business background says that a new stadium, combined with a state of the art training and medical facilities all gained whilst achieving financial stability are trophies a plenty. My Arsenal loving heart says that such prudence has provided the stability that our competitors would die for and now we are on the edge of a new dawn.
Am I right? We will see, in the meantime ask the Rangers and Portsmouth fans would they change their recent trophies for our position, I think I know, what there answer would be.
And as for our players not trying, when they have dreamed of being a pro footballer since first they kicked a ball and have fought their way past hundreds of like-minded kids to make the first team is a nonsense. If they didn’t have the competitive trier gene in their makeup they would never have made it in the first place.
So we lose to Spurs finish 7th, end of the world? No of course not, disappointing yes. But perhaps GunneN5 will look at his statistic for me and let us know how many times in the 60 odd years he and I have supported the Arsenal we have finished below fourth and won nothing, an interesting stat for some I should think.
Great comments @ 12:09pm Son of Haircules . Being stuck In a wardrobe In Harlow for the night has done you good ! 🙂
Irish @ 1:00pm,
With more clubs facing a squeeze, there could be troubled times ahead for some. FFP is the way ahead for football to sort and keep It`s house ( finances ) In order, so yes , The futures bright, the futures Red and White ! ( no gooners were hurt in the making of this comment, If It all goes tits up blame Terry and his inadequate telescope )
Wow, great coments from dandan and Herb, coming from different perspectives but both brilliant.
GLIC – I think so, we are set up well financially but we could just spend that bit more. If Walcott is on 80k a week does that speak badly of Arsenal or football in general? He must bring in a lot commercially.
What is Park on? He must be gutted he didn’t go to Lille.
Irish,
Park may get his wish when he`s part – exchanged for Hazard ! 😉
how many of you wenger sheeps believed that miyaichi is not ready for premiership?
wenger is not just incompetent, he’s also a liar. from the pre-seasons alone you could see that the boy should be ahead of walcott and arshavin.
yes i also feel sorry for park, imagine all these lame ducks get picked ahead of him because arsene loves them and spend all season without a game.
its not just the board, arsene wenger is a big part of the problem. he insists on keeping bad players in the team.
Hi Terry,
I appreciate your generous words from the other night, tinged with the regret that you think we are world’s apart in our views on Arsenal.
😆 That’d be nice. However, he’s only got one season left before he goes back to Korea to do his military service.
Speaking of Hazard, his agent seems like trouble, whoring him out to everyone and anyone.
I`ve got a gut feeling about Hazard, I was at the “Award Winning” Eden Project the other week and there was a wet surface on the floor with a Hazard sign on It and with me with an Arsenal top on. It`s a Sign!!!!
Cornwall,
this is lowering the tone, but talking about wardrobes reminds me of this geezer i know who used to service some bint, whilst her husband would sit in the corner pleasuring himself at the ongoing action. hahahaha
Ches, sagna, kos, verm, gibbs, Jack, Rambo, Song, Arteta, Ox, RVP. Gerv, Theo, Santos, BFG, pingpong, Ryo, Lansbury, Jenks, Flappy
This is a quality first 11 with not a bad bench. What it lacks is leadership and direction. Unfortunately the time is up for Mr Wenger I think. He has done us proud in the past but I dont think anyone at the club truly believes he can make us great again.
A new manager ( who occasionally thinks about defending). 3-4 buys with premiership experience and a bit of belief and we will be right back on track.
Terry ,
This ” geezer”, does he happen to come from Bounds Green and owns a telescope by any chance !. 😆
Dandan,
From 1893 to 1937 we finished below 4th and won nothing 29 times, once every 1.51 years.
From 1938 to 2011 we finished below 4th and won nothing 33 times, once every 2.2 years.
In the 73 years from 1938 to 2011 we were trophy-less on 54 occasions or 74 % of the time.
Terry,
I used to know a bloke, who would come to work and show us all naked pictures of his wife with lots of “toys”. We all seemed to like him for some reason !. 😆
Herb, 🙂
Everton have been relegated 2 or 3 times over the last 70 odd years, certainly for 3 or 4 years from 1950 until 1954. (I am no Everton expert but picked that up from a pub quiz nite) 🙂 whereas we have never been relegated since joining the old First division after WW1.
Perhaps you meant in totality since their inception. Anyway, I take your point.
I agree with much of what you say, especially about pride in wearing the Arsenal shirt.
I am not sure that I understand your statement that “I associate the club winning silver-ware as a gesture of gratitude to fans for their years of loyal and undying support.”
Dandan has the right of it for me, “in the meantime ask the Rangers and Portsmouth fans would they change their recent trophies for our (financial) position, I think I know, what their answer would be.”
The club’s long-term viability must, surely, be sacrosanct.
It is a question of value judgements, and many would agree with you, spend big, win a trophy and then, perhaps, go bust, just like Mayflies which have one day of glittering, exciting, sexually charged life in May (oddly enough) 🙂 when they find mates, have hanky-panky, lay eggs for the next generation (if they are female, of course) 🙂 before dying — the males having already kicked the bucket!
If you could ask them, I think they would say “sod the next generation — I’d rather have a few more days of life – at least!!”
As I said it’s a question of judgement! 🙂
Well said! We’re still in 4th & Chelsea are shit but were in 4th and playing like shit. I believe we have a much better team than the results have shown the last 2 games. Make no mistake, and I’m not a gloom and doomer, but our entire season rests on the home game against Spuds next weekend. We’ve suffered 2 demoralizing defeats in the span on 4 days and there’s a week before we play again. If the lads can’t find it in themselves whatever they’re needing to find and turn it around for a win against spurs then this season is over. The chance for fourth place, the CL spot and the pride of playing in the red and white are all we have left this season and every arsenal fan needs to get behind the lads all week and especially at the Emirates. I’m calling for a noise so loud that the Spuds won’t be able hear themselves think and mighty Arsenal can come away with a performance like we did at Stamford Bridge! Shut Bale down, pressure Modric and don’t let that cunt Adebayor get a touch on the ball. Every fan should walk out of the stadium with larengitis and a smile on their face.
Haven’t seen it mentioned but congrats to Ryo for his splendid goal yesterday! Keep it up!!!
Let them hear you….COYG!!!!!!!!
barum – there is maybe 3 or 4 managers in the world who could make arsenal competitive against the endless pockets of man city without breaking the club.
Wenger is one of them.
and he is the best
go and get 2 billion no strings attached pounds and you can have whatever manager you like
Do you see no irony in your appreciation of the quality in our first 11 and then the willingness to get rid of the man who put them there?
of your team Jack has missed the entire season, santos, gibbs have missed more than half, as has sagna, frimpong, jenks.
Gerv was missing for 6 weeks and lansbury missed over 2 months through injury.
Oh and Ches, Ox, and Rambo are kids who need a settled run in the side with streght around them to perform at the required level.
So if Sir Matt Busby hooked up with George Graham and they had a Kid who Studied management with Brian Clough – what would he do in a situation where his two best midfielders leave, his next best is crocked for the season and his 4 full backs and 3 make shift full backs all get injured and one of his biggest signingings from russia suddenly forgets how to play football?
And he is competing against 3 club with infinite supplies of money that move on any player he approaches while all the time fighting a rearguard action against those same clubs and barse in keeping hold of his own players.
There is a way and wenger will lead us to the promised land
Glic, 🙂
I think you and TerryM are beginning to scare me!!!!!! 🙂
Gn5
How many times have we finished trophyless under Wenger?
D98, Excellent! 🙂
Cornwall, thats what i call a top work colleague. hahaha
Redders, great anology. hahaha
D98, spot on.
Thanks GN5. Says it all for me our consistency in recent years would have been beyond belief in our early years would it not
Top stuff D98 !
Redders,
I did say to Terry, ” have you any naked pictures of Mrs T “, Terry said no, I said ” do you want to buy some ” ! ( I dont normally recycle jokes , but that one was fitting 🙂 )
Guys, I promised myself that I would stay out of this one but really – why should we compare ourselves to Rangers or Portsmouth?
We are in a far far better place than them obviously and yet we apparently cannot use it to our advantage. No-one sensible is asking for the club to splash out £100m on players, that would be ridiculous. Just better use of the money we have and an absolute undertaking to milk the commercial deals to their maximum in the future otherwise those responsible should be shown the door.
Splashing out ridiculous wages on players who have not proved their worth and then conversely failing to pay the quality players the going rate also has to stop.
No-one will convince me that our last minute player purchases in the summer were the result of careful planning – no, they were panic measures, maybe because of the prolonged sale of Fab and Na$ri or maybe because they were just trying to placate the manager and/or the supporters or maybe some other reason. Either way it was very unprofessional.
Slim,
Under AW we have never finished below 4th and have won trophies on 6 out of 16 years or 38 % of the time.
Aw has won 7 major trophies in his 16 seasons which is the same amount as in the 25 seasons before he arrived.
Cheers GN5,
The mans record speaks for itself. His tactical stubbornness at the moment is pissing me off, but I have no doubt he is the man to take us forward.
TMHT, Dandan,
Once again you both hit the nail on the head and bring me back to reality. Good times are definately coming, let’s just hope it’s sooner rather than later!
Spuds have just had a goal disallowed, still 0-0 at Broadhall Way …. come on the Boro’ boys
D98 great comment,
Hopefully the press will be obsessed with The Olympics’ this summer allowing football to get on with its business in a less intense atmosphere.
Terry,
Remember the ” 12 inch probe scan ” comment I made a while back ?, well here`s another, with the same question, am I normal or Is It a man thing ?.
When Mrs glic was in labour for our 2nd daughter, I was at the bedside comforting her, I was holding her hand, she had a vice like grip and was letting out loud moans and groans, you can guess what happened next, Mr Semi made an entrance, I imformed Mrs glic with a smile on my face. These Woman in such conditions are of no sane mind, ” You f***ing come near me with that F***ing again and I will wrap It round your f***ing neck ” !. We laugh about It now. 🙂
A bit too much info glic.
I did mean since their inception RA, Everton being one of the original 12 founding members of the Football League. I think they’ve only been relegated four times and bounced back immediately the next season.
My comment about the club winning trophies simply means that it is realistically the only tangible way they can thank their fans for years of loyalty, and to show fans their money has been well spent.
Think big, you’ll be big.
Rangers situation is in regard to the then owner David Murray not paying taxes. The new owner Craig White didn’t pay a tax bill of £9m accrued since his take-over last May, which is why they had to sell Jelavic, and were placed in administration. The SPL yields nowhere near the cash rewards garnished on the EPL
As for Portsmouth, I blame Redknapp. Portsmouth is a sea-side port, with an old stadium that holds around 20,000. They spent ridiculous money on the likes of Johnson, Defoe and Crouch without putting the fundamentals in place first. Short-termism, and it back-fired to such an extent, the people they should have looked after first, the fans, face the horrible prospect of not having a club left to support.
Arsenal are on a very different level to Portsmouth and Rangers.
Hey slimgg, have you seen I’ve renamed you in ‘Authors on Arsenal Arsenal’?
I hope the spuds get some serious injuries
Herb
Why are Arsenal on a different level to Rangers and Portsmouth?
Cormwall, Thats perfectly normal mate, and once again i congratulate you on your normality. hahaha
We have to hope the game ends in a draw so the tots can pick up more injuries back at their place 😕
” They spent ridiculous money on the likes of Johnson, Defoe and Crouch without putting the fundamentals in place first. Short-termism, and it back-fired to such an extent, the people they should have looked after first, the fans, face the horrible prospect of not having a club left to support.”
Which is why Arsenal are getting it 95% right. Looking our for the long term. And while we’ve a bigger fan base to call upon, it cost a few bob to build in North London.
I think we should be looking more at Liverpool than Pompey or Rangers, now they are rightly fecking up. No new stadium- spent all that money on players and more with nothing to show for it, no European football and look unlikely to get back in. Plus their recent PR fiasco.
gm,
Wishing injuries on them nice chaps down the road Is bad Karma. Maybe if we wished them all the luck In the world, we wouldn`t get so many injuries !. Lets have a Spud love in day ! 🙂
Thanks Terry, I knew you would appreciate proper Man stuff !. 😆
Do I really need to answer that from one football fan to another?
Just compare the prize money available in the EPL and the SPL, and the difference in the tv deals. Apart from the ‘Old Firm’ derby, nobody wants to watch scottish football.
Similarly the huge financial difference between us and Portsmouth, the stadium, the fact that we’re in the capital city, the CL money and that they’ve spent most of the time at least a division below us.
I never bring myself to watch the Spuds play, so how did Luke Freeman play ?
That was a strong spud line up, lets hope we can go one better than the Mighty Stevenage !
Thanks Chas. two pounds a pint! 5 quid minimum here and it is mainly pilsner.
I remain cautiously optimistic for the future. A fit Diaby or
JW would make a huge difference.
I’m not going to risk incurring the wrath of the Karma fairies or the footballing gods by smirking even a little but did anyone watch the game, did they play a proper team?
peaches,
Looking from the BBC, that looked a strong spud team to me.
Diaby!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! You’re having a laugh aren’t you Raddy 🙂
Although a fit Diaby could make a huge difference but how about a not completely fit Diaby but one that is able to have some minutes on the pitch??????? Can he be so completely crocked that he can’t play at all?
Glic, I think Freeman was the MoM!! 🙂
Herb, I think Dandan was referring to Rangers and Portsmouth as examples of poor management of basic financial principles.
It matters not who they are, any company, big or small, with poor financial control = shitsville, unless you have a sugar daddy.
Rasp, I appreciate you don’t bother reading my stuff, and why should you – 🙂 but at 11:32 I listed the positions taken by different sections of the fans, so I have taken the liberty of copying part of it here. 🙂
—-Some of us on here applaud the sound business sense of running a financially sound club; some of us believe that the only way to compete for titles is to join the ‘sugar daddy’ clubs and to hell with financial common sense. Others think it is possible to spend money on one or two quality players without upsetting the financial model or joining the sugar daddies.—-
I should have had another section “there are fans who believe all three possibilities should apply to Arsenal”, and as you seem to have expressed most of those options today, that would seem neatly to encapsulate your position. 🙂
True/false? 🙂
1:35 Free kick awarded for a foul by Kyle Walker on Luke Freeman. Luke Freeman delivers the ball from the free kick left-footed from left channel, clearance by Gareth Bale.
15:16 Unfair challenge on Kyle Walker by Luke Freeman results in a free kick. Michael Dawson restarts play with the free kick.
38:13 Free kick awarded for a foul by Jermain Defoe on Lawrie Wilson. Luke Freeman crosses the ball from the free kick left-footed from right channel, Michael Dawson makes a clearance
38:55 Unfair challenge on Chris Beardsley by Kyle Walker results in a free kick. The ball is sent over by Luke Freeman, Scott Laird takes a shot. Save made by Carlo Cudicini.
59:37 Shot from outside the box by Luke Freeman misses to the left of the target
67:07 Foul by Jake Livermore on Darius Charles, free kick awarded. Free kick crossed by Luke Freeman, comfortable save by Carlo Cudicini.
67:53 Foul by Danny Rose on Luke Freeman, free kick awarded. Luke Freeman crosses the ball in from the free kick.
72:40 Younes Kaboul challenges Luke Freeman unfairly and gives away a free kick.
74:34 Luke Freeman takes a shot. Save made by Carlo Cudicini.
87:11
Substitution
Phil Edwards joins the action as a substitute, replacing Luke Freeman.
GM – I don’t know why we are different from Rangers, Portsmouth, Leeds.
Herb, remember our argument and my mentioning Sunderland, and your wise words that we are not in competition with the likes of Sunderland? Eat your words sir 🙂
Irish – that Chisora is a disgrace, staged or not
I think the option of spending money on one or two quality players without upsetting the financial model is the one I would go with but sadly we’re saddled with players that we can’t sell and we’re paying them top wages and until we move them out we won’t be able to sort the squad that way 😦 😦 😦
Hello evonne 🙂
D98. I agree with a lot of what you say but aren’t you getting bored of the excuses. It isn’t imo the players who are the problem. There is a very real lack of tactical strategy to our game. We have a plan A and if that fails shrug our shoulders and hope. I have never been a hater of Arsene and would love to believe he has still got it but just not got a lot of confidence in that myself. It is true about injuries and it is true about the sugardaddy clubs but I just want some toughness and flexibility in the side. To sum it up i’m just becoming bored of the same old story year after year. Financially sound but tactically unaware.
Thanks for being gentle on me, everyone. 🙂
That’s obviously true Herb but we are above most of the other teams that are in the premier league. We have in place the things you mention. we have a new stadium (ask the spuds and bindippers if they’d like one). There are about 20 clubs in London. 2 in liverpool and 1 Newcastle.
Who put the fundamentals in place?
Peaches. A fit Diaby would give options we do not have at present. I have always liked him as a player but accept that fit and Diaby do not sit together!
Is he a better player than our current 3? The Diaby who played at the WC is certainly better IMO
Oh no, my Rory got red card 😦
Hello peaches
Raddy – I don’t doubt that you are right, I have always hoped that he would get back into the team too.
Hello gm – I wasn’t ignoring you but evonne has been missing for days 🙄
Has anyone else heard the Matt Scott interview on AW on Talkshite? – very interesting
Peaches,
I think a lot will go, even if we have to reduce their transfer value to zilch. Supply and demand – no demand? reduce your price – they will go to clear the decks.
like you, I think a couple of really good quality players WILL come in.
Done early, it may well decide RVP to stay. Jack will be back – Pingpong will have recovered – injuries won’t strike twice. 🙂
It’s all good for 2012/13.
Oh and he also got us Diaby, AA, Park, JD and co who just aren’t good enough but are still here whilst. Pingpong, Lansbury, Ryo, Vela and Bartley all go out on loan. Would the Ox or Jenks have had a look in if it wasnt out of desparation ? As was the case with Chesney.
The bit about all the players being within a narrow wage band is particularly relevant to today’s debate
http://www.talksport.co.uk/radio/sunday-exclusive/blog/2012-02-19/scott-wenger-wrong-man-arsenal-job
Rasp, who is Matt Scott?
There are reports that Wenger will go to be replaced by guardiola which I don’t believe for one minute. I think he’d ba a disaster if it did happen though..
Hi Evonne,
I did notice your comment earlier, claiming victory, and I chose not to respond for fear of triggering it off again.
You mentioned Sunderland, I didn’t.
The crux of my argument, was that there are divisions within divisions, probably three or four seperate divisions within the PL.
Yes, we have to play the other 19 clubs home and away every season, which encompasses a competitive ethos, but my wider point was that Arsenal for example, have different expectations and targets than a Norwich, Wigan, or even Sunderland. Whereas we might consider a successful season qualifying for the CL, Norwich or Wigan might consider success to be avoiding relegation.
Such was your anger, that the point was missed, so I don’t think there were any winners or losers, just an unneccessary argument.
GM, I have thought about that nonsense reported in Spain and in the Mail ——— for about 2 seconds.
I admit, if I was Guardiola, paid buckets of money by one of the wealthiest clubs in the world, with huge spending power for players, with the best youth academy in the world, managing the best team in the world, with the best player in the world (Messi), I would obviously jump at the chance to manage a club in turmoil, with apparently little money to spend on players, while competing against at least 3 sugar daddy clubs, and the wealthiest club in the world.
It’s a no brainer isn’t it? 🙂
I think he’s overrated anyway RA
Red Arse,
I will answer your question for you, as Rasp cannot as he does not read your drivel. 🙂
Matt Scott is a bloke who was interviewed on TalkSport! OK?
He writes for the telegraph and is an Arsenal fan RA. It’s on the link
In my opinion, the chance of AW moving upstairs in the summer is quite high. It is thought unlikely that Guardiola will sign a new contract with Barca and I personally would love to have him at Arsenal but I’m not holding out much hope on that one.
I think Kroenke and the BoD believe in paying high wages for a top manager so it is not impossible that PG would be interested but they would have to agree to let him spend some money I reckon before he’d come and that is unlikely to happen unless there is a complete C change in things at the top.
Sorry RA, I was caught up earning a living 🙄 gm is correct he’s a sports journalist and an Arsenal supporter who it seems does have a level of inside knowledge.
Fair point, GM, 🙂
I think AW will see out his contract next season, and will be replaced by an ex-Arsenal player — God help us!
No offence to those who think I am knocking our Tony — who was a great player for Arsenal, and less successfully, was the manager of Wycombe and Quabala in Azerbijan — there are other options. 🙂
Wouldn’t mind Denis, but that is unlikely.
GM,
I think it was Henry Norris who originally put the fundamentals in place, GM.
When you can deck your club’s foyer in marble, it’s a statement that says ‘we’re a classy, wealthy football club’.
“Prior to Arsene Wenger’s arrival, Arsenal’s best successive run of top 4 finishes was five seasons – in the 1930s.”
Thanks GM, I was worried it was Fat Matt from my local boozer, and I would not link to SportsRubbish to listen to his rubbish. 🙂
Hello Peaches – I am still hurting, but I don’t want to become one of those fans who were proudly the shirt when we were winning trophies and have completely lost interest now. Or one of those who only blog when we lose a game.
I guess I want to be like GiE 🙂
Evonne,
–“one of those who only blog when we lose a game.”
—“I guess I want to be like GiE”
Sorry, is that the same tall, good looking, Gooner who hasn’t been on here today? 🙂
Rasp,
I did notice the name change on the bloggers list. Thanks!
Just a shame my body has noticed the name change, I have put on a stone in about 2 weeks! Lol
Oh no sgg/fgg don’t tell me you’re into comfort eating – I can’t keep changing your name 😆
Harry, all the best to you mate.
Herb,
—“When you can deck your club’s foyer in marble, it’s a statement that says ‘we’re a classy, wealthy football club’.”
When I was a much younger man engaged in credit management — you know when companies are checked out for their financial worth — one of the key checks that was carried out was to check how the company (management) presented itself.
If it had a ‘fancy’ reception area (marble appurtenances for example) and the chairman flounced around in a chauffeured Rolls Royce we marked it as likely to go under. -Seriously!
Luckily there are exceptions, of which Arsenal is one. Never judge a book by its cover, is a very sensible adage. 🙂
Someone said the other day that Arsene Wengers worst is still better than pretty much all our previous managers’ best.
It’s a comment worth remembering when looking at other options.
No football club in the history of the game has stayed at the top throughout. Success in football has peaks and troughs, and no amount of different managers or ideas will ever change that. If you have a top manager then keep hold of him, the footballing gods will take care of the rest!
Who is the lualua who equalised for Brighton? Does anyone know before I do a search?
Sometimes posting when we lose can exorcise the demons and the pain we feel at those moments. A collective throwing around of ideas, of who or what was to blame.and whilst we might not all arrive at the same synopsis, it helps to gain greater understanding and to manage the anger better.
Japanese curry for dinner with all 3 of my kids. Doesn’t get much better. See you a bit later.
Lol Rasp,
It’s more like comfort drinking!
Maybe I could just call myself
Usuallymorbidlyobesebutsometimesjustobesewhencanbearseddraggingmyfatarsetothegymgingergooner
Has a ring to it don’t you think!
🙂
The penny has dropped! We don’t have directors at Arsenal, we have banksters, milking it dry of funds that otherwise could have been spent on quality players. This club is in the SH1T, unless things change.
GM – He’s the younger brother of the more well known Lua Lua
Herb,
That is 1 million percent correct.
Blogging is basically free therapy!!! Espescially when we lose!
Thanks Irish
😆 SGG
Sterling work Chas….
I congratulate you on three counts:
Firstly, on the travel front in getting yourself all the way up there. Secondly on your grand contribution to the profits of the local hostelries,
Lastly, on somehow still managing to provide us with a decent and insightful report after all that effort of travelling to Sunderland and back.
Legend !!
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Chas
First off, well done for going all that way up to “there be dragons” land – the away support sounded absolutely brilliant, even (in fact especially) at 2-0 down.
And second off, well done for writing such a reasoned report when everyone is hurting.
My feeling is we should keep perspective. We have had one terrible performance and one industrious but flat performance in our last two games, following on from four good performances.
Playing Spuds will suit us better than playing a two-banks-of-four type team like Sunderland. The big worry is the injuries. As someone said yesterday, we seem cursed at the moment.
Sharkey
Snap 🙂
Today this article seems like a cabin with all mod cons at the North Pole:
http://www.telegraph.co.uk/sport/football/teams/arsenal/9089965/Arsenal-fans-spare-us-the-tears-and-remember-how-fortunate-you-really-are-to-be-supporting-one-of-the-elite.html?
Admittedly it was written on Fri rather than last night/today, but its still very welcome when desolation (and vitriol) seem to stretch for as far as the eye can see.
Red arse,
I think you have been watching too much of Hustle 🙂
Been round the blogs and doom has turned to despair even amongst some AKB’S.
here’s a question.
If we clinch 4th what do you expect to happen expenditure wise on buying players and off loading players. I have seen lists on blogs were it is said ten or more players will be ousted.
Alternatively if we miss out on 4th the same question applies.
Chas, thanks for a fine report in difficult times.
Hi BR
I found myself walking around last night thinking we desperately need Diaby back and Wilshere would not go a miss either.
The problem area to me is just behind Van Persie, no one can link up with him, the player who plays that postion has to also have the ability to to spray the ball around; he has to be able to bring the wing men into the game. The people who play that role are Ramsey and Rosicky and neither of them are adding enough to the attack — Diaby is capable of doing this.
Arteta is starting to fade, he was brought in to cover for Wilshere who has taken longer to return the result is that Arteta has played more than anticipated and tiredness is starting to take its toll.
Hi Kelsey, 🙂
What’s a Hustle?
Snap indeed CorkyElvis…I’m in exalted company..
Oh and the person yesterday who said we cursed ….is….??
Yep, yours truly (not in the Brokeback or Valentines sense though)
I reckon we got an intersting insight into supporter power yesterday; do you remember how upset you were when The Ox was taken off against manu, well yesterday he got the nod ahead of Arshavin and how do you think young Chamberlain did?
Diaby’s a great shout LB….the master of the unpredictable. He would be great as an impact sub…there’s just no sensible plan for how you stop an on-song Diaby.
Wilshere. Whats to say here that we don’t already know. A talent supreme
Oh and from the little that I have seen of Hustle…its the nadir of British TV. Smarmy, self centred, and completely unbelievable, tripe.
Adrian Lester needs a new agent if he thinks that’s a good role for him
Where do these people get their evidence that the directors are taking money out of the club or as some put it “Milking it dry”?
The thing that has got to change is that the FFP rules come into effect and work.
Kelsey,
Here’s one for you. 🙂
—Three sisters ages 92, 94 and 96 live in a house together.
One night the 96 year old draws a bath. She puts her foot in and
pauses……………….then she yells to the other sisters, “Was I getting in or out of the bath?”
The 94 year old yells back, “I don’t know. I’ll come up and see.”
She gets halfway up the stairs and pauses to yell, “Was I going up the stairs or down?”
The 92 year old is sitting at the kitchen table and having tea while listening to her other sisters.
She shakes her head and says, “I sure hope I never get that forgetful.” …………..and then she knocked on wood.
She then yelled, “I’ll come up and help both of you as soon as I see who’s at the door.”
takes me back RA
Very nice, GM, 🙂 Are they Hustle?
One for you, GM, 🙂
SENIOR DRIVING
As a senior citizen was driving down the motorway, his car phone rang.
Answering, he heard his wife’s voice urgently warning him, ” Vernon, I just heard on the news that there’s a car going the wrong way on M25. Please be careful!”
“Hell,” said Vernon, ” the crazy bastards……….. it’s not just one car…. It’s hundreds of them!”
All I say on the Ox – at least he tracked back. I’ve lost the will to live at times when I’ve seen Walcott, or Arshavin, or Gervinho give the ball away and just fuck their hands up into the air like it was someone else fault – at least the Ox tracked back.
And he tried, there was always 2/3 players on him yesterday, he was always double teamed – as he was in Milan – where was the support?
Rasp
For what it is worth, I think your moan about Wenger being bereft of ideas as to how to change things yesterday is sadly true.
But I just don’t understand your criticism of him for what you refer to as panic buys. By your way of looking at things he is dammed if he does and dammed if he doesn’t.
Would you have preferred him not to have brought players when he finally knew that Fabregas abd Nasri were definitely leaving?
As obvious as it seems now that Fabregas and Nasri were going to leave, no one absolutely no one could have been certain at the time and because of that it was impossible to plan as far ahead as you seem to suggest he should.
But it is important to take Arteta and Merts out of the equation, the former arrived only when it became clear that Wilshere needed surgery and buying the BFG was good business in anyone’s eyes.
If your are hurting and just want to vent, well who could begrudge an Arsenal supporter that on a day like today but if you feel this in the cold light of the day then I say: it is a cheap shot from someone who I would expect to know better.
Irish
That is very true — he did track back.
Chas,
Thanks for courageous post and well done for being amongst our brilliant away support.
LB,
Spot on about the problem position. I know we have been unbelievably unlucky with defensive injuries in particular, but nevertheless, I still feel that without a specialist AM the system cannot work properly. Diaby is possibly a big miss as he certainly has the ability to play that role, although we’ve never seen hi in that role.
Hi Evonne,
was there a particular point to you raking up an old argument, and linking me to something I didn’t say, or was it just to belittle me on here, so it appears as if I don’t know what I’m talking about? Admittedly most of the time I don’t, but it doesn’t help when you challenge me with such a triumphant tone.
Rasp/LB,
Regarding the last minute summer recruits, I cannot believe the situation was Arsene’s doing. I like to think he knows the importnce of a Cesc type in a 4-3-3, and from his comment about being able to “write a book” about transfer events, I still believe something beyond his control went badly wrong.
Very true, Micky!
Herb – NO!! Don’t be paranoied!! I put a smiley at the end to make sure you know it is a joke!
It is just uncanny that bloody sunderland came back to haunt us. You should know better than to take me seriously, I am the queen of the cuckoo club, for crying out loud
Bonsoir RA,
I have the salty breezes in my nostrils and am full to the brim with fish and consquently feeling very clever!
GM – i don’t really care what you have for dinner, you are not going to make me feel bad about my microwave ready meals, no you won’t.
Quick Herb/Evonne, Blog Snog now 🙂
Chas a fine match report which whilst beer hazed highlighted key areas and gave the game and performance a more Goonerish hue than ITV commentators allowed me to take.
I have only just started the comments and got to Harry’s 1st of the day:
“The slightest issue seems to blow up and cause mass panic and hysteria, players look forlorn and do not take any responsibilty.too many players looked for excuses to get off or not try yesterday.”
And thought maybe the players are reflecting the fans? Frimpongs little debate with Morgan kind of shows how they are affected.
Evonne,
How’s the learning Chess coming along?
Join the incredibly brilliant free site chess.com and you can play “live” anytime. 10 minute games are fun!
GiE,
Read your Morgan/Frimpong exchange. Could create a rather “sticky” situation for Morgan at the Ems ha ha ha
I’d love to see Frimpong knock morgan out. I wish morgan was a spud.
Micky – I had to stop, I was losing each time 🙂 I cannot cope with losing.
how many moves ahead do you do? Is the tricky part?
RA – yep, just like him. He’s blogging, of course he is, he never missed a day, look at 7:11
I am going to watch more of the ‘normal’ tv, not just footy. There is celebrities ice skating programme on and I did not recognise even one of those celebrities, who the feck are they??Clearly not footballers 🙂
Evonne,
After each player has made one move, there are 440 possible positions. After two moves, that goes up to 72,000! If people stick to tried and tested openings, or “lines”, then you can play the first five moves like clockwork, but one move outside the ordinary, and its thinking cap on. The answer to your question is maybe three, but I was a much better player aged 15 than I am now. No memory anymore 😦
It’s not paranoia, and I don’t get why it’s particularly uncanny that Sunderland should beat us because as I said, I made no reference to them.
You made reference to it at 8.16 this morning, and challenged me personally with it earlier, so it was obviously an itch you had to scratch.
As I said earlier, the wider point was lost and the whole episode was unneccessary.
If it was humour Evonne, something was definitely lost in translation.
But as you are the Queen of the Cuckoo Club, I will take you at your word.
GM – He must be a Spud, he’s certainly not a Gooner, wish he’d fuck off and “support” the Mancs or something, never heard him saw one good thing about the club.
And to top it all off, he agrees with that fucking mug Keane who says its the worst Arsenal team he’s ever seen, hell Arsenal were worse when I starting supporting, the days of Eddie McGoldrick. When someone agrees with a wanker that walks out on his country, you know you’re dealing with a mug.
Micky – is that right? Wow, fascinating! Are you saying that I should memorise some basic opening moves?
Irish,
He’s obsessed by “celebrity” which says it all really.
Evonne,
Really basic stuff is all you need to have fun. The most important is to not worry about losing and enjoy the game. Try chess.com, and they’ll work out your level after a couple of games, nd you’ll play people of your own standard. I have a feeling you’d become obsessed.
Irish – but you have admit he is gorgeous 🙂 I bought his book many years ago for my Irish husband and queued for hours to have it signed in Waterstones. My husband is a Dubliner hating Cork and Keane from Cork and hates Dublin. I asked Roy to sign ‘Come on you Dubs!’, he read it, looked up at me and said ‘No!’. I asked ‘please Mr Keane, it’s just a joke’ and he did! Alan takes this book with him to every pub and shows anybody from Cork what a twat Keane really is 🙂
Micky – me, obsessed ? Ha ha ha, not just a pretty face, are you? I did obsess with Sudoku, until I could do Evil ones without any difficulties
MIDI – Yep
Evonne 🙂
Right, its over and out from here.
Nite all, and remember, just one week away from us all feeling better again!
he’s a big fat ladies front bottom and an ugly one at that. He’s got more of a “punch me” face than that little vermin like tossser sugar.
Evonne,
By the time you are reading this, I’ll really be gone.
A woman was enjoying a good game of golf with her girlfriends. “Oh, no!” she suddenly exclaimed. “Look at the time! I have to rush home and fix dinner for my husband! He’ll be so annoyed if it’s not ready on time.”
When she got home, she discovered all she had in the fridge was a wilted lettuce leaf, an egg, and a can of cat food. With no time to go to the supermarket, she opened the can of cat food, stirred in the egg, and garnished it with the lettuce leaf.
She greeted her husband warmly when he came home, and then watched in horror as he sat down to his dinner. To her surprise, he seemed to be enjoying it.
“Darling, this is the best dinner you’ve made me in 40 years of marriage! You can make this for me any day?”
Needless to say, every golf day from then on, the woman made her husband the same dish. She told her golf partners about it, and they were all horrified.
“You’re going to kill him!” they exclaimed.
Two months later, her husband died.
The women were sitting around the clubhouse, and one of them said, “You killed him! We told you that feeding him that cat food every week would do him in! How can you just sit there so calmly knowing you murdered your husband?”
The wife stoically replied, “I didn’t kill him. He fell off the window sill while he was licking his arse.”
Micky – ha ha ha, brilliant 🙂 Wish I knew
the trick years ago 🙂 I used to pick wild mushrooms and give them to my husband to test
Good night Micky, I missed you this week xx
Thanks everyone else (since I was last on) for being so generous.
Love that article at 5:49, Sharkey.
Going to games is the easy option, it’s you poor buggers that had to watch that shite on TV or computer that I feel sorry for! 🙂
Good on you Chas, as many have mentioned our away support is fantastic, and always very vocal.
Last time I was able to go was North Bank, Highbury early ’90s, but there’s nothing that comes close to the excitement of match-day.
Hopefully a good weeks rest will see us good to go against Tottenham next Sunday.
Hi LB, I was careful not to specifically blame AW for the last minute buying spree. I still cannot fathom whether it is the BoD or AW who is really responsible for the reluctance to go that little bit further to get the required quality.
Evening Rasp
Something went badly wrong last summer. I do bot believe the same people (AW and Stan) will let it happen again this summer.
Hi Rocky,
I hope you are right. I am beginning to think that there could be some fairly major changes come this summer. 4th place has never been more important for us than this season. Most are focusing on finishing above the chavs but I am afraid that pool might be a greater threat than many believe. They are a side that is beginning to click again and as we know, they are always fighters.
Rasp
You may be right as bout the ‘Pool, but they do seem plagued by inconsistency.
We just need to get our heads back to where they were when we were looking pretty solid (before all the FB injuries kicked in).
I suppose a team for Sunday could be: Szcz, Sagna, Kozz, Verm, Gibbs, Arteta, Song, Rosicky, Oxo, Gerv, RvP. We should be able to give them a good game – and their approach will suit us more than Sunderland’s.
What’s worrying is that a few of our “reliables” have gone off the boil in the last couple of games – Arteta and Verm, plus Sagna to some degree. Arteta has probably just been overplayed, while Sagna and Verm are still working their way back, but we need them to find form quickly.
According to AW, Diaby should be ready to play by the end of Feb! Believe it when I see it.
Fell off the window sill…
That’s a cracker
Another point from reading today’s blog.
I see criticism of AW that Myachi is not being used……and at that point I scratch my head and ask who bought him?
Anyway a good days blogging and I’ve been out visiting new borns, so had little time to comment.
But like some others I think I am prepared to see real transition and if that means dropping down to 8th/9th/10th whilst we introduce a team of youngsters, rather than try to make patchwork quilt running repairs to an ever hanging squad I would be happy to go along with it.
Jamie Sanderson@YoungGunsBlogReply
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Stevenage’s Smith used to coach for #AFC, before joining Stan Kroenke’s Colorado. Says Kroenke has ‘no interest in football’.
At least our injuries come on the field of play:
“Valencia midfielder Ever Banega will need ankle surgery after he was run over by his own car. The 23-year-old failed to set the handbrake on his car causing it to roll back and trap his foot.”
Chas, thanks for a fine match report! I can see you like rating individual players as much as I do haha 🙂
I have just plucked up the courage to read the match report, fear of a painful reminder preventing me up until now. But congrats Chas on managing to find some humour in that Northern Nightmare.
GIE
If that injury had happend at Arsenal we would have had people on here blaming the medical staff.
Allezkev
It’s funny you say that as I would have thought that football would have been Kroenke’s first sporting love, growing up in that football loving nation the US of A and all.
Just to clarify, this was what I said earlier regarding our transfer dealings in the summer – …..
“No-one will convince me that our last minute player purchases in the summer were the result of careful planning – no, they were panic measures, maybe because of the prolonged sale of Fab and Na$ri or maybe because they were just trying to placate the manager and/or the supporters or maybe some other reason. Either way it was very unprofessional.”
As you will see, I actually implied that the BoD could have been trying to placate AW rather than blaming him solely for the situation.
Morning LB I see the papers Are enjoying getting stuck into Arsenal, it seem Ivan is the bogeyman culpable by his absence and AW is being given 55k to spend in the summer, I do love the accuracy of the intrepid investigative journalist that inhabit the football pages 🙂
I know LB.
But I do have a theory on our current injury situation (or is it ongoing or is it just we are doomed).
At a guess we have about 30 medical staff, I reckon 29 of them are rebuilding RvP between games and the other poor bugger is patching up everyone else.
I meant to compliment RA yesterday too as the summation of fans solutions prove what a difficult job the club have.
SGG I also need to pick you up regarding financial clarity. I’m not sure your age but I remember I have never been too worried about the finances of the club. I look at them now because so many bloggers and media types question them. Gazidis recently said we are an open book, and in comparison to several other clubs I’d have to agree. Our Annual Report is easily found on our website. Try finding United’s, Chelsea’s or City’s.
Morning GIE and Rasp. Apparently its all Ivan’s fault ” He went on holiday while fab was being sold and has missed the last two games because he was in Mexico at a wedding, bur never mind it at the top of the Arsenal supporters trust Agenda at tonight’s meeting” you couldn’t make it up, but somehow they do. 🙂
Morning all,
My ManCold has been downgraded to serious Cold, by tomorrow It should be a bad Cold, followed by a mild Cold, then a Women`s Cold ( I`ve got a headache ).
Phoned up the Cats Protection League (What sort of Evil bastards would have a “Racket” like that ? .CATS !. I bet their into gun running, drugs ,prostitution and ultimately World domination, ” I dont expect you to talk Mr Bond, I expect you to die ” ) to see how Mrs glic`s Auntie`s pussy is doing. They said It`s long fur Is all matted and It`s going to have to be shaven. ( I wonder If there`s a NVQ course for It ) Shaven pussies, must be a post there Micky !
I don’t give a fuck what the papers, ex players or pundits say. Even less websites written by arseholes. None of it bothers me any more. I’d give piers morgc**t a smack in the mouth though.
GLIC. Good to see you back on form. …. women’s cold 🙂
This is what happens when you get your hairdresser and pubic coiffeur mixed up.
http://twitpic.com/8mbwik/full
chas,
Is that what they call a “Brazillian” ?
chas. You have a pubic coiffure??
How modern
DD now it all makes sense thank you 🙂
TA fancy a scouting trip?
Tomorrow night £3 entrance http://www.canaries.co.uk/page/NewsDetails/0,,10355~2614179,00.html
Morning dandan, one of us hopes to be at the AST meeting this evening so we will find out exactly what is being discussed. There is usually a heavy focus on the financial side of things and some very interesting information is uncovered. I do not get the impression that the AST particularly extreme in its objectives.
gm,
Just a couple of anagrams for your mate Piers.
I organ sperm.
A groin sperm.
ps , or rasp minge !
Sorry rasp !
Rasp. We look forward to a first hand report.
I am in Mugabe Lockdown and have been since Saturday night. I expect the media are having an anti-AW field day with banners and flags and jelly and ice cream. Forget about loyalty, forget about respect, and forget about perspective in what has been an extremely unlucky period (injuries and Cup draws).
Morning Raddy, 🙂
Sod the media, it’s their job after all to court controversy. It’s the ravening fans that get me! 😦
😆 glic
Morning Raddy, keep your powder dry for Rocky’s post coming shortly 😛
RA. Very good point
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