Written by 26may
5-2? What a day, and not just for the bookies. Hyperbole it may be, but I can think of few more suitable games to be described as epic.
I admit it, I approached this game full of pessimism. We’re not as bad as some make us out to be but it is beyond dispute that we have declined, while our N17 neighbours have finally, finally got themselves a decent squad. Our fragility is such that I felt I’d have been pleased with one point today. Not in my wildest dreams did I expect us to thrash the old enemy and in such dramatic fashion. Scoring enough goals to go back above Chelsea was not on my agenda.
So how did it happen?
First off, Wenger’s team selection was spot on. Having been out of the loop in recent weeks, I was surprised to see Rosicky and Benayoun in the starting XI, but they were both excellent. Quietly, Rosicky has been one of our form players this season, mixing efficient passing with intelligent movement and purposeful dribbling. But goalscoring has disappeared from his repertoire. What a time to rediscover it, with a perfectly timed run to finish off a lovely passing move and put us into the lead.
And Yossi was our Duracell bunny, constantly offering an option to the man with the ball, but also having the intelligence always to probe the defenders he faced. The obvious choice might have seen Wenger have Gervinho or Chamberlain start the match, but he had the guts to resist doing the obvious, and put Benayoun up against the excellent Kyle Walker. I admit, I’ve been a fan of the Israeli since he joined us and have been a little frustrated to see him not given much quality match time. He is proper quality.
And Robin van Persie was, well, Robin van Persie: excellence personified.
The Arsenal performance in first half hour was pretty uneven, with Sagna and Walcott looking especially out of sorts, and Arteta and Song not looking very focused. But they dragged good performances out of themselves, and the midfield established control over their Spurs counterparts.
The Arsenal defence had started in pretty charitable mood, leaving too much space for Saha to run into in the build-up to the first Spurs goal and being vulnerable on the break when we were pressing for an equaliser. They were carved open by a sublime through ball from Luka Modric to Gareth Bale, but everyone’s favourite chimpanzee took a cynical dive to earn a penalty to put Spurs two up. The atmosphere was all anxiety and depression.
But the defence recovered its poise and was rarely tested after conceding that second goal. Koscielny was imperious in dominating Adebayor pretty much throughout, and Vermaelen showed he is better than the shadow of a player he was in the Milan game. Spurs helped us, giving us enough breathing space for us to recover.
And then the game began a mental phase of half an hour around the halftime break. Spurs seemed to fold, especially in defence, where only Walker can claim to have earned his money. Kaboul and King were terrible, and played like strangers.
First Sagna, who had seemed incapable of holding onto the ball up to then, powered home a header, then Robin the Master found a pocket of space on the edge of the penalty area from which he gloriously swept home the equaliser. Tails were most definitely up.
At halftime, Harry “I pay my taxes, me” Redknapp bizarrely chose to put Sandro on the right wing rather than Aaron Lennon, as well as putting van deer Vaart on for Saha. Thanks Harry, much appreciated. Sandro’s a good player but he’s no winger, and vdV was really poor on the day.
Meanwhile, our forward players continued to rip Spurs to shreds. With little cover from Parker, who compared badly to the inestimable Alex Song, King, Kaboul and Assou-Ekotto were carved open three times in quick succession. Rosicky, arguably our man of the match, put us in front before incredibly Walcott remembered what he can do with the ball at his feet and just the keeper to beat. After putting a sighter just past the post, he nailed two chances in quick succession (admittedly after some random ball control). Heavenly stuff for the good guys, and an incredible comeback was complete.
We should remember this game for a long time to come, such enjoyable performances and results are rare and precious things. But we also need to use this as an inspiration for the remainder of the season. The squad has its weaknesses, and those need to be attended to in the summer, but there is also real quality there.
Player ratings from Herb’s Army
Arsenal were simply different class today and normal order has been restored.
Szczesny – No chance with either goal (never a penalty!). Has the potential to be immense next season. 7
Sagna – After a shaky couple of games, was back to his imperious self, and what a goal! 9
Gibbs – Is growing with every game and today he looked an Arsenal player 8
Koscielny – He has developed into a quality centre-half. 8
Vermaelen – Stepped up well today. 8
Song – When he and we got into our game, Song was colossal today. If only he could do this in more games. 9
Arteta – For me personally, his best game so far, highlighted by his exquisite cross for Sagna’s goal. 9
Rosicky – The performance we all knew he was capable of, but have waited an age to witness. 9
Walcott – A complete enigma. Confounded his critics (yes I’m amongst them), with a scintillating second half showing 9
Benayoun – Fantastic link and tireless work-rate from our much under-used Israeli. 8
van Persie – Our very own super-hero just keeps delivering the magic. 9
Thank you Arsene, thank you Arsenal.
Arsenal News 24/7
arsenalarsenal.net 
Thanks 26may, welcome back 🙂 and thanks too Herb for the ratings, I’d have given them all 10 except Theo, he’d get 5 in the first half and 15 in the 2nd = average of 10 😆
Fantastic win yesterday and a brilliant performance ….. but why?????
If we’d played at even 80% of yesterday’s tempo every game this season we’d be top of the league. Everything we’d been missing returned …. but why?????
The players were definitely up for the game but beyond that, I put it down to 3 things:
1. We had proper fullbacks
2. The midfield functioned as one with every player demonstrating the perfect two touch, control pass and move. As a result, we moved the ball around at pace and FORWARDS and attacked as a team. No-one held onto the ball too long because the other players had moved into space and made the choice of passing simple. Added to that, we swarmed … hooray, we swarmed! When they got possession we doubled up on them and our movement disrupted their passing game – at last we were good when not in possession.
I do not intend to criticise Ramsey but he has a tendency to hold onto the ball too long as he is always looking for the killer pass and so slows things down and moves the ball sideways when, as shown yesterday, just moving the ball on quickly is most important.
3. The last point is that we sent out a side with enough experienced mature players and they stood up and took responsibility. It was Sagna, RvP and Rosicky who really brought us back into the game, Benny was fantastic and Theo’s goals were the icing on the cake. The over 25’s have looked jaded at times this season, but given a week’s break they were fresh and running around like 18 year olds. With only the league to concentrate on, we should be able to maintain this level of performance for the rest of the season, and if we do, I am confident of 4th or higher.
Arsenal need supporting sriker to assit rvp
I don’t know if it has been mentioned (I’m sure it has somewhere), but I really believe a lot has to do with the playing surfaces. AC Milan’s and Sunderland’s pitches were bloody disgraces and Wengers tactics just couldn’t work. After the Scums penalty the Arsenal played total football and destroyed them. Shame we didn’t manage an away goal against Milan.
Welcome back, 26, and with an excellent Post, as well. 🙂
You have summed up the game pretty much the way I saw it too.
On reflection, I think what may have helped us was the feeling among our players when we went 0:2 down was “what the hell – we have nothing to lose, let’s go for it”.
Our play has too often this season been of the ‘non-Arsenal’ variety – cagey, static, and fearful. Now, suddenly, we were breaking at speed and in numbers, flooding the penalty area with 4, 5, and sometimes 6 players, a wonderful contrast to the tactic of leaving RVP up front, on his own, with little support.
Theo looked energised, classy and dangerous — because the pulsating kaleidoscope of swift passing and movement coupled with speedy break away raids played to his forte. Speed was king, again, rather than the stuttering sideways or backwards passing and poor ball control.
The ‘old’ Arsenal were back; the ‘old’ Theo was back and a fabulous transformation in both our play and our fortunes ensued! 🙂
I could go on – but I will let you off — and shut my virtual mouth!! 🙂
Everyone else will want to get on! 😉
26may – so glad you are back! And what a come back from you 🙂
Rasp – love your avatar
Good points RA, we didn’t see much of the familiar scenario of the midfield running out of options and passing back to the fullbacks and keeper.
Micky,
I’m skipping inside! Just watched the goals again and I am going to be one happy bigger at work this week. Much more happy, I suspect, than my Gooner colleague who has been getting more and more pissed off with the team for the last 6 months. I will have to put him in his place!
Oh, and it’s my birthday on Thursday!!!!!!!
🙂
Morning evonne, it’s my fallback avatar from my days on Avenell Road. Football, like everything in life is about the yin/yang balance 🙂
Rasper, is your avatar a Picasso-esque depiction of two whales engaging in coitus, or just two dizzy spermatoza?
Either way, it is visually pleasing!! 🙂
Cheers Rasp, lovely to be back, fantastic as New Zealand is.
You’re right, the tempo yesterday was excellent, both with and without the ball. Long may that continue.
And now for Anfield, if we don’t at least get a point there after the satisfaction of yesterday, I’ll be very disappointed. With Chelsea away at West Brom (who have one of the worst home records in the division), staying ahead of Chelsea will be as tough next weekend as it was this weekend.
Now, where are those Spud colleagues hiding?
Welcome back 26,
Great write up, thanks. Where can I watch the whole game? I want to watch the Benny effect, the two full back effect and the Full Rosicky effect.
Nice one, 26.
Perfect summation of a perfect comeback.
Great photos Rasp and peaches.
Rasp,
I recognise that avatar form way back!
Micky and slim were talking about skipping earlier. I’ve just seen this and it looks as though Dean skips and shoos the ball into the goal. How strange.
26. Welcome back, you have been missed.
I would like to start today with this …. A lovely interview and proof of the excellent choice of RvP as Captain
http://www.101greatgoals.com/gvideos/robin-van-persie-theo-walcott-after-arsenal-5-tottenham-2/
Rasp,
I first became a blogger on AR, and enjoyed my time on there with Rico, JonJon and occasionally ‘Avenell’, but I do not recall seeing you or I would have pulled your leg much earlier than I have on AA! 🙂
Rasp,
Great comment. Intelligence goes a long way and obviously Benny will have that in bucket fulls. I emailed TA in the morning and commented that, in the nicest possible way because I love the guy, that the absence of Ramsey would be a blessing.
Another thing, what made Theo’s second half performance so impressive, goals aside. Was it his off the ball movement, effort, quality of ball from the midfield?
Jeepers, I really do need to watch this game 😦
And hello to evonne, RA, Raddy, micky and chas too, lovely to be back!
I don’t think anything changed too much yesterday to be honest.
This team showed between October and December that they have the fight to come back from losing positions. Add to that the fresh full backs who have hardly played this season and a weeks rest for the team and yesterday’s performance is what you get.
The lads at 2-0 down knew that they didn’t deserve to be behind, and our players rushing to get the ball out of the net after a goal (ours and theirs) showed the urgency that had been lacking in recent weeks.
Re energised, re shaped and re born.
This is the team we would’ve seen all season had it not been for such disruptive injuries.
Benny to start against Pool? Or back to Gerv/Ox?
Micky,
Theo used his pace!! He tackled back and won the ball or caused a disruption when the Spuds attacked.
Instead of running into dead ends, or disappearing into ever decreasing circles — he ran, at great pace, to support RVP or made himself available for outballs from RVP, TR or Benny.
Then he scored two very important and very well taken goals!
That should keep you going!! 🙂
Rap,
I also love your use of the word “swarming”.
Swarming, intelligence and thrust. That’ll do 🙂
RA,
Thanks. I saw the goals on MOTD, but I do feel very neutered having not seen the whole game, and incapable of forming opinions.
26,
I could have done with your input and support when all the blogsites got back into discussing the published Accounts; the FFP rules; players’ contracts, and one or two points of Law as a consequence of all the furore over available funds to buy quality players.
Well, at the very least, we could have argued! 🙂
Hi Micky, the problem with Theo is that he doesn’t contribute enough defensively to play more centrally in an attacking midfield role, he’s not strong enough to hold the ball up as a central target man and is ineffective out wide unless he gets the ball early and has space to run into. His crossing is not the best but he can be unplayable when he cuts inside and he is a very good finisher. It may be unfair to call him a luxury player, but he is certainly a niche player who needs the proper service to be able to flourish.
The fact that we moved the ball quickly through midfield benefitted him yesterday and his movement for his two goals was superb. He’s only 22, if he can add a bit of defensive bite to his game, and keep his head up (physically and metaphorically) he will prove to be a valuable player.
Micky.
Neutering must be the way forward for the Bale family. Unless the human race is working towards reverse-Darwinism.
Micky,
If the inestimable Glic sees you using the word ‘thrust’ we could all be in trouble. Let’s just pretend it is all in his imagination!! 🙂
Rasp. Added to your fine assessment of Theo, should be the fact that Spurs did not “double-team” him., which is the usual method o defending against pace. I guess Harry trusted his FB’s.
And as Danny says, playing on a decent pitch
“Heavenly stuff for the good guys, and an incredible comeback was complete” –> 26 is back with a bang!
Great report, and welcome back. You have been missed.
Really good to see all players are getting positive comments today, as it was a perfect team performance.
Micky, have not read your email yet, but re Ramsey: we will see the best of him in ‘Arteta’s position’ in our current formation. Ramsey and Arteta are made for that role in between Song (and often next to him) and the CM. Rosicky also played better as a result of Yossi working so hard covering a lot of space for Rosicky and others and always being available / being able to shield the ball so well. Something we did not get consistently from the pocket Rusky (sorry Chary).
BR 10:12.
Thats a great interview. Top captain V.Persie.
Good point Raddy, poor tactics by the spuds. I have to say it was 10/10 for Arsene yesterday and 1/10 for arry.
You could see that the tots were defeated when they came out of the tunnel for the 2nd half. I don’t know what went on in their dressing room, but it didn’t improve their performance and the half time subs played right into our hands.
I heard that AW had been sick before the game, I’d like to think that RvP and the more senior players said something like, “don’t worry boss, leave it to us, we can do this”
Raddy,
I will not give you my theories on Darwinism, but lets just say that Bale confirms them 🙂
Has the package arrived? If not I have a tracking number and will chase. It went by air thursday!
Micky. Not yet – wait a couple of more days. 5 days is the norm.
I think spurs downfall was that they believed the hype… They think that they are man for man better than the Arsenal.
Big Mistake.
All season long poorer teams than spurs have denied us space and allowed us to shoot ourselves in the feet with sometimes impotent passing but not on Saturday.
On Saturday, Spurs arrived like bigtime charlies.. the worked hard for 5 minutes, went a goal up(thanks to Kos? Slipping and a whole opening up in our Centre)
Then the faeces flinger flung his faecal self in the box and the got a second undeserved goal.
At this point they were thinking 5 or 6 or maybe 8.
They saw Man U beat us 8-2 and what they didn’t notice was that sure Man U took us on and sure they beat us but we scored two and we could have scored 6 or 7 that day – with 4 or 5 first teamers in the side against tottenham that missed the old trafford debacle we were a different proposition
and in fairness to spurs they gave the space back in an effort to counter attack us to death…
But once they gave us space they unleashed the beast within…
Theo Walcott is messy when he is pressed but messi when he has 30 yards of green grass infront of him
Rosicky Controlled the tempo, Arteta lined up the attacks. Song facilitated them both.
Sagna proved to me tha Bale is just like walcott – ineffective when pressed.
Harry redknapp supposedly the tactical superior, tactically wrecked his team by matching arsenal 4-3-3.
Next english manager – having a laugh
Title winning Tottenham – having a laugh
Being mentioned as an equal or superior to Wenger – you are just being offensive now.
Wenger let the air out Tottenhams Tyres and Harry’s Face
I am going to miss Ledley King when he retires.. he has given me such joy over the years. Many of my happiest times are framed in my mind with him having been a part of it.
Arsene Wenger Spend Some F#ckin Money – Me Arse
I was tickled by the following comment from a Spuds blogsite, and I have to say, deluded tho’ it is, it is so much better than the rabid filth spewed out by extremist ‘fans’ of both clubs.
Harry, (a Spuds Fan) said:
“Despite our loss it was quite a good game from the boys.
What a shame that Adebayor didn’t convert the chances he had and that we conceded some unlucky goals. Should have been 1-3 at the end.
If we keep playing like this then we have a decent chance to win the league.
Saha was at his best and I am still enchanted by the display of our magnificent midfield.
The season can only get better! Next week we won’t be unlucky when our Wonderboys face United!!”
Wow, I wonder what world (don’t get me started) 🙂 – what world Harry inhabits? 🙄 But I think I quite like him!! 🙂
Bill Nicholson, Warren Mitchell, Prossie Shagger, Adele, Dave Mackay, Lowlife scum rioting looters, Peter Cook, Association of Deluded mother f**kers, Paul Hawksbee, Jesse J, 1961 Black & White Pathe news reel, Danny Blanchflower, Glenn Hoddle, Society of Ugly bastards, Lord Sugar, Wayne & Waynetta social security scroungers, Alan Gilzean, Michael Mcintyre`s face tattooed on the end of my Hampton, N17, YOUR BOYS TOOK A HELL OF A BEATING !. HAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA………….hehehehehehehehehehehehehehehehehehehehehehehehehe
Glic you broke the stylesheet on my computer and you forgot Chas and Dave
Super post 26, Welcome back.
Never will you see a better example of how important fullbacks are and how we have missed them; they backed up Theo and allowed him inside to drag people all over the place.
Unfortunately it also highlighted just what a fickle disgrace part of our fan base is, many of whom were incapable with their blind preconceptions, of recognising just how unfortunate we were to be two down, to a deflection and a simulated penalty.( Remember how Eduardo was crucified for less.) Instead they chose in typical style to get on Theo’s back as they have done all year; Good job Ramsey wasn’t playing; thank god Wenger is made of sterner stuff and kept him on
My fear now is that may have been a twofold performance, a catalyse that will be the defining moment to A) Increase Theo’s value to clubs who appreciate his worth and B) He will think who needs that treatment and accept the monetary temptations on offer and depart at season end.
The myth of being a one man team was laid to rest again. But fear not for in all probability unless we win all our remaining games the cacophony from the trophy hunters will rise again.
A special win and a great fight back by a determined team marred only by the behaviour of a section of the fans.
The following is from this morning Times
Matt Dickinson
If Arsène Wenger had listened to the fans, Theo Walcott would have been sat on the bench in the second half.
If Walcott had listened to the fans, he might have been weeping in the dressing room despairing at how they expect him to perform if he is such a “useless c***”.
Fickledom is the way of the supporter but, truly, some of the Arsenal hardcore did not deserve to be allowed to stay in their seats for this astonishing comeback.
No doubt some will claim that they inspired Arsenal’s remarkable recovery from 0-2 to 5-2 — naturally, Piers Morgan tried it — as if having thousands of people scream “prick!” is a recognised motivational tool.
They should ask Walcott if he felt buoyed when he had the chance to sprint clear of Tottenham Hotspur’s defence in the first half but instantly offloaded the ball to Robin van Persie rather than risk another volley of “P”s, “C”s and “F”s.
Some of the angriest men in the world seem to gather at the Emirates, so quick to seize on any mistake that you wonder if they are willing failure. It reached the point where Wenger considered whether to spare Walcott. “You wonder if you’re doing him a favour if you leave him on,” he said. Still, just as well he did, don’t you think, given the sharp, right-foot shots that Walcott placed beyond Brad Friedel — the first after an 80-yard dash and, typically, a clumsy first touch — to turn a nervy lead into an ecstatic celebration on what might yet prove a season-defining afternoon.
Cue the standing ovation for Walcott as he went off, from the very same fans who had been battering him earlier. A few had the grace to look sheepish as they rose to applaud.They will contend that Walcott’s form has been infuriatingly inconsistent. And it has been. He can be a maddening player for Arsenal and for England.
In many ways, he sums up this Arsenal regime, with its endless talk of potential and enduring fragilities. You do not know what you are going to see from one week to the next — or even within one game.
Those problems remain and Walcott may yet be part of a side that fall short in the top-four race that will define, ultimately, if this has been a disappointing or a potentially disastrous campaign for Arsenal.
Wenger may yet have to count the cost of all the mistakes he has made; his erratic moves in the transfer market, his refusal to improve the coaching staff, the lack of defensive organisation.
But it is hard to understand how all those errors combined justify the scorn that poured on Wenger’s head just a month ago when the greatest manager in Arsenal’s history was ridiculed for a substitution against Manchester United.
It is hard to understand the level of venom directed at a 22-year-old — note the age — when his self-belief is shredded by his own supporters.
Walcott has not become all we hoped. His game is infuriating, and perhaps always will be. But along with all the frustrations, he retains the potential to make match-winning impacts for club and country.
He offers something different, and rare enough that Wenger knew he had to support his player through the storm.
“I felt that he has the qualities that, considering the rest of the team were hiding (in-field), he can be straight, direct and go behind the defenders,” Wenger said. “And then nobody else is like that. He is a very direct player. He can miss a first touch but, considering the balance of the team, it was important to keep him in the side.”
It would be a surprise if Stuart Pearce, and Harry Redknapp in the longer term with England, did not think the same.
Thanks to Wenger’s faith in him — and his faith in himself — Arsenal ended up winning a game that, with 20 minutes gone, seemed to have the potential to destroy them. Somehow they found it from within to recover. And you might well ask how. Ten of the starting XI were the same as those who played against AC Milan in what even Wenger acknowledged was one of the most feeble performances of his tenure.
The only change was to bring in Yossi Benayoun for the injured Aaron Ramsey, the sort of selection that, on another day, might have been used as evidence that Wenger is losing the plot.
But a day that began with some of the worst defensive organisation even by the standards of this chaotic season ended with a huge win notable for the excellence of Arsenal’s high-tempo passing.
Scott Parker was made to look leaden, Luka Modric to look wearied; while Tomas Rosicky played as though reborn.
Like the 5-3 victory over Chelsea at Stamford Bridge in October, it brought no guarantees that Arsenal will not soon be losing to Stoke City in the same way that they fell to Fulham and Swansea City last month.
Will Walcott, with only three Premier League goals before yesterday, lapse or embark on a hot streak?
Arsenal remain a fragile construction, and with a trip to Liverpool followed by the return against Milan, no one is going to assert that a corner was turned.
Still, Wenger believes that his squad is in better physical shape than for many months and, while it took another stunning goal and performance from Van Persie, this was a display notable for the unexpected contributions of Rosicky and Benayoun and not for total over-reliance on Robin. What had he learnt? “That Arsenal is alive more than anyone thought before the game,” Wenger said.
His players had “refused to lose” or, in the case of Walcott, declined to succumb to the abuse
Can I appologize for my Husbands rudeness and say on he`s behalf, what a fine post Mr 26. Mr glic is currently running around our field naked abusing a Mr Mcintyre, I`m calling a doctor !.
GLiC …classic.
D98,
Shit, how did I forget them as they were first on my list ! 👿
Glic… I think chas and dave are actually serving time since the tottenham riots, so maybe its better you left them out
Micky,
The whole game is on Arsenalplayer.
Morning all – a completely unexpected result and one that will live long in the memory of those who were lucky enough to be there.
Of course all my spud mates are trying to avoid me but the insane grin gives it all away – I walked into work and an Arsenal fan was talking to a spud, so I just went to the gooner asnd asked her to “Give me five!” – the spud scowled at this point. 🙂
Are Spurs releasing a celebratory DVD?
40 Year old Sturgeon
Starring Brad Friedal
The Monkey and the Diving Bell(end)
D98, brilliant comment at 11:10.
We have often been accused of complacency and sometimes with justification. If teams give us space we will find our rhythm, as we did either side of half time yesterday and we always perform better when little is expected of us, I wouldn’t be at all surprised if we beat Milan 3 nil back at the Emirates.
Great post 26, must have felt good writing that hahahahha,
D98, I know for a fact that either Chas or Dave, cant remember which one, is now living as a hermit in the wilds of Hertfordshire. He is often seen ambling down some country lane, drunk as a skunk, singing Spurs are on there way to Wembley. Apparently he lives off wild berries and the odd squirel. This is not a joke, though i do find it sadistacly funny.
Rasp – if AR52NAL can score early and the crowd can get up like the dis against 5PUR2 then who knows what might happen…
Dandan, absolutely superb comments from you and well done for copying and pasting the article from The Times, which is full of insight. I have reluctantly come to the conclusion that our home fans are indeed fairly described as being “Some of the angriest men in the world … , so quick to seize on any mistake that you wonder if they are willing failure.”
GLIC, love your post a la Danish commentator from the 80s.
The Club has just posted its midyear financial results. RA and others will understand better than me, but a quick glance suggests some strong numbers, with all the income figures other than property development being significantly up (good news, as the commercial and sponsorship revenues need to improve). The wage bill has also increased, which is good in terms of investment in players we want but also underlines the need to get the expensive deadwood out (Diaby, Denilson, Chamakh, Almunia, Bendtner, Arshavin, Vela etc).
GliC,
Really? You star and complete legend. Thanks. Back in two hours!
TMHT,
Dave of C & D lives near me and is often found frequenting a pub appropriately named The Sow and Pigs
D98, I wasn’t at the game but I am told by those who were that the crowd were pretty good, so I am assuming the remarks criticising fans comments are aimed at those on the internet and elsewhere.
Rasp,
Was my source about Dave correct? Ive heard hes off his head.
The euphoria of winning that game was like winning a cup imo. Would I ( or any of you ) have been this elated If we would have beaten Birmingham In the CC Final ?
Take a look at Merson’s pre-match prediction. Even funnier now that we have beaten the Spuds 5-2.
This game is Arsenal’s cup final for this season.
In years gone by this hasn’t been the biggest game for them – Manchester United and Chelsea were bigger – but all of a sudden this is the defining game of the year.
If they lose this game then I don’t know where Arsenal are going. Three or four years ago they were a million miles ahead of Tottenham, but now Spurs can win this game and show that they’re the ones way out in front.
Even if Arsenal win I very much doubt they can catch Tottenham in the table. They’d need to win five games on the trot to do that and I don’t think this team is good enough to do that.
They’re not a very good team; it’s as simple as that. You can go around the houses with ways to be polite about it, but that’s the issue. There were players in the team against AC Milan that shouldn’t be playing for Arsenal. It’s not fair to single individuals out, but there are guys that shouldn’t be at the club, let alone playing in big European ties.
When David Dein was there, they were bringing in players like Thierry Henry, Dennis Bergkamp, Patrick Vieira, Marc Overmars and Emmanuel Petit. Those were class footballers in the top 20 in the world at the time. Now they’re bringing in players that Fulham wouldn’t take if they came up for sale tomorrow. That’s the way it’s gone.
You have to look at the manager. He hasn’t won anything for seven years, so questions have to be asked. You’ve got to forget what he’s done before – seven years ago I was still a footballer, but I don’t think anybody would pick me now!
Arsene Wenger has done a great job for Arsenal, but time moves on and you’ve got to look at what’s happening now. And what’s happening right now is that they’re falling way behind their arch rivals from up the road.
Sunday’s game is bigger for Arsenal than it is for Tottenham and I can’t remember the last time I said that. When I was at Arsenal I remember the whole first team being rested against Spurs because we had a cup final the next weekend. All of a sudden this is the cup final.
Tottenham will want to go there and rub their noses in it and Arsenal need to start well. If they fall behind in the first 15-20 minutes I think I’ll turn the telly over because it could get really bad.
I don’t think a draw will be much good to Arsene Wenger, but that’s what I think will happen because I don’t see them keeping Tottenham to nil.
According to Merse, Petit, Vieira and Henry were in the top 20 players in the world when Arsene signed them!!!! Thats not the way i remember it!!!
Cornwall, ime hysterical after every victory. haahhahahhheehhehehe.
26 – Rosicky and walcott were considered deadwood by some, until saturday… i believe that Diaby needs a run of games and he will be outstanding…
Denilson, bentner, Chamakh, Vela tho just don’t suit our style of play.
Almunia is a decent keeper but he doesn’t inspire confidence and he never will
Terry,
I think your hysterical as soon as you open your eye`s In the morning, your an excitable raving loony, we have so much In common ! 😆
Slim. Merson rewrites history …. Petit was a left back that nobody hade heard of, bergkamp was an italian flop, Henry was mid flop at juventus, Vieira was a bit part player at Meelan, Marc Overmars was a crock that nobody wanted to touch (was he uninsurable at the time because of his knees??)
I’d say that on an individual player league that Arshavin’s Star was far higher when we bought him than any of the ones that Merse mentions.
Is Merson on drugs? Drink or haluciogenic gamblimg?
Rasp throughout the commentary to which I listened to live and on twitter, all the Journo’s ( I follow a number), were remarking about the venom and spite being directed at Theo. A fan next to the dugouts was also abusing Arry and Jordan who asked that he be ejected.
As you know the blogs were very despondent up until RVP scored but I do not believe any thinking fan would deny we have a historical problem, which has been exacerbated by this year’s results, indeed it has been a subject of discussion on here recently
Thanks dandan, as I said I wasn’t at the game and those I spoke to who were said the atmosphere was very good even when we went 2 down. I suppose it depends on where you were sitting and who you were lucky/unlucky enough to be sitting next to.
Maybe those who were at the game can give us a view.
This kind of behaviour is not confined to Arsenal fans, the venom, directed at Redknapp by totts fans after one bad result has been ridiculous. He joined them when they were in the relegation zone and has done a great job (it pains me to say) and some are calling for him to go. I think its just human nature not necessarily an Arsenalcentric problem.
Merson is a tool, no doubt about that. I hate watching him on Sky, he’s just an embarrassment.
And yes, his reinvention of history is ridiculous: the talk of Petit, Vieira, Henry and Bergkamp as established stars when we signed them, and giving David Dein all the credit (he gets credit for signing Bergkamp, Platt and Wenger).
But fair’s fair, he has a point that Spurs are now at least on a par with us. We still need to prove to the world and ourselves that yesterday wasn’t a fluke.
As for the quality of the current side, yes it has its weaknesses, but I doubt that Merson would have got into it, even at his peak. As for the better sides we’ve had in the Wenger years, Merson wouldn’t have stood a chance, which is why Wenger got rid of Merson early on. Merson should choose his words with more care when he’s slagging off our players, he just makes himself look a dick.
D98: Fair point re Diaby, he has real ability, I’m just not a fan, I think he needs to play football somewhere other than England. I also don’t think the other players I listed as being deadwood are bad players, even Almunia, but they’re just not going to be contributing to our development, so we need to move them on.
dandan, on the wider point, we can justifiably take great pride and find encouragement in the performance, but there is a lot yet to do this season, so we should not jump the gun and think everything is rosy. Consistency needs to be our objective.
Morning all, lovely report 26 and good ratings Herb.
I have stopped thinking about the game with emotion now and when watching on MotD tried to pick out the things that were different from Milan and Sunderland.
1) Two touch football under pressure. When in space moving forward at pace.
2) Attacking three more fluid and interchangeable (something TA and I witnessed from the reserves)
3) a solid back three (Koz, Verm and Song) (again something the reserves did well). Koz and Verm won first ball, Song won knock downs and also provided a screen when balls were being hoofed up to Barndoor
4) full backs who could commit in knowledge there was a good base behind them. And wide players who ran towards goal diagonally to allow them space to cross and effect play.
Most of all a team supported and encouraged by their fans.
The very fans who boo our players are the ones who have AFCTID tattoos. (not that I have anything against tattoos!)
dandan.
We were fortunate to be at a simply fantastic game of football (if you are a Gooner).
Our seats were Clock end “P” turnstyle. If I could get those seats again I would jump at them.
We were amongst an extremely vociferous section of the crowd.
Even at 2-0 down we were singing the teams name and trying to encourage them. The guy next to me even took some abuse for standing up and singing by one individual behind us, it got a little bit heated at one stage. While I do not usually condone standing up, I thought the occasion warranted a positive chant and dance to gee the team up. Believe it or not there was plenty of positivity around us. Many people saying if we could get at them we could still pull of a result (true story). We thought Spurs were there for the taking.
There was however some howling at Walcott in the first 30 mins (including myself). Nothing too shocking, but in my opinion was warranted as he appeared not to be trying!!
Plenty of singing towards the Spurs fans throughout. Amongst my favourite was during the time when their supporters started to drift out of the stadium at 4/5 – 2.
“Is there a fire drill”
“Is there a fire drill”
I agree that the fans were poor until Sagna scored, but I did enjoy the singing of “Pays tax when he wants”!
Rasp. You make a good point about the fans. Even Liverpool who supposedly have the best fans have booed their team this season, despite having their best season for some time.
As you say, it is modern human nature.
And you are also right about consistency. Win the next 3 games and we can talk of resurgence. Lose them and yesterday is just a highlight of a difficult season
Agree with you totally Rasp and I would hate you to feel I think otherwise; it is just the use of abuse rather than encouragement that I abhor.
We are neither at our best or our worse at the moment judged by many years supporting the team.
Piers Morgan and LG epitomise what I believe is wrong and the virulent reaction to it by the press on twitter yesterday during the game caused me to comment today.
But hey a 5 – 2 stuffing of the spuds what’s not to like, strange thing have had no call this weekend from my spud brother and he has hardly been off the phone this season, funny that 🙂
In response to 26’s comments on finances and Merson, I would observe that;
a) I don’t mind seeing him on Sky, tho’ I wonder what the purpose of having him on is, because he speaks a form of garrulous, garbled English that I simply do not comprehend.
As a result, I will have to take Slim’s 12:17 on faith that he made that statement! 🙂 and ;
b) I think many were surprised when I showed, last week, that an examination of last year’s Accounts revealed that, at the moment, Arsenal only break even on the footballing front, without the profits generated by a surplus of player sales over acquisitions, and with the profits on disposal of properties, which are rapidly tailing off.
I have not yet seen the 6 months figures, other than the headlines, but I suspect the same to apply. Football profits breaking even, plus the surplus on the sale of Nasti and Fab, over the acquisitions of the Ox, Mert, Arteta etc, together with a small contribution from property sales, again.
We shall see.
The much mooted “we have £100 million in the bank to spend on players FFS” is and was so much hogwash coming out of LG and other sites. Cash at bank, is part of what is known as ‘working capital’ and as anyone who has run a business knows, it is what it says on the tin — it is money used to run the business; to pay the salaries, and the stadium rates and utility bills, as well as other expenses like repaying loans as they become due.
In essence, the profits on the sale of players is what is available to buy new players and pay their salaries, as well as extend/increase existing contracts, until additional revenue is brought into the club by increased commercial deals for shirts, kit, etc.
It is what Arsene has been saying for years. He has to sell players before he can buy new ones, at the moment, which is why the youth academy set up is so critically important to provide us with fresh blood/talent at relatively little cost.
It really is that straightforward. 😉
VCC. I am green with envy ….
Today just gets better and better, I’ve just had a long chat with Pat Rice and his very charming missus. I’m not going to tell you anything except he’s a top bloke – and he’s just like us 😛
Hmmmm, Methinks there must be a post waiting to be written Rasp…… Where is Peaches when we need her 🙂
RA even if the budget is £100m how many realise that a three year contract for RVP on £130k a week plus a £5m (generally accepted thats the kind of money he will get elsewhere) signing fee will cost us one quarter of said budget.
On the type of supporter comments, I just spoke to my Mum, she said it was all encouraging stuff around them apart from a large inebriated guy who sat down next to her about 3 mins after kick off. In the next 20 minutes she said all kind of uneducated football nonsense was coming from his mouth and spewing bile at the team. As Adebayor slotted the penalty he stood up and walked out never to return. Some things in life…PRICELESS.
That said yesterday confirmed their self belief that they are the lucky mascots and are looking forward to attending the Emirates for our 5-0 thrashing of Milan 😀
Rasp,
Are you a private eye, and were you hacking Pat’s ‘phone?? 🙂
RA. Once again a brilliantly simple explanation.
However, we live in a society where financial prudence is considered foolish. Why wait and save and pay for something when one can just flash a credit card? Why save money when the banks offer below inflation interest rates?
So why sit on a valuable asset without borrowing against it in an attempt to make the asset more valuable?
Rasp how great is that! As my niece would say “well jell” which I think translates to very jealous 🙂
I like your parents, GIE, simply from your comments alone!! 🙂
Hope they get to see all our remaining home games!
Rasp. Tell all – no-one will grass you up!
GiE, when I saw him I punched the air and we had a lengthy manhug – he’s an Arsenal fan through and through.
RA 😆 I wouldn’t dream of hacking PR’s phone and I am careful never to ask him anything that would make him uncomfortable.
OK Raddy, I’ll tell you one thing that shouldn’t be viewed as a betrayal of confidence. Mrs Rice sits with the player’s wives and family and she said that for the first time as far as she was aware, Tomas Rosicky’s dad was at the game and there was significant waving and nodding between the two before and after the game
Raddy,
You are spot on. Just take, for instance, the guy who borrowed against 3 years (?) future ticket sales revenue at Glasgow Rangers and has wrecked that fine club!!
I bet Micky Is purring like one of his pussies this moment in time ! 🙂
Oh by the way I did have another theory on our performance that maybe only is viewing on TV picked up, a few players had definitely been for a big game hair cut, Mikel, Bac and Theo all stood out as perfectly coiffured for the game, not that Theo had much left to coiff 🙂
Rasp sounds great
…… oh and Pat makes a few bob on the side cutting the grass on his days off…….
Patrice grew up on the streets around Highbury, being the same age as my Dad I think they often had kicked a ball together. I know how nuts my Dad is about Arsenal, what must it be like for a youngster who lived next door to Highbury and then worked for the club for the next 40 odd years.
Hi all,
Isn’t it great to go into a Monday morning warmed by the glowing satisfaction that we smashed our muted neighbours, and put them back in their place!
They must have heard 26 was returning to write an incisive critique of their performance, so well done 26!
My ratings were based on listening to the game on TalkSport and catching highlights on MotD, so feel free to disagree.
I’m beginning to despise Liverpool as much as Man Utd. Maybe it’s because of the gushing praise being heaped on the much over-rated Dalglish, or the fact that the Beeb’s CC Final coverage was more like a cosy scouse love-in, but I know we have the ability to expose ‘King’ Kenny for the fraud that he is this weekend.
We owe them a doing. I still haven’t forgiven them for the 2008 CL QF.
Anyone else like the way Bacary described 5pur2 as “the enemey” in his post match interview ? 🙂
FOYS.
Great report 26 and pretty much goes with what happened yesterday, much better than the rubbish report I read in the Sun earlier, that is for sure.
A great day yesterday and I can honestly say I never lost the belief, even when we were two-nil down, honestly. The girl who sits next to me was slumped in her seat after their second goal, following Galen’s dive in the box and she looked very sad. I put my arm around and said “Come on, its our turn this year to go two down and we will come back and win 3-2”.
I loved the “Pays tax when he wants” chant, but I also really enjoyed the “Adebayor, whats the score one very much too.”
Gareth Bale didn’t dive – he was reaching for a vine but ran out of jungle
D98 😀 😀
hahahahahahahahah
I thought Bale was doing his audition for the Catalans, proving that he is every bit as good at diving as them.
I don’t think enough has been made of how tactically pathetic Rednapp was yesterday……….amateurish.
Good post 26
Now my hysterical laughter has ceased, my conclusions on the game are simple. We beat Totnumb because we are simply a better team. This recent media nonsense about how good they are is simply farcical. We had a dreadful summer which resulted in an awful start, losing our 3 most talented midfield players. During the season weve had 4 full backs out. How right was Rocky when he banged on about that, our game relys on overlapping fullbacks.
I expected the boys to not only beat them but also give them a right good pasting, and they delivered. Totnum have not dominated Arsenal since the 1960,s, they have had small periods when there team has been better or on a par with us, but these periods are few and far between. The best thing about yesterdays result was that it smashed there delusion that somehow we are a club in decline.
Going forward there are so many good ingredients at the club it is extraordinary. We are not the same club when Arsene first came through the door. We were at that time a great English club with wonderful history. We are now a European powerhouse and its time for lift off so buckle your seat belts.
OOOH 98 You are awful but i like you 🙂
Dam, 8 minutes too late to ask any passing 5pud2 what the time is.
Chary – plenty of time.. its gonna be five to Wenger until next season
Writing a ‘where are we now’ post about the squad, finances and th future.
Am I right in thinking we have an accountant on the site? Pretty sure someone admitted to that before.
Would anyone like to help me pick over the accounts?
Quite a revealing comment from ex-Spurs, Mickey Hazard, commenting on their 5:2 thrashing by the mighty Gunners!;
–““For me, it seems like a blip. We were caught out by the quality of Arsenal’s closing down I think that took us by surprise – certainly we didn’t expect that. But I believe it’s just a blip. We are far too good a team for it to be anything else.”
We all know that our closing down has not been consistently well done this season, as I think Wonderman in particular said, but how ironic if that caught the Spuds out.
Nothing to do with our superior team or the 5 great goals we scored, against their fluke goal and one cheat’s penalty goal, then?
Great post 26, and welcome back.Had to duck in to read it and you didn’t disappoint!
Still buzzing from the game, i’ve told everyone who would listen about the game today, and in oz no-one cares, but i don’t care i’ll still dribble away. I’ve watched nearly every sport imaginable, football, my aussie rules team winning premierships, ufc after ufc, but yesterday topped it for me! You lot must be on cloud 9 over there especially when you feel the rivalry and get to rub it into scum supporters!
@ RA
that post from the tottenham supporter is hilarious, how delusional can you get?! 1-3 hahahaha.
@ GiE
cheers for your expertise on the goalkeeping situation. As someone who has studied bio-mechanics and human movement, it just seemed strange that you would shift all your weight to one side, in an attempt to sway a player slightly, knowing full well it will limit the power you generate in your dive.
Snowing again. And I don’t care. Gives me another reason to re-watch the game
Wowee,
That Arsenal Player is brilliant. Superb pic, fantastic commentary (I am a Gunner. Why would I want it to be impartial?), and superb sound from my laptop’s Bang % Olufsen powered laptop 🙂
Thanks for the tip off GliC.
Now I can fully understand all of your ravings, we were superb.
Paul Merson. Oh dear. I cannot remember a season when his predictions didn’t go wrong.
Jamie,
Is there an accountant on this site?
Its real name is Exile, Shark, Arse and Son’s Associates.
Oz didn’t really get to finish my reply to you as my clients arrived for a brekkie meeting.
Anyway you are right Sz does shift his weight, although he may feel it is more about springing off from that leg more, each GK moves in his own way.
However what I was going to finish saying earlier is I don’t recommend the GK tries to con the kicker by faking right or left, the pressure is on the striker and if you try and read them and remember what worked and what didn’t eventually you will save more than you concede.
That said I played against non league opponents, i think PL players are a little less obvious as the ones I faced, I think I was about 75% saves in my last few years of playing.
I remember one game when I saved a penalty taken by the CB, he had tried to give me the eyes, then they got another one he tried to give me the eyes again and I saved it, except this time he went the same way as he looked on the run up. Its a battle of the mind as much as the taking. (and like i said earlier when they place the ball they tend to look where they are going to go). What also helped in my favour was after his first miss my centre forward said “god he made that look easy, you must have given him the eyes, don’t worry he you’re not the first to try it”, so when he came down for the second one he thought he would try and outfox me based on what my centre forward had told him. 😀 😀 I bought my centre forward a pint for that one.
GiE,
Tell Oz about the one you saved after blowing a giant smoke ring at him during the run up
Or the one where you pulled the tab on your can of larger just as he was about to pull the trigger, making that really irritating ptss noise
Actually Micky its:
Transplant Arse Shark Bydis Exile & Co
😀
You are all outnumbered 😉
Micky I was a fine young fit tee total and social smoking specimen back then.
I got married though 😦
GiE – legal team wise on AA we can only form “Sue Grabbit and 26 May Run & Co.” 🙂
http://vimeo.com/37479384
I suspect this spud did not enjoy his Sunday lunch…..Team selection and substitutions pathetic.
Lennon should have been on the pitch after 20 minutes with Arsenal reeling.
Adebayor played in red today.
Moving Modric to the left is like playing Gerrard in his prime to the the left midfield for England Harry!!!!!
Rafa obviously not fit along with King.
Just a massive cock up!!!!
ive always wondered about my fellow Accountants on here. I know Redders teaches the tax man and Sharkey works for some big firm. But GiE and Chary, do you guys work for large firms, partners, or self employed? GiE knows ime self employed and have to change the name of my firm every month. hahahahaha
Jeepers,
I dare anyone to sue us!
Mr Syrup man, at the momen I work in the public sector but I started out in practice(obviously I suppose as that’s where you qualify) then went to the not for profit(I.e. Spocial Housing) after spells in commerce.
Done a bit of everything me.
Micky. Do not worry, there is a place on AA for bums like us!
And then there are unemployed ( though they might prefer retired ) gentlemen.
All happy and proud today.
GIE – They say a man is incomplete until he is married.
Then he is finished.
And when he has kids he is completely undone.
Not for Profit? Except for Accountants 😀
TMHT I am self employed too…altho I tend to steer clear of tax and audit etc. In fact I steer clear of anything year end’s just because its work I do not enjoy. I mainly do Management Accounts for retailers (Budgens/Londis store owners, Shell, Esso and other commission operator fuel traders, plus a few fuel dealers). Rest of my client base is made up of local owner managed businesses who need a bit more hands on throughout the year than a traditional end of year accountant gives them.
My business slogan is “Taking Care of Business” As we are the caring sharing cuddly type of accountants.
That’s what I’m in it for GiE ! 🙂
I too was In the Finance/Banking business before I became semi-retired In Award Winning Cornwall, I didn`t actually work for any Bank/Finance institution but they were very generous in their donations !. 😉
Great report 26!!
Tomas Rosicky performance last night reminded me one thing, we never really tried to find his replacement after 08/09 season, or to be exact a proper no 7. He’s a great heir to Pires, a deserved one, but after his lengthy absence he never really make a darting runs into the box like he did last night.
I thought at that time he didnt want to push himself too much because of the persistence injury problems that he had. I think its a shame that it takes a few years before he can have a consistent run in the team and can play for the full 90 min.
And I believe the failure to find a replacement for him is the main reason we resorted to tippy tappy football, because before the emergence of Jack Wilshere nobody can really provide the drive from the midfield like he did.
26
A fine report – and what a lucky blighter you are to have pulled this particular Post writing shift 🙂
Lots of good comments.
One question: what proportion of the home fans were abusing Theo?
From the telly it felt like the home support stayed really positive even at two-nil down.
Rob
Good point.
TR7 has had some good games for us this season, but for a very long time he has never had a proper run in the first team.
If yesterday was a sign of what he’s capable of when he gets a proper run, then let’s hope to Dennis he stays fit for the rest of the season.
Little Mozart indeed.
I found 2 spuds to torrement, they were no game, just surrounded saying we had a good day! Bastards
That Bale is going to regret yesterday. I officially hate him
But I hate even more those who were booing Theo yesterday, that is a dis-bloody-grace! We talked a lot about booing, but it is quickly becoming a custom at the Ems. SOMETHING has to be done about it.
Rocky,
Where I was no-one was abusing Theo.
There were the usual groans when he made a bad decision but nothing more than that.
It may have been different in other parts of the ground.
Where’s this booing/abusing Theo story come from?
I didnt hear anyone abuse Theo. I was at the back so had no one behind me and next to me were a father and son who were so quiet I thought they were spuds. At half time in the bar I was standing behind some blokes explaining how wenger was tactically inept and that Theo would be replaced by the Ox at half time. Generally i thought the fans were up for it. it was noticed in the ground that dean was willing the ball into the net for the first scum goal. He is dodgy like most of the refs in this country. If the press were saying there was abuse I’d take that with a pinch of salt. They are mostly dirty, lying cocksuckers and they thrive on that sort of thing.
harry for england. I’d have capello anyday.
Chas – I have heard from other supporters and it was on the radio, that Theo was given hell. At one stage Wenger stood up and looked up at the stands shacking his head. You made your point that it was not you and we have to believe it, but someone is guilty as hell
Interesting Chas
I’m worried by the likes of that Matt Dickinson article for the Times.
The whole media attitude to Arsenal is so negative at the moment that even when we have a wonderful game and performance like yesterday, it seems they have to find stuff to bash us over the head with.
I have no doubt there are quite a few individual idiots who will shout abuse at the likes of Theo and Ramsey.
But what proportion of the crowd are they? Are they 1%? Out of 57,000 home fans that would be 570 people, with 56,430 people being supportive.
Maybe it’s more, I don’t know. But most of the AA-ers who were at the game seem not to have been surrounded by the sort of people Dickinson has described.
I’m not saying there’s not a problem, but I am questioning the scale of it.
And by the way, groaning when a player messes up a promising move has been part of live football ever since the first game I went to back in the late 60s.
Cheers Chary & GiE, interesting stuff, God bless Accountants everywere.
I forgot about Cornwalls “Bank Job”. hahahahha
evonne I don’t think there was the booing that was reported. Would you really trust a reporter to tell the truth/ I mean sports journalist not all reporters BTW
Szczesny: “It was probably one of the best feelings I have ever had. It is the first time I have beaten Spurs and it is just great.”
The funniest thing on twitter is the retweeting of the spuds tweets before the game and when they were 2 up and the tweets about the abuse they are getting from gooners.
Evonne, you’re just as guilty as the journalists if you’re spreading the story that Theo was booed.
GM
Can you show us some of the Spudder tweets?
Theo was not booed were i was, a few people were giving him a bit of stick and there was general groaning when he miscontroled the ball a couple of times but thats normal.
I still think Theo will be a great player. How old is RVP? 28 or something like that, deliciously at his peak. How many people would have forseen he would be this good when he was Theos age.
In 2 years time we will have 5 England regulars in the starting line up, Theo, Jack, Ox, Gibbs & Jenks. Combine this with the brilliant foreign talent and we will be winning the European Cup and league at a canter. Good times ahead.
My happiest moment of the game, well the point where i laughed hardest was during the Ole’s.
Jenkinson and Rosicky must have passed the ball five yards between each other about 8 or 9 times while the Ole’s got quicker and quicker and the ball went absolutely nowhere before TR7 got bored and turned it somewhere else. HAHAHAHHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAH
Go to Arsenal Player at about 48:30 in the second half full…..much joy to be had
chas ,
can you find that picture of Szczesny hugging the ballboy, I`ve seen it on newsnow somewhere and on Talksport tweets.
GM must be busy doing a perm or something:
http://twitter.com/keiththegooner/status/174156501504638976
GlenBocking @gb2point0
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FavoritedFavorite · Close Open Details Today can fuck off, stupid football! The gooner at work was convinced we’d tear them a new one, he’ll be chirpy today I dare say…
Darrell Hill @dazthfchill
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· Close Open Details All the arsenal fans have came out of the woodwork at work.
Adam Cornell @adam_cornell
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FavoritedFavorite · Close Open Details Can’t believe I just got done at work. “What’s the time Ad?”… Me “Its 5 to”. Cue laughing from all the Arsenal fans! Hahahaha. Dicks!
Martin Newson @newson_m
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FavoritedFavorite · Close Open Details I know its the enviroment i work in but if one more woolwich follower asks me the time…….Get over it and just keep on looking up#COYS
chris jones @jonesy_1986
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FavoritedFavorite · Close Open Details Mate what a horrible day nonstop abuse!even the postman was a gooner he was only here for 15seconds and ripped me apart, #wankygooners
Des Walsh @desTHFC
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FavoritedFavorite · Close Open Details our starting team looks great and our bench is fantastic too! Now lets smash these woolwich wankers! #coys
Des Walsh @desTHFC
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FavoritedFavorite · Close Open Details our starting team looks great and our bench is fantastic too! Now lets smash these woolwich wankers! #coys
Des Walsh @desTHFC
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FavoritedFavorite · Close Open Details our starting team looks great and our bench is fantastic too! Now lets smash these woolwich wankers! #coys
Spot the spud
Hahahahahhahahahah blinkered:
http://twitter.com/talk_shite/status/174163040877551617
Here’s one, glic
http://twitpic.com/8p5hjs
Pre match optimism:
and the other
http://t.co/gwY9dc6O
Nice one chas,
That look on his face tells us of his love for Arsenal !
You are all very, very naughty peeps, laughing at the poor old Spuds fans.
Some of them have been ‘colourful’ in their choice of vocabulary when tearing ‘Arry and his team apart, but they are complete novices when compared to the bilious vituperation which some of our ignoble ‘fans’ are capable of when their ire is stoked.
On the other hand, I have been to matches where perfectly normal fans have groaned aloud with disappointment when someone makes a cock up, or ooooohed when a shot has gone marginally wide, or have felt perfectly entitled to give a referee absolute dog’s abuse for making a controversial decision. And I have been one of them! Sorry!
That said – I cannot bring myself to verbally abuse, let alone boo a lad in the Red and White — better to say nothing, which is my default position.
Life is not fair — and neither are all fans, all the time.
“Van der Vaart rules out Sp*rs for the title”
No shit Sherlock.
The humor on AA today [and most days] is great, especially when I am a little under the weather, the tweets, the vids, the comments — except it really hurts when I laugh — in particular, I will never forgive the award winning ‘Bank Job’ Glic!!! 🙂
Just a thought — Bank Job — not a double entendre to fool an innocent Yank is it? 🙂
Darren @DarrenArsenal1
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FavoritedFavorite · Close Open Details Wow via @AlexFortyNine: another #arsenal share bought today at the price of £16,750 .. Price keeps rising
This i love!!
GIE
Hahahahahahahaha
Muppets
I like these two especially
http://twitter.com/keiththegooner/status/173916171198935041
I`m curious, anyone know what the original ( or lowest ) price for an Arsenal share was ?
from a spud site
Trev said: 2012.02.26 19:02
Having seen the replays, someone needs to tell Bale to STOP DIVING AND FEIGNING INJURY! He’s becoming an embarrassement to us. Oh yeah, and he was shit today and has to stop believing the hype! Someone wants to offer £50m – sell sell sell. He’s a 10 good games a season man. F***ing sickenting day. No guts and a genuine belief we could just turn up and swagger our way thru it.
Not much has been said about how AW set up the team yesterday.
It seemed different with little coming down the left side of attack and almost all through the centre and the right. I cannot recall Theo running off his wing so often in a game, nor Song getting forward so little. Did we play 4-4-2?
A tactical explanation is needed.
Anyone game?
Rob Kemble @robkemble
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FavoritedFavorite · Close Open Details Can u help me with a crossword mate? Jewish football club 2 up 5 down?
GLIC. Back in the late-90’s I was offered 5 shares by a friend. At that time they were around 3k.
AT the time I had the money but instead bought a BMW. My financial acumen has never been in doubt 🙂
princeboateng said: 2012.02.26 19:30
we were beat by the better team,,arsenal wanted it more,,van persie was unbelievable,,we just couldnt get near him,,a dead cert for player of the year
Reply talktottenham said: 2012.02.26 19:42
Agreed on that. He’s the best striker in the world bar none. God help the gooners when he leaves in the summer!
Reply Trev said: 2012.02.26 20:13
Half a team if he leaves. But I’ve had gooners all year tell me that Adebayor will be great for 6 months then look like a donkey. Maybe its started ‘cos he was one today!
Reply trugun said: 2012.02.26 23:20
Naa Ades still flirting with you, you will realy see how shite he is when you hand over the dosh to city!
If you want to know what happened on their timeline after that, well:
@joederrett went quiet about the game a limp “still 3rd” in response to a jibe i guess.
@markszymko also went on a tirade of 7points and all that at Jack and Ian Poulter, also said no to Arry out
@jozartdj was happy he won some money on the game….typical spud
@mowGlii got very depressed
Reply dazzler said: 2012.02.26 20:17
fucken faggits…Learn to back the boys, one off day doesnt make us shit…one good game from the fuckwits doesnt suddenly make them a good team…somebody just needs to snap RVP the ugly fucks leg!!!! then they have nothing!!! honest boys, have faith third is still ours…
btw Bale did not dive, anyone who jumps on the bandwagon needs to get their mind out of their fucken arse, watch it again and there is clear contact by gibbs…any man would have gone down. if you say differently then go fuck yourself….
spurs for third at least. on todays performance i think we will beat man u easily. fuckin axe carrick, hate the lad. never will i forgive him!!!
hahah GM I love that reply from trugun….
Raddy I think it was still 4-3-3, but the way it has to work is the same way Barca play it, the wide players make diagonal runs towards the goal from wide positions, this then creates room for fullbacks to overlap and gives a team with undisciplined wide players problems, do the full backs track the run or wait for the overlap, if they don’t track the run the centre backs are dealing with three players coming at them at pace, and they need the centre midfielder to help out, but he is too busy dealing with the diagonal runs too, plus the attacking midfielder (TR7 in our case).
One thing on Theo, the thing I have asked him to do all season is dictate where the pass goes, yesterday for both his goals he did that, RvP was holding the ball up, and because Theo was just bombing forward RvP could roll it into his path, the same for his second, he curves his run and starts to move before Song sees him, which then makes Songs job a bit easier as he can play the pass knowing where Theo wants it.
hahahahahaha, mowGlii got very depressed. If only i had his number, i could cheer him up.
A woman of a certain age visited her physician to ask his advice on reviving her husband’s libido.
‘What about trying Viagra?’ asked the doctor.
‘Not a chance’, she said… ‘He won’t even take an aspirin.’
‘Not a problem,’ replied the doctor. ‘Give him an ‘Irish Viagra’…
‘What’s Irish Viagra?’, she asked.
It’s when you drop the Viagra tablet into his coffee. He won’t even taste it. Give it a try and call me in a week to let me know how things went..’
Less than a week later, she called the doctor, who directly inquired as to her progress.
The agitated woman exclaimed, ‘Oh, my goodness, wringle my wrangle, it was horrid! Just terrible, doctor!’
‘Really? What happened?’ asked the mystified doctor.
‘Well, I did as you advised and slipped it in his coffee and the effect was almost immediate.
My man jumped straight up, with a huge smile on his face, a twinkle in his eye and with his pants a-bulging fiercely! With one swoop of his arm, he sent my cups and tablecloth flying, ripped my clothes to tatters and took me then and there — passionately on the tabletop!
It was a nightmare, I tell you, an absolute nightmare!’
‘Why was it so terrible?’ asked the doctor, ‘Do you mean the sex your husband provided wasn’t any good?’
‘Freakin’ hell, it was the best sex I’ve had in 25 years! But sure as I’m sittin’ here, I’ll never be able to show me face in Starbucks again.
GIE Thanks. I love those curved runs, when they work it looks effortless yet requires great skill from both players
Glic, @ 5:41 = £1.
Bloody Hell 3 grand a share, with the spare money from my laundrette back then I could have a place overlooking the Emirates now !
Poor old Mowgli , Back to the bear necessites for him then !
GIE
The two passes by Robin and Song were fantastic for Theo. he was quite unlucky earlier when one of his chance went slightly wide.
Atkinson is reffing the spud mancscum game on Sunday. His first one since the drunken front bottom told him off and had to sit on the naughty step. It will be interesting to see how he does. parker is suspended.
F**k me, a £1 Redders, I could have been rich beyond my wildest dreams ! 😦
glic jnr is back, he hasn`t seen the game, so I`m off to watch It again !
An old man challenged his grandson to get a worm back into it’s hole for a 2 shilling prize. The boy thought about it for a couple of days then sprayed the worm with extra hold hairspray and pushed it back into the hole, The grandad, amazed, gave him his two shillings. The next day the boy was in the garden and his grandad gave him a pound. “but you gave me two shillings yesterday grandad”
“that’s from your grandma” replied the old man
Glic, baby, you would also have to be over 100 years old. 🙂
I have not looked up the historical details, to be honest, but I think they were Issued as Ordinary £1 Shares, which meant that the original shareholders would have paid the company a multiple of that amount, i.e 10,000 shares = £10,000.
Over the years the shares would have been sold on at a premium, so in Raddy’s case, if he had bought the shares offered to him he would have paid £3,000 for a £1 Ordinary share.
If true, whoever bought that share today was paying £16k for a nominal £1 Ordinary share.
Even if you factor in a DCF (discounted cash flow) for the value of £1 100 years ago, compared with the value of a £1 today, that is still a nice profit.
I am not sure of the exact details – [could not be arsed to look] but that is how it would work (ish) 🙂
GM, 🙂
Raddy,
“Bums like us” 🙂
Everything about me says no to being a professional. Call me old fashioned, but let’s hear it for the amateur 🙂
On the Theo booing. Watching the game on ARsenal Player, the commentators did mention it. However, the shouty minority always pick their moment, and only sounding off during periods of quiet it always sounds worse than it really is.
One thing that is very obvious is Theo has enormous support from the players, RvP always the first over to Theo to thank him for an assist or praise him for a goal.
Micky. Damn right.
When my father bribed me to become an Accountant I can still remember my reply ….. “but I wanted to be a Lion Tamer” !
Still feel the same today.
Micky. Watch the interview above. It is an insight into the relationship between RvP and Theo. RvP clearly sees himself as a father figure.
Strange that Raddy, my father had plans for me, and guess what, I really did become a sea lion trainer
Micky. I forgot that wonderful story 😀
Between us we would have an exceptional CV !
BR,
Apologies to our professionals, but I’d employ someone with a Raddy/Micky CV every time 🙂
Actually, that bloke Paul you mentioned drinking with outside the Plymsol was one!
Listen Monster, I am not spreading any rumours, just asking a question, as I am very concerned, all right? Now…
Liverpool won the Carling Cup. What would you rather happened yesterday – 5:2 or the Carling Cup for us? Stupid question
for the first time in a long time they played without fear didn’t they. Down 2-0 and they just kept playing their game. Let’s hope it lasts.
Tomorrow night 8.30 on 5 live special 1hour programme on Arsenal and their financial position
I’d take the 5-2 evonne. At the end of the season the bindippers would swap the cc for a CL space.
From where I was there was no hatred towards Walcott, a couple of groans in the first half but nothing nasty. This idea that some Arsenal supporters have a hatred campaign against Theo is a Talk Shite invention.
From what I remember the bindippers have won thier last 3 trophies on pens. The CL milan FAC West ham and yesterday
LB
I sat next to one in the Villa cup game, he was saying he’d have lemon any day. he left with 15 minutes to go so i dismissed him as a stupid wanker
Marcotti speaking on 5 live now, adamant that Walcott was badly abused yesterday. Sorry LB it is to prevalent in the media not to have some substance, seems a lot of it was in the press box area. Where ever that might be.Even AW has spoken of it and said he considered taking him off.
GM – me too, any day! You chose the games to go well 🙂 How did you get a ticket?
Can any one help me please.
I,m stuck on a question on the crossword.
Jewish football club…2 up 5 down?
Thanks for a fine report 26th.
Well on the radio and television it has been said Theo was booed and that Wenger stood up and faced the fans. Anyway AW had the vision to keep him on, and theo grew some balls, so well done him on the day.
Strange stadium The Emirates as it appears wherever you sit you either hear something or you don’t not like the old days at Highbury with up to 38K close knit fans, A good majority of the extra 22K at our new place who are new age fans,are only there for the ride and the hospitallity.and only want to see us winning.They should look up the word support.
Dandan
Marcotti has an agenda: to create a story, while I, one of the most critical of Theo, did not hear any of this hatred that is being spouted out on Talk Shite/5 Live. The only reason I can come up with as to why they are doing it is because they are flumuxed over our win and are now running around like headless chickens trying to find a stick to beat Arsenal with……………..cue Theo.
GIE
There are always a few exceptions.
Leyton Orient 😉 6 up 5 down.They got snookered.
Groans were definitely audible on TV, but I don’t think anymore than usual and I don’t think it had reached Arshavin or Denilson levels yet where the cameras could pick out fans being very frustrated, but because of the way Theo’s game turned around, also because Wenger mentioned it with regard to thinking about substituting him due to pressure it has become a big thing today.
But I do think the criticism of Theo is most audible/visible on the web. It was good to see him prove us wrong (and i’m including me in that).
I got it on the exchange evonne with a red membership. I got one for the chav game with my silver but I’ve given it to my son as I can’t go. I’ve only been to about 30-40 games. Apart from the draw with Red Bulls and the CC loss to shitty they’ve all been wins. Including away at old toilet.
sorry just read Rasp 5:44. he beat me to it
Kelsey
There are so many on here who went to the game, name me one who came back on here after the game and commented on Wenger being upset about Theo getting abuse?
Hi all – have to have my twopenneth on the supposed Theo booing, absolutely none where I was sitting. Did I mention I was in the lower tier – hard core me – half way line, sitting next to Nick Mason’s sons. Sorry didn’t discuss anything remotely connected to Floyd 😳
LB,
I didn’t say that did I.? Read it again please.
There was a whole half hour on Radio 5 just now about the game and particularly about Walcott.I can’t be arsed to repeat it but it was not all bad,just split opinions by ex footballers and ex managers.
gm – I will insist that you always attend NLD’s from now on, I will personally make sure you have a ticket. Thanks for the Peroni fuelled pre-match 🙂
If I was a resercher for TalkShit (And didn’t support Arsenal) I would go to Le Grove every day to see what they are moaning about then get Adrian Durham blow it out of proportion. Then it has been on the radio so it must be true.
I was sitting right opposite Arsene and I don’t even remember him coming out of his seat – although I was watching the game and not him. What did strike me was that there wasn’t a single rendition of ‘one Arsene Wenger’ or ‘Arsene, Arsene give us a wave’
I did see Pat Rice out of his seat though urging the team not to be too deep in the final 5-10 minutes.
Goodnight all
Kelsey
Please go and read your own first sentence again and then hopefully you will understand why I was trying to put the emphasise of the honestly of the first hand experiences of regular bloggers on this site over the “Radio and television” you refer to.
kelsey – don’t go, stay and talk to me. Oh no it’s already late in Spain, did you tape the game? I think I might have to watch it a bit more 😉
Silly me there was whole half hour report on Talk Shite, well, my my it must be true then, never mind the first hand experiences of all the regular bloggers on here that witnessed the game first hand.
You are too quick to get upset Kelsey.
LB – maybe it was upper tier? But where? You sit across from where I was, maybe the other side of you around 95,96 they’re a load of stuffed shirts.
I do know that Diamond Level above me was filled with spuds and my friend complained to the stewards but they said there was nothing that could be done. In fact my spud cousin was proabably sitting in Diamond somewhere.
I try, see ya.
If the commentators new about it it would have been around the sky box which is behind 95, 96. Don’t fall out with kelsey about it, he’s in Spain, what chance has he got to know what really happened? I know there were groans but thats normal, who knew in the first half what would happen in the 2nd half.
If Arsene could hear it clearly it must have been close to him as we know that the sound gets stuck at the Emirates.
It was a pleasure Peaches. I went back on my own after the game for a drink to soak up the atmosphere. I had a great day. Thanks.
GM – you are the lucky charm!! We should be buying you tickets!
It’s bloody impossible to know what is true and what isn’t, terribly frustrating. I know that media exaggerate and manipulate information, but I don’t believe they fabricate it; no smoke without fire?
One way or another Theo scored twice, but good goals, so if there was any booing those boo-boys must feel bad now
I’m not Theo’s biggest fan but I would never boo him. I hope he realises his obvious potential. The only time I ever booed was at the end of the Red Bulls game. I was pissed and thought we were booing the Red Bulls like you do the panto villain. I’m never going to a game pissed again.
gm 3:22.
The clip has been deleted. Have you another link please?
The Walcott Issue ?
It defends what you define as abuse.
Did they boo, certainly not on mass. Did they chuck something at him or sing a nasty song?
No they didn’t do that either.
However in the 16 games I’ve been to this year I have heard the following and remember he plays on the win, he is close to the lower west in the first half yesterday.
“Walcott you have the touch of a rapist”
“Walcott you are effing useless”
“Your pathetic Walcott”
Some twenty stone moron “shouting I’m better than you”
“wake up you lazy c-word”
In fact having sat in the north upper, west upper, east upper, west lower and north lower this season, I would say that I have probably heard the c- word almost exclusivelg in connection with Theo.
Then imagine how many might have said something like that in the five minutes after he passed the ball back to RVP when clean through.
Storm in a tea cup? Absolutely
Should a 70k a week player be able to take it on the chin? Absolutely
Does a gooner deserve that ten times a game? No he doesn’t, I briefly met him and sat in a fans q&a with him last summer and I have to say he was smashing, he also has 8 goals in all comps so whatever his faults and there are many, I think there are bigger problems in the squad.
Is this getting more common in the ground? I have genuinely had two games this season where I was more than two feet away from the nearest idiot yelling crap at the team. I’m actually sick off it. I come to support my team.
In my experience the north bank lower are by far the worst. I seriously don’t think 70per cent of them even watch the game. Maybe I see it more because I have different seat each game.
Let’s recap here: the premise of my first comment was that I thought this Walcott hatred idea was a talk shite invention and that not one single regular heard any of the booing that talk shite are trying to suggest happened.
Kelsey came on at 8.06 and said that there was a whole half hour special on talk shite saying it did happen, I referred him to the regulars who came on here after the game as being better witnesses than talk shit. That is not a criticism of Kelsey, it is a criticism of the Radio and TV he refers to.
Just trying to help kelsey – who has never been to the Emirates – understand how difficult it is for something to happen and everyone to know about it.
LB – did you see Arsene stand up and look to the stands?
See what happened??? Instead of gloating and enjoying the victory, we are arguing amongst ourselves over something that either did not happen at all or was hugely exaggerated. Brilliant job of Arsenal haters
LB he never mentioned talk sport because it was not on there. I had already told you that it was on Radio 5 and on twitter all through the match untill he scored. I don’t know where the Journo’s box is located but it was around there. The C word was being used over and over again plus other stuff.
Sometimes perhaps you could lighten up on your cynicism and accept that other bloggers on here are not all necessarily naive or rabble rousing.
I’m not arguing. It didn’t happen.
I’ve had a lovely day. 🙂
Chas 🙂 You!!
Hahahahahahahahahahahahahaha
And we won the cricket
Hahahahahahahahahahahaha
I’ve had a lovely day too …… just one more family of spuds I need to get hold of ….. maybe they’re avoiding me 😉
One of my builders did get very cross with me for writing the score on the back of his van though, he told me that it scratches the paint!!!!!!!
VCC
I can’t find the clip but he has a youtube channel called vlad video. he’ll put it on there at some point. He’s got a nice tribute to AA.
evonne
We’re not arguing 🙂
Is this it?
http://rutube.ru/tracks/5365036.html
Same photo large
Ahhhh bless Bacary
Actually the real reason for posting that is Ludivines profile pic
Dandan
I will never lighten up on my cynicism or criticism of anti Arsenal bile that is put out by the media.
If you chose to believe that Walcott was abused because it was on one radio programme or another that is your choice, my point was, that is MY original point before you chose to add your tupence worth was that not one regular respected blogger came on after the game and mentioned that Walcott was abused.
Perhaps you believe people on the radio more than the respected bloggers on here, I don’t, you should try going to a game once in a while, you might get a better perspective.
That photo looks immense Chas….why can’t it be like that every week? 😀
Evening LB
Dandan posted an article from the Times (above) in which the journo reported a lot of bile being directed at Walcott. I’ve seen similar reports from a couple of other reporters too.
At least one AA-er mentioned hearing some abuse directed at Theo by one individual fan too (can’t remember which AA-er).
It does seem as if (a) there are some real twunts who sit near the press box at the Ems.
And (b) that judging by the information from you and the other AA-ers who were at the game, the ‘haters’ are clearly a small minority.
I would add, however, that I have seen vile abuse directed towards Theo on several blog sites (not just LG).
Superb innit, GIE.
If only it could be.
If we play against Wigan or Bolton, it just ain’t the same. 🙂
It seems as though many were allowed to stand in the lower tier. I’ve even seen a clip where some were standing in the upper tier too.
It makes such a huge difference.
Stop it Chas, I’m jealous.
At least my son was there to enjoy it.
I was standing almost the whole time!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! It was wonderful. What you can do when you’re standing is hold your scarf aloft while belting out …… by far the greatest team the world has ever seen.
That makes a big difference 🙂
Actually thinking about dvd’s we forgot to sing ‘Shall we make a DVD’ 😆
I still think they should have standing sections behind the goals.
Rocky – I said earlier that for Arsene to hear something it would have to come from near him as it wasn’t a general booing. The press sit at the back of lower tier behind Arsene.
OK
Let me take a different tack, how do we know that Arsene heard something? And by that I mean more than one idiot shouting? That’s to say enough collective abuse to warrant a response from Wenger? What evidence have we seen to validate this claim by the media?
LB
AS GIE has outlined many bloggers and media outlets have carried the same story, but what the heck you are entitled to your opinion. Enjoy
AS for going to games.
I am lucky that with my communicaton set up, I never miss a game, not the same as being there, I agree and were I fit enough I would definitely aquire a club level sea. Unfortunately that degree of fitness I no longer enjoy.So as my kids would have it the command module is where all things Arsenal, both good or bad are Enjoyed in the Dandan household.
Does anyone have any details of the injuries picked up during the game and also if any of our players have withdrawn from internationals?
Dandan
Could you point me to where GIE outines where bloggers have backed up this media story?
“As GIE has outlined many bloggers and media outlets have carried the same story, but what the heck you are entitled to your opinion.”
Rocky
I have gone through every single comment and I cannot see where an AAer, who was at the game, backs up this media story. Who was it because if he or she has first hand knowledge I would like to hear about it.
LB Apologies, my mistake I should have said Rocky.
Dandan
Well that just took the wind out of my sails
I am lost for words
Have a good night’s sleep, is the best I can do.
Look guys, you get diffent pockets of people at the Grove that got season tickets similar to the ones they had at Highbury.I know a lot of people who sit behind the dugouts and they tend to be the mouthiest lot in the ground, but usualy there abusing the opposition bench. I also know a lot of people in East Upper who are ex firm, abuse no one and are likley to pummel anybody they think is giving it the bigun.
The point is that your always gonna get groups of people that are out of order, cause offence, or irritate at football, thats just the way it is.
I didnt hear Theo get booed, but if he did, he gave the perfect answer
LB
GiE @1.28
Not first hand, but he got it from his Mum, whom I assume he trusts 🙂
Arsenes press conference is on Arsenal player, 2 minutes in, he says the crowd was getting on Theos back after half an hour and I considered pulling him off.
Admittedly, I’m assuming that “spewing bile at the time” probably means Walcott was copping some of his ire.
But maybe GiE’s mum can clarify.
How about getting your mum on here Exile?
dandan
Aside from the sort of abuse mentioned in the Times article, I do think Walcott suffers from the “collective groan” factor more than a lot of other players, but mainly because of the position he plays.
No doubt that is so Rocky, He is also with Ramsey the main target of the Blogger keyboard warriors, but Arsene’s press converence directly addresses a question from the press. Thanks for your help.
chas 9:43.
That’s it, many thanks. lovin it, lovin it , lovin it.
Clock end entrance “P”. We were singing, dancing and jumping almost through the game. Even singing when we went 1-0 and 2-0 down.
As I said earlier there was plenty of positivity around my area even when we were 2-0 down.
On the Walcott issue, I have to admit he got some groans in the first 30 mins, but I never heard any boos.
When we scored the 3rd 4th and 5th I jumped up on the concrete behind the last seat. the steward was jumping up and down too. In my very limeted experience that’s the best time I’ve had at the Emirates.
Chas is the master at finding the vids 🙂
I like that one too.
gm.
My happiest time at the Emirates as well. Although I have not seen many games. It will take some beating.
We had the weather, meeting AA’ers at the Tavern, singing on the coach, singing dancing on our seats at the Emirates. Life does not get much better than this. I am still on a high, and enjoy watching vids like the one chas has put up. Smashing music.
He’s edited it really well to the music too.
Haha I will ask my Mum and Dad more! But as she said it was one bloke and he was gone after twenty minutes when they went 2-0 up.
The groans were audible on TV as I said earlier but were they any worse than normal I don’t know they certainly didn’t seem it I wasn’t there and it didn’t seem much to make a deal out of it.
This is the quote that must people are going with to support the story:
“The crowd were starting to get on his back and you wonder if you’re doing him a favour if you leave him on,” Arsenal boss Wenger said of Walcott.
“Considering the rest of the team were high on confidence, I felt that he has the qualities that we needed – a player who can be direct, go behind the defenders. Nobody else is like that.
“He is a very direct player. You know he can sometimes miss a first touch but still, considering the balance of our team, I felt it was important to keep him in our side.”
To be honest VCC I was impressed by the crowd reaction to the second, I assume lots of people watching on TV like me were texting people at the game to let them know it was a clear dive (peaches received one, as did my parents).
But in the main you could hear encouragement of the team and even applause of intent even if a pass didn’t come off. As that happened you could see the players grow in confidence then when Bacary scored and sprinted back with the ball it was a clear message of intent “we’re coming for ya, let’s see what you can do about it”.
Someone needs to get a video off of Sky (or Arsenal Player) of the fan in front row of lower tier going nuts when RvP scored, I so wanted to be him.
Just seen this on twitter is this an actual quote?
Spurs Legend Jimmy Greaves: “Spurs might have had a better team than Arsenal at times, they have never been a greater club”
Found the article he did say it. Classy piece and actually one of three Spurs men I actually like, along with Chris Hughton and Pat Jennings.
It was back in October
In the People
Spuds celebrate 2-0
Watch that and laugh at just how excited they were to go 2-0 up….. I think they thought game was won because of the so consistent and hard to beat squad Arry has assembled.
I haven’t embedded it as the guys name is a banned word on here and they sing the same to my mind offensive word at the end.
Love this
Haha
Great stuff GiE
Can’t you sleep?
I’d love to see the footage from the Bill Nic for the subsequent five goals 🙂
GIE.
We too received a text stating Bale had dived.
That probably gave us the spirit/anger to get behind our team that had been wronged (once more).
I can’t put my finger on it but, as I’ve stated earlier, our section was singing at 2-0 down and supporting the boys. Well, you could imagine how we went at 2-1. We never had time to stop jumping about when the second one went in.
Then when the third went in, it was party time.
I was cuddling strange men around me.
After it died down a little my Son looked at me and said whose been kissing you? (I had lip stick on my cheek, Don’t know weather it was from a guy or girl. lol)
COYG
Morning all
I couldn’t sleep again and was thinking about Theo and booring and have decided that if Chas could not find a video to substantiate the accussation, means that there is no such video and the booing did not happen.
Micky – did you manage to watch the whole game yet?
I think we should just leave the Theo booing business alone. It has been done to death, don’t you think?
We should move on to the positives — Theo scored two wonderful goals and looked brilliant. Now that is the real story!! 🙂
here here Red Arse.
Theo, like any other player, would get some agitating groans from some/most supporters if they appeared not to try.
It is not a Theo thing, but as of late he has been what you might call a little off colour.
Some Arsenal supporters are a little fickle, but in my experience we are a good crowd.
The only gripe I would have, is we are not as vociferous as I would like.
Just imagine what teams would think if we were to be as loud as we were on Sunday ALL THE TIME. Fortress Emirates.
Hi VCC, 🙂
The stadium is brilliant, but the noise from the fans seems to get absorbed unless everyone is singing/chanting in unison.
Otherwise one song cancels out another. It is to do with the effect sound waves on each other, and can result in ‘white noise’ — possibly!! 🙂
Evonne,
Yes, I watched it yesterday. Fantastic on ArsenalPlayer as you have Gunner Commentators (who did mention the Theo abuse. You could clearly hear one vociferous bloke. Not booing, just one or two morons, and as they sit behind Arsene lower tier, I suspect that’s Arsene’s beef).
Point taken Red Arse.
It appeared to be rocking where I was on Sunday.
dandan
Oh do behave!
I clearly spotted your schoolboy humour @11:13 where you say that Arsene considered “pulling him off”.
Its not new, its not particularly clever, but it is very funny 🙂
Morning all.
LB,
I think I am entitled to answer you, as you just don’t read properly what I said, or perhaps as per usual you are looking for an arguement just for arguements sake.
Maybe I am not a respected blogger on here in your eyes. I am not on AA from day one just for the sake of it.
Sensitive no way but again I find you condescending in your remarks to myself and to dandan, and not for the first time.
You may well attend games, I wish I could and you know full well that regardless of where I live that would not be possible.
Yesterday was meant to be one of the great days in this roller coaster season, but not only do you not read properly you just can’t leave it alone.
if you bothered to read up numerous reports about the match by those who actually attended in a professional sense be it pundit or journalist or ex player it was a discussion about the whole game from Arsenal and Spurs perspective and during the broadcast I listened to which I will repeat yet again which was on BBC radio 5 live the general concenus of opinion was that as bad as Walcott was in the first half he was pretty outstanding in the second half despite groans,boos or whatever you want to call it.
I resent your remarks and as i mentioned initially that i didn’t see the game.
You have a track record of rubbing up people the wrong way,maybe on purpose maybe not but at the end of the day you and you alone disrubted the harmoney on here yesterday.
.
Oh boys!!!!!! What can I say? LB and the rest of us who were at the game didn’t hear the remarks that obviously Arsene did as they were in his vicinity and not widespread.
Instead of the media picking up this story and making it a Emirates wide problem they should be urging Arsene to have the ignorant thugs removed from the Emirates.
Micky – ok then, i am downloading the game now and was willing to share it with you.
What’s the next game? Should I be scared of anything now?
Oh dear, Pool away, oh dear. I am scared again 😦
I don’t think they are a great team, but at Anfield they are a force to be reckoned with, formidable
The one thing I want to savour is that pic Chas posted……just love it, that one guy facing away from everyone else, nearly everyone else singing arms aloft.
That my friends is football, and as much as I understand that it was Spuds hence the extra commitment and rivalry I do think that if we fans can achieve that more often we will inspire better performances, as Mr Arse says, let’s turn the Emirates into a fortress and a wall of noise.
dandan – you often urge the rest of us not to be taken in by the media and yet on this point it is you that have been taken in. Just because Matt Dickinson in The Times was close enough to hear the barracking doesn’t mean it was all over the ground.
The crowd were fantastic on Sunday maybe the reduced expectations of a result gave us the power to cheer everything just as it gave the team the firepower to stuff those spuds. The penalty was the signal to up the noise level and we bloody did. This is our team, our Arsenal and we showed those scumbags that we are the greatest team the world have ever seen.
I hope Matt Dickinson doesn’t bother to go to any more games at the Emirates, his article is a disgrace IMHO
Evonne don’t worry they will parade their Carling Cup pre match and pull their todgers to the tune of you’ll never walk alone while Kenny lies naked on the centre circle.
Then we will murder them and remind them of the ghosts of ’89 and that they are still a long way from the CL.
Peaches,
Tough one that as what I heard was little more that “oh for fuck’s sake Theo” and they’d have a tough time ejecting people for that.
There is nothing we can do about society at large but I do think there is much that can be done from within the Arsenal Family.
There is definately a problem with increased media tools, blogging, twitter etc and I think sites like LeGrove are seriously irresponsible.
I used to be sympathetic to the site owners on the grounds that they are Gooners, but no more, I now feel they are an utter disgrace for allowing a forum for such bile.
GiE – ‘pull their todgers to the tune of you’ll never walk alone while Kenny lies naked on the centre circle’ ha ha ha ha ha ha 🙂 Are todgers dicks?
Yes Evonne they are 😀
Who said you can’t be passionate about Arsenal if you don’t come from North London….have a look at Moscow Gooners after the 5th.
GiE,
Brilliant.
GiE,
Reminds me of a friend in his hotel room after the final in Denmark, with five pissed Swedish Gooners in the room above who drank and sang all the way through the night non stop. They sang the praises of every single Arsenal player they could think of from any era for six hours straight in their funny Swedenglish accents.
“vurn arlin schmit, dares onlee vurn arlin schmit” all bloody night.
Love it
GiE,
I`ve just printed off that Jimmy Greaves article and I`m taking It to work to show the 25 stone spudette, the bit I like is, ” And yet when we visited Highbury, with it`s Marble halls, we were left in no doubt as to which was the classier club in North London ”
Eat that Spuds !
New Post …………………
This film has been called the mother of modern crime cinema.
Your in the adult world now and a lot of things change.
Fourth when you are in the bedroom, keep your sex life interesting and passionate.