Well done Theo Walcott.
After a frustrating first half against the enemy on Sunday he refused to let his head go down and had a storming second 45, capped with two expertly taken goals.
If you believe some of the press, our young wide man was subjected to a dog’s abuse by a proportion of the home support before half time.
Matt Dickinson in The Times had this to say:
“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.
“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.”
Now I should point out that some AA regulars who were at the match reported hearing no such abuse.
Yes, there were groans of disappointment when promising moves broke down, but that’s been happening at football matches since Dandan was a nipper.
I’m not suggesting that Dickinson is making it up (the press don’t do that sort of thing do they?). It may just be that there are a group of particularly angry so-called fans who sit near the press box at the Emirates.
Instead of saying “if Arsene Wenger had listened to the fans” it might have been better journalism for Dickinson to write “if AW had listened to some of the disgruntled fans sitting near me…”
But it’s a better story if you give the impression that poor Theo was being sworn at by 57,000 howling psychopaths.
As far as I could tell from watching on the TV, the support for the team was fantastic throughout the whole game, even at two-nil down.
Nevertheless, anyone who has looked around the Arsenal blogscape will recognise some of the sentiment described in the Times article.
I have seen comments on Arsenal blog sites heaping the vilest of abuse on Theo. I have seen people who call themselves Arsenal supporters wish death on him, I have seen others praying that he gets his leg broken.
As supporters of a club that has suffered three horrendous leg breaks in recent seasons these people, apparently in all seriousness, really do want to wish the same on Walcott.
They are not supporters, they are a cancer in our great club and any site that fails to remove their comments is as much part of the problem as the haters who spout such filth.
Ramsey has had similar treatment this year (his first season back, remember, from one of the aforementioned leg breaks, in a team struggling as a whole to find its form). Yes he has found it hard at times, as has Theo, but do they really deserve such odious abuse?
Criticism, fine. Abuse and hatred, never.
Walcott is just 22 – still a player learning his trade. He has some shortcomings and some gifts; he may never be a world class great, but some of his critics would have you believe he should be playing non-league.
Well let’s compare his effectiveness with a player whom those self-same critics would no doubt revere: Marc Overmars, one of the heroes of our 1998 Double winning side.
In three seasons with us, Overmars played 100 EPL games and scored 25 goals – a return of one goal every four games.
In the last three EPL seasons (including this one), Walcott has played 76 games and scored 17 goals – a return of one goal every four-and-a-half games. Not that big a difference, especially when you take into account that Overmars started most of the games he played in, whereas Walcott’s 76 appearances include 22 as a substitute.
I’m not for a moment saying that Walcott and Overmars are directly comparable. For one thing the Dutchman was already 24 years old when he joined us. And I’m happy to accept that Theo has limitations.
But they are both speedy, direct wingers with a roughly similar goal return. And when you’re a winger you have to take a lot of risks because you are one of the focal points of the attack. You are expected to try and beat opponents, to shoot, to cross, to set up assists for goals. Inevitably your efforts won’t all succeed.
I would need to go back and watch some full games from Overmars’ spell with us, but I now wonder how many times he failed to beat his man, or tried passes that did not come off. Perhaps if the internet had been as prevalent in his day there would have been “supporters” wishing death on him too.
Yesterday on Arsenal Arsenal a clip was uploaded showing Robin van Persie and Theo Walcott being interviewed after crushing the jumped-up jackanapes from down the Seven Sisters Road.
If you haven’t seen it, you should (and with luck someone will re-post the link in the comments below).
You’ll see the captain of our club – and the best player in the country this year (if not the world) – giving 100% support to Theo and, in a subtle way, asking the fans to lay off him.
Do you think Robin knows what he’s talking about?
Do you think our brilliant captain, who trains with Theo every day and plays with him every week, is better qualified to judge his abilities than some slobbering lard bucket with spittle round his mouth and a face full of fury?
I know I do.
So here’s my appeal to all true Arsenal fans between now and the end of the season:
- Support Theo and all our players in every game.
- If he (or others) make mistakes, rein in the anger and frustration. Redouble the support. If in doubt, think about a certain two-nil-down, five-two-up victory.
- Criticise his performance in the pub or on your favourite blog, but exercise moderation and restraint.
- If you run a blog, remove comments that are expressed in hateful terms and ban posters who persist in such abuse.
- If you contribute to a blog, chasitise others who express themselves in such a way and ask the site administrators to take action.
- At games, if there’s a hater near you ask him to pipe down and support the team.
- If you feel too intimidated to do that, drown him out with your support.
If we can deal with some of the poison seeping from the internet community and the stands I feel confident that the atmosphere at the ground can also improve, with a knock on positive effect on the team.
Sunday’s brilliant ambience should be the norm, not the exception, but the bad apples need to be silenced.
They are a nasty minority and the majority, the ones who gave unfailing support all game long against the Spuds, do not have to stand for it.
RockyLives
Arsenal News 24/7
arsenalarsenal.net 
Morning all, well said “The Rock” and an opportune moment to remind our supporters that – even just for personal selfish reasons – it makes sense for every attending fan to get behind the team.
I don’t rate Diaby or Djourou but when they play for us I’m not going to boo them or groan at them and you all know my feelings about those two.
During the game the fans have a duty to exhort every ounce of effort out of the players and by either abusing the oppo and/or cheering the good guys we increase our chances of prevailing.
Moaning about any of our players failings can wait till the pub afterwards.
Super stuff, Rocky.
Just Re-commenting from this morning.
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 !
Your Manager Is a self confessed Gooner !
Your best player ( Tarzan`s best mate ) is a self confessed gooner !
Now look at what the player you worship thinks !
Whats the Samaritans number again , N17 phone exchange In meltdown !. HAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA…………………… hehehehehehehehehhehehehehehehehehehehehehehehehehhehehehehehehhehehehehehehehehehehehehehehehehehehehehehhehe
Absolutely bang on Rocky well done.
Peaches re your final post this morning.
Peaches I have in no way been “taken in” as you put it.
A) It wasn’t just Dickinson who talked of it; several journo’s were tweeting during the game.
B) At no point did I say it was all over the ground
C) I went out of my way to emphasise that it was around the press box
D) AW acknowledged that the crowd was on his back and had considered pulling him.
It is also true that bloggers, including some on this blog have been rubbishing both Ramsey and Theo, if they do it on the blogs why wouldn’t some do it at the game.
Yes you are correct I am distrustful of the press, but I have also learnt that when the manager , particularly our manager, who as you know sees and hears nothing, agrees there is a problem, then there probably is one.
Finally Arsenal supporters over the years have a proud history of always having a squad member to pick on, no doubt you could name some of the more recent one’s yourself.
Every Gooner do this today.
Victory in Harmony
Rocky well said.
Unfortunately most bloggers are bereft of footballing knowledge so take their cue from the media, so if Adrian Durham says Walcott is overrated the blog snipers say the same but then take it further when challenged. They seem to think it is amusing, a source of outdoing each other with who can come up with the worst threat.
When it comes to criticism make it tactical, on Sunday Theo did what many of us have asked him to do, run in behind dictate the direction of the pass. He did it on Sunday and it was great to watch. Those who think he only got where he is because he is quick would do well to check out Darren Campbell, fast and an athlete and a tidy footballer he reached the dizzy heights of Weymouth FC and Newport County.
Great Post Rocky,
I have a confession, I`ve been Booing Theo for weeks. I`ve been stalking him, when he gets in his car ,Boooooooo, Outside Lidl`s ,Boooooo,in the next toilet cubicle, Booooooo, Outside his house, Booooooo. The bastard never returns my letters of marriage proposals on behalf of my Daughter .
I should add that neither my daughter or her fiancee have any knowledge of this matter !
Rocky,
Absolutely spot on. Very well said.
It is time so called supporters and blog sites took some bloody responsibility.
Top post and now I will jump on the bandwagon – Something weird is happening and I don’t get it. We had success and want more (no one more than me), but how many other teams support is like ours. Deathly quiet (besides the hardcore supporters) for long periods of the game, moaning, criticising and booing until the score. If you as a person are feeling low and out of sorts, what would you want, someone screaming in your face you are a looser or someone to put an arm round your shoulder and say “come on fella, just keep going you will sort it”. Yes they are paid shed loads, and this should motivate them, but they are human and we all need support at times. Look at the likes of say Leeds, Birmingham or West Ham supporters, no money, not much hope, but always 110% behind the their teams. This season is over, but what say we start practising for next and build a club and support to be proud of ……
Rocky – wonderful post, thank you
Chas – very good vid, the post match with Boy Wonder and Theo
I found a spud to torment!! He was almost in tears, foocking idiot 🙂 He said ‘I wouldn’t mind if it was Arsenal team from 10 years ago, but this Arsenal are rubbish. We were so poor on Sunday’. Don’t worry guys, you corrected his unlearnt opinions.
Worst Arsenal team under Wenger. Best Spurs team for generations. And the score was ??
A Pool supporter told me ‘ Typical Arsenal supporter, doesn’t matter what happens for the rest of the season because you beat Tottenham. Yous might aw well play only 1 game a season’ 🙂 I think it’s a great idea 🙂
Message to the dickheads:
Apart from having some fecking manners, you don’t half look like an utter knob when things come good, and yes, you’ll be there cheering too. Pricks.
(Sorry to all AA’ers, but you never know who reads this brilliant site).
Exactly – great article. Negativity does no one any favours, and it’s all too prevalent at the Emirates these days. Well put ^^^^ !!
Fabulous post Rocky
I heard about the abuse a few of the pressers reported it, also fans who phoned in to talkshite (surprised they still do.)
i moaned at walcott for a wrong decision, a bad pass or control, but then i did at Song and many others when it happened, we crave perfection and have been spoiled by what we are served, we became complacent.
I’ll always winge when it goes wrong but i don’t condone abuse and singling out from the terraces, there is a difference.
Off subject, why can we not have an atmosphere like that every home game? Please, pretty please – cherries on top.
I’m just reading the comments now, so i’m playing catch up –
question for GIE,
you just mentioned adrian durham, i wondered what his view on the game was yesterday, i didnt tune in. Did he still have some negetive agenda?
Pires – 284 Games, 84 Goals, 63 Assists
Overmars – 142 Games, 41 Goals, 29 Assists
Ljungberg – 328 Games, 72 Goals, 39 Assists
Walcott – 232 games, 44 goals, 39 assists (at 22 years old, so not including potentially the best years of his career).
Not a fair comparison given the others were bought practically ready-made (though feel free to denigrate Theo’s figures and play up the others, you know you want to).
I have criticised Walcott in the past. He has an inconsistency that is infuriating because as the second half fromsunday shows, he can be unplayable.
He has nearly the complete game. He is an excellent finisher, he is a speed merchant, he is an assist meister and he is a trier – i have never seen him drop his head really, I saw him bawl out OX for his own poor pass but by and large he is an earnest player
The decision making can be poor but maybe that is up to Wenger. Maybe Wenger needs to make his decisions for him… work on scenarios and give him instructions – spend time analysing his performances or just tell him that on counter attacks he needs to be to be more greedy and drive toward goal on nearly every occassion. whereas on patient build up he needs to get to the byline.
I like Theo – but his own PR is damaging his reputation – does he really believe he has earned a top weekly wage? I mean you can’t play the youth card and draw down the prime salary.
I agree with your strategy aligned above and i see a future with Walcott and the OX but Theo left a hatrick against spurs on the field because of the flaws in his consistency and decision making…
dandan I’ve been critical of Theo on here (I hope I haven’t “rubbished” him) I would never slate one of our players at the game or wish anything bad on them. I didn’t hear anything but groans a few times.
Ernie mentions the home support. No teams home support is as poor as ours when we play minnows or as great as ours when we are playing spurs or manu.
Our away support is fantastic every week.
Why can Arsenal as a club not integrate better our hardcore away support at the emirates and spread it methodically around the ground to help with the atmosphere.
Standing sections the whole way around the ground with these “cheerleaders” in it, could work – couldn’t it?
TOTALLY AGREE.
Just support the team throughout the entirety of any match you are at. Simple. Bemoan later on if you have to.
Theo is the classic confidence player………so………give him confidence. Do not take it away from him. It is a sportsman’s elixir. So difficult to get – so easy to lose. As Steve Waugh said about how he captained Australia – “just back yourself” – we have to back the team – so they can back themselves. If we have their backs, they will have ours. OK – enough about backs.
It is all about the fourth team. It is all about third spot.
Come on the Arsenal.
Talkshite only let negative gooners on there so I’d take that with a pinch of salt. durham is a piece of dogshit. I told a talkshite newsreader to tell him he was a wanker once.
Gmichael – ive told scags (one of the producers) to call him that more than once 🙂
http://www.arsenal.com/news/ladies-news/white-named-england-s-player-of-the-year?utm_source=feedburner&utm_medium=feed&utm_campaign=Feed%3A+arsenal-news+%28News+Feed%29
Great post Rocky and particularly appropriate in light of the ongoing debate.
Dandan, I cannot remember anyone ‘rubbishing’ either Theo or Ramsey on here – if I had seen such a comment it would have been removed. Healthy debate and honest opinion are fine and that has to allow a balance between positivity and negativity as some see it.
Great post Rocky, I was thinking about writing a similar post and you beat me to it.
In my view, every time we lose a game – and especially if and when we lose a couple or more in a row – 70-80% of supporters project their disappointment on a few players, rather than the whole team, the tactics, the formation, injuries to the team in crucial positions, etc. On AA, we are no different but we tend to be more civilised about it.
I can understand it when fellow Gooners show their unhappiness with the performance of an individual player at a particular game, but it always frustrates me if and when people come out with things like: ‘he should never wear an Arsenal shirt again’; ‘he is championship quality, nothing more’; ‘get rid of the useless c**t’, etc. Footballers read this stuff more than we think and are affected by it.
The Spuds have been doing the same in the last 40 hours or so: from one game to the next certain players are useless c**ts and should be sold at the earliest opportunity. Long may it continue, as this is exactly the way to destroy yourself from within.
Theo, somehow, gets a lot of stick from the fans, but Ramsey and Song are just as prone. Maybe it is Theo’s honest bambie face expression that makes people feel they can have a go at him. The good thing is, though, that Theo has the thick skin of Walrus, and is always able to find his confidence back quickly again, and with goals this season against Udinese, MU, the Chavs and the Spuds he has every reason for it.
Great post Rocky, I was thinking about writing a similar post and you beat me to it.
In my view, every time we lose a game – and especially if and when we lose a couple or more in a row – 70-80% of supporters project their disappointment on a few players, rather than the whole team, the tactics, the formation, injuries to the team in crucial positions, etc. On AA, we are no different but we tend to be more civilised about it.
I can understand it when fellow Gooners show their unhappiness with the performance of an individual player at a particular game, but it always frustrates me if and when people come out with things like: ‘he should never wear an Arsenal shirt again’; ‘he is championship quality, nothing more’; ‘get rid of the useless c-word’, etc. Footballers read this stuff more than we think and are affected by it.
The Spuds have been doing the same in the last 40 hours or so: from one game to the next certain players are useless c-word(+s) and should be sold at the earliest opportunity. Long may it continue, as this is exactly the way to destroy yourself from within.
Theo, somehow, gets a lot of stick from the fans, but Ramsey and Song are just as prone. Maybe it is Theo’s honest bambie face expression that makes people feel they can have a go at him. The good thing is, though, that Theo has the thick skin of Walrus, and is always able to find his confidence back quickly again, and with goals this season against Udinese, MU, the Chavs and the Spuds he has every reason for it.
CB @ 10:22: “though feel free to denigrate Theo’s figures and play up the others, you know you want to” – have you read the article?
No-one is attempting to denigrate Theo’s figures. It appears it is you who has a preconceived idea of other bloggers intentions, the article and subsequent comments (from regulars at least) are supportive of Theo.
Well Done, excellant post! I can remember not so long ago (probably the same people) who lambasted Song for his performaces and apparent lack of skill! These people are not supporters not even fans either. Support for your club, like your kids, should not have conditions. As for TW14, he will be an important player for arsenal over the coming seasons, and hes english. Its almost impossible for a player of 22 years old to be consistant at THE highest level. Sam for AR16!
Arsenal Forever.
Anyone read these quotes from RVP re Wenger?
“”I’m so thankful I met him,” Van Persie said in a ESPN Soccernet article last November. “When I was 20 he asked me, ‘Why are you not a top player yet?’ I said, ‘Because of this, this and this.’ He told me to think about the reasons why and a couple of years later asked me again, ‘Are you a top player?’
“I again said, ‘No, I don’t think so.’ And he said, ‘Why not? Think about it.’ It was then I started to realise. He gave me a little bit of advice on certain things I was doing.
“He told me to think more about my actions. It was a conversation which lasted a year. Every couple of weeks he would refer to that conversation we had. He was giving me proof as well so I could go on and find my answer and I was finding answers all the time. He helped me big time.””
Well done, Rocky, a nicely crafted piece, asking fans to show tolerance, and pointing out the difference between acceptable criticism and unacceptable and counter-productive abuse.
If I may interject a note about the regular AA’ers, there are definitely differences of opinion expressed on here about players, I, for one, am a great admirer of both Rambo and Diaby, both of whom have suffered career threatening injury, whereas other AA’ers do not rate them and criticise them for various reasons, but I have never noticed anyone making abusive or personal attacks on them or any other player.
That is how it should be.
My father told me that back in the late 60’s he was appalled that a sparse crowd at Highbury roundly booed off the whole team and abused one or two players in a scatological fashion at half time, in what he said was indeed a poor game on a cold wet day, but did not deserve that sort of ‘support’.
He was puzzled because those attending were clearly stalwart fans prepared to turn out in rotten weather against rubbish opposition, but were also prepared to behave in such a dreadful way.
He had no answers to the why’s and wherefore’s!
So this problem is nothing new, it seems.
Tommystout,
You can re-listen to Durham on Talksport`s website, I`m doing it now, It`s from about 17:10pm onwards ( yesterday ) about Arsenal Vs Spuds. So far he`s said we were exceptional, Chimp is a diver and Harry should resigne for losing 5-2 !.
@Rasp I read the article, recognise Theo’s weaknesses and support him whole-heartedly despite that (I am a season ticket holder) as he is young and not that bad and could be very good. I am fully aware though that the Internet attracts people that claim to support Arsenal but seem to struggle to do so near a keyboard. [eg Arseblog’s recent Twitter post ‘how do you start an argument on the Internet?’ – ‘post something’]
The last bit was tongue in cheek, apologies for not making it clearer.
No worries CB, thanks for the response. Maybe we’re a bit over-sensitive, but we are as a co-operative site trying to maintain a standard of comment and support for the Arsenal as an alternative to some of the less well monitored forums.
Its good to have your company on AA, I hope we hear more from you.
thanks GLIC
gonna tune in now.
I watched MOTD2 the other night i couldn’t believe no one went on about chimps dive…. Jonathan Pearce even tried to convince us that there was contact….
I just think back to the eduardo witch hunt and i feel bitter.
We all know there is nothing wrong with criticising a player’s or manager’s performance. There is also nothing wrong with thinking a player or manager is not good enough for our club. There is also nothing wrong with being proven wrong and changing your mind.
The key, and Arsenal way, is to do it with manners and respect.
Thank you Rocky.Now I am convinced I have found myself a decent Arsenal blog.Keep up the good work, your a true gooner!
Let me remind you that some people want our players to fail cos of thier hatred for Wenger.
Welcome Chibuzor, where have you been all this time.
I am probably/definitely (?) swimming against the collective opinion, but I simply do not have a blanket cynicism of journalists and the TV/Radio media.
When I visit other blogs, my common sense tells me what is rubbish and what is not – same with the media boys – I am interested in what people say, but I form my own opinion and do not let myself believe everything ‘x’ says is right or everything ‘y’ says is wrong.
Judging Durham, (TalkSport) based only on broadcasts I have heard, he sounds like an opinionated, self-satisfied plonker who is deliberately rabble rousing to increase his audience figures. That’s his job, I suppose?
But then his young son is a big Arsenal fan, it seems, so he cannot be all bad. 🙂
Just saying! 🙂
Well said Micky .
This site reflects the Class of The Arsenal, where as Legover might aswell be a Spud site !.
Redders,
I actually like Durham, he`s a “shock jock” and as you say “increasing his audience figures”, I take what he say`s with a pinch of salt and take it all as humour, you cant really take him serious.
Right off to see the spudette and yes I shall ask her the “Time”. 🙂
GLIC
i was on le grove this morning, its a different world, i can’t believe some of the spew that is offered in their comments section, i just hope that they are part of a very small minority.
I don’t so mind their posts, though i don’t usually agree with them, its just the regular commenters they are the dregs of arsenal fans if you can call them that, willing the AFC downfall to satisfy their own agenda.
Tommy I have given up with TalkShite except maybe i’ll catch Hawksbee and Jacob show, or a bit of Keys and Gray, Breakfast and Drive are not worth killing my ears for 😀
Big Ernie – Well said
CB – interesting stats, i wonder what the others stats were before age of 22?
Double98 – Theos wage demands are another press fiction aren’t they?
Chibuzor – glad you found us 😀 Welcome to sanity (except when the cuckoo club are around)
I always remember Ian Wright blasting us fans in a post match interview…it was in the days of the North Bank Mural, and i’m pretty sure it was Sheffield Wednesday or Everton at home, and we sneaked a 1-0 win with him scoring the winning goal. But the crowd had been on the teams back and he gave them what for.
@Rasp No problems, I have seen the mid seventies and most of the eighties as a mid-table supporter and know that, with that knowledge, that things are still comparatively great at Arsenal.
However I hope that Arsenal can heed the underlying message in http://swissramble.blogspot.com/2012/02/arsenals-mystery-dance.html ie it is possible to be too cautious and lose the bigger prizes eg trophies, CL qualification, increased commercial revenues due to this.
Thanks CB, it appears you and I share similar views on the level of financial prudence. I do think we are overly conservative and a slightly greater level of ‘speculate to accumulate’ would not necessarily send us spiralling into debt.
Mick @ 10:48 – excellent summation of the situation. I particularly liked “There is also nothing wrong with being proven wrong and changing your mind.” – a clause I regularly invoke 😆
Tommy i’m blaming you for the way my head hurts right now, some fan just can’t be positive can they?
GIE
black & white, good & evil, positive gooners & negetive gooners – there will always be!
@Gooner in exile – good point on the stats for the legends before they were 22 (though they may have been better, but in far less competitive leagues). One good comparison is versus RVP at 22 (figures from ‘Ian Wright is a legend’ from memory)
Season League
Apps Goals Assists
RVP aged 22 2005–06 24 5 1
Theo aged 22 2011–12 23 3 7
Season Cup
Apps Goals Assists
RVP aged 22 2005–06 7 4 0
Theo aged 22 2011–12 2 1 0
Season Europe
Apps Goals Assists
RVP aged 22 2005–06 7 2 0
Theo aged 22 2011–12 6 2 1
Season Total
Apps Goals Assists
RVP aged 22 2005–06 38 11 1
Theo aged 22 2011–12 31 6 10
Again we are comparing Theo against an Arsenal legend (especially if he signs his new contract). Again, there will be those that will have (some valid) arguments against the comparison above. But it is still interesting to do this.
Great post Rocky, right on the money.
Dandan and Kelsey can I just politely make clear that my annoyance last evening was with the media who in my view were putting these exaggerated stories about rather than with anything that either one of you wrote. I think this important point may have got lost in the heat of the moment.
I hope we can continue in the good spirit that has always existed on this site.
By the way the stats above don’t include the last few matches, including Tottenham.
I don’t listen to any radio since I gave up driving. talkshite are morons. I don’y even read lg anymore because of the comments on there. I think they’ve given up on moderation except for keeping rival fans off. I can be just as nasty as the people on there but I save it for the enemy.
I reckon we’re gonn struggle to get champiuons league now, that’s gonna blow us off course and do the moral. Plus I think Harry Redknapp isn’t all there Champions league and morale!talk to you soonx.
That was from my brother (who’s a spud) on FB a minute ago.
I just booked a spud season ticket holder client for 5 to 12.
I hope we can play like Sunday against the bindippers. I really hate them now.
My next client is a spud how wonderful. I took yesterday off because of my man flu
LB No problems from my end, the emotive nature of things are such, that the only thing that all on here will always agree on, is that we support Arsenal.
Oh and a built in dictionary would be handy as in many cases, words and definitions are also open to interpretation. 🙂
Wonderful article Rocky. Ive promised myself to take a few weeks off blogging but the quality of this piece has reeled me back in.
One thing people tend to overlook about Theo is were hes come from. Apparently he did not start playing football until quite late. In addition, he is a product of Southampton, no disrespect to them, but if he had ben schooled at Arsenal say like Jack Wilshere he would be further on in his development by now.
When Theo first arrived he electrified us with his pace but the timing of the runs was off. That timing has now gone up a level. the critisism often leveled at the kid now is that he can only perform when the game opens up and his technique is wanting, and i agree with that assessment. But what people must realise is that at only 22 he has huge scope for improvment to adresss those weakneses.
When people have agonised as to wether RVP will sign a new contract or not, i have done the same over Theo. In my opinion he will go on to be a great player and i expect him to be a stalwart in the great Arsenal team that is coming.
I always compare some of Arsenal supporters with some of Nigerians supporters when any of our national teams is playing. Most of Arsenal supporters like Nigerians are what I can call butter and bread, and fair weather supporters. They support you when you are playing well. They always forget that a football match is a game of of two halves (90 minutes). If a team or a player plays badly in the 1st 45 mins, there is possibility that the 2nd half can be better. Thats what happened on Sunday. We should always be patience with our players. Get behind them all the time. Ten minutes of good football may even win a match, let us support our team thats why we call ourselves supporters. Thats why we always go to the stadiun comes rain, sunshine even snow. Up Arsenaaal.
Thinking further about the game I’m left wondering why the hell haven’t we seen more of benayoun? When he joined he got in the side and you could see he added glue but then disappeared. it’s almost as though wenger has turned to him in desperation.
I’m wondering if there were more rotation, more competition to get into the first 11 we wouldn’t have spells like the start of year; that we wouldn’t start to fall down this time of year from having the same 11 playing every game.
GM, do you ever get the urge to give your spud clients dodgy cuts????? (If you aren’t AAs resident hairdresser, forgive me as my aging brain of 29 is not what it used to be, but i’m pretty sure it’s you.)
CB thanks for those.
Reckon the argument in favour of RvP is probably Theo has started more in 2011-12 than RvP did in 05-06.
The argument for Theo is that he is not playing with the quality of Thierry, Pires, Cesc, Hleb etc.
I did some similar stats last year comparing NikB’s record to Henry’s at the same age. NikB had a far better goal per game in arguably a tougher league than Henry spent his formative years.
As you point out we expect so much from Arsenal players that youngsters are often compared to greats in their heydays. Whereas what we should do is be amazed by just how much some of this group do achieve in spite of their young age. Altho Sunday we saw what an experience side can do, only four players 24 and under in our starting line up.
Wally I think I saw a comment somewhere from Wenger that Yossi was now physically ready in the week leading up to the game. Maybe he hasn’t felt his fitness has been good enough to start him?
Well said, Ade, a true Gooner!! 🙂
CB, some interesting stats there. We have a number of stato specialists on here, but you all bring different info to the party.
Always good for a debate, or to spark an inquisition as to the interpretation.
Rasp was right, by the way, there is no ‘agenda’ on here, and many different views are held and explored, civilly, including those on Theo.
I have had my concerns about some of his performances this season, but his performance against Spurs was excellent in the second half, and he deserved the eclat of the fans, which was a triumph over adversity in itself. 🙂
Marvelous Bloody marvelous, All that aggro with fullbacks now this.
“Arsenal defender Gavin Hoyte has left AFC Wimbledon and returned to Arsenal after the completion of his loan spell.
The 21-year-old started matches against Aldershot and Northampton, but only made one more substitute appearance during his stay after losing his place in the starting XI to Sam Hatton.
It looked like Hoyte was set to remain at the Dons, however he has now returned to the Emirates”.
I don’t want to start an argument but the stats for Walcott wouldn’t stack up for me.
My reason is that I believe the League has been in decline for many years and is reaching a point where it couldn’t be any lower.
Walcott can be absolutely devastating when the mood fits but I have never seen Pires,Overmars or Llungberg (who I didn’t rate either by the way) run past the ball or miscontrol it so often.
There was some dissent for Walcott as I am a Steward and saw it all around me but there was no booing.
Walcott also doesn’t help with defensive duties much either, to which I might add He gets little criticism compared to Arshavin.
I would like to see Walcott played up front with RVP close by as I compare him more to Michael Owen than any midfielder.
I also believe a lot of the fans frustration including mine is because over the past three seasons the League has been there to lose.
The Mancs team would get spanked by any other of Fergies own teams in His era and I honestly believe that the Arsenal have better players than theirs.
The problem is we are always buggered by injuries and poor decisions by Officials and often Wenger.
I compare it to letting a child within touching distance of a bag of sweets only to snatch them away.
By the way I have been going to the Arsenal since 1969 and can honestly say that I have never witnessed booing until the past couple of years.
We are and always will be a classy Club and must with help of authors like yourself stop in house fighting.
There are to many FM game players on the Internet who are only in it to prove themselves right although I must say I was one of those who called out Almunia who IMO still is the worst keeper in the Clubs history. AW didn’t help his reputation in believing in this player and probably a few others recently.
Finally, I really want to see Walcott become what we all expect of him and to iron out those ridiculous flaws like running past the ball.
Come on you Gunners.
Hi El Tel, 🙂
Whether I agree with you or not, I am really impressed with your thoughtful and well expressed comment.
Welcome. [You are the first AFC Steward on here, if I am not mistaken!] 🙂
Oh I dont know RA we have had a few Bar Stewards from time to time 🙂
I saw an article the other day saying how Aguero is better than DB10, again stats were shown to outline the difference.
Like the NB stats are better than TH14 which another blogger mentioned earlier and how Walcotts stack up against Overmars and Pires.
I honestly do think that reading these comments suggests to me that things are easier for forwards in today’s matches than they were even 5 yeas back.
Have you ever seen so many poor defensive teams?
I get into debate with fellow Arsenal fans about Sagna and how great they think he is. Although He is a decent RB looking down the years at the arsenal alone I don’t see him as very special. Going forward, apart from on Sunday he offers little and he also leaves the CBs exposed.
Arsenal have always been blessed with probably the best LBs in the League for all my time watching us until Clichy came along.
Trouble is I don’t see many better options anywhere in the League. I think our League is more open and has far more defensive errors than ever before.
I think the PL is really in decline and seeing the Italian and German sides starting to improve will make it even harder for any English Club to win the CL in the near future.
Cheers RA,
I also tune in to Le Grove every day but I don’t write there much anymore.
I like Pedro and Geoffs way of thinking and I have always enjoyed the site but couldn’t take anymore when reading some guys wishing cancer on Wenger and others.
I lost my Dad to cancer in Early February and wouldn’t wish this disease on my worst enemy.
By the way Dad was an Arsenal fan and so was His Father. My lot are into 4th generation as both my sons are Gooners too.
I believe Wenger should have gone a few years back but again this is just my opinion.
@El tel Good points on Walcott v RVP. I get frustrated when he passes directly into touch (v Man U) or doesn’t control the ball. Though none of us will know the problems involved with controlling at that speed, given we will have never run as fast as him.
Note Walcott now has 3 more assists v Blackburn and the two 5pur2 goals plus one vs Villa to add on to his figures.
So he has 9 goals and 13 assists in around the same number of games as RVPs 11 goals and one assist. Even with El tel’s valid point on starts, I don’t see a statistical argument for RVP being better at the same age (he was playing with better players for a start). Comparing is difficult given that they have different abilities but it is interesting to see Theo being so pilloried despite the facts. I think we all tend to remember the good moments from the past (eg a brilliant pass or goal by Pires rather than the times he cocked it up).
Some very good comments on here today, especially Ade, Wally and El Tel – good to see well-balanced, enthusiastic views! 🙂
Also good to see RA so complimentary about Theo at the moment 🙂
If you compare Arsenal with a battle ship, then Theo is one of its important weapons. Some days, Arsenal are able to use it to devestating effect and some other days it malfunctions or just cannot be utilised as the opposition out-smart us – but, the threat is always there and the only way to stop the weapon that is Theo, is by allowing him very little space, which usually means committing two people to him/’his area’ and offers opportunities for the rest of the team.
Like GiE pointed out yesterday, the forwards are interchanging a lot which confuses the opposition and makes us less rigid. Theo really benefits from this.
Finally, Theo is missing Fabregas, no doubt about it: 13 goals in 38 games last season tells its own story. Fabregas knew how to utilise one of our special weapons, and JW will resume that sort of service once he is back.
I have done 18 years of stewarding Arsenal matches. I was on the old Clock end track for 9 years, the. Moved to upper tiers.
I love Arsenal so much that I have a tattoo on my arm even though I really don’t like them.
I spend hours every day reading everything Arsenal and discussing them with others.
I also have always had players who I don’t like but they are usually unusual as they are not normally who everyone dislikes.
I didn’t think much of Freddie as He was with awesome players at the time and he went to ground far to easily for me.
I couldn’t be doing with Lee Dixon who is part of the famous back four of years gone by but He used to take to many touches to control a ball and scored a few OGs along the way. He was great in that back four though really.
My favourite all time players are DB10,TH14,Chippy Brady, Rocky Rocastle, Geordie Armstrong, Charlie Nic and George, there are to many to list and I haven’t forgotten TA6 or PV4.
All awesome players who that lot down the road will never have anyone to compare to them.
Sadly I think we should have won many more trophies under AW but He hasn’t been strong enough or He has been tactically inept.
CB: ‘I think we all tend to remember the good moments from the past (eg a brilliant pass or goal by Pires rather than the times he cocked it up).’ Very true!
El,
A lot of regulars on AA have ‘history’ with LG, including myself, tho’ in a modest way, and have found the constant one liner abusive attacks and personal abuse of the manager and players too hard to take.
There is nothing wrong in voicing concerns and criticism, even of Arsene, provided it is done civilly and without abusing other boggers who disagree.
You clearly have a wealth of background knowledge both as a steward and a fan, and you are very articulate, so I think you will find AA will suit you! 🙂 [Time for a disclaimer — I have nothing to do with the site — I just love coming on here and chewing the fat]! 🙂
Apart from Walcott having good stats, it seems that nobody looks at what he offers when we don’t have the ball. Sure Pires and Overmars made mistakes but defenders were always cautious about giving them to much space.
The biggest thing about our thrashing of the Spuds was how hard the whole team worked off the ball.
Walcott in Milan was nowhere and left Sagna and others isolated, they didn’t even find space for the midfielders to pick them off.
The reason Cesc and Jack would be more helpful to Walcott is because they drag players out of position for the likes of Walcott to get into the danger zones plus they have the killer pass.
Ramsey, Arteta, Song and Co. are very good players but never seem to drive forward which causes defenders to commit.
TR7 and Yossi did this brilliantly on Sunday which gave Arteta And Song breathing space and enabled RVP and Walcott much more freedom.
It also helped our defence when we were battling way further up the pitch to win the ball back. This happened in the Chelsea match last season too and look how it pays dividends.
Problem is, why can’t they do this more often?
You have an impressive Arsenal pedigree El Tel and have placed some interesting comments today. Have you considered writing an article for the site from a Steward’s perspective maybe – or on any topic you feel strongly about?
“boggers” might be “buggers” but I meant “bloggers”. 🙂
You beat me to it RA 😉 What’s this nonsense about you having nothing to do with the site? – you have the same equal share as everyone else!
I don’t want to slag off Le Grove as I like the site and the authors who by the way I have never met.
Problem is there are some characters who constantly abuse others
And those who will not be flexible enough to listen to another persons views.
Some of the good old uns still write on there and I did too yesterday, but I prefer to just read most of the time.
What people need to do and who this article should be aimed at is them mug’s over at le whore its self.
If only i could catch half of them,i would knock some of them out.
El tel you should blame the blogger’s because when you write positive thing’s about wenger and the club they don’t put it on and when you have the must out of order post’s about our manager they let that stuff lie.
I swear half of them are scum fan’s in disguise.
EL tel I remember you from LG. I actually thought about you when the steward next to me was jumping up and down when we went ahead. The stewards used to get a hard time on LG until they turned on Wenger and the players
Hi Rasp,
I don’t think I am articulate enough to write an article and I would only make some people more angry with my views on stewarding form behind the scenes.
Arsenal have been blessed with many stewards who have been there for more than 15 years, they are mostly Arsenal fans with one guy who travelled in from Cardiff every match, there are others who travel many miles to steward matches.
The money Arsenal pay is better than most Clubs but not great by today’s standards.
There are stewards like myself who include being able to see most of the matches as a benefit too, but these days with so called fans coming in and out all the time this has become intolerably difficult.
The new Stadium is better than almost any other in Britian but even years down the line it gets what I call the tourist coming to games.
Because of the hefty price for a season ticket and how supposedly hard it is to find tickets anyway I think the genuine Arsenal followers are being left out.
There is also a problem with the new rookie stewards IMO. I am all for giving newbies a chance but there are more and more guys who have no intention of doing a job for the fans. Many of the youngsters don’t support Arsenal which annoys me and they just come to take the cash.
I was working with a young un v Villa and all he was talking about was Chavski. I listened for a bit then decided to ignore him.
My Supervisor knows that I will refuse to work with anyone claiming to be a Manc fan as I detest everything about them and it could get into an unnecessary argument.
I know it sounds like I am acting foolishly but I am not having Manc or Spuds telling me our Club are below them then taking our cash.
Finally I must add that the old stewards from Highbury are probably feeling like me and all our fans in as much as we felt part of the Club and thought we were closer to the players than we do these days.
The new Stadium is the right move forward but the Club are not looking after the roots anymore, it is not as personal as it used to be with fan and player and they are cutting out the roots of the Club for supporters who will never get to see a live match ( just like the Mancs).
The problem with this is that football will eventually implode and the true fans who are the roots to the Club will not be there for them anymore.
Players get more criticism too because of the lack of personal links.
It is not just the extortionate money these players earn it is also the fact that they toto the ground by coach and leave in flash cars with blacked out windows.
At Highbury there were crowds of people waiting outside the car park for the players after the game, there are still people waiting but the players just don’t interact anymore.
I remember as a kid bunking off School on a Tuesday or Friday and going to Highbury, I have hundreds of autographs of players in the mid to late seventies and even got into the ground to watch them train once.
Most of the players hung around ( especially Chippy) to talk and sign autographs.
Today the players train in secluded fields with security guards keeping fans away. You can probably get access to the players if you are prepared to pay or if for charity reasons.
Autographs are hard to get these days as they are got more for financial purposes than the old days. I believe there are some players who want part of that cash too but can’t prove this.
I realise things change in life but not always for the best.
Up the Gunners
Goonermichael,
I was leaping around myself and always do, the Management will find out soon and I will get fired for it probably.
I and fellow Gooners were going nuts when RVP scored the equaliser, I even lost my voice even though it was a cold which started it off.
Islington, I know LG we’re having a pop at the Stewards but maybe they did have a point as the instructions from the top are a bit heavy for my liking.
No flags, no standing, no drinking in view of the pitch, no swearing.
I do understand all the reasons for this but then they look at the away section and say, they are not regular and there is little we can do about it.
They will take season tickets off Arsenal fans for an offence.
The consistency is appalling.
Thanks El Tel – you express yourself very well – that was almost a post in itself!
Change in the game is inevitable and we all know that the money generated and wages paid is a major influence. We can’t do anything about it, but I’d like to think that the class and style exhibited by the Arsenal sets us apart from most.
I used to quite like the ‘tourists coming over particularly from Holland in the DB and MO days – they were great supporters.
It’s the the corporate lot that get up my nose. Its always peppered with opposition supporters and half of them can’t even be bothered to take to their seats for kick off or after half time – but I guess they generate a lot of income for the club.
El Tel, I remember you from L G too; honest sincere views from a die hard fan I see from you there.
Like you, I detest the Mancs above all else, I stop being a polite and civil person whenever I meet an arrogant Manc and I blurt out all sorts of inappropriate stuff when a Manc starts giving it large at me.
Must dash Guys, things to do. Thanks for being so warm and so Arsenal.
Does that make sense?
I will be back whenever possible as I work night shifts.
Keep up the good work.
Up the Gunners
Rasp/Chary
I wondered where most of the old LG guys went to and now I know. I don’t mind the tourists as they do bring in the cash but they also drive up the ticket prices which affects the normal fan.
My Dad bless him took five of us to every game in the seventies. I have been to about three matches with my two Sons who are in their twenties now.
A lost generation through greed.
The problem I see is that the Prem League is bottoming out and won’t be so attractive to the foreign TV viewer. Where will this leave us as true fans will not be able to afford to attend.
By the way I have a good job and could afford to take my Sons or them me, the thing is I got into stewarding and it has become part of my needs financially in recent years.
I gave up commenting on LG when I harped on about Referee decisions against us only to get vilified.
Truth is even today years on we would be second in the League if the Officials weren’t bent.
This weekend alone proves a point and we won this game.
How can He give a penalty for this yet not send the keeper off?
Bizarre and open to investigation IMO.
El,
You are probably gone, but can I say you do yourself a disservice by saying you are not eloquent enough to write a Post. You have written the equivalent of a couple of excellent Posts right here this afternoon!
Good stuff — see you again soon! 🙂
Rodale thanks for posting that vid its the one I was looking for yesterday.
re. el tels comment about the refereeing.
who is it who does the ref watch blog? untoldarsenal i think, i find it unbelievable how refs are not under more scrutiny, when you read the facts on that site.
Before sundays match i dont think we had won even one game of the past eleven that dean had reffed?
ElTel I don’t think there are many on here who won’t have sympathy with the “tourist” problem.
However it is not just us that are experiencing it, I have on my travels seen tourist fans at Northern clubs as well as ours.
The ClockEnd can feel like you are in isolation tho as this is the area that most commonly goes to late taken tickets (through red membership). And its the worst place for it as you try and stand up and get those around you to join in the banter with the away fans and they look away or look concerned 😀
At the recent Villa Cup game I was right at the back row of the Clock End Upper Corner, my row had no one behind us, we were all standing and singing and the ground actually felt like it had an atmosphere, a steward came to tell us to sit down, I asked him if he was joking as I gestured to the concrete wall behind behind me, and he left us in peace (well in noise for a change)
Thanks for the comments everyone.
Sorry for prolonging the ‘Theo abuse’ debate with this post. It was written before the subject got such an airing in the comments yesterday.
Anyway, nice to see some new commenters on here making good points in, as Redders says, a very articulate way.
LB
Did you see that I found the comment I had referenced?
I remembered it as a first hand account but it turned out to be from GiE’s Mum 🙂
Top post Rocky. The bile, vile and vitriolic abuse that was aimed at TW on Sunday (there were a handful around me that would have done him harm at half time not just wished it on him) is a reflection of their own sad lives and was shameful. They haven’t learned from the Eboue scandle and the hypocrisy they exhibted with him. It was only down to Eboue’s own personal strengths and no small measure of AW’s management skills that saved him. No doubt the “angryboys” would claim a misguided responsibility for making him turn around too. Thankfully the 22 year old Theo demonstrates similar resolve and has AW around him too.
Great day on Sunday. Many more to come.
My day is not complete until I read Le Grove. Pedro and Geoff are gooners to the core. Like Rocky here,they are good football analysts. They can see what ordinary football fan like me can not see. Arsenal are so dear to them. To say that they love Arsenal and want the best for our darling team is an understament. But my bone of contention with the blog is that majority of them are Wenger haters. Because they want him out of the club at all cost, they dont see anything good about Wenger and they want him to fail. If football is a game of 32 minutes, on last week Sunday against the Spurs, ooh. Wenger is good for nothing, Walcott has no football brain, Song is not fit to wear Arsenal shirt, Rosicky should be shipped out immediately etc etc. Gooners, I am not saying they are not entitled to their own views or opinions but we can not say bcos we hate Wenger, then Arsenal should fail. Many of them at Le Grove are waiting for Wenger not to qualify us for champion league so that they can have their pounds flesh. I love Wenger because I love Arsenal not I love Arsenal because I love Wenger. Eabregas used to be a player after my heart. Immediately he turned his back to my darling team, my love for him ceased. As a supporter of Arsenal, I shall continue to love and support Le Boss, Professor Wenger, the likes of Diaby, Chammak, Rosicky, Ramsey, Walcott etc etc because of the love that I have for Arsenal. Up Arsenaaal.
I didn’t expect this post after last night,but as usual a fine piece RL and a good insight by El Tel.
IMO the jury is still out on Theo, but maybe it all started when he was picked to go to the WC as a 16 year old kid, and literally sit on the bench throughout the whole tournament.It was a ridiculous decision to take him and maybe mentally that has stuck with him.
This guy has scored a hattrick for England and on other occasions has been totally anonymous both for England and Arsenal.
From what I can see he has two mentors.AW of course but more importantly RVP on the pitch as has been shown several times this season especially with Theo’s assists to RVP.
Have we lost some of our heritage by moving from Highbury ?. I have touched on this before that the club have gained many plastic fans in London due to the success during the first half of Wenger’s tenure, and are these the supporters who verbally abuse certain players, regardless of their age.
I have never booed any of our players and I strongly believe it is not a football issue it is the society that we now live in.
I hope Theo proves the doubters wrong and though not in that camp, i still have reservations about him, but time will tell.
Ade
“I love Wenger because I love Arsenal not I love Arsenal because I love Wenger” – great comment.
Kelsey
As I explained above, the post was written before the subject got such an airing in the comments last night.
I tend to agree that the impatience and aggression shown by (a minority of) fans is more to do with society in general.
I was just looking at the tickets for the shitty game. They were quick to make it a cat A game.
Hi Rocky of Ages, 🙂
Your Post has brought in a number of new and very welcome comments from some very intelligent peeps! 🙂
When you referred to the impatience and aggression shown by a minority of fans as being a reflection of societal norms, I totally agree.
It is probably a little unfair to cavil at your main point, so please forgive me, but if the blogs are anything to go by, (and I have no other yardstick) I fear that these fans are not necessarily in the minority, and even now I sense many are waiting for another set back on Saturday to dismiss our wonderful win over the Spuds, and to restart their hateful and purposeless behaviour towards the team and our manager.
Hopefully, I am wrong.
Last season was the first time they ramped the Shitty game up to Cat A, GM.
In the 9-10 season they still had the Whore and that Greek player who went onto Celtic up top.
Which reminds me, I bought a greek salad – the unlucky guy had no money for lunch.
You’re probably right Redders, but I was encouraged by the number of AA-ers who were at the game and reported hearing nothing worse than groans of disappointment around them.
So maybe the really hateful ones are in a minority at the ground, even if there seems to be a lot of them in the blogosphere.
Great insight from El Tel. One thing that shocked me was non- gooner stewards, I must be thick as I would have made being a gooner part of the criteria for the job . I find It unbelievable and effing annoying that there are supporters of f**k shit teams having a job at my club, shouldn`t be allowed, am I wrong AAers ?
Same as the shop glic. There are non gooners working in there.
GLIC you are not wrong!
Chary I bet I hate the mancs more than you 🙂
Hear hear Glic, the thought of a scummer being a steward, sounds treasonous to me.
It’d be a close call deciding who hates them the most GM. but I’m sure we hate them enough at the very least, but then hating them too much is not hating them enough, in my mind.
Hi Kelsey, 🙂
It seems to be my day for being picky, but I am sure you will let me question your ‘plastic fans’ comment. It is a term that is now in common use with many fans, but I know you won’t get upset with me for asking! 🙂
On my trips around the blogs, I have often come across bloggers who start their tirade with “I have supported Arsenal for 20/30/40 years” and are clearly long term fans, if they are to be believed. And why not?
On the other hand, I have met young, enthusiastic and fanatically loyal Arsenal fans of very tender years who will hear nothing detrimental said against their team.
I suppose it might be an idea to try and define what we mean by ‘plastic fans’.
[Plastic = Newish material; synthetic; sometimes derided as ‘tatty’]?
Are these fans so named because of;
— the content, nature and tone of their comments?
[not necessarily ‘new’ fans] Or;
— is it defining them first and foremost because they are ‘new’ fans, regardless of their age?
[not necessarily potty mouths] Or;
— is it because they are young, callow and, by virtue of that, lacking experience and knowledge of the football world?
[too young – still hero worshipping their favourites].
Perhaps you can see my problem? 🙂
What is your take on it? 🙂
GLIC
You’re absolutely right, but it’s probably illegal to use football allegiance as a basis for hiring (unfortunately).
The minimum criteria for a non-playing member of staff should be,one of, Red membership, a VCC tattoo, A photo of you pissing on a Spud shirt ,deed poll name change to existing or former players (exceptions to that rule eg Nasri, Ade` and Jeff Blockley etc ), gooner knuckle dusters, your todger Is Red with a White Helmet etc !
Come on AAers list some more for me ! 🙂
Redders 🙂
I’m sure Kelsey will respond for himself, but my two pennyworth is that plastic fans are the ones that don’t biodegrade for hundreds of years when buried in a landfill site.
I always consider myself as an armchair fan. I’m probably considered a tourist by some as I don’t have a season ticket and I rarely go. It doesn’t bother me though sniff sniff
El Tel – it is customary on this site to show the picture of the tattoo. Irish has a beautiful cannon on her arm, GM big raw red sign on his bicep and VCC has one on his arse. Micky and I are thinking about getting one (each) too, but would like to see yours first. Thanks for great comments, enjoyed reading them today
Rocky @4:14 – not at all. When I was interviewing candidates I always asked about their hobbies and if it was football, which team.
Something odd about men that have no interest in footy
Rocky – did you see GiE match preview for Saturday? I peed myself laughing
Sorry, I dont like to discriminate. Your Todger can be White with a Red Helmet and Ladies, having White knockers with Red nipples Is not enough, It has to be Red knockers with White nipples !. I feel a session on the AA naughty step Is beckoning !.
Which do you find worse, Glic, a fan of another club who works for the mighty Arsenal – or someone who has no interest in football at all, and thinks Gooners are a strange anomaly in the great scheme of things?
It is not for me to say, as a Yank, but the redeeming feature for anyone working at THOF, is that they all want to work, and when you consider all those yobs sitting at home ‘on the benefit’ too lazy to get out of bed — I would turn a blind eye to their non-Arsenal status. 🙂
e va va vonne, I feel left out, you forgot to mention the tattoo of Michael Mcintyre on the end of my Todger !
GLiC – behave or I will phone Peaches!!
I like your definition of a ‘plastic fan’, Rocky, but we would have to wait for hundreds of years to find out, by which time it would be too late to apologise to all those tarred with that particular brush! 🙂
And the corollary is that we would long have pushed up the daisies and would be unable to say “you plastic b*stard!!” 🙂
Redders,
But some of them you mentioned are Arsenal Supporters like me who would like that job ! 🙂
GLiC – why not Adele, she is a beautiful Spud
RA – if I was to chose between 2 candidates and one of them was a Gunner, I would not hesitate. Nothing wrong with nepotism 🙂
GiE’s match preview for Saturday – ‘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’
Raddy – can you add anything to this 🙂
e va va vonne,
1) There`s no such thing as a beautiful Spud !
2) She`s too Fat to get on the end of my Todger !
GLiC – so you only have a tiny wee willy 😦 sorry to hear that
Glic,
the chances are that if you went for the interview waving your red and white todger in the air, not only would you run the risk of putting out someone’s eye – again – but the Human Resources lady interviewer might well faint — not out of any sense of prurience but because she might well think you were a Manyoo pooper fan!! 🙂
She’s got you there Cuckoo man!! 🙂
Damn that TMHT for lending his telescope to e va va vonne. 😳
Not much chance of poking her eye out Redders after e va va vonne`s observation ! 🙂
Glic,
I have received a secret cuckoo message from the telescope man, he says you need to amend your criteria;
–“Ladies, having White knockers with Red nipples Is not enough, It has to be Red knockers with White nipples !.”
He wants it to read; “knockers must be red and white spirals with blue nipples”. Apparently he like to play the Dam Busters game and home in on the target — with appropriate sound effects!! 🙂
That TerryM, eh? has it all worked out, tho’ I don’t like to think where he would store his telescope.
Redders,
I think he hides It next to his “bouncing bombs” !, clever them Greeks !.
good
Here’s my little cannon, hand drawn using a 2p piece for the wheel.
I went in to the tattooists asking if they had anything like my little drawing and he said, that’ll do!
http://twitpic.com/8puik0/full
Chas – and where is it? Knowing you for a while i think I can guess….
How come you all have freckles? Irish, VCC, GM and you too
Not telling.
Everyone’s skin looks as though it has freckles when you take a picture close up with a flash.
For those that are interested; dont forget there is an hour long Arsenal special on BBC 5 Live at 8 30 this evening. Woolnough and Winter plus others probably means we will take a hammering.
dandan,
Any idea what the topic is about on Arsenal ?
RL. Super post and one I can fully agree with.
I also like Micky’s comment 10.48. It sums up AA.
I have been extremely frustrated by Theo this season ( and last, and the one before that!) and have expressed my frustrations. But he remains one of my favourite players and have high hopes for his Arsenal career
El Tel. I know you have gone and are unlikely to read this but as always you write from the heart. Great stuff.
And don’t be a stranger!
Dandan – I didn’t know, thank you for the tip
Sorry late in responding RA.
“plastic fans” maybe a phrase that was invented on the blog” and again (as usual my choice of words ) doesn’t really express what I meant to say.
One will always get a diverse reaction in a crowd of people sitting together at a football match but in my case and many others on here and elsewhere it means following and supporting your chosen club through good and bad times.
There have always been floaters in a place such as London since I first attended matches.People often go to watch the team of the moment and then drift away when another becomes more successful.In our case we have maintained a sell out crowd despite of Chelsea’s success but I often wonder how many that come to the new stadium come to see the stadium first, have a nice meal at someone else’s expense and aren’t really that bothered about the match.old and young a like.
Then there are others. I know of two people who have 4 season tickets each and select a handful of games to watch.that is their perogitive but real fans, not sure.
it’s a hard question to answer as one thing I am certain about is that the game was originally a working mans sport and today so many people who are die hard fans haven’t got the finance to watch their local team anymore, whoever that maybe and as I said in an earlier post and confirmed by El Tel it wasn’t like that back at Highbury when the so called drought was a lot longer It is a problem with society today not football.
I haven’t really answered your question but perhaps plastic fan is a wrong termonology
Great post Rocky. I like most people do get frustrated with Theo at times but I think so much of his apparent confusion when it comes to an end product is due to the constant criticism he receives from fans, ex-players, pundits etc all telling him hes not an intelligent player. The self-doubt is bound to creep in. He is not a professional player at one of the best clubs in the world by accident. Hopefully this will give him a boost to carry on and just play his own game. Push it beyond your man, run on and score….that’ll do for me.
GLiC 4:14.
Without doubt, the minimum criteria has to be a tattoo at the very least.
E va va vonne 4:18.
How very dare you young lady. Tattoo on my arse indeed.
If chas would explain how to download photo’s I would prove its on my Right shoulder.
VCC – and how dare you calling me young 🙂
Kelsey,
Thanks for that, you have given a very good answer, I think.
You are not the only one who has used the phrase, and we all tend to go along with what we think it means. It just struck me that I really did not know what the term meant.
You have tho’ given me an insight into the possible meaning. I do not know any people who ‘float’ from club to club, but you are probably right that there might well be those who go on corporate freebies for the ‘experience’, the booze and the food, but are not real fans.
Arsenal today, Chelsea next week. Now they are plastic!!
Thanks, my friend! 🙂
When I think of “Plastic”, why do I think of Michael Jackson ?
VCC,
Just noticed your gravatar, superb! 🙂
http://redlondon.wordpress.com/2012/02/28/fernando-torres-swap-deal-for-theo-walcott/
just released on Newsnow. must have been reading us a few days back
VCC
I loved your ‘lipstick’ story from earlier. Very funny.
When I think of plastic I think of Pamela Anderson – and a very nice thought it is.
Rocky
I have just read that you wrote today’s post before last night’s debate, hmmm I cannot work out how you did that. Still, as I said above it is on the money.
VCC. Top gravatar!
http://swissramble.blogspot.com/2012/02/arsenals-mystery-dance.html
please take 10 minutes to read this,it answers many questions and asks just as many.
It will be 2014 when we start to reap many benefits.
Just got round to reading El Tel’s comments, actually I read one and couldn’t wait to read the next, quality stuff.
Three wins on the spin in the league and you could think we have turned a corner. Maybe we have. Hope so.
Does anyone else think that the true measure of that will be four points from Liverpool away and Newcastle at home?
How do you all fancy our chances?
Cheers LB
To be more precise, ‘before MUCH of last night’s debate’. I was inspired to write it by Dandan posting the Matt Dickinson Times article around 11.30am and some of the immediate responses to that.
Kelsey
That was my reading of the Swiss Ramble piece too.
It answers a question I raised the other day, namely “how come, now that we have our swanky new stadium with the biggest match day revenue, that we are still only a break-even business without selling players?”
The answer is that the commercial deals we had to do to finance the stadium build (naming rights etc) are way below what other clubs have negotiated recently.
But from 2014 that picture starts to improve markedly when we are able to negotiate some new deals.
Jamie
I’m ever the optimist, but now we’ve got real full backs again I expect six points from those two games.
We’re a better team than Liverpool and I believe Newcastle have been defying gravity for a long time and will probably go on a bad run now.
My younger bro, JC and me are in this photo. I took it from a screenshot from Arsenal Player.
We weren’t in the 360 degree photo, but somehow I prefer this. 🙂
http://twitpic.com/8pwlb4/full
Monster why are you wearing white shirt?
gr8 theme for the article for erm..gr8 article.
This one, evonne.
I just saw on twitter that another 3 Arsenal shares have changed hands today, add that to 1 bought yesterday and Rangers shares being bought and there’s quite the race on.
According to the twitterati yesterday’s went for £16,750 today’s for £16,000.
The 6month figures mentioned that Kroenke had upped his stake to 67% since the year end.
There are around 62000 ordinary shares I believe, so Kroenke needs 2000 odd shares to stop Usmanov reaching 30% whereas Usmanov needs what 10 shares?
Thanks critic 🙂
GIE
What’s the significance of the “Rangers shares”? I’m confused by this.
A train hits a bus load of Catholic school girls and they all perish. They are all in heaven trying to enter the pearly gates past St. Peter.St . Peter asks the first girl, “Jessica, have you ever had any contact with a penis?”
She giggles and shyly replies, “Well I once touched the head of one with the tip of my finger.”
St. Peter says, “OK, dip the tip of your finger in The Holy Water and pass through the gate.”St. Peter asks the next girl the same question, “Jennifer have you ever had any contact with a penis?”
The girl is a little reluctant but replies, “Well once I fondled and stroked one.”
St. Peter says, “OK, dip your whole hand in The Holy Water and pass through the gate.”
All of a sudden there is a lot of commotion in the line of girls, one girl is pushing her way to the front of the line.When she reaches the front of the line St. Peter says, “Lisa! What seems to be the rush?”
The girl replies, “If I’m going to have to gargle that Holy Water, I want to do it before Tiffany sticks her ass in it.”
It’s passed the watershed time. Hope i don’t get banned.
LB,
They’re Arsenal shares that were given to Rangers and the rumour is that Usmanov bought them from Craig Whyte.
This is GLiC.
/Users/Scriv/Desktop/deadliestvirusontheplan.wmv
VCC 🙂
Sorry LB apart from the historic ties it just seems that since those 14 Rangers shares were sold every minor share bought is announced. I guess there was a bit of an impasse but now the race for 30% seems to be on for Usmanov again.
Kroenke paid around £13.5k per share if Usmanov reaches 30% at an average of £16k a share i think he has to offer that to Kroenke.
That’s 41000 shares at a £3k profit each (average), some would consider that to not be a bad years earnings, I guess we will get our answer of just how long term Kroenke wants to be involved. £120m I’d take it, will Kroenke?
Evening all.
Excellent post Mr Rocky, completely agree.
Our fans at home games are too prone to instant and righteous indignation: which other club has in its repertoire an episode like Eboue against Wigan? Ironically, I don’t think the treatment meted out to Walcott during the first half on Sunday approached the levels of aggression we’ve witnessed on other occasions, and to that extent I agree with those who say there wasn’t full-on abuse. But there was definitely plenty brewing for Walcott, it was tangible, and we as fans have plenty of form when it comes to Walcott. I liked the Matt Dickinson article in The Times because it rung true as a general description of the treatment of Walcott (and other players), and made good points about why a player of such uneven talents may not be helped by being harangued and why Wenger and van Persie are loyal to Walcott.
As far as Walcott the player is concerned, he isn’t perfect but our squad would be weaker without him. He’s the sort of player whose mistakes are jumped on and remembered but whose contributions are often glossed over or ignored. Who would’ve thought that this season he’s scored 8 goals and clocked up 10 assists so far, meaning he’s on course for his best season stats ever?
Anyway, as others have said, so long as we all get behind all the players during the game, and reserve the slagging off for blogs or the pub, there’s no prob.
I bet the atmosphere in the Bill Nic wasn’t like this!
Did any of you have seen this? I bet he’s only a few second behind Walcott..
VCC ?
Evening all,
well done Rocky, great article. One week he’s useless, the next priceless. We should be aiming to make it ‘Fortress Emirates’, which will only come from the players and fans uniting for the cause.
Thanks for the info dandan regarding the 5Live Arsenal special.
Fascinating listening. Man Utd are a money-making machine whose revenues bring in £100m compared to our £40m. and their global support compared to ours means we will never be on their level.
Martin Keown stated catagorically that Arsene Wenger is the right man to take Arsenal forward, describing him as a “visionary”, but also said he needs to change.
Moving to The Emirates was solely Arsene Wenger’s project.
If UEFA make the FFP rules stick, Arsenal will be very well placed financially, second only to Man Utd.
Doubts remain over whether or not the FFP will work because of the legality of throwing certain clubs out of major competitions.
If the FFP rules don’t work, Arsenal could be in a bit of a mess, and will then have to decide which direction the club takes.
If the FFP rules don’t stick which we won’t know until 2014 given the three year measurement period we will also be at the end of our worst corporate deals. The 6month figures for this year show football revenue up which I guess indicates that our commercial team are making some solid deals, and if Liverpool and Spuds have struck kit deals of £25m and £10m per year respectively whilst being outside the CL, our current deal is worth £6m a year we know why because it was cash loaded. But anywhere between those two figures is not going to be out of the question and both those deals involve unknown football manufacturers….I’d guess Adidas, Nike and Puma would all fancy a deal, what’s it worth if we manage against the odds to stay in the CL?
On us being in a mess of FFP doesn’t stick, maybe on the playing side but I doubt it on the financial side we will be secure because we’ve stuck within our limits and continued to make profit. I know that’s not the be all and end all of a football club, but Villa announced £57m loss today for 2010-11 following a loss of £30 odd million the previous year. I’d rather be in our position than waiting for the Revenue to foreclose, clubs simply can’t lose £100m in two to three seasons and expect the owner to keep ploughing in the money. I certainly would be advising my client to cut losses and run. But that’s me being an accountant married to a lady called Prudence. Hopefully they stick it on Iplayer and I’ll have a listen tomorrow.
Herb are you sure that the emirates was Wengers project? Was it on the 5 live programme?
GIE apparently Kronke has never sold an asset.
Yes GiE, on the playing side because of our transfer/wage policy.
Brilliant quote you found from Jimmy Greaves. I heard years ago he said if Arsenal had wanted him he would have walked to Highbury.
Yes GM, Martin Keown said on 5Live that the whole Emirates move was Arsene Wenger’s idea, and he made it happen.
Evening GiE, GM and Herb
Kroenke is one of the people bidding for the LA Dodgers baseball team – one of the biggest MLB franchises, even though it’s basically gone bust.
Will he need spare cash if he succeeds with his bid?
That’s amazing that Arsenal has been shaped by 2 visionary managers.
Kelsey,
Just read your link to the swissramble. I think it makes very positive reading for one main reason. Its easy to see how our finances are going to get so much stronger. Nothing worse that looking into a business’ finances and concluding..this is as good as it gets.
morning Chas
Link for the shirt didn’t work; as long as it is not a tottenham outfit!
Did you listen to the Radio 5 last night? I did and it was very informative, not much criticism of either AW or the Club.
Interesting fact – we spent ~£70m during last summer transfers!!! £70m!!
Chas,
Its dark, its gloomy, its big and its heaving with Gunners. The Pins?
Hahahaha
Morning Micky
Chas – that psycho is hillarious, my dogs just watched it with me and are still barking with his dog 🙂 True Gunner!!
Morning all,
Didn’t listen to the Radio 5 broadcast, evonne.
Micky, yep 12 pins. It just makes you wonder how many were singing all around the world when you see clips from pubs all over (even in Moscow). 🙂
Chas,
Brilliant. Could that be GiE in 20 years?
Love to fast forward to when he’s made more of an impact on that case of Carlsburg!!! He was clearly not planning on going anywhere anytime soon 🙂
Morning Evonne
Chas,
12 Pins!!! Brilliant guess
chas – i was just wondering if I have EVER felt such unbelievable joy as on Sunday? I was happy and proud to have my baby, happy at various achievements, happy for others, especially family, but THIS was different, like screaming and jumping, and running around my car, I cannot describe it, but I don’t think I ever felt such joy before
Stop barking at an Arsenal legend…..
Micky, I’m still not 100% convinced this isn’t GIE!
Chas @ 7:45 – he looks very much like GiE, i don’t recognise the sunglasses though
It’s true that Keown said that the whole of the Emirates project was Wenger’s idea.
Martin perhaps you ought to stick to football because you really do not understand what it takes for a board of directors to organise a four hundred and forty million pound investment.
This is a bit like Lloyds opening branches in China becasue one of their star employees said he thought it was a good idea.
Herb, don’t believe all you hear on the Radio, Arsenal proted the idea that the whole thing was Arsene’s idea to get us the fans used to the change, remember at the time Arsene’s stock could not have been higher. Things have changed, it is obvious to most that it was not and could never have been soley Wenger’s idea, the problem is that becasue Keown no longer works for the club he has not recieved the message to say that the the promotion of that idea has now stopped.
Chas,
That’s a great pic. How much would that bloke like to know the pic exists?
Chas,
There’s a similar pic of Anfield ’89, with a bloke in an Arsenal away shirt in similar pose following the final whistle. Turns out he now lives in Devon, and I sometimes meet him on the train on match days.
I have an idea to improve the atmosphere at the ground derived from the great pic chas posted.
Do you remember the mural at Highbury when the North Bank was being rebuilt? Didn’t stop there being a great atmosphere did it? So, if things get quiet, Arsenal unfurl an enormous blow-up of the pic in front of the quietest stand (sadly Clock End Upper). The resultant indignation and humiliation would surely cause an increase in singing from said section! And other areas of the ground would sing in order maintain their pitch view.
Draconian I know, but sometimes one has to be cruel to be kind (in the right measure🎵)
BR,
Brilliant idea. One flaw. Inflatable, and thus very vulnerble to attack by smokers like me!
BR,
That’s it I’m phoning the tracking number people right now. Back in a few mins.
Raddy, are you there?
Just spoke to PO, and I sent it Air Mail Small Package, which apparently takes anywhere between 3-24 days!!! Lucky I didn’t go with my last minute idea of lobbing in some clotted and hoping for the best!
morning all,
sorry for the lateness Rocky, but brilliant piece as per usual.
micky summed it up yesterday (BR said).
Cheers El for the insight on working as a steward
Micky. Normal time is a week, shorter when going from Dk to UK.
I guess the PO use RyanAir which means your package will be in Mallaga alongside a few thousand others. Once the Spanish Customs have released it the package will be forwarded to it’s next RyanAir resting place , probably Moscow, and from there who knows. Thankfully at some point, it will get to Germany and from there be at my apt. inside half an hour:
morning Oz.
Micky. Blow up as in film not inflatable or are you being risible? 🙂
BR,
From Germany to you in half an hour 🙂
3-24 days is some variable.
Deadly serious as always 🙂
Quick question:
torres for walcott, yay or nay?
or what do you think would be a good deal (e.g walcott for torres and $$$)?
Morning all……
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