I don’t think there is a better or noisier group of away fans in the Premier League than ours.
At the weekend, while the commentators pleasured themselves as they murmured about the “famous Anfield atmosphere” our boys and girls out-sang the Scousers all game long.
They were loud, supportive and funny.
I loved the many choruses of backing for Giroud as he plays his way (slightfully painfully) into the EPL and the hilarious Andre Santos song (“he drives how he wants”).
But for the second week running there was also loud singing of a Robin van Persie song that refers to the untrue rape allegation made against him very early in his Arsenal career (“she said no, Robin”).
I was saddened to hear this particular ditty and I’m trying to figure out why it bothered me (I have felt no such qualms about the songs of abuse aimed at Nasri and Adebayor).
The first thing – and I fully expect some people to heatedly disagree with me about it – is that I feel van Persie deserves more respect from Arsenal fans than many of the others who have angled for transfers in recent years.
He was at the club for a long time and although his glass ankles shattered far too frequently he always tried his best when fit. Last season he proved to be an excellent captain as well as a top striker and played a massive role in getting us to third place. If Robin had had 10% less effective last season we would now be settling in for “Thursday night, Channel Five” to quote another song that was belted out with gusto on Sunday.
He made one silly statement to force through a move – no doubt based on poor advice from one of his management team – in which he dared to assume that his view of how the club was being run was as important as Arsene Wenger’s. But apart from that he was quiet and dignified and has said nothing negative about Arsenal before or since. Nor do I expect him ever to do so.
Some people will never forgive him for going to Manchester United, but I’m sure the club could have sold him abroad if we had been prepared to accept less money, so he doesn’t share all the blame for that one.
(Incidentally, the other galling thing about that transfer is that, seeing United’s urine-poor performance against Southampton, they would be struggling for top four this year without van Persie).
The second thing that bothers me about the rape song is that it is factually incorrect. He was arrested following an allegation that, on police investigation, was determined to be unfounded. He was never charged.
Now I know that terrace songs are not meant to be judged on their accuracy (although it is incontestable fact that the w*nky T*ttenham Hotsp*r did, indeed, go to Rome to see the Pope and he did, indeed, tell them to f*ck off), but this is the equivalent of the scummy fans from Old Toilet and Riot Hart Lane singing about the false claims made against Arsene Wenger in his first days in the Arsenal job.
And let’s not forget that when the allegation was made against Robin he was one of ours. To sing that song now just makes us look like hypocrites. It would be fine to ridicule him for an indiscretion committed while under someone else’s colours, but for something he did (or didn’t do) as a Gooner? Really?
Thirdly, it bugs me that we have adopted a song that was invented by opposition fans who wanted to abuse one of our players. Surely we can do better than tinkering with other people’s sloppy seconds.
Finally I’m against the chant because it feels low class. One thing that has always separated Arsenal, its players and its supporters from other clubs is that we have conducted ourselves better than them. Even now in an age of crazy oligarch spending the way we run our club is a clarion call for sense and integrity.
And in that context seeing Arsenal fans abuse their former captain and hero over an untrue rape charge he faced while he was under our protection just sticks in my craw (not sure where my craw is, but that’s where it sticks).
On balance I would prefer that we didn’t abuse van Persie at all (although I’m probably in a minority on that one) and I would love to see us give him a polite round of applause when he takes the field against us in recognition of what he did for us last season. That would be classy.
Having said that, if the away fans want to abuse Robin (and they, more than anyone, have the right to sing what they want) I would rather see them restrict it to the bit about him being a front bottom. Or wait until he commits some new indiscretion while belonging to Manchester United and lambast him for that.
Or come up with a new chant that has wit rather than classless insult – maybe something about him and Fergie, or him and Rooney.
In fact – how about we try to come up with a new van Persie song ourselves? Any offers?
RockyLives
Arsenal News 24/7
arsenalarsenal.net 
Well said Rocky. This should not be taken as a criticism of our away supporters, but just a reminder of who we are and what we’re about.
We cannot complain about some of the grotesque stuff aimed at AW if we do something similar to BSR.
Fuck u rvp
This topic is a bit of a divider amongst Gooners, I for one have never been as upset with a player leaving us, as I was with RVP joining the Mancs, and I think if you look into Arsene Wengers eyes ,you can see that he is unbelievably gutted that he went to suck at Fergie’s bosom of whiskey as well. I have heard way worse songs then this one, and personally I will be singing it with all my might any chance I get. You are right in saying that it shows no class, but all I can say in my defence is I’m incredibly bitter towards the Dutch traitor, anywhere but there Robin, anywhere but there!!
Very intelligent oko, thanks for that.
That comment will stay, anyone else who similarly demonstrates their lack of understanding of the post will go into trash.
gonna be a slow ass fortnight ay it.
excellent article ( “not sure where my craw is, but that’s where it sticks” .thats a good one. best to completely ignore him… Pity we couldnt keep him though, together with Song.. we would be challenging for the EPL and possibly the CL, instead ‘nailed on” fof the FA cup and league cup (or whatever its called now).
To the tune of la bamba
van Persie is judas, van Persie is judas, can’t you see, he loves fat Rooney and old Fergie
Fully agree mate.
It’s frankly embarrassing and makes us look poor.
RVP is no where near as bad as Ade, Nasri, cashly….and even if he was tht song is just too spurs fans like for my taste.
“I don’t think there is a better or noisier group of away fans in the Premier League than ours.”
That’s what my neighbours say to me.
Weekends: 10pm-11.45pm
Evening games: 3am-4.45am
I couldn’t agree more. Very well thought out and written. We are class, let’s not drop to the level of the bogans.
Well argued. Although I share the disappointment of his choice of club I would that we exact revenge on the field while retaining class in our responses to the former captain.
Very good post and well said, Robin was with us for a long time and we are the Arsenal and we are class above and we don’t need to be like the rest.
Rocker, 🙂
Because I sometimes like you, I can reveal the feathery origins of the word craw.
It is a term many pigeon fanciers will relate to, as it means the ‘pouch’ in the throat of birds where they keep seeds, and in the case of pigeons they fuel themselves with seed from the craw on long flights.
Some people confuse craw with the word ‘gizzards’ a digestive area in the tract of a bird or animal. Hence the use, by pirates like Long John Silver, of the phrase, “I’ll cut out his gizzards” meaning they are not happy with some one!
I bet you wish you had not mentioned ‘stuck in my craw’ now! 🙂
Anyway, congrats on another well written and important reflection on the way we should deal with our ex-Arsenal, ex-heroes.
The very obvious one, Robin Van Persie, he whores when he wants.
You said you bled red, like Rooney did Blue,
Robin Van Persie, shame on you.
Good post RL
i’ll tell you why its difficult to accept that shitty song from Arsenal fans –
Its because we believe we are a different class, we think the way the club conducts business is a class apart, we don’t like to be like the other fans we expect everything about this club including the fans to do it differently, from the business side right down to the fan.
i for one love the fact that we don’t have sugar daddies bailing us out and in to debt, we are original and have our own identity that other inferior clubs are jealous of and i am proud of.
But it saddens me to hear our fans stoop to the levels of mancs, chavs and orcs, let alone borrow there songs.
Get a grip Gooners we are a little better than that.
Morning all., another brave post from The Rock and one full of self awareness and humilty, which is appreciated.
Why do I say self awareness ? The Rock admits he will be in the minority when he says Robin van Judas shoudn’t be abused at all – to that I bluntly disagree.
Of course we shouldn’t beleive that a footballers word is like chinese letters tatooed on a chavs back – they mean nothing. From his claims of being a childhood Arsenal fan(backed up by photographic evidence) to his recent self contradiction of “the little boy inside me screamed Man Utd”.
His years spent on our treatment table wqhile he collected his wages off our hard earned money buiying tickets to see him, till 18 months ago, waiting for him to step up to the plate and actually score goals for us – and once he did he saw fit to discredit the club, and by inference the supporters, for lacking ambition and disapproving of it’s direction.
A quiet “I’d like to try a new challenge and wish Arsenal all the best” would have sufficed as his parting shot rather than what we got.
A snide dig and a fast exit up the M1 to Old Toilet and our bitterest rivals and competitors for a top 3 postion is what we got.
Even his wife was aware that to leave Arsenal would be the biggest betrayal of the faith put in him by his manager and Gooners worldwide; his father dsiad he would never join another Premier League club, but Van Judas was happy to make fools of his family by the treasonous exit route he took.
While I would never sing “that” song I believe it is the right, no the duty, of every Gooner to tell us what they think of him when he visits Ashburton Grove later in the season.
That assumes he is not in the middle of his customary 4 month injury break at the time.
Well done Van Judas, you have made Ca$hley look like a saint in comparison by your actions. I hope you enjoy yourself in Manc land and you take your rotting ManUre cash to a fiery grave with you.
Rant over.
Craw is the throat of a bird ! Don’t forget Peaches’ mum might be reading over her shoulder 🙂
Agreed that we should never sing that song but fuck him. We stood by him and nursed him back to health every time that ankle gave out and after the one season it didn’t he fucked off to utd. Every time my non-gooner mates goaded me about him leaving over the summer I honestly thought he’d stay because he had class and loyalty and i’m sure a few others thought the same. There was no statement from him to say he was grateful for what we’d done for him and it wasn’t like he was returning to his boy hood club or fulfilling a life-long dream. For me, he’s worse than Nasri and will never be welcome back in north London.
Red Arse you beat me to it
Morning chary 🙂 hopefully you can come up with something from Judas Priest to chant at RvP …. I look forward to your youtube clip going viral 😆
She said no robin, she said no ha a ha ha
oko oh no!
Hi Rocky,
Completely agree with your views on the song. It really doesn’t befit a club like ours to sing such classless songs, and I hope we don’t in the future.
I do disagree about Van Persie deserving respect. He doesn’t. Not just for where he moved. His statement wasn’t a poor bit of judgment. It was designed to put pressure on the club to sell him now rather than keep him, AND at a lower price at that, knowing that his stock is at its peak. It was a motivated piece of literature, intended to harm the club that gave him everything.To turn his back on the club the way he did, is the behaviour of a person that gets no respect from me.
However, not respecting him doesn’t mean I have to stoop to new lows, and I agree that the song is just not a good reflection on us. I’d rather ignore him completely, but if we can come up with a witty ditty that might get under his skin and throw him off his game, it might be worth it when he comes a calling to our ground.
totally agree. No need to abuse RVP like this since he was such a legend for so long, and it makes us looks like spuds.
By all means sing about how playing for man u is the lowest of the low, and what a traitor he is but not about rape.
But is gonna be hard to change the momentum on this thing.
The player get paid bucket-loads and taking stick is just part of the job.
`NEVER! give the player the benefit of the doubt`, and you will stay sane, as a fan.
Rocky, I agree with you that this song should not be sung by us as it does lack class and we gooners are better than that, but I cannot forgive RVP for what has happened. Am I bitter, yes I guess I am a bit. Will I move on from it, yes I will. I am fully behind the current team and Arsenal players so in most ways I have moved on and I suppose I really feel RVP is dead to me from an Arsenal point of view, but I still retain the right to resent what he did. I will not sing bad things about him or wish ill health or serious misfortune on him, but there is a part of me that would be not at all sad if his famous ankles failed again on this international break. Nothing serious in terms of ill health but 6 months on the sidelines.
I can’t forgive how he dressed up his statement with love messages about respect for the fans and his love of Arsenal and telling us it wasn’t about money. It was all about the money, and I also recognise what an awesome squad we would be looking at with him in it still. A silverware winning squad, you know the one, the type that has this so called ambition we are often said to lack. If it wasn’t for him and some of the other turncoats that recently left we would be head and shoulders above every other team now and this ambition would not be talked of so often.
There is a difference in a player that has given you good regular service for 7 years and then leaves. You can say that they earned their wages. RVP never earned his wages. The club did stand by him while many managers would have brought in a replacement and moved on without him. He now plays for Ferguson. Does he really think that he would have offered the same backing as AW did in his injury ravaged days. It was not his fault re. injuries but if your career has shaped up this way and a club has shown you great patience and loyalty then that club are entitled to ask for some loyalty in return. Yes he saved our skin last year but that was not sufficient pay-back IMO, and to watch him now play for a club and manager that would never have stood by him like we did and then applaud him when he turns up at the emirates in their colours is asking a bit too much.
We have a good looking squad now who want to fight for the team, so I will absolutely get behind them fully, but we should not forget or forgive the betrayel of RVP, but similarly, you are right to state that we shouldn’t descend below a certain level.
There was a well written post recently about heroes. (thanks Herb). In nutshell, they come and go and bsr is no different.
Just a player in a long line of players who live and work for the good of their family and themselves. Why should we be surprised – it is just what we all do.
Does he deserve the inevitable abuse that is sure to rain down on him? Depends upon the individual but I cannot take any footballers treachery personally, life would be too difficult.
What is certain is that RvP never took to the pitch in an Arsenal shirt without giving 100% and for that I am grateful.
Hi Raspers, I’d be tempeted to do that but I 1. Don’t have any singing ability at all and 2. I have a top volume about a 10th of that stentorian GiE.
However a few Judas songs that would fit him “Deceiver” “Cheater” “Raw Deal” “Stained Class” “You say yes” and so on…
Rocky…completely agree about the “she said no” chants…although, for me, it’s more to do with the hypocrisy of the situation.
We were the ones moaning when that song (as well as the “sit down” song aimed at Wenger) was sung by opposition fans, to now adopt it is, as you rightly say, showing no class and massively myopic.
I don’t agree that he doesn’t deserve a bit of abuse – the man made his own choice…no one but he put the thumbs up to the statement going on to his website and no one but he put pen to paper on the Man Utd contract. Decisions, decisions, Robin…
Stooping to those levels is a mistake. Surely we can do better than regurgating some BS chant concocted by the knuckle-draggers from the frozen north?
I’m still proposing my “he’s got a sore arse” chant from Sunday…if we to show how classy we are… 😛
well now im peeved, i just wrote this comment, submitted and its disappeared, i can’t be arsed to type it again.
So a condensed version goes
Great post RL
Disapointed to hear that song, because to me we are a different class of club, we do things differently here and we have our own identity. I am extremely proud of this, so its saddening to hear us stoop to the level of the mancs, chavs & orcs, i like to think we are better than that never mind borrow their songs.
And good morning to you, CharyB, 🙂
We all make our own judgements in life, and you have made yours clear in the world famous, fiery CharyB style.
Can I respectfully disagree with you?
— Am I disappointed RVP left? Yes!
— Am I peed off that he chose to go to Manure? Absolutely!
— Do I want to heap vitriol on some one I long admired and loved when he played for Arsenal? No!
I do not think he said the club lacked ambition.
I believe he was trying to make the point, albeit badly, that his vision of the future direction or way forward and that of the club, were different.
We have a great club, with a great future and it is bigger than any one player.
The RVP saga is history — let it go, would be my advice. 🙂
Well done, the Rock, I agree with everything you say, and have previously said I’ll be welcoming van Persie back to the THOF. Which will be much easier if he would stop scoring goals for the wrong side.
But my main problem with that song isn’t one of your reasons. I don’t give a toss if I’m written off as being too PC, but rape and child abuse are, in my book, NEVER things to be used for jokes or piss taking. My problem with the disgusting abuse of Wenger down the years has less to do with him, he can cope with obviously ridiculous allegations; what I hate is the use of other people’s suffering (be they children, women or men who’ve been raped or abused) as part of a joke. Just ain’t funny, as anyone who’s been raped or abused would tell you.
If people want to have a pop at RvP, while I hope they don’t, they can. But using rape? Frankly, take a running jump.
Weedz,
I disagree. The whole point of the tribal nature of football is to be able to say ‘Us vs Them’ (wasn’t that the title of a recent post?) If we stop thinking we are in some way, connected to the players representing the club we love, we lose, in my opinion, one of the fundamental emotions of the sport.
The key is to have the strength to deal with people who disappoint you, without letting it affect your overall judgment as to what you want to do. I want to support Arsenal players. I see that as my job as a supporter. So what if a few like Cole, Nasri, Fabregas and Van Persie abuse that? So many haven’t, don’t and won’t. And if you ever need inspiration, just look at Arsene Wenger. It must hurt him more than any of us. But he continues on. We should do the same. Players come and go. The ones that leave acrimoniously will not impinge on my feelings for the ones that represent us.
I agree, it’s unimaginative and hardly classy. But then again it serves as a reminder to all those United fans who sung it for years and have suddenly ‘fallen in love’ with him after a few goals.
The same fans who instantly forgave Rooney after his transfer request/ploy for a bigger contract – come what may, our supporters will never be as pathetic as United’s.
26 : 10.11 Well said
Greetings Rocky. I completely agree with you, we should be better than that. As Rasp said, we should remember who we are. If the Club can act with class then so should we.
Unfortunitly, this will never happen. i know tons of gooners that if i suggested we temper our chants to Van Persie would instantaniously out me as a big Jessie and then proceed to chase me down the road with the mind of giving me a good old fashioned lynching.
At the end of the day we should realy just move on from this. Players have such large egos these days that the only punishment that will realy irk Van Persie is success on the pitch. The realisation that “we didnt need you, you big headed twat” after we win the Title will do me just fine.
” I believe he was trying to make the point, albeit badly, that his vision of the future direction or way forward and that of the club, were different.”
How could that mean anything other than lack of ambition? Do you think he wanted the club to spend a tonne of money (more than was already spent) on a few players?
There is no excuse for him joining Utd. None. If he’d gone to City I wouldn’t have cared so much at all. It’s always weird seeing our old players join other PL clubs, but Utd is a different story. He’s gone there to play up front with the player who cheated the invincibles out of 50 matches unbeaten. I don’t understand how anyone with the Arsenal mentality could feel at all tempted to join Utd. Their way of doing things is antithetical to ours in many ways.
Morning all
Thanks for the post Rocky. I’m relishing the chance to boo the dutchman loudly and incessantly on his return to THOF but I think the song is tasteless and like 26may has said above the subject matter of abuse should never be used for jibes or jokes.
I don’t know what the fuss is about………he chose the mancs, let him have both barrels.
And on that subject.
Ooohhh, when you are good Chary you are very good and this is top drawer.
“A footballers word is like chinese letters tatooed on a chavs back – they mean nothing.”
26may,
Great post. Well said.
26…you are too pc…but you’re also very right. 😉
F*k him. Lets come up with a Giroud song first !!
Hello Redders – of course you can disagree with me, although to do it “respectfully” is the mark of a gent, such as yourself.
If Van judas any one of these 3 things hadn’t happened during his exit I would be able to “let it go”: 1. the mendacious/underhand statement he released to “the fans” 2. Lack of appreciation to Arsenal/fans on arrival at Old Toilet and 3. His choice of club to go to.
As he did all 3 he deserves everything he gets and ST raises a salient point about the hypocrisy of the ManUre fans now – proclaiming him a hero while only last season singing “That” song – the ManuRe fans should be the ones hanging their heads in shame for the season upon season they sang that.
I believe Gooners may be using that song to highlight the hypocrisy of the scummy denizens of Old Toilet.
And thanks London, those tatoos David Beckham has got me thinking of that. 🙂
Just keep it simple and non offensive. Subtle as well. Its obvious directed at him.
“I’d rather be a gooner than a manc”
“i’d rather be a gooner than a manc”
“Rather be a gooner, Rather be a gooner”
“I’d rather be a gooner than a manc”
“The Arsenal, The Arsenal, The Arsenal”
The above is only a thought or template, i am not be presumtious and saying this should be used, probably not anywhere good enough but something like it should. Letting robin know how every gooner feels not about him but man utd. And if he can join the dots together what he as an arsenal player and ‘fan’ should of thought about man utd.
Any sign of Kelsey? Still intrigued (read: nosy) about what his Stoke chat was about…
O shut up you arsehole it’s a player who sold us out to man u, anything levelled at him is fully deserved and you are a dick for taking offence on his behalf. Liven up you cock
Another very well written post Rocky. 🙂
I agree about the song being inappropriate.
The rest I do not agree with at all. bsr flirted with loyalty of the fans, with being, in his own words ‘a Gunner for life’, he told us all how much he loved the club and how much he owes to Arsene. He gave us the impression he was not a mercenary but was willing to help our club reach its full potential.
He did not even want to honour his contract and to just do his duty. Pay back for all that has been invested in him, financially and emotionally – especially by Arsene, but also by the fans.
Things did not go his selfish way this summer, and he knifed the club in the back with his hurtful and so arrogant a statement, and to top it all off he goes to the fecking Mancs, our fiercest rivals over the last 20 years or so, and tells everyone that the little boy inside of him was screaming Manchester United at him!
To forgive him for that is impossible for me.
No, he is a total wanker and although I would not wish him any bad luck, or would ever sing a song about him of the content you alluded to in your post, I will always detest him, always hope his team loses, always hope he will win nothing any more in his career. I hate him so much, because I loved him so much. I cannot even watch him on TV, to see him in that vile shirt, doing that Jesus impression with shaking his head to one side, or brushing off the ‘crumbs’ of his shoulder, when he scores.
I do not often disagree with you Rocky, but this time we are miles apart. 😦
Arse,,
‘craw’ and ‘crop’ ain’t the same are they?
Rocky,,
I share your sentiments totally! The power of silence is so unquantifiable!
Chim chiminey chim chimney
Chim chim chirou
Who needs van persie
When we”ve got Giroud
I like the labamba song—–>
van Persie is judas, van Persie is judas, can’t you see, he loves fat Rooney and old bubble-chewing Fergie. That is more like it!!!!
But you didn’t have to cut us off
Make out like it never happened and that we were nothing
And I feel so unstable
When I think of the cash you made on our treatment table
You’re Robin to Rooney’s Fatman, and that feels so rough
No you didn’t have to stoop so low
Have your agent
Release that fucking statement
and then change your number
We’re The Arsenal and don’t need that though
Now you’re just somebody that we used to own
TotalA, is there dutch swear word/insult that would hurt van Judas more than any other english insult we could use ?
There is never an excuse for foul songs coming from ARSENAL supporters. We are and always have been a class above the rest. RVP deserves the accusation that he is RVPurse but dirt…we should leave that to the Tory press. As for Arsene, this man has some backbone. After years of success and profits for a club that was always great but not very profitable. George G, came in and gave us the breakthrough with the fab 6…AW took over added some MF class and won the lot. The only reason we have not had loads of trophies for 6 years is that we will never BUY TROPHIES ! end of!
History will record that certain clubs only have recent history due to running clubs in great debt and being used as play things by some very dodgy characters. One day the fairplay system will be introduced and midified and guess what club will be the shining light to all….well in aint, Chelski, City,Manure or QPR.
I started standing on the North Bank when I was very young and remember being very confused when I heard that Frank Staplton had moved to manu. I just couldn’t understand how he could possibly choose that horrible lot over the good guys. I was equally confused by the song that the Arsenal supporters used to sing about him especially as he had been idolised but today it makes a lot more sense.
Your just a greedy bastard,
Your just a greedy bastard.
Bang on the money as usual, Rocky.
Conor,
So any abuse levelled at brave sir robin is ok?
You’ve completely missed the point of the post.
It’s the nature of the song which is the issue.
As for “taking offence on his behalf”. Are you thick or something?
chary,
I like the idea of “… Gooners …..using that song to highlight the hypocrisy of the scummy denizens of Old Toilet”, but don’t believe it to be true for one second.
True Chas, for the ManUre fans to feel uncomfortable about the hypocrisy of them worshipping Van Judas now it requires them to have a conscience – which the c**ts don’t have.
F**K you ManUre and f**k you Mr red nosed scottish shower of shite Funguscum.
Any song we sing about brave sir robin has to concentrate on him selling his Arsenal soul for a fistful of dollars.
Singing about an unproven rape allegation is ridiculous.
I’d like the song to include something about ‘listening to the little boy inside’.
‘listening to the little boy inside’.
What a banned word.
Great gag on Twitter (not checked to see if it’s true):
Since 3rd March 2012, Arsenal have won as many games at Anfield as Liverpool.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nrhkdSg3yyY
Ah huh! There’s the imposter! Get him boys!!!!
@ Rocky
Well said, I hate the man but personal attacks in that regard are a bit much. After all we are a classy bunch so no need to sink as low as other sets of fans. In saying that though when GM says it I can’t stop laughing because that’s just who he is!
Lukas is obviously going to need some English lessons. lol
Chas…cheers for the video…he speaks better English than Rio Ferdinand…
LB, what a banned word, indeed.
Rhyle, you can see the intelligence of the man immediately. Can you imagine Rio or Wayne learning German? Italian or Spanish even better.
Well said as much as it hurts seeing him wear the wrong shirt, we all loved him. He maybe in united colours now but we all know he was made in Arsenal! We need to move on and when the time comes when he returns i will be clapping and then cheering when we stuff United 2 -0!
@ Rocky
also like TA, can’t agree with the rest. He’s lower than a snakes belly and no better than that oxygen thief Rooney!
Chas…always takes me back to when a company I worked for sponsored Villa. We used to take clients to the directors box, meal after. They’d vote for a MOTM and the player would join us for a few mins chat / photos…Carlton Cole was on loan and spent 10 mins with us. Nice guy but…limited vocabulary…
Me: Well played Carlton, thanks for joining us.
CC: Cheers, quality.
Client1: Took your goal well, Carlton.
CC: Cheers, quality.
Client2: Would you mind having your photo taken?
CC: Quality, yeah, quality. Cheers.
…and on and on for 10 mins…Used no more than a dozen words over the time….
zakkewasser–testicle washer, hoerejong–son of a whore, mongool–retard, rukker–wanker, sukkel–dumb fuck, moederneuker–mother fucker, stop het in je nauwe gaatje–stick it up your arse. a few dutch swear words
I agree that song is an embarrassment. Sure we can give him some abuse without resorting to spuds and stoke level
Davi et al, I don’t understand this idea about RvP choosing to join United, as if Arsenal had no say in it. Sure, he said yes he’d go there, but didn’t the club also decide to sell him there?
Who remembers the jingle from the Jacob’s Club advert about liking a lot of chocolate on your biscuit?
So how about: If you like a lot of Fergie up your arse’ole
Join their club.
If you like a lot of Rooney up your arse’ole
Join their club
etc etc through the Manc team.
TT – the club were not the ones who put out that ridiculous statement about his vision of the clubs proper direction. Van Judas is the one who wanted to move. If he didn’t have the desire to leave he wouldn’t be in that cess pit of humanity, Old Toilet, right now.
True it was a bit Chelski-like. Leave that sort of thing to the chavs…
Chary, I agree the statement is bad. I also agree his “little boy” statement was laughable; it shows he’s actually forgotten how that little boy thinks.
I’m just pointing out that the fact he’s at ManU comes down to decisions by both him and the club. He’s willing to play for “the enemy”, but the club was willing to sell to them as well.
I don’t condone the chants..
The one annoying and only thing is that when these allegations came out. we stood by him.
we the fans. The men and women in the stadium, the little girls at home in RVP shirts…
I think thats worth some forebearance.
A lot has been made of The club standing by him when he was injured, they paid him and kept the faith, the gave him new contracts when others wouldn’t.
But when Man Utd fans where chanting “Robin van Rapist” we stood by our enfant terribile..
Now he plays for the fans that called him a rapist and scorns those who opened there hearts to him.
Adebayor, Nasri etc never had the love that RVP had.I have more problem with thei chants about tham…. they owe us nothing.
RVP however….
Chim chimmnee, chim chimmnee, chim chimcherroooooo, who needs van persie, when we’ve got Giroudddddd!
TT – the club are probably 15-20% complicit in the whole sordid affair, but I maintain the prime mover in this is Van Judas, for which he deserves nothing more than our utter contempt.
I hope all those going to Ashburton Grove on April 27 do all us proper gooners proud by showing just what the ultimate betrayal means to us.
Agree with you but cant stand the guy now.. He went because of a lack of trophies and then joins a team that won fuc all last season, and the thing is if he stayed then we would probably have had a better team than them this season
The most terrifying thought today is that Chary has not quit guitar playing 😦
Oi Mdi89 – why should I quit when I’m behind ? 🙂
Arsenal fans slag off any player that leaves because of the inferiority complex and hate they have.
The truth that the club is crap and smart players are leaving and rewarded with better pay, better quality players and silver wear makes arsenal fans angry with jealousy.
Especially when they look at the bench and see Ramsy !!!
Damn, my Rocky post tribute vanished.
Rocky,
Yip, agree with all of that. Very well written as always, and of course, poses the wider topic of ho we view loyalty.
Remembering that the Club itself will dump any player (Arsenal DNA, or not) the moment their usefulness has elapsed, this loyalty thing is two edged.
On the Brave issue, I happen to believe the club had decided to cash in the moment they bought Podolski and Giroud, and that we never had any intention of keeping a 29 yr old with his injury record.
Does that swing the loyalty debate pendulum either way?
Chary Very good 🙂
Jog on you manc Troll Ziadovich( he has a cod e mail, what a surpise for another keyboard warrior).
So “smart players” are rewarded with “better quality players” ? Back to school you muppet.
Hi Ziadovich, we welcome all reasonably expressed comments on this site. You should know that the unwritten rule is that if you are not an Arsenal fan, you must state who you support so we can assess your comment in context.
…. and what chary said 😆
Chas @ 11:11 – Podolski learnt the lingo fast 🙂 Isn’t he a lovely lad? Well, well, I was very wrong to label him ‘dirty volksdeutch’.
…wish I was computer literate enough to post a picture of Jimmy Saville in a silver tracksuit…”silver wear” indeed…
Off you go fella…back to school with you this week…
I’m sorry to disagree but while I think the song shows a lack of class he deserves everything he gets. How anyone can defend him when I haven’t heard one person defend Nasri is quite sad really. Nasri condicted himself with more class than that dutch tosser. I hope he gets a very serious injury. Fuck him
On the subject of jimmy saville he is about to be outed as a nonce on the bbc.
I completely agree with you!
If you are interested, here are my thoughts on Arsenal and the premier league!
http://sportwords.blogspot.in/2012/09/super-premier-league.html
Rocky – I read your post with bright red face. I feel so ashamed, guilty, dirty and classless. You are absolutely right, RvP deserves a bit of respect from us and it would be classy to give him a round of applause in April.
I didn’t know that particular song and asked Chas after the game what it was all about. He explained and said that he would not join in in that particular one. See, he has class.
I hate RvP for leaving us, like any woman being left by her husband for another. I could scratch his eyes out, only because I was so fond of him. Ade, Na$ri, Song and many others did not keep me awake at night, neither before or after they left.
Your post has healed a few of my wounds and the level headed reasoning calmed my wild emotions towards the dutch person. I hate him a little bit less now and come April I might join in the round of applause; no promises, but I will try.
Thank you Rocky
GM…no one is defending him in the least…or certainly not many are…it’s just THAT song, something we’d moan about…doesn’t strike you as hypocritical?
There are other ways to take a pop at home without stooping to made up BS songs formerly sung by those who now idolise him…
As 26 said earlier…most things are fair game…but try to stay off of the subjects of rape and kids…unless it’s true, of course, then you can crack on…a song’d be the least of their worries…
Wow, you are going to give Van Judas a round of applause in April, Evonne ?
Oh well, each to their own.
I see absolutely nothing wrong with letting the Departed Dutchman know what we think of his disloyalty to the club that nurtured and nursed him. He was fully aware of what he was doing when he posted his infamous statement and must have known what sort of reaction he would get from his erstwhile fans.
The rape song is, or should be beneath Arsenal supporters, there’s no need for it, just boo the b*****d every time he goes near the ball. Keep it up throughout the game, he will need a very thick skin if the booing is not to affect him and I doubt if he has such a dense epidermis.
I think that Kelsey has just got us all Stoked up!
Michael Owen said he is going to make an announcement about his future on Wednesday – so that may be the news.
It will go some thong like this;
Stoke City are pleased to announcer the signing of “Hammer Mike Owen” – Mikey will then ride into the stadium on a white horse and will be wearing a suit of armour………………
Totally agree with every word, I for one will not be singing that song & yes he does deserve respect, he is nothing like Nasri & Adebayor.
As you have said it would be class to give him a small applause when back at the Emirates & then we can maybe sing a humourous song about Fatman & Robin 😉
I agree 100% with what you have said……although no one is pleased with the lack of loyalty RVP has shown, we shouldnt sink to those lows
I think we are seeing that some believe not singing that song means you also have to give Van Judas respect – the two are mutually exclusive.
I would not sing that song, yet respect is the last thing the ManUre number 20 will get from me.
GunnerN5,
More likely on a mobility scooter, given his injury history which is even worse than that ex-Arsenal Dutch striker whose name escapes me for the moment.
Evonne just said she was “feeling…dirty”. Covert message? Don’t miss a trick, me.
GunnerN%,
Will he also be wearing a thong? Lol.
Candid, @10:37
My original comment regarding the ‘craw’ was intended as a jocular tease of Rocky and not a discussion point.
If you look up the definition of craw, I am sure you will find any number of synonyms, of which ‘crop’ would be just one.
A craw, crop, croup or ingluvies is a portion of the alimentary tract used for the storage of food prior to digestion in some birds and mammals. But don’t quote me!
I will try and more clearly signal ‘jokes’ in the future. 🙂
Sorry GunnerN5 100%
NG;
I forgot to mention it will be a special “shorty” contract and he has been promised his own stall and a locker for his top hat.
He has also been assured that to make him feel at home on the pitch the players will hoof the ball up to him…………
NG,
A typo – but how knows – only GLIC or Terry I guess?
how – who
If and I hope he doesnt, score at the emirates the best thing would be for the entire croud to turn their back on him in silence. Would be much more dignified and shows that he never was and never will be one of us. Its a gesture that I feel would impact him more than us booing and cursing him which I believe would just fire him up. Agree we shouldnt stoop so low as to the rape song.
Were a funny lot us supporters really, If someone offered to triple my wages at another company, would I be loyal, Hell I would, I’d be off in a shot haha
He gave us some wonderful memories… treat him with respect. IMHO
didn’t know he had rape allegations, when this occured
Just had a thought about Brave.
He will get injured, and he is at one of the clubs at which I would most like that to happen at.
Could end very well 🙂
Its obvious RVP is a bit of a thick git. You dont leave Arsenal unless your a bit thick. When he comes to the Grove we should confuse the hell out of him.
“she said yes Robin, she said yes, ohhh Robin she said yes”
And yes, there will be a thong worn when Owen arrives at Stoke. But it will be adorned by Pulis as he greets young Michael in his office.
Where’s Kelsey? Has he revealed all yet? 🙂
Truth is, if he had gone to Juventus, we would of deffinately given him a cheer if he played against us but going to Man U, now that is low
Micky 🙂
Of course he will get injured, this side of xmas me thinks.
Rocky – without dutch person’s input we would be watching Thursday Channel 5. Same applies to ManU though. Without him they would have lost to Southampton and we would see a spectacular fall from grace much to the joy of Chary and GM.
Chary – I could not applaud him today, but April is a long way away, and by then we will be well ahead of the red Mancs, so I could be more forgiving
To put it short…….the “rapist” chants are disgusting & should NOT be sung by us on the grounds of it just being morally wrong & we should be/are better than that. That being said, (and Rocky is entitled to his own opinion) the amount of the post geared towards thanking the clown & even suggesting he be applauded when the mancs come to The Home of Football is about as misguided and outrageous as the “buy buy buy/$$$ will solve all our problems” brigade. Yes, it’s that ridiculous to suggest that. Still very well written, as always Rocky.
One more thing Rocky about the dutch person- I have read that although he was not guilty of rape, he did have sex with the girl with a few of his mates watching. The girl invited him to the hotel room and he turned up with friends. He was married at that time too.
This is awfully long but nevertheless it’s an interesting read.
…………………………………………………………………………………………..
Peter Hill-Wood: Of course Arsenal can win the league this season . . . and Spurs won’t trouble us
Mihir Bose
04 September 2012
Arsenal’s victory at Liverpool may go some way to reassuring restive fans that this campaign will not be a repeat of last season. Then, after suffering their worst start in nearly 60 years, Arsenal just edged Tottenham in the race for the Champions League, largely due to the collapse of their bitter north London rivals.
But, even before Sunday’s success, Arsenal chairman Peter Hill-Wood had no doubt that wider horizons beckon this season. We met at his home in Sandwich as the Old Etonian prepared for his annual holiday to Long Island in New York and the 76-year-old could not have been more confident.
“We have a pretty good chance of challenging for the Premiership,” he said. “I don’t see why we cannot win it this year.”
The bookmakers do not share Hill-Wood’s confidence. Sunday’s win shortened the odds from 25-1 to 12-1 but Arsenal have not won the title since 2004, or any trophy for seven years.
Their chances were hardly enhanced by the sale to Manchester United of leading scorer Robin van Persie, double footballer of the year, golden boot winner and scorer of his first hat-trick for his new club on Sunday. Despite this, and Theo Walcott refusing to accept a new contract, Hill-Wood came across as a man with no fears.
“It is not a worry to the board that we haven’t won a trophy since 2005,” he said. “It would be lovely to win but it’s not that easy. Liverpool haven’t won the title for 20-odd years. We’re very ambitious and want to win but, if you don’t have billions of petro-dollars to throw around, you’re going to have to do it some other way. That’s what we’re trying to do — with skilful selection of players. As for Walcott, he did not accept our offer so nothing is happening.”
Fans expected the club to do more in the close season with some £60million available to manager Arsene Wenger. But the transfer window saw Arsenal make a profit on their dealings and Hill-Wood insisted: “Arsene has money to spend but there’s a limit. We can’t spend £50m on one player.
“At a certain level, we can’t compete. I don’t think Stan Kroenke [the American owner] is going to put the sort of dollars in that [Roman] Abramovich or Sheikh Mansour are putting into Chelsea or Manchester City. That’s not the way he thinks clubs should be run.
“Luckily, Arsene understands that. He got an economics degree from Strasbourg University so he’s certainly no fool. He knows how a club should be run. That annoys a lot of people but clubs have to be sustainable. We’re not going to go bankrupt in the way one or two other well known clubs have.
“The Glasgow Rangers example is something we’ve all got to guard against. They spent far more money than they could afford. We’re ambitious enough but we’re not going to end in the same plight as Rangers. That is a fact of life. So my advice is don’t get miserable about it.”
Not all fans are willing to accept that advice and, last season, at many home games, some 5,000 did not turn up despite having paid for their tickets. Given the cheapest season ticket cost £1,000, that was some statement. And, for the first time Emirates heard the chant, ‘You don’t know what you’re doing’.
Hill-Wood could not hide his contempt for such behaviour: “What those fans shouted did not influence me one little bit. I was disgusted to hear them because Arsene’s been absolutely outstanding. He is still outstanding.”
The summer brought talk of Wenger managing France but Hill-Wood saw no reason why his manager should leave.
“You occasionally hear rumours of him going somewhere. I do not think that is likely to happen. He’s very happy where he is. He has a very good job in that we don’t interfere with him. We agree with most of the things he says and he agrees with most of the things we say. I have seen some really successful Arsenal managers but Arsene has revolutionised the club.
“I would say he has been a bigger influence than Alex Ferguson on Manchester United in the way he has changed the traditions of the club and the outlook of the Premiership.”
Arsenal fans would argue that Wenger has not been the same man since his good friend David Dein was sacked as vice-chairman in 2007 but Hill-Wood refused to accept that. “I don’t think David Dein’s departure has impacted on Arsene at all,” he said. “Arsene has a very good relationship with Ivan [Gazidis, the chief executive reportedly on £2m a year] and it’s very businesslike. He and Arsene get on very well.”
And, unlike Ferguson, who has regularly refreshed his backroom team since his arrival in 1986, Wenger has worked with the staff he inherited, apart from coach Boro Primorac who came with him. Normally managers come with their own team but, recalled Hill-Wood: “I asked Arsene whether he wanted to do that and he said, ‘No thank you, I’m very happy’.
“He’s appointed [youth-team coach] Steve Bould to succeed Pat [Rice, who he inherited as assistant manager]. I very much agree with that. To me, it reflects Arsene’s confidence.”
Hill-Wood’s own confidence in Arsenal’s future may stem from the fact that the club have long solved their ground problems with the move from Highbury to Emirates Stadium. This is in sharp contrast with many of their London rivals — Chelsea, West Ham, QPR and particularly Tottenham — all struggling to find new homes.
He saw this as a hindrance for their neighbours. “I do not see Spurs posing a problem for us this season,” he said. “Their new manager [Andre Villas-Boas] may be a great success but they have to find a stadium. That’s going to be very difficult. Finding a site and financing it is a major problem which we know all about.”
Now that Emirates has proved a success, Hill-Wood happily confessed: “I was very nervous and didn’t see how the hell we could finance a new stadium. It’s worked out very well.
“Quite a lot of equity went into it and payments from Nike and Emirates helped enormously. We’ve got a stadium debt of around £230m now, which is a 25-year bond at a fixed rate of 5.5 per cent.
“The success of the stadium is due to Danny Fiszman [the deceased director] and Ken Friar [a long-term director], who did a spectacular job. Danny was a genius and I don’t think we’d have achieved what we have without him.”
The stadium development was driven through despite the opposition of Dein, who wanted Arsenal to share Wembley, an option that appalled Hill-Wood.
“It would’ve been crazy to have gone to Wembley,” he said. “I hate Wembley anyway. It’s a bloody long way away. And I would absolutely not have wanted to be a tenant of the Football Association.”
He was just as implacably opposed to having Alisher Usmanov, who owns 29.9 per cent of Arsenal, on the board. The Uzbeck billionaire has questioned the ambitions of the club and the board members’ ability to ensure Arsenal can again challenge for the top table.
Usmanov cleverly timed his four-page open letter to the board to arrive the day after Van Persie made it clear he would not sign a new contract. The letter raised questions about the board, whose average age is around 73, and many of whom have made millions selling their shares to Kroenke.
Although Hill-Wood once said investing in football was “dead money” the last lot of shares he sold yielded £5.5m. He explained the gains by saying, “You wouldn’t say no to it,” and of Usmanov’s letter, he told me: “He’s said that before. It was nothing new and I didn’t think it was particularly relevant.”
As for Usmanov getting on the board, Hill-Wood added: “It’s not entirely in my hands. I don’t think Stan Kroenke wants anybody else on the board. I have met Usmanov but I don’t think he would fit in, that’s all.”
Some Arsenal watchers speculate that the hierarchy fear that Usmanov’s presence on the board could see the return of Dein. “No,” said Hill-Wood and, while he gave no further explanation, his tone appeared to suggest that Dein is now a pariah at the Emirates.
Hill-Wood, who joined the board in 1962 and succeeded his father as chairman 20 years later, has no plans to retire. “I’m going to carry on until I get completely senile and then my colleagues will say, ‘It’s time you went’. But, at the moment, they haven’t got to that stage. I’m not indicating that I’m complacent but, generally speaking, the club are on a very sure footing and the potential is there.”
The Liverpool result has further fortified this optimism but, for many fans, the jury will remain out until Wenger regains his trophy touch.
ces1ne – Rocky did not say that we should applaud him, but that such act would be classy. I want to be classy so I might applaud him. I am still praying that he breaks both his legs soon, but he doesn’t need to know that
Evonne, you are a kind and gentle person, but you should know what to expect from Beasty 🙂
Why is he still called bsr?
RvP chose United so deserves all the grief he gets for that decision, but the rapist song has nothing to do with that and is lacking any sort of class.
The fact that we were putting in such a great performance and decided to start singing about an ex player doesnt reflect well on us as a team. Fuck RvP, hes gone and its time to get behind the new boys. Give him abuse when we play United, but otherwise leave him to it and karma will deal with the rest!
With all this furore about RVP, it is perhaps salutary to learn of the death of 93 year old Gordon LaPrise, the man who wrote the Hokey Kokey.
The family were of course upset, but the most traumatic part for them started when they tried to get him into the coffin.
They put his left leg in ————– and then the trouble started …. 🙂
Unfortunately I have come aboard this conversation late. By now the topic has changed somewhat, but I would lie to address a few issues to do with \’class\’.
I respect what Rocky wrote and feel that there is much to thank RVP for. However, I also feel that he courts abuse for the manner of his departure and also his general demeanour. He is one of those players who the opposition fans hate for his ability and arrogance.
His brushing the dust from his shoulders, his general spikiness, his desire to speak his mind, his so-called studious approach to the game, his ever-more-typical Dutch footballing arrogance that creates factions and divisions in any team or squad. All the above are reasons to respect him and also dislike him.
So to abuse him is fair game. To choose to do it in the manner the few away fans did is only to be expected. Though not tolerated.
This brings me to the slightly challenging issue of \’class\’. Arsenal FC can be a little bit Ron Burgundy when it comes to underlining our traditions, history and standards. But the smell of rich mahogany and several leather-bound books doesn\’t seem to matter too much to those I have witnessed singing \’Hitler was a Gooner, coz he killed Jews\’. Nor does the anti-spurs hissing of gas. Nor does the Adebayor \”It Should Have Been You\”.
The class the club purports to have is not something many of the fans seem to respect. Which means that what we want out of football is more than victory and success. We demand allegiance and devotion from the players, even though we may scream at them. Why? because we pay their wages supposedly. Furthermore, we will attack any person in any manner to make a point. There was always a threshold and that which was considered taboo. This erodes over time and the concept of \’class\’ becomes something to bat around for the few who want to preserve it and maintain it. The standards we have as humans have nothing to do with football. If we choose to sing sick songs of abuse, regardless of their illegality, then it is because we use football as some kind of shield to express an inner hurt or fear manifesting itself as rage and bold camaraderie.
No one thinks about class in the heat of the moment, aside from those who went to finishing school, public school or were some kind of debutant.
But those who choose to wish death, acute pain, marital/relationship harm, laugh at the pain of suffering or the loss of children, and those who boo the severely injured (because this is not just about Arsenal fans), they all have deeper issues than a lack of class.
It is a hollow word with little strength in meaning. A judge would never tell a criminal that their actions lacked class. Though that would be quite funny.
Speaking of funny, we have some hilarious fans who understand funny chants and timing as displayed by the Santos chant. Or even better when we played Spurs at Highbury and the whole clock end went for the Spurs fan in the pink shirt, sitting in the front row of the West Stand. We can do it right a lot of the time, but the worst thing we can do is stand side by side with the spouters of such hatred.
The RVP chants border on tasteless and crude. They were Frankie Boyle. But the chants that still exist in and around the pubs of N5, N4, N16 and so on, they have my allegiances tested to the point that I would stop supporting all together, than stand for one more game next to them.
But then humans come in all shapes and sizes and I shouldn\’t be surprised that some of them are a total disgrace. There is a bigger, darker, more murky challenge here that most of us would prefer to turn a blind eye to.
Sorry to take the tone down further.
“brave sir robin” makes me want to gag. He is no different (in fact worse) than Nasri.
If you think Our fans have more class than others then I think that’s a bit deluded.
Van P will never be a legend is a left over of creation. If he could not realize how Arsenal was important to him then we just over estimated his value to Arsenal. Chicken brains will always be chicken even when pounded. Vanp yo success ended the day you said u screamed Man toilet
GM,
i think the BSR is linked to brave sir robin from the Holy Grail who runs away at the first sign of trouble, with his trusty sidekick banging his coconuts together as they flee!!!
If anyone has read the story about there being a fire last night at the Ems, just thought I should mention that the Kentish Town Fire Station chief quoted in the stories is a mate of mine.
Just saying…..
The original Brave Sir Robin!
Spot on – Arsenal fans should be bigger than to sing shit like that
goonermichael
“brave sir robin” makes me want to gag. He is no different (in fact worse) than Nasri.
I have to dissagree you totallywith that statement, he is much different than Nasri as 8 years at the club proves
Thanks slim I know holy grail. I think it is far to nice and not abusive enough for the scumbag.
Hi All
I don´t like the RvP song and I hope the boys will knock it on the head! Nevertheless I now like RvP even less than the chant and it wouldn´t trouble me if someone knocked him on the head. If only he´d had the good grace to stay quiet and move I wouldn´t be wishing him ill, even moving to Manu´er wouldn´t have bothered me, it wasn´t bad business for us really we got the “Giropod” combo in exchange for the ageing RvP.
RvP wanted his last big money move and statistically Manu´er have the greatest % chance on past form of winning the prem. RvP´s familly made it clear they wanted to stay in the UK so it was an almost inevitable move, fine take the move, but don´t smear the walls of your house with excrement before you´ve sold it!
We all know RvP was great for us last year but Personally I´m happy with the Giropod for RvP deal! Same with the Carzorla for Song deal!
I like the ballanced look of our side currently. After 3 games and no goals conceded I´m liking what I see. I´m pretty sure after Diaby dominence at Anfield a lot of people are thinking why ever was I saying sell Abou? Thats why we trust in Wenger” Early days but are Gooners growing in confidence?
@TA how was your holiday? I´m back boating in Andalucia again.
GM,
Still funny though!!!
Im actually with you on this one, i think he couldve chosen any other club and decided to go to arival. Its all on him and he deserves all the abuse he gets. The only issue i have is that if our fans sing about Robin every game then what does that say about us as a team? We should be singing about our own players and not that tosser..
So the Netherlands play Turkey at home Friday and Hungary away next Tuesday. Are there going to be any Turkish or Hungarian hatchet men who like glass ankles involved ? I hope so. 🙂
Taken from GN5’s post (for which thanks), some reasons why PHW is a PR man’s nightmare and a journalist’s dream:
“It is not a worry to the board that we haven’t won a trophy since 2005,”
“As for Walcott, he did not accept our offer so nothing is happening.”
“Arsene has money to spend but there’s a limit. We can’t spend £50m on one player.”
“At a certain level, we can’t compete.”
“We’re ambitious enough but we’re not going to end in the same plight as Rangers. That is a fact of life. So my advice is don’t get miserable about it.”
“I would say he has been a bigger influence than Alex Ferguson on Manchester United in the way he has changed the traditions of the club and the outlook of the Premiership.”
“I don’t think David Dein’s departure has impacted on Arsene at all,”
“It would’ve been crazy to have gone to Wembley,” he said. “I hate Wembley anyway. It’s a bloody long way away.”
Although Hill-Wood once said investing in football was “dead money” the last lot of shares he sold yielded £5.5m. He explained the gains by saying, “You wouldn’t say no to it,”
“I have met Usmanov but I don’t think he would fit in, that’s all.”
“I’m going to carry on until I get completely senile and then my colleagues will say, ‘It’s time you went’.”
Funny I thought his choices were Man U, Man City or Juve & I can’t blame him for not going to Juve, in fact I prefer that he went to Man U over the Manc oilers.
Its a shame seeing him at Man U but lets move on & if any fan wants to give him stick just don’t go as low as the rape song.
If Verm breaks his legs it won’t be to bad either 😉
Don’t like the song. Love the Brave Sir Robin clip though – now BSR makes sense! And absolutely spot on. Whoever came up with that deserves a medal.
What I don’t like about the song is it’s not ours, it’s unoriginal and it’s not particularly clever. Much like the Adebayor “dad washes elephants” song. Originality and humour – the key to any great “put down” song…there’s only two Andy Gorams. Now that was funny.
BUPA, BUPA’s number one, BUPA’s number one…
26 – the hack that wrote that PHW article is a 100% dyed-in-the-wool, card carrying spud, so of course he’s going to be looking for gaffes from the demented old etonian.
I’ve usually read his stuff on cricket,which is fine, but when he starts on football, I start to remember his spud credentials.
Good day and thanks for all the comments. I’m at work and don’t have time to answer all the points individually but I have read them all 🙂
On balance I would say there seems to be a majority agreeing with me about the “she said no” song – although those who disagree have made some very strong and passionate points.
But I am definitely in a minority in my more forgiving attitude towards BSR generally.
I respect the views of those who feel differently to me on both counts. As as I said in the Post, the away fans – who spend so much money and time giving our lads such amazing support – have earned the right to sing what they want, regardless of my sensibilities.
GM, Illy
I also love the Brave Sir Robin clip and think it sums things up perfectly: when the going gets tough, when you need some strength of moral fibre – he buggers off.
In my experience, puncturing people with humour/satire is much more effective than doing it with simple abuse.
I think I must be the only supporter who actually likes PHW.
Those quotes are brilliant.
Keep it up Sir! Keep it up!
I know, Chary, which makes his decision to meet said journo even less easy to understand. Much of the sentiment I actually agree with, it’s just the obviously silly ways he expresses himself, the headlines just write themselves when he speaks, and not in a good way. It is so ridiculous for one of the world’s biggest football clubs to entrust communication and profile to a kindly, pre-senile duffer.
I don’t think you are the only supporter who likes PHW Mr Rock. I was leaving a game last season and I saw him outside the Diamond club entrance holding an audience of half a dozen fans enthralled, cigar in hand.
He seemed quite popular to me.
To be fair to him the going has always been tough as a 15 min cameo appearance in an FA cup final being his only winners medal at Arsenal in 8 years lol
but we can always look on the bright side of life….whistle..;-)
My favourite alternative van Persie song so far (among some very entertaining entries) is Gunnernotgooner’s one based on the old Club Biscuit commercial:
But with GNG’s lyrics: “If you like a lot of Fergie up your arse’ole
Join their club.
If you like a lot of Rooney up your arse’ole
Join their club…”
etc etc through the Manc team.
26 – I used to hate it on Test Match special when he was a guest on “From the pavilion” during the lunch interval and he used to prattle on about the glory days of Blanchflower/Nicholson ad naueseum.
The “off” switch was found pretty quickly thereafter.
@ Chary
brilliant comments today, your stand point on bsr matches mine to a tee. No I don’t wish death on him, but I do hope he burns in hell!
The more and more we talk about him the more I remember, still infuriates me.
@ Evonne
I’m glad you reiterated that, because I’d fear for my digital mum’s safety if you clapped him at the emirates!
The thing that upsets me most about the dutch person is that we carried him for 7 years, but he was not prepared to repay us. As soon as he got fit and strong, he buggered off
Perhaps I won’t applaud him in April
Rocky Hi,
Agree with your take on the PHW comments. Agree with every one of them, and the way he says them.
Come on we didn’t carry him, he scored alot of goals for us in his time at Arsenal, yes his 1st toally injury free season & then he went but that was more down to his contract coming to an end
Really thought provoking article. Cheers for that Rocky. I think I agree with what alot of posters are saying, in that RVP cannot be treated with respect after his actions, but certain songs are a bit distasteful to say the least.
In regards to the Mihir Bose article posted above – thanks for that GunnerN5, I didn’t see it on the BBC sport website. The tone is typical of the media’s anti-Arsenal agenda. PHW sounds like a top man though! I’ll leave when I’m senile LOL
Oz – I am thinking about the clapping all day and keep changing my mind. But after the initial enthusiasm for Rocky’s post (he has his way with words, bloody Irish for you) I think not, he is a front bottom in my books and applauding what he did to us is out of question. Back stubbing piece of dirt
I think PHW is a boring pompous old fart & I’d like to see him piss off 🙂
Bose does love the sound of his own voice, no doubt about that. But on his footy preferences, at least he’s honest about them; the buggers that piss me off are the ones who pretend they aren’t in love with MUFC and then gush about them at any opportunity.
On a personal level, I’m sure PHW would be great to meet!
Did Brave have any options other than Utd?
Say Arsenal were going to sell him whatever if an acceptable offer came in, and it turned out that was the only one. He may have been hoping for a year or two in Barcelona. Does anyone know?
Excellent Evonne, you know it makes sense. 🙂
Oz – I get quite annoyed at anything postive for ‘ole bacon faces mob and Van Judas’s trechery has been a boon for them so far; hence the feeling of being doubly deceived.
Bryan – I will be repeating myself, sorry guys, but my theory is that that last season he played for himself, not for us. He wanted to leave and secure the most lucritive move, so he did what Flamini and Na$ri did before him – play out of his skin
I always imagine him in some back room at The Emirates, slightly pissed and covered in cobwebs.
Micky – yeah, he did. He could have signed for us
Ok, I didn’t like his leaving comment, but many here forgave Henry for wanting out to get cash and glory at Barca. So Brave wanted the same thing. Arsenal sold him to Utd.
@Micky
I read this article a month back or so (http://www.ft.com/intl/cms/s/2/49f4621a-aab2-11e1-9331-00144feabdc0.html#axzz23n4Brwqq)
In it, Robin does a few things (through the journalist, not a direct statement though), but one of the things that is suggested is meeting up with Cesc again.
Mdi789 – but Tel gave us more than 1 and a half good seasons before he left, and he didn’t slag the club off when he went.
“The little boy inside me screamed united..” oh yes, of course he did you scum soaked pile of distended rectum.
You aren’t alone Rocky. I quite like having PHW around the club, and his comments are usually ones I agree with. I think I like that he doesn’t bother himself with the PR stuff.. He says it like he sees it, and I love that ‘everyone else be damned’ attitude 🙂
Evonne,
I think the noises about him being offered a new improved deal were just that. Noises.
Arsenal were going to balance the books, and the decision to flog him had been made before the signings of Pod and Ollie. imo
Micky – leaving for Barca is different from going to United
Chary,
I was front row at the CL Final in Paris knowing my captain wanted to play for the opposition!! Don’t start me on Henry. £200k a week, and he did not give 100%.
Ah but, Mdi89, Van Judas had decided to leave at the end of the previous season, as evidenced by his “no matter what happens I’ll always be a gooner” comments after the West Brom game.
The hate mail he posted on his website wash just an excercise in burning bridges – both Jeff and Lloyd.
Don’t know Micky, maybe. But I’d say the decision was made when he announced he wanted to go, they know better than trying to stop a player from leaving, learnt it last year
We will see if you feel the same about him going to ManU when he scores against us
evonne
Im sorry but can not understand the “it was his last season so he played out of his skin” camp of thinking at all.
So does that mean that Flamini, Nasri & RVP did not try before or that they can just turn it on & be brilliant when ever they want.
Really don’t get that point of view at all but of course you are entitled to yout opnion
Ah Mdi89 – that’s a whole new question, the prima donna in his last season with us debate.
I think you’ll struggle to justify Henry deserving the same sort of reception as the ManUre number 20 will get.
Still, I’m all ears, as Spock would say to Bones.
Thanks Sav, I didn’t see that FT article re van Persie at the time. One paragraph really stands out in terms of where van Persie has ended up:
“Cesc is still missed. Arsenal fans cannot expect another season – such as this – of 30 goals without a playmaker to feed Van Persie. In March 2011, when I came to London to interview him again, for a Dutch TV documentary, he told me that a team’s playmaker has to form a two-in-one unit with the striker. And Arsenal realise that Van Persie believes this. Not for nothing did their scout Gilles Grimandi recently watch Montpellier’s Moroccan playmaker Younès Belhanda. Not for nothing are the names of playmakers Eden Hazard and Yoann Gourcuff so often linked with Arsenal. But can they fill the hole left by Fàbregas’ departure? The only way that Van Persie can find the playmaker he craves could be by following the little Spaniard to Barcelona.”
And where is the playmaker at United? Answer, there isn’t one. Which underlines just how little the move had to do with football. Van Persie could have stayed and been fed by Cazorla, he chose to put up with Carrick and triple his money. But picking up on the speculation about Cesc struggling at Barca, I wonder if Fergie might try to get another of our heroes to OT…….
You know what, couldnt give a shit about him, and you know why?. Because we will win the league without him.
Everything as it should be. Ime glad he left. His departure to Utd shows his true carachter, and some people ask why in the last several years we have won nothing.
I started off totaly agreeing with Rocky, the premise is that we as Arsenal fans should rise above the crass. But the more i have read the comments the angrier i have become.
She said NO robin, you f*****g utd dumbwit.
Bryan – yep, I think every player can give the 20% extra when it matters. It is not a coincidence that all 3 of them had such fantastic seasons just before they left.
lol Terry, yes we will win the league with out him & we can then gloat at him & that big mouthed shit Nasri 😀
Evonne,
Honestly, I’ll feel no differently whether its Persie, Rooney or Vidic who scores. Which they won’t 🙂
Persie is simply a part of the past.
evonne
RVP played well every season, I & alot of other gooners I know said for years that if he could stay fit for the complete season he would end up top scorer
I was in Cologne for the pre season friendly. I heard the theme from dambusters. Cologne’s a shithole I want to go home and Get your tits out for the lads. I also heard one man went to bed with ashlery at OT. I don’t think that is very classy.
I don’t hear any defence of Asley Cole either. gooners are so selective in who they slaughter and who they forgive. robin is vermin
No Thomas is Vermin-ator 😀
Bryan and Micky – I know it makes sense what you are saying, but I refuse to be rational or grown up on the subject of R$P
Hiya GM – I only ever truly forgave Cesc, because he never made it a secret that he wants to go. He didn’t pretend, he didn’t have last season best, we knew, no back stubbing
cesc is dead to me too. never want him back. fuck him
At least Henry helped us to win things.
GM – no thanks, he ain’t my type
One thing I liked about the Hill-Wood interview is that, when asked about the money he made by selling some shares, he didn’t bullshit or prevaricate or make up silly excuses they way footballers do to hide their greed. He just said “Well, you wouldn’t say no, would you?”
Now THAT’S classy 🙂
By the way, I’ve met Mihir Bose a few times and he hates Arsenal.
Mihir Bose comes across as a twat
evonne
ok thats fair enough, I feel your pain 😉
GM
I’d have Cesc back he gave us 8 years but was always a Barca supporter through & through & he now has Arsenal DNA too & has shown support for us too
Would you have robin back? I’d stab him in the back
I think Evonne might be right about players performing well in their last year. American sports call it a ‘contract year’ I believe (because contracts mean something there) Is there some accurate way of measuring a player’s output? Not really. But Van Persie had the season of his life last year, as did Theo. Coincidence? Maybe.. But maybe not.
Spuds from anywhere can never hide their bitterness/envy towards the pride of north London, Mr Rock.
Except for him sharing an auspicious surname I expect no good to come from him football wise.
So there’s this fella married to this beautiful woman for 7 years, mostly happy times but to be honest, she let herself go a few times and put on a bit of weight. However this fella still loved her, despite of this. Well she finally lost this weight and started to look like the gorgeous bird he always new she was. But you know what the cheeky bitch did when she got herself back to her best? She only fucked off with some ugly Northern monkey who just happened to have a few quid. Promises of gold, silver and cash turned her head and now she’s fucked off to live in the rain and get back to being a fat, ugly old munter.
Good news is, despite obviously being heartbroken, this fella has picked himself up, gone and got himself an even better looking bird and is happier than ever.
Good for him I say.
Flamini too Shard. He did it at the club before us as well.
gm,
Correct, but to be fair, Flamini didn’t have much of an opportunity before that, except for playing at LB during our CL run.
Flamini was a master at manipulating contractual situations – look at the way he left Marseille to join us in the first place. Personally, I never thought he was that good.
Sorry personelly I don’t believe it is possible to play better one season by choice, I think most proffesionals always give their best, or at least most of the time, I think their ego’s need them to be the best
I agree 26. I think Wenger mad a mistake playing him and not Diarra. Hopefully he won’t make the same mistake with Theo. I’d have him on the bench (at best) until he signs.
Bryan
Unless of course they are cheating.
GM
I agree with you over Diarra, thought he was a much better player, he is one good player that we let get away
Flamini didnt manage to do it his last season at Milan 😉
Didn’t get on the pitch much. He also as a result failed to get a move, and signed renewed terms for much less.
I don’t know. I’m not sure there is a definite correlation between the length of contract and performance. I do know that the phenomenon is generally accepted in US sports. I also think it is possible for a player to give more for some reason. You would hope that the reason is that he wants the team to win, and not let his teammates down. But it could just as easily be to engineer a move, or negotiate a large pay packet. Who knows?
Diarra had oodles of talent, just no patience or character, demanding a first team place within weeks of arriving when Gilberto and Flamini were already there. He could have been an Arsenal great. And his comments when he went off to Redknapp’s Pompey showed more about his character – whatever happened to Pompey by the way?
Illy @ 4:29, 🙂
Much better than the bloke whose girlfriend buggered off with some northern bloke and never stopped twatting on about her! 🙂
I think that the theory about a player having a great last season sounds a bit like those two old adages, “it’s in the eye of the beholder’ and ‘absence makes the heart grow fonder’, not to mention the old footie saying that when a team plays poorly for a few games, the reputation of the bloke who is injured and does not play goes up by the week. 🙂
Just a thought.
For myself, I have kleptomania, but when it gets bad I just take something for it!
I am enjoying your profundity Redders 🙂
And by the way, thankyou for the explanation of craw.
RA 🙂
GM,
Am I right in saying that you once mentioned having Buddhist tendencies?
Do you also remember a visitor here called “Seriously Angry Steve”, also a Buddhist. Now, if I was short, fat and bald, I may be quite angry, but I thought the lack of flesh in the diet was meant to make you all lovey dovey 🙂
So, with that in mind, what do you think of Persie?
Micky – you are a poo stirer, you know perfectly well what’s coming 🙂
I am on mostly veggy diet, would you have guessed?
Hi Rocky, 🙂
I used to feel alone out there in blog land, you know pontificating about eff all. 🙂
Then Yvonne told me I was Schizo Phrenic who I thought was the Polish weightlifter, but no …….. it was schizophrenic 😦 but at least now I have each other!!
Evonne,
You are 100% a Buddhist as far as I’m concerned 🙂
I thought Schizo Phrenic was a Greco-Iberian Sausage. Shit, what do I know.
Yvonne,
Double yeuk!!
You are on a veggie diet and Micky is your poo stirrer!
I know you are fatefully attracted to Chazzer, but to emulate his flatulence is astounding devotion …………… as for Micky…..????
RA and Micky 🙂 🙂
Well I told you last week it was breaking news to be announced today, at least for a shite rugby club such as Stoke.
Michael owen and Stoke what a strange mixture.
I know you are all overjoyed 🙂
Fine read Rocky
He`s a traitorous Beef van Curtains.
I still feel that we should have kept him. If we did and not signed Giroud, our financial loss at the end of next season would have been limited, but more important, imo, we would have beaten both Sunderland and Stoke aswell and now be sitting at the Top with the added bonus of Manu minus Rooney. Big mistake selling imo.
He will get both barrells at the Ems and deserve it, ungratefull bastard . This transfer has hit me harder than any other, so much , that I have set up a Secret Society……The League of Despicable Gooners !, I know ,I know, not so secret now ! 😆 this club will never cease to get off the backs of these bastards , an eternity of abuse !.
All AAers are invited to join ( contact my sexaterry……sorry secretary, Miss Stretchlash ).
I have a song, but`s it`s not for the Traitor and it`s to the sound of that chim chimanee one, ok, Raddy and Chary on guitars, Redders on the bongo`s, Stretch on his maraca`s, Oz with his diggerydoo and chas with his mouth organ, I`m lead singer…….a one , a two, a one, two, three, four…..
Chimpanzee, chimpanzee, chimp, chimpanzee, we`ve got our Santi and Bale`s got VD !
or
Chimpanzee, chimpanzee, chimp, chimpanzee, Bale`s got a banana and we`ve got Santi !
Ok Ok , I never said I was a song writer !.
Worth the wait just to get you back on here Kelsey 🙂
Raddy and his civic receptioners may have a different view on the news, but that’s their problem eh
It appears to have been a big day on AA, comments were already over 100 when I looked at lunch time.
Rocky it doesn’t surprise me that you chose to broach the subject ….. I agree entirely that the song does not show us in good light it’s hypocrisy and just plain wrong. I won’t be singing it and I’ll encourage others not to either.
Kelsey, 🙂
I knew you would come thru with breaking news that I saw on Sky yesterday!! 🙂
A person like me never get inside info because I am a nobody.
Still nobody is perfect.
Mind you, I guess that makes me perfect!! 🙂
Bryan…you must have seen Drogba ‘playing’ under Scolari. Half the time he didn’t even take to the field. In came Ancelotti and the Drog was back to his super human best.
Cracking write up Corky.
I’d disliked the song from the start, let alone before you spell out the irony of slating him over an allegation stemming from his time with us.
I saw that the Blog worlds chief spanner was back to pedalling the old ‘Arsene gets a non spending bonus’ again over the weekend.
Also, how can any Arsenal fan have the joy of our 2-0 win diminished by BSR’s hat trick two hours later..??
Can you imagine Xmas round at theirs…??
Glic, 🙂
You are hypnotically attractive with your creative side to the fore.
In certain circumstances I could inadvertently become your bitch, but luckily I am not your type, because I am not inflatable!
[Ssssh, the Stretch told me] 🙂
Well said Frothing Inarticulate Loon!! 🙂
Ooer …………I meant Sharkey.
Well it’s your own fault for wearing those superman disguise glasses!!
That’s nice of you micky.
The press feed bullshit.Owen had been linked to several clubs so that wasn’t that difficult to work out, but I was told he would sign for Stoke and it would happen today.
As for you RA 😉
Steer well clear of RA when he’s in a frisky mood, I say.
Kelsey, darling, you know you are my hero!! 🙂
Speaking of news, did you see that Squillaci has been named in the CL squad? Bugger that!
Its the Cocktail Hour in civilized dwellings.
Tiffin Time at Red Towers 🙂
Micky,
I am in a non-frisky mood after my meal last night.
I had a flambeau’d steak, and let me tell you, red meat is not bad for you …………… it’s the fuzzy green meat that gets you! 😦
Still, if I have to go I want to go when asleep like my grandpa, not screaming in terror like the passengers in his car!
Micky, 🙂
You well know, by now, that reality is only an illusion that occurs due to a disgraceful lack of alcohol!! 🙂
“scum soaked pile of distended rectum”. Only Chary can find such poetry to describe anything MU 🙂
kelsey. The thousands waiting for the news were massively under-impressed. Thankfully the Carlsberg with Aquavit chasers meant they didn’t get violent and march South
Kelsey, whats your next bit of “staring in the face bloody obvious” inside info ?, Let me guess……..we will be at War with Germany between 1939 and 1945 !……..bollix, that only gives me about an hour and thirteen minutes to build a bomb shelter !. 😆
Im embarassed that we are singing about him when he is not even playing against us. It makes us look like we cant get over him leaving. If your girlfriend dumps you, and you keep talking about her — it makes you a loser. Get over it. Move on with ollie lukas,santi, bould etc. —– but listen , i said it was insane to give united exactly what they needed. He has given them at least three, maybe 6. Points that they wouldnt have had without him. —–
im mostly past it all, because i love our squad anyway, but every point he earns them makes me sick. We did not do the right thing. Nobody can convince me otherwise. It was wrong.
Im embarassed that we are singing about him when he is not even playing against us.- It makes us look like we cant get over him leaving. If your girlfriend dumps you, and you keep talking about her — it makes you a loser. Get over it. Move on with ollie lukas,santi, bould etc. —– but listen , i said it was insane to give united exactly what they needed. He has given them at least three, maybe 6. Points that they wouldnt have had without him. —–
im mostly past it all, because i love our squad anyway, but every point he earns them makes me sick. We did not do the right thing. Nobody can convince me otherwise. It was wrong.
HAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA remember when we beat Spuds 5-2!!!???? HAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA!!!………………..
Redders
If your not inflatable, then you must be deflated !, nothing that Stretche`s pump action `scope wont put right !……………ohh stretchie……another client awaits…. 😆
Hmm… a divided house today 🙂
I look at the “last year” performance issue another way. RvP might have tried harder in an attempt to make himself attractive to buyers, but Arsenal benefited from his supposed extra effort as well. Without him, I would think Arsenal don’t get CL this year. Not many would argue with that statement I think. I vaguely recall reading that CL means 20m in the coffer; our accountant friends here can correct me. RvP contributed greatly toward that 20m. Also, without CL we wouldn’t be able to attract as good a squad, so that is worth much to Arsenal as well.
Furthermore, weird as it might be, his supposed extra effort brought more transfer money to Arsenal than an oft-injured 29 year old football player might otherwise bring. I remember quite a few folks on here were expecting to get 10m–15m, instead of the 24m in the end.
Leaving the CL and money issues aside, where would Arsenal be in the EPL without his contribution? Perhaps middle of the table? Perhaps worse? How many moments of enjoyment we fans had when Arsenal fought from 17th place to be back to the top four. At one high point late in the season, Szczesny even declared that we might beat out Man City for 2nd! For a moment I believed it 🙂 All the fine memories thanks to the incredible turn-around engineered by Wenger and company, of which RvP was a big part.
I’m not saying that RvP doesn’t disappoint me. Far from it. But Arsenal, and we fans, surely got something in return from his great season last year. To paraphrase a wise suggestion someone made in a previous post, let’s enjoy the memory and move on.
TT. My view is that the club should have played hardball with RvP.
Yes, it is a great deal insomuch as the fee is very high and we have lost our highest earner but conversely we may not reach the CL positions come season’s end and one reason could be the lack of RvP’s goals.
Furthermore, why not sell Theo? Is he guaranteed to sign a new contract?
My guess is that there weren’t any takers for Theo, although, January may be different.
Look, before I go, Evonne asked me to tell you this important story!
It is important for men to remember that, as women grow older, it becomes harder for them to maintain the same quality of housekeeping as when they were younger.
When you notice this, try not to shout at them. Some are over-sensitive and there’s nothing worse than an over-sensitive woman.
And this tale starts with Norman.
This is how he handled the situation with his wife, Pat.
When he took early retirement last year, it became necessary for Pat to get a full-time job for the extra income that they needed.
Shortly after she started working, he noticed she was beginning to show her age. He usually got home from the pub about the same time she got home from work. Although she knew how hungry he was, she nearly always said she had to rest for half an hour or so before she started dinner.
He didn’t shout at her, instead he told her to take her time and just wake him when she got dinner on the table.
He generally had lunch at the pub so eating out again in the evening was out of the question; after all he was ready for some home cooked food when he got home.
She used to do the dishes as soon as they were finished eating. But now it was becoming more usual for them to sit on the table for several hours after dinner.
He did what he could diplomatically by reminding her several times each evening that they wouldn’t clean themselves.
He knew she really appreciated this, as it seemed to motivate her to get them done before she went to bed.
Another symptom of her slacking was the complaining. For example, she would say that it was difficult for her to do the shopping during her lunch hour.
Obviously he just smiled tolerantly and offered encouragement.
He told her to stretch it out over two or even three days.
That way she wouldn’t have to rush so much. He also reminded her that missing lunch completely, now and then, wouldn’t hurt her weight problem.
He liked to think, reasonably, that tact was one of his strong points, of course.
When doing simple jobs, she always seemed to think she needed more rest periods, and she had to take a rest when she was only half finished mowing the lawn and took several extra breaks when she was vacuuming throughout the house.
Now it really annoyed him, all the vacuuming when he was trying to watch ‘Match of the Day’, but he tried not to make a scene.
He is fair man.
He told her to make herself a nice cup of tea and just sit for a while, and as long as she was making one for herself, she may as well make one for him too.
He knew that he probably would have looked like a saint to many, in the way he supported Pat, but he never tried to say showing that much consideration was easy. Many men would find this difficult to do.
Some would find it impossible!
Nobody knew better than him how frustrating women could become when they got older. However, if other men just use a little more tact and less criticism of their partners/wives because of this story, he said he would consider it was well worthwhile.
After all, he thought we are put on this earth to help each other, eh?
Since I heard this story from Evonne, there is an addendum:
Norman the subject of this story died suddenly last week. He was found with a 24-inch Stanley screwdriver rammed up his arse with only 2 inches showing.
His wife Pat was arrested, but the all-woman jury accepted her defence that he accidentally sat on it.
Evonne says “Just watch it, Chas, and anyone of an Irish extraction!!!
Nite, nite! 🙂
hi jnyc – unfortunately every time he scores for ManU he plays against us. They are one of 3 our biggest rivals
RADDY, thank you! ! All of you here know i have been saying in my posts tfor a long time hat united are not that good anymore, going downhill. —- it is early, but so far vp has saved at least one, maybe two wins for them. I hope it doesnt continue the way he saved us last season. Is the 22 mil making our current team any better? —
We already had giroud, pod, and santi– and bould. Not to mention the returning players. making vp stay, we might have had a couple more points fvrom our first two matches and we would be much stronger with vp. As is, any injuries, and we will be looking at chamakh. Our team is class, seriously. But 22 mil isnt making us any better any time soon. Vp would have.
Yes, EVONNE, thats right. And for the record, i loved the sale of alex song, and if we had made an earlier decision, we woukd have gotten at least 10-12 mil for walcott. My only hope is that we experiment with him as a striker in capital one cup matches. Or in blow out games
RA – you are impossible!! What would I know about 1. getting old 2. housework 3. having a husband living at home?? Nothing whatsoever. I am the one that watches Match of The Day, remember 🙂 good night xx
jnyc
I completely agree that the worst bit of all the BSR stuff is that his presence makes a no-better-than-OK ManUre team into title challengers and, therefore, our rivals.
But the argument goes that Robin made it impossible to stay for his final year with his statement about not sharing AW’s vision for the club. It was a statement designed to force a move.
I was one of those who argued that we should hold him to his contract anyway – but many (including, most importantly, the Club) felt differently.
They didn’t want another want-away player sulking up the dressing room in his final year, with the media running stories all year long about whether he was going here, there or anywhere or whether he would sign an extension… And the Club got 24m into the bargain.
Time will tell who got the better of the deal. A long term injury to BSR and we will look very smart indeed. On the other hand if he scores 30 goals and ManUre win the league… not so much…
Agree johnny, as I said earlier, he should have been made to stay and we would be in with a better chance of the title ( still could win it, footballs a funny game ) and the traitor would have signed a new contract if the title was/is captured as we know it wasn`t about the money !. 😉
Rocky
I cant believe that Wenger was so selfish in not stepping down to the position of Assistant Manager and making Persie Manager with his last act as Manager ! Selfish SOB !
‘you scum soaked pile of distended rectum’ – Chary, you have been in a different league today: top stuff! 🙂
Yep, ROCKY.we will see. But one of the things that made me more upset is that we didnt move to pick upa back up striker option for a few million. I like giroud alot, and we are better with lukas on the wing. But very risky and short sighted to go with chamakh after that. Especially if you really want to challenge.
e va va vonne
I thought your nearly ex hubby is a Bin Dipper !, surely he likes being at home……..fair enough, other peoples homes, when their not in !. 😆
Sorry, I just cant stop myself with stereotyping scousers, I`m sure they do the same with us Cockney`s ! 😆
And i remember. GLIC was right on the money all along
😉
GLiC 🙂
Glic – what the feck is the matter with yous today?? Let’s pick on Evonne day again? I thought we were meant to hate R$P collectively, no?
Hi Richie 🙂
Are you back from boating in Andalusia or have you just started boating over there? You seemed to have been away for a long time, so I guess you meant you have just come back.
South of France was great. It was very, very hot over there which meant we did not go to any cities. All your tips re Avignon could therefore not be used, unfortunately. We did, however, go to Chateauneuf du Pape and had lunch there. Really loved the place and especially the wider-area, which reminded me very much of Tuscany.
Because of the heat and my daughter’s desire to be in the swimming pool all day, we alternated pool days with long-distance round trips (in air-conditioned car), and we saw some very beautiful areas: the Luberon, Vercors and the Baronnies were all fantistic. We visited quite a few mountain villages/towns on a hill – again very similar to Tuscany – and especially Grignan was fantastic. I fell in love with the Vercors mountains and would love to go there again for a walking holiday.
How did you like Andalucia? Did you go up the river towards Seville and Cordoba?
Red Arse says:
September 4, 2012 at 6:16 pm
Speaking of news, did you see that Squillaci has been named in the CL squad? Bugger that!
……………………………………………………………………………….
RA; Where did you see this information?
Hi all
We are in grave need of posts …… the cupboard is bare. Does anyone have anything for tomorrow to start us off in the morning please????
The Squid as 5th choice CB?
OK by me.
It’s going to be a long interlull Peaches 😦
Having read through all the comments regarding this article and being a long standing Arsenal fan, I have decided to sit firmly on the fence when it comes to whether Brave Sir Robin is booed, abused , applauded, or just ignored indifferently. My take on the whole matter is to do our utmost to help our team to win when we come up against the teams that covet and tempt our star players. We fans like to sing songs that are topical and cutting in order to upset the opposition and we would do well to be subtle in our choice of lyrics. Robin has flown to the wrong nest, or, You may get a boot in your head to come to your senses could be good topics to aim at the boy when he is on the losing side anywhere his new team plays. Especially if it’s against Us or anywhere in London. Robin, she said no could even signify the fact that his wife at first frowned on his intentions to leave Arsenal. I have said before and still believe we are a stronger team on balance now rather than at any time last season and instead of teams doing the league double over us, we CAN reverse those results and thus narrow the points gap which saw us so far adrift in third place last season.
Although the jury is out on Silent Stan in my view, I am in total admiration of Peter Hill-Wood in his stance on this Arsenal situation. I am sure he will wave his cigar in the event of Arsenal winning the Premiership as we fans down our beer or champers. He’s seen it all before in the not too distant past. He is Arsenal too! He must be as hungry as we fans are. One question must be :- What will Kroenke or Usmanov say or do then in celebration? Arsene Wenger’s piloting of this club has been exemplary since day one. At times, I have felt that he is not doing enough, but especially in these last two seasons, I have seen that he is peerless. I love the man.
Viva Wenger, viva Arsenal !!! Champions again? I think so.
Fabregas has decided that he doesn’t like life on the bench at Barca…
http://www.dailymail.co.uk/sport/football/article-2198316/Cesc-Fabregas-complains-life-Barcelona.html
Any chance of him coming back to his true home..? Would love to see him here…but is there room anymore? Not so sure…Santi Cazorla came early this year…
We didn’t get 24m for robin. we only get it if they win the CL or league. god forbid.
LadyArse has been crusading tonight against the following headlines:
http://www.liverpoolecho.co.uk/liverpool-news/local-news/2012/09/04/three-arsenal-fans-in-court-today-over-liverpool-city-centre-murder-of-london-man-stuart-smith-100252-31760330/
http://m.mirror.co.uk/article?id=1300574/
Even though it’s not football related the headlines read “arsenal fans charged with murder”
They were arrested in the away section at Anfield from what I could gather yesterday.
GM. Makes no difference really whether we go 20 or 24 or 5, he left and I remain unhappy about it.
It is only the interweb which has allowed supporters to discuss the clubs finances – not something we did in the past. And in most cases it is pure guesstimation how much a player is sold for and how much they earn.
It’s a horiffic story though
Nothing wrong with me e va va vonne, not sure what your on about though ?.
Tony
Thanks for the comment.
“Having read through all the comments regarding this article and being a long standing Arsenal fan, I have decided to sit firmly on the fence,” made me smile 🙂
BR
I’m with you. I’m just pointing out that we’ll only get that much with the add ons and I don’t want the add ons
BTW
I’m not a Buddhist at all. I believe in reincarnation and Karma. I’m not veggie either I don’t eat beef but I’ll eat most other animals.
Yeah Rocky, that was a great comment from Tony. Made me see that i keep jumping from one side of the fence to the other. I also now realise that the song is acceptable to me depending on my mood. i cant lay down a line in the sand and stick to it. Football is an emotional game. Generaly i wont sing such nonsense but if were playing Utd at home and RVP starts doing an Adebeyor then i will feel like doing a lot more than singing a poxy song. The sometimes wrong but crazy passion of football is to one extent or another in us all.
GM – and the answer to the second part of Micky’s question is….
Terry
He’ll get some stick when he plays at the emirates. he may as well kiss that shit badge when he scores against us (and he will score) it won’t make any difference to how I feel about him.
What do I think of robin?
Shit
what do I think of shit?
robin
Can we play in the Champions League this season if VanPersie was doing his usual ‘6 month out’ routine last season?
I believe we can. Arsene will/can find the way to do just that.
He always have.
that’s why I don’t want to give much credit for what he did for us last season..
Rob. That’s a fair point.We did it with Nik B, Cham and AA upfront!
GM, is there any part of you that can see these players that have left point of view e.g. more lucrative financial gain, more chance of success etc.? Sometimes i can and i hate myself for it.
Thats what i hate the most about the RVP situation and others that have left. Its not the individual itself, its the stone cold reality that football is big business and conflicts with my childlike illusions. When i was a kid i idolised Liam Brady and cried when he left. Those delusional felings of betrayal have never left me. As ive said before, i hope these feelings never will. Its part of been a football fan and having a love for your team, something most of these players will never experience.
Peaches/Rasp
There is a short piece in drafts if that is any help.
LB, thanks for your words about my FFP comment the other day. I intend to write a post about the subject very soon.
Great stuff LB, thanks …..
Terry
there is always the argument that “wouldn’t you want to double your wages?”
Firstly if you earned 60k PA then 120k would affect the type of car you could drive, the size of house you could have and the school you could send your kids to
Going from 135k PW (what we would have paid the twat) to 220k just makes a very rich man richer.
If I worked for a firm that had paid me while I was off sick for the best part of 5 years I’m not sure I could walk out for more money if I didn’t really need it.
I have a client who turned down a lucrative offer because the firm she works for had paid for her to get all the letters after her name. (she’s some kind of finance person) because she felt she should stay longer to repay their investment in her.
I turned down a job in New York in the 80s because (even though I didn’t like her much) it wouldn’t be fair on my wife to call her and say I’m staying here because I’ve been offered a job.
GM, i agree with you. The only thing i can think is that these players are not individuals as you and i understand. They are busineses in there own right. We of course know about the agents, legal team, and accountants but they aso employ others. They are so rich they probably employ someone to wipe there bottom.
The above is not an excuse. The player should take responsibility and behave like a decent human being. What GM says above is spot on.
“even though i didnt like her much” hahahahahahahaha
apparently cesc isn’t happy 🙂
“goonermichael says:
September 4, 2012 at 9:57 pm (Edit)
If I worked for a firm that had paid me while I was off sick for the best part of 5 years I’m not sure I could walk out for more money if I didn’t really need it.”
When I read that I realised we’ve actually been very lucky…..very lucky he didn’t go to a “No win no fee, Have you been Injured at work and it wasn’t your fault” solicitor 😀
She was a bubble Terry. Got me into Arsenal (great tits too) so it wasn’t all bad 🙂
Lawyers4u GIE
GM what would he have to do to be welcomed back with open arms?
Let’s be honest he didn’t win a trophy with them, and he was promised more than they could give. I think he along with Cazorla, Arteta etc can accept not being Spain regulars…afterall look at who they have to get in front of. But not playing week in week out or not in your preferred position isn’t going to make a player of Cescs abilities very happy, especially after what he threw away at Arsenal. January transfer window, loan til end of season? At least he would count as homegrown, but might not BR guaranteed a shirt, of it looks like Chavs, ManUre or Shitty are sniffing we must exercise our buy back clause….I couldn’t think of anything worse than him and RvP at ManUre…..and ManUre need him more than anyone!
hahahaha, GiE, bet you what you like Persie and his solicitors were investigating that possibility, the wretches.
GM, nice pair of bazookers always helps. hahaha
Both my current and ex wfes are English GM. I couldnt handle a Greek women. They are crazier than the men. hahaha
BRaddy @ 6:42, you make some good points there. I too would have loved it if Arsenal had the luxury to keep RvP for his last year; however, I think the club saw an opportunity it couldn’t refuse.
At decision time, Arsenal could have thought with Podolski and Giroud signed, Cazorla imminent, Gervinho more experienced with the EPL, Diaby recovered, etc, that there would be enough goals coming to cover for RvP’s departure. Agreed it’s a gamble, but it probably seemed like a decent one.
Can’t say the situation with Walcott makes any sense to me. Some people think he is still here because Arsenal couldn’t find a buyer, that the club left it too late. And now Arsenal are punishing him by not playing him? Not sure about any of that. It sounds neat enough, but in the end I struggle to believe there were no buyers.
Rob @ 9:29, Wenger certainly has the ability to surprise, but remember last season we no longer had Fabregas and Nasri, nor were Arshavin and Chamakh in the form earlier in their Arsenal careers. Adding to it the surprise performance in the CL by Chelsea which made finishing third a necessity, I think even Wenger would have found it difficult to bring CL to Arsenal without RvP’s contribution. To look at it another way, Wenger already performed his miracle by converting RvP into a striker. Why are we demanding for more? 😉
I just watched fans forum on Arsenal player. I wish Tom Watts would finish a sentence once in a while
@goonermichael & TERRY(Henry)MANCINI
I will not speculate on your ages, but respectfully, I as a 60+y.o. think you, like myself, are being wistful for the time past when doing the right thing was not based solely on what I want, but principally on being righteous. It is sad my friends, those times are now obsolete it seems. That is not to say that we are in the wrong, only that we are a dwindling minority. However, I think that keeping true to your beliefs, strength will be added to principle and things will change for the better. All this comes down to is a matter of what is right or wrong. Sometimes the courts have to decide on our behalf whether we know right from wrong, but we KNOW what is.
Serious money men have involved themselves in the beautiful game and although some clubs have been falling over themselves to cosy up to those charlatans, I am pleased to see that Arsenal are not as anxious as some others are to do so. Not ambitious, or tight, they may say, but clever and shrewd is more to the point. Call me old fashioned if you, or anyone could. Jealous even, but no footballer is deserving of £100,000 per week. Let’s be serious people. If so, why then would we need to study, or try to find a cure for the common cold? Just drive offspring toward being a footballer. The only adjective they will need to be able to say is AWESOME???? Ask them then what awesome means or to elaborate on that word and they would be …well…snookered. Let’s have some reality back in real life.
Tony
I’m not sure you’ve commented here before today but you’ve definitely found your natural home.
Welcome.
Thanx RockyLives
I have proffered my opinion on many sites before as Isaacthegooner or 1970-71double winners. I try not to be controversial , but I obviously love Arsenal and do not like idiocy. My wish is that through this medium, a better understanding of Arsenal mania can be achieved and maintained without swearing or abuse of any form. Just banter. I live in Stokey which IS an Arsenal area. I love family and kids which is the generation of us human beings. But I don’t like Totters. Arsenal never totter and I like that.
Have just realised I missed fergalburger’s comment at 2.24pm – and what a top observation it is.
But there’s one thing in fergalburger’s comment that I’d query: wasn’t the away fan in pink that got picked on by the entire Clock End (plus lesser mortals in other parts of Highbury) a Newcastle fan, not a Spurs fan? Whichever club it was, it was a great moment, especially seeing the incredulous look on the subject of the abuse as it dawned on him that thousands of people were taking the piss out of his choice of shirt.
Regards to the topic, we could be better enriched by spending our time, effort & ingenuity cheering on our current players, manager & club in their effort to win matches (& hopefully a trophy) this season.
=============================================
Off topic (1, 2 & 3)-
1) Just receive a premonition:
“God shall return to the holy grounds @Arsenal FC on 01 July 2013.”
(In basic English, Gooners could start a petition for the return of Dennis Bergkamp, whose coaching commitments with Ajax expires on 30 June 2013, to Arsenal FC, to assist with our 1st team coaching (alongside Bould, Banfield & Primorac).
2) Walcott, Arshavin, Fabianski, Squillaci & Frimpong with less than 1 year contract remaining. Would anybody thought of swapping them with the following players with also <1 year contract remaining?
Walcott D.Sturridge (Chelsea)
Arshavin M.Sulejmani (Ajax) or K.Honda (CSKA)
Fabianski G.Buffon (Juventus)
Squillaci M.Yanga-Mbiwa (Montpellier)
Frimpong L.Holtby (Schalke)
3) Bayern (Munich), Borussia (Dortmund), Real & Atletico (Madrid), (Barcelona) FC, (Manchester) Utd & City, (Paris) St Germain, Ajax (Amsterdam), AC & Inter (Milan), FC (Porto), (Sao Paulo) FC …. a list of football clubs that are named after their based city.
What about a new name of “London Arsenal FC” ? Could it give our club to build up a better branding & marketing investments in terms of international awareness & publicity (to both footballing & non-footballing people) of the club with a “closer” link to its city?
Arsenal FC submits official 25-man squad list (excluding registered Under-21 players, e.g. Wilshere, AoC, Jenkinson, Coquelin, Frimpong etc):
Foreign players (16):
Arshavin, Arteta, Cazorla, Chamakh, Santos, Diaby, Fabianski, Gervinho, Giroud, Koscielny, Mertesacker, Podolski, Rosicky, Sagna, Squillaci, Vermaelen
Home-based players (7):
Djourou, Gibbs, Mannone, Ramsey, Szczesny, Walcott, Eastmond
Some top comments yesterday.
Tony Cummings. Welcome. I don’t like Totters either 🙂
JM. What is wrong with just The Arsenal?
I would have loved to see Buffon at AFC but not now. We don’t need the others because we have a good squad – yes, even Squilacci !
This is a totter free site, walking, strolling, sometimes a swagger but no tottering.
London Arsenal FC? As I used to say to people when asked “my mate lives in London do you know him?”…….it’s a big place. I believe we are still the only English club whose name does not contain a place name, long may that continue.
JM,
London Arsenal FC?
No thanks, part of our uniqueness is that we haven’t got a place in our name.
Just when I thought I understood the squad requirements, why are there only 23 names on JM’s 3.34 list?
No Park in the 25 man squad? We had the space seems strange not to name him
I like a bit of Totteringham’s day, though. 🙂
LB,
Because we are one short of over 21 homegrown and one short of non-homegrown.
I thought Park was a confirmed loan
Here you go….
http://www.dailymail.co.uk/sport/football/article-2196336/Arsenal-sends-Park-Chu-young-loan-Celta-Vigo-transfer-deadline-day.html?ito=feeds-newsxml
LB we haven’t got enough homegrown over 21’s to have full 25 man squad. As we only have 7 and the maximum non homegrowns are 17 the most we could have named was 24 over 21s. That’s why I’m surprised we haven’t named Park.
Oh yes you’re right Chas, ok scrap all that LB, we simply haven’t got 25 over 21s to name 😀
Chas @ 6:48 …..snap
Ah, I see. We haven’t filled our home grown quota so as a penalty our foreign player quota cannot be completely filled.
LB, not quite.
We haven’t got 17 non-homegrown (only 16).
We could have named 9 over 21s as a consequence but we only have 6 to name.
Oh, even simpler, there aren’t enough over 21s signed to Arsenal to fill the quotas.
sorry, should be 7 to name.
Yep, it is that simple.
Damn,
An LB post and I’ll be away from communications machinery all day.
.
Morning all.
If we only named 6 homebased players would we have to reduce number of named foriegn players to 15?
Does it continue this way: 5 homegrown 14 foreign, 4 homegrown 13 foreign etc?
Anyone bored of videos from the dippers game yet?
Here’s Kieran Gibbs’ excellent ‘7’ rated performance. 🙂
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QXLAAGrwvd4
LB,
No, it doesn’t work like that.
You can name up to a max of 17 non-homegrown with no conditions.
It just means we have a 23 man squad doesn’t it?
If you don’t include u21s, BR, yes.
Thanks Chas
So could sign 2 UK players in January or take Squilacci out of the squad and sign a foreigner, or are the squad’s fixed for the whole season?
Morning Folks, 🙂
it might be better to insert an additional couple of words in the HGR to make it clear that they are referring to a maximum and minimum split in the composition of the squad.
— There is a maximum number of players in a squad. [25].
— There is a minimum number (of places) for Home Grown players over 21 years old. [8].
–Ergo, there is a maximum number (of places) for Non Home grown players. [17].
— A club can have an unlimited number of Players under 21 years old.
Within the Non-Home Grown category there can be any number of players up to the maximum allowed.
That makes it quite straightforward.
BR,
The squads are re-set at the end of January after the transfer window.
RA,
Love the use of the word ‘ergo’. 🙂
BR,
squads are named again 31 Jan 2013.
We don’t need to take Squiddly out as we have one place left already.
Yes, we could sign two over 21 homegrowns and keep the rest the same.
I am never going to raise my eyes to the heavens again when I meet a girl who doesn’t understand the off-side rule. lol
LB,
can you give us a cryptic clue as to the subject of your post?
It’s not about Michael Owen to Stoke, is it?
Tony – in case you are reading – GM and Terry are both 12 years old and should be tucked in bed at midnight
🙂
LB – why not? Everybody should know the basics 🙂
Seriously though – is there any, even smallest chance that Cesc could be coming back to UK? Would he go to the oilers? Can we believe the media that he is unhappy in Barca? I think not
Evonne, 🙂 🙂
🙂
I nearly fell back to sleep with all this “Squad” talk, lets put it simple, Chamakh and Squilacci should be put in front of a Firing Squad , simples !.
PS
Anymore talk of Squads and you will join the above mentioned !
All this Squad talk, a cure for insomnia surely !. My take……….put Chamakh and Squilacci in front of a Firing Squad !. ” What is your last request ? “…………” To be a decent Footballer “…………….” Dont be stupid, you are in front of a firing squad, not Dennis ! “.
zzzzzzzzzzzzzzz
I like all this squad talk. The squad stuff is really tricking so I’m glad Chas and co could the squad rulings to me. Eastmond is still in the squad? Suppose he can do a job if needed in our squad. Squilacci in the squad is good because on European level he is good, just not so much in our EPL squad. I’m really happy overall with our squad, it think it has more depth than everyone else’s squad. In conclusion…squad squad squad squad!!!!
Seems my first comment has reapeared after getting lost, after posting a second one. Strange !.
*explain
Oz
Seeing as I like you, I will hang you upside down in front of the ” Squad”, just to make you feel at home !. 🙂
While being wary of glic painting a bullseye to my chest, the squad rules are fairly simple.
Clubs can name a maximum of 17 non homegrown players. To these can be added a further 8 homegrown players. (making 25 total)
If, for example,there are only 15 non homegrown players and 10 homegrown players, that is fine too.
All players under 21 don’t have to be registered, but they can be if the club so chooses.
@ GLIC
haha you are too kind
All this talk of ‘squad’ just reminded me of a joke. I’m not sure if it’ll pass the peaches mum’s test so I’ll leave you to figure it out for yourself.
What’s the difference between the Arsenal defense and a virgin?
One reels when the squad breaks through…
Shard
Seeing as I like you aswell, you will made to bungee jump off your name sake tower in London, target practice will be more interesting with you bouncing up and down screaming !. 🙂
glic,
I exhibit great bouncebackability
I`m off out shopping, so this will be a ” Squad Window ” where you can bore yourself with numbers, thats if you dont fall asleep first !. 2 hours before I`m back, try not to get caught up in any last minute equations !
Won’t be much bouncing if it’s tied to you watsits Shard. You’ll be able to join the terry stretch squad!
Morning all……
…… New post …….
oz,
Ouch!! 🙂
Bit late to be adding here, but here goes:
I have absolutely no resentment of BSR leaving Arsenal. BSR, you were a great Arsenal player and I wish you all the best (but not the team you play for). Thank you.
Arsene Wengers magic
He wears a magic hat
When Robin tried to rock the boat
He said “Fuck off you twat!”
Will this chant seem better if “she” refers to Arsenal, who begged Robin to stay (“said no”)? An vocal expression of all the hurt of the fans