It’s a brave man who openly defies the word of God, especially when it comes directly from the Divine Being himself.
So no-one can fault Jan Vertonghen for courage.
Apparently when considering his future, the Belgian-born Ajax defender sought – and gained – an audience with the Almighty to ask whether a move to Arsenal or Teetering Horseparts would be the better option.
The Holy Dennis told him, emphatically, that he should not go to the Godless lands of N17. But once he had got up off his knees, we all now know that fearless, Godless Jan chose not to heed that advice.
And what happens to people who ignore the word of God? The Bible has the answer:
“…since they did not think it worthwhile to retain the knowledge of God, he gave them over to a depraved mind, to do what ought not to be done. They have become filled with every kind of wickedness, evil, greed and depravity.”
Romans 28-29
Just turning out in that awful shirt with a skinny chicken balanced on a basketball is almost a perfect definition of “being filled with every kind of wickedness.”
Not that I’ve got anything against Vertonghen in particular, other than his choice of club. He seems a decent enough defender, though not in the same class as our own Lion of Flanders.
But I am interested in his need – and that of other players before him – to make a big issue of the fact that “Arsenal wanted to sign me and I turned them down.”
Kevin Mirallas, now at Everton, said something similar at the tail end of the summer transfer window.
I don’t doubt that in their egotistical heads these players believe Arsenal wanted them, so they are not actually lying. But they are misleading themselves – or have been misled by their selling clubs and agents – if they think they were a priority for London’s top club.
It’s the same problem that plagues the news wires all during the summer and winter transfer windows: players, clubs and agents fall over themselves to suggest that Arsenal is “after” certain individuals.
Some of the reports are downright fabrication, often from agents trying to put their players in the shop window. For them, the idea of being linked with a club like Arsenal adds noughts to their player’s value.
But I am equally sure that many of the reports of Arsenal’s interest have a grain of truth to them.
As a club competing at the highest level for the biggest prizes, you would hardly expect us to have just two or three targets and leave it at that. Such an approach would leave us exposed to the whims of players, the machinations of greedy agents and the vagaries of an open market.
Instead, I would imagine we “enquire” about dozens of players. In some cases we may approach a club simply to find out whether, in the future, the club would consider selling a particular footballer; other times we may want to know about length of contract and so on.
The vast majority of these players will never come to THOF, but our club needs to keep across their availability in case other deals fall through or unexpected departures and injuries blight us.
Arsene Wenger’s knowledge of players is legendary and I would bet he has dialogue with other managers about players on a frequent basis.
With the classier outfits these discussions stay secret, but there are plenty of classless people in football, which means many of our vague enquiries are leaked as news stories that we are definitely trying to buy player X or Y.
Returning to the Belgian Blasphemer, you have to ask yourself why on earth we would have made a serious attempt to sign him. We already have three of the best centre backs in the Premier League and our fourth choice (Djourou) is greatly under-rated by many fans who only remember his poor showings at full back last year (if you doubt me, go back and read some of the match reports when he was playing regularly at centre back. I did, and he gets a lot of rave reviews).
Perhaps we wanted Vertonghen as an alternative to Djourou as fourth choice, but that seems unlikely.
Far more probable is that we were keeping tabs on him in case one of our first choice CBs suffered a major injury in pre- and early season.
But with Laurent Koscielny – arguably the best CB in the league last year – currently unable to get a starting spot, Vertonghen – if he was ours – would not even get on the bench.
One last theory (which I kind of like) is that maybe we were making enquiries about him just to annoy the Spuds and to help push up the price they would end up paying for him.
Either way, I do not believe for a moment that we were seriously after Vertonghen, so the idea of him “turning down” Arsenal is all in his head.
Regular readers will know that the sensationalist and often inaccurate reporting of our club’s affairs is one of my big bugbears. The succession of stories claiming as fact that we are trying to sign this or that player fall into this category.
It wouldn’t really matter except that some people – including some Arsenal fans – use these essentially false stories as sticks with which to beat the management and Board.
It never ceases to amaze me how people can whip themselves into such a lather of fury about a supposed non-signing that has been nothing but a fiction all along.
Whip… “We haven’t signed Llorente…” whip… “what does that clown Dick Laws actually do?” whip… “we have no ambition” whip… “we’ll be lucky to finish in the top half this year.”
I suppose it’s a kind of sado-masochism: fifty shades of twat.
Anyway, my point is: please, please don’t always believe what you read even – maybe especially – if it comes from the mouths of footballers who have no reason to wish well of Arsenal.
RockyLives
Arsenal News 24/7
arsenalarsenal.net 
Hahaha, Rocky.
Teetering Horseparts and fifty shades of twat.
Genius.
“fifty shades of twat”
Perfect!
Hi guys. in what world do arsenal have 3 of the best centre backs in the league? It’s unfathomable that you could possibly be considering ‘The Pear’ in that statement, so presumably you consider squilachis career at arsenal to still be alive and kicking? In any case I would suggest that a defense widely considered a mess last year would need to prove itself against mightier Oppo than Lpool, stoke and Sunderland before it can consider itself to be above the likes of vertonghen. Aside from your misguided views on the state of your club, i have to admit that your description of the skinny chicken and basketball was tremendous. But seriously, a nonsense piece of writing all things considered. Please try harder
haha great read Rocky. Love how you can pick a story out of anywhere and cause trouble in it.
I’ve always felt sorry for those players who always say Arsenal were interested in them. “Arsenal were interested in me…but I chose to play for Perth Glory instead”
@ Evonne
I do think it is hilarious, but yeah it must be a cultural thing because down here he’d get mocked constantly (not being mean just a bloke thing I guess). and it happens to the best of us. I was captain of my faction at School and to rally the troops from years 8-12 I came dressed as Mel Gibson from ‘Braveheart’. I still get mocked for it.
Skinny cock balanced on ball!
What a club crest. *pun intended*
Great piece Rev. Rocky!
Jamie g,
Vertonghen apparently chose Totteringham Horseparts over the pride of North London.
I’d say that that was the dictionary definition of “unfathomable”. (unless, of course, there was never a choice for him to make in the first place 🙂 )
Vertonghen would not get in the current Arsenal team. It would be nice to have him as cover, but we dont really need him.
Did we even put in a bid for him? Im not sure we were actually in for him at all.
Wow Rocky, you are firing on all cylinders again with this creative masterpiece! A total joy to read. 🙂
The Belgian Blasphemer! Fecking Brilliant! 🙂
I reckon Vertonghen is not the brightest of footballers and on top of that he appears to be an extrovert, and very needy for strokes. Maybe, Vertonghen is old Dutch for not being able to control one’s tongue… 😉
Having dealt with union representatives for many years I can tell you, and I am sure you will agree, the combination of being stupid, extrovert and needy is a very unfortunate one; both for the outside world as well as the individual him/herself. Give me a smart, hairy-arsed Trotsky every time.
Whether we wanted to sign him or not, fact is he left Ajax for the Spuds because of money. Ajax are playing BD, MC and Madrid in the CL, he will be enjoying Spursday Nights…….
skinny chicken balancing on basketball
AVB taking a dump on a basketball
http://www.soccerprint.co.uk/shop/tottenham-hotspur/funny-avb-andre-villas-boas-spurs-crest-crouching-t-shirt.html
so do we need him.our new players are much better
Chas, you are a genius! 🙂
50 shades of twat – lol
“Sign me” said Jan arching his back in expectation “Sign me now and ill make your defence so… hard”
“No” said Wenger smiling “you would kill Miquel”
“SIGN ME” screamed the defender “I’ll do everything for you, you’ll never even think of another defensive option”
“Everything?” mused the Studious frenchman “Prove it, follow path of Sol”
“Sol? The sun??”
“No The way of Sol, become their hope. their talisman, their captain. become the very embodiment of their dreams”
“What then”
“Sign for me”
“Wenger wanted to sign me” said Jan Vertonghan to the gathered press pack. “But i chose Spurts”
Good to see you back here full of wit, D98! 🙂
Morning all. Thanks for the post Mr Rock.
Jamie Galvin raises a good point in his patronising comment (“Please try hearder”? Whatever). How can we refer to MertVermKos as being three of the best CBs in the PL?
Looking at them individually, you’d have to acknowledge that Vincent Kompany was the best CB last year, and he remains the one at the top. Lescott is ok, but Kolo, well let’s just say we still love Kolo the man but are not too fussed about that particular ex-Gooner being at teh Wastelands. Vidic is of course very good but only now coming back from injury, so noone knows what he’s going to achieve. Ferdinand is falling away fast, and Smalling isn’t ready for the bigtime. United’s defending this year has been pretty ropy. At the Bridge, Terry remains effective, when he can stay on his feet, but isn’t a shadow of what he was a few years ago. Luiz is less dangerous for Chelsea than he was but is a long way from being a tip-top CB, and Cahill is good enough cover, no more. I’ve always liked Kaboul, but Gallas is on the fast-track to retirement. Vertonghen does look pretty decent so far, and has stood out with Bale in an otherwise increasingly ordinary Spurs side, but it will take a while before Vertonghen can really be assessed against CBs who are experienced in English football. Agger and Skrtel aren’t bad but I wouldn’t rank either of them ahead of any of MertVermKos.
So to my eye, Rocky’s assessment, that our three main CBs are amongst the best in the PL, looks pretty reasonable.
And as a unit, it looks as good as any. Whether it’s Vermaelen, Mertesacker or Koscielny on the bench, I don’t think anyone else will have such good cover as us. And that’s without even mentioning Djourou or Miquel. (Squillaci will never play for us again, so no need to address that point.)
Perhaps Jamie’s doubts spring from other aspects of our defensive performances last year and before. Surely a team can’t have three of the best CBs and leak so many goals as last year? Well I’d say yes it can, because our team dynamic last season in particular was, at times, very poor. The full backs’ positional play was often out of whack, and the midfielders and wingers did precious little to defend and often gave up possession too easily. The problem wasn’t the personnel, especally not at CB, it was what the team was doing and not doing. And the difference this season has been that the team is playing as a team. Long may that continue.
Thanks Total – usually i am full of something that rhymes with wit so that is good.
You’ve changed your tune Rocky. And your style. From being optimistic, positive, understanding you are cocky now, full of it, giving a large one! I wonder why the change? I love the post, still ROLFing
A few cups of strong coffee in the morning can do wonders… 😀
RA – doesn’t ‘twat’ mean the same as front bottom?
Cocky Rocky giving a large one 😆
Evonne, you are in fine form as well this morning!
TA – not really, but Rocky and your park furniture heater made me laugh 🙂
Evonne – “front bottom” for Gods sake we are all Adults/children here – the term is “Down there”
Twat has that meaning i the US (where they pronounce it Twot but is used in the UK and Ireland to signify a fool… i.e. it is never used to describe the “way of the woman”
Gadzooks, Sir Rock, another absolutely spiffing read!! 🙂
As usual, I am in awe of you.
Hi Evonne, 🙂
I have no idea why you should ask me for the definition of twat, as I think it is a vulgar British term for what you on AA refer to as ‘front bottom’, which, to me, sounds disgusting!! 🙂
Perhaps instead of front bottom we should refer to that part of the anatomy by its ‘proper’ Latin name of vulva? Tho’ that does not sound all that great either.
Twat it is then. 🙂
As resident wordsmith, it is your duty RA 😉
He did choose Spuds instead of Arsenal ,he said he wanted to play regular football.
Regular yes Football no .
He took 1 look at our team and thought , I cant get in there but anyone can get in Spuds side.
Great post, Rocky – love the language!
Koscielny was definitely the most improved CB (if not player) in the PL last season, but have to say Kompany was top drawer – it’s hard to argue that our 80-cap German international (who are known for their defensive troubles!) and a more disciplined TV5 make us AMONG the best defenses in the PL – people like Jamie should “try harder” at understanding the spirit of the post
As for the spirit of what Vertonghen says (and Mirallas for that matter? The choice was simple – need to leave current club to earn more £££, can go to Spurs or Everton respectively as 1st or 2nd choices or come to Arsenal as 3rd or 4th
I’m no scientist but even I can work out how that choice is going to go and don’t blame ’em for making their choice!
Hi Rhyle, 🙂 (if you are around today)
Sorry I had to abandon ship yesterday before you came back re the Rasper’s math teaser.
Rather than BODMAS we use PEDMAS (parenthesis, exponent, multi, addit, sub) as the order of operations, but it is the same set of rules, of course.
When Rasp posed the question, he said ‘have fun’ but if I had known you were a math adept I would not have teased you. Sorry! 🙂
When I have been asked, in the past, by accounts staff to help solve formula errors on (say) excel I always try to make them think about what they are trying to do first, before trying to solve the ‘problem’.
The formula for yesterday’s tease if crudely entered on Excel would, with parentheses, as you would know, look like this;
=sum((4*4)+(4*4)+4-(4*4)) and one bracket more or less would bugger up their formula.
I usually explain how it can be done quickly and easily in their heads or even show that before using calculators the formula could be ‘cleaned up’. Removing the contra items [+(4*4) and the -(4*4)], above, would leave =sum((4*4)+4) and any ninny could do that. 🙂
I have a thing about people using technology blindly without thinking about what they are doing. Car drivers blithely following SatNav directions down garden paths are similarly dopey!! 🙂
Nice write up, Rocky
Wondered how easy it was for you to fuse religion with sport. Simply put: genius
RA – as Oz said, it is your duty to explain 🙂 ta very much
Top post Rocky
i like to think Arsenal just express interest to lure the Spuds to buy deadwood.
We all know they don’t have their own scouting department 🙂
I’m confused. I always thought it was ‘BIMDAS’? now there is this ‘BODMAS’ which is bloody first Multiplication or Division????
fifty shades of front bottom
fifty shades of lady garden
fifty shades of down there
Nah, Rocky got it right, fifty shades of twat
Hi RA…I’ll be honest with you, I felt terrible about it yesterday! As soon as I had written the response it occurred to me I may have taken it all a bit too seriously. Rest assured, I had a good, solid word with myself! I’ve been known to…overreact…at times. I’m volatile! 😉
No harm, no foul – and certainly no need for an apology!
You’re an Excel Jedi? Many a time has my life been saved by good people such as yourself!
Hi Oz, 🙂
In Oz, funnily enough, the UK BODMAS becomes BIDMAS as you guys use the term ‘indices’, where the Brits use ‘operations’ and the Yanks use ‘exponent’.
Fear not, the rules are all the same. “Brackets, Indices (squares, square roots), Division/Multiplication, Addition/Subtraction”.
— 30 / 5 * 3 = 6 * 3 = 18 is correct.
— 30 / 5 * 3 = 30 / 15 = 2 is incorrect
Division takes priority over multiplication – left to right.
Now you know as much as me. 🙂
Vermaelen,kosc,mart!by far the best defendrs in the epl.
Funny/interesting post. Well done. I hate false reporting too. To such an extent I do not believe anything reported. I hate media and how people try to ‘use` the media to help their own agendas. And don’t get me started on the paps. Who on earth wants photos of celebs going about everyday personal business. I digress. Rant over. Back to the post well done rockylives
BIDMAS, BODMAS, Brackets, Indices, square exponents and operations….what have they got to do with the price of fish?
Clunge is a nice alternative to front bottom
RL. 50 shades of twat. Superb.
Another cracker from the Rocky keyboard.
Would I have liked Verts to sign? Yes. But as cover for Arteta not as a CB. He looks a very good player who would be wasted sitting on Arsenal’s bench; so he can earn PL money and be a star in an average team. Win,Win for him and Spurs.
Question: is ManU a better place/team than THOF for R$P to flourishi? Where would he play if he didn’t sell his soul to the devil?
Norfolk,
Let C = number of cod caught
T=Trawlers, R= Running cost per trawler, M= Margin required.
((T*R)*(1+M))/C=Price of Fish 🙂
@ RA
cheers. maths should be universal dammit, I was always taught multiplication and division are equal therefore it did not matter what order ‘D’ and ‘M’ were
@ NG
well you see, it is very important when it comes to fish because the live ‘In da seas’
* they
I too feel out of plaice ~ ~ ~ 🙂
Speak up Total, I’m a bit hard of herring.
RL 😆
I cannot carp my enthusiasm for this maths stuff!
Come on now TA, you’ve just krilled it!
We, the jury, find the defendant (Rocky) gillty of terrible fish puns!
Are you sitting on a great fish pun? Don’t be so koi and share it with the world
how many fish in a pair of tights?
5 2 soles,2 heels and a smelly plaice
I’ve got my coat
Oz, without being rudd, you know your fishes, but it’s time to get on your skates-board!
GM, fantastic – this one is on a par with your halloumi joke you made a year ago or so! 🙂
Anyway, I am off for a while but not before I say, once again, well done to the Three-Bearded Rockling ~ ~ ~
Never mind all this fishy stuff – No Chesney for tomorrow so Don Vito returns.
Diaby is also back.
Funny post Mr Rockster, but it kind of stole some of my thunder for a post I had in mind. Still you did it better than me.
Thanks for all the kind comments.
It’s not much of a conversation starter of a Post, but it always offends my Arsenal sensibilities when any player tries to suggest that they were offered to play in the glorious red and white but preferred somewhere else.
And Vertonghen added fuel to my fire by admitting that he had consulted God Himself, only to ignore his advice! Heretic.
Jamie G
I genuinely believe our CBs are among the best in the EPL (and most professional commentators seem to agree). Anyway, M’Learned Friend, Mr 26, gave you a comprehensive answer at 10.47 (and Phil made the point rather more succinctly later on).
Chas
Brilliant pics – fantastic 🙂
Evonne
Surely you knew about my feisty side? It’s not all lugubrious Irish charm you know 🙂
Timmy
You ask: “I wondered how easy it was to fuse religion with sport.” You already know the answer Timmy: supporting Arsenal IS a religion. We even have our own cathedral.
Rhyle
If (and I doubt it) we were at all serious about Vert, I’m sure you’re right that the lure of regular football is what took him to Shite Hart Lane.
D98 🙂
Redders
All this “multiplication comes first” business seems very divisive to me…
Where’s Sharkey when the fish puns are flying?
Chary
Sorry about that 😦
I bet yours is worth doing anyway.
I think Total’s gone off to trawl the internet.
Nah, Mr Rockster – no one likes sloppy seconds ! 😦
Arshavin is out of the squad though.
@Rocky: “Phil made the point rather more succinctly later on” – ah, you’re so right, I do struggle to limit my verbiage at times! 🙂
Looks a pretty strong squad for Montpellier, though I don’t doubt there will be some squad rotation in terms of who starts. Initially, seeing we’ve put our 5th choice GK (James Shea) on the bench made me wonder how that had happened, thinking that someone had screwed up by not naming Damien Martinez. But I now realise that Martinez can only qualify on the A list but Wenger chose to give the last A list spot to Serge Gnabry, which seems fair enough.
Argh, if only we’d kept Lansbury 26, he could have gone in goal if necessary.
26
I think Jamie needed to be talked through the full explanation – so thank you for saving me having to do it!
🙂 Chary
Rock Hard, Oz and TA, 🙂 🙂
ROFL, ROFL.
Can’t bring myself to do a ‘Micky’ and ROLF!
Cod, I loved your fish puns, they were eely awful. 🙂
I’ve got to stop laughing, it’s giving me a haddock.
Got to say, 26, your explanation was timely, the Rock Star had left me floundering! 🙂
@Rocky, cheers. To be fair to Jamie (if I should be fair given his implied Spuds allegiance), there is a dsicrepancy between our goals conceded in recent seasons and last year in particular, and the (correct) characterisation of our CBs as top quality.
But there are clues that we had some defensive strength from last year too, such as the fact that we had 13 clean sheets, more than numerous sides thought of as being defensively strong. The point is one of consistency, since we probably gave up more winning positions than anyone last year, and of course there were the shambles of Old Trafford and Ewood Park.
Truth be told, the doubters will only be convinced of our defensive abilities if we show it with a sustained run of resiliance. Which is probably fair enough – their job is to doubt, ours is to believe.
Done up like a kipper!
OK, I’ve tried to ignore the puns but haddock definitely had me smiling!
Rocky – don’ encourage me, you know I have a soft spot for the Micks 🙂
Nobody answered my question – is R$P better placed at ManU or he would thrive at the THOF? Would he fit in with the awsome team genius AW assembled now?
Double – not all of us, Terry and Glic are still school age and Raddy is just at the uni, not adults then
Stop carping on about fish
On a serious note, did anyone notice the Algerian flag on dispay in the north bank ?
I thought all flags were banned in Ashburton Grove?
And can we stop with the fish nonsense, it’s causing offence to me as a vegetarian.
I’m not keen on fishy puns either, 26, but I thought I would join in, just for the halibut.
Every time the maestro writes one of his Posts, I feel my literary skills are caught between a Rock and a hard plaice.
Rasp/Peaches.
Check Arsenal nuts.
I think the ban was lifted about three seasons ago, chary.
This says March 2009
http://www.aisa.org/latest-news/headlines?id=220
Hi Chas, 🙂
At the risk of sounding like one of your groupers, can I just say, again, your vids alone are worth coming onto AA.
At night I see them in my breams. 🙂
Pollacks
Ooops pollocks.
Redders, Chas, GM 😀
Hi RA,
What was all that about giving up blogging the other day?
evonne
If BSR wins silverware at ManUre I expect he will feel it was worth it.
And given that Arsene himself has implied we are a better team without BSR, maybe, in a weird way, it has worked out the best for all concerned.
However, I take great pleasure in imagining how BSR will feel if ManUre are potless this year and we win one of the big ones.
Chas
Redders was just fishing for compliments.
Really, I must be well behind the times Chas. I’ve looked it up and the ban was lifted in March of 2009.
Wow, I’m out of date.
evonne, it’s an interesting question. When the possibility of RvP moving to OT started to become serious, I said here that it could end up being a deal that’s bad for both the buying and selling clubs, since they’d be spurging on a player they don’t need when they had bigger weaknesses in their squad, while we would lose the leading talent in our team.
But right now it looks like I was 100% wrong, and that perhaps the move could be argued to have benefited both Arsenal and United on the pitch – we’re more cohesive and balanced, while they have a stronger attacking unit and a striker to cover up the cracks in the team with his brilliance (though his miss of an open goal from a few yards out on Saturday was pretty funny).
Who knows what it will look like in a few months, but much as I would love to have RvP around, I can’t help thinking that the new spirit in the side is in part the result of a dominant figure no longer being there.
That ban was ages ago.
monster!!
Rocky – Wenger knew BSR was going long before that twit, didn’t he. I still imagine our team with him banging in goals for fun. But had he stayed, we would probably not bought Giroud or even Lulu
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=m_Jvo7U39-A
GM – that was the first flag I’d seen at Ashburton in ages; I’d thoguht perhpas they’d got a special “Arab spring” concession and all that.
Guys have a fish on me 🙂 as I will be off tomorrow for the best part of a month on a cruise liner around the States and Canada. Enjoy this fishy ditty, and here,s to finding the same upbeat AA when I return as I have enjoyed since Saturday
Fish
How I wish
I were a fish!
My day would begin
Flapping my fins.
I’d make a commotion
Out in the ocean.
It would be cool
To swim in a school.
In the sea,
I’d move so free,
With just one thought:
Don’t get caught!
Twatter is going made that Mike Dean is the ref for Citeh.
Don’t know if this is true.
26may – thanks for that. You are right, right now ManU need him more than we do, which means that sadly he has strengthen our opponents and that’s a deadly sin.
Did he play last Saturday? I thought he was being rested
re tomorrow:
Regular No.1 Wojciech Szczesny has been forced to miss the match after picking up an ankle injury. Youngster James Shea is drafted in with Vito Mannone expected to start between the sticks.(sounds a bit fishy to me)
Arshavin not included.
Going made ?
Dandan
Have a splendid time. What bits of the US and Canada are you taking in?
You told me you were going to cruise round the Isle of Wight. Anyway both of you have a good well earned rest .
Bon voyage, dandan
Here is the full squad to face Montpellier as announced on Arsenal.com earlier:
Mannonne
James Shea
Carl Jenkinson
Kieran Gibbs
Thomas Vermaelen
Per Mertesacker
Laurent Koscielny
Abou Diaby
Mikel Arteta
Santi Cazorla
Francis Coquelin
Aaron Ramsey
Theo Walcott
Andre Santos
Olivier Giroud
Gervinho
Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain
Lukas Podolski
Ok, you asked for it ……………
We will want to hear all about it, Dandan, when you get back. 🙂
After all her medical problems and yours too, it sounds just the ticket.
Excuse me but I am also green with envy. 😦 🙂
Dandan – have a fantastic time, make sure you look out for the gefilte fish. Lots of love xxx
Peaches, 🙂 🙂
Don’t take any notice of the fishy punsters on AA, they are all a bunch of bass tards! 🙂
Peaches,
I laughed so hard at that vid I think I’ve pulled a mussel.
We are a better team without having to rely on one person to do all of the scoring. Being an all round team and looking for the player in the best scoring position, rather than looking for RVP, makes for far greater fluidity and can only increase our goal scoring opportunities.
Our offensive display on Saturday was the best I have seen in 65 seasons, Our use of the triangle and the speed of our passing would eventually break down most defences – I’m not so sure about buses.
Oy yoy yoy, I’m supposed to be cooking and I’m searching Gefilte fish youtube clips. Thank goodness for GN5 wanting to talk about football 😆
GN5 – I’m still not sure why we always had to play through the dutchman!!!!!! Some of the play on Saturday took my breath away, it was awesome. Eat your heart out bsr ……….
It’s ok, we have a match tomorrow, I’m not about to grab anyone for a post ……… you can carry on playing, I have to cook
The witching hour is fast approaching for me, and the only thing keeping me here is the somewhat forlorn hope that the Rasper and Big Randy will come on with their geetars and give us a tuna.
The “One Pound Fish” song is a favourite, the “Gefilte Fish” vid is a new one.
Cheers all!
Peaches – a simple, tried recipe for gefilte fish – go to Sainsburys, fish isle, bottom shelf, £2.99 a jar, cannot be simpler 🙂
You tell my mother she should go and buy it ………. 😆
Back to football…..
Peaches,
I sent a new post to Arsenal nuts.
Thank you GN5, I’ll have a look at it later 🙂
They must have rehearsed that celebration
GM
Can’t blame them for celebrating – the opposition were battered.
Happy New Year Peaches 🙂
You did that on porpoise
RA. OK , you asked for it
In the key of G
“There’s a plaice for Wrasse
Somewhere a plaice for Wrasse”
I feel dirty after that ….
Rocky,
Forget it – I’m not rising to the bait.
Anyway, even tho the humor on here is turbot charged, I’ve sardinely got to go!
Adios mi amigos! 🙂
For those who use live online footy. Be aware they are changing their name and net address from tomorrow…..
Evening all.
Firstly let me start by saying a fine post as ever from the Rock. Most know my approach to media headlines and that is to look for the source named. I’m sure Vertighnen would have love to have been wanted by Arsene, personally I think like his new teammate GK its a stepping stone to a big club.
Secondly what a load of carp all those fish puns were. We will have an eel of a job trying to encourage knew bloggers when the headline hooks them in only to see a torrent of puns. We will never get them to stickleback.
RA. Don’t be koi
Redders & GiE 😀
Have a happy Rosh Hashana, Peaches, Kelsey et al. 🙂
Randy, I think you were skating on thin ice there. There must be a better song for you — I’ll have to mullet over and let you know. 🙂
Hasta la mana.
Agreed GiE
Dolphinately no more puns from me.
Where is Didit? Probably playing with his rod.
Looking forward to the start of the Champion’s League!!
Who is going to win it this year????
I think we stand a good chance you know.
Anyway just come on late because ive been working hard and now i have a haddock. (poor i know)
jake
I thought you were a ray of light until I got to the last sentence. Now I have to knock you off your perch… sorry 😦
gooner hake just couldn’t ray sist
I thinks it’s all a bunch of cods wallop………..
BR
Stop it! We’re meant to be talking football.
I must admit, looking round this week’s fixtures, it’s clear that Man Shitty have got a really tough grouper.
evonne @4.40pm: RvP on Saturday: sat on bench for 75 minutes, came on for 15-minute run around with United 3-0 against a Wigan team who obviously weren’t up for a game of football, missed the aforementioned sitter from inside the goal area with GK elsewhere, went home £30k richer.
He’s no mug, that boy.
What do you call a fish with no eyes?
Fsh.
Rocky for your interest: Southampton –
Great Britain
New York –
USA
Newport – Rhode Island –
USA
Boston –
USA
Portland, Maine –
USA
St. John, New Brunswick –
Canada
Halifax, Novia Scotia –
Canada
Quebec –
Canada
Charlottown –
Canada
Southampton –
Great Britain
What swims up the river at 100 mph?
A motor pike……………
Not you too Gn5!
We really should leave this game to the young whipper snappers.
Gn5
Fsh – brilliant 🙂
Dandan
Sounds fantastic. I haven’t got out to Nova Scotia, New Brunswick etc yet but they look amazing.
I hope you have a truly wonderful and relaxing time.
And that we’re top of the table when you get back 🙂
Ist Kipper: Smokings bad for you.
2nd Kipper: No problem I’ve been cured………….
Why did a whale cross the ocean?
To get to another tide……………
How could the dolphin afford to buy a house?
He prawned everything
Fish songs
Sea Eeled With A Kiss
Mister Sand Dab
That’s a Moray
Clam Every Mountain
It Haddock Be You
When You Fish Upon A Star
Shark! the Herald Angels
I have to go now I’m beginning to feel really crappie…………..
By the way I caught them all on the inter – net………..
What do you get if you cross a salmon, a bird’s leg and a hand?…Birdsthigh fish fingers
Seriously guys, my question from before. Do we stand a chance at the champions league?
We will deffinetely win our Grouper (fish)
The more I see of Gary Neville the more I am impressed, what other commentator/pundit has anywhere near his vast knowledge allied to the authority and ability to communicate it. Should he so wish i believe he would make a fine manager.
Dandan7:29. I agree, I couldn’t stand him when he played for ManUre, but I think he is a fine pundit.
Have a smashing holiday, put your feet up on the sailing days, enjoy exploring, and when you get back we will be top of the league, say we are top of the league, say we are top of the league.
jake – win the CL ?? of course we will, piece of fish cake
Evonne nice to see someone. Isnt it good to be a gooner! Good footy talk and humour to boot. OO to be a gooner!
Jake
I replied to you about an hour ago!
What it is to be ignored 😦
Rocky – Jake doesn’t know that you are a blond too 🙂
Jake – I cannot imagine life without Arsenal, honestly.
26may – damn, I wish I’d seen that. BSR might not be a mug, but he ain’t too bright either. He could have been God, he’ll end up a small fish in a small pond
so you did rocky, thanks
Cliquey, this blog?
How are we surposed to catch new bloggers and reel them in?
A post with a catchy title like ‘Wenger out of his depth’ could be a good bait
or ‘Usmanov is a money shark’
Apologies for my late arrival, been to my daughter’s graduation today.
Fantailtastic post rocky
Have a great holiday dandan
LB & Rasp
Late to the party, but fine comments from the same school of thought.
Apparently LB wrote the best comment ever written on AA earlier today, but it vanished into the Internet ether – and now he can’t remember what it said.
The one that got away 😦
Post disappearing comment test
Hmmm. Where do my comments go?
Not read the comments, but anyone mentioned Henry’s goal against Columbus the other night? He’s still got it….!
2 shocking decisions in 10 seconds at Everton!!!
Don’t know if anyone’s watching the Everton v Newcastle game, but the referee has managed to make two very poor decisions in a few seconds, the first denying Everton a goal when the ball had crossed the line, the second when Ben Arfa broke from the resulting melee and was going in on goal when the referee called it back for a free kick to Newcastle without playing the advantage. Oh well, I guess it evened itself out.
I’ve watched it…it never left ‘im, slim…
Wow, this Everton games been a cracker.
If they keep their players for then they will be top 6 minimum this season.
Justice for Everton, having had two good goals disallowed. Shame that they’ll go above us though.
Can’t see it Slim, their defence is poor….
OMG, Ba has just equalised!!!!
This is crackers! 2-2!
26,
These are the first goals Everton have conceded at home since we scored in March! Defence can’t be that bad!
Oh that’s right Slim, just wheel out a load of facts to make me look stupid….! 🙂
You’ve got to admit though, the timing of my comment was pretty good.
Did you see the touchline banned Alan Pardew giving instructions to the bench by phone? Remember what UEFA did to Wenger when he gave instructions from the stands? Extended his ban. No mention from the commentators that Pardew might have done anything wrong, I wonder if the FA are going to act. Not.
26,
Take that back! 3 goals in there last 12 home games! Still pretty good.
Someone told me the other stat today but don’t think it checks out! 🙂
A draw good for us. Everton would have gone second.
(Even with a shit defence. 🙂 )
26,
Sounded convincing didnt it! I still got it wrong though! 🙂
One rule for Wenger etc…..jokers.
Have you checked out Henry’s goal? Worth a look on YouTube if not.
Henry’s goal is very pretty, just the sort of thing an ageing genius moves to the US to try!
Have just watched ESPN’s highlights of Montpellier’s weekend 3-1 defeat to Reims. I know Montpellier will lift themselves tomorrow, and they had Yanga-Mbiwa on the bench for some reason, but they looked really poor, especially in defence. Tomorrow, to avoid embarrassment in their first CL game, I’m sure they’ll try de se garer l’autobus.
That’s it 26, just pull out some fancy lingo to make me look stupid! 🙂
Forgot to wish DD “Bon voyage”….so Bon voyage DD.
When you come back we will be top of the league.
It’s a defence mechanism, Slim!
Have just seen a special looking attacking midfielder playing for Lorient – Alain Traore, remember the name!
OK, that should ensure he has no future.
Slimginger: I mentioned the Henry corner kick goal on the Soton match report post, and included what I thought was the video highlight, which turned out to be blocked by Major League Soccer. If anyone has another link, we’d appreciate it.
haha all this started because of NG’s comment.
As kelsey mentioned earlier the szcz thing seems a touch similar to ‘almunia’s elbow’
Can’t wait for the game
@ Dandan
I hope you and your Mrs enjoy the cruise
If anyone can bring themselves to watch Szcesnys horror show again you will see he grabs his ankle as soon as he lands after flapping at the ball.
There was also asave that he made in the second half that was awkward to say the least he tried to dive to his left but didn’t go anywhere and ended up somehow getting his left boot to it.
Rasp also mentioned that Don Vito warmed up for the entire second half.
Combine all the above info with a terrible kicking display second half and my guess is he played on in spite of injury (the impetuousness of youth and further evidence that everyone’s places are up for grabs).
cheers for that GiE, it all adds up when you put it like that
Don Vito — does that mean a dead fish under Chesy’s armpit?
Haha
Nice one Gn5
GiE
Great “goalkeeper’s insight” – thanks. I missed most of that as well.
Matchday!
Now it feels like the football season, with matches every few days, pressure on Raddy for pre matches, and no need to find a topic for a blog post everyday.
Definitely a bit cheesy, but nice nonetheless. (made by a Swedish girl)
Thierry corner from the stand.
(I’ve a feeling the lad who made this doesn’t know what KKK stands for)
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-R_TUsBSaIA
Love the CL banner, Rasp.
Name this fish
http://www.google.co.uk/imgres?imgurl=http://thefootballproject.net/wp-content/uploads/2012/03/Germany-Real-Madrid-attacking-midfielder-winger-Mesut-Ozil.jpg&imgrefurl=http://thefootballproject.net/2012/03/28/stars-of-euro-2012-mesut-ozil/&h=384&w=500&sz=70&tbnid=OAZqhnbZ2X78JM:&tbnh=102&tbnw=133&prev=/search%3Fq%3Dgerman%2Bfootballer%2Bozil%26tbm%3Disch%26tbo%3Du&zoom=1&q=german+footballer+ozil&usg=__MOh0QTeT-JdeQ_2DgzM_TQEqoY4=&docid=lJXTuW0Ve41QtM&hl=en&sa=X&ei=ix9YUPn_Fca50QW7u4GYBg&sqi=2&ved=0CDwQ9QEwBQ&dur=764
TV version
Morning All.
PM done, first coffee drunk. Life is good (though it is pouring with rain)
Morning Raddy, scorcher in North London 🙂
when did we last play Montpellier, I cannot remember
Don’t think we have ….
what a coincidence for Giroud
Chas, you are truly the youtube king.
Chas’s loved that video because everyone was smiling.
Smiling footballers play better football.
There was a definite bromance when Mikel was admiring Santi in his kit 😀
Stade de la Mosson, Montpellier.
The side terrace looks massive and uncovered.
Morning chas, I put up the CL banner at the top for every CL game (when I remember) but it is surprising how many people fail to notice – like my vorsprung widget – why do I bother? 😆
I did notice the Vorsprung widget but forgot to comment.
Someone else liked that photo, too. 🙂
(KKK?, mind you he is only 17)
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_ki5cPR3cWs
So that’s how they won the league…via a hypnosis spiral on the pitch!
Do not look at the pitch starting lineup!!!!
Thanks for the pic chas, that really is a lop-sided stadium.
I wonder if that huge wedge makes the wind swirl around a bit – OG should be used to it and presumably will have given the team a lot of inside info.
I was quite surprised that Thgeo was so reluctant to celebrate his goal on Saturday considering he left the Saints 6 years ago, but I would expect OG to be humble if he scores tonight.
OK, so KKK did a slightly better job than me 🙄
hahaha bloody hell those pics are great. Cheers for that Chas. The toilet and street fighter ones are hilarious!
Morning again all………
….. New post …….
Gie all that you said earlier makes perfect sense but as we were cruising to victory he should have been brought off.
Magnificent beat ! I wish to apprentice even as you amend your site, how could
i subscribe for a weblog website? The account aided
me a applicable deal. I had been tiny bit familiar of this your broadcast provided
shiny transparent idea