I know it’s normal after a loss for a lot of supporters to go super negative. I’m not immune to that feeling, my weekend was ruined like all of you. Maybe it’s my nature, but I have learned to eventually look at the bright side. I was also cheered slightly to see United lose. Yes, happy for Spurs, because I consider ManU our competition this season, not Tottenham.
The negativity I’m referring to is less of a problem with the regulars on this site, who are pretty fair and reasonable. We all know there are many so – called “supporters” attacking our guys even under better circumstances. There are a few things I would like to point out.
Even though we didn’t have our best performance on Saturday, if you watched the match, you saw that we were in it the whole time. We must give credit to Chelsea for showing up at our place and playing at a high level. It’s not simply a case of us underperforming against a weaker opposition. They worked hard and it showed. But we did throw it away. If not for mistakes on set pieces, we might have deserved a win, or at least a draw. But like Cint Eastwood says in Unforgiven “deserves got nothin to do with it”.
Everyone complaining about Arsene’s CB choices is making me crazy. We have three great center backs. The best first three compared to any team in the league. Our fourth and fifth choices are ok also. Every time we concede a goal, we have to hear the geniuses tell us why the wrong man was left out. Mertesacker has been a rock, but he can and must rest occasionally. I think he started six or seven matches already. For years we have complained about lack of depth and rotation causing fatigue to our starters, and late season weakness, whereas United and City have been fresher at the end. Also, again, I’m a huge Merts fan, even before he joined us.
But I’m not willing to write off Vermaelen and Koscielny as weak players, as some have been doing all of a sudden. Koscielny, is a super active defender, the type that will inevitably cause an own goal more than less dynamic players. MOTM many times last season. Remember his performance two years ago against Messi? How many players can do that? It wasn’t luck, it was skill. For the record, Torres’ goal on Saturday was a great effort showing talent, he deseves the credit. Shouldn’t we be more concerned that Luiz was completely unmarked on that play. And Vermaelen has been having his best season so far in defense, though, his fouls around our box hurt us recently.
I’m sorry guys, I just don’t think it’s right to be complaining that Vermaelen is Captain at this moment. We complained when Cesc and RvP were named Captain as our Marquis players. Even though we knew they probably weren’t the right guys to lead. So, after Fabregas and Nasri left us, and our disastrous start last season, and all the shaken confidence, Tommy V was the first to stand up and extend with us, also citing loyalty after a long injury. He’s a fighter with the right attitude, and he’s shown better discipline by not getting caught forward as much this season. My only worry has been that he would resist rotation as captain, I hope that won’t be a problem. And what will be the answer when Mertesacker eventually makes a mistake, you know people will find a reason he shouldn’t have started, maybe that he needed rest. It’s laughable.
In defense of the defense, Have we still not been scored against in open play? (That including matches vs City, Chelsea and Liverpool) If that’s right, then I don’t think we should be criticizing or looking for player changes, we need to figure out what is wrong organizationally with set pieces. When I defended Szczesny a couple weeks ago, after his mistake against Southhampton ( some were complaining that he got the start over Mannone after that one – – you know who you are ) I pointed out that Chezz has been much better at taking charge on set pieces in the past year. You know, all the pointing and yelling before the ball comes in, maybe that actually makes a real difference, if its the correct pointing and yelling. By the way, to all Chezzers critics, watch the replay of his mistake, you will see him cringe in pain when he comes down on his ankle and drops the ball. He was man enough not to take to twitter to point it out in his own defense.
So, I’m not sure if Mannone is to blame, maybe the Captain should be taking charge, or some other combination of problems, including coaching, but whatever it may be, we need to figure it out as a team. Because over all, our defense has still been excellent, and our midfield also. The front is still a work in progress, but I’m hopeful. It’s very easy to be critical when things go wrong, I know that I do it too, but the last thing I try to do is attack our own guys. We need to stay positive and encourage our team. It’s a long season, and we have some very good players returning soon. Much to look forward to.
Written by johnnie – jnyc
Arsenal News 24/7
arsenalarsenal.net 
Thank you johnnie for the post, there will be many supporters who agree with your ‘wait and see’ approach but I like to have a rant, it’s part of my enjoyment of following football. Still, if we all agreed all the time it would be very boring.
Whilst it’s wonderful to have three excellent CB’s in the squad I think picking a first choice pairing is going to be a headache for AW especially given that one of them is the captain. We’ve often said that consistency in the back four is very important well how is that to be achieved with ‘mix and match’ centre-backs?
By the way johnnie is in New York and therefore won’t be around until later to comment.
JNYC. Another entertaining read. I am not sure I agree about Saturday – as many know Mr Wenger reads my team sheets and acts accordingly, hence the playing of Kos/TV. It was my fault.
With hindsight …. we shouldn’t have changed a defence that had improved so markedly at set pieces. BFG’s organizational skills were sorely missed.
I do agree that all 3 CB’s are very very good and that TV is the natural Club Captain.
Onwards and upwards.
Chelsea are coming to play within sight of my house. Should I go? This is this morning vexation.
NordSjælland are the equivalent of say, the MK Dons. A new club with a 10k max ground. They are playing at the Parken because there is so much interest. They have already sold 25k tickets which is 5k more than the whole town of Farum.
The Chavs are sure to win but the chance to abuse some boneheads from the safety of the NS end is very enticing.
Morning all, again, tidily expressed views put forward there JNYC although I assume you mean “Marquee” players not “Marquis” players as captains, though a certain scummy ManUre 20 probably does think he is nobility.
As for Clint quotes, I’ve always liked “Go ahead punk, make my day”.
Big & Dandy – yoou should get the “One Anton Ferdinand” song going in “honour” of the chav skipper.
Raddy – you have to go surely. The chance to see a Premiership team play is a must. However, serious booing is required towards JT, don’t forget 🙂
Peachy, if your still around I think Sparky may well get fired by QPR – he’s just got the dreaded vote of confidence from the chairman:
“Mark will sort it out. Look at his record. We would have won if we didn’t go down to 10. I am relaxed and confident. Let’s get all our players back and in form and fit and then let’s see.”
You know my opinion of spiteful Hughes. It compares with Chary’s view of SAF.
Sacking is too good for him.
I like “Feeling lucky punk, well are yer?”
BR…..dont forget the abuse towards that arse —- Cole as well.
Olympiakos don’t seem to be a big draw for tomorrow night’s game, what is wrong with people the Champions lge is a fantastic night at the Emirates? I wouldn’t miss it for the world. There are loads of spares on the exchange.
Come on people, support your team.
If it was one of the big European teams I bet there wouldn’t be so many spares 😦
Some great quotes from Dirty Harry Big Randy, Sparky and purple conk are the socerer and his apprentice in the dark arts of media manipulation.
Thanks Johnnie, you make very good points – none of which can reasonably be argued against.
For me, the main disappointment on Saturday was our work rate off the ball particularly in the second half – it just wasn’t good enough.
Against city we worked really hard and competed across the pitch, we didn’t play with that same intensity (credit to GN5 for finding the perfect descriptor) against the chavs. Don’t get me wrong, they played better than city and so we needed to be at our best and we weren’t.
As others have said, not many teams will beat the chavs this season if they play like that every time. I think they are nailed on for a top 2 finish this year unless fate takes a hand.
Thanks for the post jnyc. For me organisation at set pieces is the final part of our new found renaissance. As has already been pointed out we have been impressive defensively in open play thus far this season. For a few seasons now slow and uncoordinated behaviour at corners and free kicks have cost us time and time again but I’m certain Bouldy & Banfield will sort it eventually.
Criticism is healthy imo as long as it’s constructive, but let’s remember our criticisms hold no weight or authority what so ever.Also the vast majority of goals are scored because of mistakes of one sort or another, the key I suppose is to minimise our mistakes
What’s important now is the next game. I feel a very positive vibe in our squad at the moment
very well said
Morning all, cracking post Johnny, as Peaches says football fans wouldn’t be football fans if we didn’t think we knew at least as much as the manager.
Your point about open play v set pieces is apt, by all accounts Bould and others have been working with the defence separately, therefore it is no surprise when the team comes together to defend (set pieces) we are not quite there yet.
My only quibble is that Szczesny injury, yes he hurt himself on landing but he had already lost the ball before then, I think protecting himself from colliding with the Corporal.
Hi Wonderman, you are quite right that minimising mistakes will reduce goals conceded. The converse of that is that by pressing (swarming/harrowing) you force the opposition to make mistakes and therefore gain the advantage.
Dwelling on the ball is an open invitation to your opponents to apply pressure. If a midfielder recieves the ball and there is not an obvious passing option for him, he will twist and turn in an attempt to probe an opening. This is the time when his teammates must move to give options for the pass. If the movemment of the opposition to cut out passing options is better than his teammates’ attempts to provide the option then the pressure usually tells and we lose possession.
This happened a bit too often on Saturday. It only takes one player in the middle of the park to fail to accept his ‘off the ball responsibilities’ and the opposition can cut right through you.
Our movement off the ball whether when in possession or seeking to gain possession is key to our success. When it works it’s great, when it doesn’t we have to ask why.
Peaches thanks to TicketExchange I managed to get in RedAction, thankfully I’ve got Thursday off work to let vocal cords recover.
As for why there are so many my guess is fans coming from further away not being able to make mid weeks as easy as it is it to make Saturday/Sunday.
jnyc – will you marry me? I have never known a man to write a better poem than your post, beautiful!
You have no idea how many battles I fight with so called Arsenal supporters. It makes me sick to my back teeth listening to them bickering about the Club they supposedly love and support. Fair weather supporters eager to take the good times, but always ready to pounce at slightest mishap; I’d say there are more of them than those like you and most other AAers.
We lost a game, big deal. Even my mother said ‘you cannot win them all’ , no, no team on this earth can. I think we are doing well, and more to the point there is a steady progress, stronger team, better chances of winning the EPL, and this Gunner is a satisfied customer.
Hi Rasp, specifically on Saturday two fouls caused by bad positioning initially and bad decision making (trying to make tackle when perhaps jockeying would have been preferred) then led to mistakes in marking (whoever was supposed to have
Louis) and body positioning ( Kosser) . But we have to accept mistakes will be made, we just hope to a minimum and not fundamental in nature
On your pressing points I agree with all you say. I would add teams normally have a philosophy tailored for each opposition .
Generally it is easier to press players on the flanks as a) they are confined by the touch line and b) if you are set up correctly they will be limited to where they can pass as options should have been minimised. A “Press” must be carried out by several team mates together in order to be successful. sometimes a player in the opposite team may be identified as either particularly weak in possession or distribution. You would then set up your team to guide possession to that player then implement your press.
Movement is always key whether in possession or not.As I said before I am very pleased with how we have defended as a team this season thus far. Offensively, I think we can be more ruthless but 1 loss in 6 is not bad
Good post Johnny, that all had to be said.
Great post JNYC
I too revelled in the ManU loss to Spuds, but then again I always wish doom on manure even if the opposition are spuds. That’s down to being a Yorkshire gooner, hating ManU above everyone else is the norm.
On to the defence and Saturdays dramas, I feel that Per is our best defender ATM and dropping him was a mistake, you don’t drop your best player for a big game like that. Then again we never know the full story, Wenger will have his reasons and had Per made those errors then Wenger would have been bitten again. The curses of being manager.
Anyway, we got beat, I wasn’t disheartened, we should have won. 2 errors cost us and that sums it up. Had Chelsea not had the lucky breaks they would then be questioning their performance and not us.
And for those people who have let the defeat ruin their week, get a life. It’s 90 of 10,080 minutes in your week, surely you have some other things to smile about.
Evonne……Roses are red…..Violets are blue….Arsenal are great …..and so are you.
Will you marry me? (rolf)
VCC – you’ll habve to wait in line behind a monster and a beast before you can marry Evonne, rolf.
So Wenger has confirmed Diaby is definitely out for tomorrow’s game and Arteta is doubtful.
Hmmm…..we could see the Ox and the Coq in the middle in that case.
Chary. precautionary im sure. He would not chance Arteta, we can deal with the Greeks without him, give him a well earned rest. I would like to see a few changes and keep our big guns for Saturday. If West Ham play like they did last night we will be in for a fight, thats for sure.
Agreed VCC – we do need to rotate in advance of the trip to Fat Sam’s place, especially in the case of such a vital member of our midfield.
Looks like Diaby is not going to be improving on his “average games per season played” anytime soon – quelle surpris.
chary. after a monster and beast giving roughness that only animals can give, Evonne might like a sensitive, charming guy to complement her voluptuousness, like me. (rolf)
chary……what a surprise.
Ha ha VCC – you’re onto something there….
Would like Wenger to swap Diaby with Samba Diakite of QPR.
Thanks Wonderman, your techncal knowledge is excellent. Pressing in 2’s and 3’s cannot take place all over the pitch so it has to be an almost instinctive reaction from our players when they sense an oppo player is gettinbg into trouble. Otherwise the movement should be effective at cutting out passing opportunities so that the oppo player in possession begins to panic and hopefully makes a mistake. When that happens to us we often end up passing back to the keeper who hoofs it upfield and we cede possession.
The other thing I thought we could have done better against the chavs was to win more second ball. If 2 players are competing for a high ball, we should be there to ‘mop up’ more often I feel.
johnnie
That’s a really well-written, passionate Post.
You are quite right to call out the doom mongers who seem so eager to spread their pessimism at the slightest setback.
I also agree with your central point that we have three great CBs and that we need to rotate and rest players.
And yet, and yet… against a team as strong as the Chavs I feel it was a mistake to leave out our most inform CB of the season so far.
Back in the early Wenger days we would never have left Tony Adams out for a top of the table clash. I’m not saying that our Lovely Big Per has achieved the status of TA6, but he has been exceptional this year and I would have liked to see him face the Chavs (and then by all means rest him against the Greeks and the Irons if necessary).
Mind you, AW may know something we don’t know (is Per in the “red zone” where he is more susceptible to injury? Who knows – only Arsene?).
I love Clint Eastwood quotes!
This one (from The Outlaw Josey Wales) feels appropriate to today’s discussion:
“Now remember, when things look bad and it looks like you’re not gonna make it, then you gotta get mean. I mean plumb, mad-dog mean.”
When we are a goal down with 15 minutes to go, we need to get plumb, mad-dog mean. Which brings us back to Theo… OK, sorry, sorry…
Wonderman. Very interesting. I have never realised that a team will try to channel the opposition so they give the ball to the player with the worst distribution.
Sneaky.
Haha Rocky maybe we should send Theo to an institution that is the antithesis of a finishing school. We dont want to knock off the rough edges we want to create some.
But alas I fear he is leaving. If he does, we will at least get to see if his ‘potential’ can be realised elsewhere or whether for those of us who want him to stay, it was just our Arsenal optimism getting the better of us.
I’m really torn on the subject of Theo …….. I did think that having Thierry around last winter might have helped Theo enormously but even if Thierry was trying, Theo wasn’t picking stuff up. I remember Thierry chastising the team for not bringing Theo into play in one of his games so maybe Theo just doesn’t get enough of the ball to really shine ……. or maybe not.
But like I said yesterday, I really wouldn’t want him to be ripping us apart down the wing playing for Liverpool or whoever buys him just because they knew how to put balls out wide for him to run onto 😦
Wonderman
Great analysis.
As is Rasp’s comment about competing for the second ball. I thought during the game that the Chavs were getting a lot of the “rub of the green” (ie, knock-downs and bounce-offs going to them not us). But what that really means, of course, is that their men were better placed to pick up any knock-downs and bounce-offs.
Peaches. It comes back to my earlier point about bus parking. Theo would be effective against us precisely because we won’t.
Just been to the Parken. 65 of her majesty’s finest to abuse JT? I think not.
Shouting at the flatscreen will do the trick just as well.
GN5 stats and jnyc post prove that despite
1 arrival of the bus
2 emergence of the oilies
3 budget on a shoe string
we are doing almost as well as we did at the 117 games at Highbury. That’s pretty impressive
Nice post, johnnie.
Upwards and onwards, as you say.
Is Olympiacos a category A game?
If so, it could explain the slow take up of exchange tickets.
Another reason is it’s the third home game in a week and the first was at hugely reduced prices, making it the obvious one to choose if it was one or the other.
Another factor is that the club sent out an email actively encouraging season ticket holders to put their tickets on the exchange for the Chelsea game which we found a bit odd. It was as if they were suggesting you could make some money back on the cost of the season. Of course the club make a small amount on any ticket on the exchange on a seat they’ve already sold once. Quids in, boys.
Perhaps some thought the exchange might work for an early CL game, especially if you were going to get back a large proportion of a category A game ticket price.
Imagine putting your seat on the exchange, the club not selling it, yet you still can’t go. I think we’d have to all be out of the country before our seats went on the exchange.
I think theo should start. But not were he wants as a central striker and not were wenger plays him but on the left of a front three. For me thats his best position. He will score alot from there
Perhaps Theo crosses the ball better with his left foot.
I think I might need to take a teddy I can punch at the games.
Chas I bought my ticket on the exchange, £35 + £2 booking fee + £2 ticket fast (lower tier in Red Action …. Should be fun 😀 ) The last one is a pisser as I am a red member but bought to late (something different with CL matches). The £2 I have been charged means they send me a PDF which I print and take to the game.
Not sure how the exchange works for ST holders but they normally come off sale midnight before the game, I assumed the ticket holder could use them if not sold. What you say suggests that’s not the case.
Chelsea and Olympiakos were the first games with a good number of exchange tickets. Early kick off and evening kick off a problem for long distance travellers?
Thank you johnny, a fine read.
I think Raddy should go to the Chavs game and get himself back in our good books after his lousy team selection on Saturday. He can have a nice night out, wrap up warm, have a pint, some hot wholesome food inside him and to vindicate himself, he gets to use his snipers rifle !.
Johnnie,
I don’t like to analyse too much, especially after 6 games but when you considerr that we play somewhere in the region of 50 games a season a lot of factors have to be taken into account and in our case it’s always injuries, though of course all teams get them.
look at diaby when fit he looks supreme yet his record shows otherwise. Rosicky another who hasn’t played since june and even RVP take last season away and his total performances in 7 seasons was quite poor.Sagna has had two leg breaks in a short time and I think though still quite young it has had an effect on Ramsey.
What does Wenger do. Every time we have a player who has a record of getting injured quite consistently he perserveres with them but not in eduardo’s case as he had hardly established himself as a regular first team player when he had a near career injury and was never quite the same again and the reason I mention him is that the mental side of a players character is just important as his physical side.AW can’t just go and buy a replacement every time. As i said before it is a balancing act which can never be easy.
one fault is that recently he has got players that don’t live up to standard for a team of Arsenal’s stature, they being park,Chamakh and squillacci all bought or on a free in a short space of time.
We need a mentorr for Szscney but again it doesn’t look that AW went looking this season after the Schwarzer deal fell through.
I do notice this season that many players seem to tire more esily and some call that rotation when they are subbed,yet only a couple of seasons ago we were noted for finishing a game stronger and stronger.
Wenger always says players take a good 6 months to adapt to the PL but Ithink it is harder for attackers.Sagna fitted in from day one .
We are just supporters and i admit i didn’t think Mertescker,jenkinson and even a fit gibbs would imprve that much this season so usually Wenger knows best.
Theo is another matter and as i said the other day i believe there is a new ruthlessness about AW and Theo took a gamble and it appears to have misfired.
no one wanted to buy arshavin at our terms but stranger things have happened before and we may see a reamergence from him, he looked leaner and sharper the other night.he has a football brain no doubt but perhaps lacks stamna.
if matches were sometimes only 60 minutes long we would do a lot better 🙂
Hi kelsey, good points. We will need to use the squad to its most efficient effect if we want to rest key players an so the likes of Coquelin, Djourou and Rosicky will no doubt play an importanmt part at some stage either due to injury or to prevent injury from ‘red zone burn out’ – sorry GiE 😕
That’s interesting about coming off sale at midnight before the game, GIE. Perhaps I got it wrong.
Ah, so it’s category B and fairly cheap as a result.
Hi Johnnie,
Yes, i constantly have to get a grip of myself, not at defeats but the excitement of future success.
I watched a video of Jack Wilsheres return yesterday and could hardly contain my excitement so got a grip immedietaly.
You see, for me personaly, Arsenals future is so great that i see no room for any despondancy or sadness. On the contary, i feel bloody great. Bring them all on, the mancs, real madrid, barca, anybody, i dont care. Eventuly we will be beating all these teams and there is nothing any body can do about it.
Oh wizard chas, have you the technology to change/put written lyrics on a music vid ?
glic,
Have you used windows movie maker. You should have it already if you have Vista or windows7.
I think the middle option “with a title that overlays a video clip as the clip plays” should do it. Just add titles with different lyrics on throughout the video.
http://windows.microsoft.com/is-IS/windows-vista/Add-movie-titles-and-credits-in-Windows-Movie-Maker
Thanks chas
Well said Tel 🙂
GLiC
What have you got up your sleeve? (and please don’t say it’s telescopic).
Big empty head
chas – that video proves that females should not be allowed at the games; the silly girl has no interest or slightest idea of what is going on, and is there just to annoy the boys
I blew my footy budget for 4 months in September, so January is the earliest I can ieven contemplate going to a game. What I was shocked at was the fact that red member are no longer on a waiting list for silver membership – I didn’t know that!!! So after 12 years of waiting I can either buy a season ticket or have a small chance of seeing games of choice, that’s pants
I like that vid of the little girl Chas. She seems really engaged with the game. Unlike my son who fell asleep on my lap on his first trip to the Ems when he was about the same age.
Rocky – were we playing Stoke at the time?
Rocky, I`ve got a song in my head that wont go away and would love to put a glic/Rough Harris take on it ( like the Two naughty boys one 🙂 ) but it would be more affective if I could just have the music from the song and put my lyrics on it and have it put on here ( permitting ) like a sort of karaoke, so you lot can sing it !. I think it`s quite funny, but then again I do laugh at my own stuff !. 😆
Lots of blue and white mugs on the street. FairPlay to them – this is a very expensive country and the beer costs are frightening yet they are getting hammered!
Rasp , BR I had to duck out for a while and am about to go off again . All the pro clubs use video analysis now, but what I explained earlier is how you would introduce a team to press . You are both spot on with the 2 ball theory and that is known as plain old anticipation !! Will be back on later
2nd ball theory
Durham is having a field day with AW’s statements about JW’s injury. A shambles of misinformation he says – I’m sure he must be a gooner he cares so much about our club.
Oh Dennis, Durham’s going to the Emirates tomorrow.
Raddy – not going to the game means you won’t have to hear them singing that they ‘know what they are’ ………..boring
peaches
I have constantly said , Durhams a closet gooner , he gets more upset than we do !. I`d make him Stevie Boulds assistant !. 😆
You put out it out like it is. Some fans will always find mistakes and thrive off criticism eg Sczny, Mannone, Vermaelin even the game we lost last season when BFG injured his ankle while running back.
We can only get better after this, Now we know what was lacking and the dynamic duo “WengerBould” will fix this.
Ive been watching some manure games, and i pity the putrid scums if we meet. They’re so open we’d have a field day playing them. Their loss this weeknd was a plus especially after the 2-1; though i’ll admit, it wasn’t easy vouching for the spuds.
Nice piece. Pulled me out of the Saturday blues. Can’t wait for Wednesday’s clash. Up the Arse!
Raddy – Abramovitch is probably subsidising them
Any chance of them losing tonight?
kgooner – you forgot to mention ‘in Wenger we rust’ 🙂
When ever I see the word spud, it makes me think back to the 80`s, with the Cadbury`s Smash advert, where the robots are laughing at a spud, ” then they smash them all to bits “!. 😆
Thanks Evonne, we agree too often. One thing i complain about admittedly is how we let this theo thing get away from us completely, even though we had to be aware. Mishandled. It will cost us millions. At this point, im ready for life after theo – right now. I would have liked moses or somebody, but im also happy with gnabry, ryo, eisfeld working their way in. It was a mangement mistake. So they will take the financial loss. Im fine with him getting chances in cap one cup.
Fine comments KG
I agree with you about how open ManUre have looked – but Old Red Conk always packs the MF against us and, sad to say, has won most of the tactical battles in the last few years.
I still think we’ll beat them though 🙂
GLiC
I look forward to seeing your witty ditty (assuming it clears Peaches’ Mum). 🙂
Yes kgooner. I remember when merts went down last season, so many saying he was a sisappointment last season, he was exactly the same as now, except for the first couple matches in epl. Some even saying injury prone, even though it was clearly the pitch at fault. Then the rumours that he would be sold! !!! People are ridiculous.
Johnnie
I think BFG’s worth was spotted early by most on this site.
But it does my head in when I read professional journalists or hear TV commentators referring to his “difficult first season”.
He had about two dodgy games adjusting to the EPL in a side in turmoil – and was top notch thereafter.
jnyc – the only thing that baffles me about the Theo saga is the fact that Wenger has not sold him. Why? Surely he knows something that we don’t. He got rid off Bentley, Larsson, Penant and many others quick enough, so what is with Theo? And I don’t buy ‘Wenger won’t admit to being wrong’ coz he admitted that Reyes was a waste of money
evonne. No – it would be up there with the parting of the Red Sea if NS were to win tonight.
I can here the Chavs singing in the street below, I feel sick.
Rockster
It`s no good just looking forward to “seeing it”, I expect you to be looking forward to “singing it” !. 😆
PS
If your like me , you wont be able to get the poxy thing out of your head ! 😆
Raddy
Got any boiling water or oil ?. or some of your warm amber nectar, not exactly Carlsberg I know , but they wont know the difference 🙂
On tap, straight from the Big Randy brewery ! 🙂
Raddy 🙂
GLiC. Will it be published this evening?
I could VCC, but it would be good to have it on a vid and there lies the problem, I`m shite at that part !. I`ll just have to keep singing it to myself ! . 😆
That “we know what we are” song makes me want to vomit.
Yeah, the most unimpressive, unwatchable, unlikeable, flukey, defensive, boring Champions of Europe ever.
Even Porto were better.
Their song was one of the saddest parts about Saturday, Rasp and I always stay to applaud the players off the pitch but we couldn’t bear to hear the chavs singing anymore 😦
VCC
How`s the job situation ?. Hope everything is fine .
I told Peaches that to stop the ‘we know what we are’ noise i stuffed sweets wrappers in my ears 🙂 And, for the first time EVER I left before the end of the game, could not take it anymore, truly painful experience not to be repeated in a hurry
VCC
Has evonne responded to your love poem 🙂
I’ve got a poem of my own…
“I wandered lonely as a Spud
Who floats on poo in Shite Fart Lane
When all at once I saw a club,
Of glory: Arsenal was its name .
Beside the Grove, it made me swoon,
Oh how I wish I was a Goon.”
Wordsworth’s original:
I WANDERED lonely as a cloud
That floats on high o’er vales and hills,
When all at once I saw a crowd,
A host, of golden daffodils;
Beside the lake, beneath the trees,
Fluttering and dancing in the breeze.
Now if only Redders was around I’m sure he’d trump us all…
Rocky 7:29. No she hasn’t. I’m all deflated, and sad. 😦
GLiC 7:09. Can you download a video clip from your view cam and post it to you tube and use a security code to let only viewers you want to see use it
ManUre losing 1-0 hahahahahahahha
I still love you VCC 🙂
GLiC 7:17. Things are not too good on the job front. I was at Coryton oil refinery which shut down 2 months ago, and after working in the oil and chemical trade for the past 30 odd years i’ve no chance of finding that kind of work any where near my home, and at my age I don’t fancy relocating.
So I am considering becoming a giggalo. Can you help out with some tips as it’s a new venture for me?
I love you more Rocky. 😉
We all do VCC. evonne is just being coy.
Thank you guys, you’ve got me all emotional. Rolfing
VCC. I have been a gigolo for most of my life ….
Job requirements are gift of the gab, an ability to hold one’s drink, good manners, a GSOH, and of course excellent technique and patience in the bedroom department.
It is also vital to keep smiling and pretend you are enjoying yourself.
Having been in the business for over 3 decades I am thinking of moving into an advisory role or in football parlance going upstairs.
Like all jobs, you have to start at the bottom
VCC 🙂
For the old gigolo work I suspect you need the advice of Mr Glicolo – the Cornish Casanova himself 🙂
BR
Chavs being held after half an hour: so far, so funny 🙂
me coy? ha ha ha 🙂 how is the game going in Denmark? R$P has just equalised, damn it
Boo – as soon as I said that the Chavs scored.
shut up then Rocky 🙂
Rocky. Its true that the people here are way more observant and fair than other forums, thats exactly why im here 😉
and Evonne, ive been trying to figure the walcott thing out since last june, i think i wrote a post entitled Is it time to sell Walcott? I guess it was.
——–Now im not going to worry so much, as long as he doesnt take up valuable minutes on the wing. Im prepared for him to be gone if it happens.
Jnyc. We cannot afford to lose the 10+ goals Theo will score this year
VCC, you have my sympathies, unrequented love, i know it well.
I wouldnt let her go when it happened to me. After she started seeing some one else i swore i would win her back. Little things at first. Like hiring a private detective to spy on her and tapping her phone.
The little things didnt work so i knew i had to take drastic action. I got a dodgy locksmith to copy her door key, and then i was in. Small things at first, like entering when no one was in. Made me feel closer to her you know. But i wanted more.
I started staying overnight, hiding in the bedroom wardrobe. Every night i was there, hiding, whilst she made love to her new man. it was strange at first, but i needed contact.
Everynight i prayed she would call out my name, but she never did, only Glic Glic instead. it took me a few years and plenty of wardrobe nights to get over my lost love but eventuly i recovered and met some one else. In fact, ime hiding in there wardrobe tonight, so every thing is good.
TMHT 😀 Frightening
Raddy 🙂
I hear Hendon have enquired about taking Theo on loan just for this season. Next to Brent Cross, what more can a man want
Where’s GLiC gone? I was going to ask his advice on another idea I had.
On Saturday I kept singing, ‘a disgrace to football, we know what you are’ as the answering line to that hideous chavs’ song but I couldn’t get anyone else to join in.
Hendon were my first love. I had a season ticket when John Swannell played in goal and we went to Wembley in the Amateur Cup.
kelsey. Sadly Hendon left Claremont Rd a few years ago -they now play somewhere in Wembley
I wanted GLiC to give marks out of ten for my jokes. I thought I would go on stage and do a Tommy Cooper tribute.
Our ice cream man was found lying on the floor of his van covered with hundreds and thousands……police say that he topped himself
BR……if my memory serves me right, I’m sure I played against Hendon many years back for Aveley.
I think this is the funniest lookalike I’ve ever seen.
http://bit.ly/P8PXGx
Terry 🙂
Are you telling us you have now come out of the closet?
Looking at the traitorous Dutchman in manc kit still makes me feel queasy. I doubt it’ll ever disappear.
VCC. Success is certain if they are all as good as that
chas. Magnificent
Starting at the bottom sounds like awfully poor advice to give a gigolo.
Doc, I can’t stop singing The Green Green Grass of home.
Doc says …that sounds like the Tom Jones syndrome
Is it common doc?
Well, it’s not unusual.
Tommy Cooper classics:
I got home from work and the wife said – ‘I’m very sorry dear, but the cat’s eaten your dinner’.
I said ‘Don’t worry – I’ll get you a new cat’.
I’ve always been unlucky.
I had a rocking horse once, and it died.
I’m on a whisky diet,
i’ve lost three days already.
So I was having dinner with Garry Kasporov and there was a check
tablecloth. It took him two hours to pass me the salt.
He said “You remind me of a pepper-pot”, I said “I’ll take that as a
condiment”.
I’ll steal those Rocky, thanks
Man goes to the doctors with a strawberry growing out of his head…..Doc says, I’ll give you some cream for that.
chas. That is why you will never be a gigolo
A man takes his Rottweiler to the vet. “My dog is cross eyed, is there anything you can do for him?”
Well says the vet, let’s have a look at him, and he picks up the dog and examines his eyes, then he checks his teeth. Finally , he says, Im going to have to put him down.
WHAT?….because he’s cross eyed?
No, because he’s really, really heavy.
VCC 🙂
See you tomorrow chaps (and evonne 🙂 )
Brave Sir Robin with two. And i wrong to want him to get crunched with a tackle breaking his leg everytime he gets the ball?
more, more …
Bye Sir Rocky. Love you.
No Jake, nothing wrong with that
Nighty night Rocky xx
So I was getting into my car, and this bloke says to me, “can you give me a lift?”
I said sure, You look great, the worlds your oyster, go for it.
Two fat blokes sitting in a pub, one says to the other “your round”….the second one replies “so are you, you fat bastard”.
Every one gone to bed?
Nope. Just watching the ex-Arsenal show
Im going to bed now.
But I did go to the paper shop this morning but…. by the time i got their it had blown away!
BR….I’d sooner watch Coronation Street, and I hate soaps.
I mean Barca not the Mancscum
Police arrested two kids in Liverpool yesterday, one was drinking battery acid, and the other was eating fireworks……
They charged one and let other one off.
Oh sorry BR. I could just manage Barca but you can stick that shite from old toilet.
Enough blogging for tonight
A domani …
I’ll get my coat.
BTW. I saw Nik B this evening driving up my street in a fantastic white Maserati with his little boy. He has lost weight
told you saville was a nonce
great post by the way.
I accidently swallowed some scrabble letters last night. When I go to the toilet it could spell trouble
I find myself checking in just nowadays not just to see if there is a new tid bit of Arsenal news but also to see what Chas is up to. Nine times out of ten I find something that makes me laugh and tonight at 8:50 is an absolute gem.
Thanks chas, I’m going to bed now with a smile on my face, well maybe one more quick look at the 8:50 lol
Phew, that was hard work. I heard lots of weird noises in my wardrobe, f**ked if I was going to go in and have a look, so I heaved the thing down the knackersyard and stuck it in the crusher. I know it sounds sillly, but through the noise of the machinery, I could have swore I heard cries of ” glic you bastard” !, nah, must have been my imagination.
VCC
For a start, you`ll need my mirror . Maybe something more personal to give the ladies, I give them a self portrait signed painting of myself , they can then lay on their bed and feel like they are being taken to heaven and back via the sistine chapel.
Your probably not a renaissance artist lover like myself, but you could start a picture by joining the dots on your spotty face !.
If you want to be a Tommy Cooper impersonator, well thats more easy, there`s two choices . We either set fire to you to cremate you for the ashes or just bury you , as I`m pretty much sure thats how he`s currently performing, told you it was easy, just like that !.
Then again, he could have been buried at sea, can you breathe under water ?.
Glad I could help. 🙂
Before I nod off, that chas picture is brilliant, trouble is, I cant tell who is who !. 🙂
Back for a minute.
Glic
rest easy – you haven’t crushed Terry. He already told us he’s come out of the closet 🙂
Bloody BSR does it again. The most galling thing about that transfer is not that we lost a great striker, it’s that we gave ManUre a lifeline in a season when they could well have sunk. Grrrrr…….
We didn’t really give the redscum a lifeline. he gave it to them. I hope he get’s a long injury lay off.
He must be due getting crocked, mustn’t he GM?
GM
I told my 10-year-old your Scrabble joke. He thought it was the funniest thing he’d ever heard 🙂
Johnnie…….very insightful post, and agree with most if not all of it but here,in my opinion , is the real ¨¨culprit¨ , if someone needs to be blamed: Mannone
1)He was not well positioned for either goal,
2)He didn’t come out to cut off the angle or help Kos in any way,
3) ANY ball falling into the 6 yard area is the keepers FULL responsibility but Mannone stood like a deer in headlights.
During the game he reminded me way too much of Almunia in his poor anticipation on free kicks. He wasn’t particularly challenged during the game but he allowed 2 free kicks in.
Vermaelen and Kos didn’t have stellar games but they weren’t shite either….like Walcott was in my opinion. He seems totally indifferent to anything Arsenal and is clearly distracted by being benched and ignored by Wenger.
My feeling about the whining,gloomy negativity and pessimistic doom-Sayers is that they prefer the devil they know (the sky is falling…the sky is falling, Arsenal are doomed) to a more patient and insightful view (its only 1 game and Chelsea will drop points) that most rational people adhere to. If you always predict less, eventually it will happen provided you studiously ignore the good things that happen in between. I remember watching the CL final between Liverpool and Milan with a Liverpool supporter in 2005 and he was sure the game would end up 6-0 for Milan. I told him to hang in there as I felt Liverpool were still in it. He was sooooo negative that I bet him 100$ that Liverpool would come back and win….I know I’m a silly arse but I’m also 100$ richer!
Last year I bet that AFC would finish in the top 4, immediately after their drubbing at Old Trafford…..This time it was with a Spuds fan for a round at the pub….I’m still enjoying that beer!
My point is that premature postmortems are not yet de rigeur…..lets give it some time before burying the Club!
Ahoy,
I’m back in port.
No broadband and cut off from work is one thing, but no AA, oh dear. Simply awful!
Great posts Rocky and Johnnie. Thank you.
I have spent a good portion of the last few days up trees and have one or two brilliant new theories.
Do the authorities here have any post gaps?
Best thing to do after a heartbreaking loss is to keep quiet. Let the team do the talking on the pitch. Wenger can manage the team better than emotional fans.
Shhhhhh, quiet, Bjork stiley…hushhhhh
Then SHOUT
The talking starts tonight, and I’m glad I’m not in Athenian Sandles
Nice to have you back on board Didit.
Not happy that the Chavs went home smug – I should have taken glic’s advice.
Morning BR,
I just saw your “pay the broadband bill” comment. Have been regretting that I ever did!
Your posts are always welcome. I love a laugh in the morning. And AW clearly takes notes from your tactical inventions as he does of my team sheets.
just a little whimsy, nothing more.
Dom, that is a very good comment sir.
Altho I have a couple of reasons why Mannone didn’t try to claim the first.
1) Lescotts goal the week before where he came for thin air
2) Luiz having a free run, if Luiz had been checked I think Mannone would have come to claim it.
And to think that some say Arsene knows more than us!
Utterly absurd suggestion 🙂
School run.
Micky there may not be a post gap now, but we always need some in the vault to unleash when all goes quiet.
Get typing 🙂
Nib at the ready GiE 🙂
GIE. I immediately thought of Vito’s previous mistake but his decision to attack the ball at MC was correct – I hope he continues to do so.
Micky. How much does a John Hawkins spell cost?
Morning Micky, welcome home, we’ve missed you 🙂
Oh micky is back ,I thought you had been transferred 😉
Morning all ….
…. New post ….