I’m excited. The prospect of seeing MY team walk out into the magnificent Allianz Arena to face the best team currently playing is exciting. It makes me proud.
Yes, we got a football lesson in the first half at The Emirates but we held our own 2nd half and could easily have got a draw. Before you neigh-sayers jump in ….. had Giroud’s shot been 3 inches to the right we would have scored; instead Neuer made a lucky save, the ball bounced kindly for them and Bayern scored their third. It could so easily have been 2-2.
But it isn’t.
So, what should Mr Wenger do? Should he put out a scratch team or send out our very best available and go for the win?
One could say that the Swansea game sat the weekend is more important and players should be rested but in my opinion that is cobblers. The Arsenal are the last team standing from the Premier League and we will fight to the last. Admittedly, the odds are against us – Bayern are 20 points ahead of an excellent Borussia Dortmund which shows how good they are, they have yet to lose at home this season, and have lost just once this season. Tonight will be the second.
Jack is out, Monreal is out, Podolski is out. Rumours abound that Szczesny will be dropped, that Diaby will start. Who knows? All I now is that whoever goes out onto the pitch tonight represents all of us, that’s right, every Arsenal fan, and as such he will give his all – even Gervinho.
My Team (not AW’s)
Expect to see the Mekon (Gervinho) and the Ox come on at 60 mins. I don’t trust Fabianski, he has let us down in big games (I shudder to think about his performance at Porto) and despite Chesney’s failings he is the better keeper. AW has said that Chesney is “mentally tired”, which bodes ill both fot the rest of the season and his future. Let us wish the Bi Man well.
Today’s English explorer: Lawrence Wager (1904-1965). Now you may not have heard of this fellow but he is another of the great Englishmen. Not only an explorer but also a mountaineer and a fine soldier.
“Climb every Mountain, Ford every Stream….”
Following a 1st class Honours degree in Geology from Cambridge Uni, Wager went to explore Greenland (a Danish Colony). He mapped 35,000kms of Greenland!. Wager then went to the Himalayas where in 1933 he attempted to climb Everest, reaching 28,200 ft which at that time was the highest any human had been on earth. WW2 interrupted his career and Wager became a pilot, being involved in the famous “find the Turpitz”campaign which later became the subject of a popular movie.
After the war, Wager was elected Fellow of the Royal Society and later Professor of Geology at University College, Oxford. Wager died of a heart attack in 1965.
To win tonight or win the tie would be beyond my dreams, a draw would also be fantastic. What I ask of our lads is to go out and play with pride – to show the world that Arsenal and Wengerball still demand respect.
We are the last representatives of the Premier League in the competition. If we have to go down let’s go down fighting.
COYRRG
Written by Big Raddy
Arsenal News 24/7
arsenalarsenal.net 
Rasp . Much of the post is missing! Did you take it out?
Fabianski was in my starting line up.
And there was some good fun gumph about The Thin Red Line.
I will add some stuff because this is a bodge job ……
Well done Raddy, you are positive today.Must be the cold nights in copenhagen and early to bed, nod,nod,wink,wink.:)
Miracles happen but the odds are heavily stacked against us,but if we get a real performance from whoever plays that is big plus,confidence building is crucial.
Szsney is definitely not in the squad,according to Wenger he is mentally nervous .(where have i heard that before,oh yes his replacement, Fabianski)
Morning all, thanks for the top hole pre match Big Dandy – I want the lads to give a could account of themselves,nothing less – if they all play to their limits, and a bit above, who knows?
Selection wise I’d rather give the BFG-Kozzer centre back pairing a go, on the the assumption Gibbo is fit and Vermaelen is not needed at left back as I think our captain has had a stinker of a season and needs to be dropped, as has apparently Chesney.
As for last night, the football gods vomit on our eiderdown yet again, not even the satisfaction of seeing the Catalan Diving association take an early bath in the the champions League was given to me.
Dandan, if I may clarify what you were hinting at by calling heavy metal the music of the junkyards I believe it’s more accurate to say it is the music of drop forges and steelworks.
It was a music style incubated in the midlands of the late 60’s(and to a lesser extent the North) where the school kids who would go on to form the pioneering metal bands(Sabbath, Priest etc..), would hear the clunking and thwacking of the forges and have that rhythm impressed on their subconscious, as well as probably breathing in iron fillings from the air.
Going back to tonight, I know the away fans will do us proud, but I want the team to so as well.
Sorry Raddy, I edited the version that was up at a bout 6:15 this morning, you must have made changes later. I’m up to my ears but Peaches is around and will help you try to retrieve the lost passages 😳
Raddy, give me your team and I’ll do another pitch graphic
And, I will sing and shout my head off in support of my great team. THE ARSENAL!
Raso. No problem …. it is just a post !
I feared you may have edited out some of the content and pictures due to their questionable content 😀
Apart from the Mayor there’s only me and the Rasp/Raddy pairing around – has everyone gone into duvet-style hiding?
Fair weather supporters I say. 🙂
Lawrence Wager a True Brit…you can bet on it!
Chary,
I support fair weather, I’m sick of this cold, snowy, icy, cold, snowy, icy, wet cold, icy,overcast, miserable, sunless weather afflicting us at present. I want a season in the sun!
Ha Ha Norfolk – back to the hippy song of yesterday. 🙂
I’m going to have to clear the snow off the car so that we can go up to Sheringham for a swim. Roll on summertime, when the livin’ is easy, fish are jumpin’…..
I’ve been to Sheringham NGooner, delightful place except for the unfortunate Tottenham connection in the name. We were staying near Cromer and walked along the sandy beaches in the autumn, lovely.
Norfolk. Me too. I spent 2 hours this morning clearing bloody snow. It is meant to be Spring.
Bring on the Global Warming
A performance, a performance, my kingdom for a performance.
The result is immaterial; we want to see pride, fighting spirit, heavy mettle (chary 😛 ), players working for one another, a team that functions as a single unit, everyone defending, everyone attacking, nothing sideways, forward or not at all, kick the effing water bottles, silence the hun, take no prisoners, run until we drop ……..
… to quote the bard …..”We few, we happy few, we band of brothers;
For he today that shed his blood with me
Shall be my brother”
Chary,
There’s no doubt about it we have some magnicent beaches in Norfolk, trouble is the sea is so bloody cold. Think I’ll divert to a local private heated indoor pool instead. 😀
Agreed Norfolk – I wouldn’t dream of actually going into the water either -swimming is for the fishes.
Randy – I’m hoping with the pressure off the “handbrake” will come off also.
That’s the spirit Rasp, They don’t like it up ’em Mr. Mainwaring!
Arsenal…Arsenal ….Arsenal ….Arsenal ….Arsenal…Arsenal ….Arsenal ….Arsenal ….Arsenal…Arsenal ….Arsenal ….Arsenal ….Arsenal…Arsenal ….Arsenal ….Arsenal ….Arsenal…Arsenal ….Arsenal ….Arsenal ….
If we’re going out, let’s do it in style, I want to use the banner at the top of the page next season …. we need to come away this evening satisfied that we did the shirt proud to drive us on for the next 10 crucial games.
SHEEP went to see the doctor.
Sheep: I have a problem, doctor.
Doctor: And what exactly is the problem, Sheep?
Sheep: I can’t stop singing Tom Jones’ songs. I sing at breakfast, when I’m at work, in the bath… the wife said I was singing a Tom Jones song in my sleep last night. What’s wrong with me?
Doctor: You’ve got a dose of ‘tomjonesitus’.
Sheep: Tomjonesitus?
Doctor: Yes.
Sheep: Well?… Is it rare?… Is it common?…
Doctor: It’s not unusual!
Hi all,
My predition
—————-Fabianski—————-
Jenks——-Kozz——-TV5——-Gibbo
———-Arteta——–Rocsky———
——————Santi——————-
Theo—————OG—————Ox
Nice one BR:
Strange but I’m very non-plus about today’s game.
My optimistic side yearns for the impossible but as we’ve been left wanting so many times this season my pessimistic self has zero expectations – so that leaves me with nothing more than a wish and a hope.
To me it’s obvious that the game against Swansea is more important but AW always prides himself on putting out what he believes is a team capable of winning – and I think he will do that but he will also be very cautious and will be protective of our key players fitness and mental attitude.
Off now to do some research on today’s explorer.
Our weather forecast for today called for snow flurries but less than one centimeter of accumalation. Well here it is at 8:45 am and we already have 15 centimeters on the ground and the snow is heavy and continuous plus it’s -8c.
Brrrr……………..
Great positive report Raddy. Will comment more later as time permits.
Is Diaby still injured? If he was fit I would play him. Diaby and Arteta and Rosicky as the midfield trio.
Sav,
Diaby is having a fitness test today. If he starts tonight it will probably be the last game he plays until May. 🙂
I know that we have been written off by just about every journo and pundit there is and as a pragmatic realist I cannot believe that the miracle will actually happen this evening, but I do want to see a fighting performance, let’s go down, if go down we must, in a blaze of glory, let’s give it a go, there’s nothing to lose.
Look guys, I’m trying my best to stay in an upbeat mood so why bring up Diaby and start upsetting me? 😦
Today is the 56th annivesary of the passing of George Allison – as it’s very quiet on here today I’ve taken the liberty of copying his biography.
…………………………………………………………………………………………
George Allison
George Allison was born in Darlington in 1883. After leaving school he became a local journalist. In 1905 he moved to London. He became a fan of Woolwich Arsenal and agreed to become the club’s programme editor.
Allison was recruited by the BBC as a radio journalist. In January 1927 the BBC broadcast its first commentary on a professional football match. Later that year the BBC broadcast the FA Cup Final. Allison became the BBC’s main football commentator and by 1931 the BBC was broadcasting over 100 games per season. At this time only about 30% of households owned radios.
To help the listener understand what was going on, a diagram was published in the Radio Times which showed a football pitch divided into numbered squares. During the game Allison’s assistant would call out the number of the square in which the ball resided.
The Great Depression resulted in a fall in attendances at football matches. Some club chairman partly blamed radio coverage for this situation and in June 1931 the Football League banned all broadcasts of its fixtures. This ban was to continue until after the Second World War.
The Football Association did not share these negative views of radio and during the 1930s every FA Cup Final was broadcast by the BBC.
Allison continued to work for Arsenal and after serving as club secretary he was appointed as the club’s managing director. At the time, Herbert Chapman, was manager of the club.
In the 1925-26 season Arsenal finished in second-place to Chapman’s old club, Huddersfield Town. Top scorer was Jimmy Brain who established a new club record with 33 goals. Charlie Buchan scored 21 goals that season which brought the amount paid by Arsenal to Sunderland to £4,100.
Henry Norris refused to allow Herbert Chapman to spend much money to strengthen his team and in the 1926-27 season Arsenal finished in 11th position.
Herbert Chapman gradually adapted the “WM” formation that had originally been suggested by Charlie Buchan. Chapman used his full-backs to mark the wingers (that job had previously been done by the wing-halves). He also developed what became known as the counter-attacking game. This relied on the passing ability of Alex James and goalscoring forwards like David Jack, Jimmy Brain, Joe Hume, Cliff Bastin, and Jack Lambert. Chapman also built up a good defence that included players such as Bob John, Eddie Hapgood, Herbert Roberts, Alf Baker, Tom Parker and George Male.
Success was not immediate and Arsenal finished in 14th place in the 1929-30 season. They did much better in the FA Cup. Arsenal beat Birmingham City (1-0), Middlesbrough (2-0), West Ham United (3-0) and Hull City (1-0) to reach the final against Chapman’s old club, Huddersfield Town. Arsenal won the game 2-0 with goals from Alex James and Jack Lambert.
The following season Arsenal won their first ever First Division Championship with a record 66 points. The Gunners only lost four games that season. Jack Lambert was top-scorer with 38 goals. Other important players in the team included Frank Moss, Alex James, David Jack, Cliff Bastin, Joe Hume, Eddie Hapgood, Bob John, Tom Parker, Herbert Roberts, Alf Baker and George Male.
Alex James was injured for a large part of the 1931-32 season and this was a major factor in Arsenal losing the title by two points to Everton. James was back in the 1932-33 season. George Allison said of James: “No one like him ever kicked a ball. He had a most uncanny and wonderful control, but because this was allied to a split-second thinking apparatus, he simply left the opposition looking on his departing figure with amazement.”
Arsenal won the First Division by four points that season. Cliff Bastin, the team’s left-winger, was top scorer with 33 goals. Joe Hume, the right-winger, scored 20 goals. This illustrates the effectiveness of Chapman’s counter-attacking strategy.
On 1st January 1934 Herbert Chapman went to watch Notts County play Bury as he was interested on one of their young players. The following day he attended the game between Sheffield Wednesday and Birmingham City. Wednesday were the visitors at Highbury on the following Saturday and Chapman considered them to be Arsenal’s main rivals for the league championship. He developed a cold but insisted on watching Arsenal’s third team play on the Wednesday. The following day he was forced to take to his bed and died of pneumonia on Saturday morning.
George Allison was appointed as the new manager. Allison was a radio journalist who was also the club’s managing director. However, he had no experience of football management. At the time of Chapman’s death Arsenal were top of the table and Tom Whittaker and Joe Shaw were allowed to run the team until the end of the season.
Bob Wall claimed that “Allison was a complete contrast to Chapman… He never claimed to possess a deep theoretical knowledge of the game but he listened closely to what people like Tom Whittaker and Alex James had to say. Like Chapman before him, Allison always insisted that, no matter how good a prospective signing might be, he would secure him only if his character was beyond reproach.”
Sunderland was their main challengers to Arsenal in the 1933-34 season thanks to a forward line that included Raich Carter, Patsy Gallacher, Bob Gurney and Jimmy Connor. In March 1934 Sunderland went a point ahead. However, the Gunners had games in hand and they clinched the league title with a 2-0 victory over Everton. One of the goals was scored by goalkeeper Frank Moss who suffered a dislocated shoulder and was forced to play on the left-wing for the remainder of the game.
In March 1934, George Allison paid £6,500 for Ted Drake who had been scoring a lot of goals for Southampton in the Second Division. Herbert Chapman had tried to buy him the previous year but his offer had been refused. Allison also purchased Jack Cranston for £5,250 in May 1934.
Another important signing was Wilf Copping. In June 1934, George Allison, paid £8,000 for the England international. As one historian has pointed out: “Wilf Copping was the original hard man of English football… with his boxer’s nose and build, his unshaven appearance on match days and the bone shaking charges and tackles which were his trademark. Copping, at left half, was liable to unnerve the opposition with just one fixed stare from his craggy face.”
Ted Drake scored 42 goals in 41 games in the 1934-35 season. This included three hat-tricks against Liverpool, Tottenham Hotspur and Leicester City and four, four-goal hauls, against Birmingham City, Chelsea, Wolves and Middlesbrough. These goals helped Arsenal to win the league championship. Jeff Harris, the author of Arsenal Who’s Who argues that “Drake’s main attributes were his powerful dashing runs, his great strength combined with terrific speed and a powerful shot. Ted Drake was also brilliant in the air but above all, so unbelievably fearless.”
Ted Drake had a particularly good game against Aston Villa on 14th December, 1935. He was suffering from a knee injury but George Allison decided to risk him. By half-time he had scored a hat-trick. Drake scored three more in the first 15 minutes of the second-half. Drake then hit the bar and when he told the referee it had crossed the line, he replied: “Don’t be greedy, isn’t six enough”. In the last minute he converted a cross from Cliff Bastin. Seven goals in an away game was an amazing achievement.
However, a serious knee injury, that needed a cartilage operation, put Ted Drake out of action for ten weeks. Arsenal missed his goals and only finished in 6th place behind Sunderland. Arsenal did much better in the FA Cup that season. Arsenal beat Liverpool (2-0), Newcastle United (3-0), Barnsley (4-1) and Grimsby Town (1-0) to reach the final against Sheffield United. Drake, who was not fully fit, scored the only goal of the game.
Some of Arsenal’s key players such as Alex James, Cliff Bastin, Joe Hume, Bob John and Herbert Roberts were past their best. Ted Drake and Ray Bowden continued to suffer from injuries, whereas Frank Moss was forced to retire from the game. Given these problems Arsenal did well to finish in 3rd place in the 1936-37 season.
Before the start of the 1937-38 season Herbert Roberts, Bob John and Alex James retired from football. Joe Hume was out with a long-term back injury and Ray Bowden was sold to Newcastle United. However, a new group of younger players such as Bernard Joy, Alf Kirchen and Leslie Compton, became regulars in the side. George Hunt was also bought from Tottenham Hotspur to provide cover for Ted Drake who was still suffering from a knee injury. Cliff Bastin and George Male were now the only survivors of the team managed by Herbert Chapman.
Wolves were expected to be Arsenal’s main rivals in the 1937-38 season. However, it was Brentford who led the table in February. They also beat Arsenal on 18th April, a game in which Ted Drake broke his wrist and suffered a bad head wound. However, it was the only two points they won during a eight game period and gradually dropped out of contention.
On the last day of the season Wolves were away to Sunderland. If Wolves won the game they would be champions, but they drew 1-1. Arsenal beat Bolton Wanderers at Highbury and won their fifth title in eight years. As a result of his many injuries, Ted Drake only played in 28 games but he still ended up the club’s top scorer with 17 goals.
George Allison was aware that Arsenal had never been able to replace the retired Alex James and therefore lacked creativity in midfield. In August 1938 Allison decided to buy Bryn Jones of Wolves for the world record fee of £14,000 (£6.9 million in today’s money). Politicians were outraged by the money spent on Jones and the subject was debated in the House of Commons.
Bryn Jones scored on his debut against Portsmouth. He also found the net in two of his next three games. However, the goals dried up and he was only to get one more before the end of the season. After Arsenal were beaten at home 2-1 by Derby County, the match reporter from the Derby Evening Telegraph wrote: “Arsenal have a big problem. Spending £14,000 on Bryn Jones has not brought the needed thrust into the attack. The little Welsh inside-left is clearly suffering from too much publicity, and is obviously worried. He is a nippy and quite useful inside-left, but his limitations are marked.”
In his first season Bryn Jones scored four goals in 30 league appearances. That year Arsenal finished 5th in the league, eight points behind Wolves who appeared to be doing very well without Jones. As Jeff Harris pointed out in Arsenal Who’s Who (1995): “To lay blame on Bryn Jones for the club’s lack of success that season was unfair, for in a nutshell, the quiet, modest, self evasive, lonely figure could not cope with the intense pressure of the media spotlight even though his good positional awareness and splendid ball control were there for everyone to behold.”
George Allison claimed that Bryn Jones needed more time to settle into the team. Cliff Bastin disagreed and in his autobiography he commented: “I thought at the time this was a bad transfer, and subsequent events did nothing to alter my views. I had played against Bryn in club and international matches and had ample opportunity to size him up.”
Bernard Joy later wrote: “Do we write Bryn Jones down as a gamble that failed, or would he have been a success eventually? The outbreak of war in September 1939 prevented us from ever finding the complete answer. There were signs before then that, as James had done, he was weathering the bad patch which always seems to follow a change of style from an attacking to a foraging inside-forward… My own view, however, is that Jones’s modesty was the barrier to achieving the key role Arsenal had intended for him. He could not regard the spotlight as a challenge to produce his best; all the time it irked him, making him self-conscious and uneasy.”
On the outbreak of the Second World War the Football League was suspended. By the time the competition restarted after the conflict, Nearly all Arsenal’s 1930s stars had retired from the game. Allison retired at the end of the 1946-47 season after Arsenal finished in a disappointing 13th position.
George Allison died on 13th March, 1957.
A little vid for all you Anglo over-40’s
Very quiet on here today – where is our fighting spirit?
I’m hoping to meet up with GoonerB at the rub-a-dub later to watch the game and expect some raucous support for our boys (even though it’s in a spud infested area)
I reckon the regulars are hiding behind London’s sofa at the moment Raspers – the light weights !
I guess you’re right chary, LB himself resigned from the blog a few weeks ago because he thought we were being too kind to the spuds who came on – I’ve been trying to flush him out ever since.
Maybe he’s also trying to find an item of clothing in his house he hasn’t gambled away also Raspers ?
I must have missed the “too kind to spuds” scandal.
Don’t worry Rasp. There are a few Spuds around at said rub a dub but it is still definitely more Arsenal. I was going to give my thoughts about tonight but find that Rasp said it at 10.50. If we go out do it with a sterling performance.
I actually am more focused on the weekends game as I believe the next 6 league games are the most important thing for us now. I have accepted we are a season and maybe 3 quality players away from being able to properly compete with the likes of Bayern, and as such any key first teamers that are slightly iffy with fitness should be taken out with Swansea in mind.
That doesn’t mean throwing in the towel, far from it, I want those that play to play like it is the final and really go for Bayern. It is a great opportunity for some players and the whole club to make a statement even if we come up short. I want people to reach the conclusion that Arsenal aren’t that far behind and with an element of respect and fear of meeting us again next year.
I was going to put down my preferred team but found that Manthan @12.04 had the identical team that I preferred. I would like to see the quicker pairing of Kos and TV, which if we are going to push on in attack, the pace at the back could be critical. Also Ramsey seems too much of a containing player for me so I would go with the more unpredictable and attack minded Ox.
Thanks GoonerB, look forward to seeing you later.
Whilst whiling away the minutes before the game I’ve found this great site that makes multiple word anagrams …. I though you’d like to see some that ‘Bayern Munich’ brings up … 😳
RUN BY MACHINE
RIM EACH BUNNY
BREAMY HUB INN
MEN BURY CHAIN
BUM CANNY HEIR
BURY MEAN INCH
MANURE BY INCH
MEANY BI CHUM
BE INHUMAN CRY
MAY RUIN BENCH
I BREACH MY NUN
MUNCH YE IN BRA
RUN ACHNE BY HIM
Nobody’s mentioned it’s the 13th today – unlucky for whom I wonder?
Raddy – great PM, thank you. I got very alarmed when I read reading that ‘Rumours abound that Szczesny will be dropped, that Diaby will start’; Diaby in goal?? Why not, our goal keepers are not great and Diaby gets easily injured running, let’s try him in goal 🙂
We will socre, perhaps even 2, but they will score even more and therefore I predict 3:2 and a superb spectacle on this cold March evening (predicted -8 in Bavaria)
Arsenal losing … a superb spectacle? … I don’t think so 🙄
Typical, Rasp — you thought you would sneak one by me — but there is no such word as ACHNE. 🙂
The pedant strikes again!!
If it’s any consolation RA.. I thought the same on reading those anagrams 🙂
Red Arse …….
RED EARS
REREADS
RE DARES
REDS ERA
RARE EDS
Maybe it’s a German thing..Like Achtung.. Achne..
no good rolling your eyes Rasp, I won’t fall for it!
We both know we have no chance whatsoever, so let’s hope for a great open game from which we can walk away holding our heads up high, knowing that we gave our best, but lost to a superior opponent.
I most certainly do not know we have no chance whatsoever evonne, how can you have so little faith? 😕
Cheers, BR, a fine pre-match as per mertesacker.
Anything could happen against Rim Each Bunny (and I hope we do).
Fabianski will be brilliant in goal, and based on this performance, Arsenal will sell him for decent money next season. Rosicky will score one & set up one. Same will happen to him. 🙂
evonne,
Remember Wigan scoring three while you were waiting for traffic lights to change when playing more fancied opposition away from home.
It only takes a second.
😆 chas, 3 nil to the good guys it is then
Redders @ 4:04, the ‘H’ is silent
You’d think they’d have checked the anagrams before naming their stadium the Allianz Arena – the words anal and nazi feature prominantly 😳
http://www.wordsmith.org/anagram/advanced.html
GoonerB,
Your comment @ 3:37 giving Rasp a name check for something I said yesterday, leads me to believe you should be hung up by the Gorbals.
— “If we’re going out, let’s do it in style, I want to use the banner at the top of the page next season …. we need to come away this evening satisfied that we did the shirt proud to drive us on for the next 10 crucial games.”
This is the original, yesterday morning;
— “As a pragmatist (not a pessimist) the evidence of the first game suggests we will lose tomorrow.
What I am looking for is a good performance from the lads and to give a good account of themselves.”
Plagiarists! 😀
Of course, if you meant Rasp’s 10:48;
— “Arsenal…Arsenal ….Arsenal ….Arsenal ….Arsenal…Arsenal ….Arsenal ….Arsenal ….Arsenal…Arsenal ….Arsenal ….Arsenal ….Arsenal…Arsenal ….Arsenal ….Arsenal ….Arsenal…Arsenal ….Arsenal ….Arsenal ….”
He’s on his own!!! 😀
pragmatist schmagmatist … “we will lose tomorrow” … pussy talk
Afternoon all.
Raddy,
Thanks very much for the PM. I’m going to really miss the “explorers” theme next term, but have every faith in you unearthing another gem.
As for the game?
I will actually be livid if Arsene does not field our strongest XI. As I asked the other day, is it humanly possible that we could be two up at half time? Of course it is.
Rasp,
I am absolutely useless at anagrams, but your comment, “the ‘H’ is silent (in ‘achne’) shows me where I have been going wrong!
I geddit now.
RUN HACHNEY BY HIM
The “H” is a “K” and the “Y” is a floater (so to speak!) 😀
Rasp!! I’ve never known you to be so optimistic, is it the spring or are you in love?
Chas – are we talking now? I am scared to ofend you again
evonne, don’t you see, we only have one choice. Losing is not an option so we have to win – or at least believe we can win and give it our best shot.
you is drunk Rasp 🙂
In every war film I have seen, there are any number of handsome. brave, and stoic characters, with one cowardly cur.
Now you guys have come out like men and confirmed your confidence in a sterling, and indeed a heroic match winning performance.
Well, this weasel had better come clean and tell you what I have told the Camp Commandant;
Herr Wenger knows that whatever team he puts out tonight (injuries, restings, und mental aberrations excepted) will not get thru the tie.
He is now putting all his eggs in the basket of getting into a top 4 position, and I think he is right. Jawohl!
I doubt we will get thrashed tonight, the Herman Germans know it is over for us Tommys und will not want to risk injuries or to spoil their hairdos, zo they will play within themselves und just go along for the ride.
Tomorrow the Verld! 😀
Its match day, its The Arsenal – today we can be romantics, tomorrow we can be analysts
Zee Germans are weak RA. Weak I tell you.
I have never once gone into a game thinking we will lose. Nevereverever. No Pig bloke or that Frenchie.
To quote the song “Pack up your troubles in your old kit bag and smile, smile,smile…while you’ve a Lucifer to light your fag then smile boy’s that’s the style”
ok 🙂
Rasp
Do tell LB we will beat the crap out of anyone who is nice to a Spud (dandan’s brother side)
aside
Whatever you do after saying that, don’t tell the Germans your name Micky!!
[Thank you, Chas, (aka Half a Mallard, aka Daffy Duck) your vid some months ago has made me look up loads of ‘Dad’s Army’ on Youtube — mostly incomprehensible humour to me, but with some real gems!!] 😀
Of course, Pike 🙂
I didn’t know you could sing Redders
RA is not Pike …. more Sergeant Wilson 😀
Redders, my sincere apology for my plaguing… plugging… plastering…or whatever it is. I haven’t been able get on much recently and haven’t kept tabs on who said what. I am aware, however, that any good point I come up with (there are not many) has likely already been mentioned by yourself, although probably in a far more educated and Shakepearean style. You may have to get used to it as I am likely to be pluggerising you more in the future.
I was only kidding GoonerB, 😀
Nothing I have ever said or written was ever original, and you write in a considered, reflective way that is very readable – more please!
Were you the one who said Rasp was actually Capn Mainwaring? 😀
I love that guy and his song, Rasp, and he does sound a bit like me!
He does not look like me, but he looks like how I feel right enough. 🙂
What you don’t realise is that he has made millions plucking his guitar (like Big Randy) and singing to old folks, and has a late model Ferrari parked just out of shot, and a great looking gal sitting waiting for him (just like Big Randy)!! 😀
It is great, Rasper, and you play the part so well!!
Bayern Munchen would not have a chance if you were in charge! 🙂
No! I did not mean …. chaaaaarge!!! I meant if you were in command!
Sheesh! 😀
Late on today.
Fine pre-match BR. Interesting explorer and another I had never heard of. (Still waiting for Richard Burton though 😦 )
Will read the comments later.
Strangely unstressful feeling in the run-up to this game. I hope we don’t get humiliated, but apart from that it will be what it will be… and right now – 45 mins before kick off – everything is a possibility.
In fact I’m almost getting excited…
By the way, Rasper, in response to your 4:50, there is a philosophical thought that reconciles romanticism with a pragmatism. 🙂
A great (though some would say arrogant) philosopher, Berthelot, who you have probably heard of, said, “pragmatism reveals itself to be a romantic utilitarianism: that is its most obviously original feature and also its most private vice and its hidden weakness.”
If I wasn’t so excited about tonight’s game we could discuss this further. Suffice to say I am content being a romantic’s private vice and hidden weakness!! 😛
Gosh!! 😀
Hi Rocky,
My fear is Arsene playing a seriously under strength team, and saving the big guns for the run-in, beginning a Swansea, but, how much damage would be done to the collective club psyche thingy by being on the end of a spanking.
To say nothing of my 2 up at half time thinking.
Good, I’m ringside tonight.
In a hotel. Gourmet food (their words not mine) in the restaurant upstairs, or fat food in the sports bar in the basement. I’m front row with the fatties 🙂
Was very worried about a skyless, tellyless hotel.
Just got back from work now down to the pub for the game. COME ONNNNNNN THE ARSENAAAALLLLLL!
Chas. That is brilliant.
Micky. Scampi and fries in a basket is the way to go with loads of mayo and sweet chilli sauce
Chas
“…as per Mertesacker” 🙂
Micky
What forlorn corner of the UK are you consigned to for the game?
Beware bad language.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ctL3AP1L2zY
chas 6:36. lmfao
Chas
Way too long
The Sinking clip had me Rolfing like a loon and with my headphones on had no idea quite how loud until vision returned and I looked about me
Off to play again
Arsène Wenger has made four changes to his side for tonight’s Champions League last-16 second leg against Bayern Munich.
Kieran Gibbs returns to the starting XI after six weeks out with a thigh injury, and replaces the ineligible Nacho Monreal.
With Laurent Koscielny included at centre back, Thomas Vermaelen drops to the bench, while Tomas Rosicky comes in for the injured Jack Wilshere.
Team in full: Fabianski, Jenkinson, Mertesacker, Koscielny, Gibbs, Arteta, Ramsey, Rosicky, Walcott, Giroud, Cazorla.
Subs: Mannone, Diaby, Vermaelen, Oxlade-Chamberlain, Coquelin, Arshavin, Gervinho.
Evening all been saving Raddys pre match to get me fired up….time for a couple of double espressos and quick garden patrol with Alfie and copious fags then game time…..so the plan is score 2 more than them and we go through…….ATTACK ATTACK ATTACK…….CHHHHHHHAAAAAAAAARRRRRRRGGGGGGE!
And it’s Arsenal, Arsenal FC, we’re by far the Greatest Team the world has ever seen!
Oh to Oh to be Oh to be a Gooner!
We didnt expect much in the second leg vs milan last year and our boys made us proud with their effort. It showed, as our bad performances this season in big matches, that maybe our guys play much better when the pressure is off. id rather the opposite was the case. But lets use it today 🙂
Great team.
This augurs well. A win is a certainty.
COYRRG
Good news on team
GiE
Bad news. We need 3
2-0 and they go through on away goals. No?
Well that’s the team I would have picked more or less. Right, time for the lads to go over the top. UTA !!!!!!!!
MD89:
Bayern have 3 away goals
0-3 and we win 1-3 = extra time, 4-4 after extra time we win.
czech referee 😦 czechs are german
GN5
And 0-7?
YeSssssssssssssssssssssssss
fucking hell!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! this is no time to be politically correct 🙂
Come on!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Get in……….
Indeed Micky, bugger….well 1 in the bag….come on
Nananananaaaaa Giroud
Might have started to like Rio
Peaches has asked me to put out a plea for a match report – volunteer now to avoid disappointment 🙂
Haha Rasp
That’s cleared everyone out 🙂
First half Match report:
We scored 1 they didn’t, not a lot else happened.
Who’s doing the second half?
Early goal from us second half and this is up for grabs!
Fabianski has impressed me apart from the last kick ha ha
So far so good.
Evryone working very hard, in particular Theo and Ramsey.
Jenks majestic in defense.
Rosicky disappointing. Off the pace and his passing has been poor.
Oops sorry Irish. Didn’t know you were in the house.
TR has been our standout player 🙂
BR
Spot on.
That one moment where Jenks bossed Robben and the overlapping wide player (?) was top, top class fullbacking.
Nice to hear Gary Neville praise him for it.
TR7 has looked the most off the pace for us. Lack of game time showing.
Everyone has impressed me except Theo and TR7. They have between them been our weak link on attack, TR7 I put down to rustiness, Theo just simply doesn’t know what to do or where to stand when. My feeling is he is more a luck than judgement footballer.
Though Arteta and Ramsey have been good, Ramseys ball control always impresses me, but I think others don’t help him, he is the kind of player that needs movement around him and I don’t think we offer enough as a team.
Koscielny has been in fine form, and BFG looks up for it, Jenkinson has done well against both Muller and Robben as has Gibbs.
We have no one better on the bench than Theo but I would prefer to see us line up 4-5-1 but have Jack, TR7 and Santi as a go anywhere make it happen 3 and Arteta and Ramsey doing what they are doing tonight.
Oops – my bad too.
Rosicky – motm
😆 BR, Rosicky has been poor – he’s trying too hard and off the pace as well. Picking all the wrong passes – to be fair, my darling has been out injured and not played in a while.
I’ll forgive ye this one time
Harsh on Theo, GiE
He made the goal and hasn’t had many opportunities since, what with all those “passes” to him going straight out of play.
He looks simply fabulous though Irish 🙂
He always does MIDI 🙂
Bayern haven’t been that good, if we can get our passing a bit crisper and cut out the suicide balls we can do it. Has the ref given a single decision our way? Giroud nearly put his shot over the bar 😆
Bayern don’t look the same side without Schweinstiger
Now hat we’ve all sucked up to you Irish, show us your wonderful writing skills and pen a report…..please 🙂
I promise to do a post for friday
Don’t forget I predicted Ramsey would score
Rocky question is why did they go out of play? Him running wrong place or bad pass?
😆 MIDI – my writing skills have gone to $hit I’m afraid. I couldn’t put two sentences together at the moment. I could just submit a large picture of Rosicky and say “least we’re sexy” 😆
Refs a Homer
GiE
Bad passes
Bent linesman as well
Don’t think there’s much point in Santi out wide.
Would rather take TR7 off (sorry Irish) put Santi in the middle and have Gerv or Oxo out wide.
I’m not sure we’ve had many better all-round professionals than Arteta in recent years.
Changes needed. Ox for TR
Right, it’s about time we got a second.
Come on lads.
Ref hates us. Two yellows for fouls on our players.
does anybody else hate Robben? I cannot stand that greedy bastard
Millwall for the F.A.cup?
Raddy – I told you Czechs are German, I’m not kidding
COME ON ARSENAL !!!!!!!!!!!!
Is radio5live a German radio station?
Game onnnnnn
Come on you Gunnnnnnnnners
COME ON THEN!!!!
Come on. 5 mins and a goal from greatness
Are we allowed to racially abuse match officials online?
Gomez is a horrible cheat.
Great effort
What a shame, so near to an epic result
Well played Arsenal, a heroic performance.
Bold attempt Arsenal. Proud to say your name. Farcical refereeing.
Good luck in the league Gunners. Nuff said!!
We nearly did it evonne. It was third goal at the emirates that cost us. The ref was appalling and the krauts are diving cheats. I hope Bayern don’t win it
Awful referee and linesmen.
We had some giants out there tonight – Arteta, Merts, Kos, Jenks and amazingly Fabianski.
Fabianski should remain number one and kozzer should keep TV out of the side
Fantastic effort.
The whole team deserves credit.
Sorry for jinxing Arteta with my earlier comment about his professionalism. He had a bad last couple of mins, with that awful free kick and the series of silly fouls that allowed Munich to run the clock down.
The whole back five were excellent.
Hard to drop Fabianski after that.
Merts was our MOTM for me and, tonight, Jenks became a man – and a real first team fullback.
Sleezy scums, divers, cheats, time wasters and unprofessional. Shameful for a club of their stature.
Don’t get me started on the ref. Cnt keep time. We should hav had 10mins injury time.
Impressive resilience frm the boys. Kudos.
Top 4, here we come! Look out world
3 min stoppage time from one goal and melee, three substitutions involving 4 players, and plenty of slow free kick and goal kick taking….fair enough ref?
That said was impressed with the lads tonight, I think that’s our best back 4 this season. Koscielny is such an unfussy defender, stays on feet, quick across ground and reads the game well, Jenkinson will run his heart out all game, Gibbs is a good tackler and good on overlap, and BFG looks so much better alongside Koz, I think it’s because Kos, Jenks and Gibbs will take organising by him.
Giroud looked tired on 80 minutes and it was a shame we didnt have someone like Pod to replace him.
Ox impressed when he came on as did Gervinho, Ramsey had a solid game up to his replacement.
Very impressed by the effort and work rate, and most importantly the discipline and hunger shown by a fair few of them.
Shame Gerv’s shot bobbled wide. …………
But if we had scored 3 it would have been grand larceny.
Bob Wilson: “Good old Arsenal, proud to say that name”
Rocky think I agree on BFG for MotM but would probably give him it joint with Koscielny. Ramsey would have had a chance if he had completed the 90 minutes.
The team need to look at what they accomplished tonight and use it as a springboard for remaining PL games.
And also we the fans need to look at the performances of Fab1, Rambo, Gerv away from the Ems and consider our reception for the next home game.
Just had an interview with Ramsey on Danish TV. Intlligent and well-spoken man. He was very disappointed
Rasp: Are you like me gonna settle in for a couple of hours cricket now?
I agree Merts MoM or Fabianski who was faultless apart from a couple of kicks
Rasp – 100% agreed. Fabianski and Kozzer have to stay in ahead of Szczesny and Vermaelen.
this may be a very dumb question but why when we score 2 to BM 0…making it 3-3 on agg do we not go through/play extra time as they scored NO goals at home??? was their home 3 points worth more or something??
Evening Irish, would have liked to see your man go of instead of Ramsey
Matt away goals count double in the event of a draw
BR
Was the musical reference in today’s title a Gary Glitter related one?
Its been a pleasure as always. Long day ahead and early start.
Nite all.
RL headline was Rasp’s.
Mine referred to Rorkes Drift and the thin red line!
Good effort from the lads.
The ref and linos cheated almost as much as ze Germans.
Before the start I would have taken a win, that made me happy.
We did not lose the tie in my eyes, it was a 3-3 draw, this makes me happy.
The away goals rule is a joke. it allows a team to progress when if looked at logically they have not REALLY won. 😦
The corporal was immence
Dandan – Evening, yeah I agree. Rosicky was poor but I suppose he gives more going forward than Ramsey?
A performance to be proud of tonight. I am so sick and tired of all these 8 years without a trophy remarks from the majority of the media and plastic Arsenal fans. How many teams would swap places with us right now if they could? The Arsenal away fans were magnificent. The British tabloids should be ashamed of themselves for some of the stories written today. I probably should not say this but after reading the fine comments on this blog I took a peek at LG the comments there are totally disgusting and shameless. I don’t care that we are out of the CL, I don’t care that the trophy cabinet is bare for 8 years I do care about Arsenal FC and I am proud to be an Arsenal fan tonight!
Well said Janman
I couldn’t watch the match tonight so I followed it on twitter in a Chinese restaurant. Just watched the highlights. I’m very proud of the boys, they really gave it a go. Let’s keep up the momentum.
Janman I agree wholeheartedly, lets be honest most thought we were out of the tie, anyone who gets upset and vitriolic about being out of the CL holds a disappointment too long, most of us dealt with that reality 2 weeks ago.
And even then we came close, and showed spirit and fight.
As it appears no one else has volunteered I’ll do the match report.
Yes Rasp,we almost did it! it was a superb spectacle 🙂
Fabianski looked cool and mature, PLEASE make him No 1 again!!
I love BM stats – unbeated at home for xx games, unbeaten in Bundes Liga for yy games, have not conceded a goal since December last year., ha ha ha ha, we fecked their stats good and proper 🙂
Another possitive to take from the game is the fact that the lads had proven they have what it takes to win games. All they have to do is to apply that attitude during remaining EPL games and finish 3rd, easy.
I agree with earlier comments — I was very proud of the effort the lads put in, especially the defensive unit with Kozzer outstanding and Flappy looking like the original excellent young keeper of 3 years ago.
Oh, and Good Morning all! 😀
Morning All,
Shall we start an International Movement to remove the away goals rule?
Well organised unit @ the back. Magnificent, rock solid wall that refused to buckle under waves of German salvos. But unfortunately for the fans the “flappy” Frenchman left Steve Bould short of amo & the effort was all in vain.
Morning all again, yes Fabianski did well last night, but I am not convinced yet, there was still an air of uneasiness on back passes, and even simple shots staying in his grasp brought a sigh of relief, i may have mentioned before but i don’t like the way he catches the ball.
Morning all,
A good performance by the team last night. If we carry that determination and concentration into all our remaining games, we should finish 3rd or 4th easily enough.
The referee..sigh..when was the last time we had a good refereeing performance. I’m not looking for excuses at all, because it might have made no difference to the scoreline yesterday, but I’m sick of seeing refereeing performances like that. Apparently the ref was a last minute replacement by Uefa. Don’t know why, nor who he replaced. Oh, and back in 2008, this ref was banned from officiating in the Czech League. Quite a comeback for him.
I don’t know BR. I quite like the away goals rule. Adds a little unpredictability, and some incentive for the away team to attack.
GIE,
Could you elaborate on that? Far be it for me to question your expertise, but having watched Fabianski in the U21 game a few weeks ago, and yesterday, I felt he looked more assured than Szczesny has done recently. Szczesny is probably more talented, but Fabianski was playing well before his last injury. His biggest problem has always been lack of bouncebackability. Mistakes seem to weigh very heavy on him, and he seems to lose focus after that. Perhaps, with time, he’s improved in that department.
Hi GIE/Nihi
I think I know what you mean GIE, but I am with Nihi on the Flappianski performance.
To have been injured and then shunned for so long with Mannone replacing him as No.2, and then to come into a game like that and play so well is a great credit to him.
Morning all, i with my good pal Redders on this, if you perform well you stay in the team – simple as that. No mollycoddling players for fear of hurting their feelings – who gets in the team should be based on merit only.
I’ve not been one of Flappy’s fans but I’m happy to hold my hands up and say a good performance demands continued selection – plus pressure on Chesney to up his game is good for the team.
Morning all
We have a New Post ……………………
Hi CharyB, 🙂
I like the tongue lashing Flappy gave the defence to keep them on their toes, too, and showed who was boss in the pen area.
Not something Szceszney has done for a long time.
Morning again, I agree Fab1s performance last night was very good, in answer to your question Nihi I have watch him warmup and he appears to snatch at the ball rather than cushion it, with the way the balls move these days he is a split second from fingering it into his own net. This is similar when he falls on the ball for low balls rather than getting body behind it (Mullers cross last night). Again I hark back to Seaman his relaxed style was well suited to goalkeeping the ball came to him and he followed it on and collected it, maybe it’s to do with being a fisherman….oh well time for Evonne to take TPIGS to the Trent Park lake and set them up with rod and bait 🙂
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