Last night was the next in a long line of must win matches, must win if staying ahead of that lot down the road is important, which it is.
This will be a slightly more sketchy report than I usually do because:
a) I was there so did not have benefit of copious replays
b) I’d met other AAers in the Tavern prematch.
Everywhere you looked every conversation you caught was tense and nervy, the Dean effect was discussed, the ability to throw away good work with a defensive lapse, the lack of a much needed finisher.
Come full time we were happy Gunners wondering why we were so worried.
The early goal a poachers header by Podolski from Cazorla’s corner took some fingernails away from teeth, the ball had gone over Mertesacker’s head and Wigan defenders failed to clear the danger, the story of their season.
Unfortunately the team then found the handbrake as they have done so often during this run in and seemed to decide one was enough.
This affected the crowd, tension grew as we sat deeper allowing Wigan to play their patterns, I really like the way Wigan play forward, they always seemed to have an extra man even when we were well set defensively, we got pulled about left and right. But with a bit more quality when we were in possession we should have been able to punish them on the counter, however we didn’t appear to want to leave our half.
Everyone put in a shift, then Dean started to try and influence the game, allowing some robust challenges on red and white shirts to go unpunished, one particularly memorable one was on Santi which led to a Wigan attack while Dean surprisingly to everyone but the conspiracy theorists waved play on.
Not so long after Dean awarded what appeared to be a very soft free kick on the edge of our area. Maloney stepped up and looped it over our wall into the corner of the net, it was a well taken free kick, but Pod could have been a little braver in the wall.
The boos at half time were reserved for Mike Dean as he left the pitch.
The second half started and we were still a little nervy but at least we were now on the attack a bit more, and trying to use the ball better in possession.
It wasn’t until the 63rd minute that we could breathe a little easier, Santi released down the right flank produced the best cross of the game, Theo had taken a good position in the centre and met the ball to finish. Theo Theo reverberated around the Emirates, but the real difference was Santi’s cross, we had put in many a poor cross from the right before that or chose the wrong options, Santi just looked up saw his target and put it on a plate.
Moments later we were on our feet again, Santi helping the ball through to Podolski who flicked it over the approaching Wigan keeper.
Ramsey then rounded off a very productive 10 minutes and another high energy display from himself with a much deserved goal, you could see the relief in his celebration. It was a very good goal, finding himself on the left wing he was released by Santi again, he ran with purpose towards the area, and without many options he decided he would have one for himself, cutting onto his right foot and finishing high into the net.
“Are you watching Tottenham?” Asked the Emirates faithful, I’m pretty sure they were, and the thought of them crying in their beer was very heartwarming.
The only worrying development towards the end of the game was Arteta limping off with a calf pull, which leaves us a selection dilemma come Sunday, Podolski’s goals also give Arsene another decision to make with Giroud available for the final game.
At the final whistle celebration in the home end quickly turned to respect for Wigan players, manager and fans, with most around us applauding Wigan players as they came over to commiserate with their fans. The Premier League will be a less entertaining place without them.
The team then went on its traditional lap of appreciation, BFG walking closest to the fans, fist pumping his way round, the crowd sang to the players, after this troubled season it was as if some of the wounds have healed, we can see they care, they know we care, and in unity we can only grow stronger.
Player ratings
Szczesny 7 could have done better with goal
Sagna 7 solid at back, crossing poor
Koscielny 7.5 solid
BFG 7.5 solid
Gibbs 6.5 not his attacking self in the run in
Arteta 7.5 keeps us ticking
Ramsey 8 Another high energy display wrapped up with a goal
Rosicky 7.5 took up good positions, moved the ball on
Cazorla 9 Genius
Theo 8 worked hard tonight, good finish
Podolski 8 two good goals
Written by Gooner in Exile
Arsenal News 24/7
arsenalarsenal.net 
Thank you for the match report GIE. I loved the way you ended it with the talk of unity.
One more match to go. Win by 2 clear goals, and we might get 3rd without any playoff. If only the TV didn’t switch over to show goal updates of other matches on the final day, I’d prefer to not know scores of any other team until Arsenal won.
Keep calm bring on the barcodes.
My outlook on last night.
Arsenal victory.
3 points.
Theo scores.
Two goals from the Pod .
Ramsey scores.
4 assists from Santi.
Unstoppable Koscielny.
Happy goner.
Artetas hair still perfect at full time.
We love you arsenal.
All boxes ticked.
Much love.
sheep(don’t panic) hagger.
While i could have shot schez for letting in the free-kick just before half time, he more than made up for with the schmiechel esque save early in the second.
i niticed too that gibbs’ attacking threat has wained of late but he could be forgiven for that i think his priority will be defending first anything else, a distant second.
GIE. Thanks. As always a fine report – like Shard I especially enjoyed the unity sentiment.
How full was the ground for the lap of appreciation?
It was a fantastic save Wardy.
Great report GIE. I maybe would have given Gibbs a bit more as I thought he was pretty decent last night and kept McManaman under wraps where our former full-back couldn’t.
I was delighted with yesterday but recognise it as only the first part of the job completed. I am not yet smirking at or enjoying any Spurs fans misery yet, because those healing wounds GIE could all explode open again in 4 days and 8 hours time. Sorry to put a slight negative feel to a very positive performance but that was only the first half of a 2 legged tie. Still a performance like yesterday on Sunday should see us through.
Commiseration to Wigan fans who I consider a good club with an excellent chairman and manager.
One negative from last night was that we went passed the points total for me to win the Didit Trophy.
Considering I thought I was being over-confident in my prediction it shows just how fantastic our run-in has been.
A couple of days ago GIE wrote about the unexpected form of our opposition for the Top 5 – I forgot to comment but it was a very valid point. Had Spurs, Chavs and Arsenal performed like this throughout the season MU would have had serious competition.
Morning all, Raddy I’d say about 50-60% full.
I must admit to not seeing fully the Szczesny save that others have referred too, in my defence it was up the other end…..one thing that surprised me last night is how often fans watch replays, as soon as anything happens they all look to the screen, even for the most minor chances. One such was in the first half, it went out do a goal kick, Wigan restarted play quickly knocking it to full backs and we nicked the ball back high up the pitch, people around me were still starting at te screen of the previous replay….one thing I hate watching on TV is over replays of incidents that cut away from the live action.
Morning all, great to see you in the Tavern however briefly last night due to my late arrival and a sumptuous reminder of a satisfying win last night.
On the lap of appreciation did you notice how poor Santi was hobbling with fatigue and the start and was grimacing when the lap started ?
The guy is absolutely shattered and is running on empty so it must be a priority for next season to get a stand in for him so he can be rotated.
if any of you guys fancy reading my last match report of the season it’s here: http://www.7amkickoff.com/2013/man-at-the-match-chary-arsenal-rain-on-wigans-parade/
Ha, fame at last – my match report made the arse.com media watch page; http://www.arsenal.com/media-watch 🙂
Well done Chary. Reasons to be Cheerful Pt ?
Excellent report as always GiE
I’m glad the last home game ended on a high even though, as BR is 100% right to point out, the job is only half done.
I am saying or writing nothing gloaty about the neighbours until the last shot has been kicked and we are (hopefully) above them.
Thanks Big Daddy.
There were plenty of “when the wheels come falling off” chants at the Spuds expense last night, Mr Rock.
But true, job just half done.
GiE
I think you’re being a tad hard on Szcz for the first goal. Pod didn’t jump (high enough) in the wall and I thought the Szcz did incredibly well to even get a finger tip to it.
He was guarding the right side of his goal because (I assume) he expected the wall to cover the left, but he still almost made up the ground with a monumental dive and stretch.
His second half save from Kone was stunning.
And I speak as someone who harbours doubts about his abilities 🙂
Hi Chary and congratulations on getting the report on arse.com!
I don’t mind giving it to the Spuds in in-game chants – that’s a different matter 🙂
Theo had his best game for ages – he caused trouble for Wigan all night, put in some fine crosses and took his goal so well.
Cazorla has rightly drawn the plaudits for his cross to Theo, but that was not a “tap in” for Theo – he had to be brave with the ‘keeper coming out at him.
Very pleased with Pod, Arteta, Rambo and CBs too.
Sagna troubled me a bit – he seemed to be up the attacking end of the pitch way too often. He doesn’t have the speed to get back any more and, I’m afraid, he doesn’t really contribute anything positive to our attacking moves. When he kept to his position he was solid. I don’t think we’ll be seeing him back at the Ems in an Arsenal shirt though.
Thanks for the match report GiE, I believe I predicted Pod would score and the game going to 1 all before we bagged a couple more as they tired …. so I was one goal short on my prediction 😆
Great to see you before the game, I knew it was a vain hope to turn up at the pub and pray someone had a spare ticket, but it has worked before for me. Peaches tells me there were loads of empty seats, shame on those who pay and don’t bother to attend.
As to the game … fantastic win and the players that have been improving continue to improve. I’m pleased for Ramsey and stand by my guns that Theo deserves his new contract. I hope we see a fully fit Pod banging them in next season and then maybe we won’t need to sign a goalscorer.
Hi Rocky, we’d have to draft Chamakh back into the side to play Toon and he’d have to score 8 goals before I’d owe you a Peroni – what are the chances? 😆
Rocky very quick one on Szczesny and the goal, my problem was where Szczesny ended up ie in the net as you say he makes the ground and gets his hand to it, if he had made contact a yard further from his goal it would have diverted round the post. One of those fine margin things but I never like to see keepers diving into their net attempting saves (unless its the back track and tip over a lob).
Maybe Theo’s goal was more than a tap in, but for me Santi’s cross made it, if Theo had missed would we be saying unlucky or berating him? Actually scrap that what if Gervinho had the chance and missed?
Rasp you did indeed…..and I share your disappointment, maybe the club should run a standby gate like you used to get at theatres, see if there are any empty seats after ten minutes and those waiting in the queue can be lead to the empty seats.
Enjoyed the Post, GIE, altho I would nuance some of the ratings differently, I think you have it right. 🙂
Hi Rasp
I don’t think there was a solitary dissenting voice against the idea of Walcott being offered a new contract. I recall the debate was always about why rather than if. And on the subject of if, do you believe that had City come in and offered double his wages (which they could have) he wouldn’t have gone? I don’t. Theo shopped around, found that no one else was really interested and realised he was better off where he was.
More ifs and buts!
If only we could play teams that had to win every week as Wigan did then Theo would be given the kind of space he revelled in last night. The reality is, as we both know, teams don’t, they come to the Emirates for a draw, wasting time from minute number one. The result is that the opponents penalty box is crowded and Theo becomes about as effective as an angel without its wings.
Still, I don’t want to get negative because as the saying goes: you can only beat the team in front of you and Theo’s contribution was immense last night.
Hi Rasper,
CharyB was on here yesterday trying to flog a ‘junior’ ticket.
How tall are you — do you have any shorts? Next time that may be an option for you! 😀
Hi Redders, yes I met up with chary at The Tavern before the game and discussed the prospect of me sneaking in as a Junior Gunner …. the consensus was that I’d stand more chance of pretending to be Per Mertesacker 🙄
Hi LB, I agree Theo would probably have left had he been offered a considerably higher wage at a top club, my point is that he was/is an asset to Arsenal and we need to protect our assets.
Theo’s performance is directly affected by those around him (obviously) and last night he was given the ball early and had the space to do what he does best. He is one of the 3 best finishers in the team (with Cazorla and Pododlski) and again showed how he is more effective from the left as Micky keeps saying.
“More effective from the left” Interesting, I haven’t noticed this but I must keep an eye out for it.
It cannot be argued that Theo played well yesterday, but it was salutary to note that when he scored his goal it came courtesy of Saint Santi, who showed how to cross, i.e. look up and pass accurately to a team mate, rather than run to the by line and hit and hope without looking.
I meant that as a compliment to both players, with only a gentle back hander to so many players who do not anticipate where, in the area, the ball will go, possibly because so many do not know how to cross.
Hands up time — sorry — I was one who was very sanguine as to whether or not Theo should leave. Both sides should never have let the contract negotiations drag on so long, but as the club are bigger than any player, I suspect LB may have a point that no one else was particularly bothered to offer Theo terms, or, just as likely, the BoD felt they had to succumb to his demands, because letting him go would have been a PR disaster. Who knows?
Rasp your comment at 12.50, I always wanted to see Pod have a good run as the central striker. He is a good finisher but it still remains to be seen whether he has the all round game to play that role at the highest level. I always said we should give him some game time in this role early enough this season so that we would know before the end of the season whether we needed to bring in another quality number 9, or whether he would be it. I feel AW has left it a bit late to know whether he can fulfill this role. I personally feel we need to start next season with a quality number 9 that can do it from the start of the season rather than have another season of transition because certain players are still developing into their role.
Hi Rocky,
Have you got nothing better to do than loiter around on AA at an unearthly hour in Canada? 😀
Hi GoonerB, on the basis of performance this season I agree it would appear that Pod and Giro (although very good players) are not of the top quality we require … but second season who knows. I don’t believe we’ve seen the best of Pod due to injury and for the reasons you state – he hasn’t had an extended run at CF.
My problem is that unless we are prepared to pay in the £35m bracket and up to 200k a week, we will only be buying a striker at the level we already have and one who may take a season to adapt.
“He is a good finisher but it still remains to be seen whether he has the all round game to play that role at the highest level.”
“I feel AW has left it a bit late to know whether he can fulfill this role. I personally feel we need to start next season with a quality number 9 that can do it from the start of the season.”
I agree with both these superb points, I am not convinced yet about Podolski but I wondered if there were others out there who have been won over already?
Good last point Rasp.
Who would you buy LB? I’m not convinced Jovetic is a striker – more of a number 10
Hi GoonerB,
That is an interesting point about the Pod.
My own view is that he is a classy finisher with a powerful shot but he also has other goal scoring attributes, but unlike some of the top notch CFs he is too nice.
Most of the best scorers are greedy buggers who ally that to their skills and are single minded in wanting to be the top dog in the scoring stakes.
Thinking of which, we have a lot of ‘nice’ players at our club, and a horny handed ‘bad lad’ would not go amiss to kick some ass, and stop other ruffians from picking on our goodies! 🙂
Higuain is apparently available
Rasp,
I have watched quite a bit of Italian league games on ESPN this season, and when Jovetic plays he looks a neat, technically proficient No.10, who can also add the odd goal.
An out and out striker? Not in my opinion.
Rasp
I don’t know enough about who is available to answer but I do agree that unless we are prepared to pay 35 mil plus and 200k wages per week then we would only be getting players of a similar level to those we already have.
I don’t blame Wenger for the way he has gone about things, Podloski, Giroud, Gervinho and even Chamakh are all reasonable punts especially when we bear in mind that RvP was just as much of a punt as any one of the names above. But nevertheless they are punts and it would make a change to hit the ground running with a big hitter from the start of the season.
I agree Redders
…..and I agree with you LB, I’d love it if we signed a big name striker
Are there any strikers who have left Real Madrid in the middle of their career and succeded else where?
(Sukar came to us at the end of his career)
Higuain worries me that he just wouldn’t care enough about doing well for Arsenal.
In my dreams Cavani would be the one although I wouldn’t complain if it was Llorente or Lewandowski
If we don’t push the boat out with a 35 mil plus striker then signing David Villa would come a good second. He wouldn’t be needed every game but precisely when opponents park the bus. Villa is so good at operating in tight spaces.
I reckon that Villa and Cazorla could lift the lid of a parked bus as easy as sharp tin openers open the top of a tin of baked beans.
Did anyone else think we played a bit like one of those teams with a False 9 last night? On quite a few occasions I looked to where I thought Pod would be an Santi was there or TR7 or Theo.
Mobility is all important to the game we play when we don’t have the big fella up front.
On Theo I think the desire of the BoD to do the deal was greater than it was with BSR, but that the desire was also due to his age….he will still have a sell on fee, no one knows whether BSR will last one, two or three more years, so it would have been too much of a punt and burden on the wage bill I he was sat unplayed
Mobility should be all important even when we have a big fellow up front and the fact that it often isn’t is one of the principal reasons in my opinion that we are only competing for forth rather than first.
There were two distinctive phases of play last night, one of which was static and frankly unproductive, sterile passing across the pitch and backwards, which left our front players bollixed.
The second phase was the free flowing, swift passing play with interchanging of positions, with more numbers up front which was so successful.
LB is right – again. Darn it. 😀
That is true LB, although I guess my point about mobility but if we play with an out and out centre forward the mobility comes from players moving off him, Pod doesn’t offer the same hold up play therefore to play the one twos and create space the front three need to be willing to interchange, something I think they did well last night.
Redders
Sadly I fear the second phase of our play (the free flowing one) was largely down to the fact that Wigan had to go all-out for the win.
For next season we need to be better at beating the parkez-l’autobus teams.
In that regard, I like LB’s suggestion of using David Villa to use a tin opener and eat some beans in the bus (did I get that right?)
I know GiE touched upon this in his report but the atmosphere was top notch last night – even after the equaliser I sensed no anxiety amongst the crowd. Also there was little scapegoating going on, something there was more of last season.
The lap of appreciation showed there was less of a disconnect with the players and supporters as there has been, IMHO.
At the time of the lap of appreciation I’d say the ground was probably 60-65% full, the link for a video of it is here http://player.arsenal.com/player/3641-lap-of-appreciation
As for during the game i’d say 80 to 85%
Here’s a pic at the time of Rambo’s goal: http://t.co/wxlQHNgwU9
Rocky, @ 3:12
I wonder where you got wind of that? 🙂
Reblogged this on Jedidiah Odita's Personal Blog.
The rumours surrounding Sagna continue to stew around.
The Daily Express have this article:
ARSENAL right-back Bacary Sagna looks set to exit the Emirates Stadium this summer, with big-spending Russian side Anzhi Makhachkala joining French clubs PSG and Monaco in the running.
By: James Dickenson: Wed, May 15, 2013
Bacary Sagna could depart Arsenal this summer with clubs in France and Russia interested
Sagna is expected to leave Arsenal at the end of the season, having failed to agree a new contract at the club with his existing deal set to run out next summer.
The 30-year-old’s performances for the Gunners have dipped this season – highlighted by his double mistake during the 1-1 draw with Manchester United last month that allowed former player Robin Van Persie to equalise – and the club are unwilling to offer him more than a one-year extension to his current terms.
Sagna was thought to be heading back to home nation France, with money-bags Ligue 1 outfits PSG and Monaco vying for his signature, although now big-spending Anzhi have joined the race.
Sagna gave the ball away to Robin Van Persie against United and then conceded a penalty in the draw
Anzhi will present Arsenal with an offer they may find hard to turn down, with a transfer fee of as much as £12.25 million mooted.
According to Russian newspaper Izvestia, Anzhi will present Arsenal with an offer they may find hard to turn down, with a transfer fee of as much as £12.25 million mooted.
The North London side may well be happy to sell a player who will be 31 next February for such a figure, with young Englishman Carl Jenkinson already an option of replace Sagna in the squad.
Arsenal manager Arsene Wenger publicly maintains he would like Sagna to stay, but reports suggest he has already lined up Sebastien Corchia to bring in with the funds raised from his compatriot’s sale.
Time and tide.
Just popped back only to find that I am agreeing with everything that Rasp, LB and RA have said earlier. it is just one big agreeable love in today.
Jovetic certainly looks a quality number 10 to me but not a number 9. That is an interesting point Rasp about not getting anything better than we have already got for under £35m and £200k pw wages. The bargain to superstar players market certainly seems to have dried up. AW’s early brilliance with this I think opened everyones eyes to better scouting and it seems that everyone is aware of the world class and potential world class strikers out there now. Is there still a bargain to be had? Possibly but I don’t know who it is.
AW for me still pulls off the odd bargain. I think we got a real one with Cazorla when you look at the prices paid for similar standard quality players like Hazard.
I was in the North Bank last night and was very surprised and disappointed at how quickly some parts of the crowd turned on the team. It’s like they have an expectation that we are going to just spend the entire game in the opponents third and just keep creating chances and scoring goals without any notion of the opposition changing their format or tactics to compensate for the fact that we mullered them for the first 20 minutes. The game is between 2 teams both of which (in this case at least) needed to win. Why is it so surprising that the other side might just have a period or periods of ascent during the 90 minutes. FFS RELAX!
Much harder now GoonerB, as all the other clubs were shocked by AW’s buying brilliance, particularly in the French transfer market when he first became our manager.
Unfortunately, the other clubs were all quick learners and Maureen pinched Drogba, Etienne and Makelele off us in no time, and that was the start of us being outbid pretty much from then on, with Chelsea, Manure and others all piling in.
In my opinion, I think our scouting system needs an overhaul, because there were decent and affordable players like Michu, Benteke and Wanyama out there, but we seemed not to know about them as AW has admitted.
Very busy today, doing work for the summer but I just popped in to say..
It’s really amazing how we are able to post analyze both a game and a players performances. One thing that is really positive about the media cover, whether it be, internet, TV, radio or the newspapers is that the information/data that we receive has made us all so much more knowledgeable.
The type of dialogue that we enjoy on AA today is a great example of what I mean, it could never have taken place in the 40’s, 50’s or 60’s or even in the 70’s. Even though we were just as avid as fans our knowledge base did not equip us to have such in depth discussion, especially when it comes to international teams and players.
Gn5
Good comment.
Just picking up on something you mentioned yesterday: I too watched the Leafs game at the Bruins (ice hockey, for you Brits!) and the way the Leafs threw it away after being 4-1 up made me worried for our Wigan game.
I had this idea that if we were winning by one goal with 20 minutes to go we (like the Leafs) would stop playing our normal game and start trying to “not lose”. Possibly with bad consequences.
Thankfully that quick flurry of three goals in 9 minutes meant it became a purely academic issue.
But it also applies to the Newcastle game. We could do with being more than one goal to the good as we enter the final stretch or I can could see the nerves getting to us…
Rocky,
Have you heard, in the Canadian wilds, 🙂 that Loic Remy, the QPR striker we are occasionally linked with was arrested after allegations of rape were made against him, today?
Redders
Yes, I saw that, even out here while hiding from bears and mounties 🙂
Maybe we should sign him: isn’t that how Robin van Thingummy started out?
Rocky
The nerves you are refering to were in evidence last night that is until a moment of pure genius from Cazorla changed everything.
But I agree with your sentiment the more goals the better please.
By the way, I nominate you to the Brotherhood of the Realists, with its only other member, the founder, Kelsey, the Ignored Realist! 😀
My 5:00 was dedicated to you, Rocky, just for the sake of clarity. 🙂
I am considering becoming a part-time journalist for a local paper during my enforced immobility. Any pointers you can give me would be welcome, even if you are a Doomer ……….. sorry, Realist!
Last time I was in Canada I was attacked by a moose. It was huge – even bigger than Jan Molby.
Well, I say “attacked”, it looked at me aggressively.
Were you drunk at the time BR? And was the “moose” in question a large lady in a bar?
Redders
I am happy to be in Kelsey’s club 🙂
Although whether or not he’s happy to have me is another matter…
Redders
Regarding your ambitions in the scribing direction, I think you would make a wonderful Agony Aunt (Uncle?). Could you offer your services in that general direction?
BR,
This is how you should deal with mooses….meese.. err.. a moose
Park,Chamakh,Squillacci,Fabianski,
Santos,Bendtner,Frimpong,Mannone,Denilson,Gervinho, and sadly Diaby and Arshavin
They are doomed
Will Sagna and Vermaelen leave ?
Me and my girlfriend were savaged by an amorous Elk in Banff.
OK we were — almost — savagely attacked.
It was dusk, and we were taking a preprandial walk in the snow around the town of Banff, and the large antlered, male elk was ‘on the pull’, [Banff is a magnet for partying elk to hang out], when I heard the thud of hooves behind us and looked over my shoulder to see this enormous critter bearing down on us at quite a lick. At least 100 mph!
I grabbed my girl and fled at an angle but the b*stard was easily catching us, when I saw two parked cars, and ducked between them onto the curb. The elk thundered by, but stopped an thundered back towards us on the snowy sidewalk, and again we had to duck between the cars.
To my horror, the beast ran at one of the cars and instead of stopping he gored its tire by sticking its antler straight into it with a bang and a loud hiss (the tire not the elk).
While it was engaged in extracting its antler, and shaking the car like a toy, we made a 50 yard run to a restaurant and bolted straight in.
The owner told me the elk sometimes got frisky, and because we were both wearing fawn coloured sheepskin coats, which happened to be similar, in color, to that of the female elk’s hindquarters, the randy bugger was only after us for one thing.
Now, I don’t know about you guys, but I like to have at least a ‘get to know you’ bourbon on a first date before getting down to smooching an elk.
Bit rough in their courtship these Canadians!! 😀
Redders
Blooming cheek! That was no elk – ’twas me, with my winter coat on and a “novelty” hat.
I must say, I was surprised at your turn of pace. Especially with that young hotty in tow…
RA. Strangely enough my encounter with the moose was in Banff. I was staying at the Banff Springs Hotel and the huge animal was in the grounds looking askance at my then wife – animals have a way of spotting a wrong ‘un. Wish I did ….
No, no, no, Rockadillo!
Agony Aunt my ass!
They want me to be a hard hitting, roving reporter getting the dirt on what’s going down in the village.
Beneath the surface of this respectable, quiet, rural idyll, there is an undercurrent of seething thingys going on.
I have already written my first article on bees and who is wiping them out. There is some sort of cockamamie story going around that there is a rival gang of dissolute mites dedicated to living off the decent, law abiding, busy bees, and bumping them off if they don’t cough up enough honey.
Nah! I think it is Jonesy, who lives down by the old apple orchard, and who has a wonky eye, is infatuated with Mrs A’s thriving colony of apis mellifera, who have great honey and little stingers, and are a really cute banded orangey brown and black. His are ugly.
I am still working on it, but when it gets published it will be HUGE!!
RA,
Moose are the largest of the deer family, and there are close one million in Canada, a bull moose can stand as high as 7′ feet and weigh up to 1,500 lbs. and they are not to be taken lightly.
I’ve encountered them on canoe trips, once while portaging with my back pack on and the canoe over my head, it was a very sobering experience. I was lucky as it just looked at me and kept going. I was just hoping and praying that it don’t come back out of the bush behind me, because for such huge animals they are almost silent, so you can never be sure if you are safe or not, but that’s life in the Canadian wilds.
They are often involved in car accidents, with the car usually being the loser, these accidents cause multiple deaths per year.
Gn5. Sounds a fun trip – nothing like that available in flat, over-civilised Denmark. No moose either but lots and lots of pigs. There are 25m pigs here which is 5 per inhabitant!
Glad it was you and not me Big Un — oops slip of the tongue/keyboard.
A moose is about twice the size of your common or garden or streetwise elk, and I suspect you had already probably imbibed in the local hostelry, and your elk streeeeetched to become a moose.
Danish tourist guide — I ask you! 🙂
Hi GN5, 🙂
We have moose in the US too, and they are twice the size of yours in Canada, and they dress much better too, with cool sun glasses!
Elk/Moose? It was big, hairy and scary, but if it came near me I would have had him – us Norf Larndan Danish Tour Boys are rock hard.
RA
That’s Bull-winkle!
Raddy,
One of the joys of living in Canada, is that you are always close to the wild. Although I’ve slowed down a bit now0 I used to spend a lot of time canoeing and fishing.
Lake or stream fishing for Speckled, Brown or Lake Trout. A trout fresh out of the water saluted in butter, with some French bread and a glass of cold Chardonnay ,when you get home rounds off the day.
Just writing it down makes my mouth water, in fact I’m going to the fishmongers to find out their catch of the day. May well end up being dinner, although it’s a beautiful day, just perfect for a barbeque.
Shard, that sounds like schadenfruede!
You appear to have misunderstood the difference between a bull’s winkle and an elk’s winkle.
Rocky could probably explain it to you, he is a self confessed randy elk, who, when out on the pull in Banff, has eyes only for good looking, blonde American girls — especially if they are dating me!!
Sounds pretty idyllic, GN5.
I love a pan fried brown trout, or two, cooked with garlic and butter! mmmm.
RA
Now that would be a show well worth calling Rocky and Bullwinkle.
F**k me, they must eat a lot of cheese them Canadian Mouse`s !.
The crime rate must be low in Denmark with that many police !.
Here’s a true story.
While visiting Canada in 1968, my brother in law and I went on an extended 6 week canoe trip deep into Northern Ontario, it’s quite amazing because just 4 or 5 hours North of Toronto you are in the wilds and have to be fully prepared for anything.
We canoed up Groundhog River into Groundhog Lake and then portaged into Horwood Lake, We met a 92 year old Scotsman named George Dingee, He had lived on the lake for over 60 years, he was both a logger and a gold prospector and was married to a Squaw. He even had Lake named after him.
He thought that it was great that a couple of “mad” Englishmen had actually canoed all the way to Horwood Lake. We got along famously and he invited us to his cabin for dinner. Well his wife cooked dinner and it was Beaver pie, but that’s another long story.
After dinner we sat outside having a cup of coffee, brewed over a campfire, and he told us this story.
Boy’s, he said, as you know from having to canoe in here we have no roads or cars, just boats and ski doo’s so the rivers and lakes are our roads. When travelling in the bush you always carry a rifle as you never know what to expect, Well one day I was canoeing home when I saw this huge Bull Moose feeding in the marshes, so I paddled over and got close enough to get off one shot. I thought I’d hit it but it reared up and made it’s way into the bush. I paddled over to where it had been and there bobbing up and down in the water was and 18″ long penis, I’d shot the darn thing right off.
So undeterred I went back the next morning and, just as I thought he might, there he was in the shallows, looking for his penis.
He looked at our astonished faces and let out a great laugh, the bugger had led us on the whole time, but all these years later, thinking about it still makes me chuckle.
We kept in touch until we heard that he had passed away at 103 years old.
Really, it’s a true story.
That Elkie Brooks is a right old moose !.
Great story Gn5
Did you take a gun with you?
(In case of big, dangerous critters and moose penises?)
Rasp
In drafts.
There are fishmongers in Canada? I can’t imagine that. Supermarkets with a fish section but fishmongers hmmmmm.
Rocky,
Have a care — poor Rasper in drafts will catch a cold!
For our doubting Thomas (LB)
Atlantic Sea Fish Market
519-452-7511
708 Hamilton Road,
London, ON N5Z 1T6
Centre Ocean Food
519-452-1220
778 Hamilton Road,
London, ON N5Z 1T9
Both are within 15/20 minutes of my house.
did you guys see tonight John Terry kissing Marcel Desailly to prove he is not racist? I am surprised he didn’t snog him too to prove he’s not homophobic
come you reds!!!
I guess we want extra time, penalties, and ultimate heartache for the Chavs.
Not that I doubt your tall tales Gn5, but I had a quick look on Google Maps and there is, indeed, a Dingee Lake in Northern Ontario!
I wasn’t really doubting you GN5 it’s just that I had never seen a fishmongers in North America.
Did you check on my tall tales, Rocky? Does Banff exist? 😀
I don’t want you to think I doubt you, but I googled you, and apparently you are located in British Columbia.
Your outdoor pursuits are epic, and one of Canada’s pre-eminent destinations for hiking and mountain biking, as well as for whitewater rafting. Golf courses are the perfect combination of challenging and stunningly beautiful, and the region is internationally renowned for your abundant fishing locales.
You give opportunities to visit wonderfully restored heritage towns, thriving arts communities and gold rush boomtowns. Your accommodations range from wilderness camping to luxurious stays in a natural setting.
You Rocky are obviously well worth visiting. Any bears? 😀
I fell asleep this afternoon and woke up thinking it was 6:30 Thursday morning. I feel really disorientated.
I take everything you say as Gospel, Redders.
(By which I mean, it could have been made up by any old Tom, Dick, Harry, Matthew, Mark, Luke or John back in the mists of time).
GM
It is 6.30 Thursday morning – what are you on about?
We have many fish mongers and fish markets all over the Eastern and Western seaboards of the US, such as Washington DC, Seattle, San Francisco.
(I have only been to those ones — under protest) 😀
RL – the Leafs game has scarred my soul. I made the mistake of relaxing after the Kadri goal when 30+ years of experience should have told me better.
Also – a moose at night is the worst of all possible things to hit. They’re so tall that the front of the car takes out the legs and then the 1500-pound body goes straight through the windshield. That’s scary stuff.
Who won this match Rocky?
AW must be enjoying watching Benfica. Lots of fancy tricks and clever passing but not a shot on target so far.
Rocky, @8:14 p.m.
Plagiarists, the lot of them!! 🙂
That was a great save
The Toronto Maple Leafs – who are a bit like T*ttenham in that they have not won the ‘big one’ since the ’60s were in the play-offs against the Boston Bruins.
Toronto went 4-1 up with about 10 minutes left.
The Bruins scored three quick goals and it was 4-4 at full time. It went into (sudden death) overtime and the Bruins scored the winner.
The long-suffering Leafs fans had to suffer again.
(It was only the first round of the play-offs – they would have needed to beat another couple of teams to win the whole thing).
GM
The Chavs lost on penalties when Cashley Hole slipped on his arse and his shot knocked out a ballboy near the corner flag.
Just heard that Rory McGrath the comedian and big Arsenal fan ( I used to sit a few seats from him in the West Bank, Highbury), has been charged with assaulting a couple of people in Redruth, in Cornwall.
Maybe they were Spurs fans.
Rocky,
George Dingee did a lot of the early cartology in Northern Ontario, even though he was an amateur, and passed it on to the Lands & Forests. They named the lake after him as a tribute, I believe it was previoulsy unknown.
Apparently he was pissed and they were trying to help him RA.
Gn5
Incredible – I wonder if there are still people out there today with the resourcefulness of people like that.
Seriously do Chavs know no other way of playing? Sure it’s brought them success but they are incredibly dull to watch.
Oscar gets lots of cards, that’s a sign of desperation, not a good player
GM – did you fall asleep at work???
Redruth?
Is she a relation Redders?
I like Rory but you can tell he has a fondness for a beer or three…
It’s my day off evonne. I freaked my wife out. She thought I’d gone mad
you? gone mad? Nay, never 🙂
that Benfica manager is a nutter though, what a fooking drama queen, worse than Maureen
Who are we going to vote for as the Arsenal Player of the Year. Theo or Santi? I’d vote for TW, he had a tremendous season
Evonne
BFG or Santi
RA,
There are literally hundreds, if not thousands of fishmongers in North America. In fact, I can’t imagine there being any coastal Towns or Cities that do not have at least one.
Rocky,
He was also a great shot, with an incredible aim?
Gn5
The size of that moose’s todger, I reckon even I could have hit it 🙂
do you think so Rocky?
Don’t you think that Theo excelled himself, matured nicely, didn’t put a foot wrong, signed a new deal and deserves the recognition?
offside 😦
Evonne,
Santi would get my vote, he has been absolutely superb, especially given that it’s his first season in the EPL.
Santi for me.
Arteta or BFG for me.
Most improved player. Ramsey.
Theo out of respect, Santi out of sheer admiration
Isn’t it marvellous to have so many stars, all staying with us for the next season’s title challenge 🙂
I would give it to Santi, just ahead of BFG and Arteta.
Evonne
I am a Theo fan unlike some (where has that Redders gone? 🙂 ) but I don’t feel he has been consistent enough across the whole season. Mind you, if you scroll up to the widgets at the top of the page and see who’s top of both the scoring and assist charts, there is a strong case to be made for him.
Raddy,
Most improved player is interesting I think I would go for Koscielny.
Good – Benfica have equalised.
We definitely want extra time to improve the chances of the Chavs dropping points on Sunday.
Most improved player… I agree with BR – it has to be Ramsey.
Given that they have such creative players as Mata, Hazard, Oscar and Torres, the Chavs really are a joyless lot to watch, aren’t they?
game on, we are looking at extra time here 🙂
Yes Rocky, he had a few poor games, but staged many more good or excellent performances. Rumour has it that the media are in love with AVB and that’s Bale gets much prize and attention, whereas Theo’s achievements go almost unnoticed. Who is the best English footballer at the moment?
evonne
Bale is not English. He’s apish.
But the key stat in Bale’s case is that something like 12 of his goals this season have been WINNING goals (ie, they have secured the three points for the Totts).
You can say with a reasonable amount of confidence that without his contribution the Spuds would be 15 – 20 points worse off.
So, much as it pains me to say it, I’m afraid the ape man has been more influential than Theo.
Bale is Welsh so not him 🙂
As for our players of the year:
BFG, Koz or Santi – Player of The Year
Gibbs or Rambo – Most Improved
I know that the monkey is from Wales 🙂
That’s a separate question here – is there a better than Theo English footballer?
GiE – what about Theo?? BTW, great post, ta x
Best english player? That’s tough. Howard Webb?
Christ I hate Chelsea.
bollix!! we will have to listen to the champions of Europe for 1 more year
Bloody typical
Once again Chavs bore their way to a Cup. Awful display and a dreadful advert for the PL.
Chelsea were always going to win that. Benfica’s European curse is still in effect.
I went to bed, coz I didn’t want to see the Chavs celebrating but was called back to see John Terry in full kit posing for the photos!!! I cannot stop laughing, that is just hilarious,;he even put the socks and boots on!! What a tosser
Proof for all to see as if we needed it.
There is no god.
Benfica have lost 7 finals in a row
The ultimate full kit wanker
Evonne when they showed him suited before the game I thought he has learned his lesson…..but once again he doesn’t fail to disappoint the man is a complete front bottom.
Kind of pleased for Benitez in a strange way.
As for best English player in PL….i’m guessing Baines is up there with Theo in terms of contribution, media types will say Carrick too although I fail to see it.
Premier League 9th best League in Europe.
Russia, Ukraine, Spain, Holland, Germany, Italy, France and Portugal all have better Leagues than the English Premier League.
We need posts for the next 3 days guys and gals …. get typing 😛
Dialsquare What is that from?
I thought it was the real dialsquare
guys and gals sounds a bit creepy Rasp. reminds me of saville
😳 OK gm, how about ‘ladies and gentlemen’ then?
dialsquare is a troll
Morning Rasp, 🙂
Dialsquare is the same troll, using multi avatar names. Saddo.
Hi Morning all,
Can we get a poll for most improved player of the season..
Manthan you do realise you just offered to write a post don’t you?
😀
Morning All,
Beautiful day here.
Enjoyed the moose talk last night. I had to give a talk at the Danish National Museum about Aurachs who roamed Northern Europe about 10k years ago and were early man’s main source of meat.
Manthan do they have elks or moose where you live?
GIE,
hahaha I am little busy with work today but will give a try next week Sorry 😛
BR,
No havent heard about elks or moose here…
morning Rasp, I will write something about Theo tonight
Terrific evonne – look forward to reading it 😛
You did a talk about Aurachs Raddy. You truly are multi talented. Were domestic cattle bred from them?
That’ll be perfect Manthan as we should have completed the season by then.
I say should because the possibility of a play off for 3rd exists.
And that play off is important if it happens as we all remember two seasons ago when the signings didnt arrive until CL football was secured.
Raddy do you give your talks in Danish?
The chances of a playoff are very slim GIE
GM. Yes and Yes 😀 But of course I guide in English
I think Everton will roll over of Saturday – they are already on the beach.
So will Sunderland whereas Newcastle are at hoe and wanting to end the season in style. Plus Pardew hates AW.
Morning all ……..
…. New post ………
To Gunner 4
My maiden name is Sheila Dingee. My father was George Dingee, and was born and raised on ground hog river. His father was George Dingee and mother Lily – both from Britain. I happened on your message and story. Please contact me.
Sheila
svcartist@gmail.com
You share interesting things here. I think that your page can go viral easily, but you
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