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The Arsene Wenger Conundrum
286 Responses to The Arsene Wenger Conundrum
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RA. A superb post. I have been thinking along the same lines
Where we disagree is that AW is the best manager we can have just because he is the best manager we have had.
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mickydidit89 says:
RA
Well, that was a seriously top read. Possibly too good as I don’t know what to do. Wenger IN or Wenger OUT 🙂
Thanks RA. Real quality stuff from that nib of yours
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However bad a result, and however much I think I know best, one thing I never forget is that you could replace Arsene with any manager in the history of the game, and yet absolutely nothing would be guaranteed.
My bottom line concern would never be the fans, the owner or the board, but rather the players.
The players have to be 100% behind the Manager, and the direction we’re going in.
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ps Sure, our players may be a tad over paid, spoilt, etc etc, but Arsenal is still a Football Club and therefore what happens on the pitch is paramount. So the little darlings matter.
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RA says:
Thanx, guys. 🙂
Before I sat and wrote a comment addressing Stevie Boys Post, yesterday, it dawned on me that to do the subject justice (as I see it) it might become a tad long-winded, and I asked Rasper what I should do. Hence the Post length article.
It took me a good 30 minutes to write because of an unusual number of calls — excuses, I know — but I am worried that Chas will chastise me for my grammatical errors, as I did not have the time to proof read before The Fiend arrived to take me out to dinner and to cosset me.
[I had been whingeing about not feeling too good – works every time!] 😀 -
RA says:
I agree Micky.
Sister Theresa was stunningly awesome for the charitable work she did in India. Einstein opened our minds to the scientific possibilities that would enhance our knowledge to the benefit of mankind. Shakespeare wrote a couple of good TV shows – he did didn’t he? 🙂
The one thing they all have in common is that they are no longer here – but life goes on with others coming forward to continue charitable work, to push science further and further, to write masterpieces — and so to with Arsene.
I do not want him to go — except when I am feeling grumpy — but one day he will be gone, and another will have to take up the reins.
Will we unearth a gem of a manager? or will we wail in despair as we slide down the league to play with the also rans?
Time will tell – but I am in no rush to risk finding out. 🙂
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GB and Norfolk,
Look lads, just read the last paragraph, or you will still be reading [that popped up as breeding] 🙂 after we have all gone to bed. 😀
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Can I just chuck in an unrelated thought to be awkward and mix things up
Would you fancy our chances on Sunday more if we were away?
Less home pressure. Theo on the counter. Possibly more space. Suit our game.
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Yes. Micky.
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wally says:
If there were an award for best post of whatever, this would be it. And you did it in between phone calls. In 30 minutes? Jiminy cricket
I want to see this team, this organization, dare to be great, consistently great.
I want to see these players elevate their play, consistently.
I want to see these players invest themselves in the match, every match.
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Micky, there comes a time when you need to man up. If we’re making victory dependent upon less pressure then you have to ask yourself do we really have a championship team?
Winners rise to the occasion. Losers shrink from it.
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Amazing post RA, you’ve excelled yourself. As usual you present all sides of the debate 🙂
I’m likely to be without internet for a couple of days.
I will try to join you all for the game on Sunday.
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Wally
Like your comments
Afraid to say that o do not think some of players leave everything they have put on the pitch
Last season the Ox even said how the arrival of Sanchez had resulted in one or two refreshing their attitudes
Not a good thing to effectively admit we have a few good time charlies -
Out on the pitch
Sorry on mobile -
stevepalmer1 says:
Now that is a post and a half, Half hour to write, it took me longer to read, blinding mate.
I find it hard to start thinking about Manager change, while we are still with Manager, i never ever thought about it that much previously, But when supporters moan and talk about the time for change i suppose that is the time one has to step back and start to realise that the time is approaching.
Arsenal are currently 3 points behind the leaders and as some one pointed out yesterday, had a couple of games been more fairly referee’d we could very well be leading.
We could in all honesty go on to win the league, and its also possible to pick up a couple of cups as well. Surprisingly, although unlikely, we could go on and win Europe as well.
If we were to be successful this season, and Wenger walked away at the end of the season, would those calling for new blood actually be happy.
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I often look at our situation, to a big film. I have watched when a big name is appearing as the star, We are brought up to expect the star to last out to the end of the film, but should he get killed off in the first five minutes, the film would probably end there, for some of us.
I still feel the film is only half way through, and punch lines are still to come, i must admit i have been disappointed with some endings but i would still wait till the end before i judge
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Guess everyone else is also on the Friday dash to finishing line
Always more urgency when the sun shines bright 🙂 -
I think what every Arsenal fan wants is Wenger to stay and produce a title winning and CL winning side.
If you read that statement and think ‘i dont want that, i want Wenger out’ then you are being blinded by your dislike of Arsene and have forgotten what it is to be an Arsenal fan.
All i want is the club to be the best it can be, if that is with or without Wenger, i dont know, but i would prefer it with Wenger as he has given so much to this club and it would be fitting if he could leave on a high.
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Well said Ginge.
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Perhaps I should have spit it into 3 parts? 😀
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GoonerB says:
Damn, put up a comment much earlier that didn’t go through. Anyway Redders I read it all, not just the end bit. It took me a while because it is full of grammatical errors 🙂
A very fine post written only as you can sir. I put up a comment yesterday evening which mostly explains my position, and as you know I don’t like being repetitive….so moving onto Theo and his merits as a striker… 🙂
It may well be the case but I am not so sure that Arsene has lost his mojo. It could easily be that he has got a very good squad together, to the 95% mark of what is needed to move into that top European bracket, and that the last 5% is very hard to come by and add in. It appears he was actively looking for those last couple of ingredients, which only makes me think he will still be actively looking.
It does appear that in recent history we are always searching for or missing those final 2 players, but is the situation of now in reality different to the one of 5 years ago, even though at face value it will seem like the same old problems to many.
One big thing for a start is that we have steadily been attracting and adding world class players and in addition to that are now able to retain our existing top players. Things could be about to happen where they haven’t quite materialised before. I would agree it can’t go on too long (the addition of those couple of players) before our top players start casting an eye towards the clubs that are getting them.
I don’t think we are ready to win the ECL yet even though I have a strong feeling we will still progress from the group. I do think we have a very good chance in the league this year and are right in the mix. As such is Sunday a MWG? It would be very nice and a good indicator we should be taken seriously but maybe still not quite a MWG in its entirety. I would certainly say it is a MNLG….
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LB says:
A beautifully written post RA. I enjoyed every word.
I still believe the choice of team selection against Zagreb tells us for the first time in a long time that AW is openly targeting the EPL this season. The mid-week game was not our best day at the office but I am 74% confident that we will win on Sunday.
I love the expression Dead Cat Bounce, I always wonder just how much a dead cat would bounce if it were thrown off of a very tall building.
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Oohh and by the way what strings did you have to pull to get your text centred?
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MNLG eh GB
Well I guess a dull 0-0 might keep some discerning fans happy
Count me out though 😀 -
Of course I was counting you out Micky. When I address you it is with the talk of playing 4 strikers and running out 9-6 winners 🙂
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chas says:
Cheers, RA.
A beautifully written post of epic proportions.Having read it through twice, I’m still not sure whether you are saying Wenger’s over the hill or not. 🙂
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Micky, a question. Lukaku has said he wants to play for Wenger, but what is Lukaku. Is he a Chelsea reject because he is not good enough and is slightly over-rated, or is he a Chelsea mistake that is developing nicely at Everton, but who could still explode into a worldie striker if he moves to a bigger club and is surrounded by better players?
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Did you spot the grammatical errors though Chas? That is the more important consideration.
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Anyone would think I was a feckin pedantic old tosser.
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Lukaku is shit.
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By the way, GoonerB, I replied to your question this morning at the end of yesterday’s post but just after Mr Radford called ‘NEW POST’.
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GB
Re Lukaku
I’d rather have someone more expensive obviously as we haven’t had anyone since brave sir robin
But because we have Danny Alexis and Theo who. An play thro the middle I’d be equally happy with an expensive wide man -
For those of you wanting to get on the away points bus, the Sheff Wed initial allocation of 3100 has sold out but it looks as though there will be a further allocation which may go all the way to red members.
The West Stand at Hillsborough holds 6 and a half thousand, so I can’t see why our allocation shouldn’t go up to near that amount.
25 quid a pop. -
TERRY MANCINI HAIR TRANSPLANT says:
Brilliant Redders
Only you can write with such lucidity yet tease the reader so well. I fear your command of the spoken word Redders. I have this recurring nightmare that you take me on a canoe ride down the Mississippi and as the days pass you tire of my fear of open spaces and constant demands for the nearest Premier Inn.
On the day we are accosted by the toothless Billy Joe and his unnamed friend, I am made to yelp like an animal constituted of pork and my pants are been used as a harness.
Of course you save the day by shooting Billy Joe in the nether regions, but things can longer be the same. You look at me after with a smirk that says “you deserved that”. After all, how can I put this into words without descending into vulgarity? “I want my mum. Some Red Neck has just f*ucking bummed me off”
is it possible to send me an image of your self Redders so I can make this nightmare more vivid? I would appreciate it.
As for Arsene, I would like the man to stay and lead us to glory. Whatever happens I will always respect and admire the greatest manager of our life times. I also like what our friend, Fatso Northern Ginger (Apologies for use of the word Northern) said earlier, very nice and correct words.
The Ghosts of the Thirties are Stirring
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Afternoon everyone, I’ve had grandma duties today and haven’t even seen Redders’ epic post.
Shall I bother to sort the grammatical errors or just leave them be. Wouldn’t want to upset any puritans 😉
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Thank you guys, to Chas, LB, GoonerB-A-Camel and Steve for your kind comments. Totally undeserved. 🙂
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Typical. RA ignores my compliments but highlights the others – and I was the one who published his , quite frankly, epic post.
Hippies Never Forget
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LB,
I never even thought about the text line up – I simply sat at the screen, tutting when the ‘phone kept ringing, and trying to set my thoughts out logically and to try not to miss any key areas.
The result was that the ‘phone did keep ringing, I was not as logical as I should have been, and I am sure I did miss important bits!
But it’s Friday – and you have all been nice, so that’s OK.
I clearly frightened some of the regulars off too! 🙂
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My giant, hippy Raddish friend, I did indeed thank you and Micky @ 10:26, as I thought you may have been the only ‘customers’! 😀
I might have missed Rasper and Wally – but not intentionally.
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Oh no, I missed the re-appearance of darling Terry!! 😀 😀 I cannot stop laughing at your own inimitable prose, you are unique.
I hope you enjoyed your holiday – and we will all want to know if you ‘did’ it, and with whom or what – so spill the beans! 😀
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Chas,
I have to stop teasing you, and the answer to your comment at 4:20 to GoonerB is that you are most certainly not any of those things – quite the reverse! 🙂
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And finally, Chas, your response about not knowing whether I was implying Wenger was over the hill, or not, was very much what I was hoping to achieve.
I wrote it from the point of view of A.N, Fan and did not want to cloud the sense of the article with own my biased feelings. Each to his own.
For myself, I do not want Arsene to go – only he will know when his day is done – yet I have an understanding and a sympathy for those fans who are becoming a little more frustrated every year, for whatever reason, even if that is somewhat unreasonable.
Those things that sway the views of the regular fan, are reflected a little bit in the quality of life experience – you, Ant and JC live the fan’s life style to the hilt – enjoying the totality of the game – the company, the imbibing, the travel, the supporting and every thing else that goes with it — whereas those who, because of cost, geography or age, can only support by staring at a screen or by listening to a radio, can be excused for become fixated mainly on the result – although that in itself is a wild generalisation, I suppose, as there are those on here in that position living in India, Canada and Europe who would not fall into that latter category. 😀
Enough. 🙂
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Evening all, Blimey I sound like Dixon Of Dock Green!
What a terrific post, Redders you have excelled yourself.
The answer to the conundrum is yes. That is if the conundrum was about Wenger being about to approach his sell by date.
I still cannot see him leaving before the end of his contract, so this season and next to win either the Premiership or the Champions League.
If he fails to win either his legacy will be a bit tarnished but will still warrant a statue outside the ground.
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Sometimes Hippies forget 🙂
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RA -as others have already said – epic post, congrats!
But. There is no fooking way Wenger will win EPL again or CL ever. That ain’t gonna to happen. This is not to say that any other dude would come alone and do the magic. BUT. When a new manager is approached there are negotiations and promises. I can imagine anyone but Wenger would say – yep, I can do it, but I need to buy 3 players. That is one of the beauties of having new brooms – clean sweep. -
Red Arnie says:
Brilliant post, Redders. 🙂
good time to start composing an epitaph, even if the time to use is is still far away. how far away only M.Venga knows, because only he knows most precisely what the project goal is, what the completed project should look like.
Onwards and upwards. We are getting there, improving year to year, albeit marginally. A loss to Olympiacos at home is but a minor setback along the way. 🙂
In any case, just like there is no suitable striker to bolster our ranks, where is the manager who will guide us for the next decade. We are not like the other numpties, we do not cast away our manager like soiled underwear everyday. Come to think of it, we do not do that even with our players.
Never too soon to keep an eulogy prepared, though. 🙂
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A very good and by your standards short post RA and withot a PC or lap top makes my predictions seem to pale into insignificance. 🙂
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Oh cosmic
My sleep patterns have changed, and I now land on here with only Mr Loada Hair Bloody Doom
So I suppose it’s morning Crystals then 🙂
ps don’t football talk me yet, it’s too early
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Good moanings all – well you four then – altho I think there is naughty things afoot with our Arnie out and about in the early hours! 😀
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Motning to you too Erik
Tell you what, with you being a musian and shit, I’ve talked on here before about taking up Cello. Anyway, for a couple of reasons, decided violin.
Was taking first lesson last week until bang wallop arm.What worries me is I’ve broken that section of the same arm three times now, and previously the wrist never really worked properly, now it’s giving me jip
Worried is what I am
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Oh ffs
morning to you too RA
That’s it. Anyone later than does not get morninged -
I have theory – developed after a close study of the dancing hair man, aka Crystals.
It seems to me that doom laden predictions are issued by hirsute ex-dancers, in direct relation to the shagginess of their hair.
Now, I was initially worried by this finding being densely crowned with a furry top myself, but of course I am not a dancer ex or otherwise, as any movements I make are more akin to an elephant doing the rhumba — or roombar by the old bloke on that BBC dancing show. 🙂
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Mickish,
Are you claiming that our pre-match specialist is actually a musian, viking hippo? That’s wonderfully rare — what’s a ‘musian’? 🙂
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RA
You know all that chaos theory bollocks, probability and patterns stuff.100% there is a model out there which will predict precisely Arsenals results.
Please, please, don’t reply to this with more than two words. Too early for complications 🙂
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never could spell. never did care and now typing one fingered makes me care a little bit less than nothing 🙂
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A special good morning and thanks Kelsey, for your compliment on my Post.
Unlike Micky I am happy to say g’mornin’ to anyone, no matter what, who actually read my Post — not proud, me — of course I am not a grumpy, limp wristed, cycle abuser 😀
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A model, Micky? Is she blond? Do you trust her predictions as much as we trust Crystal’s? 🙂
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Right now I only wish I was as tough as limp
Wrist or otherwise
Bit like Ollie really now I think about it 🙂 -
Have to scratch ‘musian’ from my lexicon – disappointed it is not a wonderfully rare anything – I hope you are ashamed for exciting me Micky — and you can bugger off too Randy – you are not a wonderfully rare musian, viking hippo after all! 😦
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hello micky 🙂
your arm will be ok, providing you change your wild lifestyle and age gracefully. Take some pies, a few beverages, get on a train and go to a game, irrelevant who plays
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Actually Eddie
My mate Wiff Waff Sam has a dog. Ages ago it got hit hard broadside.
He gave it a homeopathic remedy called Arnica to reduce internal bruising
Vet had never seen such a quick recovery
I eat two every two hours -
world football called for Septic to step down!!!
I will be posting some photos for you darling, give me 5 -
I really am being sensible
The seas are flat. Big tide, full moon last week. Perfect lobster catching
Anyway, said mate Sam, also lobster catching partner, has not been getting lobsters but huge prawns by the bucket loadI declined to go because of the risk of slipping on rocks
THAT is aging gracefully, and it really hurts
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Morning all,
Looking down the comments and counting 51 comments many by the same people has convinced me that supporters are not really interested in a new Manager, it seems to me that the majority of Arsenal supporters dont want change in actual fact i feel they dont even want to talk about it.Here we have a post, Superbly written, and explained, giving a good incite into Arsenal football club, Many have said a brilliant piece of writing and i agree, and it gets 51 comments.
The media fill the screens with how bad Arsene is and the papers fill pages with how we have the worst manager, how our players are rubbish and compared to other clubs we almost a disgrace. Pundits writing pages of propaganda saying how good other clubs are compared to Arsenal.
Now this post has told me just how much the Arsenal faithful are bothered by this slagging off that our manager gets, they dont want change from how i see it because they cant even be bothered to discuss it.
As we stand, we are 3 points from the top in the league, and hardly a word about how bad the other 15 16 clubs below us, how bad are those Managers and clubs doing, but the papers and media are not bothered with that news are they, how some of these clubs are not clamouring for you Anchelottis and Guad whatever his name is many Premier teams are quite happy with a regular failing manager who finish behind us every season they dont want big name wonder managers that will take them to the top of the tree. They are happy with little press and little media coverage. But they are the clubs who are regular habitual losers.
RA’s fine post has attracted little attention from millions of Arsenal supporters, in my mind that means that they must be happy being above the loser clubs, and are reasonably happy with their lot.
Sorry RA, well written and to the point but you can only take a horse to water, but if the buggers are not interested they wont drink. -
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getting old is fecking painful, trust me. Unavoidable though
Right – first photo is of my pugglet with skin condition AFTER 2 weeks of antibiotics and shit as you would say.
Second photo is taken 2 years later, same dog, same condition but treated with my honey. Spot the difference -
Oh no stop Eddie
poor fellow -
Wow
That’s amazing
Arnica is a herby thing, and the yellow black bruising colur above the elbow vanished in two days -
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really? I am going to buy it today. My builder smashed his thumb yesterday and whinges non bloody stop. Thanks for the tip!
But honey is just unbelievable. I treat every cut and scratch with it and get amazing results. It has to be my honey, obviously
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brilliant clip 🙂 🙂 Jacko is my hero
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Eddie
What’s with Manuka honey?
Mate from down under bought me a huge tub a while ago saying it cures the worlds problems. Any truth? -
remember van Per$ie getting treatment of horse placenta for a broken leg? We should have known then it was something wrong with him
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Jacko 🙂
My children say I’m him 😦 -
Steve
Those of us who think Arsne should have gone gracefully on high ages ago just don’t bang on and on and on. We say things once and get on with enjoying things. No big deal. We do lurk within however 🙂 -
don’t know about manuka, never tried it. There is another one from Turkey – Elvish honey, it costs £5k per kilo and supposedly people who eat it regularly live to be 130. Feck that, I’d rather not
Any raw honey has very strong healing properties; in Sweden they treat open wound on horses with local raw honey and have amazing results. The scientist acknowledged long ago that antibiotics no longer cope with some strains of bacteria and are looking for alternatives. Honey is the front runner to replace the nasty drugs
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do they? I knew there is a reason I love you 🙂
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Walter White, the ultimate chemist…. good morning norning crew. A truly excellent piece Redders…. you da man 🙂
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You sure know how to pick ’em 🙂
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I’ve been using Arnica for , well, a very long time. It works, as does aloe vera for burns/sunburn.
And I take Icelandic Omega 3/vit D on a daily basis.
Does it work? Seems to – I am disgustingly full of vim and vigour.
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i am not complaining, well not today
right. Septic is a midget, I didn’t know that. A dwarf throwing started, hooray, should be fun
Tomorrow – do we have any chance whatsoever??
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raddy 🙂 I have to take lots of chemicals to keep me sedated 🙂
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NB 🙂 You read through my thinly veiled sexual entendre
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As I shan’t be on tomorrow I have worked out that United’s attack is definitely a lot stronger than their defence,though de Gea is a fantastic keeper.
I won’t get into the AW debate again as you know my views,but he really does make selection clangers in the most vital of games,too often for my liking.
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Raddish 😀
It’s a grim and wet day here in provence but have to go to the bar to meet someone. Not a lot I can do about it…. must go.
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kels – so it is a bit like us minus the attacking force of Arsenal. A draw?
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I think it may well be a goal fest
Can’t wait -
“The FA cleared Mourinho of making discriminatory comments towards Carneiro, but she has fired back, saying the governing body had never asked her to testify. The FA say they did. Hmmm…”
I believe Carneiro
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Hi Steve,
Thanx, again, for your comment re the Post, but don’t read too much into the lack of comments — when I wrote a number of Posts some years ago they went down like lead ballots too.
It wasn’t just on AA, I used to write for Avenell Road, Highbury House, Bergkampesque and one or two others — same result! 😀
Now they all ask me NOT to write for them!! 🙂
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When i played football i was prescribed Tincture of Arnica for bringing out bruises, i put it on and my ankle was stained yellow but boy that bruise was out and gone by the next game absolutely brilliant stuff, does anyone remember wintergreen oils rubbed it in your legs before a game in the middle of winter, i tied it and the horse oils took a back seat.
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RA. The use of the word “conundrum” in the headline (which is seen on Newsnow) would put off many punters.
What is important is that the regular bloggers enjoy the post and we all did
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Steve. Who can ever forget the stink of wintergreen? Always reminds me of my youth.
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Well, ‘ballots’ should be ‘balloons’ but auto correct is becoming a bore, and thinks it can spell better than me – no way. 🙂
Any other such crap – I will not edit – you can work it out. 🙂
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Morning RA, don’t take any notice mate. 🙂 I remember you from way back.
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Vic Vapour rub, I can remember a game where Patric had a tub on the front of his shirt, i knew that smell from eyars ago and got a wiff of it when he ran past, Now that blokes airwaves must have been clear i know. 🙂
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Raddy i can still smell that stuff in the winter, even now 🙂
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Morning all, I see that your typing finger has recovered from its exertions Redders, I’m looking forward to your next effort.
Eddie, the FA wrote not to her but to her solicitors, they did not reply.
As she has not made a formal complaint about Mourinho’ actions the FA say they were not obliged to ask her to give evidence. She can still make a complaint. If she wants to. I hope she does.
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Gary Neville is talking some sense in the Telegraph this morning. A rare occurrence, so worth reading.
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thanks NG, so Carneiro is a bit thick, Maureen was right about her
Gary Neville always talks sense, he is the best sports commentator there. I love listening to him. I hate the other Gary Neville who was a manc footballer, but Gary Neville the TV pundit is a top geezer
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NG. Thanks, a good read
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Norfolk
Prat tell what the article is about? -
ooops pray tell
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about Arsenal.
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Oi! Micky, do want the other arm broken. 😀
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Micky, he’s basically saying that Arsenal don’t plan to cope with opponents strengths. I can see his point.
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motning, almost afternoon, all. Lovely quality mature blogging. All about the Arsenal as well. Not cats and dogs, except for the ugly snap that Evonne posted. 🙂
a brilliant post brings out rilliant reflections. what exactly are we complaining about!
Oh, I forgot, it is no longer Rant Friday! 🙂 BTW, any fun on offer in today’s footie.
For tomorrow, 70% will be about right! 🙂
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Redders. Life is tough. Ask Evonne, she knows! 😛
Probably about to get tougher for a considerable period of time. But, heh! 🙂
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Shush Arnie, wait till tomorrow before commenting on BR’s pre-match. :D.
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Norfolk. 🙂
ah, tomorrow? who knows whether I will be able to come on tomorrow. Such is life! 😦
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Team news: Koscielny, Arteta, Coquelin
Arsène Wenger has revealed the latest team news ahead of Sunday’s Premier League game against Manchester United:
on Laurent Koscielny…
Laurent Koscielny will certainly be out, he has a hamstring strain and it looks like it will be three weeks, something like that.
on Arteta and Flamini…
Both are out.
on Francis Coquelin…
Francis should be okay for Sunday, yes.
Read more at http://www.arsenal.com/news/news-archive/20151002/team-news-koscielny-arteta-coquelin#EkmDy8Wf2BmOfUwF.99
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Well if any defender gets injured we are fecked.This boy Martial is something special.
Just seen Wenger’s press conference from yesterday,god he really looked rattled, moreso than ever.
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Rattled, or irritable, or determined? Hard to say with M. Venga. All you see is the stiffness and the frown. 🙂
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Kelsey,
I think the reporter was a deliberately provocative prat.
Sir Red Nose would have banned him from press interviews for months. Mourhino would have insulted him.
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There’s a great game of rugby going on at Milton Keynes, Samoa v Japan.
0-23 to Japan.
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Agreed, Redders. 🙂 lack of respect
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Terrific game of rugby, none of the gormless kicking away of possession so prevalent in England’s game.
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and likewise the England game of football as well, which by many counts is but a diluted form of rugby. 😛
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Crickey, last time I looked Hammers were one nil up against the Oilers, now Aguero has scored five and it’s 6 – 1
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That should have been Newcastle not the Hammers.
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I think you may have that wrong NG 🙂
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Massive storm here today… floods and water everywhere. I’ve been stuck in a bar since 12h….. so I’m a bit flooded too 🙂
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Who would have ever imagined that Leicester would have become and interesting team to watch?
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Aaron says:
disagree on many levels.
Arsene and the fans have made this club what it is!
the press is useless recycled toilet paper, second grade level stuff really.
No one could have done what Arsene has with the imited funds during the move from Highbury to the Emirate Stadium.
Especially in the time when dirty money has been infused into the games without any accountability.
Make a salary cap like the NFL and watch how high Arsenal and Arsene fly with the game will come down to finding and nurturing talent, setting up teams to play exciting futbol and doing it with class.
The small minority of loudtalkers make it seem as though the sky is falling but that is such a narrow perspective. If this group ever get its way good luck in finding a coach like Fergie or Arsne again..
How is it then the Arsene guides the clubs upward and onward when all appears doomed?
He takes the long run view with his Genuis futbol mind-that’s how!! -
I would be surprised if the author of the post would disagree with a word of that Aaron.
Now Herb on the other hand……………………….lol
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this is turning out a bit of a disaster for Botland. hmmm. 😦
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Arnie
Really hoping for a Scotland come back. Need some points pronto -
Shitballs
That’s torn it 😦 -
Micky. 😛
change of tack. I have just tried to cast a spell on the Chavs now. 🙂
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Switching off rugby now
Cant stand to watch S Africa win. Tune back in to them when they get a good thrashing later in the tournament 🙂 -
Is it working Arnie?
Aguerro got 5!!!! -
no! just a bad day. good news is, tomorrow can only be better. 🙂
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Feckin Chapman – bleedin Grimsby – I bet they go on to be relegated, too.
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14 mins
Southampton have had a few set-pieces with which to deliver a telling ball into the Chelsea box but have been unable to make anything of them. Virgil van Dijk thinks he has had his shirt pulled by Branislav Ivanovic from the most recent, but the referee gives nothing.They have just shown a replay and Ivanovic wasn’t so much tugging his shirt as attempting to tear it shreds. That should have been a penalty.
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Chas
You do find the most peculiar sites 🙂
I mean, what loon spends his time doing a thing like that? -
It’s twitter, Micky.
All human life is there. -
Yeah, just touched on it, so been there
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Oh yesssssss
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Sorry, that’s Scotland not Saints
Haven’t switched off yet 🙂 -
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Hopefully they won’t be needed, but let’s get our excuses in early just in case.
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This ref is on Mourinho’s payroll, clear penalty not given and then.books a Saints player for a non-existent foul. Shameful.
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34 mins
Is that another big penalty shout for Southampton? It is you know. Sadio Mane shows neat skills to nip away from ramires, who lunges a foot in and catches the boot of the Saints forward. The referee’s hand was up. He was going to give that for a second. That is two penalty shouts (good ones as well) that Chelsea have survived.To rub salt in Mane’s wounds, he is then booked for diving in another incident. So, if that was a dive, surely the first one was too if not a penalty? I’m confused.
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Training this morning
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Who’s that?
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Look on the bright side Chas
We lose tomorrow, and you still get your crisps while on monday AA gets Round 2 of Herb v The AA Storm Troopers
We can then all sit around the ring eating wine gums and giggling as they knock seven bells out of each other, have mild strokes and seizures then get stretchered off
Everyone’s a winner. Other than the draw 🙂 -
Jeff
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Finally the twat’s booked a Chav and Saints equalise.
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Queen Adelaide?
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ha ha ha
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Above pub used to be my local in the late 1980s.
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It was worse refereeing than that, Chas. The ‘dive’ that Mane got booked for was not a dive as he was actually kicked on the toe.
Pathetic by the ref!
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There has to be an investigation into the refereeing decisions given in favour of Chavs when they play at home
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I am so tense about the England rugby game this evening that I have already sunk my booze ration for the night.
Will be three sheets to the wind by the second half 🙂
Come on S’ton
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BR
I’ve only had two beers, but fully intend to be kay-lied by 8pm, so it doesn’t matter whether we win or lose. 🙂 -
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2-1 to the Saints, yes yes yes.
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Was Falcao booked for diving?
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I really must stop cheering when teams score against Chelsea lol
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yeeeepeeeee 🙂 🙂 JT looked tearful 🙂
GiE – they are great pics, Harry asleep on Daddy’s back…..bless
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Why Peaches?
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Yes NG Falcao was booked
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It’s happening too often, I’m worried about the karma
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That should have been a second booking for Falcao. Ref bottled it again.
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Never celebrate a goal against Chelsea until the final whistle – that’s the rule.
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Ok Chas, I won’t cheer any more until after the final whistle 🙂
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Isn’t that Georgie Porgie asleep?
As they’re both blondie future Arsenal goalkeepers, it’s difficult to tell. -
How’s you, P?
Going tomorrow? -
I’m much better thanks chas and I will be going tomorrow.
Sorry just squealed yeeeeeeees 🙂
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No cheering allowed.
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Peaches you should be cheering now 1-3
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That ref will find a horse’s head in his bed tonight, no doubt.
How can he be bribed but still not fix the match in Chelsea’s favour?
Still time for two dodgy penalty decisions. -
My God some of them have pathetic hair cuts for grown ups
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Whereas you haircut is the dog’s bollox. 🙂
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* your
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Being Dutch, I bet Koeman allows them a little shmoke in the showers after this
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Big Raddy says:
😀😀😀 chas
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The Chelsea faithful are walking out. Ha ha.
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I will say it first, Mourinho out. Clueless and out of his depth. Klopp in.
Dan, Farnborough.Abramovich looked totally fed up at half time – if the game continues in the same mood what odds on Mourinho still being in charge for the next game??
Kim -
What a lovely site all the chav fans leaving early
70% thinking we’ll become City fans
The real fans, aka skinheads, don’t care cos they don’t understand the scoring system -
sight 🙄
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£8 now my haircut Ill have you know
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Right, time for the rugby.
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8 points from 8 games.Well it’s goodnight from him and goodnight from me 😉
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Couldn’t happen to a nicer bloke. Odious egomaniac
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Of course Eva was coaching the team, Jose was just a front man, a special one.
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what did Maurinho called Wenger – specialist in failure? like, a loser?
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Just got a signal – did the chavs lose?
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We failed to make our pressure count Raddy and then buckle under their pressure 😦
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Oh dear, a second try, this is not going according to the script 😦
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Rasp. We do not appear to have anything happening upfront. Almost all the game is being played in midfield or in our half.
Not looking good ATM
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I agree Raddy and we keep kicking and surrendering possession rather than running with the ball and getting it out to the wings quickly
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And too many turnovers. I think the pressure has taken it’s toll and players are making simple mistakes they would never normally make.
Shame.
Let’s hope for better in the second half
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chas says:
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Aussies have an Aguero
We don’t
Good half tho -
We’ve got 40 minutes to save out tournament
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Thanks for the clip chas, surely the FA will punish Maureen for those comments
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Gööner In Exile says:
As I am staying in Hayes we got train home with quite a few Chavs…..that was much fun listening to the debate, seems they all want Mata back and don’t understand how Maureen is treating Hazard. Some players respond to cuddles others to the rollocking, I’d say Hazard had enough of carrying the team forward.
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Rasp
Surely the FA responding is the least that you get from that clip.
Complete personality meltdown is the entertaining bit. 🙂 -
The Mourinho implosion is getting better and better.
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GIE
I can imagine your massive grin listening to them whinge. 🙂 -
Agreed chas, it’s entertaining watching him self destruct 🙂
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Me-rinho appears a little unhappy in the interview.
The Falcao “penalty” was a 50/50.
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Shame about the England game. They gave it their all and it wasn’t good enough
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Spot on Raddy
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One of the things that annoys me about rugby is that I don’t understand most of the referee’s decisions, rule-wise.
Especially decisions which result in points. -
Maybe introduce the use of video technology into rugby?
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Haha, only kidding.
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I can’t believe how bad we were, I think we committed every sin in the book. The scrum, the lineout, the rucks and the mauls everything was poor. We gave up the ball in almost every way possible.
I really thought we had a chance of winning the tournament, home advantage should have given us an edge but we blew it big time.
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Evening all, I watched both of the games tonight Southampton and Australia, both justifiable winners and won fair and square.
I listened to the interviews after the Rugby and Australia got good reports by all’. England were gallant losers, but had no answers on the night.
Mourinho was an embarrassment to sport, in his after match interview, not his fault not the players fault not his owners fault and not his medical teams fault, low and behold it turns out its the referee’s fault, because he is frightened of giving a decision.
Asked one question in his after match interview, and he didn’t stop talking for seven minutes. Did ne answer the question put or did he rattle on about everything other. Apparently this superstar team is lacking in confidence, his back room staff have no belief, he feels that should the owner doubt his Ability he can sack him, but he doesn’t want to go. Well i cant blame him for that as who else would want a loser like him.
Mourinho has turned into an habitual loser, he reminds of the Turnip head the Tinkerman the Swedehead. He has lost the plot. I blame one person and one person only and thats Abramovitch, he hired him and he should fire him.
He takes over an inherited squad, wins the league and then he starts to tinker, not knowing what he is doing he turns a league wining side into relagation fodder in a matter of half a dozen games. Abramovitch must act now and dump him. The league is not a possibility now so he has a Manager who is now hoping for a top 4 place and at this point in time would be his goal. Abramovitch surely has no other option, he is an embarrassment. Every week he brings bad publicity, He surely has to go.
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But Steve weren’t you listening? He’s the best manager there is. He said so. It’s not his fault the players have lost all confidence, nor is it his fault they are playing like second rate pub team. It’s the referees and the media who are to blame.
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Good night Gooners
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Night Norfolk, one to sleep on 🙂
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fatgingergooner says:
If that Chelsea fan put that much passion into the rest of his life he might not be such a complete t**t! Chill out fella, you won the league last year ffs!
As for Mourinho blaming the ref. What a joker. Was never a pen in my view. Falcao dived twice. First trying to win the pen, and then second when he realised the ref had given a free kick! Silly b***cks!
Either Mourinho is losing it or he was rattling on to avoid any questions. Not sure which but he answered loads of questions anyway by talking about the dressing room and his possible sacking!
I loved the fact that he said top 4 would be ok this season. I’m pretty sure that was seen as failure in his eyes not long ago!
Stupid c*nt.
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OK, so my bad spell on the Chavs worked today. another one on ManUre tomorrow. 🙂
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Papers saying that Advocaat is leaving Sunderland, Rodgers is out if Liverpool lose to Everton, and Mourinho will have to be sacked as he wont walk away from Chelsea!
They say we should get rid of Wenger. Can’t wait to join in the fun of the managerial merry-go-round….
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Morning All,
Not here to publish the PM which is in the loading bay.
Back for the game
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Southampton heros on TV, unmissable
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Chas – send me the link for feckin ell please. Someone wants to buy it for my son
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Got it ta
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Morning
Nothing on two wheels is good
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So, pies are ready, teeth brushed, mobiles charged….what time is the pickup?
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Bought some arnica yesterday, builder’s better – playing golf 🙂
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Eddie
Worst of all is he has packed his “don’t care if we lose its about supporting” cap 🙂
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and crisps
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I am so so impressed with Arnica
What other hippy shit actually works, honey we now know? -
Shit, I forgot crisps 🙂
Jermaine jenas is doing well on TV, nice young man. Was he cash ley ‘ s boyfriend? -
Devils claw. Friends dog couldn’t walk coz of arthritis; after 2 years on devils claw he was like a pup. My old German shepherd responds very well to it too, but I drunk it with her and had little improvement
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Blimey
Was Ashley a poof? Never knew that. I know half our team LOOK like poofs, but hey, you never know.
Oh well, hope he’s found happiness I suppose -
Isn’t homeopathy where you dilute something until there are no molecules left of it in solution?
Surely Arnica is a plant extract – isn’t that different?This is a genuine question.
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Yeah, it was in wiki for a day – coles’ marriage of convinience, she a convicted racist and him a queer
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JC is going.
Are you going, Eddie? -
Chas
I”ll phone you a pic in a minute
Yes a plant. My shit comes in tiny round pills. You click them out into the lid. Not allowed to touch them with your fingers. Then tip the little fellas in yer gob
Says the word homeopathicUnreal. My arm is not in plaster, cos the movement stibiliser is internal, metal and bolts, so just bandaging. Two days after arnica, colour had gone and bandage loose because swelling had reduced so much
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Micky
The homeopathic stuff I’ve seen before came in the tiny pills, too.
I assumed you were using the cream and smearing it on your bruises.
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I don’t believe you micky, need a photo. Prove it!
No chas, I’ve never been to Man game and never will, no guts. Have fun
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Morning all, I won’t be able to publish Raddy’s PM today – can someone else oblige please 🙂
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So did I, I bought arnica cream
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BR should have published it at 6:39, maybe.
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Cannabis is a plant extract… has many healing properties.
Morning all….. Aloe Vera is good stuff as well. I use that with my Charlie dog.
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Poor Tim sherwood, surely he is the first to lose his job
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The Raddish hippo shirking his responsibilties again…. bloody hippies!
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Chas
Just emailed you pic
Also phone, but that’s still sending
Stick the pic up here if easy show EddiePills are the bollocks
Wife got them in chemist opposite Ians Hair -
Yes nb, so is polish Rye vodka 🙂 my grandma used it to cure just about anything. Stomach – vodka with walnuts, headache – neat, flu – heated with egg yolks, etc…. she lived to 95
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Cosmic
Just us layabouts left and none with the power to post 🙄 -
Morning all, match day 😃
I can publish, not sure when as I’m on grandma duty but I’ll do it.
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I don’t think I can do it from my phone …….. hang on I’ll have a look
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Micky’s lickle pills
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Eddie
I can believe that…. whisky has many health benefits as well as being low in calories. I read that somewhere.
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I’m assuming I can’t publish from my phone either? 😕
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😦 photo of pills 😦 I thought it was a photo of arm
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Below is an explanation of 30c. Definitely no Arnica molecules left in your little pills, Micky.
Several potency scales are in use in homeopathy. Hahnemann created the centesimal or “C scale”, diluting a substance by a factor of 100 at each stage. The centesimal scale was favored by Hahnemann for most of his life. A 2C dilution requires a substance to be diluted to one part in one hundred, and then some of that diluted solution diluted by a further factor of one hundred. This works out to one part of the original substance in 10,000 parts of the solution.[2] A 6C dilution repeats this process six times, ending up with the original material diluted by a factor of 100−6=10−12. Higher dilutions follow the same pattern. In homeopathy, a solution that is more dilute is described as having a higher potency, and more dilute substances are considered by homeopaths to be stronger and deeper-acting.[3] The end product is often so diluted that it is indistinguishable from the dilutant (pure water, sugar or alcohol).[4][5][6]
There is too the continued flow mode of dilution that is measured on MFC.
Hahnemann advocated 30C dilutions for most purposes (that is, dilution by a factor of 1060).[7] In Hahnemann’s time it was reasonable to assume that preparations could be diluted indefinitely, as the concept of the atom or molecule as the smallest possible unit of a chemical substance was just beginning to be recognized. We now know that the greatest dilution that is reasonably likely to contain one molecule of the original substance is 12C, if starting from 1 mole of original substance. -
Everything but a bloody publish button on the phone aaarrrrggghhh
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Bloody hell, the AA management team are in a dither this morning 🙂
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Side note during these rugger times
My Wife used to have something to do with a charity that looks after Welsh Rugby Union players with broken necks/spines. All in wheel chairs and paralysed.
Send they were fucking brilliant men. Serious serious drinkers when they all went together, paid, on annual holiday to some wheely friendly hotel in Tenerife.
Said the funniest thing was how overworked the nurses were. Emptying catheter bags every five minutes as pint after pint after pint went down.
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My ex was into homeopathy.
She used to use something for a skin condition whereby there was an extremely violent burning reaction to changes in temperature i.e. when coming back indoors after a walk in the winter. It was the only thing which seemed to work.
Can’t for the life of me remember what it was called though. -
Peaches, perhaps I can help. If you e mail me Raddys post I can copy it, then paste it as a post on my blog. All you have to do then is click ‘Reblog’ on my blog and it will appear here as a post. Does that make sense???
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Thanks for the offer NB, all sorted now.
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Scratch that last comment Peaches, I don’t seem to have the ‘reblog’ button on my site anymore.
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Well done chas. Epic pic
Arsenal News 24/7
arsenalarsenal.net 
The Arsene Wenger Conundrum:
Sometimes the unpalatable needs to be acknowledged and faced, to the despair of some and the delight of others – but faced it must be.
All fans live in the here and now, that’s life as we know it, and we tend to think we are the only ones in history to experience tremendous football highs and also the corresponding dispiriting lows – but that is not the case is it?
Our parents and their parents and so on, back into the dim and distant past no doubt also ran the gamut of life’s ups and downs, and saw unpleasantness between the feuding doubters and the believers back in their era. So we are not too different.
Why am I pointing out the bleeding obvious?
Well it is because it seems to be readily forgotten that modern day professional football managers are not immune to this irrefutable law of life, and are subject to its intense stresses and strains, however well remunerated they might be, and so it has been from the mid-nineteenth century when football first became organised.
In other words, there comes a time in all our lives, and specifically in the career of every football manager’s life, however humble or exalted he/she maybe, when his problem becomes the team’s problem and, by the nature of these things, also the fans problem, as a consequence.
In essence, at some point in his career, the manager can become the problem and not the solution.
There is a clear cycle to the careers of all managers.
Initially the appointment of a new manager leads to the dead cat bounce of instant improvements in the results of the club, and the appointment soon proves popular with the fans, and things look up for the club— the manager is acclaimed for the personnel changes he makes; things go well; results are satisfactory; the club starts to look a good contender for the higher echelons of the league; attendances rise in proportion to the success; there is a feel good factor for the fans; and progress is tangible.
Who knows, maybe there are honours that will be won; a title will become a possibility; a nice Cup win or two, maybe, and everyone will be deliriously happy! What could go wrong, baby?
But there will come a time when, insidiously, things start to wobble, hiccups occur and dissatisfaction begins to creep in when the expected, nay demanded, progress stalls.
The causes can be manifold – maybe an important player, or two, leaves to pursue wealth and trophies elsewhere. Maybe there are too many injuries for the team to cope with. Maybe the club still cannot compete financially, despite raising their commercial game.
Possibly behind the scenes there are secret disagreements between the manager and the board. Maybe the players begin to ‘cock a deaf un’ to coaching instructions they once heard loud and clear. Maybe they become too casual, lack discipline, or become too arrogant? Who knows? – maybe all of these, or just some – but once started the rot is there and hard to eradicate.
Eventually, the recognition by the board, and the fans, is that the stardust, the magic, has gone and that things have become the same old, same old, and the slippery slope leads in an overwhelmingly irresistible downwards spiral to the inevitable conclusion.
Bye! See ya!
This process is compounded, inevitably, by some managers being limited in that they find it hard to maintain success, and their shelf life, or sell by date, whatever, is only possible for two or three years, at most, and then they are gone – to spend more time with their families, or to milk another club, who have more money than sense, and who think they can revive their fortunes with a new man at the helm.
And then? …. Then there is Arsene!
This paragon – This dedicated, wonderful Arsenal manager who clearly loves the role more than his own marriage, it seems. What of him?
The glorious early years of ‘Arsene Who?’ as he was first known, majestically set the template for the Arse and all the other clubs in the Premiership with his critically successful years covering the end of the old century and the beginning of the new, with a Double here and a Double there, and the occasional Cup trophy thrown in for good measure, and all that made possible by an intense and special relationship with his players based on mutual loyalty and continued ‘Invincible’ achievements. [OK, I admit it – a little poetic licence there!]
This relationship somehow survived the deep lying strains placed upon it by the emotional and stressful move from the much loved Highbury to the, as yet, so-so Emirates Stadium, and the outside pressures of ‘no-where’ clubs suddenly coming back to life with the injection of astounding monetary investments hurled them to unexpected trophy success.
Bastards!This incredible relationship between manager, club, team and fans, has been nurtured by the sometimes reluctant recognition that Wenger has laboured under self imposed, severe financial restrictions for many years compared with the other top clubs, and yet … and yet …
It has been universally recognised that, despite those restrictions, and despite the vast financial advantages of Arsenal’s rivals, Wenger brilliantly and adroitly has kept the Gunners in the mix, fighting the seemingly impossible fight for annual CL qualification and enabling the team to punch well above their weight for the Premiership title and CL qualification throughout those seemingly sterile years.
Without him things could have turned out very differently, and Arsenal could, for example, have had the woeful plodding undistinguished, dis-spiriting history that has befallen our neighbours, Tottering Hotspurs, over the past two decades and shown the Cockerel lovers for what they are — that they do indeed behave like vainglorious cocks of the walk.
Instead it is Arsenal who have remained the real footballing powerhouse in North London, famous worldwide for the wonderful, free-flowing football that all fans of the beautiful game love.
But —- and this pains me to say — have many fans now decided that the time has come, at last, for the Arsenal family as a whole to face head on what they see as the truth that Arsene is in the process, after all these years, of slowly, slowly declining and becoming himself the problem and not the solver of problems as far as the lack of advancement of the Arsenal project is concerned?
For how many seasons have many of the more vocal fans lamented Arsenal’s failure to mount a prolonged and successful challenge for the EPL title, or ever more disappointingly failed to get past the group stages of the CL, by losing to supposedly weaker teams?
Over the past two years the unrest has subsided to a degree with the protests becoming less vitriolic, as we have seen the increase in the money available to the club for transfers enabling all fans to live in hope that a ‘great’ player will be purchased to take us on to greater glory.
Sadly the (2 : 3) loss to Olympiacos recently, coupled with the lack of spending in the transfer window last summer, with seemingly adverse effects in key areas, deemed to be weak, are symptomatic of the fans newly awakened frustration and anger with the manager.
On the other side of the coin, many of us do not want to consider the possibility that we are in the end game of Arsene’s incredible Arsenal career, because we know how much we owe this fantastic manager.
We also know that all the other clubs in the Premier League owe him thanks for revolutionising the training regimes and the diet regimes and the life style regimes of the modern player, that are now de rigueur.
Let’s face it, the man built the modern Arsenal. He is, without doubt, one of the greatest figures ever seen in the game in this country.
And yet, — and yet — there is a malaise gripping Arsenal and its fans — there are some world class players in the first team squad, and we are brimming with superb young talent coming through the enhanced youth system, and yet – and yet —-many fans look at the poor CL games which seem to be re-runs of the poor CL games seen last season, and the season before that, and wonder.
As regards the Premier League, very few fans are now surprised when we are beaten by ‘lesser’ teams, and look, somehow, just as hopeless in certain areas of the team as we have ever done.
It is claimed by many pundits, including ex-Arsenal players, that we need a new super-duper centre-forward in order to progress, and so too by the fans, as well as by Arsene himself who has admitted as much, before adding the addendum, ‘there is no one available to sign’ which is sometimes taken as code for ‘he is too expensive’. Or is that just becoming folklore?
Over the years we have come within an inch of attaining trophies, while just needing one or two more top, top players to clinch them, only to see that another top, top player we already had has been sold instead, and that became yet another problem to fix before we could achieve the craved for success.
One step forward, and two back, on a regular basis – it seems to some.
That feeling of magic, that symbolised the early Wenger years, of constant progress onward and upward, has now, in the eyes of some, sadly flickered and almost gone out.
The magic seems to have been replaced, instead, by a reluctant acceptance, possibly even by those of us who love and respect Arsene, and who admire his great achievements, and for what he once brought to the club, and also into our lives as devoted Gooners, but not necessarily for what he may yet still achieve, as hope begins to flutter and fade.
It seems that a majority of red blooded Arsenal fans, perhaps with an element of personal guilt involved, think that this dying of the Arsene magic is the reality, and many long for a managerial change, despite not wanting to openly say so, because everyone wishes it could be otherwise.
All of us have our time in the sun, but, deep down, all of us also know that we eventually have to accept that our day is done because of our declining physical and mental strength and need to face up to life’s changes, and say a fond farewell to our friends, our colleagues and our jobs, and sashay quietly into the sunset.
I hope Arsene, a man I revere for what he has done for us — manages to climb the last summit and wins the Premier League and also wins the Champions League before his personal day is done.
That is the Arsene conundrum — will he stay to prove his doubters wrong, or will they get their way and see off a great man.
Be careful what you wish for — a truly great manager like Arsene comes around but once in a lifetime!
Written by RA