Bubbles, Bilic and Betrayal

April 5, 2017

In recent fixtures West Ham Bob has written the pre-match for this London derby, giving us a view on things Hammery, sadly he is otherwise engaged so you will have to ….

My early recollections of WHU are not good and perhaps influenced my attitude towards our East London neighbours.

In the Days of Black and White, when Spurs had recently won the League, I was a North Bank regular. Every week there was violent competition to “take” the home end at away grounds. At WHU it was the Chicken Run, at Chelsea , the Shed etc etc and at Arsenal away fans tried to “take” the North Bank.

Being a peace-loving long-haired hippy, this violence was not particularly attractive and on Derby Days i would leave my regular spot (towards the back, left side of the goal) and go down the front with the other gentle folk.

The Hammers came to Highbury with fans dressed to kill (literally), a Young Hammer standing by me, pulled out a knife and moved towards me, thankfully an older lady pushed in front of me and told him to desist (in somewhat different language), and called the police to remove the future assassin. He was frog-marched out much to the delight and derision of the North Bank, but I was mentally scarred and have disliked WHU ever since.

The violence both inside and outside Highbury in those Dark Days was terrible to behold – the vitriol shown in yesterday’s post was nothing compared to those days.

Onto tonight’s game: Bilic seems a decent chap and wants to play good passing football in the Academy fashion, sadly he is let down by his players. The Payet saga was awful to watch, imagine how it would have been as a Hammer, to see a man turn from hero to hate figure in less than a season was yet another indication of how morally bankrupt some players are.The WHU fans joy at the removal of Fat Sam is starting to fade as they struggle to get results. What impact will this have on tonight? They will PTB, play hoofball and be dangerous at set plays. The midfield will become a battlefield with  the usual rotational fouling. Andy Carroll.

We have to fight in a different way, move the ball quickly, avoid the physical threat, play smart. Unfortunately we seem to have forgotten how.

I would start with the same team as Sunday, perhaps giving Iwobi or Ox a start as we lacked creativity and urgency vs MC.

My Team:

Ospina

Bellerin      BFG    Mustafi     Monreal

Ox      Xhaka     Ozil

Walcott      Giroud     Sanchez

Giroud adds heights at set plays, especially in defence. Welbeck may be best off the bench. Given Coquelin’s fine performance it may be harsh to drop him, especially in what will be a physical game, but Ox offers more.

BFG? I don’t understand why he is not getting games. Club captain, a fine, experienced player especially at set plays which seem to be both a  major weakness and WHU’s main attacking weapon. Mertesacker has not had games in the youth teams like Welbeck etc. Why not? Mr Wenger says he is fit and in the squad but needs game-time. Tonight may well be a opportunity to give him that.

A clean sheet seems to be beyond us this season, so goals for are essential, WHU have more points playing away from home. Arsenal are struggling for fluency and confidence. Should be a good night.

We need 3 points and have the team to take them.

Let it be So

written by Big Raddy

 

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Posted by Erik the Red

Opposing views about Arsene Wenger erupt in violence

April 4, 2017

I’ve been watching in dismay videos of fights between various factions of Arsenal supporters both during and after the Manchester City game. I guess it was only a matter of time before the different groups clashed but as a long time supporter I found it to be very sad. It’s a long time since I attended games on a regular basis but when I did I never witnessed a fight between Arsenal fans – that was always reserved for the opposition and not our own.

The fight in the stand appeared to be between those that had hung up a pro Wenger sign and those that felt it did not support their opinion. Outside the ground it was near the guy holding Arsenal Fan TV interviews and again it was between those with opposing views on Arsene.

https://twitter.com/ArseneFC1996/status/848659641198366720

Those involved appeared to be in their twenties and thirties and their main comparison would obviously be Arsene’s early years when we winning on a consistent basis. The feeling is shared by people in all age groups but hopefully the older generations would only verbalize their thoughts and not resort to violence.

My opinion is that both sides of those involved in the fights should be identified and banned for life from attending any Arsenal games.

I have several questions that I would like to some opinions on.

  1. Is it mainly the younger fans that would resort to violence?
  2. Is a lifetime ban appropriate?
  3. Do the Arsenal Fan TV post game interviews stir up emotions unnecessarily?
  4. When should Arsene announce the decision on his future?
  5. Should Arsenal ban the use of signage in the ground?
  6. Is fighting amongst Arsenal fans commonplace?

Written by GunnerN5

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Posted by Jeremy Bongo

Sanchez or Aguero?

April 2, 2017

It is difficult to emphasise how important this afternoon is, for the club and the fans.

For the players, it is just another game and should they lose this and all the games to season’s end, they will still be millionaires and be in demand throughout the world. There is the rub.

Unknown.jpeg

In my youth Man City were my second team, Colin Bell, Mike Summerbee, Franny Lee etc were exciting to watch and won the title; the current MC team remind me of that fine team. Capable of wonderful flowing football but also able to grind out a result. And like that old team they have a colourful manager, though Malcolm Allison was more of a nutter than Guardiola!

Would you say that City are doing worse than us this season? I think so. They have spent hundreds of millions and brought in the most lauded manager in world football. Have they more chance of winning the title or the CL than us? Massive under-achievement for the investment.

Player for player I would say that we are not far apart. I wish we had bought De Bruyne but understand why we didn’t, given his absence this afternoon the player we have to marshal is the wonderful David Silva. I love the way this man plays. Close him out and we will win (make that Silva, Sterling and Aguero!)

Who would you prefer leading the line for Arsenal, Sanchez or Aguero? Both marvellously talented, hard workers. When I was young the idea that players of this standard would play in England was mind-boggling. Imagine Pele or Maradonna playing in the PL. Today we accept it as normal.

Arsenal: Where to start? We were just rubbish at WBA, yet are likely to start almost the same team. Hopefully Sanchez will play through the middle and change position with Welbeck. Our problems at set pieces are alarming but fairly easily solved (practice, concentration and application), and the defence will prefer the pace of MC’s attack.

Our Team:

Ospina

Bellerin    Mustafi     Koscielny     Monreal

Ox    Xhaka     Coquelin

Walcott    Sanchez     Welbeck

Ramsey or Coquelin? Sorry Aaron, you have struggled this season and we need the security of Coquelin with the threat of Silva.

The fans? It is so important  they back the side even if they struggle, it will be horrible to hear (or not) the Emirates return to the vitriol of recent times.

If we can score early I think we can win.

Can our boys halt the downward spiral of recent weeks? Let us hope so.

COYRRG

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Posted by Erik the Red

Arsenal News or Lack of.

March 31, 2017

I write posts, a lot of them. Well over 500 in the AA years since 2010 (?). Yet here I sit, staring at my keyboard completely bereft of ideas for a post. Why? Because of the Interlull.

It is crap. International games have become meaningless as most of our players play for countries which invariably qualify top of their Euro/World Cup groups. Quite frankly, we do not care about watching England struggle against Lithustania.

Other players are involved in long-distance travel to S. America or Africa, expend huge energy in travel, training and playing time, then return to AFC (their wage payers) Kerry Packered or injured.

My suggestion is that for the top National teams they stop qualification tournaments which are dull and only exist to make money for already rich Associations. The big tournaments should be seeded.

Right, enough of that train of thought ….

Bored with “will he stay or should he stay”

Bored with “will they sign a contract extension”.

Bored with discussions about Silent Stan and his cohorts ideas for the future of the club.

So what to write about?

I could , of course, pre-empt my pre-match and start the ball rolling on a discussion about our huge game on Sunday, but what of tradition? We have still three days to go and what do we discuss tomorrow and Sunday morning?

I could express my dislike of small dogs, plimsolls, coloured Doctor Martins, and my love of sliders and ladies with “abundance”, but we have done that, haven’t we, and at least the posts should be football related.

Or we could not have a post at all. In my opinion the site would die if we only post a couple of times a week and I would hate that to happen.

So … I remain blank. Perhaps you have an idea?

written by Big Raddy

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Posted by Erik the Red

How rare is it to win a League Championship?

March 27, 2017

The first Football League Championship played was in 1888/89 when Preston North End was crowned as champions. They were also winners of the FA Cup beating Wolverhampton Wanderers 3-0 in the final therefore becoming the very first winners of the League and Cup double.

Final 1888/89 League Table:

Since that time there have been one hundred and seventeen league championships encompassing both the old League Division 1 and the Premier League. How rare is a championship victory – well incredibly enough since the formation of the league in 1888 only twenty four different teams have tasted the sweetness of victory. Five of those teams have dominated winning sixty seven championships or 57.3 % of the time.

Over the years approximately one hundred and fifty different teams have competed for the League Championship with just ten of those teams winning ninety trophies or 76.9% of the time.

During the twenty first century a mere five teams have been crowned as champions. The data shows that it’s a very rare occurrence to win the championship and that double digit winners are even rarer – only three in football league history. Since the inception of the Premier League only six different teams have raised the trophy out of the forty seven teams who have competed for the championship.

Among the all time Championship winners Arsenal is placed third and is in the elite group of double digit winners.

All time League Championship Table.

Only five teams in the current Premier League have won a title in either the PL or the old Div 1 in the past twenty seven seasons and one hundred and twenty six other teams have tried and failed to win either league.

Written by GunnerN5

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Posted by Jeremy Bongo

The Case for the Defence

March 24, 2017

In the last 6 games our defence has conceded 18 goals (excluding the FAC where we played non-league clubs).

Why?

Unknown.jpeg

 

 

Individually our defence looks very good. Cech, Bellerin, Mustafi, Kos and Monreal are all quality defenders. Ospina, Gabriel, Holding, Gibbs are sine replacements. In front of them Coq, Xhaka and Ramsey are a decent shield (or should be), so how is it possible that in 6 games we have conceded more than a George Graham team would concede in an entire season?

Is it the zonal marking at set plays? Or the tactical commitment to attack? The need to entertain rather than contain? Or is it the defensive coaching? ( in which came you can tell Steve Bould because I am not brave enough).

Whatever the reason Arsenal cannot continue in this manner if progress is to be made.

So what is the solution?

BFG playing against teams that use set plays as the main attacking weapon?  Xhaka, Elneny and Coquelin playing across the middle with instruction to always have two of them shielding the back 4? A new defensive coach? Better defenders?

What do you think?

written by Big Raddy

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Posted by Erik the Red

A successful season? You decide ………………

March 20, 2017

What would success look like for you by the end of the season given the current situation?

We are in trouble, we haven’t lost 4 out of 5 consecutive Premiership games in the Wenger era until now.

Is there anything that you feel can happen in the next few weeks to improve the mood.

Questions from RC78

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Posted by peachesgÖÖner

WBA Preview.

March 18, 2017

At last a PL game, no more of that fancy pants Cup football with silly score lines, just good old fashioned League action, and to cap it all we are going to the Midlands, the epicentre of dull.

Unknown.jpeg

Think Stoke, B’ham. Villa, Wolves , Walsall and WBA.  Think Pulis.

WBA were a top club who were amongst the first to promote black players – Cyril Regis, Brendan Batson and Laurie Cunningham, all of whom played under Big Ron Atkinson. Today WBA are doing well, in fact they are only 7 points behind us!

And, Mr Wenger has won just one of seven away games vs Mr Pulis. Which by anyone’s standards is pretty p*** poor. Last season we lost 2-1 at the Hawthorns.

Referee: Neil Swarbrick, (not the leader of the magnificent folk combo Fairport Convention) averages 4 cards a game – I think we know which midfielder will be adding to his abominable record of a red and 5 yellows in his last 6 games.

My Team:

Cech

Bellerin    Mustafi    Koscielny    Monreal

Ramsey     Xhaka   Iwobi

Walcott    Sanchez    Ozil

This could be a little too attack-minded for a game which will be a battle and perhaps Coquelin will start ahead of either Ramsey or Iwobi.

Another concern is the lack of height in the team as WBA score a huge percentage of their goals from set pieces, perhaps we should give the BFG a start in place of Mustafi who has not looked so brilliant in recent weeks, perhaps he needs a break. Given the height issue we could see Giroud, though I expect the FFP to come on for the last 20 minutes, he has a good record against the Baggies.

If we win (big if) our two games in hand over Liverpool we go back into the Top 4. WeMr Wenger says we cannot afford to drop any points (that’s why he earns the Big Bucks :-D)

 

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Posted by Erik the Red

No to a celebrity Manager at Arsenal

March 17, 2017

 

Let me have a stab in the dark here. There will be cries, or more probably crying, for a Manager who still has a team in the Champions League, after all, you can only be a winner in the here and now. It’s the nature of short termism, but hang on, things get worse.

I smell something fishy. Well, to be more precise, the pong of John Paul Gautier’s “Homme”, or whatever his latest odour is called. It’s the whiff of the ponce.

We live in the Era of the Celebrity, and to fit the bill, even a football manager must have the necessary accoutrements, for increasingly he is becoming a fashion accessory. Take a gander at the new breed, the in-set, and it must be more than coincidence they share the same stylist as well as perfumer.

Klopp, Jose, Pep and Conte. It’s all about the hair, the teeth, the slim fit suit, tight continental underwear and designer stubble. What a bunch of complete ponces.

Oh, and what about all the touchline hysteria. The “Ooooo look how much I care”. Oh shut up and stick your passion up your arse. We don’t care. We bleed our club, not you. Grow up.

Honestly, all that leaping up and down, over animated pre-school level play acting, tearing around the touchline waving yer little handbag in the air like an over excited little girl, hugging everyone. It’s pathetic.

Recently I’ve watched a few games involving the aforementioned “look at me, look at me, look at me” managers, and they all make me sick. Big girls’ blouses the lot of you. I wouldn’t have your sort within 100 miles of The Arsenal.

We’re somewhat more reserved than that at Arsenal. You know, keep it zipped up rather than leaving it all hanging out. Your type are for the needy selfie generation.

I sincerely hope that Arsenal recognize the need for style and dignity as and when appointing the new face of our club.

 

 

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Posted by Erik the Red

Footballs First Super Star

March 16, 2017

The Right Honourable Arthur Fitzgerald Kinnaird

(16 February 1847 – 30 January 1923)

 

Arthur Fitzgerald Kinnaird was educated at Eton and Trinity College he graduated in 1869 and went to work in the family bank which after a later merger became Barclay’s Bank and he remained a director of Barclay’s until his death in 1923.

His football career began at Cheam School; he was captain of the school team in 1959 at twelve years of age. He played in the second FA Cup Final where he led The Wanderers to victory in the 1873 final, scoring the second and winning goal. The Sporting life reported that The Wanderers victory over Oxford University was “in great measure due to the extremely brilliant play of their captain”. There was a morning kick off to at Lille Bridge as it was near the river Thames and would allow the players to watch the Boat Race later in theday.  Kinnaird went on to play in eight more finals winning a further four. In the 1877 final against Oxford University he became the very first player to score an own goal.

He also played for Scotland in only the second ever international which took place in 1873 at the Oval; he was born in London but was able to play for Scotland due to his family’s heritage – it was to be his only cap.

This is how the teams were listed:

England:
Alexander Morten (Crystal Palace, captain), black cap and brown stockings
Alexander George Bonsor (Wanderers), light blue and red cap
Charles John Chenery (Crystal Palace), blue and black cap, blue knickerbockers, blue stockings
William Edwin Clegg (Sheffield), blue cap
Alfred George Goodwyn (Royal Engineers), yellow blue and black stockings and cap
Ernest Harwood Greenhalgh (Nottingham), red white and blue cap
Hubert Heron (Uxbridge), blue stockings, blue cap with yellow crest
Leonard Sidgwick Howell (Old Wykehamists), cerise cap
Captain William Slaney Kenyon-Slaney (Household Brigade), red gold and black cap
Robert Walpole Sealy Vidal (Oxford University), white knickerbockers, dark stockings
Pelham George von Donop (Royal Engineers), red and blue stockings and cap.

Scotland:
Robert Gardner (Queen’s Park, captain), light blue cap
John Edward Blackburn (Royal Engineers), scarlet and blue fez
William Gibb (Clydesdale), black cap with magenta stripes
William Ker (Queen’s Park), no cap
Arthur Fitzgerald Kinnaird (Wanderers), blue and white cap
William Muir Mackinnon (Queen’s Park), blue and scarlet cowl
Henry Waugh Renny-Tailyour (Royal Engineers), blue and black cap, yellow tassel
Robert Smith (South Norwood), black cap
Joseph Taylor (Queen’s Park), white cap blue stars
James John Thomson (Queen’s Park), blue with white stars
David Wotherspoon (Queen’s Park), scarlet cowl.

According to Charles Alcock in the Football Annual of 1873 he was without exception the best player of the day; capable of taking any place on the field; is very fast and never loses sight of the ball; an excellent captain. He had a full auburn beard and was known as a fearless competitor with a huge love of football and life.

He won football Honours with The Wanderers – FA Cup winners: 1873, 1877, 1878; and with the Old Etonians – FA Cup winners: 1879, 1882. He was also on the losing side in the FA Cup final in: 1875, 1876, 1881, 1883

Being an all round sportsman he also excelled in other sports becoming a champion in swimming, tennis and international canoeing.

He was made an FA committeeman in 1868; became treasurer in 1877 and president of the FA from 1890 until his death in 1923.

GunnerN5

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Posted by Jeremy Bongo

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