Another Seven Years without a Trophy?

May 3, 2012

How to be a happy Gooner, despite not winning any silverware for seven years and counting!

About twenty years ago, I read for the first time, the well-known ‘Management’ bestseller ‘Seven habits of highly effective people’ by Stephen Covey. The one bit I still remember clearly from Covey’s book is ‘Habit two’: ‘Begin with the end in mind’. He asks his readers to imagine their own funeral: who they would like to attend and what they would like the key people in their life – partner, son/daughter, best friend and best colleague/boss, etc – to say about them. Once readers have envisaged what these dear-to-them-people ideally should say at their funeral, Covey instructs his readers to turn the content of these imaginary speeches into their personal, lifelong objectives.

For a long time, I thought this was very powerful, until I spoke about this to a good friend of mine, who had an instant and very potent response: ‘what really matters is what you think about yourself’. And she was right, of course.

By now, you will be asking: but what has this got to do with football, with Arsenal, for heaven’s sake! Well, I would like you to think for a moment about what really matters with regards to your and my beloved Arsenal.

Let’s return to Covey’s slightly macabre idea of envisaging your own funeral, but this time, to the period just before your future death (hopefully very, very far away!).

You have some time left, and are not in too much pain and still very lucid by brain, so there is time to reflect on your life, and even some time to reminisce about Arsenal. Your lifelong, best Gooner mate is with you as well.

What will be your finest memories about Arsenal? What will you choose to talk about with your mate? And what will you choose to watch again?

One thing I am pretty sure about is, you will not be looking very long at statistics of how many cups we have won in our history, or even during the time you were alive, or where we are positioned in the all time league of best clubs in the UK and Europe. I am also pretty sure that you will not be looking very long, if at all, at a picture of the Arsenal trophy cabinet, however impressive it is.

As time is of the essence, you will want to make sure you’ll use it well and talk about YOUR memories, YOUR experiences that really matter, and not about objects, or facts and figures.

And there are plenty of good memories for us Gooners!

I am sure, come that time, we will be talking about the best cup final games and key title-clinching matches, but also about individual performances of sheer brilliance, about some of the best footballers that have played at Highbury and Ashburton Grove. There will also be fond memories about certain matches, which by themselves might not have led to winning silverware, but were simply a joy to experience. On top of all of that, there will be the many wonderful personal memories, often of an insignificant nature to most other Gooners.

Although I am pretty sure other periods will generate more fond memories, the recent trophy-less period of 2005-2012 will still play a key part during the final review of our time supporting Arsenal.

I bet, our home-win against Barcelona, and in particular the goals by RvP and Arshavin last season, will always remain engraved in our brains. The same goes for Fabregas’ goal, Arsenal’s second, against Milan in 2008, and Arsenal’s heroic performance with 10 men against Barcelona, in the CL final of 2006, and in particular Sol Campbell’s bullet header. And what about RvP’s phenomenal record goal scoring year in 2011, and the 2011-2012 season – epitomised by his wonder goals against Everton (home) and Liverpool (away)? And there is plenty more for us to reminisce about of from this trophy-less era!

It is also the period in which we moved to our new, 60,000+ capacity stadium, back in 2006, and in which we played some of the best ever football to have been played on UK soil. And yet, we did not win any silverware.

In the end, it is experiences and memories that matter most because objects cannot compete with experiences! It is those memories of experiences that are really important, not the number of trophies we have won. Of course, the very best memories are created by phenomenal football that leads to winning trophies, but the latter is not a necessity for us to enjoy our football. And the really good thing is that Arsenal has achieved that too, and more than once!

We don’t need to listen to the press, rival fans and, unfortunately, fellow Gooners and teasing partners, about not having won any silverware recently. What others say and think is not important, what is important is to remember the beauty and joy from the games Arsenal have played recently, because that’s what really matters in the end – that’s what we will remember more than anything else long term.

We should also not get stressed too much about winning something in the near future. Arsenal should aim for winning as much as possible, and use its resources as clever and efficient as possible to achieve this. But it might not work out, as there are – luckily, to a certain extent – no guarantees in football. Seven lean years might not be followed by seven fat ones, but seven more lean years instead.

I personally believe the ‘fat years’ are around the corner, as Arsenal has all the basics in place for a period of prolonged success, despite the enormous competition we are facing as a result of the cash-for-cups oil barons littering the football horizon.

But whatever happens, it will still be the mighty Arsenal, playing in a World-class stadium, playing World-class football, under the guidance of a World-class manager, who is the most loyal to playing the beautiful game of all managers. On the way, Arsenal will be creating many more immortal footie experiences and memories. Hopefully, it will lead to us winning silverware again, but if it doesn’t, it really is not the end of the world.

But why wait till the very last days of our lives to realise this? Let’s take a deep breath and realise how good it is to be a Gooner, right now, right here.

Well, at least that’s what I will be trying to tell myself, next time I feel a mini-bout of melancholy coming over me, when realising again we have not won anything for seven years and counting.

TotalArsenal.

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Posted by peachesgÖÖner

Arsenal – testing your loyalty

April 7, 2012

I’m hoping the long gap between games isn’t causing the players to lose focus as badly as it has me – although it is a concern after our last performance!

This is just a bit of interactive fun to fill the time before we take on city tomorrow.

One object of the exercise is to test whether your loyalty to Arsenal might just possibly cloud your judgement in matters concerning by far the greatest team the world has ever seen……..

Try to answer the following questions honestly. It may be that your choices would be the same either way – but I doubt it.

So are you a dyed in the wool Arsenal supporter (in which case you lied in some answers) or are you one of the new breed of fan who prefers to stay seated, doesn’t sing and thinks the ref is a jolly good chap 😕

Feel free to debate the questions and your choices in Comments, or maybe you can suggest similar questions that could have had you battling with your Arsenal conscience.

Written by Rasp

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Posted by Rasp

The Spaniard Who Finally Found ‘The Home of Good Football’

April 3, 2012

Mikel Arteta is gradually winning over more and more Gooners as one of their favourite, if not THE favourite, Gunner(s) in the current squad. There is something about Arteta that appeals to most, if not all of us: something that we can easily associate with as supporters of Arsenal. It is difficult to describe what this is in just a few words. The best I can do, is describe him as somebody who plays football as every single fan would like to do: with full conviction and desire to make the very best out of the special chance he has been given.

Arteta is the total professional who always gives everything and enjoys what he does to the maximum. In a way, he is confirming to us – through his career until now and the way he has established himself at Arsenal – that we, as in you and I, can indeed achieve what we want, by working hard and being focussed and enthusiastic about what we do. Arteta is not the most talented midfielder that has ever worn an Arsenal shirt, but he is brilliant at getting the very best out of himself, at maximizing his potential, and I believe that for the very same reason, the likes of Ray Parlour, Gilberto, and Flamini (at least until he left) were loved by many of us too. There is simply something very appealing about these sort of players.

Here is a man, who joined Barcalona at the tender age of 15, where he played alongside the likes of Iniesta and Xavi, but he did not manage to break into the first team, and a two year loan spell followed at Paris St Germain. It must have been hard for him to come so close to playing at the highest level, only to lose out against a number of midfielders of the highest possible standard in Spanish football history.

In 2002, he joined Glasgow Rangers because he wanted to toughen-up and there he established himself as a regular, scoring 14 goals in 68 games over two seasons. Then he returned to the Basque Country, the area where he grew up – to play for his boyhood team: Real Sociedad. But, once again, it did not work out for him in Spain and after only a year he returned to England in 2005, where he joined David Moyes’ Everton for the bargain price of £2m. Under the wings of Moyes, he developed into a fine player and he established himself as a successful attacking midfielder with 35 goals and 41 assists in 209 games, between 2005 and 2011.

Here is a man, who chose to come to Arsenal: The Home Of Football, because of the football that we play and who, apparently, took a pay-cut and was willing to fight for his spot in a strong Arsenal midfield. When he was asked, back in September, what he thought of Wenger, he said:

‘The most important thing is he wants to play good football and then win, and I like that’.

That sequence is important: first play good football and then win – he is driven by football itself, as an art, a treat (the latter being an anagram of his name!).

In an age where some footballers refuge to warm up, fight over who should take a free-kick, conspire against their manager, are almost entirely driven by earning as much as they can put their hands on, and show little or no loyalty to their current clubs, it is just great to hear that Arteta joined Arsenal because he had a longing, a homesickness if you want, to play good football. He had a first taste of good football at Barcelona in the early years of his career, and this taste created a longing that has never gone away.

At Everton, he was loved by the fans and did not have to worry about money or competition, but it was his personal ambition to get the very best out of himself and play football the way it should be played, that made him jump at the opportunity Arsène Wenger offered to him last summer.

His new challenge at Arsenal could not have been much bigger. Inevitably, comparisons were drawn between him – the newly arrived Spaniard – and the last summer departed, genial Spanish maestro, who had us play football of such breathtaking beauty. Fabregas had a strong longing – some called it homesickness – to return to his boyhood club Barcelona, and there is no doubt he left a gap behind. It did not take long for us to see our initial thoughts confirmed: Arteta is not a like-for-like, in terms of quality, replacement for Fabregas. In our current 4-3-3 formation, Arteta is not playing in the advanced midfield position as most of us had expected. Especially with the long term injury to JW, this seemed the most likely position for him.

Arteta has occupied Wilshere’s position last season, instead: the one next to Song as ‘the second DM’, and he has been a revelation. The partnership between him and Song has developed into something special, and the longer they will play together the better it will become. Arteta has shown us defensive qualities that many of us did not think he possessed.

He tidies up in front of the defensive and in midfield tirelessly, and links defence with attack seamlessly. His passing is incredibly accurate and efficient and his ball winning skills are very impressive too. Some have called him the ‘engine room’ (Ade David on AA recently) or the ‘perfect anchor’ (Rasp on AA yesterday), and these names sum up perfectly what most of us think of Arteta’s contributions to our team.

Personally, he reminds me more and more of one my all-time favourite Dutch players: Edgar Davids (such a shame he decided to play for the Spuds at the end of his career, though). Davids was known as ‘De Stofzuiger’: the Vacuum Cleaner. He used to work tirelessly to own the area between defence and attack and he made an art of performing the simple things to perfection. His partnership with Zidane at Juventus in the last decade was an absolute joy to behold.

Arteta is currently performing a similar role, albeit in a different formation. And, just the way Davids allowed the likes of Litmanen, Zidane, Seedorf, Bergkamp (national team) to shine in previous teams, Mikel is allowing Song, and whoever plays in the more advanced midfield role, to shine for Arsenal. Next season, Wilshere is likely to be our main man in the advanced midfield role and boy will he benefit from the service he will be getting then from Arteta (and Song).

So, there you have it. Arteta has made a long and beautiful European journey from the Basque Country to Catalonia, from Paris to Glasgow, and from the Basque Country to Merseyside, but only now he has arrived at The Home Of Football. His longing is over; he is no longer homesick for good football, as he now plays with a broad smile on his face, and wears the shirt of Wengerball-football with the greatest pride.

Welcome home, Mikel!

TotalArsenal.

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Posted by peachesgÖÖner

Chavs v Spuds: Which Result is Best For Arsenal?

March 23, 2012

On Wednesday night the planets were clearly aligned in a perfect pattern to benefit Arsenal.

We got a hard-fought win at Goodison Park, a ground where Chelsea, Manchester City and the N17 Reprobates have all crashed and burned recently.

And while we were doing that the Spuds, with their enduring sense of comedy timing, were dropping two points at home to Stoke and the Chavs were losing at the Oil Refinery.

Even Liverpool got in on the act, going down 2-3 at QPR.

It’s nights like that that make you believe God is a Gooner. (Oh yeah, He is… and He used to wear the No 10 shirt).

Now fast forward to Saturday, and the early kick-off between Chelsea and T*ttenham. What result would suit us best in that game?

Here are the options:

Spuds Win

The up side: if we feel that the absolute priority between now and the end of the season is to secure a top four finish, then the best result for us is probably a Spuds win. Chelsea are already six points behind us and, if we can beat Villa and the Spuds beat the Chavs, the gap between us and fifth place will be a very comfortable nine points, with eight games left to play.

The down side: the Rioters would still be only a point behind us. And a win at The Bridge might be the sort of result that could kick start them for a strong run-in.

Spuds supporters seem to think their final eight games are the easiest run-in they’ve had in years.

With home games against Swansea, Norwich, Blackburn and Fulham and away fixtures at Sunderland, Bolton, QPR and Aston Villa you can see what they mean. But several of those games involve clubs likely to be in the relegation dogfight, so points will be far from guaranteed.

Nevertheless, if the Spuds beat Chelsea the prospect of them pipping us to third place becomes more real and – perish the thought – that would mean the cancellation of this year’s St Totteringham’s Day.

Chavs Win

The up side: if the Chavs mash the Spuds, it’s possible that the Tiny Totts’ season will continue to implode and they will struggle to hang on even to fourth place. One point from 15 would be a terrible return for the Totts and would add even more volume to the sounds of wailing and gnashing of teeth that have been drifting across North London from the N17 slums.

That’s clearly a good thing. The Spudders began crowing very early this season and finishing outside the top four would be like teaching them a cosmic lesson.

And we would all get to celebrate St Totteringham’s Day. Hooray.

The down side: three points for Chelsea would keep them only six points behind us (or even closer if we fail to beat Villa) and would ensure that there was still a three way battle for the third and fourth spots.

The Draw

Up side: if we can beat Villa, the draw is not a bad result at all for us.  Chelsea would be eight points adrift of us and our lead over the Totts would have extended to three points.

Both sides will have gone in to the game feeling it’s a ‘must win’, and for neither to do so will be a psychological blow.

Down side: unlike the two “win” scenarios, the draw deals less of a savage body blow to either of our main rivals for the Champions League spots. Although they would be disappointed, but sides could portray the result as a part of their recovery process.

Of course it goes without saying that whatever the result we would also like to see a mass brawl, multiple sendings off and some major suspensions.

Conclusions

If we can continue our recent form – and I don’t see why we can’t now that most of our squad is fit and we have the twin weapons of confidence and momentum – then who gives a flying fandango what those other, second rate London outfits do?

But if you pushed me to plump for one of the three possible results it would be a Chelsea win. I just never want the Spuds to get anything and, if they miss out on Champions League this year, I will spend all summer laughing.

What result do you think benefits us the most?

RockyLives

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Posted by RockyLives

This Arsenal is not for turning

March 9, 2012

So here we are, for the seventh season in a row and despite a magnificent effort against Milan, we will not be collecting any trophies, medals, or even pots to urinate in. In fact, the season could turn even uglier if we fail to secure top four and our friends down the Road finish above us and lift the FA Cup. The thought of Chas & Dave making a comeback fills me with a sense of loathing and dread not felt since Ricky Villa scored that fluky goal at Wembley.

What does this all mean? How do we address this drought? Do we sack Wenger? Do we sack Rice? Does Kronke have to go and with him his cronies Gazidis and Law? Do we demand Usmanov takes over, and bring Dein back to the Club? And what about money? Where is it all going? Do we demand “Spend some f…..g money”?

Well, for what it’s worth, I will give you my answer. We do not change a thing. Yes, I said it nothing, nada, zilch. We just continue with the same strategy, same philosophy, same tactics, same management, and same tea lady.

Ok, a lot of you are now thinking what kind of shit is this geezer on?, (and some might be thinking were do I get some, but that’s for another day) How can we change nothing when we keep winning f..k all? Let’s put it this way, has any one ever heard the saying “Lose the battle but win the war” or alternatively “Retreat to go forward”? Well you should have, because this is what the last seven years has been all about.

Since the move to the Grove ,the Club has been going through a “Consolidation period” The aim has been to keep our necks above water financially, and try to produce teams filled with young players were the minimum target is securing champions league football. We all know this right? The good news is that there is finally some light at the end of the tunnel, and what an illumination it promises to be.

Why change when going forward we have this:

  • One of the best, if not the best coaches in world football. If you doubt this, don’t ask your angry mate, ask the board at clubs like Madrid, Man City, and Barcelona instead.
  • Increased revenue streams (see the clubs accounts, or do your own math), which will enable the Club to keep its emerging players. This is the fundamental key to our future success.
  • A fantastic pool of young players that will lead us to glory. If there was an under 23 cup tomorrow we would walk it.
  • Financial Fair Play. This is already having an impact. If you doubt this one to, then look carefully at Man Citys and Chelsea’s actions recently. They are all gearing up for FFP. Don’t ask your angry mate about this one, the standard response is that they will hire flashy lawyers and Accountants to circumvent the rules, the reality is that that those flash gits will help alleviate the pain only, not break the rules.
  • No future strategic handicaps. What I mean by this is that while clubs like Spurs and Liverpool scramble around for new stadia, or City and Chelsea trim there squads and wages to accommodate FFP, we will have no such hang ups.
  • A brand of footballing culture, so embedded in the club now, that it will keep churning out stars for the future
  • We are in a great position to strike. We are fourth at present, not some mid table team languishing hopelessly behind.

So you see, the above reasons are why this Arsenal is not for turning. When you know your doing something right but others try to convince you otherwise the pressure can mount. This then becomes a question of character and an ability to hold your nerve, despite the hostility and angst that may surround you. Lets hold our nerve because if we do, a great Arsenal team awaits.

My final point is this. You can only operate in the environment you find yourself in. For the last seven years we have cut our cloth accordingly. The 2 unexpected’s during this period which have made things even harder have been the downturn in the property market, and perhaps even more significantly the arrival of the Sugar Daddy owners. But guess what, we are still here, and the environment is changing in our favour both internally as a club, and externally to the detriment of our rivals. Shoot me down or not, “Arsenals future is fantastic”.

God Bless

Terry Mancini Hair Transplant

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Posted by Rasp

Arsenal 3 – 0 Milan Report: The Ox and TR7 pair-up to rejuvenate our midfield

March 7, 2012

Written by TotalArsenal

4-0 down from the first leg in the San Siro, and only two midfielders to choose from by Wenger: the task of reaching the next round in this year’s CL competition could not have been harder. On the other hand, because the first leg result left us in an almost impossible position to go through, the players could go out on the pitch and play free and attacking football, as per the DNA of the Wengerball-era.

First Half
And boy, did they enjoy themselves in the first half! With Song as the only DM in midfield this time, we played Rosicky and The Ox in the more advanced midfield positions, and we pushed hard from the wings as well – especially our right wing, where Sagna and Walcott formed a constant threat, with which Milan’s LB, Mesbah, and his nearest CB, Thiago Silva, really struggled in the first half. Arsenal’s defence played a high line which was necessary so Song would not get swamped in midfield, as he had the enormous responsibility of controlling the midfield last night. We basically played the Barcelona-way in the first half, only better (lol)! The combination of The Ox and TR7 gave us a fresh and dynamic style of play, and the Italians had simply no answer to their energy and attacking ingenuity.

We played a high tempo from the start and never allowed Milan to settle. Milan did manage to get out of our grasp now and again, but it mostly led to quick passes to Ibrahimovic, who managed to be in an offsite position almost every time.

Incredibly, we scored three goals in the first half, reducing the two-leg deficit to just one goal.

The first one was from a corner that was whipped in with real venom and a strong curve by the excellent Ox. Koz, super Koz, was too quick for Van Bommel, who started the game sluggishly for Milan, and he manoeuvred himself in a free position to convert a relatively easy chance. The Milan goalkeeper, Abbiati, had no chance: 1-0.

The second one was a result of bad defending by Thiago Silva, who intercepted a misguided pass into the box by Walcott, only to clear it straight to Rosicky. The latter had time to control the ball with his first touch, after which he placed a shot into the corner of Abbiati’s left corner, whilst cleverly hiding his intensions by using the defender’s body in front of him that was shielding the view of the keeper: 2-0, 26 minutes played, and game truly on!

The third one came from the penalty spot. A few minutes before half time, the Ox took on Mesbah and whilst moving himself decisively into the penalty-area, he got squeezed between the latter and fellow defender Nocerinio, and he was clearly fouled: penalty! RvP steps up and scores with a text-book, absolutely unstoppable, penalty: 3-0.

Just before half time, Milan created an excellent chance to make it 3-1, which would have meant Arsenal needing at least 3 more goals to go through. El Sharaawy fluffs his effort, however, probably frightened by the menacing tentacles of the forward pouncing Polish octopus. Szczesny’s presence and ability to intimidate in the box is simply a joy to watch.

Second Half
The second half was of a totally different order compared to the first one. The pressure and nerves were back on, as we now had a very decent chance to go through to the next round.

We started well again, albeit with a bit less intensity, and cohesion in the midfield. Milan started to battle more effectively in midfield, and Ibrahimovic had decided to start putting in a shift for his team at last. But what really made the difference was the apparent hamstring injury to the Ox. It took a while before Wenger finally decided to take him off, and the possible reason for this is that the most like-for-like replacement, Ozyakop, was too nervous to come on (some on AA have suggested that he threw up whilst being on the bench?!). With the Ox no longer able to support Song and Rosicky, and both quickly tiring as well, leading to more and more misplaced passes and often unnecessary fouls, we slowly but surely lost the battle in midfield, which allowed the Rossoneri to play out the game without conceding any further goals.

Just before the hour mark, however, Arsenal was still able to create a golden opportunity to score the all important fourth goal that would have levelled the tie, but it was not to be. Gervinho, who had been worryingly ineffective throughout most of the game, saw his deflected shot from inside the box saved by the keeper, only for the latter to push the ball right in front of our Boy Wonder. Robin’s attempted delicate chip over the keeper is well-anticipated by Abbiati, and he is able to save at a very important stage of the game.

With the Ox out and Rosicky knackered, and nobody on the bench to help us regain the midfield, we left an enormous gap between defence and attack for the last 30 minutes of the game. As a result, we were no longer able to create decent chances, and we had to helplessly witness Milan’s late escape from our previously established deadly grip. What a shame!

To be fair, Milan produced the best chances in the latter part second half, but a combination of woeful finishing on their part and a very impressive defensive display by our back-five, ensured that we were able to keep a clean sheet till the end.

Conclusions
We played without fear and with real verve, especially in the first half. And in a transitional year like this, it is immensely important that Arsenal was able to erase the memory of the 4-0 drumming by the Rossoneri three weeks ago, by winning with a convincing display and a big margin last night.

Games like these build belief and character, and this ‘new’ team – as in a rapidly developing/gelling group of players – became a lot closer and stronger on this fantastic night of football at THOF.

We will never know for sure whether we would have won this game, with the required bigger margin to go through to the next round, if the likes of Wilshere, Ramsey, Diaby and Arteta would have been fit and available last night. In my view, just two of those on the bench would have been enough for Arsenal to be able to enter a plan-B in the second half, and go through to the next round. We really only had a Plan-A for this game due to the many injuries of our midfielders, and in the end it was just not enough to complete the miracle.

The boys have done us proud with a passionate and high-quality performance, and last night they showed us all that we continue to belong in the Champions League. The squad will develop further in the next few months, and hopefully we will be a bit less unlucky with regards to long-term injuries to key players, and in key positions next year. On top of that, we can add one or two players in the summer, and then we should be able to push all the way, in the PL and CL, from next season onwards.

I would like to finish with a few special mentions:

For the boys who came through the youth ranks, Szczesny and Gibbs: they were absolutely amazing and how good is it to see that our own talents are making it at the highest level;

For the partnership between TV and Koz that performed so well last night (a little bit against my expectations);

For that performance by Sagna last night: what a warrior, a legend in the making;

For the rejuvenated Rosicky, who played an absolute blinder last night; (especially the first hour or so);

For the battling Alex Song, who completed a very difficult task of holding a midfield almost continuously on his own;

And for the incredible, truly wonderful performance by the Ox, who became a man last night.

TotalArsenal

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Posted by peachesgÖÖner

‘Til the End of the Day: Match Preview

March 6, 2012

How exciting to welcome the reigning Italian Champions and current leaders of Serie A.

AC Milan arrive fresh from another 4-0 victory, away to Palermo. They sit 3 points ahead of Juventus who have a game in hand. Is this important? I would say Yes, because apart from the over-confidence rising from the first leg, Milan will not want to expend too much energy prior to facing their next League game (home to Lecce). Clutching at straws? Probably …

We were rubbish in Milan.  Apparently it was the worst CL performance in Arsenal history. The Milan pitch was much to blame but so too were the players who just went missing, even Mr Wenger publicly criticizing his team which to my knowledge is a first.

Were we over-confident? Were we tired after a long trip? Did the players have an argument prior to going out onto the San Siro pitch? Were they overawed by the occasion? Were AW’s tactics ignored or did he get it totally wrong? Whatever it was, we were pants and got just desserts for our performance.

However, since then we have beaten two rivals for the CL places and done so in an encouraging manner. We have scored 12 goals in our last two home games and should we keep up the average can advance into the last 8 of the CL. But and this is a huge BUT – we need to keep a clean sheet. With the Famous Five at the back I would bet DanDan’s house that we would do it, but with this current defence the chances are slim. Nonetheless, we have to hope and stay positive.

I expect the atmosphere to be great tonight, few will expect us to go through, and the fans will get the opportunity to see some superb players in the Milan side. The mood from the blogs indicates we are favourites to win but not by much. I tend to go along with this view. Arsenal are a damned good team, capable of beating anyone when on-form (including Barca and RM),

Mr Wenger has stated that he will play a full team which is exciting. We do not play again until Monday evening, so the players can go flat out from the first whistle.

My Team:

Milan will look to play on the break and as such we will have the opportunity to keep possession and play tippy-tappy. If he were fit, I would play Ramsey instead of Rosicky. He is better at beating a player and is more likely to score but the latest news sadly is that he will not make the squad and Arteta is ruled out for a week following the mild concussion he suffered against pool. We can expect Milan to double up on the flanks but both our wingers will do much better playing on the Emirates Bowling Green.

Today’s Gooner: Ray and Dave Davies of the Kinks are confirmed Arsenal fans, both having had season tickets at Highbury. Born in Muswell Hill, they went to Fortismere School and onto Hornsey College. Forming the Kinks in 1963 they had their first Number One in 1964. The Kinks have been inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame and Ray was made a CBE in 2005.

The Lads anxiously watching the !971 Cup Final in the Top of the Pops studio

It is rare to see Arsenal in this situation, one where attack is the only policy. It should be fun.

Written by Big Raddy

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Posted by Erik the Red

Welcome To Stalingrad

February 20, 2012

As sieges go, this is a big one.

The Arsenal players, manager, directors and staff have become used to being under attack, but now they truly are under siege.

And who are the besiegers?

Yes, of course, the media, mostly comprised of self styled “good blokes” who love nothing more than a beer with a like minded manager and have never warmed to Arsène Wenger’s euro-intellectual aestheticism.

And yes, of course, our rivals at other clubs. Sour, bitter types who’ve worn for too long the scars of defeat suffered at our imperious hands.

And yes, the sugar daddies who go round picking up unfashionable clubs, giving them high heels, a platinum ring and a fur coat and sending them out like they’re the classiest broad on the block even though everyone knows that underneath the mink there’s no knickers.

But – and this is now clear – to the list of besiegers we must also add a significant proportion of the Arsenal support base. Possibly even a majority.

It’s a dire situation.

In the Second World War the German invasion of what we now call Russia inflicted defeat after defeat upon the Soviet Red Army. Eventually the Soviets found themselves backed up against the Volga River, in the city of Stalingrad, with the German army surrounding them on three sides.

The defenders dug in with dwindling supplies and resorted to eating cats (sorry Micky) and rats and dogs (sorry Evonne) to survive.

There would be more than 800,000 casualties before the outcome was decided (human casualties that is – I don’t think anyone counted the rats, cats and dogs). The city itself was reduced to rubble. Anyone who has been to an away game in Liverpool will be able to visualise.

Stalingrad came into my mind yesterday when I was reading Arsène Wenger’s quotes following the FA Cup loss at the Stadium of Routemasters.

He said this:

“At the moment it is best to let people talk, criticise, analyse and destroy and on our side it is important to show internal strength and resilience and come out with a strong performance in our next game. We have to take the critics on board, stay together and face them.”

On one level it’s the standard sort of quote you’d expect to see from an embattled manager.

But that phrase about letting people “talk, criticise, analyse and destroy” was stronger than we have been used to seeing from Arsene, particularly the word “destroy”.

It was the phrase of a man under siege.

It must feel to him and to most inside the club that people really do want to destroy Arsenal – or at least his vision for Arsenal. And I infer that he includes his many critics among the fan base in that accusation.

I know hardly any supporters who, these days, are 100% confident that Arsène and the club will be able to turn things round and bring back the glory days. Even the most ardent Wenger loyalists are plagued by doubts, while those who have been criticising him for years are now feeling vindicated and invigorated in their campaign to oust him.

A siege, naturally, can have one of two outcomes. The besieged city or castle can fall, with not terribly pleasant outcomes for those left inside. Or it can prevail as the attackers lose the will or resources to carry on the fight and depart (perhaps aided by the defenders getting reinforcements or extra supplies).

If the defenders are successful, there is often forged an almost mystical bond of togetherness between the survivors: a sense of having done something remarkable, with a group of remarkable people.

If we are fortunate, the Siege of Arsenal will have this kind of regenerative outcome. Hopefully our players won’t, like the Turkish defenders in the Siege of Azov, 1696, have to resort to slicing off their own buttocks for food (although if they did, Andrei Arshavin would keep the wolf from the door for a good few days).

But if we can come through these dark times with the right response – starting with beating the Noisy Neighbours on Sunday – there is the possibility, at least, of a brighter future for Arsenal.

Arsène Wenger himself has hinted that last summer’s transfer business was a mess – and I cannot believe a man as intelligent as he is will allow that to happen again in the coming summer.

I feel he will be a harder, wiser man this year, having been let down by both Fabregas and the Fat French Benchwarmer (who would also have been quite a hit at the Siege of Azov).

If Robin van Persie appears to be angling for a move away, I believe we will sell him quickly having first lined up a world class goal-scoring replacement. The same for Song and Walcott.

Regardless of whether we finish in the top four, there will be a lot of transfer activity. I believe Arsène will make demands on the Board that he has not made for years and if they do not back him, he will quit.

I know many, many Arsenal fans believe our manager will do no such thing and that they expect next summer to be a repeat of the last few summers.

Maybe they are right, but Arsène Wenger is a proud man and I cannot see him tolerating anything that will push the club further towards the dead ground of mediocrity. And there were special factors that affected last year’s transfer window.

Summer 2011 was the first since Stan Kroenke gained overall control of the club and, for whatever reason, the transfer strategy that the new regime adopted (or tried to adopt) failed abysmally. Kroenke is also a smart man and will not let it happen again.

I suspect that Silent Stan believed Arsène when he said Cesc and Na$ri would stay. He won’t believe any such assertions this year (not that Arsene will be making them).

Supporting a football team is like having a child. No-one can guarantee it will be plain sailing all the way. There will be times of joy, but also times of despair and sadness. It’s how you come through the latter ones that really counts. And that’s the very test confronting Arsène Wenger’s Arsenal right now.

Historical Note: In August 1942 the bookies would have given you very generous odds on a Red Army victory at Stalingrad, but the defenders prevailed and the broken Germans were chased all the way back to the Fatherland and final defeat at the combined hands of the Allies and the Soviets.

 It just goes to show, it ain’t over until it’s over.

 

RockyLives

* If you have not read it, I cannot recommend highly enough Anthony Beevor’s brilliant account of the Battle of Stalingrad (called, curiously enough, “Stalingrad”).

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Posted by RockyLives

The storm before the storm!

February 16, 2012

Milan was the venue for Arsenal’s travelling support as they went to Italy to cheer the boys on against a genuine European giant in AC Milan. Unfortunately, some of the travelling hoard managed to take things a little too far, and there were nasty scenes before the game between fans and police, after which one Arsenal fan was arrested.

Another headline was also being written before the game as question marks were raised about the state of the San Siro pitch. Wenger had already made his feelings known before kick off, and the lack of green on the pitch seemed to justify his complaints.

Arsène Wenger will have gone into the game hoping that his troops could show as much desire as the travelling Arsenal faithful, but with a lot more discipline added. A score draw or even a one goal defeat would’ve gone down well, as long as the Gunners could get at least one away goal. A repeat of the 2008 visit to the San Siro would’ve been even better!

Arsenal started with Gibbs returning to full back after a recent long lay off, allowing Vermaelen to shift across to his natural position of centre half in place of the injured Mertersacker. The only other shock selection was in midfield, where Rosicky was pushed out to the left wing in place of the Ox, with Ramsey coming in to the midfield. Wenger obviously felt that Gibbs would need a bit more protection given that this was his first game in months.

Oh, and on a side note, Thierry Henry was on the bench for his last ever game for the Arsenal….again!

For Milan, injury problems had eased in recent weeks but they were still without the likes of Nesta and Cassano. Italian football has taken a battering in recent years over match fixing allegations, but this Milan side could still boast the likes of Seedorf, Ibrahimovich, Mexes, Van Bommel, Robinho and Thiago Silva.

As the game got underway, Arsenal’s early concentration wasn’t quite as bright as their yellow shirts. Seedorf ghosted in behind Sagna early on but fortunately he dragged his shot a foot wide of the near post. This was pretty much Seedorf’s last action as an early injury forced him off.

The uneven surface and the bobbling of the ball definately seemed to be causing Arsenal problems early doors and this was emphasised on 15 minutes as a poor clearance by Szcsesny was clipped into the chest of Boateng who took one touch and volleyed the ball into the near top corner. Not a good 30 seconds from the young Arsenal Pole and not the start Arsenal were looking for.

Ibrahimovich was running the game and forcing the Arsenal back line to defend far too deep. This nearly resulted in a Milan second as a mix up between Szcsesny and Vermaelen almost let the Swede in, only for the referee to blow for a non existent foul. Poor, poor, poor.

Things didn’t get much better. Players were struggling to find a teammate, and they were defending on the penalty spot. Van Persie barely touched the ball in the first half.  As Arsenal dropped further back, he became more and more isolated.

On 40 minutes, the home side doubled their lead. Ibrahimovich was put in behind Sagna and the big Swede picked out the run of Robinho who had an easy task of nodding in from 5 yards. Their was definately a hint of offside about the goal, but the Gunners should’ve been 3 down already so there could be no complaints.

Arsenal were looking ponderous at best, and as half time approached, both Antonini and Ibrahimovich could’ve wrapped up the tie.

If Arsene’s half time team talk wasn’t hard enough already, it was made even harder by the withdrawal of Koscielny just before the break. Djourou was his replacement.

In summary, it was one of the worst half’s of football Arsenal have produced this season, and theirs a lot of competition! It was now about staying in the tie, rather than winning the game. One goal would put a whole different spin on the game, but a performance similar to the first 45 would put us out of the competition.

This was by no means a slick, dominant Milan side of old. Arsenal were defending poorly, passing poorly, and playing with fear. The whole team was to blame for such a lacklustre half.

Arsenal needed inspiration, and Henry was brought on for the disappointing Walcott as Arsenal switched to a 4-4-2.

It didn’t work!

Within 4 minutes of the restart, Robinho had fired low into the bottom corner. Again the build up was sloppy, as Ibrahimovich was lucky to get the ball back off Djourou and an untimely slip by Vermaelen let Robinho in. Every error was being magnified as AC Milan punished any mistakes.

At 3-0 Milan seemed to take their foot off the gas, bringing on Ambrosini in place of Boateng signalled their intent for the last 20 minutes. Arsenal seemed bereft of ideas going forward but a moment of magic between Henry and RvP almost got them back in the tie. Henry’s flick was volleyed towards the bottom corner by RvP only for Abbiati to throw himself to his left and tip it round the post. It looked a goal all the way until a fantastic save by the keeper.

Arsenal were going in search of the all important away goal and Ox came on for Gibbs to give the side more emphasis. The Gunners definitely improved and van Persie had a sight of goal as his right foot volley was hit straight at Abbiati.

It proved a short lived revival though for the Gunners as Ibrahimovich went down easily in the box from a weak Djourou challenge and the ref was on hand to gift the home side a penalty. Zlatan picked himself up to dispatch it himself. 4-0. Fucking piss poor.

In the last 10 minutes Arsenal managed a van Persie header, which was saved, and a Rosicky volley that went out for a throw in! It summed up the performance to be honest.

All in all this was a dreadful Gunners performance. We were out played, out worked, and out fought. The defending at times was dreadful, and the loss of Mertersacker for a month could prove to be our seasons breaking point. We played 10 yards too deep and never gave ourselves a chance to press Milan. I don’t for a second believe this is a great AC side, we made them look good.

The speed of play in the Milan half was awful. Can you blame the pitch? No. Milan didn’t have any problems knocking the ball around. So many times we got to the final third and turned back out.

Starting with Rosicky was a poor decision as he played far too narrow. If Ox had started then the Milan back four would’ve been more stretched which allows more space for RvP. The players need to have a look at themselves. The midfield was inept and the wingers were piss poor. Only Ox and RvP can come out of that game with any kind of positivity.

For me, this game is not a dreadful result IF we can beat Sunderland and stay in touch for fourth. We were never going to win the CL this year so concentrating on the league and FA Cup makes more sense. The only worry is how this affects the confidence in the team. A defeat at the weekend against Sunderland could be tragic and could see a similar crumble to last season. It would be easy to sit and blame individuals, but the whole team was crap. I know its hard but we need to look at this game as a one-off until we see the next performance.

Ratings:

Szscesny 0

Sagna 0

Koscielny 0

Vermaelen 0

Gibbs 0

Song 0

Arteta 0

Ramsey 0

Rosicky 0

RvP 5

Walcott 0

Subs

Henry 0

Djourou 0

Ox 6

Manager

Arsène Wenger 0

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Posted by peachesgÖÖner

Tutto L’Amore che Ho: Forza Arsenal

February 15, 2012

What an exciting and challenging game we can anticipate tonight. A return to the scene of the European recognition  of Fabregas’s genius (sorry GM!). That night is etched in the memory alongside so many other astonishing and unexpected Arsenal victories – win this and we may get a repeat of the TH inspired win in the Bernabeu!

Having won our group we could have drawn an easier opponent because let us be clear, this is not going to be easy. Milan are a much better and younger side than the one vanquished by our heroes in 2008; they are top of Serie A. Unfortunately, their injury crisis  (13 players out in their recent win at Udinese) is rapidly improving, Nesta, Pato, Flamini, Prince-Boateng and Van Bommel return to the squad. Style of play? Allegri has said this of AC Milan’s approach “You can’t always dine on lobster and caviar, sometimes you have to have a ham sandwich”.  Cantona-esque!

I would like to concentrate on just two of Milan’s pantheon of superstars, Ibrahimovic and Van Bommel.

Van Bommel is one hard Dutchman. I remember a Highbury night watching him kick lumps out of our lads when playing for PSV (2004 1-0). He was without doubt the dirtiest player I had seen and it was a miracle he stayed on the pitch. After that night I followed his career with interest because I felt he would be a fine replacement for PV4. Sadly, he moved to Barca where he won a CL winners medal and later moved  on to become the first non-German captain of Bayern Munich. At 32 he moved to Milan and has been an integral part of Max Allegri’s squad.  70 Dutch caps, a league winner in 4 countries, WC finalist, CL winner – one could say he has had a successful career.  Should he play tonight I hope Aaron is wearing extra shin and ankle protection!

Zlatan Ibrahimovich is one of the world’s great players. A man who has never received the respect he deserves from the British press. Scorer of some of the most spectacular goals ever scored (check out Youtube) the Swede has a phenomenal record – at the moment, Ibra is on a run of 8 successive League title wins in 3 countries with 5 different clubs! I think it would be prudent to have a little wager on AC winning the Scudetto this season. During his time at Barca he was the world’s highest paid footballer on €28m a year. Barca paid €70m for him and sold him 18 months later for €24m – which makes the Torres deal look sweet.

“you’ll never play for Arsenal”

In 2001 Mr Wenger tried to sign Zlatan from Malmo but he chose Ajax for a then record Swedish transfer fee. It beggers the question  – who would have been sacrificed for him? Not Henry, so it must have been Wiltord who was going to be shipped out. Ibra has attitude and may have clashed with Thierry but what a forward line that would have been.

My Team:

The loss of BFG is a major disappointment; he is made for games like tonight against a clever but not particularly pacy forward line. Fortunately, we have super replacements and TV is finally back in his natural position. It is ages since we have seen Gibbs get a run of games but he is a super player and a full International, he will not be embarrassed. I would start Arshavin ahead of the Ox, his experience and precision of passing will be important in what is likely to be a tight game.  Expect a big game from Ramsey.

Inventor from Milan: Step forward Enrico Forlanini (if he were still alive). Born in 1847 he developed the world’s first helicopter (powered by steam!) and went on to pioneer the hydrofoil. Milan City Airport is dedicated to Forlanini.

Here’s Looking at You, Kid

Thierry Henry has scored in his final FA Cup game, his final PL  home game, his final PL away game and tonight ……  you would bet against it.  Thierry, whatever happens tonight and in the future, You are The Man.

COYRRG

Written by Big Raddy

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Posted by Erik the Red

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