Match Preview

100 Up for Walcott if he plays & Rugby playing side Swansea head to London!

Posted on by rico

No other place to start really, other than the BSM pre-match march which begins at 1.30pm at the Bear Roundabout’ outside The Armoury.

For anyone who still doesn’t know what it’s all about, there is a link here.

We all have our own view about whether it’s right or wrong to be airing the clubs dirty laundry in public, or to give more fuel to the media to knock us with etc but as long as the march is kept within law, fans have every right to make their feelings heard.

Actually, make that feelings voiced, I doubt Stan Kroenke will hear anything that is said today…..

Onto the game against Swansea.

Arsene Wenger believes that the run of fixtures between now and the end of the year and says:

We will come back.

Now we have six games, four at home, and if we do well in this block I think we have a chance to come back. But of course it is vital for us to do well in these games.

He is right of course, it is vital and not just for the benefit of securing Champions League football!

Injury news:

Team news

Arsenal: Sagna (foot), Fabianski (ankle), Santos (abdominal), Koscielny (thigh), Diaby (thigh)

Some reports suggest a late fitness test for Sagna will determine whether he is to play or not and the same for Theo Walcott, but there is nothing on the official site to confirm that. If Walcott does play today, it’s his 100th in an Arsenal shirt.

Wenger has praised Thomas Vermaelen after his performance against Everton: to become Arsenal’s rock again after a star turn against Everton.

It was certainly his best game since the start of the season in this position.

That will boost his confidence and hopefully get out of his mind what happened before when he was not completely confident.

He was physically sharp, confident, calm and important for us.

Good, because we need his ‘calmness’ at the back, no more silly gifts to the opposition and our captain has had his fair share of those.

Swansea manager Michael Laudrup has been preparing for today’s game by getting his side to play football with a rugby ball. What that is all about I don’t know but they certainly won’t be playing a ‘rugby style’ game today, they don’t play that way.

Hopefully Wenger has looked at the way they play and worked out who and how to play them and nullify anything they have to offer.

We play the big man up front so we  need to start supplying him a lot more than we have been doing of late. We play with two front wide men, so use them and stop trying to play everything through the middle.

If it’s not working, Wenger needs to change things around or at least make the substitutions earlier than he currently does, give those coming on a chance to change the game.

We need to find some consistency, stability, pace and with it, a string of victories with much much better team performances and the only way we will get that is through the players and their ‘leader’.

Possession alone doesn’t win games but the right tactics, the right mindset and the right attitude and commitment does!

And we need all of those things from now until May!

That’s it for another day……

rico

0 thoughts on “100 Up for Walcott if he plays & Rugby playing side Swansea head to London!”

  1. BigSanty says:

    Good Post… Let’s hope our Players are prepared for todays match & in right frame of mind to seeing that they see off the Swans cause its not gonna be an easy one, All the same I wish them all the luck & hope they secure the 3points @ stake. COYG!!!

  3. Thorough says:

    Rumour has it that we actually dont have the bigMan in front today, Gerv comes in. Also has it Gibbs and Jenks on the flanks at the back. Beautiful post as always.

  5. potter says:

    Actually I belive the march starts outside The G unners and ends at rhe armoury.
    AS for the game we need 100% commitment they have no pressure and they can get it down and play. the type of team that coukd embarrass us.

  9. stevepalmer1 says:

    Morning all,
    Nice one Rico,
    If you believe that the football league is fixed expect us to go on a winning run. 15 years of top 4 suggests to me to be fixed with the teams we have had. the way we have played this year tells me we are not much better than the worst team in the league the only way we can get top 4 is if it is fixed. Our system is not working and we have made no inroads into playing any differently. Teams prepare the same when they meet us and so far have nullified our play, we come up against a side to day who have a new manager and new ways of playing he will have no qualms in changing his teams style as soon a he feels it is needed, while we will start from the back have ten passes in our own half run out of options and pass back to the keeper our subs will come on on the 70 minute mark and they will make no difference what so ever. The fifty or so supporters who march before the game better make the most of it as this will be their only high spot of the day. Wenger will say after the game that we worked as a unit and the confidence is building he will say that we probably had a couple of players missing but we still have some to come back we can look forward to our next game. And if those 50 marchers are lucky they may have another march before the next game. Do i sound pee’d off yes i am.

  11. Mattyboy says:

    Reading the BSM i agree with what there doing … about time our voices are heard. How many times have fans even our selves on here have complained about the board and how it seems like Arsenal has been turned into a business rather then a club! If it wasnt for US fan there would be no club… so i think people need to be standing up for what they beliving and this march isnt a bad idea at all.

  12. rico says:

    I’m with you there Matty, or course there are things they are asking which cannot ever be changed but most is no more than we see in comments on here most days.

    Directing the complaints at Kroenke is the way to go in the eyes of so many fans.

    But will he change, I doubt it. All I hope is he gets fed up and sells up to the big guy in Russia…

  13. allezkev says:

    Charlie Brooks for the crown…

    Morning Gooners, AKB’s & Cynics…
    Morning Rico, not read the post yet, but it’s great. 😉

    I gotta a ticket yesterday, for the game.
    So COYG……

    Off to catch up…

  14. Mattyboy says:

    Exactly rico people were saying that they thought it was a stupid idea on yesterday’s post… but it’s all we moan on here saying that’s just a repeat every year on our player sales, player contacts, and performance you know when either of them is going to occur its predictable and whilst this is happening you got people like IVAN who are getting bonuses for nowt… We as the fans aint blind we know Whats going on even at the ASM meetings the board select pre questions before the meeting so they don’t get caught out..

    Usmanov needs a place on that board to inject transfer fans… IVAN AND PHW need to go there shocking… and who ever does the contracts need to be shot for making them run so low that decent players want to go!

  17. allezkev says:

    Hmm, quite a lot of disillusion on here today…
    This is gonna be a mega-tough game, but fortunately the majority of fans realise this and won’t expect Arsenal to roll-over the visitors.

    I can see a 2-2 draw myself or a very narrow win for the Gunners…

    Gervinho up front could be a good move and take Swansea off guard.
    They will have been preparing to set themselves up to face Giroud, so that could give us an advantage.
    Wasn’t Gervinho the top goalscorer before he got injured???

  19. rico says:

    I’m not sure about Gazidis Matty – is he another just doing as he’s told?

    Sick of reading PHW spout rubbish though, and tired of the same old comments about transfers etc from Wenger…

    They are so predicable…

  21. rico says:

    Have to blame the way we have been playing for that Kev…

    I’m not a fan of Gerv, so will refrain 😉

    Morning Adam…

  22. allezkev says:

    Good to see Tommy V getting his mojo back.
    With the back-four together again, that gave us such a good start to the season, I’m hoping for an improving run up to the New Year.

    Then we’ll see TH?? arrive and hopefully two ‘serious’ signings…

    We gotta live in hope Gooners…

  24. rico says:

    Been living in that area for a few years Kev, Vermaelen may have his mojo back, but when it comes to Arsenal, mine has gone… 🙁

  25. allezkev says:

    Adam, and a very good morning to you sir!

    I’m quite looking forward to the game.
    No high expectations, just a game of high technical ability from both sides, I hope.
    No pressure from me, no point winding myself up.
    Yep, really up for a good afternoons football.

  26. Adam says:

    Kev. That’s what I like to hear. Maintain an even strain. Nothing’s changed. There has been no revolution at the club. We remain as predictable as Arsene’s post-match comments.

  28. allezkev says:

    Yes Rico, I share your pain, but we still keep coming back for more.
    We’re just little tinkers eh? 😉

    You know, I would love to see Thomas Eisfeld on the bench.
    A new face, someone new to look forward to seeing come on…
    Do something different, think outside the box?!

  29. potter says:

    just re. read the bsm post on afc forum
    it starts at blackstock rd goes past highbury and ends near the armoury.
    this coach is bouncing all over the road so sorry for writing.

  36. Micko says:

    An Arsenal / Fulham win double today would cheer me up no end.

    Anyone else hear uefa are tinkering with the idea of phasing out the europa league and expanding the champions league, still a very long way off but 6th could become the new 4th.

  37. rico says:

    Hi Micko, would cheer me up no end too…

    I did read that and Wenger is against it, surprised really as it seems top 6 is where we are really at right now… Just!

  39. Micko says:

    That’s the one Potter, talk of doubling the size of the CL, where you travelling in from on the coach today ?

  46. rico says:

    Arsenal are poised to swoop for Liverpool goalkeeper Pepe Reina in January, according to The Sun.

    The 30-year-old Spanish international has been heavily linked with a move to north London, after first emerging as a Gunners target in 2010.

    Reina revealed in his autobiography his anger at Liverpool blocking a possible move to Arsenal two years ago, at a time when the Anfield club’s ownership, and long-term future was uncertain.

    “Arsenal offered £20million, a phenomenal amount for a goalkeeper,” he said. “Part of me felt that I was well within my rights to consider my future.

    “When Liverpool received the bid, they rejected it. I was told that my continued presence was crucial to the sale of the club. I was simply a bargaining chip in the sales process.”

    Reina’s £100,000-a-week wages were also believed to be a stumbling block for Arsene Wenger last time round, but now the Arsenal boss is prepared to splash the cash in order to strengthen his Emirates Stadium squad.

    Brendan Rodgers is prepared to let the Liverpool veteran – who has made 385 appearances for the club – leave Merseyside in January, as long as he can bring in a replacement of his own, with Birmingham’s Jack Butland, and Stoke City’s Asmir Begovic touted as potential Anfield successors.

    A move to Arsenal would see Reina united with his compatriots and close pals Mikel Arteta and Santi Cazorla in the capital, adding to a growing contingent of Spanish players in north London.

  50. Joaquim Moreira says:

    from eurosport.com, rico,
    Chelsea 1-0 up
    Why Reina? He is so expensive, not quality enought. In Spain and Portugal are 12 better golakeepers then him and not so expensive.

  51. Bradster says:

    Hi all,
    Something totally off Arsenal, I just saw Andrew Flintoff won his heavy weight boxing match on one of the highlight channels. Live after cricket it seems.

  52. rico says:

    Both removed Dg…

    Thanks JM, not sure what to make of the Reina story, it could just be speculation as usual….

  54. Bradster says:

    Most definitely Rico. There’s a trend starting, an Ozzie (Quade Cooper) and New Zealander (Sonny Bill Williams) rugby players have also started boxing.
    Looks like Gerv is gonna give Giroud a rest. Let’s hope it’s one of his good days and not aimless head down dribbling ones.

  56. Bradster says:

    We really missed out not buying Jaskelaanen. Top class keeper on the cheap. Good age to allow Szchz to develop

  59. Bradster says:

    My problem with Gerv is that he doesn’t connect well with the rest of the forwards, especially not well with Walcott.

  60. rico says:

    Are you suggesting Pepe would be no swoop then Stv 😉 😉

    He’s too greedy Brad, takes one/two touches to many imho..

    Get the quick passing back, the two touch and we’d soon start playing a lot better….

    We are too slow, we have too many players who slow us down too…

  61. gunnerdna says:

    @ rico i dont think swarzer or jussi is afc quality. They have height but they r average at best, qpr keeper was a big miss, he is world class.

  62. Bradster says:

    Agreed Rico, we don’t make space for an option and we never run onto balls, we wait for the ball to be passed straight to them.

  63. Joaquim Moreira says:

    Although is very expensive, Reina was won almost everything: the CL,the world cup, the european cup,England FA cup… what do we expect from him?

  64. Bradster says:

    What makes them average DNA?
    I agree Al HAbsi would be a good buy but Wenger doesn’t seem to want to spend on defence.

  67. goonster says:

    How about getting diame from west ham? i ve always liked him even when he was at wigan. he does play like diaby, a “poor man’s” though.lol

  69. rico says:

    JM – he needs a new challenge imho, he has gone stale at the dippers, and if we are to believe his biography, then he clearly wanted out a while ago…

    he could help us to win a few things…

  73. gunnerdna says:

    These referees in the epl is so average its unbelievable, they don’t realize they are the reason why the epl teams are so poor across europe.

  78. W.A.T.H says:

    Arsenal.com ‏@Arsenal
    Arsenal: Szczesny, Jenkinson, Mertesacker, Vermaelen, Gibbs, Arteta, Wilshere, Cazorla, Walcott, Podolski, Gervinho.

  80. W.A.T.H says:

    Arsenal.com ‏@Arsenal
    Substitutes: Mannone, Squillaci, Coquelin, Ramsey, Rosicky, Oxlade-Chamberlain, Giroud.

    How f’kin scary is that………… Squillaci……….. Adam will be chuffed..! Shows how poor we really are !.

    Off to the pub…!

  81. goonster says:

    DNA, are you alanbstard in disguise? but i ll bet you ll take drogba huh? come on he’s what we are currently lacking. a beast of a box to box mid fielder.

  83. W.A.T.H says:

    Highbury Harold ‏@BlackScarfAFC
    Now THAT is a turnout. And NOTHING but PRO Arsenal songs. To those who doubted this, we told you… these people LOVE the Arsenal. #BSMwalk

    tim payton ‏@timpayton
    If Peter Hill Wood looks out his Boardroom window he will see a lot of people with an interest in his affairs right now.
    …….

    Fair play to all concerned I say, least they getting off their arses to do something about a situation they believe in which is more than the majority of us do who prefer to just sit here and moan and then say “well what can we do about it….?” Suppose if we don’t try we will never know. From little acorns…………..!

  89. W.A.T.H says:

    Hi and bye ST…. hope you well mate…! AK drive careful out there Grandad…! Goonie have you received ya thanksgiving turkey dinner off the neighbour yet 😀

  97. nigel tufnel says:

    Tough match or not, after our recent rrsults, we better get three points today. Otherwise, we can go the rest of the way undefeated, and end with about 45 points.

  100. DutchGooner10 says:

    NOW LISTEN UP YOU CRONIES!!

    STICK ‘M UP.

    YOU WILL HEAR OUR DEMANDS.

    WE DON’T WANNA ROB YOUR BANK.

    WE WANT OUR CLUB BACK!!!!!!!!!

    COME ON YOU GUNNERS………..

    ……………………… ,______________________________________________________________/7_
    ……………………/.|_________——…. ` _____________________________________________I
    …………………//l.| _________) ……..|___________________________________________|
    ……….“§ .=_/`(( | __________ ………| (/) ) _______________=.
    ……………………| __________) ……..| …../—————-_/`
    ………………..__y|_________________| …./
    ………………// _____________ __________/
    ……………./ /##### ( …… /……. ))
    …………../ /#######| ….( ……//
    …………/ /########|.________/`
    ………./ /.###()###.||…`——“
    ……../ /##########||
    ……/ /###########||
    ……( (###########||
    ……. ####(/)#### ) )
    …….. #########//
    ………. #######//
    ……………`—|_|–`

  102. gunnerdna says:

    @goon west ham first goal was 1 for Mark clattenburg, cfc will pay the price with the other referees. WH first goal was a disgrace

  107. goonster says:

    maam do you have to rub it in at every opportunity? jeez cut the guy some slack. afterall he got “shawcrossed” playing for us. i ll take diame though. what a player. and he does tend to turn up against the big boys, come on arsene make my christmas a memorable one.

  110. DutchGooner10 says:

    Afternoon Rico,

    Yes thank you for deleting. Complementary image was all distorted. 😉

    Hiya GOONERS……….

  115. rico says:

    No slack from me goonie, no sentiment in sport. Shame for him of course but …

    Me too gdna.. i’d be livid..

    Thanks gdna..

  116. goonster says:

    Good for you suhail…..am doing good. no more flirting for me. rico, am gonna let that slide cause you re a lady and i love ya.

  120. goonster says:

    yikes, swansea look like us back in 07/08…….you gotta love them though. this is how football should be played. movement on and off the ball, but when we get the ball nobody is moving into space. we re way too flat footed. am cringing.

  125. goonster says:

    tell me about it bradster…….we look too flat. no shot on target yet and we ll half way through the first half. christ help us.

  128. rico says:

    Hi Tsgh, we are poor… but, just starting to come into the game, Gerv missed a headed, and I mean missed 😉

  129. rico says:

    He’s being asked to play in a very different position goonie, don’t blame Mikel, blame someone else…..

  131. goonster says:

    now they tell me………3 quality crosses yet no giroud. when he comes on i ll bet you won’t see those kinda crosses. boy i outta……….grrrrrrrrrrr.

  142. goonster says:

    something has got to give soon folks……we can’t keep looking ordinary. we re not sunderland FFS, we are the arsenal. what a toothless first half performance.

  143. gunnerdna says:

    denilson can do much better than our current midfield, if squid makes the squad why not call back denilson

  148. DutchGooner10 says:

    We chase the swans like mad raving dogs, then when we have possession we’re all out of lungs to build up a threat or pass accurately.

    Laudrup for coach!!!!! Who says Arsene can’t be replaced??

  149. gunnerdna says:

    goon we look like shit every game, i’m not even worried about what this team achieve because the answer is nothing, my concern is why we look so average, every time we play. AW you can only talk of your selling record, swansee is out tippy tappy afc..lol

  150. Scott from Oz says:

    Our worst two players s far are Gervinho and Theo.
    Best……Jenks.
    Even Jack has given the ball up a few times.
    Forget blaming Wenger……..some of our guys are making errors a schoolboy would be embarrassed by!

  151. goonster says:

    scott have you noticed how wilshere keeps hugging the ball and giving possession away? i bet if it were rambo, most fans will be braying for his blood. fucking double standard.

  153. DutchGooner10 says:

    No Scott we spend our legs on chasing.

    In possession the team needs to recuperate stamina first before they are ready to attack. Swans won’t let them off the handbrake.

  155. Scott from Oz says:

    Rico,firstly,i would say games aren’t won on paper,so it matters not.
    Secondly though,i do not watch enough games not involving Arsenal to comment on the quality of Swanseas guys.
    We have plenty who,on paper,are great.
    On the pitch though…..

  160. rico says:

    Exactly Scott, games are won by tactics and getting the best from players…..

    That’s how West Ham beat Chelsea earlier and why we aren’t winning many these days….

    We can all blame the board for their part, but tactically, I am sure our players could be used a lot better….

  164. rico says:

    And Santi resorts to diving!

    I know Scott, its been the same for a while… Only one man can change that imho…

  181. Scott from Oz says:

    Dna,you are like a broken bloody record!
    Boring.
    Very disappointing…..we just are not good enough.
    Too many top players….on paper (thanks Rico lol) who just are not doing the job!!

  189. Scott from Oz says:

    Jenks stuffs up,but not one bloody player tracking back to offer help!!
    Some of these guys should be embarrassed to collect their pay!
    Who is doing our scouting??
    How the hell do we not see a player like Michu……2 lousy million!!!
    Bloody ridiculous,and a well deserved win to Swansea.

  190. gunnerdna says:

    scott i always notice u always try to get at people to speak the truth, but i promise i’m the wrong 1, go watch cricket

  192. rico says:

    Wenger and the team booed off….

    No surprise there….

    Tsgh, Jenks was one of our better players…. Song isn’t missed, a replacement is…

    Walcott, well i shouldn’t worry, he’s off in january….

  194. Scott from Oz says:

    Dna,you say the same thing day in,day out.
    Why not just copy and paste….you probably do!
    Sick of reading the same shit….you never offer p anything different at all….it does get boring.

  195. goonster says:

    guys tears are streaming down my cheeks…..i wasn’t around in the 60’s or 70’s but this is so hard for me to take. what happened to my arsenal???? somebody tell me. i need answers.

  201. gunnerdna says:

    @scott leave me out, why not read my comments, i’m going to ignore u, because u r a waste of time, shit is what u r thinking, i would never refer to someone opinion as shit, all i can tell u stick to cricket and avoid me, i’m not down and under, i’m gonna ignore u

  204. stevepalmer1 says:

    That was a painfull afternoon, i knew we had learned absolutly nothing and again no pace at the back and a shit keeper and we have another team in front of us. i think i’ll join the march next week

  205. tsGH says:

    So we dont miss a player who had 11 assist. The one who over the last 3 years played the most games out of all the outfield players?

    Most get on Ramseys back for being shite but think Wilshere is Messi. Hello in Ramseys first season with us he scored 4 goals and had 3 assist. Last season he scored 3 goals and 8 assists. How many goals and assists as JW10 had? Daggers out for me then!

    Most Arsenal fans are snobs and we are getting what we all don’t deserve.

  206. Scott from Oz says:

    Dna just give us something different…be original…it aint hard….dig deep lad 🙂
    Well,people complain about our wage structure.
    How many of our underpaid guys earned their keep today??
    Apart from one cock up,Jenks was good……nobody tracking back to yelp tough,which was ridiculous.
    Szczesny was outstanding,but even he couldn’t keep them out.
    Disgraceful.
    We had one good period straight after half time,and that’s it.

  209. DutchGooner10 says:

    DNA

    I can understand your frustration. But keep calm when you reply. Puff a few times to release over-pressure.

  210. tsGH says:

    No I didn’t but I am pissed off. With so many fans making the hard working players look confidence in their ability because of favouritism…

  214. emma says:

    This team has gone completely AWOL. Just a clueless bunch of players. No intention to press the ball, awkward passes etc. It is going to be a miracle this season. All of a sudden the totts are ahead of us by 5pts. We are now paying the price for not replacing Alex Song. 🙁

  215. Scott from Oz says:

    Shit keeper Steve??
    Mate,he kept us in it.
    Very harsh.
    Ginge,plenty will find a way to blame Ramsey for that loss!!!
    When we were 17th after a few rounds last season,i put cash on us to make top 4.
    When we were 10 points behnd Spuds last season,i still thought we would.
    Right now,we do not have a chance in hell for no other reason than we are not good enough.

  217. goonster says:

    can somebody tell me what is going on? i can’t believe this is happening. God give me strength. i already promised mama no more drinking but you bet i ll be drinking a whole lot tonight.

  220. BigSanty says:

    Has Arsenal detoriated this bad??? I can’t believe it? AW needs to go… We need to get our Arsenal back, that for sure as Wenger has nothing again to offer us!

  222. rico says:

    emma – but are they playing the way they are ‘told’?

    How does a manager go from playing fast, two touch wonderful football to what we just witnessed?

    We really are very very average and beaten by a side with far more ideas than us……

  223. tsGH says:

    Its basic errors costing the team. Ox can not even beat his first man. That is what you get for trying to play Total football with English players in your team. Fanswould rather have a squad full of English player so there we are.

  224. DutchGooner10 says:

    Scott

    I’m sorry to say, you’re rubbing something but it ain’t your wonder lamp.

    Stop your pissing contest.

  226. JW says:

    If you want to see how MEN play sport watch some Rugby, not the bunch of Jessies wearing Arsenal shirts and masquerading as a football team.

  227. Scott from Oz says:

    Hook in Stan……have a few for me.
    The success of any company,and sporting club begins at the office.
    We have the worst possible thing for any sporting club……an owner whose soul interest is money.
    How the fuck anyone involved in our club let that prick in the front door is absolutely beyond comprehension!!
    It is a joke,and it is the biggest issue Arsenal face,and need to rectify.
    Til that guy gets the hell out,NOTHING WILL CHANGE.
    Wenger leaving,ten new players in will be not enough to stop the slide.

  229. Lee says:

    I want my Arsenal back,the board and Wenger can fuck off now!! We are a mediocre side the table doesn’t lie……

  230. BigSanty says:

    I just lost my brother to death on a ghastly motor accident & Arsenal compound my problem again by losing?

  231. emma says:

    Questions need to be asked. How come Ox and Gerv are ahead of Arshavin? We used to play like Swansea what has happened to our swagger? What has happened that we don’t create enough chances upfront? Why is it that we don’t press the ball hard enough when we don’t have possession? Why did AW gamble on the fitness of Diaby?Until all these and more are address we will continue to struggle. Lets hope we have enough points to move out of relegation at the end of the season. If AW offers excuses(jaded, tired etc) for the players then he is deluded

  232. Scott from Oz says:

    Dutch,stick that comment mate.
    He keeps whining about me saying his opinion is shit,but he is a liar!!
    Debate or argue,but nohing pisses me off more than a liar.

  233. rico says:

    But then that has to be Wengers fault Tsgh, another case of buying players and making them fit in, rather than signing players who will play the way he wants to play.

    He is not thick, he should be versatile enough to play a system which gets the best out of the squad he has.

    People won’t like this, but Harry Redknapp would get a lot more from our squad right now than Wenger is….

  235. Joaquim Moreira says:

    I have no words… well I have in my own language
    Arsenal are a team “spent”.
    It has no ideas, players are tired and midfield does not produce. Replacements, again, were a disgrace.
    Arteta is no rhythm. He can not play in the place where he is. Rosicky is out of rhythm. His time is over.
    Wilshere not produce
    Cazorla, is on pace and without speed.
    Jenkinson, do not know what to do with the ball in attacking If you do not know, why not only gibb attack and have 3 defenders ?
    Gervinho has to play on one side.
    Podolsky, again, not seen in the field.
    We need new blood.
    This team is not at present in the top 6 teams in the league.
    As the opponent does not play with 10, we lose. With wrong replaces, Arsenal is playing with 10 and is extremely fragile.
    Stop buying expensive players and buy players who are willing to run and win titles. Not injured players, full of vices, many already heve got tiitles.

  240. tsGH says:

    Players Players lost faith? Ahh, the reaction of TV upon hearing a deal hard been agreen for VO after the Belgium vs Holland game in August should have told the fans what to expect.

    AW even agreed it was one of the biggest gambles he had made by accepting VP sale. Fans what to hid and blame AW but even Ray Parlour revealed 2 days ago on TS that he was aware AW was given less than £15M each summer to spend in previous seasons. The media will not broadcast that again because it does not sell.

    Until the board are hounded out we are finished…

  241. Scott from Oz says:

    Redknapp…..seriously??
    Shor term maybe,because a manager change invariably does.
    Long term…..who knows.
    I never thought i would say this,but maybe it is time for Wenger to step away.
    I do not blame him…everyone knows my opinion on Stan and his merry men….but Wenger will have a bloody stroke if he keeps going.
    Get out,enjoy retirement and let us all find out the truth lf what is going wrong.

  243. Scott from Oz says:

    Steve,i wasn’t upset mate…not at all.
    I thought he had a cracking game,and personally wouldn’t hold him accountable,that’s all mate.
    Seems he had a one on one evry five minutes.
    Credit to Swansea…….a very underrated side.
    Seems i am sayng that regularly,of late.
    Maybe the truth is we just overrated!!

  247. goonster says:

    hahahaha tell me about it DNA, i wanna blow off some steam too but am not that a doomer. they make some valid points though.

  249. rico says:

    Thats what I am saying Scott, ‘right now’ he could so what has to happen..

    One of three things the board has to decide.

    Either they give Wenger the right money and let him spend in on a few world class players who will change this side.

    Kroenke to sell up and let Usmanov in

    Or sack Wenger…

  250. tsGH says:

    Emma at 5:12 pm re AA. Because most fans who only watch one team AFC and dont know about football are told that AW is not playing AA23 in his right position ie behind the striker so they boo him and then his confidence drops.

    In Jan 2009 before we bought AA23(because most fans wanted him after watching 2 matches of Russian in Euro 2008) AW even stated that the fans are not going to like AA23 because of his body language. AA23’s agent AA23, Lachter even responded to that to say AW is damaging his clients reputation and that AW was only saying that to drive down the price.

    Rico the same ‘arry who was 10 points ahead of us in January with a supposedly far superior team but still finished behind us?

  251. goonster says:

    its official we ve turned arteta into a crab just like we did denilson. who wanna bet that 2 years from now santi ll be the next ashavin. i don’t buy it that our players are shit. pound for pound we re better than manure but how come we look so stale and clueless?

  252. gunnerdna says:

    they r making so valid points and expressing themselves, it’s all about emotions though, i do understand loosing 2 nil to the swans at home is murder

  253. stevepalmer1 says:

    Emma you can build a castle and it will withstand an onslaught, but if you take 2 or 3 stones out of the foundations it will collapse, Hence Arsenal FC

  254. Scott from Oz says:

    Who was chasing back to help Jenks??
    Why did he need to keep going backwards……because no bastard was working hard enough to assist??

  255. tsGH says:

    I saw that goonie. I am not slating CJ25 by the way. All I am saying is most Arsenal fans are very quick to forget the old grafters in our team when any new boy comes up.

  256. Lee says:

    Big santy that news puts things into perspective….my thoughts are with you and you family!! Peace be with you……

  257. rico says:

    That was all down to the England job tsgh – the HR who could muster up the right tactics to pip AW most games is the one I refer to…

    I don’t want him as our manager now or ever, i am just saying that something is very stale…..

  263. Scott from Oz says:

    Ginge….not sure what telecast you watched,and do not mean that in a sarcastic way.
    I see a great coverage,and obviously goals are replayed several times,and from different angles.
    It was obvious Jenks was under pressure,yet not one player offered any help at all.
    They jogged back.
    Even when he lost the ball,there should have been at least one player to pressure the attacker,but nope…nowhere to be seen.
    That right there was as disappointed in an Arsenal player as i could be!,

  265. Scott from Oz says:

    What is comical is you passed blame and then only now admit to seeing the goals lol.
    Hilarious,but not surprising.

  266. goonster says:

    DNA, i think we ll see some massive injection of funds in january. we ll get 2 or 3 players. wenger was shamed by laudrup this afternoon. he wont like it. that’s our style they re playing and arsene wont rest till we start playing the best footie on the british isle. mark my words gooners. its revolution time.

  271. goonster says:

    just you wait scotty old pal………am positive we ll see some cracking players in january. if he doesn’t then believe me i ll go over to the dark side. am serious mate.

  272. gunnerdna says:

    Goon if u wasn’t that far i would drive down there so we could have a drink and some southern food..lol, i’m over it, it’s a waste of time, which organisation in the world who has a shareholder with 30% shares is ignored?

  274. goonster says:

    DNA you re right pal……one of these days i ll take a weekend off and come fuck your neighborhood up. it ll be fun to actually meet a fellow HHer live.

  275. DutchGooner10 says:

    Goonie

    That’s just jam tomorrow. It’s admitting to it, that’s so illusive. But you already know that.

  276. gunnerdna says:

    @goon lol, it would be a joy bro, it’s nice in va nuff military girls..lol. Le Groove is in overdrive.lolo

  277. Scott from Oz says:

    Yes Rico,but i had already seen 4 different angles….it helps make an informed opinion.
    Still,seeing the different an,es will not mean any retraction or leniency to Jenks,will it?
    Are these guys out there to help each other?
    He was left stranded,and that is just ordinary.
    Fine Dutch…..just didn’t appreciate that comment mate.
    Who is coming Stan?
    Get us excited lol!!

  280. goonster says:

    Scotty pal, if i tell you then i ll have to kill ya……..lol. but seriously pal the look on wenger’s face says it all. he won’t quit until we re being likened to barca again. wait for it. some classy mid fielders to done the famous red and white soon. COYGS! keep the faith.

  282. Scott from Oz says:

    No probs Rico….
    Will Wenger walk guys??
    If he truly is as arrogant as most suggest,then he would never hang around long enough to be sacked,would he?

  283. goonster says:

    yes bro and the C word we can’t mention here. i ll bet they ll get up to a 1000 comments today. hahahahaha its really smoking on there.

  287. Scott from Oz says:

    Fingers are well and truly crossed Stan…..
    Some lf us will keep the faith mate 🙂
    Gee,it is getting tougher though lol

  288. gunnerdna says:

    @goon lol, they r using every word, i can’t believe some of those comments are allowed on the blog. AFC are in 10th place, it hurts but that what it is.

  289. Joaquim Moreira says:

    Redknap? Why not Di Mateo ?
    Watching Bayern – Dortmund
    Totts are “joking” with fullham today
    Reading 2 MU 2 at 20 minutes….How many shots have we did at the twenty minutes today?

  292. gunnerdna says:

    @tsGH PHW should be ashamed of himself and Stan should know better but i realize why, look at his other sports franchise, they are shit, i cant recall meeting anyone 1 in the US supporting any of his teams.

  293. DutchGooner10 says:

    Will Wenger walk?

    Nahhhh……. I think Goonie is right there. Wenger wants to rectify at all cost. He got his pants pulled today.

  295. goonster says:

    DNA, sometimes its worth listening to those mugs but other times its not. today, i ll make an exception. they make some valid points though. we have really fallen from grace. hey kev, where have ya been? we needed you to hold this place up. its almost crumbling.

  296. JW says:

    Scott,

    Wenger has never, ever walked out on a contract. He may not sign a new one but will not renege on the existing one. Unless the board sack him, and they wont, he’s here until 2014.

  297. rico says:

    I’m not sure Scott, if he is truly being deprived of money then no, he won’t walk and the board won’t sack him either.

    But, if he has money but won’t spend it, and he has a conscience, then maybe he would walk away.

    However, financially, it’s better to be sacked isn’t it?

    I want Stan gone….

  299. Scott from Oz says:

    Dutch,that would contradict the consensus that he is arrogant though.
    He could get a cushy gig elsewhere,yet hangs around copping the abuse……stubborn,maybe.
    Proud,definitely.
    Arsenal through and through….absolutely.
    Stll the right man for the job….that is the big question.

  301. tsGH says:

    Scott as I said I am not slagging off CJ25. What I am saying is most fans I know including some who were at the emirates and all today think CJ25 is better than Sagna already so Sagna can f___ off for mentioning what everyone from AW to the newest fan have been thinking re the ambitions of the club.

    Most fans think AW is so powerful at the club he tells the tea lady what underwear to wear on matchdays but its another tool deviced by the media to sabotage AW. A typical example is what is going on at Chelsea with Cashley and the chavs own version of deadwood (quoting a fan I know who use to be a proper hooligan). All the football people at the club think cashley deserves a 2 year but Marina thinks not so he is leaving end of season. Perspective that all…

  307. Scott from Oz says:

    Tottenham….a terrible thing to say lol.
    JW,there is always a first,and he is copping it right,left and centre….a man can only take so much.
    Rico,what is the answer……….will we ever know?

  309. tsGH says:

    DG10 at 5:55pm I doubt walking did not cross his mind today. AW did something he has never done in his career after the second goal. If someone is a body language expert or enthusiast I would like to have their opinion on that action. For the first time he unzipped his sleeping bag and touched his tie like he was about to take it off. Has he had enough?

  310. rico says:

    I think Wenger has a lot of power, certainly more than most managers have… but just my opinion.

    Rafael for the mancs, gets booked, struggles a bit on the right and after 30 mins is off.

    Santos gets battered and battered but stays on. That’s the difference…

    4-3 now, you know how just scored for the mancs….

  311. gunnerdna says:

    AW hahahaaaaaaaaaaaaaa
    “We were not good and Swansea deserved to win,” BBC Sport quotes Wenger as saying. “We looked very jaded after two away games in the Champions League.

    “Where we were guilty was with three minutes to go at 0-0, if you cannot win you must not lose.

    “I believed we tried very hard to get back into the game, but we weren’t sharp enough. We didn’t create enough chances, we will work on it. Our fans cannot be happy when we do not win games and what we produced today is not enough to keep our fans happy.”

  312. Scott from Oz says:

    Ginge,i see what you are saying,but Sagnas comments were poor,and the timng even worse.
    We need our senior players showing support,but comments like that destabilise the entire club.

  313. allezkev says:

    Swansea were excellent…

    Wenger/Primorac seemed to be mesmerised, and powerless to change things.

    I’m not sure where Wenger goes from.

    Even a lot of money spent in January won’t stop the malaise.

    Do the players even care?

    Jack does, he was furious and totally frustrated.

  315. stevepalmer1 says:

    It seems that Wenger has many admirers on this particular website. many will think this form is just a blip and that we will come back with guns blazing, but for a supporter of Arsene it doesn’t take too many games like todays to think maybe he has come to the end of his tenure. You can fool the people some of the time but you can’t fool all the people all of the time. In my eyes if there is money available and he doesn’t use it he is commiting suicide, if he thinks as much of Arsenal as he says he does, he either spends and asks for more money or he does the honorable thing and resign and let some one else beg for money.

  316. Micko says:

    Scott, second week on the trot your telling people to change the record and your sick of the same old shit, got some news for you, it’s a two way street buddy.

  317. DutchGooner10 says:

    Scott

    Stubborn & Proud don’t necessarily exclude Arrogance. One can be all 3.

    Just saying if given time, and the board will, Wenger will not walk but rectify.

  318. goonster says:

    i know what you mean DNA, still its just tiring to hear the same thing over and over again. manure 4.3 against reading and guess who scores? yep you guessed right.

  320. rico says:

    Perhaps Wenger thought he was the Swansea manager at times Kev, after all, they played the way we used to….

  324. Scott from Oz says:

    Mickl,i suggest you read back mate!!
    If you think my tone hasn’t changed,then you haven’t done your homework.

  325. tsGH says:

    Hi there Kev- I have said since the 3rd match of the season that Primorac has to walk. He trains the midfielders with Banfield and to be honest he has shown a complete lack of adaptability. Banfield is a better coach. He had the best record through out the whole academy…

    Pat Rice is now an agent for the club I am told..

  326. goonster says:

    watching manure you get the feeling that we can take them but looking closer you find out that they all fight for the ball and attack together. its so hard to pick out anyone. they move so fast on and off the ball. contrast that with our game and you ll see the gaping diffference. i don’t think its personel….its sad but i think its a coaching problem. there i said it. arsene is finally pushing me over to the dark side.

  327. allezkev says:

    That’s true Rico, but it was Wenger’s inability to adapt and respond to Swansea’s superb passing game…

    Mick, the summer mate, wait until the summer…

    A Liverpoolesque decline could be on the cards.

    All I heard, when leaving the stadium, was fans saying that they win’t be re-mewing their season tickets next season…

  328. Scott from Oz says:

    Steve,how good would it be if Stan or Wenger,or both,came out for the record and told us all exactly what,if any,restrictions are placed on Wenger regarding spending?
    If we all knew the truth,at least we would understand how and why things are going so wrong.

  329. rico says:

    Gdna, i’m sick of the CL excuses..

    From what AW has now said, he’ll be taking an understrength squad to Greece…

    Might just beat olympiacos then….

  330. goonster says:

    DNA, what is the truth? come on bro, we ve heard it all before but nothing’s going to change so why not support the team instead of wishing evil on your own players. i actually read somewhere where a fan wished ramsey goes to sleep and never wakes up! i mean what the heck is that all about? its just a game for pete’s sake.

  331. rico says:

    I was being ironic Kev 😉 But yes, you are right, Wenger does seem to struggle to think on his feet or make earlier changes.

    I seriously believe that this is the season the PL table won’t lie and we’ll be somewhere between 8th and 10th….

  332. Scott from Oz says:

    Rico,rather take the kids and see them have a crack.
    I have always said whilst our guys give 100%,i will defend them.
    Today,i can say that in a few instances,they gave a lot less than full committment.

  333. gunnerdna says:

    @rico I dont pay much attention to AW comments anymore because he keeps saying the same thing for the last 7 years

  336. DutchGooner10 says:

    YOU WILL HEAR OUR DEMANDS.

    WE DON’T WANNA ROB YOUR BANK.

    WE WANT OUR CLUB BACK!!!!!!!!!

    ……………………… ,______________________________________________________________/7_
    ……………………/.|_________——…. ` _____________________________________________I
    …………………//l.| _________) ……..|___________________________________________|
    ……….“§ .=_/`(( | __________ ………| (/) ) _______________=.
    ……………………| __________) ……..| …../—————-_/`
    ………………..__y|_________________| …./
    ………………// _____________ __________/
    ……………./ /##### ( …… /……. ))
    …………../ /#######| ….( ……//
    …………/ /########|.________/`
    ………./ /.###()###.||…`——“
    ……../ /##########||
    ……/ /###########||
    ……( (###########||
    ……. ####(/)#### ) )
    …….. #########//
    ………. #######//
    ……………`—|_|–`

  337. allezkev says:

    Hi Ginge. If Primorac is truly responsible for tactical analysis from the stands.
    Then he must be smoking Camberwell Woodbines.

    Tbh, there’s nothing that I can add at the moment.
    So I’m offski. See ya Gooners.

  338. Scott from Oz says:

    I don’t agree Rico,but hey,that’s what we are here for 🙂
    They left Jenks stranded,and he cops the lame because of it.
    Teamwork…nope,not today.

  339. rico says:

    I don’t get why Arshavin isn’t getting any playing time whilst we are struggling.

    Can understand not the CL because of getting cup tied, but he showed how fit and keen he is against Reading…

  340. tsGH says:

    Some say AW is a control freak and does not relinquish some of his power but how many times have we failed to score in more than 5 matches out of 15 since AW arrived here. Even when we had Danilescu and Stepanovs we still scored goals albeit conceded more sometimes.

    Those wanting change I would want AW to walk so that we see if we become a Barcelona or a Liver-poo.

    What happened to the ‘we have the best squad lines then’? Now AW is a shite talent spotter.

    The moment PHW tricked the Arsenal faithful to demonstrate against Usmanov, I called to cancel my season ticket. PHW and his cronies are the biggest snake you will find in any bush market.

    Enough said.

  341. Scott from Oz says:

    Agreed Rico,especially when we lack creation.
    He as shown us often enough he can turn things very quickly.

  346. Scott from Oz says:

    Not really sure what Wenger can say after that.
    Would we prefer he come out and bag the shit out of the players??
    Now if he came out and said Stan the yank is a prick………

  348. stevepalmer1 says:

    Hi all, I have always supported Wenger but i dont understand his stance at selling top class players for as much as he can and then buy players who may end up as good but are not yet as good, and then not spending the rest of the money on players. I can understand the board holding tight to the purse strings because we have to settle our debts, but wenger is in charge of the team he does the buying and selling he has also had enough time even for a genius to see that we just aint cutting the mustard as i said yesterday i don’t like marches and protests the waving of banners and name calling but even i can see why supporters are doing it, and if the board do not take notice we will be seeing our football in a lower league and that is just not on.

  349. tsGH says:

    I am always for AW but mark my word here, I am going to join the anti AW squad if by the 2nd week in January we have not got at least a signing in addition to Henry.

  351. rico says:

    Did he Dg, i missed that 🙁

    Tsgh – AW is still saying it’s his best squad, I beg to differ, but we sure need Usmanov and then maybe he will get his best ever squad.

    And some of the current players won’t be part of it..

  352. DutchGooner10 says:

    DNA

    That reporter should check his emails more regularly. The chavs already robbed us of that prize.

  353. Scott from Oz says:

    It may end up his best sauad in a few years time…given the quality of kids we have….but that does’t help now.
    Come on Arsene……spend up in January,or tell us why you can’t/won’t.

  354. rico says:

    Steve – the club are sat on £70, they have plenty of money to spend. Its just someone doesn’t want it spent….

    Who though is the million dollar question!

    Tsgh – You know, I have been saying exactly the same thing for the last 6/7 transfer windows and last summer was my final one of being fooled by promises.

  357. Scott from Oz says:

    Utd are awful,they really are.
    Someone touched on it a little earlier……..their workrate sets them apart!!

  359. Lewis says:

    We were awful….Again. Can’t believe I wasted my money going to watch that today. Last minute offer of a ticket and I let hope get the better of me. Swansea were class, we were fuckin clueless..
    Pretty sure this would have happened last season but RVP’s goals helped us out. We all must have looked at it last year and thought, geeze, without RVP we would have been mid table. This year we are proving how much of a one man team with no ambition we really are. Time for change me thinks, no other ‘top team’ would allow it to go on like this.

  361. tsGH says:

    Some fans want AW to be like O’Neil or ‘arry and slag the club off for not giving him money.

    Its been said but most do not want to accept it. AW has to give the board £20M each year to pay of debt. Even this week he mentioned he has always shown integrity to the club by using the resources he has at his disposal. What more do we want.

    As I said I stopped paying anything to the board 4 years ago apart from Sky sports because I realised the board are only for themselves. Until we all boycott the matches nothing will change. And if it is AW fault that he does not spend the money he has I am sure some of the money men will begin to realise we need to do something to keep the money coming in…

  364. stevepalmer1 says:

    I think Scott hit it on the head when he said they are just not working hard enough for one another. We have been caught out time and time again by other teams rushing tactics, we just can’t handle it, even Santi with all his skills is being mobbed, their players are working overtime to shut us up and getting results has lifted them, while we stand about scratching our balls. Its a simple thing to correct, work harder than them but they have probably got their minds on their bank accounts.

  365. Lewis says:

    Your probably right about boycotting TSGH but I went today with the hope that today the worst case scenario would be we’d get held to a draw, how wrong I was. In reality Swansea should probably of had more.

  367. Joaquim Moreira says:

    yes Henry… our joker for the rest of the season…;-)
    If the situation isn’t so tragic, I lol !

  368. DutchGooner10 says:

    Steve

    It makes considerable difference, positioning-wise, if you need to chase or close down your opponent. Those few yards extra is spending legs that are needed in the counter attacks.

    We throw the handbrake on after dispossessioning teams, primarily to recuperate our own stamina levels.

    Hence, in the process we are giving away match minutes in abundance and valuable time to re-organize their harmonica defenses.

  369. Joaquim Moreira says:

    We are 10th on the table. Last year, wan’t good but at this time we were in the 4th place with much more points of course. The things were wrong but we wnt to the markry on September; this year,we will go on January?

  370. NashuaGunner says:

    I know emotions are running high but we ‘ve to be practical and look at the broad picture. As long as AW continues to be responsible for making profit and coaching, it either the Board or the fans. But something have to give. He cannot satisfy both sides of the aisle.

  372. NashuaGunner says:

    I say change the dynamic of the landscape; let him be coach again and don’t have to worry about the fiscal year(profit or loss), and we’ll get our Arsenal back. Ask yourself, do we have to sell RVP and SONG, and put the money in the bank while we struggle on the pitch?

  373. rico says:

    Night Scott..

    Not slag the club off Tsgh, just say there isn’t any money if there isn’t…

    Don’t make promises he all too often fails to keep…

  374. Adam says:

    Hi Rico. We can analyse what went wrong forever. I was there and it gives me no pleasure to say that the club is adrift on a sea of mediocrity with no sight of land. Wenger has long since past the point where he can motivate modern day players. He is stuck somewhere, but it isn’t in today’s football. His influence over our football club has been so all-encompassing that it has prevented those in power from seeing what has been quite obvious for a long, long time now. Our love for what he has done for Arsenal has blinded us to reality and this includes the Arsenal power brokers. Anybody who has watched the team for the past few seasons will not be surprised at today’s result. It is simply the logical result of the path that Wenger has set the team upon. He doesn’t do tactics. He never takes into account the opposition and their strengths. He sells our best players every season. He admits to all these things with a degree of pride and arrogance that I am sure he feels are completely commensurate with today’s football. He is, after all,the great Arsene Wenger and he can tell you how many game he has managed and how many substitution he has made. In comparison we know nothing as we have never managed a game between us. He has lowered the fans expectations so much that we cheer mindlessly when Giroud appears in place of Gervinho. Yes, £23 million of talent between them. A classic case of him lowering our expectation and ambitions to a frightening degree. Yet still he raves on. He has an opinion on everything including the proposed changes to the European CL competition to FFP. But he has lost the ability to win football matches, a job for which he is amply compensated and which should occupy his every waking moment. He can’t do it any more. The writing is on the wall. Who will read it?

  375. tsGH says:

    4 weeks ago we thought we had the best midfield trio and some even thought JW10 should be taking the place of Diaby when both were fit.

    Rico I may send you a post later if you are interested…

  376. DutchGooner10 says:

    Steve

    Most opponents deploy a harmonica defense against us.

    Meaning;

    When in possession they expand sideways, to broaden their build up play. And to use long feet-to-feet passes that require Arsenal to spend legs if they want to intercept early.

    Off the ball, the opposition retracts their defensive formation inwards to densely occupy the middle channel, playing just yards away from each other. That has 2 advantages, one you’re forming a brick wall which only leaves the narrow sides open. And two, if one defender slips, the other is nearby enough to correct instantly.

    Such tactics would normally force a coach/team to hang back or hit them when they are still in an expanded state. However, our current Arsenal gives away recovery time in abundance and end up short on match minutes. (Around the 80 minute the team panics into urgency, seen it a dozen times.)

  378. rico says:

    Hi Adam,

    What can I say, I certainly can’t argue.

    As for the writing on the wall, no-one will read it, let alone respond in a positive way for the club….

  379. Bob John says:

    I have been going since I was a nipper in the 60’s and had a season ticket for 30 odd years. Today is the first time I have ever walked out before the end of a game. Totally disillusioned with the attitude, tactics, lack of movement and ability of this current squad. Over a grand a year towards players who are earning the type of money I could only dream of winning and a club who so obviously don’t give a toss about us. I think I have been taken for a mug for the last time. AW rivals Herbert Chapman as our greatest ever manager but I seriously think he had run out of energy. Having to watch the likes of Gervinho on 50-60 grand a week breaks my heart. I can no longer justify the time, money and emotional energy on Arsenal. As someone once said – “There used to be a football club there”!

  380. Adam says:

    Micko. It was the worst I have experienced at an Arsenal game since the dying days of George Graham’s tenure. But I am heartened to read Wenger’s comments that he isn’t worried by the result. If I was earning £7 million a year I wouldn’t be either.
    What do you mean by “change the record”?

  382. rico says:

    BJ, Even if I could afford it, I wouldn’t pay out to watch us play the way we are, or give money to an owner who clearly isn’t interested in what is going on…

  383. tsGH says:

    There is nothing to say about the match apart from the fans booing and the scoreline Rico. 😀
    Just general gibberish as I did not really watch the match as you know.

  386. DutchGooner10 says:

    Nash

    Money in the bank is what Stan prefers, he doesn’t reckon a team represents financial value. Accounts and assets do.

    Look at his other franchises. All are being run equal. Staff is kept around for survival of the business model that already provides revenue. An empty store has no-one at the cash register.

  387. Adam says:

    Yes Rico. He said that. Along with the excuses you could have predicted this morning.
    Actually TSGH there is a lot to say about the match as it so perfectly encompasses where Arsenal are. It is the very embodiment of our decline. Everything else is a sideshow.

  388. Bob John says:

    I can’t argue with that Rico. I have tried to convince myself that we are not having the piss taken out of us. Out of the kind of blind loyalty football clubs rely on. But when it becomes an effort to leave the pub to go to the game then I think I know the race is run. Good times. bad times – game over!

  389. Steve says:

    Well written Adam.

    I think though, that the writing has been on the wall since David Dein was shown the door !

  391. rico says:

    Former West Ham youth team player and Joe Cole’s brother-in-law Mitchell Cole has died.

    Cole, who was 27, had been forced to retire as a professional player in February last year owing to a deteriorating heart condition.

    Life is so cruel sometimes….

  392. tsGH says:

    Steve DD playing a double agent to Stan first and then Usmanov was the ammunition that has propelled the club to where we are…

  393. Adam says:

    All I can see with regard to the positive is that the passing of one era heralds another. I doubt Kroenke feels the same though.

  396. rico says:

    Steve, my own view is the Dein departure was a bit like Song in the summer.

    It’s not so much the person, just the position.

    I know we have Gazidis now but when DD went, AW in theory, took over, he gained control and sorted out a lot of stuff that Dein did.

    When Gazidis arrived, Wenger should have been told to get back to managing and keep his nose out of everything else, but to this day, i don’t think he ever has been told that….

    Only my view though….

  402. Steve says:

    I don’t dismiss Dein’s part in our ownership disputes, but I do believe there was an important chemistry between Dein and Wenger. Since Dein went Wenger’s management has looked like a struggle. Before Dean went it was a symbol of triumph.

  406. tsGH says:

    Sad news about J Cole’s relative.

    With T’Mas coming up, news like this keeps popping up.
    Lets try to stay safe and keep our hearts healthy. We can not let the lazy players who are feeling sorry for themselves because their best player has left stop us from enjoying our lives with those who matter and care about us.

  408. tsGH says:

    The scums calling in to radio shows to say we do not deserve to have Santi in our team. Ahhh, well, Cazorla has played in average teams all his career. Jokers they all are

  411. rico says:

    Thanks Tsgh..

    Broad shoulders needed for this season I think re the Totts, it could be ‘that season’….

  412. Joaquim Moreira says:

    comments: http://www.eurosport.com
    Michu scored twice in the dying minutes as Swansea strode to a comfortable 2-0 win over a poor Arsenal side at the Emirates Stadium.

    Swansea were well worth their first away win over Arsenal in 30 years as Michu increased his tally to 10 in the Premier League this season. He joins Fernando Torres as the only Spanish player to reach double figures in the Premier League before New Year.

    The only major surprise from this match was how Swansea managed to take until the 88th minute to find the opening goal against a home side utterly devoid of urgency or ideas for large swathes of the afternoon.

    Michu finished Arsenal off on the counter attack a minute into three added on by referee Mark Clattenburg after he had been sent speeding clear from a Nathan Dyer tackle on Carl Jenkinson.

    It was little wonder some home fans called for home manager Arsene Wenger to resign after such a listless display ended amid a predictable array of boos.

    It was the most noise the home fans had managed all day from an eminently forgettable afternoon.

    Wenger bounded up the tunnel seconds after shaking hands with the visiting manager Michael Laudrup, whose side are now up to seventh in the table at the expense of Arsenal after providing a fabulous example of passing football and no little work ethic.

    Swansea were clearly buoyant after their 3-1 win over West Bromwich Albion in midweek.

    They wasted little time in cutting open Arsenal with Angel Rangel forcing Wojciech Szczesny to make a couple of stops after Ashley Williams had fresh aired an attempted volley from five yards out.

    Dyer then spurned a glorious chance on 28 minutes as he dashed through the middle from a brilliant headed flick by Michu only to hesitate as Thomas Vermaelen made a fine recovery tackle.

    Arsenal’s first chance of the day saw Gervinho fail to direct a free header at goal two minutes before half-time.

    Wenger’s team looked a bit brighter after half-time with Santi Cazorla seeing a couple of shots held by the underused Gerhard Tremmel in the visiting goal.

    But Swansea showed their menace on 62 minutes when Rangel raced into the home area only to see Szczesny dive to his left to make a fine save.

    Arsenal might have benefited from a rare moment of sloppy Swansea play, but Chico Flores did just enough to get a touch on the ball in tackling substitute Olivier Giroud on 70 minutes.

    Arsenal appealed for a penalty and a certain red card for Flore, but replays showed referee Mark Clattenburg had made the right decision with the Swansea man clearly touching the ball before Giroud.

    The introduction of Luke Moore and Dwight Tiendalli in the closing 23 minutes only added to the adventure of the visiting side.

    Moore picked out Michu on 72 minutes, but his shot from a tight angle was halted by Szczesny.

    Szczesny was then forced to produce a solid save to deny Tiendalli after he was played in by Moore with Arsenal again cut wide open.

    Vermaelen saw a header drop straight into the arms of Tremmel from Ki’s deflected header with four minutes left, but it would have been undeserved if Swansea had fell behind.

    They finally made their slick passing game count when Michu slid the ball into the net from inside the home box after a lovely pass from Moore before he fittingly concluded his side’s business for the day when he finished low and hard after Arsenal had pressed in vain for an unlikely equaliser.

    MAN OF THE MATCH

    Michu (Swansea) – Two fine finishes from the Spanish player, who continues to look better and better. Just gets the nod ahead of team-mates Ashley Williams and Angel Rangel who were equally dependable under pressure.

    PLAYER RATINGS

    Arsenal: Szczesny 6, Jenkinson 5, Mertesacker 5, Vermaelen 5 Gibbs 5, Arteta 5, Wilshere 5, Cazorla 5, Walcott 6, Podolski 4, Gervinho 4..subs: Rosicky 6, Oxlade-Chamberlain 6, Giroud 6

    Swansea: Tremmel 7, Rangel 8, Williams 8, Chico 8, Davies 7, Britton 7, de Guzman 6, Ki 7, Dyer 8, Michu 9, Shechter 6..subs: Tiendalli 7, Moore 8

  413. rico says:

    That’s it from me for today, catch up tomorrow…

    Off to finish the write up and watch a bit of rubbish television 😉

    ‘Til tomorrow all…..

    Night….

  419. DutchGooner10 says:

    JM 🙂

    That’s got to be a premier league record at the end of this season. Start dreading the December fixtures. After that we can pull out our hair, what’s left of it, in January.

  420. allezkev says:

    Strange, isn’t it…

    Ferguson never mentions fatigue, and his major players play as many games as Arsenal’s and never look knackered or play knackered.

    Also ManUre have just gone through a terrible period where they lost almost all of their central-defenders…

    Did we hear Ferguson bleating about his terrible injuries?

    Ferguson doesn’t give his players any opportunities to feel sorry for themselves or opportunities to use excuses for poor performances…

    Also, Ferguson never seems to have a problem motivating his millionaires.
    They all respect him and I suspect are also a little afraid or in awe of him…

    What a difference to our mob of Superstars?!!!

  421. allezkev says:

    Rosicky, Arshavin, Chamakh, Djourou, Squillaci (I suppose), Coquelin, Santos even, all need to play or be in the squad in Greece next week…
    Throw in a few of the Under 21s and see what happens.

    The rest probably do need a week off, just to take them out of the firing-line…

    Mannone had a nightmare the last time he played over there vs Olympiakos, bit he probably needs a game as well…

  422. allezkev says:

    Aaron Ramsey must have been quite relived he didn’t play today…

    At least he couldn’t be blamed, for a change…

  423. allezkev says:

    Brilliant result by the England rugby team, no not Stoke RFU, the real England rugby team.

    Their record victory over the All Blacks was the only good news for me today.

    Now to smash The Celts and the French in the Six Nations… 😉

    Bring it on.

  424. Scott from Oz says:

    You know what,if you who want to have sarcastic and underhanded digs at me then grow some balls and direct your comments straight at me.
    DNA may always be wrong 🙂 but at least he has the balls to go toe to toe,and not hide behind veiled criticisms and smart arse,sarcastic remarks.
    Disagree with me all you like….is that NOT the Highbury House way…but grow a pair and be up front about it!
    Sorry Rico,but enough is enough from this bloke!

  425. Scott from Oz says:

    Kev,i said to a mate on Facebook that some would still find a way to blame Ramsey lol!!
    That is the most disappointed i have ever been in an effort,a term i use loosely,by our guys.
    Very much a selfish performance from plenty.
    Szczesny can old his head up,imo.
    Jenks was good until the blunder….i do believe others should shoulder blame for offering no assistance,but he should have just belted it into the crowd.
    Santi is tired,opponents have him worked out and he is given little or no protection.
    Jack was decent but not great.
    Gervinho……i really thought he would be better this season….couldn’t have been more wrong,and he couldn’t be much worse.
    Theo was a non event.
    Podolski did nothing wrong,but only because he did nothing…very quiet.
    I could go on,but the same comments would apply to the rest.
    Not enough effort.
    Not enough players out there doing their bit for their team and their mates.
    Our wage structure is no good………that is only because we actually will still pay that lot!!
    How good would it be to have players on performance based contracts?
    Plenty would be going hungry this season 🙂
    Disappointed doesn’t come close after that performance.

  426. Micko says:

    Scott, I’ve got thick skin, if it makes you feel better taking your frustrations out on me I don’t mind, they only go in the one ear and out the other.
    Look forward to reading your enlightening reply in the morning.
    Time for my bunk.

  428. Scott from Oz says:

    Micko,it was not aimed at you mate…you have had your little dig tonight and that is not a drama.
    You were also up front about it.
    Nope….you have taken it wrong mate.
    Dna…got me there mate lol.

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