Morning all.
84 minutes of football, two goals and then off he went. Now Alexis heads back to London and there’s little doubt the Arsenal medical team will be desperate to know how he feels. Will he be fit for Saturday is the big question which most of the fans will want to know the answer to, as will Arsene Wenger.
Both Giroud and Koscielny played for France last night, not the entire match though as they could only manage a 0-0 draw against The Ivory Coast. Theo Walcott had a run out for England as they blew a two goal lead against an under strength Spain side. Nacho Monreal watched on from the bench. Mustafi played the entire match in Germany’s 0-0 draw with Italy and poor old Ospina was on the end of a 3-0 thumping by Messi and co.
So that’s it for another four months, no international breaks. Aexi Iwobi will be missing in the New Year as the ACON takes place but we can cope without him for a few weeks. Now everyone else at Arsenal can concentrate on the domestic and European challenge.
As Arsenal head to OT on Saturday, Arsene Wenger has been asked which stadium is his favourite. He’s been quoted in The Mail as saying:
My favourite stadium with biggest fanbase with the most heated atmosphere is Liverpool because there’s special vibes there. The song before the game, You’ll Never Walk Alone, the history of the club and the stadium itself.
Before it was Highbury. It had a special soul. Now it’s Everton, Liverpool, Newcastle was great too. Football is like what it was 30 years ago because of the environment of the game. The passion, the soul of the stadium. It has the most heated, supportive atmosphere.
I loved Highbury and it’s easy to understand why Arsene did too. The history, the closeness of the players to the fans, the noise, the early glory days for the Frenchman. The Emirates just isn’t the same, not yet and I doubt it’ll ever be. The move was supposed to bring better times for the club and it’s fans, certainly after the first few years when money was tight, but as yet, success has been limited. A couple of FA Cups in nearly ten years at our new home, isn’t much to shout about and perhaps that’s part of the reason why the stadium is so quiet on match days.
Yet the funny thing is, Liverpool have won even less over that ten year period yet their fans are full of voice from start to finish. Even when Brendan Rogers was mucking things up, the fans remained faithful to the clubs players and they certainly made their feelings clear when they wanted George Gillett and Tom Hicks out of their club. And as much as I detest the club, one can only sit back and admire their fan base when they belt out ‘You’ll never walk alone’. Similar could be said of the West Ham fans ‘I’m forever blowing bubbles’ and even Everton’s ‘Z Cars’ theme is far better than ours.
Wouldn’t it be lovely if Arsenal FC had an anthem, a song to bring the fans together at the start of a game, a song to create a buzz around the stadium, a feeling of great excitement before the referee blows his whistle, a song which lifted the players spirits as they walked out onto the pitch, knowing they have 50,000 odd fans right behind them every step of the way…
If Arsene Wenger loves all the noisy stadiums, perhaps he needs to turn The Emirates into one….
O C’mon, it’s not really as black and white as you’ve painted it! I’ve been to all those stadiums when the atmosphere has been really flat. A Liverpool supporting friend of mine has said the atmosphere at Anfield is nothing like the old days. But even the old days weren’t even that good. I remember going to Liverpool in 2001 when Arsenal won 2 – 1; the Arsenal fans that day were taunting Liverpool about the lack of atmosphere and noise from the home fans. If the atmosphere at the Emirates isn’t what it should be it’s probably down to fans such as yourself that are always looking for something to moan about and don’t get behind the team.
Morning all and thanks Rico.
Alexis has plenty of days rest `till Saturday and expect him to be his usual Tazmanian Devil self, he`ll be fired up !.
Talikng of grounds I just come across an interesting Arsenal site on newsnow, it`s all about the history and I was shocked to come across one article amongst many on there that said we at one time contemplated changing our name to………………… London City !……………………..first I heard of it in over 60 years as a Gooner …………….actually ….over 60 years plus 9 months in the womb singing ….”if I had the wings of a sparrow” ( anyone remember that one ?……….I will sing it if requested ! hahaha)
Look at the last photo, it has a reporter saying the “London City” goalkeeper !.
http://www.thearsenalhistory.com/?p=7732
You`ld think with millions of songs available that we/The Arsenal could at least pick one decent song, I love the `ammers……..I`m forever blowing bubbles which coincidently made me think Michael Jackson was a West Ham fan untill I discovered he had a chimpanzee !
The Scousers one is great and quite fittingly, as I remember once having to listen to a group of them in a Gay bar singing with passion………You`ll never wank alone !………..ended up a bit Lionel !
😆
Love the Spuds one too !………..actually it`s not really a song, just a whinning sobbing crying whimper !…..quite catchy though !………I`ve recorded it and play to get me in the mood on amorous nights …………………..
Hahah Le Coq. am requesting it, sing! Or better, coin it to our anthem.
As someone who has only ever been on a 2 hour flight from Spain I dont get the fatigue thingy !…………….Does the plane use Alexis as an engine ?………….is he peddling the jet turbine engines ?………………or maybe he is given strap on wings !………………nope !……call me gullible, but I have an odd feeling that he rests or sleeps the journey !
http://www.101greatgoals.com/news/arsenal-major-fatigue-disadvantage-v-man-united/
The old one Marshall used to be……………….
If I had the wings of a sparrow,
If I had the arse of a crow.
I`d fly over Totnumb tomorrow
and shit on the bastards below below…shit on….shit on…….shit on the bastards below !
Sure all the old guys here remember singing it ! 🙂
Haha, how I wish we’d have sung that in the derby Le Coq.
Sanchez wouldn’t get jet-lagged even if the plane flew on Sanchezfuel. Besides they fly in the Gulfs, it’s all cosy in there.
There was a song that the team used to run out to at Highbury to the tune of Anchors Away:
Send Arsenal up the field for one more goal
No other team fight like the boys in red and white
Never let their glory fade, long may they reign
So let us all give out with UP THE GUNNERS, UP THE GUNNERS, GOAL!
Afternoon Guys..
AF Clarke, I’m not moaning, just stating the bloomin obvious….
Hi All:
Watching Joel Campbell ‘s two goals last night it’s amazing he’s not on the team. We all know his work ethic but his finish and technical ability was so good band miles ahead of Ox. And Alexis, simply wow… the first goal was all finess….the set up of the defender with a simple shoulder dip n pivot. Then he showed an amazing strength with the 2 defenders all over him for the 2nd. I think he’s ready for Saturday.
Joel Campbell, another I forget is still on the books. Wonder what his future holds as far as Arsenal goes. Who gives more, him or OC….
Campbell did ok for us really.
I thought so..
Nighty…
There’s a team The Arsenal, the greatest of them all , We will always support them whether they rise or fall and we will drink drink together for the sake of the Arsenal and we will drink drink together for the sake of the Arsenal.
Fulham can stay at the Cottage , Southampton can stay at the Dell and as for Tottenham Hotspurs they can go to hell and we will drink drink together ( repeat ).
Was still heard in the Plimsol , then the Auld Triangle but no longer as it has become another gastropub apparently.
Oh the Eton Boating Song . BTW.
He’s here, he’s there, he’s every-fcuking-where,
Bobby Gould
Bobby Gould…
And some 30 years later:
Real Madrid, Real Madrid,
We sold you a pup for 23 million quid,
Real Madrid, Real Madrid,
We sold you a pup for 23 million quid,
Thierry Henry
Thierry Henry
Thierry Henry
Thierry Henry…
Morning all.
Hi Scott…
How’s things, Rico?
Other than quiet, I mean 🙂
These interlulls are just terrible.
It’s almost like the offseason.
Ok thanks Scott, you?
I see another Australian cricketer has been injured, hope he recovers well…
Don’t think it’s the break, more football in general has become boring… It certainly has for me anyway..
True Scott !………………we need to bring in a Transfer Window whenever there`s an International break ! 😆
Boring Morning all. 🙂
Lets play pretend International Break Transfer Window !………………….who shall we have then ? ……………………It may bring Goonster out ! 🙂
Yeah, an Aussie lad got hit, but realistically, it’s been happening ever since cricket started-now, it’s massive news.
The enquiry was held recently on the detach of Phil Hughes, and it was a complete joke.
Honestly, the family are out to appoint blame, when it was a tragic accident, and nothing more.
They’re now suing Cricket Australia.
I’m absolutely sure their son would be looking down in complete embarrassment, knowing there no malice, and no intent in the incident.
Very sad, and no good at all will come of it.
Football isn’t boring, Rico, but some of the “characters” involve even in the name certainly are.
LC, surely, we are chasing Messi.
🙂 Lc, knowing Arsenal in January, no-one…
Although saying that, we did get Elneny last January….
Hurt mt wrist yesterday…….and no comments please ! 🙂 bandaged it up like Vardy and woke up this morning with my hand the size of Gervinho`s forehead !………..will probably miss urinal from 5 yards now !
I didn’t know Hughes family were suing, odd decision really but I guess in their hearts they want to blame someone, it’s human instinct…
For me it’s become boring Scott, and predictable. It’s all about which club spends the most money these days… The passion is long gone…
On the money side, yes, you’re right, Rico.
The problem is, anything put in place to stop the massive spending will result in top players heading to Spain and Germany.
How good would it be if clubs worldwide got together and put a limit in salaries?
it won’t happen, but it’s a nice thought.
FFP-It could have been brilliant if UEFA had any balls.
Need a player wage cap, Rico, but would it ever happen ?………………… some of the poor blighters wouldn`t be able to survive on £250K per week and even if there was the Chavs/Manshafter/Mansour City would find some loop hole to pay them with a small country etc`
You beat me to it Scott !…………only by a minute though and you are 24 hours ahead of us time wise ! 🙂
Problem is Scott, if the whole world paid the same wage cap a player would have the serious problem of deciding whether he wanted to play for Middlesborough or Madrid ! 🙂
Spot on re FFP, but as usual, FIFA/UEFA bottled it…
LC, we Aussies are 10 years ahead bahahahahaha.
I’d love to see something where players were encouraged to stay at their local clubs.
That’s what’s missing.
Watching juniors rise through the ranks and be one club players.
Yep, Rico.
They had their chance, and from what I saw, the vast majority of clubs were behind the idea of FFP.
Agree Lc, but as you both say, it’ll never happen…
They were Scott, apart from City, Utd and Chelsea…. Can’t think why… 😉
Bellerin out for a month…. 🙁
Hi Potter, I was one of the crowd in the Plimsoll/Triangle that used to start that song up every game. You haven’t got the words quite right, should be: and we’ll drink, drink together in praise of the AFC.
First heard the song back in the 1960’s, and it’s always been the anthem of my little crowd. We still sing occasionally in the Eaglett, but alas our numbers have been dwindling over the past few years due to the cost of Season Tickets etc.
Chelski were, Rico…
Roman was a big supporter, though, at the time, he already had a billion dollar squad 🙂 🙂
Rico, so it’s Arsene Wengers fault that people don’t sing at the Emirates? That man is responsible for so much wrong doing isn’t he :-). And if you think that a couple of FA Cups aren’t much to shout about then why did so many of us sing ourselves hoarse at the Wembley finals?
Another truth Scott !……………..have you Aussies all become Mother Teresa`s ? hahaha……………..indeed, the Chavs did start to sell players to buy them !………I think the Mansour lot got some sort of ban then were they threatening some legal loophole action ?.
I was quite excited by FFP, thinking that our self-sustaining model would put us at the top, but money always wins in the end ! 🙁
🙂 Scott..
AF, where have I suggested it’s Wengers fault?
As for the FA Cups, as much as I loved us winning them, the PL is the big one isn’t it? You have your views, I have mine!
OK Rico………so Bellerin`s out for 4 weeks !……..can I envoke article 69 that we can open my pretend TW and buy Serge Aurier ?
Truth be known, Arsene doesn`t like a noisy Emirates and prefers it quiete !……………..ever tried trying to count you wages with all that noise ?…………………………..”Seven Million nine hundred thousand and………………….sacre fcuking bleu !…………I stood up to hate Totnumb ………………………….one, two, three……………………………………….”
Nice idea Lc.. 😉
I have the odd moment…..it’s very rare, thought that LC 🙂
I hope Carl will deputise well in Bellerin’s absence. He need to take his chances.
We haven’t beaten them at the shitford in a decade!
I hope 4 weeks out they mean Alexis’ four weeks out, not Wilshere’s ‘four weeks out’
Morning Rico and all. Any good news around?
New post up now.
Morning Adam, Marshall..
Bellerin is made of stronger stuff I hope…
Rico, the last sentence of your piece reads: If Arsene Wenger loves all the noisy stadiums, perhaps he needs to turn The Emirates into one…. Now, I would say that is somehow laying the blame for the lack of atmosphere and the fans not singing on AW. Yes the PL is the big one but the FA cups shouldn’t be sniffed at. But your article mentions how the Liverpool fans are in full voice from start to finish (which is absolute fanciful nonsense) although they’ve won less than us recently and even when Brendan Rogers was mucking it up. So the wonderful Liverpool fans (in your opinion) are still wonderful despite their manager but (to quote you) it’s up to Arsene Wenger to turn the Emirates into a noisy stadium. You need to go back and read your own article because it’s seriously lacking in credibility and logic.
Rico, is Z cars really better than London Calling? Really!