Carling Cup Final was not important!! Three points today are….

So there we all were back in February, thrilled that finally Arsenal had got themselves to Wembley for a Cup Final, desperate for us to beat Birmingham and get all the comments about winning a trophy off our back but all the time Wenger thought the Cup didn’t matter, it was not important.

Maybe that is why the team turned up in tracksuits with their ipods, or whatever they have these days, firmly in their ears!

Certainly winning the Carling Cup would have taken a little bit of weight from the shoulders of the players, for me, the Carling Cup in itself is not important. But what it could have given, a little bit of playing with less weight on your shoulders.

I watched, I don’t know 100 Cup finals, I’ve played myself maybe 15 to 20. It’s difficult to imagine you can lose a cup final like that.

If Arsene Wenger spoke about the Carling Cup Final to the squad like he has to afc.com, no wonder we lost!

That day at Wembley was important to all Arsenal Fans but I guess we didn’t matter did we?

On to today:

Diaby is ruled out for today’s fixture and Tomas Rosicky remains a doubt – otherwise we have no changes to the squad that travelled to Bolton.

Paul Scholes isn’t available for the Mancs as he’s suspended, Berbatov is back for them but Fletcher and Hargreaves are out. Giggs won’t feature either as he’s resting his old bones.

We haven’t beaten this lot in the last seven fixtures, surely it’s about time that all changed?

They are not far from securing another Premier League title and we are still a few points short of securing Champions League football for next season so there are two good reasons alone to win this game. Four points from our last four fixtures will be enough to secure a place in the top four and you know who it will probably mean gets the fifth spot.

It’s so wrong though – just a few weeks ago we were second with a really good chance of overtaking our opposition for the title but a string of draws and a stupid defeat last weekend has seen all that hope rapidly disappear.

Let's have a bit of this.....

We need a good show, a few goals and give the home fans something to go home happy about, give all us fans something to be happy about Arsenal today. It’s the penultimate home fixture for this season so we need a win at The Emirates, something we haven’t seen for a few weeks having drawn our last three fixtures at home.

I’m sick and tired of Fergies lot beating us and it has to change. There is no better day than today for that to happen either is there?

They are probably having breakfast as I type, talking about how easy today’s game will be for them, how three points are already in the bag and one hand is on the Premier League Trophy.

Let’s naff them off a bit shall we, dig our heels in make this race go to the final day. Give the Chavs a bit of hope that they could yet pip the Mancs for the title – I can’t stand either of the two so I couldn’t care less who wins in the end.

Today though is about Arsenal securing three points and getting back to winning ways – we still have second place to fight for don’t we?

What about pride in our club, surely the players believe that’s worth fighting for?

Have a good day all…..

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SUGA3
SUGA3
15 years ago

good one rico, check out mine 😉

K-TR7
K-TR7
15 years ago

Morning.good read rico.

SUGA3
SUGA3
15 years ago

funny how neither of us gave the team selection a lot of thought, eh?

and good job I didn’t use that Keown pic – I had this idea, but I simply forgot as I wrote 😆

great minds and all that…

SUGA3
SUGA3
15 years ago

seriously, I have been crying out for monsters like MK for the last three seasons…

there is just one thing that is hard to get and that’s the Arsenal-badge-shaped monster heart!

I reckon Wilshere and Szczesny have it, Lansbury has it, RvP has it, well, who else?

Steve Palmer
Steve Palmer
15 years ago

Morning rico,
Thought I would get in early seeing how I am about to leave for golf.
I don’t think that these players are at all bothered about the shirts they wear, the cannon on their chests mean little to foreign inports, they are young men who are here to earn big money and I don’t blame them for that. Older supporters that have gone through years and years of believing their club to be the best and having an attachment built inside them of optimism and hope,have more feeling in their little fingers to what these young men feel. I believe it means more to supporters than it does to these young men, we must not believe that they have Arsenal in their blood just because they wear the shirt. Win or lose they will be leaving the ground to night in very expensive vehicles and travelling to their expensive homes knowing full well their bulging bank accounts will continue to bulge, while lots of our supporters will be leaving wondering whether its worth scraping the money together for their tickets next year, maybe they have disappointed me this year but they have a long way to go before I would call them Arsenal Men.

SUGA3
SUGA3
15 years ago

rico,

Arsene ‘I didn’t see zis’ Wenger? 😆

amband
amband
15 years ago

get rid of Wenger!

agirlagunner
agirlagunner
15 years ago

Boo! Good read, rico. Upbeat when it’s all too easy to be all doomygloomy. 🙂

I must say there is no “lesser” devil between the Pensioners and the Mancs though… I wish it were possible for no one to be crowned champs. 😉

Hello, all!

john surrey
john surrey
15 years ago

get back to WHL you Spud.

SUGA3
SUGA3
15 years ago

rico,

I reckon AW must be told not to dilly-dally with the transfers but to show that we mean business…

in the ideal world, he would be given until the end of June, maybe mid-July to have a couple of monsters on the books before we embark on that Asian tour…

Mike gunner
Mike gunner
15 years ago

For the MU game,I hope Wenger will pack his midfield ie anti soccer and hit on the break.However this runs counter to the Frenchman’s version of the beautiful game which means Arsenal must launch attack after attack.If that’s the case,the gunners will lose unless they played like in the Chelsea game.
Then the gunners harrass and close every blue and give them no time and space .A return to that sort of game is crucial if the gunners don’t want to lose.
Btw crowd the bulldog and and other fucking rd and stop them from passing/crossing and shooting.
Then we shall see.

Will
Will
15 years ago

Spot on Steve. I am really finding it hard to muster up enthusiasm for this game.

SUGA3
SUGA3
15 years ago

rico,

with all these Mancs populating the great county of Surrey, he must be at the end of his tether 😆

Will
Will
15 years ago

It is hard Rico because the players don’t seem to get up for it. Why should I raise my heart-rate and blood pressure if they can’t be bothered to raise some effort?

I fully expect a tonking today.

SUGA3
SUGA3
15 years ago

rico,

I have seen his ‘oh-so-die-hard’ comments on other sites, bless him…

as far as I am concerned, it’s pretty amusing!

Will
Will
15 years ago

for the last four games I have said I am not going to get up, did and was left low and disappointed and as Steve said, how many of those players driving in their Aston’s really care that I am low and devastated that MY club has once again let me down.

Will
Will
15 years ago

“I would understand if Cesc leaves,” Sagna was quoted as saying in The News of the World. “He has been here at Arsenal for a long time and he wants to win trophies. As professionals we want to be successful and win cups and titles but we haven’t won a thing for six years.

“It’s embarrassing to be part of a team that hasn’t won a trophy for six years. We failed. It’s not the manager’s fault, it’s the players’. Some people say Arsene Wenger’s not doing well, but he doesn’t play. We know we are not a bad team. We have the quality to finish first, but we lost. This is the fault of the players – we have failed.”

Wenger is remaining more upbeat about the future of his prized possession though, claiming the likes of Fabregas, Robin van Persie and Samir Nasri are getting closer to greatness.

“The team has accumulated a lot of experience despite their age. They are 23 on average now, but football-wise are 26 or 27. I gave them a chance to play at a young age and I don’t regret it.

“Maybe I could have got some more experienced players, but it is too easy to say that.

“They are very close [to the title]. We need to strengthen some areas, but we have the quality. At the moment we have to face some scepticism, but we have to keep believing in our strengths. These players all started at a very young age and they should be ready.”

JonJon
JonJon
15 years ago

ahhh
good old keown…
a keown here and a parlour there sprinkled with a touch of rocky and we would be a force to be reckoned with..

JonJon
JonJon
15 years ago

we wont win today by the way..
fergies got the number over wenger tactics wise and fergies players do as they are told..

unless utd have a serious off day we arent winning shit so dont get your hopes up

Will
Will
15 years ago

My hopes are on the ground.

JonJon
JonJon
15 years ago

mine are 6 feet under ground..

Will
Will
15 years ago

I fully expect to lose by three or four goals today. That is how far my faith in this team has fallen.

SUGA3
SUGA3
15 years ago

oh, come on, I am a self-confessed ‘realist’ and I have a good feeling about today!

mind you, I had this a few times before 😆

let’s not moan before the game ends (on the clock or effectively), if they cock this up, let there be DooM™, how’s that?

Will
Will
15 years ago

I have had too many “good feelings” and been let own to many times.

JonJon
JonJon
15 years ago

a few week back this game was a must win for us to win the title
now its a must win for chelsea
thats just a kick in the nuts in itself..

Will
Will
15 years ago

I am telling you guys, it is the number 4.

K-TR7
K-TR7
15 years ago

We will win today.

JonJon
JonJon
15 years ago

well one things for sure if they wipe the floor with us today it puts the final nail in the coffin..

K-TR7
K-TR7
15 years ago

At least they can’t win the league today.

K-TR7
K-TR7
15 years ago

Sagna must be really frustrated to say that rico.he is normally a very calm guy.

JonJon
JonJon
15 years ago

it seems the team have had a few clear the air meetings and the players are taking the blame also..

agirlagunner
agirlagunner
15 years ago

JJ, it’s all well and good to hear that the players are themselves feeling the heat, now to do something about it… 😉 But are they still up for it?, one has to wonder.

rico, yep, working. 🙁 But I don’t want to miss the game (however possible that we’ll be rubbish again…), so here, multi-tasking. But then again, we women are used to that. 😀

Hello, KT. Howdy?

Joaquim Moreira
Joaquim Moreira
15 years ago

Good morning all!
Lunch and watch the match!
2- 0 for us (at least !!!)

SUGA3
SUGA3
15 years ago

OK peeps, I am off to the beach for a bit, then I will either come back home to watch or go to the pub 😉

lataz…

K-TR7
K-TR7
15 years ago

Howdy agag.

JonJon
JonJon
15 years ago

that appears to be doing the rounds rico..
yogi mentioned it as well…

these players owe us a performance today..

K-TR7
K-TR7
15 years ago

Cesc is apparently injured.

JonJon
JonJon
15 years ago

not even on the bench
wenger preparing for the future

Santos
Santos
15 years ago

Great blog. First timer. Keep it up. Howdy all?

JonJon
JonJon
15 years ago

cesc aint injured..

K-TR7
K-TR7
15 years ago

Without cesc we have no cutting edge in the final third.we are inferior without him.

K-TR7
K-TR7
15 years ago

Ramsey/jack will get bossed today.

K-TR7
K-TR7
15 years ago

Could it be that the Don Balon interview angered wenger?mourinho dropped ronaldo after criticizing his style of play.

Santos
Santos
15 years ago

Yeah Rico…….. You may have seen the name on another forum,you know. So how optimistic are you about the game today?

K-TR7
K-TR7
15 years ago

Maybe wenger is planning for next season already.

Santos
Santos
15 years ago

Mind games at its best. Man utd are good at that. Pay them no mind when they say a player is ruled out

agirlagunner
agirlagunner
15 years ago

Vidic. A thug and a cheat!!!!!

K-TR7
K-TR7
15 years ago

How the hell does vidic manage to get away with murder so many times?

agirlagunner
agirlagunner
15 years ago

The Mancs are hoping to get lucky on the break, and the match officials are doing their best to hand them the win… Oh, I mean the championship…

JonJon
JonJon
15 years ago

foys been crap
unfit dumb fuck..

K-TR7
K-TR7
15 years ago

How many times has foy broken up our attacks by obstructing a pass?

JonJon
JonJon
15 years ago

3 times ktr
3..
unfit dumb fuck

K-TR7
K-TR7
15 years ago

This season alone if vidic wasn’t a manc he would’ve missed about half the fixtures through suspension.

Joaquim Moreira
Joaquim Moreira
15 years ago

Definitely, the League needs to have non-English referees. Clearly there are teams benefited from successive errors arbitragem.Ontem, the assistant referee validated a goal at a considerable distance, and today no one could see a very clear hand, with penalty and expulsion. I speak more to follow

Will
Will
15 years ago

Just got in, was it handball?

JonJon
JonJon
15 years ago

all day long will
and a red card

agirlagunner
agirlagunner
15 years ago

ramboooooooo!!!!!!

Will
Will
15 years ago

So the FA are getting the champions they want?

JonJon
JonJon
15 years ago

woop

Will
Will
15 years ago

I am not watching.

Will
Will
15 years ago

What’s going on?

Will
Will
15 years ago

IS it Barca bad?

Will
Will
15 years ago

Oh crap.

Will
Will
15 years ago

How much longer?

Will
Will
15 years ago

I feel sick.

Will
Will
15 years ago

As I said.

Barca = UEFA golden ticket

Man Utd = Fa golden ticket.

Will
Will
15 years ago

Did we win?

Will
Will
15 years ago

JUSTICE.

agirlagunner
agirlagunner
15 years ago

Ah, that’s how it is done.

agirlagunner
agirlagunner
15 years ago

Loved how AA was going into tackles. How many did he make?? That’s what we want to see. Players who look interested. 🙂

agirlagunner
agirlagunner
15 years ago

Almost the same comment, rico on AA. Spooky. 🙂

Will
Will
15 years ago

Were we the better team?

K-TR7
K-TR7
15 years ago

Ramsey/jack axis is our future.

Joaquim Moreira
Joaquim Moreira
15 years ago

Uff, we can not lose points in the last 5 minutes. Regardless of our performance of referrals, etc, we lost several points in the last 5 minutes, and discounts. The League had already finished!

SUGA3
SUGA3
15 years ago

WOOHOO!!!

today I have learned the true meaning of watching the game from behind the sofa – literally! 😆

agirlagunner
agirlagunner
15 years ago

We were much better, Will. Without being outstanding though… I thought, that we were passpasspassing too much again.

The Mancs were riding their luck, and they all know it. Plus, come on, that was a blatant handball.

K-TR7
K-TR7
15 years ago

Rico am glad they proved me wrong.i wasn’t sure about ramsey but he was damn good.we were right about one thing though;we predicted a win and it happened.

agirlagunner
agirlagunner
15 years ago

I thought their strikers were pretty useless. Chicha-Who??

The Mancs’ negative tactics (did they even get a whiff of the ball in the first 15 minutes??) was their undoing.

The Chavs must be loving us now.

K-TR7
K-TR7
15 years ago

How the hell are the mancs planning to deal with barca?at one point we had 78% possession against the league leaders.

JonJon
JonJon
15 years ago

happy st totts day everyone 😉

K-TR7
K-TR7
15 years ago

I didn’t even realise it.happy st.totts day everyone!

Will
Will
15 years ago

Ok, so how will MoTD report this game?

K-TR7
K-TR7
15 years ago

What impressed me the most is how well jack and ramsey shared the offensive and defensive load.when cesc plays he doesn’t defend much and since all our play goes through him we become predictable.today we had 2 CMs doing both attacking and defending and as a result we had balance.

JonJon
JonJon
15 years ago

well at least one thing today proved is that we do alot better without denilson and diaby
we dont need them so they have got no reason to be here next season

JonJon
JonJon
15 years ago

and first bargain off the season is parker
westham are gonners lets take that little warrior off there hands..
cheap as chips too

agirlagunner
agirlagunner
15 years ago

What a great goal from Ramsey. Swept in cleanly; cool and composed as you like.

Cesc’s absence is a puzzler… Hmmm. He was watching though; the cam panned to him several times.

SUGA3
SUGA3
15 years ago

rico,

I said it was as possible to win all four as lose all four, didn’t I?

as for today’s game, I like call it the ‘reverse sod’s law’ 😉

JonJon
JonJon
15 years ago

cl football rico

K-TR7
K-TR7
15 years ago

The mancs have been that average in most of their games especially away from home.

agirlagunner
agirlagunner
15 years ago

While my favorite French player had a couple of donut moments (not least of which was the penalty that could have well been awarded via the foul on Owen!!!), I thought he did well to keep Nani in his pocket for much of the game. 😀

I’m a very happy girl.

SUGA3
SUGA3
15 years ago

rico,

to save you watching, let me give you the MOTD comment:

‘well, Arsenal show that they can do it, but there seems to be something wrong with the level of motivation, the good ol’ grit is lacking…’

yadda, yadda, yadda 😆

Osi
Osi
15 years ago

hi all

JonJon
JonJon
15 years ago

rooney picked up his 5th yellow

banned for chelsea??

K-TR7
K-TR7
15 years ago

If only we had held on against pool,swampies and barcodes…

OSI
OSI
15 years ago

Anyone thinking we (fans or FA) should introduce a VIDIC WATCH DEVICE?

K-TR7
K-TR7
15 years ago

Yes jj thats a suspension.

Will
Will
15 years ago

I will record it so I can watch it a couple of times.

K-TR7
K-TR7
15 years ago

Vidic is such a dirty mug.

K-TR7
K-TR7
15 years ago

I just remembered that there is a rule that comes into effect late in the season that grants players on 5/10 yellows immunity from suspension.

K-TR7
K-TR7
15 years ago

Jack is really poor in the final third.he made the wrong decisions in counter attacking sitiuations and his shooting has to drastically improve.

SUGA3
SUGA3
15 years ago

thing is that there is a bit of truth in that model MOTD comment…

I can’t believe we threw away the title like that!

K-TR7
K-TR7
15 years ago

Song was absolutely top notch.the mancs couldn’t get past him.

K-TR7
K-TR7
15 years ago

Ramsey is much better than jack in the final third.he seems to have composure that jack lacks.

K-TR7
K-TR7
15 years ago

I thought the mancs had leadership,experience,mental strength and were not bottlers?…

Osi
Osi
15 years ago

biggest football hypocrisy Song getting suspended for repeatitive fouling and yellow cards accumulation but not vidic and his scotish friend

SUGA3
SUGA3
15 years ago

rico,

it was just proper Colosseum shit, and if anyone tells me that the crowd does not react when served caviar…

JonJon
JonJon
15 years ago

song was back to his best
man marked rooney out of the game..
almost kicked fuck out of him as well
ive missed the old one nils complete with ding dongs against the mancs

we have gained some pride back today..

SUGA3
SUGA3
15 years ago

Rooney should have been sent off, IMO…

JonJon
JonJon
15 years ago

so should vidic.. 😉

K-TR7
K-TR7
15 years ago

Today we were more like a 4-3-3 rather than a 4-2-3-1.

Osi
Osi
15 years ago

hi rico
this win is definitely depressing Wenger and his players? they’re thinking of what might have been.

K-TR7
K-TR7
15 years ago

There is no team that i enjoy beating than the bloody mancs.i f*ck’n hate em!

Osi
Osi
15 years ago

It’s good feeling to beat ManU k-tr7

agirlagunner
agirlagunner
15 years ago

KT and Osi, can’t stand the Chavs though. Don’t know what results I want next week. 😉 If only both teams could lose. 😉

Night, all! Great blogging day, rico. 🙂

Osi
Osi
15 years ago

Fergie took the ref.World for granted; every decisions especially all 50/50 decisions must go his way! I’d love to see his face if he looses to Chelsea. He’d blame the Ref. for loosing it.

K-TR7
K-TR7
15 years ago

Its staggering how far ahead we are in terms of technical ability in comparison to the chavs/mancs/northern chavs.we are effin close…

K-TR7
K-TR7
15 years ago

A word on kos who i must say is becoming our best CB on the floor.it was a delight to watch when 1 second chica was waiting for the ball to reach his feet only for kos to intercept it and lumber away.that guy has a great future ahead of him.

Joaquim Moreira
Joaquim Moreira
15 years ago

Owen was off side and no penalty. Theo versus Evra penalty? maybe… but sincerelly, not.
For me the best player today: Kos.

SUGA3
SUGA3
15 years ago

rico,

now, now, one at a time 😉

but yeah, I prefer for the Chavs to win it rather than Mancs…

Steve Palmer
Steve Palmer
15 years ago

Evening all,
I wasn’t expecting a win and am speechless, well done Wenger and the lads, was slagging you off yesterday but love you again today, but tomorrow Who knows???????

K-TR7
K-TR7
15 years ago

Did you hear what Curbishley said at HT along the lines ‘…i have said all along that Arsenal are the closest team to barca in the PL…’

Steve Palmer
Steve Palmer
15 years ago

KT if we had lost we would all be losers. always the same, mind you I had my doubts, rico was pretty sure though. but wonder!!!

K-TR7
K-TR7
15 years ago

I was also impressed by the fact that in the build up to Ramsey’s goal we had 3 players in the box.its something we don’t do often enough.

K-TR7
K-TR7
15 years ago

Bale may get the hype but for me theo is invaluable to our team.his crossing has improved but what i like the most is his off the ball movement.today in the build up to ramsey’s goal he made a run that pushed the utd backline backwards creating space for ramsey to score.it was similar to the run he made in 08 creating space for nasri to score against the mancs.in addition to that he pins back defenses which is very helpful tactically in creating space for our midfielders.

SUGA3
SUGA3
15 years ago

nite rico, sweet dreams, girl 😉

Will
Will
15 years ago

Feeling good now.

K-TR7
K-TR7
15 years ago

Nyte ricolicious and i can see you are developing a tactical eye.

SUGA3
SUGA3
15 years ago

I will…

gotta lie down first 😉

Steve Palmer
Steve Palmer
15 years ago

glad your happy Will me too nte all

Will
Will
15 years ago

What is Bale, 6 goals and 2 assists this season?

K-TR7
K-TR7
15 years ago

Something like that will.

Will
Will
15 years ago

How teh hell does that get you Player of the year?

K-TR7
K-TR7
15 years ago

Bale’s hype was generated from his perfomance against inter not even a PL perfomance.

Will
Will
15 years ago

He has had 2 good games this season. It is a joke the plaudits he is getting.

K-TR7
K-TR7
15 years ago

Even spud fans are starting to realise it and are calling him overrated.

Will
Will
15 years ago

Sorry, Owen was already on the floor.

Gooner4life&beyond
Gooner4life&beyond
15 years ago

Bale winning was a joke, Nasri deserved it more (should have won if he didn’t lose form with injury), but I say Parker or Baines should have won. Both would be welcome at Arsenal.

Glad we won today, a bit of too little too late for us, but hopefully it restored some bride and belief. Ramsey will be back to being special again I pray.

Will
Will
15 years ago

Morning Rico, come on, stop being slack 😉