We are all fed up with dissecting the QPR game, whether Wenger should have played Ramsey on the left, the players should wear longer studs and less colourful boots and of course the, why does Chamakh even make the bench…
It’s boring isn’t it?
Then of course there is all the gossip from the Red Tops and other newspapers, all they are trying to do is get the best headline to make their paper the best sold of the day – and no doubt, most of their Arsenal news is made up…
There is the story about Chamakh suggesting he’s staying! Regardless of his poor form and recent naughtiness, he feels he’s good enough to really make an impact in our squad! Chamakh suggests that Wenger has told him he will be staying, but I strongly suspect that was in a conversation thattook place a little while back. PSG want him and surely we can only hope they get him?
This morning there is an old rumour, regurgitated and re-written about how Giles Grimandi is putting together a dossier on Olivier Giroud between now and the end of the season. Not sure who its for though, he’s valued at £50 Million so surely it won’t be us!
Another little story relates to Jan Vertonghen and how he’s better than our own Thomas Vermaelen, according to one of the De Boer twins that is.
The Daily Mail have the best headline – ‘Gunners ramp up bid to land Sunderland forward Sessegnon’.
Good stuff eh. 😉
Anyway, a bit of fun today, or more like something to annoy you!
Thanks to Lee, it’s spot the football team, there are 42 in this photo so see how many you can identify….
Good Luck 🙂
If you can’t see the photo so well, just click on it and the picture will enlarge…
Have a good day all…..
Morning all.
Yeah Rico, hosepipe ban starts today i think…
Morning all
Does here to AK 🙁
Didnt know Nicki Benthead was Moroccan ?
Morning Rico and all. Feeling better today Kev?
Morning Matty and Adam
Chamakh staying would send out all the wrong messages. I just cannot see it happening if a bid comes in.
Matty re Nik?
Neither can I Adam, i suspect that was all said before the Jan transfer window, and after his pipe smoking incident, he’s a goner…
Morning Adam.
Feel a bit more lively today.
I see that Lee’s flight was delayed 2 hours yesterday.
They didn’t take off until 9pm.
Still, i bet he’s happy now…. 🙂
£50million for Giroud eh?
You’ve just gotta smile at those stupid valuations….
Even Man City wouldn’t pay that….
Arsene Wenger has instructed chief French scout Gilles Grimandi to compile a dossier on Montpellier striker Olivier Giroud.
The Gunners manager – together with chief scout Steve Rowley – has identified the France international as a potential summer signing.
And Wenger has asked former Arsenal defender Grimandi to keep a close eye on Giroud’s form between now and the end of the season.
Read more: http://www.dailymail.co.uk/sport/football/article-2124639/Arsenal-want-Olivier-Giroud.html#ixzz1r3fQnI3X
Kev. Glad to hear it. Watch out for me in Oxford Street today. I am travelling to that fragrant land known as Selfridges.
Ramsey is not the problem, wenger is the problem since He fail to realize that Ramsey is not good in the middle yet he can stop using him
Chavs might AK, but then they’d need to sell Torres for £50M first and that’s never going to happen 😉
Hope the weather clears up for Lee, didn’t look to good yesterday but at least he’s getting a break….
Glad to hear you feel a little better AK….
sup rico…
Sorry got my punk of a manager beside me so im here on the sly shhhh lol.
Off to the abu dhabi city game on sunday hope we beat them punks..
Also Giroud is a amazing forward, however the dude that writes the daily mail recently needs to be shot..
£50 mil i mean what is he on?? defo not don perrion 😛
Glue I would think Matt.
Morning all,
I see no football teams but a cryptographic message for Al Qaida cells. Bin Laden spend his last days Photoshopping.
ohhh i meant chamahk starting to sound like bentdner i can be the ‘im the world greatest’.. I think bentdner must of lent cham his R kelly greatest hits album 😛
yeh adam and i use to like the daily mail lol
Selfridges eh?
Haven’t been in there for ages Adam.
Popped into HMV a couple of weeks ago.
But i’m not working Adam, home for Easter.
I really cannot get my head around all the antipathy towards Aaron Ramsey.
All he did was get his leg smashed in 3 or 4 places wearing an Arsenal shirt….
Yeah, that’s right, playing for us ffs…
And now he’s a cnut.
I’m sure that must make his confidence soar…
Makes ya proud to be an Arsenal fan when you hear some of your fellow supporters, i don’t think!!!
Matty, i won’t split on you 😉
£50M, lord knows who plucked that figure out of the sky….
Morning DG, i’m up to 20 i think, a long way to go to reach 42 though 😉
Don’t worry Matt, the condition, though regrettable, is seldom fatal. I stopped reading newspapers altogether about 2 years ago and feel better for it.
I even read some moron wishing that Ramsey would get another serious injury, so as to keep him out of the team.
What kinda world do these fcuk-heads live in???
Morning all. How are we today? Hope the Sessegnon story is true. Gotta admit, I’m a big fan.
I don’t get it either AK….
I know AK, there’s some serious dipshits with a chromosome or 2 missing in the world….
Rico, i must be getting better… 😀
I wouldnt wish injury to any of our players, not even Squilli, might stop some other club signing him 😉
Morning rocky, anyone bar Chamakh sounds good to me 😉
You know guys/gals, we all have our favourites, and players we don’t like, that’s just being a footie fan.
But to wish an injury on someone, who is lucky to be walking, is just sick….
😆 AK, you must be, the old fiesty side is back…
Cheers rico lol nice to know i can count on you.. just dont pull a narsi on me and try to hold me for ransom at a later stage haha!!
I know i keep going on about this and you lot by now will probably would want to shoot me… But still Matias Suerez keeps lingering i still wonder if that pre contact exist and if so why we going for Giroud?
Wengo need to tie up M’vila quick he should be our main target!
HEY, here’s a shock;
Referees favour Barcelona, claims Zlatan Ibrahimovic, after two Lionel Messi penalties knock AC Milan out
Zlatan Ibrahimovic’s return to Barcelona ended with the Swede feeling “disgusted” after two Lionel Messi penalties led to AC Milan’s 3-1 loss and exit from the Champions League.
Finally the Rock has come back….. 😛 haha
Whats sup rocky ?
These people are a symptom of modern life I am afraid. Just like the current outbreak of trolls on the net. If you met them you would see that they are rather sad. inadequate individuals who delight in the pain and suffering of others because it somehow gives meaning to theirrevolting little lives. I include most football journalists in this category too. They infest just about every corner of the net these days and are best ignored although they are extremely irritating. Responding to them is best avoided.
It’s all too easy to say such things on the internet, they think ‘it’s hard’ – it’s not, it makes some look silly….
By Telegraph staff and agencies
6:06AM BST 04 Apr 2012
55 Comments
Ibrahimovic was back at Camp Nou for the first time since his 2010 departure from the Spanish champions, after just one season, and while the striker set up the Italian club’s lone goal from Antonio Nocerino, he was prevented from scoring.
And, after the final whistle, Ibrahimovic echoed former Inter Milan and current Real Madrid coach Jose Mourinho’s belief that Barca’s European success has been helped by match officials following a disputed penalty decision.
“I’m just disgusted,” the Sweden international said. “They are the best team in the world but at 1-1 and, playing with intelligence, you can do something. (But) I understand better why Mourinho gets upset every time he plays here – in my opinion it was not fair.”
Mourinho was handed a ban last season, following defeat to Barcelona, when he accused Uefa of aiding the Catalan club towards their European Cup title in 2009.
Milan’s players were left aggrieved when Dutch referee Bjorn Kuipers booked Alessandro Nesta in the 40th minute for yanking down Sergio Busquets inside the area, as the pair tussled during a corner kick. It was the kind of shirt pulling that often goes unpunished in top games, and started well before the corner had been taken.
Morning Matty.
All good?
Busquets eh?
Compulsive diver. Stinking cheat. Classic Barca.
I won’t Matty, I promise 😉
Vertonghen
M’Vila
Podolski
Another striker
GK
That would do for me., and if it’s Suarez, i don’t mind 😉
As long as it’s not the diving one ….
Agreed on Ramsey,but you only need to read posts straight after we lose a game to see how many fans lack true loyalty to the club.
These same “fans” bagged the crap out of Vermaelen,hide when we are winning,yet jump out of trees at the first hint of a loss.
Yes,I stay positive because….and plenty won’t like this….it is just a game,and losses occur,but they haven’t brought about the end of the world so far.
One loss from our last 8 games…..we truly are a disgrace!!!!!!!!
Morning all.
Adam, 9.46;
Well said/written mate.
Couldn’t put it better.
Morning Rocky.
I watched some of that game last night, couldn’t believe the amount of rolling the Barca players do, they are a joke…
Ibra is right, Barca are cheats but are the golden boys in UEFA’s eyes…..
But I hope they beat the Chavs if they get through, tonight isn’t it that they play?
Nice one Scott.
Messi stepped up to score his second spot kick of the match to put the hosts back in front, before Andres Iniesta’s second-half goal sealed the win.
“The ball wasn’t in play and he called it. It was weird, odd, it ruined the game,” Ibrahimovic said. “I still don’t understand what he whistled. If he calls those he should call the others. Without him the game would have been 50-50.”
Barca eliminated Arsenal last season in the quarter-finals after Robin van Persie was given a second booking for continuing to play after the whistle had gone early in the second half, with the game tied 1-1.
In the semi-finals, Real were left with 10 men for most of the second half of their 2-0, first-leg defeat when Pepe was red carded, which led to Mourinho’s criticism.
“Sometimes the referee made too many concessions,” Milan coach Massimiliano Allegri said. “I don’t know if it proved decisive. We made a mistake on the first penalty but he helped on the second. Playing Barca is never easy.”
Barcelona coach Pep Guardiola offered few apologies after leading his team into the Champions League last four for a record fifth straight season. Only Real Madrid have achieved such a feat in the history of the European Cup, on their way to a record five straight triumphs between 1956-60.
“You can talk all you want about referees but that makes it five straight semi-finals, the fruits of our talent and a lot of work,” Guardiola said.
Apart from the penalty, Ibrahimovic – who played one season for Mourinho at Inter – did not leave with an entirely sour taste in his mouth.
“It was a good experience, we lost the game 3-1 playing against the best team in the world,” said Ibrahimovic, who joined Barcelona from Inter in 2009 in a swap that included striker Samuel Eto’o. “We were there until the second penalty, and this we have to discuss.”
Morning Scott
If players have a bad game, then of course they are going to be at the hub of fans moaning, that is natural, as is praising them when they have great games.
What I don’t really understand is why certain players are the targets regardless.
Theo always gets battered – even after the game against the swampies, some wanted to say ‘but in the first half he was s***e, so what, he turned his game around and won if for us. A game is 90 mins isn’t it??
Song all too often too
Ramsey is another
Gervinho too
Chamakh is another but then he hasn’t had a good game since last season so he’s a bit different….
Don’t want Pep at AFC, if he doesn’t mind watching his side win by cheating, he’s not for our club….
An interesting read;
Montpellier could see off PSG fat cats and get the cream
The French title may not go to the wealthy Parisians but to the little club with little history. Jack Pitt-Brooke explains why
morning all…..biscuits still remain a diving cnut…….what is Chamug smoking….would take Afobe,Wellington and campbell over him anyday
Back in 20 mins…
The title run of the team awash with Middle Eastern money is faltering. The difference, in France, is that advantage is being taken not by the league’s most prestigious team but by one of the least.
Montpellier HSC have never won Ligue 1, their best finish being third in 1987-88. Their average attendance is eighth in the league, their annual budget 14th. But they are top, ahead of Paris St-Germain, on goal difference, and have a game in hand, to be played against Marseilles one week today.
Given the imbalances of modern football, it is quite an achievement – all the more so, in a French league where the Qatari Investment Authority’s injections into Paris St-Germain loom over everything else. This summer PSG spent a French record fee of €43m (£36m) on Palermo’s Javier Pastore. Their official budget for the season was €150m, joint top with Olympique Lyonnais. Montpellier get by on €33m, just over one fifth of PSG’s funds.
A title race pitting exorbitant wealth against provincial thrift will inevitably push fans only one way. “I think there is a certain charm to Montpellier,” Tom Williams, a French football journalist for AFP, told The Independent. “People are fascinated by the notion that this unspectacular provincial club could pip Paris St-Germain and their billions to the title. People are enjoying the fact PSG are tripping up. And Montpellier would be the perfect team to deny them because of their background.”
While PSG are a metropolitan club fuelled by foreign money, Montpellier are so provincial that they cannot always command the attentions of even the locals. Montpellier, like many towns in the south of France, is devoted to rugby first. The football team play in the Stade de la Mosson, which could hold 32,900 people but usually only has to put up with half of that. Montpellier’s average gate this year is 16,826, less than half of that at PSG or Marseilles. “It’s only very marginally picked up now that they have a chance of winning a title,” Williams said.
Their history can certainly not match that of Marseilles, a few miles along the coast. Their all-time top goalscorer is Laurent Blanc, one of France’s all-time great defenders, with 84. “Montpellier are known for having the odd iconic player,” Williams said, pointing to their peak in the late 1980s, with Blanc, Carlos Valderrama and Eric Cantona taking them to French Cup success in 1990. “On a national scale, they’ve never really been one of the teams that people look out for, except perhaps for that brief spell.”
If Montpellier have missed out on some of the modernisation of 21st century club football, that is not all bad. They are fortunate to still be owned by Louis Nicollin, the controversial and abrasive waste disposal magnate who has owned MHSC since 1974. Known as either “Foufou Nicollin” or “Loulou Nicollin” – such are his eccentricities – he literally dwarfs everyone else at the club, taking up two places as he sits on the bench for home games.
“He’s a typical old-school club president,” Williams said. “Lots of clubs, when they started out, were presided over by these very avuncular local businessmen. The idea was that the club would confer glory on the local region. He’s as old-school as they come. He’s most known for these colourful outbursts. He speaks his mind. Before Christmas he said he’d ‘stab himself in the arse with a sausage’ if Montpellier won the league.”
Nicollin presided over Montpellier’s rise from the regional third tier up to Blanc-inspired success in the 1980s. Another five-year spell in Ligue 2, from 2004 to 2009, has been followed by very impressive performances under René Girard, now in his third season there.
Girard is well suited given Montpellier’s financial dependence on youth development. He was assistant to French national coach Roger Lemerre before working with the under-16s, under-19s and under-21s. “His pedigree of working with young players is pretty much second to none in France,” Williams said. “That fits with Montpellier’s business model as they don’t have money to spend on superstar players.”
Fortunately for Girard, he has some excellent young players to work with. Montpellier won the French youth cup (the Coupe Gambardella) in 2009, and that generation form the basis for this year’s first team. The best of them is Younes Belhanda, a 22-year-old French-born Morocco midfielder who plays behind lone striker Olivier Giroud in a 4-4-1-1 system. “Belhanda’s been a real star this season, probably with Eden Hazard the outstanding playmaker in Ligue 1,” Williams said. “Giroud is the guy who scores all the goals but Belhanda is the guy who makes them tick.”
Giroud, with 18 league goals so far, is the division’s top scorer and is rated by France Football magazine as the second best player this season (behind Hazard). He could well be playing Premier League football next season; Nicollin accepts the need to sell at times.
Following Giroud out might be Mapou Yanga-Mbiwa, another academy product and France under-21 international, who has impressed enough to be usefully marketable this summer. One player who has come in and done well is John Utaka, until relatively recently of Steve Cotterill’s Portsmouth.
With just nine games left, Montpellier can continue to dream – and perhaps keep praying. “We never would have imagined this,” Nicollin said this week. “To be champions seems impossible. If we become champions of France I will be crazy. I am under no illusions, but it’s true – the Lord is with us.”
Facts in figures
18 Ligue 1 goals this year for French striker Olivier Giroud.
16,826 Montpellier’s average attendance, which is eighth in Ligue 1.
3rd Montpellier’s highest ever Ligue 1 finish, in 1987-88.
33m Montpellier’s budget in euros in 2011-12, compared with PSG’s 150m.
40,791 Average PSG crowd
my comment awaiting moderation……hope im not getting banned
AK Most blogs are just there to park someones attention-grabbing xenophobic sarcastic irrational personal brain fart.
50 mln hey? Like I posted yesterday: ghost value to entice speculation of any kind. The player’s name will be engraved to raise topic value next week and the next and the next and as such provide a guaranteed CTR (Click Through Rate) when the transfer period comes knocking. Papers are a dying business model, many are owned by media groups neck deep in www infotainment/revenue.
Morning Rico. 20 impressive.
“You can talk all you want about
referees but that makes it five straight
semi-finals, the fruits of our talent and
a lot of work,” Guardiola said.
I hate those cnuts
Morning all! I watched the entire match and believe the ref was fair. Shirt pulling is AGAINST the rules, when it happens in the box should be a penalty. Besides if the ref wasn’t lenient, Ambrosini would have had two yellow cards minimum.
Back in a bit chaps and chapesses….
What’s on the rumourmill over de Noordzee today Dutch?
Anything on Vert..?
Rico,all players are open to criticism and I have no problem with that.
It’s just that people pick the easy targets,oblivious to the true issues.
How many bagged Van Persie when he did nothing in the game???
I can watch the QPR game a thousand times-the offside is still an offside and a slip is still a slip.
If the linesman was awake,TV5 is praised for stepping up at precisely the right time,but instead,due to anothers incompetence,its all his fault.
It also absolutely shits me when people jump atop their pedestal to explain exactly why MY club Is no good straight after a loss.
These people can’t be honest in their appraisals,so should not offer them up.
Kev no news worth the letters of the alphabet.
SK,why font you ever ask me about Arsenal rumours?
Are you discriminating against us Aussies???
Plenty of news here mate.
As soon as my mate Dutch passes me some news on Vertonghen,I will let you know!!!
Hi kc, the ‘c’ word sent you into moderation, i just jiggled the letters around for you …
Scott – sorry, i say hello to you then went on my rant, the comment wasn’t directed at you 😉
Morning Scott, the only thing that bothered me was nobody intercepted as if they were all aware of the offside. Positional wise it was unorganized.
Rico,nothing you say coukd ever upset me!!!!
I know Dutch,but Vermaelen copped the blame from the vast majority…..
Again,I can read criticism of players,but it must be directed accurately.
We only have the evidence of our own eyes, so if a player is always injured it isn’t surprising that many say we should sell him. If a player who might be called Chamakh for example plays awfully for a whole season then the same thing. What I don’t like is how mean-spirited people can be with players like Aaron Ramsay. I believe him to be a good player who has scored some important goals for us but I don’t see the versatility that Wenger does so, when he is played wide left as against QPR, it seems he struggles to adapt to what is a specialist position. His fault? Not for me. When you have Gervinho, Ox and Benayoun available, why would you play Ramsay there unless it was to give him pitch time?
😆 Scott, good…
Hi CD, regardless, Barca are still cheats 😉
Same here adam, not Ramsey’s fault…
Have any of you even tried to spot the teams in the picture 😛
My issue with that Adam is why nobody questioned him playing on the left the previous week???
Oh that’s right,he played well when brought on,and we won!!!!
Not chipping at you there,but that’s how it goes.
As soon as we lose,all the doom and gloomers have all the reasons why.
Sorry,doom and gloomers but you know not of which you speak,because contrary to your beliefs,we are not going to be relegated,not going to finish midtable,and are still a massive chance of finishing top 4.
Game,set and match to the positive thinkers.
The cheating will always mar my memory of a really great Barca team. But how does that bloke Ambrosini stay on any pitch for the duration of any game? Now that is the question. Watching last night left me feeling curiously uneasy if that is the way we have to play to to progress in this competition. Something grubby about the whole deal. Unsporting certainly.
Scott sometimes in the heat of emotions fans erase their opponents quality. As if our defense can’t be and shouldn’t be fooled by the skills of the attacker. A bit one dimensional for me liking. Taraabt turned away at the right moment leaving TV renegotiating his footing split second. It got him a few first metres to compose and aim his slot.
But when it was clearly not working against QPR, why did AW not change it around???
That’s the real question….
Oh, and were we not winning 2-0 when ramsey came on and playing an Aston Villa side who were just awful??
😆
I do not EVER want to see Arsenal lower themselves to play the Italian,Spanish,English….actually,any other club do.
WE ARE ARSENAL,WE ARE BETTER THAN THAT!!!!
Winning is NOT everything.
Non Arsenal fans show more respect to our style of play and attitude than plenty of Arsenal fans.
We are respected throughout the football world.
No other club is!
Yes Rico, we were 2-0 up when Ramsay came on. In the 68th minute I think, at home and cruising.
Rico,the score doesn’t matter,Ramsey played well in that position v Villa.
Again though,its easy to find fault when things are bad.
Did Ramsey look good because the side was playing well?
Using that logic would suggest he only looked average against QPR because the side was ordinary.
It’s picking the obvious targets.
No mention of RVP having a bad one.
OK Rico and DG. Off out to the west end with all the awfulness that comes with it. Check in later.
‘We are respected throughout the football world’
We aren’t, we are hated ….
68 mins it was adam, as you say, at home and cruising, totally different situation than against a battling, bruising lot like QPR, just wish that sometimes AW would be a quicker in making his subs….
That’s why we need the right number two in place this summer, one who will nudge wenger and say, this isn’t working, come on lets make a change’…
Poor old PR just sits there, think he wants the season to end quicker than we do….
My point is Scott, that Villa at home is a very different ball game to QPR away, and it showed… But we have done that game to death….
Good luck Adam, stay away from the ‘smelly’ counter, it will cost you an arm and a leg 😉
Rico,hatred is not the opposite of respected.
That is wrong.
You guys are ignoring the logic used to suit your argument on Ramsey.
We were good so he was good,but we were bad BECAUSE he was bad.
Come on guys,be fair.
Laters Adam test before you buy. When caught just say you’re a mystery shopper it will suss any retail worker even managers.
We were crap down the left-hand side of the pitch going forward, was that his fault, not in my eyes, it was wrong to ask him to play there, it’s out of position so why start with him there??
Coming on as a sub, when we are at home and winning with ease, makes it easier for a player just to slot into the groove…
All in my humble opinion of course…..
As I said earlier, I’m not having a dig at the player, but the managers tactics, we had Chamberlain, Yossi and Gervinho on the bench.
What makes more logic???
But it showed on the entire side Rico,not just Aaron Ramsey.
Song was awful,RVP a non event,Theo did little,Rosicky wasn’t there,Arteta offered little,Ramsey avearge,TV5 average,Kozzer his normal self,Gibbs and Sagna ok.
Blamed…TV5 and Ramsey.
If anyone can explain how that is remotely fair,I will be interested to read how.
We were crap everywhere though Rico.
Even Ox showed little when he came on.
It was just an off day,and it happens.
Any word on Fabrice guys????
I’m not picking on Ramsey Scott, not anyone really, the stand out baddie for me was Songinho…. and TV’s choice of studs 😉
Scott a chain is valued by its weakest links. That’s not to say the material its made of is worthless.
Morning all,
Isn’t Chamakh spouting the same old shite that we heard from him back in August, Wenger has faith in him and he wants to stay and fight for his place, nothing to do with the money of course, get rid.
Morning Micko, same story just re-written me thinks, he’s got to be one of the first out the door at the end of May….
DG, nice way of putting it …
Rico,I know,but the majority are blaming he and Vermaelen.
Dutch,I agree,and the whole midfield,the link,was weak.
Anyway,I’ve waffled on enough about that.
Chamakh should definitely go,for everyones sake.
Team game Scott, and Saturday was a team muck up, including Wenger, but for me still, Song was the baddie, he didn’t do his job properly….. From start to finish….
In other words your only as strong as your weakest link.
Which was Song on Saturday…
Anyone hear the rumour that Jack will take part in a reserves game v Birmingham today????
I did Scott, many headlines are about him on his way back….
Rico,this one seems pretty specific…let’s hope it actually means something.
Have you checked the afc.com?
Reserves don’t play until the 10th April….
It did state its a closed door game.
Could be crap….who knows.
Could be Scott, let’s keep fingers crossed for him….
Rico,also just read its only a friendly.
Again,nothing official,but who knows.
Rico I looked at your spot-it challenge again. Still not convinced it’s not a cryptographic Al Qaida message.
Those tractors the kid plays with stand for diesel and fertiliser. The flaming flash in the middle for detonating. In the window, 72 virgins are queuing up a line. Those two rams, on Arnie’s Tee, order a sumptuous last table feast;don’t slaughter one but two goats!! The woman with the hammer warns;don’t hand the job to someone that cannot drive a nail into snow,Do It Yourself!! And those two animals of every kind say; Noah’s Ark was covered in bird shit, he needed 2 cats to solve the problem.
(Not sure on the meaning of the last but Binnie was a superstitious bastard. A black cat crossing one’s path twice by moonlight means death in epidemic proportions. Never thought of Bin Laden as Irish.But he seemed obsessed by two of everything. Twin Towers.)
No doubt we’ll soon find out Scott…
DG, I hope it’s not …….
Hi mates. Just a short pop in today. Had too much to do yesterday and even today.
Good post Rico. And some good comments from the family too.
I leave you with this clip. Unbeliavable…….
Hi devil, don’t work too hard today…
Same old Barca biased ref’s…
LEAKED GUNNERS HOME KIT 12/13 ???
http://www.football-shirts.co.uk/fans/leaked-arsenal-nike-home-shirt-201213_15051
Looks fookin notin close to classy,innit m8’s?? *Scally tone off*
hey i cant post!!
Well couldnt for the last 3 hours :S
Rather have this one next year. http://gunnerblog.com/2008/11/28/arsenal-unveil-carling-cup-kit/
I don’t like the black DG, not one bit, too much like the Manure….
Why not Matty 🙁
afternoon RICO…..i was worried too…..in as much that i hate Barca,ibrahmovic sud shut the fuck up…..where was he when AC gave us a horrible pitch…..they are all agaisnt fair game
Exactly kc, we wouldn’t have lost in Milan on a proper pitch, nd nor would Merts have got injured….
Got to pop off fo a while, Fido neds a walk…
Catch up later
DG, i love the Carling Cup kit 🙂
Laters….
Hi Rico. Just back from a shopping trip. Any news? Is the Ramsay, good, bad and not a left winger debate over? Oh I hope so.
Good Afternoon Guys and Chicks of the Everincreasing Gunners’ Faith.
Hope you are ok.
Had two days off, but had to work bloody hard doing the odd jobs. Its funny how they keep piling up and up and then when you take some days off you work twice as much as hard.
DG…….you little sod. You took me in with the carling cup shirt. grrrr
tbh I do not like the home gear one bit either. I prefer the 2006 version, the last one at Highbury and the one we played in the CL final.
I know that AFC need to make money out of shirts but this fecking around has got to stop. It is making the club look ridicoulous. Barca do not change their fecking traditional strip do they?? Neither do Real. So why the F**K do we do so???
SOmebody said that against VIlla, Ramsey was playing left o the left and nobody mentioned it.
Excuse moi?
Ramsey was so anonymous in that match I can’t even recalled he was on the left and I was so frustrated over the showboating when we were leading 2-0 within 20 minutes.
Conspiracy Theory:
That gave moi an inkling that we were leading comfortably and Tinkerman struck again..experiementing with Ramsey..”worked” against Villa…hey, why not QPR?
Boy oh boy…did it unbalanced the TEAM and bakcfired big-time.
Consolation:
Wenger said “let’s go back to the basic”.
Meaning against ABu DHabi City, he may feild this TEAM with his “Holden CHild” playing:
……………………………..Szczesny
…Gallas……….Koscielny………Vermaelen…..Santos
…………………..Song………………..Arteta
………………………………Ramsey
….Walcott……………….Van Persie……………ROsicky
That people, is Wenger “basic TEAM” with Rosicky replacing a terribly out-of-form Gervinho..and Santos reclaiming his starting slot.
Let’s hope Vermaelen will nto suffered a “mysterious” training gorund injury or “injured during warm-up” that we will see a Koscielny-DJourou partnership that so unbalnced the Back-4 when TV5 was out injured.
Afternoon guys and gals….
I think so Adam 😉
Merlin, maybe we have done the ramsey v qpr to death….
I strongly suspect tha Chamberlain will start this sunday….
And imho – we couldn’t be playing Citeh at a better time….
Well, we could, as i am out on sunday and won’t be back until half-time grrrrrrrr
The Carling Cup kit would go really well with my fluffy slippers… 🙂
Devil, i’m with you on the redcurrant kit, i thought it had a touch of class…
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Real Sociedad say Arsenal have delayed talks over permanent deal for Carlos Vela until summer. Sociedad want to pay €5m.
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Arsenal likely to sell Vela cheap to Sociedad, as he wants to go, but include a sell on clause. Could be profitable in future.
SergiouslyAFC – He says he wants to go, Arsenal have no reason to keep him, I think it’s hard to imagine he’ll play for Arsenal again.
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Arsenal XI v #BCFC: Fabiański, Jenkinson, Squillaci, Djourou, Santos; Chamberlain, Özyakup, Benayoun; Park, Chamakh, Gervinho. No Wilshere.
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Arsenal XI drew 1-1 with Birmingham City XI this afternoon. Park Chu-Young with #AFC goal. Jack Wilshere didn’t play
Evening AK – you been C&P’n again 😉
So it’s ok to praise a player when he has a good game but you can’t criticize them when they have a bad one, I bet TV5 was the first one to hold his hands up in the changing room after the qpr game to say he had a bit of a mare.
Hardly makes you a doomer or takes you to the top of Interpol’s most wanted does it.
Devil, what I liked most about our kits a few years back were the collars, we don’t seem to do them anymore, shame i think, the redcurrant is nice but the poxy 02 sponser spoils it.
The future of Arsenal striker Carlos Vela will be decided this summer, according to the Mexican’s loan club Real Sociedad.
Vela, 23, has bagged seven goals and seven assists in La Liga since joining the Basque side on loan at the beginning of the season.
The talented forward has made 62 senior appearances for Arsenal, but it is unclear whether or not he features in Arsene Wenger’s long-term plans.
Vela has already expressed his desire to remain with Sociedad, having previously told Basque newspaper El Diario Vasco: “I would stay at Real. I am happy and the people support me. I owe Arsenal affection and gratitude for the opportunity that they gave me, but I was not happy there and this affected my work.
“It was hard day to day and, when it came to training, I was thinking about going home. Here, however, I am happy and have made good friends.”
Sociedad are keen to retain Vela on a long-term basis, with a fee of £4m thought to be enough to secure the Mexican’s signature. However, Sociedad say that Arsenal officials are unwilling to discuss a deal before the summer.
You know me Boss….. 😉
Micko, you telling me off 😉 😉
Thats why i think we couldn’t be playing the rich kids at a better time, players like TV will not be happy after Saturday, and the Arabs are starting to bottle the challenge for the PL…
£4million doesn’t sound a huge amount, but if Vela progresses and gets a big move, then Arsenal should get something like 50% of any profit over the £4mill.
AK, Vela’s AFC career makes me sad, such a great talent that has never been utilised in the right way, nor given the same kind of chance that Denilson, Nik, Diaby etc etc have been given….
Rico, don’t let Mick upset ya, he can be a bit of a drama queen at times…. 😀 😀 😛
Rico, maybe he never really settled into life in England…
It seems that that is the case, from what he’s said.
But yes, it is a shame, and he certainly scored some memorable goals. Pity he never really did it in an EPL game.
Hope we don’t look back on ‘one that got away’ in a few seasons time….
I was teasing Micko really AK 😉
I think the long hauls playing for his country naffed Wenger off…
I think we will look back on Vela and think, if only he’d been given a chance….
Back in a bit, just off to whip up a chinese, and no, not a delivery 😉 😉
Yeah i know re: Mick… 😉
The thing about ‘long haul flights’ etc, is that Wenger knows all this when he buys these players.
It’s like buying an African player and then moanoing about the ACN…
Hiya mate. Enjoying yourself back home???
regarding Vela I have a bit of a divided opinion. On one hand he is very skillful. But I feel that his heart is not in it. He does not get tough when the game turns a bit ugly. That is why in EPL I do like players who have a bit of height and are not afraid to dish it out.
The same was with Arshavin. Great players but not quite good at cutting the mustard in the EPL.
And with AW playing them out of position then it only makes matters worse.
Yes I do hope he succeeds elsewhere and goes on to become top player who may be sold for quite a good amount of money. In that way AFC will get more money in the future.
That is why I feel that Podolski and M’Vila and Verts are players who will succeed in the EPL. Because they are skillful and also aggressive at the same time.
Makes you wonder why he does it AK…
Hiya Rico. Chinese good? Cook it yourself?
Evening devil
‘That is why I feel that Podolski and M’Vila and Verts are players who will succeed in the EPL. Because they are skillful and also aggressive at the same time’.
I’ll second that 🙂
Evening Rico. I see that HH has been busy yesterday and today. Like a hive of bees.
It was bound to be devil, usually is after a loss or a rotten performance….
Evening Adam, yep, it was so awful, just got some bread out for toast in a bit 😉
Rico. I was wondering if you had considered doing a video blog like Hayley Wright
Do you like Pepperoni Adam??
I have been doing Ken Hom’s veggie fried rice for a few weeks. My wife loves it. Not least because she doesn’t have to cook it.
Video blog?????
I wouldn’t know where to start ….
With a camera Rico. Pepperoni? Not with Chinese, but perhaps on a pizza.
You know you are going to have to email me a few of your recipies Adam 😉
I am intrigued by the Pepperoni question Rico.
of course i mean on a pizza 😉
I ask as i found a veggie one in Holland & Barratt, had it on a h/m pizza last night, it’s really really good….
I am fortunate to have a wife who weighs under 8 stone but eats like a 15 stone builder so I have to have a wide repertoire of recipes. But seriously, I would be more than happy to do that.
A veggie pepperoni? I will check that out in H&B. Should I send recipes via the other mail address?
Not sure i’d like to go down the video camera path though….
highbury.house@yahoo.co.uk is the best one Adam, thanks in advance 🙂
Why not? I am intrigued to see you and Kev, Lee, rocky etc..any pics of you on Google?
Adam – me, no, and never will be 😉
That just intrigues me even more Rico.
Intrigued you shall remain …. 🙂
Just watching Chelsea and Benfica. Their coach has lovely hair.
I’m off to shut the chickens up for the night, back in a bit, but not for long…..
All gone then??
Guess so, that means i am offski too
Nighty all, have a good one…
Til tomorrow all……
Night Rico.
Morning all.
Very quickly,some responses to veiled messages directed at me.
Merlin,you know full well it was me who raised the question,so don’t play games.
Having said that,you did not even address my question…..you take a cheap shot,then can’t be bothered answering,so maybe you can explain that.
Furthermore,after your article the other day,it is going to take a hell of a lot of honest,thoughful comments on your behalf before I bother really taking notice if them again.
The article question was sensationalism at its best,and intentionally disrespectful and incorrect at worst.
Football is not played on a spreadsheet!!!!!
Micko,for probably the fifth time on this thread alone,I say again I have no problem with player criticism.
Again,then again,and again once more,I have a problem with people blaming the wrong player,and with people singling out one or two players when about 8 had shockers!!!!
I hope that is finally clear,I really do,and guys,don’t pussyfoot around if you wish to have a crack at me.
Oh dear, we seem to be having a ‘domestic’ on here today… 😯
Anyway, delighted to see the Chavs squeeze through.
Not at all impressed by them at all, even considering the tension.
Still it’s make for a very busy few days and two games a week for The Pensioners…
Two massive games vs Barcalona with a visit to The Grove in between should make for some interesting rotation by Di Matteo and a few heavy legs….
Roll on the 21st April….
Arsene’s Eyes@Arsenes_Eyes
I imagine that Messi is eyeing this Chelsea defence in the same way that Tom Huddlestone eyes an all-you-can-eat buffet. #bbcfootball #AFC
By Sami Mokbel, not the most reliable, but you have to hope…
Arsenal are lining up several behind-closed-doors friendlies with a view to getting Jack Wilshere playing competitive football within a fortnight.
The midfielder is edging back to fitness after having his season blighted by ankle and heel problems.
Arsenal have two scheduled reserve games remaining, which poses problems for Arsene Wenger in his bid to get Wilshere fit for his side’s Premier League run-in.
Read more: http://www.dailymail.co.uk/sport/football/article-2125216/Jack-Willshere-play-friendlies-fit.html#ixzz1r6y3ZdO9
EXCLUSIVE
By Wayne Veysey | Chief Correspondent
Marcel Desailly has urged Arsenal to push the boat out to sign Yann M’Vila – because he is better than Patrick Vieira.
The French World Cup and European Championships winner believes the Premier League club should pay whatever it takes to sign the midfield anchorman from Rennes in the summer.
M’Vila has been closely trailed by a string of marquee clubs including Arsenal during the last 12 months and, although he has three years left on his Rennes contract, the manager Frederic Antonetti has said the player will leave this summer.
Desailly believes his countryman M’Vila, 22, has the qualities required to thrive at Arsenal or any of the leading Premier League clubs.
“I would just say that if I was the chairman of a Premier League club I would just close my eyes and put the figure on the cheque to get him,” said Desailly in an interview with Goal.com in London.
“Because he is really the future if you structure him. The talent is there. It is obvious.
“We hope he will come here. Arsenal is probably a stable club where he can have a bit of time or [Manchester] United where he has time to assimilate the changing of clubs and start slowly to perform.
“He needs to come to the Barclays Premier League. We want him in this competition because it is the best, first of all, and he can really develop his skills. It is for players who like to play with tempo.
“You can see by the way he gets the ball, control and passes straight away. Long ball, short ball. He has that sort of rhythm that the Barclays Premier League is demanding.”
Nevertheless, Desailly had some words of warning for a holding midfielder who he rates as even more talented than one of the greatest players in Arsenal’s history.
“He is doing too much on the field,” explained the Chelsea and AC Milan legend. “He is defending and trying also to create and make the difference up the field. He has to reduce his commitment up the field.
“He is a defensive midfielder. Fortunately or unfortunately his skills mean he can be a playmaker. Sometimes he is out of position, because he is capable of doing something else.
“I would just say that if I was the chairman of a Premier League club I would just close my eyes and put the figure on the cheque to get him.”
“I would really like to, and I am planning to, get close to him and tell him, ‘No. Like a defender, first of all what is your mission? It is to defend. If you defend very well anything extra you do is fine. First of all, stick on one thing – defending very well and passing very quickly to the offensive players.’
“Once he will have understood that you will see he is the best midfielder – better even than Patrick Vieira.”
GUNNED DOWN?
8/1
Arsenal are 8/1 to beat Manchester City 2-1 on Sunday with Bet365
Desailly recognises that it is quite a statement to rank M’Vila above even his former international colleague Vieira.
“Yes,” he acknowledges. “Yes. You say potentially better than some names, some guys. Afterwards, we will see. Many people have said ‘He looks like Desailly he looks better than Desailly’.
“But did he perform and get to the level? Coped with the pressure and coped with the basics? Small details is where you see if a player is capable of passing his elders.”
Good Night Gooners.
See ya later Scott.
Scott From Oz says:
April 4, 2012 at 8:56 pm
Morning all.
Very quickly,some responses to veiled messages directed at me.
Merlin,you know full well it was me who raised the question,so don’t play games.
Having said that,you did not even address my question…..you take a cheap shot,then can’t be bothered answering,so maybe you can explain that.
Furthermore,after your article the other day,it is going to take a hell of a lot of honest,thoughful comments on your behalf before I bother really taking notice if them again.
The article question was sensationalism at its best,and intentionally disrespectful and incorrect at worst.
Football is not played on a spreadsheet!!!!!
Micko,for probably the fifth time on this thread alone,I say again I have no problem with player criticism.
Again,then again,and again once more,I have a problem with people blaming the wrong player,and with people singling out one or two players when about 8 had shockers!!!!
I hope that is finally clear,I really do,and guys,don’t pussyfoot around if you wish to have a crack at me.
_________________________________________________
Scott, I suspect it is you, but not too sure…and too lazy to scroll up again.
I standby my belief that Ramsey unbalanced the TEAM and that VIlla match, I don’t even realised Ramsey was on the left nor remembered who he replaced.
SUffice to say, I standby my belief that Ramsey will be rotated back as ACM with Rosicky switching back to left-side to give better defensive cover at left flank.
Wenger will start his rotation policy due to Easter weekend with 3 games in 7 days, giving Gibbs a rest…and then rest Rosicky for the next match after ABu DHabi CIty, I think it is WOlves away, another mid-week match.
i.e…
This SUnday:
………..Sagna……….Koscielny……….Vermaelen……Santos
…………………Song……………………Arteta
……………………………..Ramsey
…..Walcott………………Van Persie………………..ROsicky
Again Wolves
(Expecting Kos to pick-up a yellow and 2 matches suspension)
………..Sagna……….Djourou……….Vermaelen……Santos
…………………Song……………………Arteta
……………………………..Ramsey
…..Walcott………………Van Persie………………..Gervinho
Again WIgan
………..Sagna……….Djourou……….Vermaelen……Gibbs
…………………Song……………………Diaby
……………………………..Rosicky
…..Walcott………………Van Persie………………..Ox-C
Our squad is rather thin and with too many deadwoods and out-of-form players………..let’s hope injuries and deadwood not undone this team again as in AUgust/Septmeber 2011.
Wenger cna’t afford to rest Sagna, Vermaelen, Song, Walcott and Van Persie.
ANd yes, ROsicky will need to play all the remaining games after given a rest against WOlves away.
WOlves is a physicla team and will adapt QPR tactics to unsettle and destroy Arsenal passing game.
WIthout a doubt, this team will turn-up against ABu DHabi CIty but it is a matter of whether TEAM-WORK will overcome the quality of ABu DHabi CIty players.
The game I am most interested in is actually against WOlves away…and see whetehr any comlacency and arrogance had rubbed off this TEAM and had gone back to “basics”..fighting for every points.
cheers mate no offence taken, love to debate with you…..
No probs Merlin.
No problem with agreeing to disagree,and after the QPR match,I agree totally Ramsey isn’t suited on the left.
That was never my point though,my point was why nobody mentioned it after Villa.
Anyway,I want Ramsey to play off the bench,or even have a loan spell for twelve months.
I still believe he is quality,but a little down on confidence and speed atm.
Send him to Mr Coyle,who would love him,get him back on top of his game,then reevaluate the situation in 12 months.
Conversely,play him off the bench,start him in cup ties,but again,give him twelve months.
I think he’s shown he can be an Arsenal player,I see plenty of quality there,and also believe he deserves more time.
Merlin,personally,I don’t think we were arrogant v QPR.
We were flat,and possibly complacent,but its hard to maintain the standard we played for so long
One things for sure,3 or 4 quality signings will give us some much needed depth to our squad.
Hiya Scott mate……….If you go back to the Villa game you will see that I had mentioned that Aaron was on the left just to give us balance. And I said that I do not agree with it.
Morning
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