'He was Brilliant, it's like having an Assistant Manager on the pitch'…..

I know the takeover at our club is the main topic of conversation so I’ll keep today’s post short and sweet.

Over the last few months we have heard all sorts of rumours about Pat Rice – some suggest he is going to retire this summer, others suggest otherwise but until Rice himself confirms he is retiring, we have to assume he’ll be sat in the same place next season and beyond.

Jack Wilshere though believes that during the game on Sunday Jens Lehmann’s presence on the pitch was like having an ‘on-pitch assistant manager’.

Our old German stepped in at the last-minute on Saturday at Bloomfield Road after Manuel Almunia injured his knee in the warm-up.

We weren’t long into the game before Lehmann was barking instructions at our defenders; he also had a bit to say at half-time according to some. Saturday was Lehmann’s first competitive start since May last year but Jack Wilshere believed he was trying desperately trying to help gain the kind of spirit which helped us win the league in 2004.

Jack had this to say:

He was brilliant, he was only called in ten minutes before kick-off but it was great to have him around.

He’s been there, done it all and was part of the ‘Invincibles’ so he knows what it takes to win the title. And we want to be like the ‘Invincibles’ too.

He was a bit like an assistant manager on the pitch. He was telling us what it is like and was giving a team-talk at half time.

He is so passionate, you could see that. He was screaming and shouting at everyone.

I remember him being a bit crazy and a bit of a character before. But he looks after himself and is great to learn from. He’s 41 and he’s got a better body than me!

Jack Wilshere – I don’t think so 😉

Jack also believes that our win against Blackpool kept us in with a shout for the title:

We are delighted because we knew that if we had lost on Sunday it could have been all over, we are delighted with the three points.

We are chasing Manchester United – we have got a game in hand and they have still got to come to Emirates Stadium. We are confident they will drop points so we just have to keep playing like we did today and getting three points.

There is a lot of pressure on us now in every game and we dealt with that pressure well today. Our fans were brilliant, like always, and they were behind us which was important.

Cesc was back and he got us passing again. It was flowing well.

We won Jack, now we need more of the same in the next game…..

Anyway, back to the takeover debate, I know you want to…….  🙂

351 thoughts on “'He was Brilliant, it's like having an Assistant Manager on the pitch'…..

  1. allezkev says:

    Morning Rico, so are you coming around to Jens, after not being too sure about him being in the side?

  2. allezkev says:

    Rico, Sol Campbell had a good influence towards the end of last season, these guys have the right mentality, a winning mentality. Our team, despite it’s talent, is so fragile mentally, so although having Lehmann in goal isn’t perfect, i kinda enjoyed seeing him rucking everyone, and ‘they’ certainly need a good telling-off.

  3. rico says:

    See The Daily Mail are making a big issue about Diaby getting a rollocking off of Cesc and Robin – they suggest their was a bit of a ‘to do’ in the changing room at h/t with robin laying to diaby for his booking….

    Yawn….

  4. rico says:

    I see what you are saying at i guess he is a better option than the waiter right now… if jack’s opinion is the same throughout the squad then his influence could be just what we need…

    re Sol, he was still good though 😉

  5. allezkev says:

    i also had a chuckle when i read Jack saying how Jens was rabbiting in the dressing room at half-time. Wenger must have known better and just let him get on with it, what about Jens coming onto the coaching staff?

  6. rico says:

    Ha ha, just imagine trying to shut him up 😆

    i think we need a proper keeper coach and defensive coach bought on board, jens hasn’t got his badges yet so i can’t see him joining, i’d like us to get the polish coach, can’t think of his name of the top of my head…

  7. GREEN GUNNER says:

    UP THE GOONERS 3-1 AGAINST THE POOL NEXT GAME THEN DO THE SPUDS 3-0 I HOPE ANYWAY, OH YEAH AND MORNING ALL!!!!

  8. rico says:

    morning jj, what’s new in the takeover, i read that the ast won’t sell their shares and the big fella is keeping his too –

    maybe the big fella and sk will work together – sk making us big globally and the big fella paying for all our new players 🙂

  9. K-TR7 says:

    Morning.am glad rvp bollocked diaby.at least he showed he cares.diaby’s yellow was a stupid one and could’ve cost us.

  10. JonJon says:

    hey rics

    1..yeah im worrried about how we’ll handle carrol but rumour is jd is back so as long as we are on top of our attacking game we’ll be ok..

    2..news is hazy rico..the general feeling is that arsenal will remain a plural ownership
    stan doesnt want full control although he wants the fatman out he wants the fanshare to stay..

    the fatman wont budge though so it looks to be 3 owners..stan, fatty and fanshare..

    if fatty stays stan cannot plunge any debts onto us and the fact that fatty doesnt need the cash and stan owns his own tv rights in the US suggests no dividends will be paid on the shares and revenue will be generated elsewhere…

    its looking good so far but i guess we’ll know more shortly if and when the club announce it…

  11. rico says:

    fattist 😆

    Hope that JD news is for real..

    I guess all will come clear soon about the takeover, then we can either stop worrying or fear for our club big time….

  12. Lee says:

    Nah Kev, I’m off to over-cast Spain on saturday, big Al sounds like the owner of the diner in happy days…you think we beat the shell-suit wearers kev? Coz I do!

  13. allezkev says:

    What’s the contract situation with Song? Seems that Roma are keen on him and we’re being linked to Yann M’Vila…. Grain of truth or usual crapola?

  14. allezkev says:

    Spain eh, sounds good to me Lee, you gonna take in a game or two while you’re there?
    Big Al… RVP the Fonz..?
    Scousers are gonna be a real test Lee, Carroll & Suarez look a really good duo up front for them. I hope Rico is right about Djourou as he can take Carroll and Koz can pick up Suarez.
    Then it’s all down to Fonzie scoring a couple and it’s Happy Days for us Gooners..hey

  15. W.A.T.H says:

    JJ, how very harsh u skinny little shitbag biased git…. You’ve upset fatties the world over now with comments like that 😉 Apologise and be more specific who your referring too…! 😀

  16. allezkev says:

    Lee, it drives me up the wall [Transfer tittle-tattle] so much so that i hardly take any notice. Fleet Street is full of lazy alcoholics who spend all day stealing rumours off of the Net and packaging them up as exclusives.

  17. W.A.T.H says:

    JJ, my mate “ten ton” Bill ( only us his mates are allowed to call him that) has just read your comments and wants your address, he wants to come pay you a visit he’s very unhappy he thinks your getting far to personal…! 😛

  18. Lee says:

    Kev, I’ll be there for the scousers,spuds & bolton games so I’ll catch them with my sons….easy on alcoholics too!!;-) seems everyone is getting buried today, hahaha!

  19. JonJon says:

    kev
    not sure on song..ppl are saying hes looking for a way out..
    i dunno..
    but hes worth what now?? and we bought him for 1 mil so…

    as for mvilla hes one of the players ive been watching in the french ligue this year..wanted him for a while
    robust and energetic and abit of a dynamo..
    rennes fans call him l’enforcer 🙂

  20. allezkev says:

    JJ, M’Vila sounds just like what we need, someone whose physical but also mobile.
    What about Moussa Sissoko, is he on your radar?

  21. W.A.T.H says:

    JJ, Bill’s called wimpy’s in to get him out his couch and the lorry is fired up….. He’s on his way…! It’ll take a while cos all that weight means the lorry can only 15mph….! I’ve covered your arse fella I gave him your neighbours address but he’s gonna know when eeeh by guum answers the door and he aint a skinny bean…….

    I’d sell Song…..! M’Vila looks decent enough and I want Felliani too, AK you know the papers are gonna be a total pain in the arse for the next 3 months…!

  22. W.A.T.H says:

    FFS JJ if he reads that comment abt his huge arse he aint gonna come have a little word…. your getting sat on…..!

  23. W.A.T.H says:

    Ok right fuck this take over crap for a min…. Be sensible for a few mins, I know thats hard for you lot but give me an in and an out wish list with (sensible, yes sensible prices attached either in and out) your limited though as here’s the catch, Gonna give you 30million cash the rest of your budget you need to generate yourselves from player sales if you wanna spend more than your 30million fund….! NO you can’t run off with the cash either JJ…!

  24. rico says:

    Outs

    Nik 9m
    Squilli 2m
    Almunia 1m
    Rosicky 3m
    Arshavin 9m
    Diaby 6m
    Denilson 4m

    34m

    Eastmond 1m
    Hoyte 500k
    Traore 6m

    7.5 m

    Total 41.5m

    In’s

    Buffoon 5m
    Jan Vertonghen 12m
    Gary Cahill 8m + Vela
    Drogba Free
    Sinclair 4m

    I think you will find I would have money left to spend on a luxury player like Hazard 🙂

  25. JonJon says:

    sell
    clichy..12mil
    denilson..4mil
    diaby..6mil
    nikki..8mil
    rosicky..2mil
    AA..10mil

    42mil

    buy
    cahill..15mil (move TV to left back)
    parker..5mil (if wham get relegated)
    m’villa or sissoko..12mil
    hazard..20mil
    gamero..12mil

    64mil

    net spend 22mil…

  26. JonJon says:

    and yeah rico some of the lads in the reserves as well..get them off the wage bills enough for me..
    they can go for free too..

  27. rico says:

    nah jj, lets get somting for them – together it amounts to a utilty player, a grimandi kind of signing… 🙂

  28. JonJon says:

    dont beleive the hype about our cb’s rico wenger is right our defence is fine what is killing us is the individual errors being made
    clichys the worst..
    always plays ppl onside never holds the line, looks wobbly in possession and gets caught out of position..
    left backs our weak spot defensively …tv at left back would stablise us there and we wouldnt miss anything attackwise cos clichy offers nothing there either..
    last year of his contract..lets cash in..

  29. JonJon says:

    waths covering a fat mans arse..
    he’ll be a few days.. 🙂
    or he cant find a calculator for his figures so hes using his fingers.. 😉

  30. rico says:

    I have to disagree a tad jj, kos always looks as if he has a penalty in him and a booking or even sending off, squilli is ok as a 6th CH, JD and TV are our best but injury fears will hang over both…

    If we got a proper CH that organised our defence he’d be telling Clicy to hoof it to row z…

  31. JonJon says:

    we do have a proper ch we have three (although ones injured)
    look at the goals conceeded column we are ok…
    we would conceed less if clichy would keep the line for offsides and not get cuaght ball watching
    all the rest of them manage it so why cant he??
    they do talk to eachother clichy just dont listen or he gets it wrong..

  32. JonJon says:

    sell clichy
    gibbs has gone backwards but will get better when his injuries clear up so move TV out there..
    hes too good to be sat on the bench but JD and koz have had a better season than what tv did last year so we have to fit him in somewhere..
    i say LB…

  33. rico says:

    I’m still not convinced re Kos jj, not right now – JD and TV yes, but like i say, JD is always a game away from being injured and for such a ‘small’ injury, TV has recovered very well..

    If we got Cahill and Vertonghen we would have four cracking CH’s (JD and Kos = one 😉 )

  34. rico says:

    See i’m not into moving players anymore, if TV’s proper position is Ch, leave him there, If Clichy goes, we have to get a proper LB..

    I’m fed up with Wenger and his square pegs in round holes….

    Gibbs – another injury prone player who cannot be relied on right now…

  35. W.A.T.H says:

    It’s only you two who have so far done your in’s n out’s I’m waiting for a bit more input from others so there, Bill has now asked 4 the shotgun JJ ur in big shit…!

  36. W.A.T.H says:

    I’m with you on the square pegs round hole thoughts Rico……! Buy players for specific positions especially in defence, no messing with the back 5….!

  37. JonJon says:

    if we got cahill we could rotate the three and use tv when the injuries kicked in

    we would have 4 quality cb’s
    and three would play regular if tv moved to lb

  38. rico says:

    Jan Vertonghen is the man, he’s 6′ 2.5” and plays CH/CM – i wouldn’t mind if Wenger chose to play him in the midfield 🙂

  39. JonJon says:

    he played both rico
    dont you remember when we signed him
    everyone wanted to know why we’d signed a lb
    we thought clichy was going..

  40. rico says:

    We will have to agree to differ jj 😉 I just hope Wenger finally makes just 3/4 changes that could see us really have a squad capable of battering Barca in next years CL…..

  41. JonJon says:

    i think we need an experienced pl cb..
    so although theres ppl wanting subotic and hummels and sakho and vertonghen i think chaills our man

  42. oliver says:

    morning all…i wish someone would muzzle our players. sing jens’ praises, but there is no need to talk about united. let us just take care of our own business…should not be discussing united anyways – that is not until may day, and we have liverpool up next…a liverpool side who looked rather useful last night…

    if we see a plethora of quotes from our players this week, i shall be concerned about our focus for sunday and wednesday. there is no rule that say we must talk our heads off during the week. there is nothing wrong with laying low and letting our football do the talking – it seemed to work ok this past week.

  43. oliver says:

    if kroenke had made his move at the start of this year, perhaps he could then have loaned carmelo anthony to us, instead of trading him to the knicks…

  44. JonJon says:

    hey ktr..
    yeah jd and ches will be important for pool game..
    if we have our trilogy back the koz can take suarez and jd on carrol
    hey up lads has anyone seen waths comment
    ceo wath has handed us all 30mil to spend..
    go….

  45. JonJon says:

    some american dude on telly who knows stan says stans got a steady cashflow in america..all his projects make profits…
    he says stans got the money he wont borrow..
    he wants success so he can increase the cashflow in the future and he will sit down with wenger and decide who stays and who gos and who comes in and how much money it will cost 😉

  46. oliver says:

    why stop with carmelo? kroenke owns the avs, so perhaps he can bring patrick roy in to play in goal for us? roy has been retired for several years, but he is only a few years older than jens…he’s a championship winning goalie, so surely he is a good fit?

  47. W.A.T.H says:

    Well so far i’ve got rid of 14 players and I have an 80mil warchest and have saved approx 460k a week in wages….! That 14 includes players we never see who are out on loan and not even getting games so don’t panic I’ve not sold Cesc or RVP or Jack but am toying with the Cesc idea and having 110mil to play with 😉

  48. allezkev says:

    Hi Gooners. Blimey Gazides will be looking over his shoulder if he comes on here and sees all the business being done by you lot. Sure none of you are Sky Andrew in disguise?

  49. HCAA says:

    Hi Gooner peeps,

    Anyone else think we were extraordinary lucky on Sunday, and got decisions normally reserved for Man Utd? Psychologically a good time to play Blackpool, but it could all be undone this Sunday!

  50. allezkev says:

    Like your 3 Lee, AFC could use Sunu in part-ex to get Gameiro.
    Like Rico’s idea of using Vela as part-ex to get Cahill, don’t think Vela’s worth £12million though.
    Vertonghen’s a good one, i like him.
    And JJ’s sold me on M’Vila.

  51. W.A.T.H says:

    Well if SK wants a few pointers then to start off with kick that pissed stained geriatric alky out of our club… yep that would be the old fart chairman…!.

    Ruthless JJ, spot on mate, no sentiments in footie if your not in it to win then you need to be doing something else…. I will shock you with a few of the players 😉

  52. W.A.T.H says:

    Afternoon HC…… Sunday is gonna be a very hard game for sure….!.

    Why are you lot only going for players that have been linked in the papers….. take your blinkers off….. think outside of the box !!

  53. HCAA says:

    I’d sell Almunia, Sagna, Clichy, JD (Opta stats prove he isn’t as efficient as we’re led to believe), Squillaci, Song, Diaby, Denilson, Fabregas, Arshavin, Rosicky, Bendtner, Chamakh & RVP, and start from scratch. Walcott would have 1 more season to prove himself or he’d be off as well.

  54. allezkev says:

    Hey Lee bring in on. I’m waiting for the next instalment of when JJ met Ten Ton Bill…. i’ll hold your coat!

  55. SD-London says:

    HCAA you have sold everybody – you management will start a mutiny that no manger on earth will survive for 48hrs

  56. K-TR7 says:

    What pleased me most about the Blackpool win is how direct we were.we played early balls long and direct to rvp’s chest.more of the same please…

  57. W.A.T.H says:

    HCAA I like your thinking mate lol………

    AK, ten ton Bil has apparently just been loaded onto the low bed trailer…. He’s not a happy chappy….! Just had a text saying both shotguns have been packed as well…!

  58. allezkev says:

    Yeah, Lee, he’ll have to play up front… A big threat in the box, in fact he’ll probably fill it up.

  59. HCAA says:

    SD,

    These players aren’t fit to lace the ‘Invincibles’ boots! I lost faith in Wenger’s ability to identify winners as soon as he made Almunia our undisputed number 1. To change the teams whole tactical philosophy and base it around 1 individual injury-prone player is pure folly, and he shouldn’t be wearing the captain’s armband. RVP has given us an average of 22 games a year since 2003. Not good enough. Most of the current crop do not deserve to wear our clubs shirt.

  60. W.A.T.H says:

    See AK, HCAA is ruthless I’m just trimming things up a little…..!

    I’m undecided on one position only and noone is really coming to mind…!

  61. W.A.T.H says:

    HC, your spot on with not being a patch on the invincibles but in all honesty you know not a manager on the planet would sell that lot so it needs to be a slower cull…… 😉 a mix and match, keep the technicals and add steel….. if possible add technicals who also have steel, those are in short supply though.

  62. HCAA says:

    I’ve said it before, we need a manager who is a mixture of Fergie & Brian Clough in his early years at Forest. Our record in Europe is pathetic under Wenger. And we shouldn’t need to rely on other clubs to win the PL. If we’d have got Ferguson in ’86, we’d be where Man Utd are now. He even got European success with Aberdeen! If you think big, you’ll be big, & Wenger doesn’t do it for me.

  63. W.A.T.H says:

    Thing is HC I think the big thoughts and the ambition come mainly from the board who’s sole ambition the last 5 yrs has been build the stadium get the debt down and flog the club as has been proved…! If it’s been partly wenger or not wenger at all regarding lack of ambition and trophies we’re about to find out.

    Agreed Lee, it’s why am looking at players you might not think I’d be looking at 😉

  64. W.A.T.H says:

    Am trying to mix and match mate and although have got rid of 14 only 7 are actually in the squad at present the rest r out on loan so trimming the excess off and adding quality but not how you maybe expecting 😉 Although its a different quality….!

    Am still undecided on Cesc, cut losses and run or keep… hmmmm choices choices…!

  65. HCAA says:

    Wath,

    I know what you’re saying (I was probably in CM mode!), but I can’t think of many players currently at our club who deserve our undying support. And why after 15 years, isn’t Wenger as competitive as Ferguson still is after 25 years? He’s had long enough!

  66. SD-London says:

    HCAA! i understand you frustration but you have to accept that the era of the invisibles are gone.
    wenger changed tactics and other teams around us copied Wenger’s way of building sure fire successful team.

    Chelsea went for the same approach, Man utd sold all his sluggish players and bought creative and technically sound foreigners and bullied small premier league teams in selling their best players(Rooney, Ferdinand , Berbetov)

    Wenger will no more build a team like the invicibles he want attractive football that people will talk about for a very long time but unfortunately he had to do with shoe string budget.

    But now we got Kroenke maybe he can spend like he use to spend.
    Do not get it wrong , Wenger is the best in sporting talents in the world and that is why other coaches , even (Fergusson-unashamedly) studies who Wenger is trying to buy – example is Ronaldo ; Wenger spotted him first but because Fergie got hold of the info, he bided with more money and Wenger opted out, so was Drogba.

    So HCAA, WENGER IS STILL THE BEST.

  67. HCAA says:

    Can’t decide on Fabregas, Wath? What glory has he led us to? We all know he wasn’t fit for Camp Nou, but that doesn’t excuse THAT back-heel. If you keep people like him and Wenger, you get stuck in the same sorry rut we’ve been in for five years. And wouldn’t you rather our £15m had been spent on Modric over Arshavin? Wenger was offered Drog for £100,000 when he was playing in Lorient reserves. Wouldn’t you gamble for £100k, even at the risk of it not working? Most of our problems begin and end with Wenger.

  68. Joaquim Moreira says:

    Any player mentioned to go to English football, always appears associated to the same clubs: Tottenham, M. City, Liverpool and MU.
    Arsenal: Wilshere 35 million for the M. City, Nasri (Int Milan), Clichy (Inter and R Madid) ..

  69. W.A.T.H says:

    HC, I hear exactly what your saying but what I’m looking at is what is in the realms of sensible and what could be possibles on the in front and on of course my personal choice. The cesc back heel was pathetic but for me comes from weak management in so far as he should of been told sorry mate your not fit your not playing, simple as that. He’s a class player HC and can we blame him for a lot of mediocre players around him, I can’t be that harsh on him mate, I’ve played in teans with crap players and that don’t mean I was shit just because i couldn’t carry a midfield with poorer players…? Its a fine line mate.

    Yes Lee I think who I’m looking at and thinking of could all be “got”….! also withing my budget…!

  70. Merlin96 says:

    If Wenger honors his 3-year contract, we will see the same old same old till 2013/14 season as since 2004/05, we never have a settled side isn’t it?

    Every season, 30+ year odl players are sold, newbies came into the team and need 2 or 3 seasons to come up to speed..and then demanded to leave and promptly sold…….WIltord, Edu, Vieira, Reyes, Cashley, Flamini, Sol, Gilberto, Freddy, Pires, Gallas,..et al.

    Then all those yougnsters that can’t make it after 3 or 4 seasons…

    ANd it wil be repeated again in 2011/12 season…wiht a new corp fo youngsters and new players that will need 3 or 4 seasons to grow into the team..

    Like a certain 17 year old in 2004/05 and now, 23 year old approaching his peak and made known his intnet to leave for his home town team.

    You cna see Wenger’s Youth Policy is flawed as since 2004/05, he has not produced a “home grown” team with youngsters peaking at the smae time..like Ajax 70s…or current Barca squad.

    ANd why Arsenal fans had been drinking snake-oil since 2005/06 when we were deluded to believe that Wenegr is on the verged of building his 3rd and greatest side.

    Now this is 2010/11 season and in January, the title is for us to lose and ManU to win.

    Come April?
    The title is for ManU to lose, and our title challenge will end this Sunday with Arsenal players not busting a gut to play and fight for the badge…none better epitmosing this present Arsenal malaise that Arshavin and Diaby.

    If we got lucky and all those core “18 year old” players stay together for at least 5 years, then by 2015/16, we may have a titel-winning team.

    In the interim, Arsenal had degenerated to nothing better than “a cup-winning West Ham United”..maybe winning an odd cup from 2011/12 to 2014/15 before all those youngsters like WIlshere, Ramsey, Szczesny, Lanbury, Walcott, Mayaichi, Galindo, Wellington, et al forms the core of a ttile-winning team by 2015/16 season.

    But then, you think our rivals in ManU, CITEH, Liverpool, Chelski and S*CUMS will standstil and allow Wenger to develop those youngsters at their own sweet time with Top-4 the perennial target, in his own words alst season “being Top-4 is like winning a trophy”?

  71. HCAA says:

    Sorry SD, can’t agree with you. Mourinho set up 4-3-3 at Chelsea in ’04-05 when we were still playing 4-4-2 as recently as 2006 (CL Final v Barcelona). Wenger changed to accommodate Fabregas, and it has failed miserably. At critical points in the season, Wenger has got it wrong & been exposed. Look how meekly we surrendered in CL Semi-final against Man Utd. Or playing 2 left-footed CB’s (Vermaelen & Silvestre) in the Camp Nou when we were destroyed by Messi. We couldn’t even win our CL group this year despite being given the equivalent of a bye. And because of Wenger’s stubborness we’re relying on a 41 year-old GK who had retired. Where was Wenger when van der Sar was available at £2m? He has never beaten Mourinho head-to-head, and has lost 6 of the last 7 against Man Utd. Wenger the best? Best what, accountant! Certainly not football manager or tactician.

  72. Joaquim Moreira says:

    from today’s http://www.eurosport.com
    The Arsenal Supporters Trust will not be selling their shares to prospective new owner Stan Kroenke after voting “unanimously” to retain a stake in the club.
    Kroenke triggered a full takeover on Monday when he secured a controlling stake in the club and the American businessman is now obliged to make a mandatory cash offer for the remaining capital.
    Arsenal’s board has recommended all shareholders accept the offer, priced at £11,750 per share, but the AST vowed not to relinquish their involvement in the club’s ownership structure.
    The supporters added they were encouraged to hear that Russian businessman Alisher Usmanov plans to keep hold of his 27 per cent stake.
    More than 100 members met in London to discuss the proposed takeover and an AST spokesman said: “Arsenal is too important to be owned by any one person. The AST wants to work with Stan Kroenke to keep Arsenal supporters involved in the club’s ownership structure.
    “The AST and the Arsenal Fanshare scheme will not be selling the shares it owns and urges all supporters to reject this offer. In just six months the Arsenal Fanshare scheme has gained 1800 members who have invested £500,000 in Arsenal shares.”

  73. W.A.T.H says:

    Spot on with many points Merlin, we can only hope that SK tells wenger in very clear English that winning is a success adn 2nd is long forgotten…! Buy the players that you need to win trophies no more excuses about youth or time or coming 4th is ok or getting to a final blah blah blah…!

  74. W.A.T.H says:

    HC, spot on mate, wenger the manager needs to resurface not wenger the boardroom lap dog…! He also needs to take the blinkers off with all these kids that are not good enough, will he…? thats another question entirely…!

  75. HCAA says:

    As I said Wath, we all acknowledge he shouldn’t have started in Camp Nou, but for me that doesn’t excuse the back-heel. Unforgivable.

  76. HCAA says:

    It’s not about being angry, because it’s difficult to process rational thought through anger. It’s about where our club should be in terms of the global perspective. Q

  77. HCAA says:

    …Qualifying for CL is great, but after 14 consecutive years, shouldn’t we now be at the point where we are considered to be one of the heavy-weights, capable of winning it? When Mourinho was asked at the start of the season who he thought would be contenders for CL, Arsenal weren’t even in his top eight! Isn’t that incentive enough to prove him wrong and shove his words back down his throat? Apparently not, for he wasw proved right.

  78. W.A.T.H says:

    Spot on HC, we’re european also rans….. its in the getting there not in the winning it that seems to be a priority and thats totally lacks ambition but who do you blame for that..? There is no winning mentality from top to bottom at the moment and its blindingly obvious..!

  79. agirlagunner says:

    Boo!! All this takeover business is beyond my ken. I need more time to absorb it. Likewise, all this transfer and tactics talk. 🙁 I guess we have the summer to discuss it to death. 😉

  80. HCAA says:

    Wath,

    Wenger. He considers 2nd place as success (even though the season ain’t over yet!), and CL football more important than winning the FA Cup. CL football can only be more important than winning the FA Cup if you have a proven track-record in Europe. I really really want him gone.

  81. Will says:

    I think with Stan in, a proven winner we will have someone who doesn’t see second and first and understands that to promote and make money, first you need to have a winning team to promote.

    When we were winning, we got loads of extra fans now I am not silly enough to think they were all following The Arsenal. I know a lot of people came because of Henry and to a lesser point Bergkamp, Vieira and Pires. I remember in the early 90’s we got a lot of black fans due to Wright and his flamboyance.

    I see Stan wanting marquee signings that boost the profile of the club and therefore make us more marketable.

  82. W.A.T.H says:

    Thing is though HC is he a parrot for the board and has merely taken all the flack for their lack of balls and ambition…?

    Yes Rico PHW pissheadwanker is very much against DD returning..!

  83. rico says:

    Will, i think you are spot on re some of our fans – they either started to follow us for a particular player or players and/or for Arsene Wenger….

    But i think that has always been the case over the years, we have a massive following, not all of which are born and bred in north london –

    i’m one of the latter 😆

  84. HCAA says:

    Even so Wath, Wenger buys the players & deploys his tactics. You telling me that he couldn’t have bought Stekelenburg, Cahill & Suarez last summer, instead of forcing us to endure more of Almunia, and making do with Squillaci and Chamakh? And why would you persist with a player on big wages who only gives you 22 games every season since 2003? I used to love Wenger, I am now beginning to hate him and his ordinariness.

  85. rico says:

    HCAA, I’m giving Chamakh another season, only as some take a season to adjust – and to be fair when we had rvp and nik out at the beginning of the season, he did pretty well…

  86. W.A.T.H says:

    HC i’m sitting on the fence here for a simple reason and that is i cant believe wenger can go from 97/98 wenger to 08/09/10/11 wenger…! WHY…? So my doubt is that a nagging thought of the fact the board paid him a lot of dosh to carry the can get by and talk the talk about funds available but were they actually when all they wanted was to fatten the cow before the sale..?????? makes me wonder thats all…! everything you say I agree with I just cant see how he can do a 180 on players etc etc when he knows full well the kind of players we need and the kind of players he used to buy compared to the shit he’s bought the last 5 yrs…! Something not right..!

  87. allezkev says:

    Evening Gooners, What’s happened to Ten Ton Bill? Where’s Wath’s in’s & out’s? Those are the questions i want answered…

  88. agirlagunner says:

    Hello, all. I feel bad even about those I want to go. 😉 But Almunia and D&D def have to go. And at least a half dozen loanees who, let’s face, it aren’t any good.

  89. rico says:

    I wonder how much of Wenger’s talk about not buying etc has been ‘just talk’ and really the club have just not wanted him to spend…

    Will – I think that is all we can do, see what happens in the summer and go from there – like agag said, we’ll have plenty of time to gripe about it then….

  90. allezkev says:

    I think you could be right about a marque signing Will, what’s the best way to immediately get the fans on side. The only problem is can he lean on Wenger to make that signing?

  91. rico says:

    Hi kev, good point, where are the in’s and outs from the man who asked the question 😉

    Hi agag, bet you are not happy about Clichy saying he wants to win something and money is important 😉

  92. Will says:

    Kev, I am not talking about an £80m player but a top level player like Henry, someone who is that good who will sell shirts across the globe.

  93. agirlagunner says:

    Well, rico. I guess we’ll have to offer him a pay raise and promise him some silverware, then. 😛 I bet AW is on it as we speak. Ahaha. 😀

    I’m keeping Chamakh, too. Maybe Lehmann roughing him up a bit and tell him to just bleeping shoot would do the trick!

    Hey, AK. Howdy?

  94. allezkev says:

    Hi Rico, is the dog ok???
    Hi agag, you on the rioja???
    We’re in for over 4 months of transfer speculation, and the only thing i’m fairly certain about is that AW won’t have a clear-out and it’s unlikely he’ll splash out on more than one big or reasonably big signing. Mores the pity…

  95. allezkev says:

    Yeah Will, spot on mate, a goalscorer would be nice. Someone with pace and someone who stays fit.
    Where’s this list Wath???

  96. HCAA says:

    Rico,

    fair point, but I remember him being one-on-one against Spuds, and instead of instinctively doing what any other striker would do, he was looking for someone to PASS to. Shocking doesn’t begin to cover it.
    Wath,
    To a point I’m prepared to agree with you, only because no-one can be that blind or stupid, but his fundamental flaw is changing from a winning tactical format to a losing one that hasn’t worked for five years & blaming everyone & everything around him for it not working. And whilst during his early days it wasn’t a big issue, the fact that he is unable to influence and tactically change a game in our favour because of his inflexibility.

  97. rico says:

    The dog is just super duper thanks kev 🙂

    I think there will be a bit of a clear out, some youth need to move on for themselves and i think a few first teamers might ask to leave and wenger won’t stop them….

  98. allezkev says:

    Who do you want then Will? I saw a bit of some South American kid called Alexis Sanchez yesterday, he looked a really tricky player, not sure how he’d cope at The Brittainia…

  99. agirlagunner says:

    Nope, AK but I was sorting out my finances, and was tempted to take to the bottle. 😛 I was convinced it was credit card fraud, then saw a newly-arrived package in my room. Ahhh, the fraud’s explained itself.

    We just need some really good purchases. I think a lot of ours are a waste of money, HCAA.

    rico, good to hear about your dog. 🙂

    WATH, where’s your obra maestra??

  100. rico says:

    HCAA – to be fair, that’s not the only time he has done that, how many of our players do the same?

    I’m not for one minute suggesting he is the best striker but, lets give him a proper chance to get used to the PL, its a hard league, then, if this time next year he is atill the same – sell him….

  101. HCAA says:

    I just don’t think he was what was required Rico, and Wenger only signed him because he was a freebie. Didn’t see any of our rivals queueing up to sign him. I think Sunderland wanted him, but they’re hardly rivals!

  102. rico says:

    kev

    AA and Rosicky – next season they could play less that they do – they will need to play regular to play for their country so i see them going..

    Denilson – at his age he should be playing every week, if i were him i wouldn’t be happy, BUT, i would also know that i’m not good enough for arsenal and i would move on…

    Nikki – he just thinks he is so so good he should be playing every week, he has no chance of getting that with us – his Dad (agent) has said he will look elsewhere in the summer

  103. rico says:

    HcAA – i cannot disagree with you there and if he was the real deal we would have paid for him in the january – i think though the dippers wanted him in the same summer and another club but, he’d already agreed to join us by then…

  104. Will says:

    To be honest I don’t know Kev.

    I know what pissed me off last game was when Van P set up Diaby but he wanted to beat the player before shooting and lost his chance.

  105. allezkev says:

    Unless Wenger shocks us all and goes for Hazard i can’t see him selling Arshavin, i wouldn’t be against it, but what kind of fee would we get for him?
    Denilson is a gonna, totally agree.
    Likewise Bendtner.
    Rosicky has one year left on his contract, i wonder if Wenger might just let him run it down and then off he goes back to Prague and Sparta.

  106. W.A.T.H says:

    Ak hows you mate, just been giving ten ton directions he’s apparently just got onto the M1….! JJ has a few hours left to move and emigrate…!.

    What list you on abt Kev 😉

  107. agirlagunner says:

    He’s still scored 11 goals for the club though, HCAA. That’s no mean feat for someone on his first season, and lately with such limited playing time.

    Clichy. And. Cesc. Are. Staying. 😛 I’ve never been behind on any bills payment, ever, AK. Not to worry. 🙂

    WATH’s to blame for the online shopping, rico. Kinda. Some of my purchases happened when he binned me when he was acting as your deputy. 😉

  108. W.A.T.H says:

    AGAG, stop talking rubbish you swore at me got binned and used it as a great excuse to go buy 25 pairs of shoes….!

  109. HCAA says:

    Wenger buys Vela, Ferguson buys Hernandez. They’re in for a treble, we’re hoping for them to slip up. Sort of sums us up, doesn’t it! We only beat Blackpool because of the dodgy ref.

  110. allezkev says:

    Will, that’s symptomatic of the team as a whole. Wenger and/or his coaches seem to knock any directness out of the players. Remember how direct AA used to be, when was the last time he had a dig from distance or went on a mazy run? He’s just another 5-a-side merchant now.

  111. W.A.T.H says:

    HC, agree with the tactics but is that also down to him not actually having faith in the players he’s got…. Am playing devils advocate here purely to justify his actions if he’s been shafted by the board on these players. I tend to agree with you and he is to blame BUT as said I just have the nagging voice in the back of my head saying how can such a clever man not see what we all see and but such average players… Somethings isnt as it should be when you look at what he used to buy…!

  112. Steve Palmer says:

    We must never play that German again, absolute disaster, i dont care how well he shouts he’s got to go, worse than all of them.

  113. rico says:

    Steve, WATH asked this question earlier..

    Ok right fuck this take over crap for a min…. Be sensible for a few mins, I know thats hard for you lot but give me an in and an out wish list with (sensible, yes sensible prices attached either in and out) your limited though as here’s the catch, Gonna give you 30million cash the rest of your budget you need to generate yourselves from player sales if you wanna spend more than your 30million fund….!

  114. allezkev says:

    Hey Wath, notice how JJ has diappeared…. Reckon he’s at Leeds Airport looking for a quick getaway…

  115. rico says:

    WATH – been saying the same too for a while now, how can wenger 1996/7/8 go to what he is now???

    Has he just been the stick for all to beat over the last few years??

    This summer could answer that question….

  116. W.A.T.H says:

    AK, can u remember that big samoan in the Italian Jon that runs the gold range…? ten ton makes him look like ronnie corbett….. Good idea JJ is on his way 2 the airport 😉

  117. agirlagunner says:

    All this tippytappy thing has curbed or killed our players’ instincts. Playing for the perfect goal, it seems, all the time. Even when the simplest thing to do would be to just shoooooot!

    WATH, not twenty five. 😛 And waiting for this list of yours is like waiting for Godot…

  118. HCAA says:

    For all Wenger fans & apologists, I point you to his record in Europe. Do we really have to put up with such dross?

  119. Will says:

    It just really get’s my goat Kev, if Diaby had of shot, he would have scored, it was an open goal.

  120. allezkev says:

    HCAA, Arsenal’s record in europe is rubbish, but it was rubbish before Wenger arrived, Brussels 1980 ring a bell, what about GG’s own goal at Highbury vs Ajax in 1972, Winterslag, remember them mate… losing 5-2 at home to some Russians in the early 80’s, etc etc.

  121. allezkev says:

    Will, RVP did likewise in the 2nd 45, i was shouting at him to hit it first time, but away he went wanting 2 and 3 touches, and then the chance had gone, it does my head in.

  122. rico says:

    What about Nikki – against Barca this season, last five mins, had he scored, we were through…. grrrr

  123. Will says:

    HC, also, we are going up against the money in Europe. If you want European success I point you in the direction of Spain and suggest you start supporting one of the big two there.

  124. W.A.T.H says:

    HC i ain’t no wenger apologist fella not in a zillion yrs, all I am saying is how, where and why can you go from the person u were in 98 to the one you are now for no reason…? answer me that and thats what I want the answer to before I decide I want him out or before I decide that I’ll give him one more yr and even if he has carried the can i’d only give him one yr to fix whats wrong as on 7mil a yr he’s also part of the conspiracy as well so the lie gets bigger n bigger…!

  125. W.A.T.H says:

    My list could take a while as I’m having a very in depth discussion with my bottle of GG as I’m debating the merits of one player left on my list 😉

  126. rico says:

    I see where you are coming from WATH, the question is will we ever know??

    I still don’t get how wenger can go from signing the kind of players he did when he first arrived to what he does today in the transfer market….

    something is amiss…..

  127. HCAA says:

    I hope you’re not questioning my support for Arsenal Will, I’ve been a loyal fan since before Bertie Mee did the ‘Double’. Aren’t Barcelona owned by their fans? Wenger has had more resources at his disposal than either Bertie Mee or George Graham, and they managed success in Europe.

  128. W.A.T.H says:

    Yes but I asked the question Rico so I get to do the last list after everyone else…. 😉

    Ak Rocky scored the away goal over in Benfica, was there, great few days that was, we smashed them at home hit the post as well and just could not score and then in extra time they played very well after being battered for 90mins…!

  129. rico says:

    Suggesting a blogger here should go elsewhere to support a different club may not be in the rules of don’ts but i will add it in a flash if needs be…

    We here on HH support Arsenal, we all have our own views, but our passion for our club is never to be questioned…

    No more please……

  130. allezkev says:

    Hey Wath, i heard you had a warehouse full of GG. I can’t tell you who passed on the rumour, all i can say is it was agag…….

  131. W.A.T.H says:

    AK, make that DID have a warehouse full until her ladyship found out where my stash was….! Now i only have half a warehouse full….!

  132. W.A.T.H says:

    I reckon if we’d of got past Benfica that year we’d of gone close to winning old jug ears that season…!

  133. HCAA says:

    Furthermore Will, Wenger has promised success without the need to spend big money, which negates your argument somewhat.

  134. allezkev says:

    Yeah Wath, I was at Highbury that night, Colin Pates of all people scored and we thought we were on our way.

  135. allezkev says:

    I didn’t look Rico, it’s too painfull, not as painfull as 1980 Brussels, or Copenhagen 2000, europe is just a wind-up.

  136. W.A.T.H says:

    So you know the next question HC, if your booting wenger who you want in his place…?

    Nice one Ak your right Pates did score and didnt TA hit the post…? We battered them for 90mins then sort of completely lost our way…! Austria Vienna before that as well that was fun as well.

  137. HCAA says:

    I think back then English clubs were just trying to find their feet again in Europe, after UEFA imposed a 5 year ban on us after the 1985 European Cup final.

  138. W.A.T.H says:

    AK don’t want to disappoint you so am doing it properly hence why i said sensible in and outs not dream team crap….! My one sticking point on an in and an out makes a huge difference to the whole scenario and I cant make my mind up on it…. If i explain the why’s and wherefor’s I’ll be here til 2moro lunchtime 😉

  139. rico says:

    I am imposing on the question i know, but then i’m allowed to 😉 😉

    I am not sure i want wenger out, not until we know what is happening with stan in charge…

    if stan coming in means the 1996 man comes back then, he can stay another season or two 😉

  140. HCAA says:

    Rico,

    Thanks for your support. I just want what is best for our club, as we all do, and I think as we’re the most expensive club in the world to follow, we are falling well below acceptable standards.

  141. allezkev says:

    If Wenger left Arsenal, i don’t think he’d be out of work too long. Didn’t Real Madrid try to snare him awhile back? Bayern were sniffing around as well amongst others…

  142. allezkev says:

    All this started when Dein left, i’ve always blaimed The Board for the currant transfer parsimony, all you out there who’ve been going for 40 odd years will know how tight our Board has been since the War… Arsenal have failed to compete big-time in the transfer market ever since i’ve been going, and before then.

  143. W.A.T.H says:

    HC, I like Mourinho i like his attitude many many do not and I think he would be ideal for us, the thought process is he spends to much BUT he only spends what the board of the club he is at gives him, We’d really see how good he was at Arsenal and he’d have money to buy the 2/3/4 players we need and you know he’d get rid of the deadwood pronto, def not Capello for me to old and past it, lot of time for Hiddink and yes maybe but I’d like a young manager who’s aslo hungry and has passion in him and whats to win, the Porto manager, the Braga Manager, Owen Coyle….. or from within Steve Bould…? Ppl who know what it means to be at The Arsenal…! ppl who want to be there, anyone thats doesnt want to be there then fuck off simple as that…!

  144. HCAA says:

    AK,

    he’s too safe at Arsenal, and isn’t tactically astute enough to manage at the highest level. Bayern have just sacked van Gaal, a two-time CL winner. I’d love to have seen how Wenger would cope with a big club like Milan or Barcelona. Don’t think we’ll ever find out.

  145. rico says:

    Will,

    what is going on today?? We are just discussing our club with ‘our own’ views! None of us really know what Stan’s takeover means do we?

    Why are you picking a fight with a fellow Gooner???

    HCAA is not saying we are shit is he/she…

    HIGHBURY HOUSE…. Where it’s ok to disagree….. That is this blogs motto, respect it!!

  146. W.A.T.H says:

    Yes Will I am….. !! You can’t stand the bloke so your blinkered in slagging him off on a permanent basis….! Where has he spent more than what he was been given… ?? Answer… nowhere…! chelsea had money he spent it, Inter had money he spent it, Madrid gave him money he’s spent it…! So tell me whast wrong with that…?

  147. Will says:

    Yes he is Rico.

    Watch, he spends £100m a transfer window and then tricks everyone into thinking he is some genius. Championship manager football.

  148. allezkev says:

    Here Will, you and me buddy, down the Lane, just like the good old days, we owe them a good hiding, now they’re out of the Champions Lge, silence is golden amigo…

  149. W.A.T.H says:

    No way is the board gonna sack wenger he’s there til the contract expires as it would cost an arm and a leg to get rid of him. Van Gaal seems to of gone right off the boil as well though HC, maybe Bayern had an escape route in his contract to part ways IF he didnt get a certain way in the CL or a certain position in the league..?

  150. Will says:

    I am sorry but this needs to be said. I remember Chelsea needing a goal at the end of several games under Jose, do you know what the special one’s answer was?

    Stick a big Cb up front from the subs bench and bang it up to him, is that the level of tactical genius you want at The Arsenal?

  151. HCAA says:

    Compared to our peers Will, we are shit, but I will NEVER support those wannabe’s down the lane. We will ALWAYS have more class than the Spuds. Even their manager is an Arsenal fan. Get a grip mate!

  152. allezkev says:

    HCAA, you may have a point about Wenger being too safe, but don’t wish too hard mate, we may just end up in the Europa Lge wondering where it all went wrong…

  153. W.A.T.H says:

    Watch what his team does to the yids 2moro Will and go have a look at what his team did to them last week…. If i remember rightly we lost to the fuckers…!

  154. Will says:

    Our peers?

    Do you mean Man Utd who have spent over £100m on just 4 players and are in so much debt that can’t afford the interest repayments? Or Chelsea who no matter how you dress it up, owe one guy £700m and might not get champions league football because they lose over £50m a season?

    Maybe Tottenham, who have spunked far more money than us at players and got what?

  155. rico says:

    Will,

    i don’t agree with all HCAA believes, I don’t agree with many others view either BUT, its their view, i will try and counteract their view with mine but… no mtter what, and no matter how we all disagree, at the end of the day we all support our club….

  156. HCAA says:

    Wath,

    totally agree re van Gaal, I was responding to AK’s point about them sniffing around Wenger a few years ago. Will, Mourinho has just lost his 1st home game in 9 years. Are you putting Wenger in the same category?

  157. W.A.T.H says:

    Yeh will thats the one and your argument means nothing when the boards have given him the money….!
    If I give you ten quid to get drinks if you sepnd 20 quid your a prick if you spend the 10 your sepending what I give you thats all he does spends what they give him I wish to fuck wenger did that…!

  158. Will says:

    Thing is, the time is not to split and want him or him out, it is time to now stand together and get nehind the team.

    I want to see what Wenger does under Stan (a proven winner) before I say I want him out.

  159. W.A.T.H says:

    Ak, he aint got past watford yet mate 😉 just heard there a 15mile tailback on the M1 cos of the lowbed….

  160. HCAA says:

    Will,

    We are by far the most expensive club in the world to follow! Can you justify that? Winning major competitions makes money, and makes the club every advertiser in the world wants to be a part of. Who would you sponsor right now, Man Utd who continually win big, or Arsenal, perrenial failures, but always ready with an excuse?

  161. allezkev says:

    HCAA, do you blame just Wenger? Do you think The Board are blameless? Where’s all the money certain Board members claimed Wenger had to spend??

  162. W.A.T.H says:

    I’m searching google to see where JJ is…. Just heard ten ton just shot up a bakery van as it had Jon n Sons Bakers written on the side…!

  163. allezkev says:

    Not got the game Wath, no Sky, but they’re winners, that’s for sure.
    Yeah Lee, that JJ is just a troublemaker.lol
    Daggers 4-3 down, damn…

  164. HCAA says:

    AK,

    You mean Wenger, who made Almunia number 1 over Lehmann, & watched Man Utd pay £2m for van der Sar? Wenger who payed £15m for Arshavin when he could have bought Modric for the same money? Wenger who did nothing & watched as Bale went down the road for £2m? The same Wenger who has continually ignored our GK crisis, and bought Squillaci when he should have bought Cahill? A manager who sits passively on the touch-line unable to change the momentum when a game is slipping away from us? The same manager who refuses to buy us a clinical out and out striker, relying continually on a player who has given us an average of 22 games every season since 2003? A manager who ditched his winning tactics to accommodate another injury-prone player, sticks with it even when that player isn’t available, and has watched it fail painfully for 5 years? What do you think?

  165. rico says:

    Won’t be long WATH, he’s already on borrowed time…

    That’s what happens when you get a cack manager, wonder what the odss our on Jose going there next….

  166. allezkev says:

    That’s right HCAA, the most successful manager in the history of Arsenal FC. More successful than that George Graham and Bertie Mee you was talking about.

  167. rico says:

    On that note, I am off for the day folks, you all behave…..

    RESPECT!!

    Night all and catch up tomorrow…

    😆

  168. W.A.T.H says:

    Funny u should say that Rico, mate of mine said to me a few weeks back, Mourinho back to the chavs and remember who told you first…!!!!

  169. W.A.T.H says:

    Personally I can’t see it AK but in football never say never….! Abramovitch will be spitting razors he badly wants the champions league….! Could be funny to watch…!

  170. W.A.T.H says:

    I’ll be watchink Schalke closely 2moro now seeing as they saying we looking at their centre half… Popadopalos…..!

  171. W.A.T.H says:

    Hmmmm they also got a shit hot striker as well called Edu…! Mancs won’t find that an easy game in the semi…!

  172. W.A.T.H says:

    I’d take Arshavin over Modric all day long HC, agree regarding VDS, Bale was a waste of space until the middle of last season and as for Cahill we back to wondering if we have a board that despite all the bullshit were never actually gonna allow another 15mil purchase until the cash cow had a bit more of the debt paid off, remember we only bought Arshavin when it looked like we would not make top 4…!. All your other comments I agree with.

  173. allezkev says:

    HCAA, if after this summer, and with the ownership sorted, we don’t see more ambition in the transfer market, then i shall begin to come around to your way of thinking, but i don’t want to throw out the baby with the bathwater, not just yet.
    You can always pick out certain players, and say we should have signed him or him instead of the muppit we’ve got. I don’t remember loads of Arsenal fans moaning about the signature of Arshavin and that we should have signed Modric instead. Hindsight and all that. I agree re:Bale. Yes i like Cahill, but why hasn’t one of the big-spenders snapped him up yet? Maybe they thought the asking price was too steep???
    As for his tatical acumen, yes he is weak in that department, all the managers you mentioned also have their weaknesses. Mourinho is a winner, but he plays braindead football… you pays your money, you takes your choice?

  174. W.A.T.H says:

    AK am gonna do the in’s and out’s list for 2moro, it will be a long post maybe i’ll do an out post and an in post with an explanation all of which is total nonsense as we’ll buy not sell any of them and I’ve wasted a whole day thinking sensibly for once lol 😀

  175. allezkev says:

    Yeah Lee, you think he’ll go back, wow, that would be amazing, but as Wath said, anything can happen in football. I mean, Wenger might sign Ten Ton Bill in the summer…..lol

  176. HCAA says:

    AK,

    Bertie Mee was originally the club’s physio and won the ‘Double’ with nine players bought in by Billy Wright. He dismantled the ‘Double’ winning team, which proved he should have stayed a physio. George Graham won 2 titles, 2 Lge Cups including 1 in the same season as the FA Cup, and European success in eight years. He probably deserved the sack too. But I wasn’t comparing Wenger with anyone else, Wenger has had more resources than any other manager in our history, and to repeat my earlier point, we are the most expensive club in the world to follow. On what justification? It takes balls to be a winner, and it takes the same amount of balls to admit your project has failed. Enough spin, he’s not had success for 6 years.

  177. allezkev says:

    The only justification HCAA was to pay off the debt for the stadium, it was The Board who stitched us up on that one.
    Thanks for the history lesson mate, i went to my first Arsenal game in 1967, i also know my club.
    As i said, i’ll wait and see what occurs this summer and probably into next season as well.
    If it goes all Pete Tong again, you have my permission to come on here and slag me off, enuf said!

  178. W.A.T.H says:

    HC, your not gonna get much argument from anyone on here, I’ll argue with you for the sake of it to give a balanced opposite of what you say but thats just to throw things around as thats not my personal opinion, hand on heart I dont know if I want him sacked or not, he has faults and his biggest is not admitting when he’s wrong, I want the old wenger back if I had a choice but if he can’t change or be told to change or at least admit even if its only to himself thats he’s been wrong then its time for him to walk away with humility while he still can.

    Sorry Ak it will give you a few things to think about mate 😉

  179. HCAA says:

    Wath,

    Have to agree to disagree re Arshavin/Modric. Personally think Arshavin is a prima-donna. His body-language is all wrong, lazy, never tracks back etc. Modric is 7 years younger. Surely Bale was worth a punt at £2m? Agreed with your mention of Owen Coyle, have mentioned him myself in the past.

  180. allezkev says:

    Here Wath, i saw a bit of Mario Gavranovic on-line the other night. Bit of a goal-hanger, but maybe something we could do with… What do ya think?

  181. W.A.T.H says:

    HC, I agree AA is lazy etc etc BUT he’s also a match winner he scores goals and he can turn a game on is’s head in a second AND he’s being played out of position, one is a midfielder one a striker hard to compare the two in that respect and lets also remember AA has Diaby n Denilson playing with him a lot of the time, i’d have a crap body language if those two pratts were in my team…!

  182. W.A.T.H says:

    Not seen him AK, who’s he play for..? That Edu at Schalke is pretty tasty….! goes down far to easy but he knows where the goal is and is big strong fast and skillful.
    There are a few good young managers out there HC, tell you where they all seem to be young is Germany…! Some good young kraut managers…! Coyle has all the attributes that you would think he’d make it at a big club but always a gamble eh…! Never a cert thats for sure…!

  183. HCAA says:

    AK,

    You talk as if Wenger has had literally nothing to spend! Most of the players he has bought in recent years have been mediocre, along with his tactics, which is why he hasn’t looked like winning anything for the last 6 years.

  184. W.A.T.H says:

    HC, ask yourself why have we only bought bargain basement…????

    Is it wenger
    Is it the board
    Or have we had a bit of money but not enough for the quality wenger wanted so we’ve bought in the short term to make do…?

    I think all the above is hyperthetical as none of us actually know the answers we are purely speculating so none of us will ever be right or wrong cos we dont know cos one thing for sure the board are a bunch of bullshitting fuckers…!

  185. allezkev says:

    Nasri, Sagna, Vermaelen, Arshavin, Song, Ramsey, yeah HCAA, they’re useless mate. Are you just arguing for the sake of it?

  186. allezkev says:

    There’s me thinking i’ve got a bloody virus, and all the time it’s Ten Ton Bill’s mate….hmmmmm. They never taught me how to do that on my computer course…

  187. HCAA says:

    Agreed Wath, the communication from the club to us fans is disgusting. If it wasn’t for us there’d be no Arsenal (perish the thought!). Stay safe everyone, catch you all soon.

  188. allezkev says:

    Yeah i thought i was going crazy, how could i have been so out on the keys…. I shall be keeping a close eye on Mr Wath from now on….haha…

  189. W.A.T.H says:

    Don’t u go upsetting TTB…. He’s gonna be right pissed when he gets oop norff on friday to find JJ has flown the coop and is in south america somewhere…!

    I did laugh when u said bloody pc 😀

  190. HCAA says:

    AK,

    Sagna, Arshavin, Song? They’re over-rated mate! Are they winners? Why do you defend a manager who can’t identify a GK?

  191. W.A.T.H says:

    Maybe TTB organised aChinook to airlift him ooop norff and they’ve dropped him on JJ’s house… RIP JJ…! Don’t expect flowers though…!

  192. allezkev says:

    You know, i kind of could see where HCAA was coming from, but i’ll always maintain that the real villans are The Board.
    Now Wath, no GG before you turn in, i want a full and detailed list of ins and outs tomorrow.

  193. W.A.T.H says:

    From whats gone on the last few days its pretty obvious this was the plan from 4/5 yrs ago from when we moved, all the lies and the bullshit abt leaving Highbury was merely a smokescreen…! Sold down the river by the board full of toffee nosed old etonian pissheads who think they above the fans cos they were born into a club that daddy run….! They make me sick hope they all rot in hell, they ain’t the club we the fans are and thats what we need to show the pompous pricks…! As i said earlier mate we’ll never know what kind of restraints wenger has been under if any… we will just never know, maybe now we will and maybe things won’t change at all and SK will be happy to skim off the profits… another unknown…!

  194. allezkev says:

    HCAA, i have seen some real shit teams and real shit players in my 179 years [Wath], ok it hasn’t been all sunshine and light, and yes the goalkeeper has been an achilles heel, but Lehmann wasn’t bad was he, until he went off his rocker. Almunia has been a disaster, but again i don’t remember 100’s of Gooners screaming blue murder when Wenger dropped Jens. Hindsight my friend. Wengers main fault in my eyes, is that he sticks by some of those wankers long beyond what he should. Foolishness, loyalty or a mixture of the two..?

  195. W.A.T.H says:

    Think your splitting hairs there HC, three players don’t make a team do they and Sagna for me alwasy puts in a shift, he’s the french right back so think thats very harsh, AA is lazy granted but class when he feels like it and has a great footballing brain, shame most cant read him, Song grafts has improved tenfold in 3 yrs…! a great player def not but he’s a good squad player for me… What AK saying is not all wengers buys the last few yrs have been crap i reckon prob 50/50 split…! but then we back again to who had the purse strings and what was the loot available..?

  196. allezkev says:

    Thank you Wath [you are very kind to the elderly ya know], HCAA if all, or, the majority of Wengers signings are so poor, and we’re 2nd, what does that say about the other 18 clubs…

  197. W.A.T.H says:

    AK, thats where I will disagree cos at the end of the day fuck the other 18 clubs it matters not how bad they are all that matters for me is how good we are. We’ve bought donkeys the last few yrs and we all wondered why when they were brought in but he has also still brought in good players as well and at reasonable prices. I fail to see why he didnt get a decent older keeper on the cheap if thats what was the condition and i also said the same for an older striker to come in and do the biz when needed…! So many unanswered questions…!

  198. allezkev says:

    Fair points Wath, i haven’t got a clue mate. Wages maybe, agents fees? I don’t know. And yes, i also don’t give a fig about the rest, but we are where we are, if we’re really so awful, how can that be?

  199. W.A.T.H says:

    We’re not awful mate we’re a decent team in an average league and the mancs will win this average league with a team of grafters and when you win the league you dont give a shit but coming 2nd or 3rd you gotta say well its a poor league and we cant even win it so we have to do much better dont we cos we’re obviously lacking quality..!

  200. allezkev says:

    Barcelona thrashed us, but they’ll do that to 99% of the clubs they play. So i don’t lay awake worrying about that too much. Not beating the Mancs for a long time really pisses me off. In some games we’ve been unlucky, but most of the time it’s Wenger’s lack of tatical nous that’s let us down. Beating the Chavs was a great fillip, it gave me hope of some progress.

  201. W.A.T.H says:

    Thats also the problem mate we should not be just a decent team with what we pay over the bowl, we getting charged top dollar to get in we bringing in 3mil a game the club makes good money and yet we dont buy the players that we need to make us a very good team…! Again…. Why…! whats wrong with the players attitudes, where is the spirit and the fight and the passion, there isn’t any…! Is that down to mentality or is it cos they in a comfort zone and dont give a shit..? is it cos wengers lost his passion to win…?

  202. allezkev says:

    Again Wath, i’ve heard this average league stuff, but our teams have done quite well in the Champions lge. All the same i do agree that there’s been a slight decline in the quality of the top teams.

  203. HCAA says:

    AK,

    Will we finish 2nd? Wath, France aren’t that good at the moment, and did you see Sagna’s attitude against WBA when he fucked up and just shrugged his shoulders and refused to accept responsibility? Most of his crosses don’t beat the 1st man. Song was billed as the next Vieira. Nothing like the same ability. Arshavin has had 2 or 3 decent games this season, was missing most of last season, and since his 4 goals at Anfield has largely been an expensive liability. His mistake led to Leeds goal at the Emirates. Defending the indefensible.

  204. W.A.T.H says:

    this lot seem to take one step forward and 2 backwards…! A keeper that you have faith in is soooo important and Chez will help things but in general we’re still to weak down the spine… too short and no bite….! Needs to be addressed…! I intend too, wait til 2moro all will be revealed, a few shocks 😉

    Mate am off, tea and telly time for a bit…! Always good chatting, have a good evening and see you in the morning..! take it easy ole fella 😉

  205. allezkev says:

    Cheers wath, i guess i’ll just toddle off to bed, put me sleeping hat on, put my teeth in a glass, turn off my hearing aid, blow out the candles and dream about your transfer dealings, it’s been memorable
    Oh and HCAA, your right, i’m wrong, satisfied, now goodnight.

  206. W.A.T.H says:

    HC as I said your splitting hairs mate i dont actually give a rats arse how good France are he’s still an international and give 100% West brom fuck up was Clichy not Sagna mate, I didnt call Song the new Vieira and nor did i hear that from anyone else but fair play to him he’s come on leaps and bounds for me but as I said he’s not great, Arshavin is quality in my book I like the fella, yep lazy and goes missing, so did merson and pires and overmars but they were in better sides so they got carried better. If you wanna go through the whole team it seems your gonna find fault with all of then the way your going what I’m getting at is we need to get rid of the deadwood and with the better players we add quality signings and we’ll be a very good team… will wenger buy what we need your guess is as good as mine we’ll see…!

  207. HCAA says:

    AK, Wath,

    we’re all right and wrong in equal measure, we all want the same for our club. I’d have a Championship Manager style clear-out and change the whole philosophy. Thank god it ain’t my job! Goodnight.

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