And back then we thought they would never end…..
We not only challenged the likes of Manchester United, we beat them! In a week that has seen the old Scot announce his retirement, let’s look back….
After 2004/05 we witnessed change.
Then of course, we were, still are, no longer a threat to Fergies lot and the relationship changed. The two managers laughed together, rather than at each other. Not nice.
Over the years, Fergie and Wenger have had a kind of on off relationship, the best of course for all Gooners was when the old Jock hated our manager, that was of course because we were on top.
We had this unknown Frenchman waltz into the Premier League, he brought a vast number of either unknown players or ‘flops’ from other leagues around Europe and he got the best out of many of them.
Together, a match was made in heaven.
Wenger cheesed everyone off, managers, pundits, media, the whole lot and didn’t he, and we, we loved it?
Arsene Wenger got right under Fergies skin, it was a joy to behold….
Over the years though, for whatever reason, things subsided, the old Arsene appeared to have lost/misplaced his mojo. He’d gone from signing a couple of duffers, to signing more duffers than he did good players. How he ever managed to get us to finish in the top four each season I will never know. But he did….
My own view is, it was more about the lack of other quality sides around to challenge that place…..
But now that is changing, just look to the hear and now, Tottenham, Chelsea, Everton, WBA and even Swansea. All of those teams, at some stage this season looked as if they might shock the league. Ok, a few have suffered blips, but the first three of those teams look really strong, stronger than us at times I’d say.
But, like us, they clearly too have weaknesses, however I strongly suspect they, and the others who sit just below the European places will strengthen. Making next season even more difficult to finish in a top four place…..
Not only do we need to keep up, but we need to overtake the others.
And if Arsene Wenger is going to stay, we need him to get that old fight back, his old mojo back.
Not the one that made the old Jock laugh – I want to see a bit of fight which makes the new Jock quiver…..
Rumours:
Arsenal are continuing to monitor Guingamp midfielder Gilbert Imbula. The 20 year defence minded player is valued at £8 million. Where The Daily Mail got that from I just don’t know. I strongly suspect it’s made up!
Our alleged number one attacking target for this summer, Stevan Jovetic has been talking to Italian newspaper Tuttosport:
It is very satisfying that a club like Juventus are interested in signing me.
I feel honoured that they are keeping tabs on me.
That will no doubt be his current club trying to get his price up, apparently Fiorentina was £30 million. That will bring Arsene Wenger out in a cold sweat won’t it.
That’s it for another day, have a good one…..
A Fiorentina fan told me that they really don’t want to sell Jovetic to Juve as they don’t want him sold to a rival.
Its the silly season ,believe only the Arsenal web site announcements on who signed.The press just throw names in the air to sell papers
For £30m they can keep Jovetic…thats the kind of money you spend on proven quality who has done it consistently for years not a hopeful…or some one who will guarantee 30 goals a season Jovetic is still a hopeful…he is yet to set seria A alight…
If it was your £30m would you buy Jovetic with it?….its not monopoly money is it…
£20-£22m tops… he has quality no doubt but it takes more than just quality..
Morning Gooners,
Guingamp ! Are you sure you didn’t just make that name up rico.
Good Morning to the Lady of the House and fellow Gooners.
Micko – With the wealth of crazy far out stories written about Arsenal’s transfer targets and dealings, Rico doesn’t have to stoop to those levels.
Morning all!
Everyday i read announcements of players who probably sign for us…
JM – It will like that straight through to the transfer deadline. It could be a longggggg summer.
Extra time in the F.A Cup and Wigan victory, Villa and Stoke both win….perfect weekend!
Lee – I can’t disagree with that, but it sticks in my craw to be rooting for the clueless Pubis’s knucklr dragging Neaderthals.
That should knuckle dragging Neanderthals
Morning all, nice one Rico.
Makes me smile when i read that two of the Premier top managers have a love hate relationship. Both these Managers have more money than they can ever spend why would they hate one another. We constantly moan about other teams in the league spending vast amounts of money on top players, we hear that rich owners are all about owning successful clubs and when you look round those multi million spenders are only a couple of points away from us who spend nothing, what’s the point at looking at £20 million players when we know we won’t buy them. There’s no reason to spend vast amounts to be in the top 4 or 5 were proof of that so even if we had a new Russian owner we could spend millions and only advance half a dozen points. So we will just carry on finding Africans that have just come out of the bush or Germans we have never heard of or perhaps we might start buying Asians to sell a few shirts, but don’t believe for one minute it will not bring a wedge between the top managers. they will endeavour to live their very comfy lives and rubbing their little greedy hands together.
SP1 – If greed were Arsene’s primary motivation, why hasn’t he left already. He has had numerous offers and opportunities in the past from clubs such as mega-rich PSG who would pay him more than he was making at the time?
Afternoon all,
A fine post Rico.
SP1, I get confused on with the side of the AW out fence you sit sometimes… 🙂
Hi Cg, have you heard the French Treasury wants Monaco AS to pay 200 million Euros in order to compete and continue with the FFF… yes 200 million euros… talking about clamping down on rich owners…
Villa scored
Is Ramires one of The Children Of The Hydra’s Teeth?
tsgh – Yes, I was just reading that a few minutes ago. The French governments recent high earners surtax has only made that situation worse.
Following on to your comment the other day. I am not well connected politically nor am I well recognised in the Halls of Academe. So, if I had an invitation to the Bilderberg Conference it would have to be as one of the ultra rich. If only it were true, in which case I might own Arsenal. However, if I do make it, I will certainly give you a full report.
SP1 – The following article puts the argument about Arsene far more elloquently than i could;
http://sabotagetimes.com/reportage/arsene-wenger-the-last-bastion-of-loyalty/
chavs 1-0 down…
tsgh – Yes, I was just reading that a few minutes ago. The French governments recent high earners surtax has only made that situation worse.
Following on to your comment the other day. I am not well connected politically nor am I well recognised in the Halls of Academe. So, if I had an invitation to the Bilderberg Conference it would have to be as one of the ultra rich. If only it were true, in which case I might own Arsenal. However, if I do make it, I will certainly give you a full report.
Thought he was an ancient egyptian Furrow!
rico, Cahill is not good enought. We those defenders they will have many problems against Benfica
One of the latest rumours is Wayne Rooney has asked to leave ManUre and Arsenal may bid for him. Wayne leaving is fine with me, but I hope the Arsenal part stays strictly a rumour. He is a decent player with a delicate ego and self image, but an Arsenal player should have an IQ significantly higher than a turnip.
nice Mason… Ramires off…
C’mon Benteke… Adam loves you. 😀
😀 Cg was just pulling your legs… re comment the other day. Good spot you are. a gent
Chelsea has just lost a tooth Ramires just sent off.
Ramirez has certainly become a liability.
I do like Benteke TS. Rather more than Benny Hill and glue-boots.
Is that Loic? 😀 what a name… only rivaled by Djemba-Djemba
tsgh – One leg or the other, not both. I need at least one to stand on, especially after I’ve had a few pints.
If you are going to fall fall gracefully… 😉
I am in the mood for a Tim Horton doughnut and coffee Cg…
seriously though… I like me a Benteke too… I prefer him to Michu or the other lad at QPR who Adam can’t stand 🙂 At least Rico and I agree on that one… 😉
Later guys… lets home for a marvelous weekend results wise…
A wigan upset causing Kone to dye his hair green and pink withthe rest of the squad partying until Monday evening will do… fingers cross…
Lets hope…
tsgh – While your out, would you please pick me up a large coffee and an apple fritter at Tim’s?
And now, everything is almost finish
Afternoon, Hi Ginge, if your still about, The side of the fence i sit has never changed, I want Arsenal at the top of the table, i want us challenging for every competition we enter. I recognise what a genius Wenger has been in his reign at Arsenal, But thats alright if you only want Champions league. Thats not enough for me, Wenger seems happy making the £30 million league i want more and this club should be doing better if it means a new Manager even a new owner so be it. I get fed up watching cup finals that Arsenal are not in, * years is too long.
Boo!! Where is everybody on this sweltering (here, at least) Saturday evening?? 🙂
I certainly hope we buy quality players in the transfer window. It would give everyone a lift and show real ambition.
rico, where are you?
Sister AGAG – I think Rico has gone walkabout. Maybe all the Champions League qualification and transfer speculation has finally got to her.
It was all going so well, then Villa shoot themselves in the foot…
Afternoon Gooners.
If Jovetic was worth £30m, then the likes of ManC, CFC, ManUre etc, would be sniffing around…
I’ve not seen this guy play, but I suspect that his market value is under £20m rather than £30m +….
Hey Shopping Buddy, are you still being good?
That is, saving up…
Hiya Canuck, how’s things on the Frontier???
Sister AGAG – I’ve been laid low by a touch of flu, but I’m on the mend. The weather and most everything else have been great though not as hot as the Phillipines.
Hi Agag, How is sunny Manila this evening? 😉
Cg… I settled for a homemade cocoa and jam on toast… 🙂 Yummie…
@ SPI, that is my vision for Arsenal too…a debt free Arsenal Football Club, with a big enough war chest each transfer window to buy top talent players who can hit the ground running and who can complement the Club’s long tradition of developing young players and homegrown talent. Together they can help the Club win the most prestigious trophies. No Santos or Gerv or Ramsey or Shitemak or OG12’s 🙂
I am not promising or telling you how that will be accomplished though… :O
Hi Ak… if a player has scored 12 goals out of 30 games in Serie A how much are you prepared to pay for him? 😉
£40 million?
tsgh – Sounds good, but its not Tim’s. Don’t be so hard on OG12. He has done better in his first season than some of the high priced names being touted for Arsenal.
Hi Cg you know I love me a Giroud as much as Agag loves his model looks… 😉
—————————————————————————
… especially if he is treated and seen as the Yao Gerv of his team…
Then again he is not an out and out striker; and hopefully an unambitious manger who turned an injury prone right winger into a 30 goal a season striker, and a clumsy, greedy, off-side prone African lump into a 25+ goals a season striker and a 27 y.o CAM who had never scored more than 9 goals in a season in La Liga into a someone who has scored 12 goals and 7 assists…
Jovetic is a good player but 30 millions is too much
Hello, friends! Brother CG, hope you’re feeling better. It’s been an awfully muggy summer here. 😕
Reverend AK, still trying. 😀 Forever trying. I was looking for jeans online and saw some pairs cost aruond USD 600. Whaaaaat??? One has to wonder who would be stupid enough to buy that. Footballers probably. 😀
Ginge, for a moment there I thought you said coco jam. We make good coco jam in the Philippines. Haha.
40 million Mangal currency or the queens sterling… Adam? 🙂
Cg… if I was a footballer I would fly my private G6 to Canada for a Tim after every match win… 😀
Boo, Adam. I finally got around to checking out local travel blogs. I will email you. They have pretty pics of SEA and the Phils. 🙂 So terribly busy at work. How are you?
I can’t see Arsene paying much more than 20 million pounds for Jovetic. If it is 30 million they better have a defibrilator on standby in his office.
tsgh – If you were, you could afford to have it flown in for you.
Agag… coco Jambo? 😀
Viola president Andrea della Valle is reported to have a net worth of approximately $1.7Bn… I guess like the owner of Shaktar – Akhmetov they are both wealthy and lifelong supporters of their clubs so they drive a hard bargain…Only if we could convince Adam and WATH to own Arsenal… 🙂
Ginge, with my Arsene head on, I would not pay more than £5m…
Realistically, I reckon about £18m…
Agag, you’ll get there, just believe in The Lord… 😉
$600 for a pair of jeans. Adam has a couple of red pairs… 😀
Kev – Re: AGAG @ 3:59 pm “Reverend Kev”
I thought you hung up your dog collar last year after you lost the calling.
Cg… personally I think Jovetic has stalled but maybe it is due to him playing with the likes of Luca Toni… I think in 2008 before he left Partizan… I remember seeing him in UEFA cup and he was very good especially for his age and I think he was a captain if I am not wrong…
Canuck, I have discovered the wonders of Scientology… 😛
Kev – If that is the case then you truly are a lost cause not a lost lamb.
And I am strictly Hare Krishna myself.
I like Giroud for fottballing reasons, Ginge. 😳 We have looked unbalanced since he has been off. 😉
Ah… Ak, I heard Adam alternates between a pair of red Escada and his Dussault Apparel Thrashed Jeans to the Erms on match days.
Arsene’s head on Ak… next you will be telling us you chatted up a french rapper on her way to Folkestone…
True Agag… haha ha. Is the red face a guise of you blushing re. the thought of OG12 himself? 😀
Agag. I have paid a small fortune for red baggy bottoms to go with my flowing robes. As I am leading the chanting along Oxford Street with my brothers I often see Kev coming the other way distributing his Scientology leaflets from the window of his cab.
Adam – That is fine with me as long as I don’t have to listen to the incessant chanting. I had enough of that at university.
I believe that you like Giroud’s Gallic nose and quiff Agag.
Canuck, me and Tom Cruise often share a pint of Peroni…
I will look out for you Adam, next time you’re having a chant in Oxford St…
Ginge, I have eaten a French stick on the way to Folkestone.
Does that count? 😉
Hare Krishna
Hare Krishna
Hare Rama
Hare Rama
I could go on CG…..
Isn’t kev also the captain of the Scientology cruise ship…?Like LRH… the uniform of choice is hot pants and platform shoes when he is on-board with thethe “Apollo All-Stars chanting away…
Kev – Tom Cruise you say, then you truly are a lost soul. I’ll say a few prayers for you.
Ginge, I actually have an interesting collection of hot pants.
Agag would be green with envy.
L. Ron Hoover, as Frank Zappa called him, of the First Church Of Appliantology.
I am sure you could Adam, but I can easily scroll past. Chant away.
As usual things take an odd twist when Rico’s not around.
Canuck, you must recall when Tom made his debut in the CL…
He went on a Bosman to Carlisle if I remember correctly…
Ah the late great Frank Zappa made and still makes more sense than most religous zealots. I’ll put on one of his albums to drown out your chanting.
Adam, wasn’t you on nodding terms with George Harrison???
Hari Kari
Hari Kari
Hari Kari
Kev- it depends on the french stick buddy? 😉
Ginge, Torres and Giroud are :oops:.
Adam, you must be a sight to behold 😀 But at least you’re in Arsenal colors!
Reverend AK, CG is right. tsk tsk. Tom Cruise is icky. If he were a footballer, he’d be playing for Chelsea.
I will leave that to your vivid imagination Ginge… 🙂
Ok, i have a cup final to enjoy…
See you lot a bit lata…
God bless you…
I’m of to make myself some breakfast and catch the FA Cup final. Hopefully it isn’t as disappointing as the Villa vs. CHelsea game. Keep the faith.
Evening all.
Huguain (R.M) close Juventus
Evening all…
Hope this final goes to extra time 😉
Callum McManaman is quite good isn’t he….
Is he the one who committed that dreadful tackle on a Newcastle player?
If so, shame, he’d be good for us 😉
Citeh down to ten men….
Crikey, 1-0 Wigan, great header 🙂
Hopefully they will all be hung over on Tuesday 😉
Well played Wigan…..
Tuesday will be bloody tough…..
Hope they will be a disaster next Tuesday
Me too JM, me too…..
No sleep tonight for Wigan players. Well done to Wigan and it shows sometimes in football it’s the team that wants it more can win.
ok this is getting weird….did wigan just win the FA cup?
Waaaaaaaaaaayhhhhhhheeeeeeeeeeyyyyyyyyyyyyyy
I wonder if the press will ridicule Shitty with all their milions in the same manner that they ridiculed AFC when they lost to Birmingham.
Good evening Lady and Gentlemen.
I saw Luzhny today………..his team was walloped 0-5 by Shaktar.
Hi goonie….
howdy folks, whats new? jovetic huh? i ll believe it when i see it on afc.com.
hey ginge….like seriously? did wigan just win the FA cup?
The horse luzhny.lol
Hi Ginge. I am over the moon with that Wigan win. How much did that team cost to build???
Just 1 nil…..
hahahahhahaa just 1 nil he says…..like my dad(bless his heart) ll say a win is a win!
i ll gladly take that 1 nil that night in paris against barfa!
Evening all,
CG 10.14, can’t pull the wool over your eyes, spot on.
Lee 11.45, I’d settle for 2 outta 3.
Gonerjoe 7.20, proof if you ever needed it, football isn’t broken, well done Wigan.
Spot on Gjoe…
I reckon Manure City will be soon looking for a new manager 😉
Evening devil…
I m pleased for martinez… a gent.he could have sold his soul ages ago… dev
Hes done better than Moyes imo…
Oh gawd, stan has surfaced !
hey micko….how’sit going u irish bum? i missed ya. had any NIGERIAN guiness lately?
Goonster
Micko, you’ll toasting Wigan with a big glass of the black stuff I guess 😉
How’s things goonie??
…….hahahhahhahh you bet your IRISH ass i ve resurfaced and this time am back for good. to haunt you day and night.
Less than 25 million goonie
We have a storm, so if I go off, you know it’s my Internet. It’s like night-time here 🙁
adamant
Wigan got what they deserved. They showed more pride, intensity and shear guts than the overpaid and underperforming merceneries of Abu Dhabi Citeh. Despite being cheated on a few crucial calls by a useless referee, Wigan obviously couldn’t match his Citeh pay packet, they kept their heads up and took the game to Citeh.
Citeh didn’t wake up till the eightieth minute and even then they seemed very confused. They seemed to think they were playing Wigan RFC.
How’s the form stan, long time, that stuff puts lead in ya pencil.
am good micko…just chilling like my next door african american ll say.
Hi Stan. I hope all is well.
Man City stopped playing a few weeks ago and it must be hard to turn back on.
I hope that the Wigan players go on a 3 day bender and consume copious quantities of alcohol.
now am freaking out guys…..they ll be on a high after whooping shitty. there goes our top 4 ambition! God help me.
Rico – Rumour has it that areplacement has already been signed and the annoucement of Mankini’s firing will be made at the end of the season. Much the same as Mankini was already signed before the end of Hughes’ last season. Citeh really don’t exhibit any class from the owner down through the players.
According to Italian web sites AFC have opened talks to sign Higuain from RM and Williams of Swansea. The talks are at an advanced stage.
rico, I’m too set in my ways to change.
Adam, strictly soft drinks only for wigan if you believe the manager.
tsgh, keep it real.
Laters.
goonster – Their tales will be up. So, if we don’t match their intensity, it could spell trouble.
At the same time a Fiorentina insider has said that Jovetic will be an AFC player, chaampions lge or not.
I thought I saw Scott from Oz on earlier. Any more predictions from the Sage of Queensland?
Hi Micko… I keep it G. lol
IRN bru celebration… lol
I haven’t watched an FA Cup Final since 2005 when I was in Cardiff…
I’m not usually interested in seeing the same boring old faces lift the cup…
But I’m glad that I decided to watch today.
Well done Wigan, thoroughly deserved win…
Now don’t forget to stay up late celebrating lads…
Arsenal need the points Tuesday…
Kev – Maybe you could offer them a Magical Mystery Tour of the cesspits of Soho in your genuine London taxi. Gets a few of your cabbie mates to give you a hand.
Well it has gone very quiet in the House, so I’m off. I’ll check back after the Spuds game with Stoke RFC. Until tomorrow all. Keep the faith Gooners.
Let’s hope today’s result will convince our team that it’s not just a matter of turning up and win. They will have to fight and play well for the win again well done to Wigan for showing that football is not just about money.
Another winner: Ryo
News reaching me that Gonzalo Higuain will be ours… Link below:
http://www.caughtoffside.com/2013/05/11/arsenal-reach-agreement-to-sign-18-6m-real-madrid-striker-gonzalo-higuain-according-to-spanish-reports/
Santy, if you gonna believe caughtoffside you may as well believe Viz !!
I believe Viz…
I also believe The Transfer Tavern…
Night all…
Hi CG, Aaron finally bagged his hat trick, and to make it even sweeter, it was v Spuds in an 8-1 drubbing.
Fifa 13, where dreams can come true 🙂
Good on Wigan, a grea achievement and a win against money.
A win for football.
Scott – Unfortunately, that is the wrong game, but well worth a chuckle. Has the Sage of Queensland any prognostications regarding Stoke RFC vs. Spuds?
I am a New South Welshman mate 🙂
1-1……a win for Arsenal!!
I suppose if Pelligrini actually does take over at Wastelands, then one of his first signings is bound to be Isco…?!
Gotta say that Mancini had the body language yesterday, of a man who knew he was already sacked…
And if he hadn’t been sacked before the game, I imagine that he was all but given his cards after the final whistle…
Morning Gooners.
It’s another sunny day in London…
It’s gonna be interesting seeing how David Moyes handles his first season at Old Toilet?!
I, along with most neutrals, accept that he is a very competent manager.
He has done a great job, on a slim budget, at Goodison Park.
Getting them into the Champions League was a major achievement.
But ManUre are a greedy club with greedy owners and greedy fans.
Is David Moyes a winner???
I’m not sure that he has ever won anything as a manager, despite being the position, several times, to do so…
Laudrup has shown he can win a trophy!
Martinez had done so as well, despite being up against a Petrodollar opponent!
But Moyes, with squads as good, if not better, than either Swansea and Wgan, has failed in that regard.
So I wonder if Moyes will see out his 6 year contract???
ManUre vs Wigan in the Charity Shield this August.
Now imagine the shock, if Wigan win?!!!
Morning Kev
Sunny here too, will be even brighter if Pullis gets a point later…
Would be a shock, especially is Wigan are a Championship Club when they play….
New Post up now….