Morning all.
We’ve seen a few of first team our players head off to Manchester City, well now it’s the turn of the ladies as defender Steph Houghton will make the switch at the end of this month. The England International moved to Arsenal from Leeds three years ago and she’ll be missed.
In other news but to no great surprise, Arsenal FC announced yesterday that Josh Kroenke has been appointed as a non-executive director.
He’s thrilled to be joining Daddy:
It is an honour to join the board of Arsenal. This reaffirms our family’s long-term commitment to the Club.
Arsenal is in a strong position on and off the pitch. We are enjoying a period of growth for Arsenal and the Premier League. We look forward to an exciting future that includes winning trophies, increasing our already impressive support around the globe and extending our commercial opportunities.
We strongly feel our experience in sports management, marketing and broadcast will be an asset to an already impressive board.
You keep working on the ‘winning trophies’ part Josh!
There are stories going around this morning
Onto today’s post from Allevkev.
During the summer of 1978, myself and a group of pals decided to form a football team. None of us were, how can delicately put it, very technically gifted, but we were enthusiastic, keen and loved our football. A bit like Perry Groves…
As we’d formed up quite late we had a job finding a league but eventually ‘got the gig’ in, if I remember correctly, the East London Sunday League.
Unfortunately the only spare place was in a Division about 5 divisions higher than we should have been in. Don’t ask me how ‘they’ worked that out as I still don’t know but it meant that every Sunday was a combination of The Alamo, Little Big Horn and Cannae. In other words a massacre, but we were all Footie fans so we played or were thrashed, for the love of the game.
Just imagine Man City playing Spurs every week? Well actually that’s quite a nice thought….
Our season began very encouragingly though and after a few weeks ‘training’ we had our one and only pre-season game, against one of the teams in our division. It was also a trial game for a goalkeeper, a long, tall guy with long flowing hair (a bit like Lee) whose name escapes me, so let’s call him Stevo…
As a contest the game was a bit of a foretaste of what was to come. We lined up 4 4 2 (or something like that) but quickly switched, a la Mourinho, to a pragmatic 9 0 1, that is we were forced to ‘park the bus’…
I remember playing right-back and spending the entire game on the edge of our box defending wave after wave of attacks…
We’d left our winger up front as he couldn’t tackle a custard tart but there was always a chance that we’d get lucky. He was also a lazy goal-hanger…
Our Back Nine battled bravely but occasionally, well for most of the game actually, our opponents pierced our dogged defence, firing in a barrage of shots and headers on goal. The opposition totally dominated, peppering our goal but in between those white sticks stood our saviour, Stevo…
Whenever the ball arrowed towards our goal looking destined for the back of the net, there he was, leaping from side to side, pushing the ball over the bar, tipping it around the post and diving at a forwards feet like Bob Wilson. Free kicks, corners, you name it, he saved it.
We should have lost 8-0, instead we won, yes we won, won 1-0. With our solitary breakaway, there he was, our custard tart winger, who sprung the off-side trap, rounded the keeper and stuck it in the onion bag…
Our opponents threw the kitchen sink at us after that, but with Gordon ‘Stevo’ Banks in goals, we triumphed. Of course at the end we all crowded around and congratulated our hero Stevo as our opponents shook their heads in disbelief…
After that game the league season began in earnest and Stevo morphed from Gordon Banks into Tyra Banks!
The wonderful show-stopping performance of pre-season became a distant memory. Stevo flapped and fumbled his way up to the Christmas break as one goalkeeping gaff followed another, before departing.
I’m not sure where he went, probably into the RNIB Sunday League! As for Fields FC, as we were known, all coming from the London Fields neighbourhood, we didn’t survive into a second season.
For myself, I decided to become Mr Popular by taking a referee’s course and then spoiling everyone’s weekend thereafter.
And the moral of this tale?
Well Gooners, just be grateful that we have Wojciech Szczesny in goal, and not Stevo!
Written by Allezkev
An excellent post Kev- perfect for a friday.
custard tart winger, was that Theo in disguise…
Morning Kev and all…
I thoroughly enjoyed reading that post Kev, I’m sat smiling at the custard tart winger, Stevo’s next team and you as a right back… Didn’t have you down as ‘Sagna’ 😉
A half decent posting ruined with a final statement about a man you know absolutely nothing about other than what the media have told you. Mandela was a criminal and his wife even more so. One down, only one to go.
Your views are your own Scotchy, mine are mine!
Where are you from,Scotchy?
Mars Xr’s – half decent post by Kev?? It’s fab!!
Dear oh dear Scotchy…
you sound like a young Dave Cameron 😉
Back to Arsenal eh 🙂
Morning guys.
I have seen both sides of the story on Mandela.
I made one comment…….politics should not be discussed over the internet.
I am not here to tell anyone what they think….unless it involves Ramsey lol…..and will not accept people telling my what i should think.
How many of us truly know what was happening in that part of the world at that time?
Custard tart Kev??
Love it.
Great story mate……i thoroughly enjoyed it.
I love, it Kev. You Sagna you! 🙂 🙂
ginge, I was thinking of Theo “Can’t Beat an Egg” Walcott myself re; the Custard Tart Winger. Haha.
rico, who are these people crawling out of the woodwork. 😕
Agag you comment on Theo??- that is you barred by Rico. 😛
I agree with you on that one Scott- I can’t help it though, I love talking about alternative news. 😛
Nothing is as it seems, that is why I do not worship even Ramsey… 😛
Hi Scott & agag..
What’s all this Theo slating, tsk 😉
Nah, ginge. 😛 rico knows it;s true. I stillhave my money on Walcott to bail us out in big games. He would be handy to have around in the CL finals match against BM. 😀 😀
Goodness knows agag, didn’t think I’d upset people, but hey ho eh..
Ginge, it is very hard to speak intelligently and logically on things we only hear about through the media.
Unless you live it, or at least are close to it, then you really are only echoing the opinion of others.
Arsenal…..easier to start an argument about 🙂
Hi Rico.
My comments are not criticising your post by the way.
More criticising those against your opinion because it is just that, and we are all entitled to one…except on Aaron 🙂
rico, naaaah. But you have to admit, Theo was playing out of his skin before he signed da ting. Now not so much… 😛
I knew Scott….
Agree agag, makes me wonder what’s in that football brain of his…
Scott, have you visited the dotcom today? Ramsey Player of the Month for the fifth STRAIGHT time this season. Your boy is on fire! 🙂
Agag, maybe Theo should be on one year contracts 🙂
The Daily Mail make me laugh with their headline about Oxlade-Chamberlain and his timely boost to England as he nears fitness…
Errr, Arsenal come before England!
Rico, England need him more than Arsenal at present though 🙂
rico, I read that, too about the Ox. 😕 I remember when we had vP, he always came back from international duty injured. I hope the FA have enough sense to let him work up to full fitness first.
Ha ha Scott…
Podolski can’t be far off now either..
They’ll call him up for the WC, on that we can be sure. As soon as he plays a minute or two for us, that’ll be enough..
Morning All
Morning Rico..
Me? Bacary?? Ha, I’d like to think so… 😀
Cheers Agag/Ginge/Scott…
I’m a bit worried about Flamini.
Glad those Diarra rumours have gone away…
Hi Kev.
Don’t take it personally, but bye Kev 🙂
I am off guys…work tomorrow.
Have great day all.
Me too re Flamini Kev…
hello to all housers
great post kev..
wouldn’t be nice if we see Theo stepping up to the plate ,crucial fixtures coming up,got a feeling he will ,we certainly need firing in all direction
ease up scotchy!!respect makes life much better
Off to bed with you Digger…. 😉
Thanks Kali…
Flamini should be rested for sure Rico…
Arteta can handle the Everton/Napoli games,
Hopefully Flamini will be ok to take some part at Wastelands…
Then 9 days off before the Southern Oilers…
Hiya, Kev. 🙂 And a career as a ref, too. 😛
Re Flamini, hope it’s nothing too serious. Maybe, he is being used sparingly with a view to the matches against Citeh and the Chavs.
Night Scott…
Not only Theo Kali, Santi could do with raising his game a bit too, well, more like his shooting boots…
Kev, I’m not sure it the Flamini story is true, hopefully AW will tell us more in his press conference..
true Rico,Santi needs to leave his dancing boots at home and bring on the shooting ones :)..long due some goals
checked on the physioroom,no sign of Flamini being injured! hope it’s just a rumour..we need him vs the two oilers
Seems many are offended by my bit about MR M so I have removed it. Someone just called me a bas***d, can you believe that eh … 😉
Hope so too Kali – I actually think we need him for this weekend, Everton are going to give us a real run for the points..
No pre-season for any player is a hindrance… personally I am not counting on SC19 this season, infact I will want him to miss Brazil so that he can do very well in his 3rd season with us in order to get a contract extension as he approaches the big 30.
As a matter of fact I suspect that Isco will take SC19’s place in the world cup squad, the same way Mata took his place in the previous tournament.
The reason players like Bellerin, Frimps have not featured yet….
Kev- you do not want a big head DM in our squad then? 🙂
Sad people rico, oh well.
Internet makes it too easy for faceless people to insult others they don’t know.
Great post Kev, made me laugh
rico, those people do not have a life. 😕
Ginge, I think we can do better than him.
He had his chance, but walked away without even trying to fight for a place.
What does that tell ya?
Thanks Andrew…
I thought so too Ah, but not fair on Kev’s post hence the removal…
Agree agag..
Absolutely re Diarra, had his chance and wasn’t patient, don’t need that kind of lack of fighting spirit…
I’m surprised by your comment on Isco, ginge. I’ve seen him play since the Primera Liga games are covered well her, but I really don’t think he’s all that… yet. Promising, but he has much to learn. Cesc was wowing us with his passes at that age. Isco… meh.
And you know, I hate Barcelona and would cheer on Madrid by default. 😛
agag, not sure if you caught my return post to you last night (I know I often forget to look back after my last post of day)
I will check, Andrew. 🙂
Kev- you know me…, was just teasing…
I have never rated him; even at portsmouth Papa Bouba Diop, Muntari and another ex-gunner Richard Hughes made him look far better than he was in 2008
Woofa walk time for me, back in an hour or two…
Andrew, your friend chose well. Thailand is my favorite SE country outside my own. 🙂 You should tell him to write his book, and find a publisher. Thailand and Vietnam have the best food in all of SE Asia.
Singapore gets a lot of criticism for not having a “personality”, being a “fine” city (including the sale and purchase of chewing gum), suppressing the press, etc. but I think for those coming from Europe and the Americas, it is less of a culture shock.
Agag, I wanted to visit Singapore a year ago on-route to visiting my daughter working in Sydney. But doing a different city each way was astronomical. I said either HK or Singapore to a friendly agent and she got me a great price on Hong Kong, much cheaper than I could get on net. If we ever go again, Singapore it will be!
Andrew, Singapore gets prettier by the year. 🙂 All those lovely buildings and structures by the marina! All lit up and sparkly at night. But if you like something a bit more exotic, Thailand, Indonesia, Cambodia, or Vietnam.
There are many budget airlines in SE Asia (Air Asia, Tiger Air, Cebu Pacific) so it’s very easy to get around once you are in any of the major cities here. And they are often on sale.
Well written Post, Kev, it is hard to write amusing prose but I had a big grin on my face while I read it, so you have been successful. 🙂
😀 😀 😀 the ring leaders are moaning…
Rio Ferdinand unimpressed by Moyes’ last-minute team announcements
Manchester United defender Rio Ferdinand has openly criticised his manager David Moyes’ preference to name team line-ups at the last minute
ginge, did you see my comment on Isco?
Oh, and another thing I love about being on top at the moment is that Mourinho cannot get over it. 😀
Ms Agag, just read that, 🙂 Emma will have you for breakfast.lol
Isco was the reason Ozil was pushed out though not Bale…
She loves Isco…
Cesc is unique like Lothar Matthius or Sammer whilst Isco is a bit more of a dribbler…
Mauren-hoe is asking for the media and the likes to put pressure on us…
He is in the wrong profession.. he should be working in espionage.lol
Ginge, hahaha. I do not mean to be overly critical of Isco, and I like Madrid well enough, but if I think about how much he cost, I’m not so sure… He does dribble a lot, doesn’t he?? Maybe that’s why he’s too tired to track back. 😛
Afternoon all, Nice one Sir.
Don’t like to hear about anybody dieing, but a man that spends a long time behind bars and has had it supposedly hard who comes out and gets to be President tells me he’s not all straight, nor his Mrs. Hard life but a good innings 95.
Kroenke Junior, another Hanger on.
Just as well we have AK brought a smile to my face, Your keeper was crap but he had a lot to do sounds like the rest of the team wasn’t too good 🙂
Flamony injured, With some tough games coming up expect the sick bay to be full
😀 too tired to track back….
Flamster has been Abou Dhabi-esque since he first left us though… lol
Thanks Henry…
I was a better referee than a right-back tbh… 😉
But he has probably played more time’s than Diaby did all last season Ginge
Cheers Steve… The right-back was the star of our team… 😛
I Kinda guessed that mate, Nice one 🙂
Hello, SSP. How re you? Hello, Henry!
Just read Gollum’s response to questions of vP’s fitness (The Independent):
The United boss refused to say whether the Dutchman could feature against Alan Pardew’s men.
“You can ask, that doesn’t mean I will answer,” he said.
“Like every club we have a few injuries. Some have a chance and some don’t.”
I guess it’s a bit more serious than they initially thought. 🙂 Come on, Newcastle!!
Afternoon, what a lovely day for a walk in the sunshine 🙂
Kev, cyberpunk cabbie, reverend, shopping buddy, right back extraordinaire, referee. 😛 P A man of many talents, I see. 😀
Hiya Agag, fine thank you 🙂
Noisy’s having a bit of a nightmare TW coming up and he has to try and keep 2 CF’s happy and he’s failing miserably.
Liverpool boss pressganged Suarez with a pack of lie’s then rubs it in his face by criticising our interest. As far as i’m concerned no matter how good Suarez turns out, I hope he is imprisoned there forever.
It’s so so annoying when one writes a post, which I did yesterday and then one of today’s newspapers touches on the same subject. I reckon they have hacked into my wordpress account!!
Maybe it’s the same person who had my credit card details 😉
🙂 Sp, with a ban or an injury maybe?
Agag 😀
Which publication, rico? Has your credit card issue been resolved yet?
SSP, Noisy has comments on every other team these days. 😉 And he seems obsessed about our performance. He once accused AW of “voyeurism” Funny, who sounds like a “voyeur” now.
All in the hands of the bank agag, I have the money back though thankfully and a new card on it’s way….
There was a time, rico. I was sooo convinced I was a victim of credit card fraud because I had some insane charges on my statement, and then I saw those purchases in my room. 😀 Ermmm… 😛
Ha ha agag, that’s funny and so believable….
What’s happen to Flamini?
good memories Allez
rico, I swear, my knees were like shaking, it was no mean amount; good thing I hadn’t called my bank to raise hell before I had that lightbulb moment: Hyuk.
Not sure JM, nothing confirmed by AW but reports suggest he has a groin injury…
I won’t dare to ask how much agag, but yes, good job you thought twice…. lol
agag, my daughter went to Vietnam and Cambodia last month as she has an old school-friend teaching English over there, but had to return early after my wife’s illness. Brought back some nice fridge magnets for us though 😉
It’s just loose change to you, rico. 😛 But interest had run through two billing cycles for that credit card, so it was a bit of a disaster. 🙂
Andrew, there are many English and American teachers in S. Korea, Japan, Vietnam and Thailand. 🙂 🙂 I hope the missus is fine. I love ref magnets myself. Haha.
I wish agag re the loose change 😉 You need an interest free credit card…
Have I missed all the fun Rico ? What was it all about ? I have been busy putting window frames into an outhouse and repairing a gate. The water did come over the banks but not seriously it was the gales that did the damage.
Just sat down with a hot cuppa and Alan Smith is on the box.
🙂 SP1
World cup draw happening now
Wenger confirms Sagna is out until the Man City game next Saturday. Jenkinson to play v Everton & Napoli.
You did Potter, a few people didn’t like me mentioning the passing of Nelson Mandela – Ive been called all sorts…
Hope all is ok where you are in the awful weather?
Hope you’re okay, Potter.
rico, I see England has a difficult group at the WC!
Evening all.
Awful group agag…
Evening Adam.
France have a good group…
Poor old Australia, Spain, Chile & Holland in their group…..
Hi Rico. Bad news that Sagna is out.
As for England? I am ambivalent as I am about the Ashes. Horrible performances so far and a nasty vibe hanging around the whole tour.
Could have been a lot worse though Adam, at least he’s back for City and Chelsea…
Did AW say anything about Flamini?
Agree re the Ashes. I think the whole tour has been ruined by nastiness…
Yes, that’s true. As you know, the RB position is a concern of mine.
Dunno re Flamini though.
Just read the official site, no injury to Flamini. Phew.
Me too. England will have to seriously review the schedule after this. A friend of mine who is there said that the atmosphere has been poisonous from the start.
It was always going to be Adam, Lehman set the scene before England even got there….
Nipping off to eat…
All is well here and although we had damage it pales into insignificance to Agag’s neighbours. England’s world cup chances have just diminished ( getting out of the group that is ).
France have a good draw though.
GROUP A: Brazil, Croatia, Mexico, Cameroon
GROUP B: Spain, Netherlands, Chile, Australia
GROUP C: Colombia, Greece, Ivory Coast, Japan
GROUP D: Uruguay, Costa Rica, England, Italy **
GROUP E: Switzerland, Ecuador, France, Honduras
GROUP F: Argentina, Bosnia-Hercegovina, Iran, Nigeria
GROUP G: Germany, Portugal, Ghana, USA **
GROUP H: Belgium, Algeria, Russia, South Korea
Monsieur M. Platini at work Potter 😉
Morning guys.
Australia had no chance of progressing even if we were in a group of Scotland, Ireland and England 🙂
Seriously, our recent managers have absolutely failed to regenerate the squad, and we basically have the same core group that have done the job for 8 years but who are now tired.
I hope we take nobody over the age of 25 over, take the hits and use it as a stepping stone to qualifying next time.
Rico. What did Lehman say? I must have missed all that.
The stuff about Stuart Broad Adam,..
Ireland are quite good Scott 😉
Scott, I thought you were Welsh and not Irish? lol
England can finish 2nd in that group…
Ghana vs Germany will be a cracker…
JW is one yellow card away from suspension; I hope Flamster is not injured…
He isn’t according to AW Ts.
An opportunity for AW to see how Joel Campbell performs against Jagielka, Jones & Cahill;
That is good news rico…
Ginge, i am Kiwi with a dash of Cuban thrown in 🙂
Rico, we may be a chance second then haha
You got to laugh with Frimps..
Laughing at the thought of Townsend being selected over Walcott for Englands best XI
https://twitter.com/IAMFRIMPONG26/status/409015505962680320/photo/1/large
You lost me there Scott…. A Cuban? lol
I work with a Kiwi Aussie named Morgan… nice guy and a gooner too…
lol Scott..
Shame Frimps can’t spell best….
I don’t thinks Gibbs even got considered for…
Baines??
I bet Carroll got a call in the BBC MOTD fantasy team even though he has not kicked a ball this season…
😀 😀 Rico…
I better start reading over my post… 🙂 😉
Too late Ts, we all know by now 😉
I like google as it checks all my spelling, I’m rubbish otherwise…
I need spell checker. lol
Flipping heck.. Vidal is back to his best again…
Juve is going 6 points clear of Yao Gerv’s AS Roma who are in 2nd place.
It’s that time of day for me,
Have a good evening guys/gals…
Night all…
Night Rico…
Ah yes Rico. I remember now.
Goodnight, have a nice evening.
Joke or not??
Apparently, Van Pursey has handed in a transfer request.
That started on twitter Scott, emma saw it a couple of days ago… Be funny if true..
Morning all…
Fingers are crossed, Rico 🙂
That little boy has a lot to answer for.
Not until they have finished the season in 10th though Scott 😉
New Post up now
10th?
You think they can get that high 🙂