Just a quick word on not so silent Stan, he’s still in the UK and was at the Chelsea game. He has also been talking to the players which is a bit of a shock, wonder what he said…
He has also been talking to afc.com.
He doesn’t believe in the way Man City and Chelsea go about their business, throwing money around, he believes in what we as a club are doing and it will stay that way. He has nothing but admiration for Arsene Wenger and adds that he is the best there is.
Arsenal Football Club – wow! 125 years, great tradition, great manager, great model and lots of opportunity.
Those are his exact words!
He says that he knows we are not going to win trophies every year, that’s life in sport, then he goes on about friends he has in the States who have been in the business for 30-40 years and they have won nothing, blah blah….
His plans are to continue with our self-sustaining business model but thinks we are still capable of competing with the best in the PL. However, he also says that if he were a Man Utd fan, he’d be grateful to the Glazer family, despite the club being heavily in debt. He says things for them could be no better. (I find that strange as it goes against all he believes in)
It won’t be long until the winter transfer window is upon us and the good news is that Stan confirms there is money available and no-one is telling Arsene Wenger not to spend it so maybe we will see us involved in January. Let’s hope so and then in the second half of the season we can really push on..
On to tonight..
Having overcome a pretty average Chelsea side at the weekend to register our first away win of the season, we are high on confidence and most fans are pretty darn happy, aren’t we?
Ok, I jest a tad about the Chavs but we got what we deserved after a hard-fought, never say die attitude for 94 minutes and five classy goals.
Chelsea have a strong side so let’s not forget who we beat eh…
Tonight’s opponent also had an away win on Saturday; they beat Dijon 3-2.
Not wishing to sound disrespectful to the Mustard Boys but I’ve never heard of them, however, they obviously gave Marseille a run for their money at the weekend.
Tonight we need to do the same, but better –win this and I am pretty sure we have cemented our place in the group stages, then all that’s left is securing top spot.
Sorry, I love it…..
No resting players unless they have injury, no taking any opponent for granted either – if Wenger wants us to have a real chance in this competition, we need to secure top spot and make sure we get the easiest opponent we can have in the knock-out stage.
Last season at this stage, Wenger mucked it up big time – he got all too complacent and we ended up with a couple of bad results which saw us finish second in the group, draw Barcelona and with it, saw us out of the competition. (Yes, I know Nik should have made it otherwise!)
We don’t need or want that again, play our strongest side – this is no game to contemplate resting players, especially Robin van Persie!
But, let’s not get ahead of ourselves, despite feeling the way we fans do and no doubt the players do after Saturday, it’s only one game and it’s only one result and we all know that any team is only as good as its last game…
What we just need to keep doing is making sure that our every last game is a winning one….
Not much point in going on about Marseille, we all know what to expect having played them not so long ago. Who cares about them, it’s all about us!
If we play with the heart and commitment we did on Saturday, we are in for another good game.
Anything else, well I for one don’t think we will see the ‘anything else’; this squad looks like it’s truly together, from the pitch to the bench, everyone is behind Arsenal….
It’s been long overdue too…..
Final word on our team, both Vermaelen and Jenkinson are fit as is Yossi Benayoun but Gibbs, Sagna, Diaby and Jack all remain sidelined….
Have a good day all…….
Morning all….
Fancy RvP not being nominated for the Balloon award, and how can Shrek be….
Oh well…..
Morning all
Just one word on the Barcelona draw last year. IMHO it should not have mattered that we drew Barcelona that early because if we could not have beaten them then we where hardly going to do so later.
RvP will probably be rested for to night and I hope he goes with the same setup as against Bolton. No disrespect to OM but that frontline of Park and AA should be enough to break them down, after all they let in 2 goals on the weekend so their defense is not totally water proof.
I would be tempted to play Vermalien and Merts in defense and give Kozzer a breather. I see him and vermalien as our # 1 and 2 CB and vermalien needs some game time and quick and so does Merts.
Jenks and Santos as fullbacks and Ramsey Song Benny and Arteta as our Midfield.
As for Silent Stan he said a lot more to the written media journalists than he said to the shareholders at that meeting. He also neither confirmed or denied that he would be taking money out of the club…but more or less told us he would not be injecting any cash into it either.
Hi TT –
I understand what you are saying about Barca but it would have been better to finish top of our group with more confidence gained with it….
I’d rather we got top of the group first and then rest players… but that doesn’t mean I’m right of course 😉
Off for an hour, catch up later….
Good mornin all!
Today it’s a holyday here.
Marseille in my opinion, it’s much more dangerous away then at home, even the crown at Velodrome. It’s a team particulary preparinfg for playing away
Morning all, nice one rico,
Silent stan has gone from silent to a Manchester PR man
If Stan can find a way to boost our confidence this is definitly not the way. The Glaziers maybe Americans and perhaps Stans homesick but keep your mind on The Arsenal ,we are the club doing everything right, don’t harp on how Chelsea and City are splashing the cash around and that you don’t like that. it just shows you that those teams want success and owners too, you may see a self sustaining club as a success and in some ways you could be right but your punters who give you the support and a lot of Arsenals money see trophies as a form of success. A top club needs top players, not all of them but enough to make them competitive. Wenger is not a man to squander money but he must be able to buy who he wants and not what he can afford. I know balancing the books for a big outfit like the Arsenal is not easy, but The Arsenal is about the football football came before the business and you as an American need to remember that.
Morning all,
Can’t believe diaby was also over looked for the balon d’or as well, its criminal.
Who’s he play for Micko,
Boo! rico, Mustard Boys. 😀
steve, Maybe Silent Stan was better off keeping schtum. Hardly reassuring; and why he has to comment on the Glazers, who even knows? 😕
And Diaby has to contend with another injury. Poor Diaby! I’m not his biggest fan; but it does provide some measure of comfort to know he is on the bench.
Hello Steve,
I don’t think the americans quite understand the passion the supporters feel for the club over here, like you say it should be about what goes on, on the pitch and winning football matches and not all about lining your pockets at the expense of the team.
Agag,
Chamakh seems to be going down the same road as almunia with these mystery injuries as well now, its a sore knee today, what will it be next week, a bruised toe, a sprained finger or a bumped nose !
Micko, shame about Chamakh; he did so well when Robin was out last year. There’s something almost palpably nervous about how he plays now.
Boo, hi all….
Busy day in the garden, trying to catch the green bin man with all the dead veggie stuff……..
Talking of Diaby…
“You won’t see him [Diaby] for a while, the next three weeks,” Wenger said. “He will not play for France either. I am worried but I was more worried three months ago. His ankle was not good but the surgery went very well then.
“Now his balance has changed so he has to adjust his muscular strength. He has had two small muscular concerns and if he can get rid of them in the next two to three weeks he will be ready. It’s a good time to get him right as we have a two-week break after Saturday.”
Micko, Terry has a bumped nose from worm hunting through the grass on sunday….!
Afternoon all, wow is all I can say about the weekend, I really hope we keep up the passion. I’d be tempted to play AA in the whole again tonight, would rest some of the midfield and also give some much needed practice for our plan B. Thoughts?
Wath, you are a cruel man, poor Terry, he must feel like his career is slipping away from him…..
Cracking wasn’t it Sam, you have a good weekend?
rico, what did you do to your veggies? 😯 Maybe Diaby will do a Robin and be fit, at last. Always in the treatment room, Diaby.
Hello, WATH; how are you, stranger? 😉
I should imagine AA will get some playing time tonight, Gooner Sam. Gervinho to rest; Park for RvP. But how tempting is it to just keep playing Robin??
I ate them agag but now the plants etc have gone over and needed binning….
I bet we dont see diaby until 2012……
Wenger says he is reluctant to rotae and doesn’t want to much up like he did last season in the CL…
I think he’s been reading 😉
Good to hear, rico. 😉
As for Diaby, tut tut. Maybe Jack will recover ahead of him. 🙂
I’d really rather Robin since he’s in scorching form; but with internationals (again), when is he getting some rest?
Popping off again…. Back in a bit…
Hope Jack does agag, what a lift that will be, where as Diaby….. 😉
Laters
No, Gervinho must play today. Rvp and Park maybe at the bench. AA in the line-up. Marseillhe has also strong and faster forwards and wingers. Probably Jenkinson on. Kos and Met in the center. Santos at the left. Song (how many yellow cards has he in the CL? ) too. Probably Rosicky. Arteta or Ramsey one of them. Or even Coquelin. Theo too.
Marseille is a dangerous team playing out is Stadium. Don’t forget they won in Athens. They plaay for scoring. If we win today ((:-)) we are almost in the second leg. But for Marseille is a crucial game.
Diaby is hopeless. Muscle has no structure to the body they have. It is a serious problem early. Over time, it will be aggravating. With the effort, will be igniting all tendons, ligaments, bone weakening and consequently, the whole muscle strength and agility.
Reviewing the matter: Players midfield: Song (which is also central defense … when required). Coquelin, Fripong. Rosicky (not always). Ramsey, Arteta, flustered (?). Seriously injured: Wilshere, Diaby. Absent from January: Fripong. Resource Solutions: Gibbs and Santos.
Conclusion: We need two central midfielders in January and probably to pick Lansbury.
Did I Miss any player?
I want to Write Afobe and I wrote flustered
Hi Rico, sorry had to pop off, yes good weekend but definitely still recovering now. Tallinn is a beautiful city.
My forfit was not great though, I had to wear a sp*rs shirt the whole of the weekend… 🙁
Yossi JM
Hey AGAG, how’s your sexy shopper….? 😉
I’m fine just busy but hey such is life….!
JM, agree with you on Diaby, the ankle break he suffered has seriously stuffed up his career and for me will never ever be top level and if rumours are true we will be lucky to see him again, I heard a whisper last Xmas that there were serious concerns about his fitness and him ever making a proper recovery and to be play in a run of games consecutively without picking up yet more injuries…!
Howdy WATH, how’s you mate??
Gooner sam, don’t worry about it, abou diaby also wears a spurs shirt on the weekends as well !
My only way nullify the pain was to cheer my lu gs put when the highlights came on TV whilst still in the shirt. Then the disease was gone..
yes, I miss Benayoun
Gooner, I told you Talin is a nice place
GS, you’ll have to destroy all the evidence starting with the photo’s, then deny the incident ever happened, only then will you be able to move on with your life, you have to stay strong.
Micko, there must be some sort of counselling available for isolated cases like this…?
Afternoon, that’s all my jobs done for the day….. – hoorah …
Allo Lee, you ok fella, can you see through that smoke haze 😉
Sam – that was a horrid thing for you so called friends to have made you do…. hope they didn’t get any photos 😉
Win tonight and we are in the group stages for definate…
From afc.com:
* Arsenal will definitely qualify for the Group Stages if they win on Tuesday night. That would give Wenger’s side 10 points from four games and, crucially, a superior head-to-head against Marseille. This method is used to differentiate teams the Champions League ahead of goal difference.
Arsenal would be through because there is only one combination of results which could see two other teams reach ten points – and in that instance Wenger would still progress as results against Dortmund would be discounted.
I spent a while wishing Stan would speak. Now I would like him to shut up. You have to admire the unadulterated imbecility of Van De Vaart. First he boasts about Spurs being a much better side than Arsenal, saying they will certainly finish above us. Then he goes on to claim that Spurs, after their epic win against QPR, are the best team in London. Not finished and quite unable to catch the cretinous irony of his own words he goes on to say that Man City will be bought down by their own arrogance and ego. I do love it when a moron intellectualises.
Obviously jealous of Van Persie, wanker
I think most feel that way Adam, i can’t believe he said about the way we operate yet then praises the Mancs for doing well but being in so much debt…
VdV is exactly that Steve and i think deep down he knows he would have rather joined us…. Only a few weeks ago he was slagging off Arry….
By the way, rico. That RvP is not on the Ballon d’Or list is… Just. Plain. Laughable. Well, it is the FIFA… Must be some silly criteria.
adam and stever,, vdV knows he’s in an inherently, immutably, inferior team, and is bitter. 😉
Gooner Sam, oh no. 😯 Who needs enemies, eh??
Work hard to play hard, WATH… and drink plenty in your case. 😉
I get the impression that people can undestand English excentricity a lot more than they understand American or foreign billionares an English excentric makes me think that they are in it for the long haul and deep down i get the feeling that what they do is for history and for the good of whatever their interested in, but foreign billionares in a foreign country why should they want to move a foreign football club forward, that i don’t understand, especialy when they could so easily do it in their own countries. do you understand what i am trying to say
I think you’ve been on the juice SP 🙂
Is Stan in a very “NON” subtle way trying to tell everyone that the glazers getting the mancs into 800million quids worth of debt is fine to soften the blow of when he does it to us to pay off the money he’s borrowed to buy our shares…?????????????
Hi Agag, he may be all those things we call him, but he’s certainly talented misdirected but talented
You have a devious mind Wath ,I smell a rat as well thats what worries me.
steve, that’s why it’s galling he’s a spud. I wanted him kitted out in our red and white. So much for that… Well, there’s still vdW… 😉
You never know Agag.
laughable agag, he’s the best in th PL right now…..
I smell a huge rat, i don’t trust SS one tiny bit…………
VdV grew up in a caravan! Does anyone know the history? Is mother is spanish and is father is dutch. They met in cadiz (spain) and then they were going to leaving in Holland in a caravan, somewhere in the North of Holland. VdV was playing in the street with other guys until an Ajax scout, appreciate him and pick him to Ajax.
Eduardo is playing for Shacktar Donetz now
Rafael Benitez in http://www.eurosport.com
Arteta lacks crucial experience
Mikel Arteta was an important player at Everton, a key player. He went to Arsenal to replace Cesc Fabregas but he is not the same kind of player.
Even so, Arteta can pass and keep the ball. He can control the tempo of the game and he is dangerous at set pieces. He has a great mentality.
But experience is important. When you play in your own league you can do well, but when you play in the Champions League you come up against top class players and there is the scrutiny of the media and huge pressure to deal with.
You need time to understand what the Champions League and such massive games, like the Gunners’ upcoming clash with Marseille, are all about.
Robin van Persie’s recent form has drawn comparisons with Thierry Henry’s feats for Arsenal, but like Arteta and Fabregas, they are different kinds of players. Henry was a player with pace and a striker who played more on the left hand side.
I think that Arsene Wenger has seen that Van Persie needs to play with another player of quality, who offers a lot of movement. He can win the ball in the air, he can hold the ball and he can give other players time to go and support him. He is a player who needs to be close to the box. Henry needed more spaces to operate in.
Another player who has been compared to Henry is Loic Remy, who Arsenal will come up against in the Champions League this week.
We were watching Remy as an option for us and it is true that he has some similarities with Henry. He has the pace and movement and, while he is already a good player, he is only going to get better and better.
In the second leg of the tie, I expect Remy to have more space.
Arsenal will have to adopt an offensive mentality and to attack, meaning Remy may be able to exploit the space afforded to him. Remy will be their dangerman.
You can see the influence of Didier Deschamps, who played and coached in Italy, on his side and it will be difficult for Arsenal, even if they are playing at home.
Cheers JM, its now official, vdv is a pikey ! love it.
Get your pegs down the Lane, lucky heather VDV Tarmac your yard
VdV grew up in a caravan, that means he can do as he likey then 😉
What does Rafa know about players JM, he only saw most of his once a month he rotated them so much 😉
Off to cook dinner, no jacket potatoes in a microwave either 😉
I’m trying not to get carried away after Saturday but wouldn’t you (in the words of Keegan) love it, if we beat The Spuds to 4th spot and gave them a drubbing at the grove.
Evening guys and chicks.
Take a look at this page from the sun……….he managed to score from 58 yards with a header. Geeeeeeezzzzzzz
http://www.thesun.co.uk/sol/homepage/sport/football/3907663/Ryujiro-Ueda-scores-with-world-record-header.html
Let VDV say what he wants. Watching the spuds play QPR I wondered how did we manage to loose to that rabble. Rest assured they will be found out. This Spuds team is not up to the same standard that they had when they were food poisoned by a chav cook.
And for those who tell me that man for man no AFC player can get into the spuds lineup I would tell them “Of course they wouldn’t. No one in the present line up wants to be a traitor.”
Mention just one player from the scum who you would like to be in AFC’s team.
I for one would not change any of their team for ours.
Watch this Koscielny compilation guys and chicks. You gotta love this man. He is growing with every game. Is Kroenke is known as silent stan than LK should be known as the KILLER KOS.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_embedded&v=4IWDZQnzrok#!
Sam – yes, it would make every Gooners day…
devil – we were in a bad place back then and they got bloody lucky, we’ll batter them at The Emirates….
There maybe one or two that would fit in well devil… 😉
Modric??
Modric???? He is good but mention who you would leave out…..Song, Wilshere, Ramsey. Arteta cannot be counted as he is still settled in. Even Coquelin I rate above Modric already. Would Modric stay and be counted when the going gets tough?? Usually he does not.
I will always ask the same question I ask my dad when he says he would like this player and that……who would you drop for him?? Since Modric will not come to be a benchwarmer someone must be dropped.
Team in full: Szczesny, Jenkinson, Vermaelen, Mertesacker, Andre Santos, Song, Ramsey, Arteta, Walcott, Gervinho, Park.
Substitutes: Fabianski, Koscielny, Djourou, Rosicky, Benayoun, Arshavin, Van Persie.
Even if you tell me that Rosicky and Diabyor any other youth player can make way I would still not agree since if Modric comes he must be one of the main men. Rosicky and Diaby with all their defects fulfill one of the most important roles in the team…..squad players. Can you imagine Modric being a squad player.
Nah devil, i meant he would fit into our squad……
Great teams have great squads, same as the last few years we have a very good first 11-14 players, but after that????
Its not fair that Kos has to make way. He has been outsanding. That said I would also like to point out that I cannot wait to see the PM04—TV05 partnership.
Kozzer for defensive midfield anyone???
Good to see two defenders, two midfielders and two forwards on the bench. And the bench is a solid one and looks strong. A great change from Eboue, Denilson etc.
In a word devil, no!
After all, that would mean dropping Song and ‘killing off’ the chance for Coq and Frimps 😉
He is learning and getting better each game where he is, I say leave him there….
But its not fair and I presume you agree on that no???
Looking at the team today its means that the majority of the attacks will be accompanied by Santos, as Jenks usually like to sit a bit back and not go as much forward as Sagna. But then again I have the feeling that Jenks will have an assist or two for Park. 🙂
Depends devil, if they are good enough then play them, if not, get rid…..
Jenks is very attacking, sometimes too much imho – he’s raw, he doesn’t always know when to stay back, unlike Sagna….
Crazy start….
We haven’t settled….
But then that is always us…..we start slow but grow into the game as it goes on. Especially in the second half.
This is not good….
Blimey that’s already 4 attempts off target for them and none for us.
Theo takes a shot and its saved by Mandanda.
wonder why no card for that hand ball?
That could have gone in……..a gd save by Mandanda.
Park will score tonight…….till now only Gervinho and Theo have taken shots on target.
We are still not dominating possession. Its still evens in that stat. But we are giving as much as we get.
Our players all seem too close to eachother – makes us very easy to mark….
When attacking I mean, and especially when the ball gets to the penalty area….
They are like rabbits in headlights up front, what is going on….
Anyone know what time arsenal are turning up, hasn’t been a great 1st half has it.
Dire Micko, just dire – there is playing safe and playing like a mug of horlicks…..
what the hell is Santos doing. He just stands and lets opponents run behind him. He’s got no idea what he’s doing at left-back. He is not a left back but a left winger
half time and while in terms of possession we are evens, in terms of shots we are better and have had more on target than OM. We should be ahead. Regarding tactics we are not that solid.
Its very tight and edgey, nothing between the two teams.
Devil, I’d go as far to say santos isn’t shy of the burger van.
Santos has been caught out more times than a bad batsman he is useless get him off and send him to weightwatchers
Steve, kolo may be able to help him out with some slimming pills.
I hope that for the sake of everyone that Gervinho, Theo and Park score so that RVP will not be needed and everyone says that we are a one man team
Micko, Blinding
😆 😆 re Santos
RvP will be on in the next 15 mins if we don’t score…..
rico, he’s warming up, you could be right.
just seen that too Micko – so what was the point in resting him?
coming on from the bench in a game like this is when he could get an injury, he’ll be trying so hard to get us a goal….
Gervinho will never make a juggler, i don’t think he has had two touches on the trot yet
Everyone seems off their game tonight Steve, i think the Chav game has done them in….
Your right there Rico
Is it a bird, is it a plane, no its robin van persie.
Robin van Persie replaces Park Ju-young.
Now this change could make things work…
Tomas Rosicky is coming on…
Ramsey must have been playing in welsh tonight no one understood him
we need to go 4-4-1-1 to stifle midfield. They have replaced a forward with a midfielder to strengthen up….notably they know that Arsenal are stronger in the last minutes
Santos is all over the place…. he truly is a shocking left back…
Maybe a good left winger though 😉
steve 🙂 maybe he was speaking english….
Rico I have been saying that since he joined.
fabregas has scored
devil, many prefer him over Gibbs – i’m not sure either are good enough, or strong enough in their defensive play…..
Rico, if i had a bonfire in my garden Santos would be on it
fabregas who????
I’d have him on my logburner, the house would be warm for a month Steve 😉
Thats what happens when you give your left back the number 11.
Gerv has been disappointing tonight, maybe arsh will produce a moment of magic.
No doubt everyone loves TV back, but imho we miss the cool calm passes out from defence that Kos makes….
…..thank you Rico. I was wishing that Kozzer was there all the game
a moment of magic from anyone would do me,…..
i have a horrid feeling they will do to us what we did to them…….
I have a feeling that next game we will see TF05+kozzer in defence with BFG rested
but Kos can’t play everywhere devil ……
I’m checking out for the day guys, off up the wooden ones straight after the whistle.. Early start 🙁
Catch You all tomorrow, just hope we get a winner in the next two mins….
Nighty night all…..
gd night Rico
Dortmund will be our safety net, nite all.
our passing was the reason we were so bad. Santos is not a left back in fact we should lose him as quick as he came. A disappointing night. nobody shone at all .A clean sheet is probably the only plus of the night, other than virmin not getting injured
nte all
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