Morning all.
Back in 1986 and on this very day, Arsenal FC appointed George Graham as manager. I bet our goals conceded tally would be far less if he was still manager today, mind you, so would our goals scored….
Over the years the first team have suffered injuries and many of them. Some have been muscular but many, too many have been the result of a nasty tackle or something off the ball like Debuchys shove into the hoardings.
Eduardo and Ramsey – well what they suffered would ‘on the streets’ be handed over to the local constabulary as both were nothing short of a criminal offence. Disgraceful.
Abou Diaby – his killer blow was down to Dan Smith and a truly shocking challenge…
But it seems the men are not the only Arsenal players to be on the end of a bad one as yesterday news on Kelly Smith, the Arsenal Ladies main striker, hit the back pages.
Another bad one, another four months out….
Kelly Smith has not held back from her hospital bed, in fact she’s hammered the offending player, Sunderlands Abby Holmes good and proper!
There is no hiding the fact – the tackle was malicious and designed to do one thing only – to do serious damage.
She’s clearly not good enough to be playing at this level and while she gets a three-match ban, I, in effect, get a 15-game ban in the league as well as cup games on top.
And, if I hadn’t retired from international football, it would have definitely ended my World Cup this summer.
I am totally laid up, can barely move to make a coffee or have a shower and face the mental challenge yet again of recovering from a long-term injury.
I am more angry than sad. I don’t know whether I’m seen as a good scalp in the women’s game because of who I am, but I am sick of being on the receiving end of challenges that are full-on physical attacks. I am absolutely furious and I can’t get that tackle out of my head.
Kelly Smith is possibly one of the biggest names in Women’s football in England – she’s good, very good and even at 36 years old, she’s a threat to any defence and yes, perhaps she is one that other clubs target in order to stop her.
That’s something which has become a trend in football.
Hit the danger men, and in Kelly Smiths case, women, and stop them playing.
Swansea did just that to Alexis and they are not alone, I’m sure none of us can forget the Cahill tackle on him earlier in the season and neither will we forget how many times we so many other clubs players get at him time and time again in order to stop him any which way they can. I highlight Alexis as imo, he suffers the most but of course, he’s not alone.
Jack, Ollie, Mesut and Santi to name just a few, have all fallen victim of nasty stuff this season and that’s no doubt down to them being our danger players.
Arsenal, Shad Forsythe and other medical staff can all they can to help our players but all the time players like Abby Holmes, Dan Smith, Ryan Shawcross, Martin Taylor and Gary Cahill – again to name a few, are given freedom to ‘assault’ our players, even they are up against a brick wall…..
So as we head to Old Trafford to face Fellaini, who himself is one of the dirtiest, cheating and nasty players in the Premier League right now, be afraid……….
Gossip pages:
The Telegraph/Express report that Arsene Wenger wants to sign Mario Gotze from Bayern Munich for £30 million.
The Sun reckon that Arsenal could seal a deal for young French striker Yassin Fortune within the next week. Fortune is apparently wanted by Man Utd but it appears we have become favourites for his signature. Can’t think why…. lol
That’s it for Thursday, have a great day guys….
Very good post rico. Sanchez and Giroud both received two nasty challenges early on against Swansea. Both had their most ineffective games for a long while. Coincidence?
A drunk driver does not mean to kill or seriously injure someone but is correctly retrospectively punished. The player that caused similar distress to Debuchy by shoving him stupidly off the pitch had no action taken against him either at time or retrospectively. Is that correct? I would have thought a six match ban might have been fair considering how long Debuchy was out? In effect referee and FA are saying, that’s quite OK to push into hoardings and if a serious injury that’s fine.
I have suffered a major injury blow as well Rico, My left arm is sore so it’s difficult picking up a pint of GG…! I’ll have to drink through a straw for the next few days….!
Seems silly season with the transfer gossip is starting to take off already, We’ve now apparently already sgned schneiderlin…..! Wonder when we are gonna sign Bale and then Messi…?
K-A-L-O-U !!!
Thanks Andrew, you make a good point about bad tackles and performance…
🙂 Wath, I’m sure you’ll cope…
Darn post hasn’t gone up on NN…
Re Debuchy, I think the FA reviewed it and said there was nothing in it, either that or the referee said he’d dealt with it. Either way they got that very wrong…
http://www.express.co.uk/sport/football/577134/Arsenal-Thomas-Vermaelen-Champions-League
Kalou not good enough for Arsenal
That should pay for a striker… 😉
Kalou is too good for Arsenal….
I think he’ll end up at Barcelona or Real Madrid…..
What you smokin Lee… 😉
Bent!
Morning all
Good Morning Lovelies and Hunkies.
What happened Rico??? I have already posted……it appeared…..but now its not there anymore.
You are quite right Rico. Some of the assaults on our players could have been custodial! Sadly it is always the case that if you are a good, very good young player you will be singled out by the opposition for ‘special treatment’. Whether that comes from one player orcas in Alexis’ case against Chelsea all different thugs, until the Ref stepped in and warned the captain what would happen if it continued! It makes little difference. We did the same when I was playing, find the best player and ‘neutralise’ him, then we had a chance to compete or even have a considerable advantage! Sadly with Diaby in particular but others too, that one act of fury destroyed a career.
Many ftoday’s players would not earning now had the medics not developed cruciate mending practices. How many wonderful players would now be packing theshaelves at Sainsbury’s or Tescos? Walcott, for one, probably Rosicky and others….
The Referees are weak and the FA weaker, strong arm tactics require strong arm responses. Kelly Smith is quite right, the offending player should be suspended for as long as the player he injured is unavailable. Mind you all squads would then be paper thin! Even playing field?
Should add we are not innocent with regard to committing bad tackles. Live by the sword, die by the sword! But such draconian punishment may breed a little caution when flying into a dangerous tackle. No bad thing, really.
Bliss, Kalou is a long standing joke on here… 😉
As is Bent eh Wavy… lol
No idea Devil, NN have posted today’s article in the blog section instead of the main page so I tried reposting and it all went belly up… lol
Id take a punt on Peter Crouch
Morning Rico and all…
I just saw the tackle on Kelly on youtube… horrid!
Very good post btw…
Let us sign Chamakh as our DM…
You could use him as the pole I punt Kev!
Morning Kev, Ts, thanks..
I do hope you are joking Ts…. lol
Good comment Wavy and spot on…
Wavy…..I have long been a supporter of that type of punishment. The tackler has to be suspended for the whole amount of time that the victim is out injured. Or at least for 15 games. That will even things out and will make players think twice about such tackles.
Kelly Smith alluded to that too. 3 match ban v 4 months out doesn’t make sense…
Catch up later….
The difficulty in that is how do you define dangerous and reckless to completely accidental…?
In the case of a serious injury you have the ability to replay the incident time and again.Other sports have the ability to cite a player for such misdemeanors and levy retrospective punishment . Football should do the same.
What we then need Potter is an independent tribunal to look at said incidents and make recommendations then to the FA for further punishment. No hiding behind the ref sent the player off or they have served a 1/2/3 game ban….! Until the authorities wake up and deal with things properly this kind of thing will continue.
Afternoon all.
When a player is found guilty of a foul that leads to another player copping injury time, that offender should sit out the same amount of games and THEN serve his penalty.
Injure a player who missed 10 weeks, you miss 13 weeks.
I wonder how quickly things would change.
It’s all about the FA handing down punishment recommended from an independent body that finds a player guilty of a reckless or dangerous challenge Scott..!
How do you make sure the independent board/tribunal/committee are not bias towards certain teams..? Same old problems.
Wath, easy…put me in charge 🙂
Oh well that’s the rest of the league all banned then…………………………
Wath we have biggest coq in the league we have the biggest coq in the league we have the biggest coq in the league 😀
Morning cookies and creams am over the loss now. Took me a few days but am over it. So what did I miss? Be a pal wath and feel me in.
FA? Fair? Just? Honest? Unbiased? Decisive?
Cloud cuckoo land!
They have about as much integrity, grit and determination as a sloth on a go slow! Can they have the courage of their own convictions, no they cannot!
They, like the ECB are a bunch of superannuated has beens. Old technology always worked for them so why embrace new, efficient and honest means of catching a cheat? No chance, what would that leave them to do?? Well, f… All really, but what do they do now? Bury their heads in the sand and pretend nothing has changed and nothing is going to change, not while ‘they’ are in charge!
They should learn from Rugby, a game for thugs played by gentlemen! But men with some vision and foresight! Similarly cricket, who have also moved with the times, albeit reluctantly, but they are aware that all decisions are scutinized microscopically on TV which then exposes the inadequacies of the naked eye and the ‘misunderstandings of the poor sap in charge, the Ref! They should be doing everything to make the game scrupulously honest!
When will they ever learn? When will they ever learn? (with apologies to Peter, Paul and Mary.)
Let me give that some thought Stan…………….
You missed………….. Nothing….!
How did I know you’d be signing that constantly…! 😉
Wavy, when they embrace technology they will have to admit the fact the refs are not as good as they have been made out to be for the last 120yrs and also that their archaic laws and rules have been behind the times for yrs and yrs so that means they have to admit they been wrong and as you say that’s not gonna happen.
Hahahahahah wath it’s a got a ring to it. I can’t get it out of my head. Hahahahahha rico ll have ti bin me cause I can’t stop. We ve got the biggest coq in the land we ve got the biggest coq in the land. Hahahahahahahaha oh arsenal we love you .
Howdy wavy…how are ya this lovely morning.
So bale is off to yanited? Good the bigger they are the easier they fall. I see a cataclysmic collapse for manure soon. So many egos on their team. I hope they get ronaldo too. Cnuts.
My mood has been soured by the miserable weather! Grey and overcast enough to make you…….!
And the intransigence of the men in power who have the vision of Samson after he put his lights out!
Time for a change at the top of football here, Europe and world wide. And the sooner the better!
First the removal of Blatter would be a great start Wavy…. Then watch the cards tumble…!
The question on over the the top tackles,
missed by the Ref but picked up after the game
and the player getting a ban for the next game,
should in my opinion concern the team/player
The ban should be applied the next time the
teams meet.
So we play against 10,when we play
the players team again..
Why should other teams benefit and the players
team carry on with 11 players the next game.
Easy really
Hi all
There is no doubt that Hair Bear Bunch Fellaini will be sharpening his elbows to smash right into Le Coq’s fragile nose. He really reminds me of the big kid at school who had limited talent but was picked just for his size and his ability to bully smaller opponents. A real nasty piece of work!
I think the Kelly Smith tackle is symptomatic of the way we are seen as easy targets in both men’s and women’s football. Thinking about it, it must be really hard to badly injure someone by accident unless you get push into someone or land on them awkwardly. Otherwise you have to be using excessive force or aggression even if you are attempting to play the ball. Sadly from the limited amount of women’s football I have seen, it is becoming more and more cynical. You can bet your life the world cup in the summer will be full of diving and cheating!
kalou? Was a good player but now only for the “masters”!
Like mostly of you can watched yesterday, a team with many “painters” not won versus a team with a superb midfield :a painter (Pilro), 3 workers and very good players (Pgba,Vidal and Marchisio – what a player!) ) which could completed each others and two strikers (Tevez and Morata), help defending and covered Pilro two.
In Madrid: Ronaldo only think in is mind is attack, Bale not defend too, in opposite what he were doing in England, Isco e James don’t like to defend. Without Modric (essential for this team for guarante the balance) and Khedira (is in the way out of Madrid and I think is a player in the deadline), Madrid loose is balance.
Evening guys…
Evening Rico.
Evening Adam, what a miserable old day it’s been…
Still, we’ve signed Morgan it seems… 😉
It has been Rico and I have felt groggy all day. Have we signed him? I never heard tha.
Just messing Adam, the Star write rubbish…
Groggy? A sign of a good night yesterday I take it…..
🙂
No, not really. More a sign of “rainy day boredom.” Is that what The Star are saying? It must be true.
Did you know it’s in the stars next July we collide with Mars
It’s all poppycock, you of all people know… 😉
So what is happening at the end of next season? Lol
I thought it was Milky Way…..
Rico. I have forgotten. 🙂
I thought as much. Just like that post….. 😉
What post?
Well did you ever what a swell party this is.
The one you promised Adam….
Adamant
More like a meal for three potter…..
Evening rico
Evening goonster
Goonster.
I remember Rico. Apologies. I must find a topic.
🙂 Adam
I seriously doubt arsene ll sign gotze maam and I for one won’t begrudge him. We ve got oxchambo wilshere rambo and not forgetting the young uns coming up like Crowley et al. Looking at our squad and knowing from previous experience I hardly see arsene buying anyone. Maybe a keeper if chezzer leaves but I doubt we ll see any addition. Get ready for a heart break this summer guys. It’s going to be a looooong one.
Goonie, I don’t believe any of the rumours and I’m quite happy to sit back and see what unfolds…
And then moan! Lol
Hey how about a punt on samir nasri. He could still do a job plus he played his best football while with us. Who knows he just might find the spark back. He’s 27 now isn’t he?? I ll take him back but for less than 5 million quid. What do you think rico? Lol
Rico 😀
But I have a feeling our signings, well, any we make will be done early.. If we get 3rd…
Too much ginger beer perhaps lol
Lol I doubt we ll get any of the names bandied around. Maybe a marquee signing plus a nobody. Lol arsene likes to give the ” bread and whip” treatment.
I’m not fussed about names – just how good they are…
I still stick to what I said on Tuesday. We need a goal getter from the bench. Most top teams do. We don’t. If OG sanchez and rambo don’t score then we re in trouble. Who do we bring in?? Oxcham is not a regular goal scorer neither is wilshere or tr7. Manure has falcao(even though he’s shite lol) the chavs have remy and dogshit to an extent. Shitty can bring on dzeko and poop has balotelli and the spurms has the togolump but what about us??? Please don’t say sanogo?? Poldi yes but some don’t like him. I do. As a matter of fact a lot. He offers something we don’t have. A no faffing about atitude. Give Lukas the ball anywhere near the 18 yard box and you ll get a goal nine out of ten. Such a shame people don’t rate him. Bummer.
Why waste money on a ‘bench’ player, why not get a player who can really make a difference from the off…?
Ginger beer should never be mixed with déjà-vu Rico. It’s like grape and brian. Oops, I forgot. 🙂
I’m off guys, been a long one.
Catch up tomorrow. Night all..
And grain Adam…. Lol
Gone now….
Rico every player goes through that purple patch when nothing seem to happen for them. We need a player that can come off the bench and do that. Plus arw you saying we don’t need a player off the bench that can do a job?? Our title winning teams of the past had it. Kanu wiltord and sometimes bergy came off the bench. Have you forgotten how Kanu dismantled the chavs at shitford bridge? 15 minutes of pure magic. A few years later we had Reyes and van persie. Come on maam. We need a stronger bench. That first 11 can give any team a good game but what happens when they can’t find a way through? ?
Get back here rico am not done with ya….grrrr
outstanding article rico
Just been listening to my Muso, fcuking awesome….
Especially when you feel a bit groggy…
Schneiderlin? That would be superb…
But I prefer Peter Crouch, just like Wavy.
Morning All…
Time to get up!
Morning Rico
Thanks eduardo..
Morning all…
RIP BB King….
Morning Kev…
RIP BB.King The Thrill is Gone.
Morning Bt, it has for this season.. 😉
Still, we have the FA Cup to look forward to….
Morning Rico and all. Yes, RIP BB King. I ripped off so many licks from you over the years.
Kev. You could program the Muso to wake you up with the brooding chords of Bridge Of Sighs. 🙂
Morning Adam.
Good Morning Lovelies and Hunkies.
seems that Aaron is not training atm. hopefully he will be able to play next Sunday.
We need to win big time next game. that will secure 3rd place. even a draw will be good……but I want a win.
Morning Rico and all, not much thrill left this season. As for the FA Cup a thrill yes,one filled with fear and excitement in equal measure.
Devil, it was the same for Ramsey before the Swansea, he didn’t train but played..
More fear for me Bt… lol
Morning all , so we have a not 100% Ramsey or a fully fit 100% raring to go but severely underplayed rusty Rosicky or even just back Wilshere. Who would want that £ 8 million a year decision ?
Morning Potter, but do you believe AW? Not sure I do, I bet both Ramsey and Welbeck are fit and play on Sunday..
New post up now..