Having read and heard the comments made by Wenger in his pre match interview, I thought bollox, why bother writing a post about it – every Arsenal fan would have heard or read his comments by now so you don’t need to read it all again do you?
Today I thought I’d focus on something good going on at our club…
Whilst the men are mucking up our season at every given opportunity, the Ladies are doing well in the Champions League and today at 6pm UK time, they play the first leg of the semi-final against Lyon.
The ladies have had a tough time on the way, they looked knocked out of the competition against Rayo Vallecano but the grit and never say die attitude saw them go through thanks to a last gasp winner scored by Katie Chapman. Then, in the quarter finals an away goal against Linkoping saw them progress through to today.
This group of players do not know when they are beaten; they fight until the end and never give up! Their guts and spirit has got them where they are today but their manager knows that won’t be enough against Lyon.
Lyon are a tough nut to crack – last season they were the French champions and would have been European champions if last May’s penalty shoot-out in Spain had gone their way and they have previous with Arsenal having knocked the 2007 winners out of the competition two seasons ago.
Manager Laura Harvey has called for a performance today that will match the courage her players have shown throughout their European adventure.
Yes, that’s exactly what we need because, with all due respect to our previous opponents, Lyon are a stronger side,
The girls are great because something that we acknowledge as a group now is that we have created a real fighting team spirit. We never say die and I think over the two legs against the Swedes, we played OK but we didn’t play anywhere near the level that we can. But we’ve come through it.
“It was the same against Rayo Vallecano – we didn’t play how we can but we’ve got this mentality that we’re not going to give up. That has got us to the Semi-Final so if we can match that with a good performance we can hurt anybody. That’s the approach we’ll have ahead of the Semi-Final.
We are very rarely underdogs as an Arsenal team because of our great achievements and the expectations around us. But we are probably underdogs in this game and I think that might suit us better because it seems that when our backs are against the wall and no one expects us to do it, we get the result we need.
Lyon got to the Final last year and narrowly missed out on penalties. That experience will hold them in good stead and they will obviously want to get back again this year. That puts them in a higher position than us but if we can match our desire and attitude with a performance – which we have done in the FA Cup this season – then we’ll be a match for anyone.
Harvey has found it much easier to check out Lyon before today’s game unlike the last round when she had to use YouTube footage for her research of Linkoping and since their last meeting she believes Lyon are stronger.
I was in the backroom staff at that point, they have improved, they’ve gone through a similar process to us. They lost some players to America, gained a couple back and their squad has been together a long time. If you look at them this season they’ve had a good campaign but the Russians tested them in the Quarter-Finals.
Both teams have had a long journey since we last met and they have had more success on the European stage. But I think it will be a really close game and if both teams perform the way they can do I think it will be really tight and maybe a bit of luck will separate them.
Arsenal will be without Jayne Ludlow as the Wales midfielder continues to nurse an Achilles injury. Centre back Gilly Flaherty completes a three-match suspension and Niamh Fahey is also banned after picking up two yellows.
Despite the three players missing, Harvey is confident in her squad and confident of reaching the Final. All she asks though is for a comfortable win instead of the heart-stopping drama of the last two rounds.
I said to the players that I’m only 30 but I feel 55 at times because they put me under a lot of stress and physical pain!
‘Fighting Spirit, Never say Die’ – at least one team at Arsenal has it then…..
Good luck in France Ladies, bring a big win back to London.
That’s it from me for today, have a good one….
Morning All…
Back in a bit…
got to spin the dog as rsd says 😉
Morning rico,
Blinding post, come on you lady gunners, obviously got a lot more balls, than another team i could mention. The ladies deserve everything they get, they fight for one another and they dont know when their beaten, Laura Harvey should be applauded for her sound managerial skills, she’s worked hard to get the right spirit and competative nature that this team possess. Best wishes in France and do your best,we know you will be fighting to the finish.
Morning all.
Good morning!
Wonderful day here!
Very hot!
I went for a a jogging.
Time for read the newspaper and wait for the sports games.
According to goal.shit nasri is stalling on signing a new deal since he wants to be on the same pay with fabregas-£110000 a week.he is hoping to bag one of the PFA gongs to use them as a bargaining chip.
As usual, rico, men give us more than a few frowning hours. 😀 So come on you lady gunners! Show the men how it’s done!
I didn’t know their coach was so young. 🙂
Good morning, all! 🙂
Hey, KT. Howdy? I don’t read goal.shi** or talkshi**. Just makes me go all grrr-owly. 😉
Hi agag.i hope the players watched wenger’s press conference yesterday.he was taking bullets left,right and centre for them.if i was one of them and i get my chance against Blackpool id repay him by fighting for him for the rest of the season.
And a few moaning hours agag…
I finally got around to seeing it myself, KT and in context, it wasn’t as bad as I initially feared. He was obviously trying to deflect criticism of the players; to redirect it to himself. Like oliver always says, it’s time those overpaid underperformers repay his faith. (although oliver says it with more tact than I just did) 😉
The press are having a field day.am actually concerned for his mental state.
Congrats to the ladies team…they are a credit to Arsenal & the UK.
PHW’s comments are even worse.i can’t believe he said ‘stupid comments from silly people.’
Frowning, moaning, grrr-ing, wanting to throw things, break plates, smash windows… 😉
PHW is just a silly old man. One good thing about this, is that at least, the top brass at AFC are feeling hot under the collar, and hopefully, would feel prompted to ring in some changes! Why are we so intent on being “good enough”, when with a few key purchases, we could be, without doubt, the best?
Boo, howdy all, thanks steve and come on you gals 😉
agag, you and me better get our footie boots out 😉
Agag you know what i mean…
Just ask Arshavin,women’s football is too funny to take seriously.
Morning Gooners, it’s a beautiful day outside, how is everyone today?
What’s our dopey chairman been up to now??? Everytime he opens his mouth i do a ‘Rico’ and hide behind the setee. He certainly knows [not] how to get the fans on side…
Anyone see the Daily Mail and their non-story on Wenger’s transfer dealings in the summer?
Rico, your football boots, are they a nice pink pair like Nicklaus ‘I’m the Greatest’ Bendtner’s?
I like to see them running about though KTR7, better than watching the likes of Bendy & the like, some of them might look like, blokes but underneath they are all women, and wearing an arsenal shirt, Game on. Come on you sweet Gooners
KT, you are of course joking about womens football being too funny to be taken serious??
Hey kev, i played a few years back and never had pink boots, i wasn’t that good 😉 😉
KT, i was listening to some French journo yesterday and he likened Kevin Gameiro to the Mexican kid at the Mancs. With AFC’s good relationship with Lorient, i wonder if a deal could be done in the summer?
Re the earlier about Nasri, i think he should be on a level wage with Cesc, he puts in as much if not more effort…
He’s also the only one of our lot who played on with a bandage around his head, when did we last see that eh/
😉 😉
That was in the days that they played in black wellies
Of course i am rico.i just wanted to bring up the AA quotes…
I think Nasri played on with a bandage because he knew he was up for an award, perhaps he thought there might be one for bravery.
Why are so many gooners optimistic about tomorrow?i don’t see us beating Blackpool.
Law of averages KTR7 we have to win some time
But not tomorrow steve.
KT, I knew exactly what you meant. But I think that’s my general statement on men. 😀
I was never very good at footie, either, rico. 😕
Some of them might look like blokes, Steve?? 😆 I should imagine some of them are better than the so-called blokes playing for the men’s side. 😛
Hey, AK. How are you? It’s been drizzling here. So, so, so weird. It’s supposed to be high summer. But I was out the entire day, anyway.
Hi agag, i’m ‘sound as a pound’. Dizzling, hmm, here it’s fantastic, not a cloud in the sky [so why am i indoors?]. Fantastic shopping weather, hehe.
Morning Agag, i went over to one of our local playing fields a couple of years ago, and stood watching a local game, i was watching for about 15min before i noticed it was a womens game, now i must be getting old or me old peepers are not so good, but the old footie wasn’t bad.
I’ve seen a few Ladies games over the Hackney Marshes, pity some of our blokes don’t show as much enthusiasm.
Haha SP, was it the beards that tricked ya?
😆 Steve, i like that one about Nasri
Kt, i knew you were really, can’t believe AA would come out with such a thing really…
Allezkev, must have been the sports bras, so tight they had humpy backs
KT, we will win tomorrow, we will see a different side from the last five weeks…. ( we better had)
Haha SP,
agag, i loved the game, was teasing nikki really, he professes to be so good in his pinkies, he’s shocking, he should wear yellow ones, thats the colour of the rest of him…..
Sadly it seems i won’t watch any PL footy till next season.i can’t bear to watch us put in such poor shifts again while the mancs grind out results.its Bundesliga/la liga/CL for me.
Looking forward to villareal vs Valencia.
Maybe a good time to do a bit of tapping up tomorow Charly might like a change, and his about our price range
Mornin……………….
Yeah SteveP, i did kinda wonder if Adams could do a job for us? He’s got the technical side to his game to suit our style. He’s won bugger-all, so would be well motivated to give it everything [unlike some i could mention], and the best thing of all, inexpensive, ticks all the Wenger boxes to me!
Morning Wath, what you know.
Hi Wath, how’s it going?
I looove the game, rico, it doesn’t love me back. Let’s just say, I’m the type of player the coach would allow to walk without turning a hair. 😉
AK, any weather is fantastic shopping weather, imho. Ahaha. Online shopping will be the death of me, I swear.
Steve, they must have been impressive then. I don’t really follow local football. Our national team is a long ball team, and quite painful to watch.
morning yall
nice post rico..pleasent distraction from all other things
phws a dick and hes never give a shit about the fans
kevin gamero was mentioned to me by wath a few week back and at first i didnt agree but ive been watching him and now i do…
valenica are apparently favs to get him but like kev says our relationship with lorient should see us get him if we wanted..
also interesting news on hazard…
wenger had talks with lille in december and then suprising said he was a player we were interested…
the romour is we arrranged a first option deal so if he becomes available we get first dibs and as long as we mate their valuation which is reported 20mil hes ours…
now lille are saying hes allowed to leave but not until next year…we can buy him this year but they want him on loan…
i think weve got him already
Hi wath.Wenger is starting to sound like a crazy guy.finishing 2nd isn’t success;it shows you’re the best loser.i was sitting on the fence with him but now im tipping over to the ‘In Arsene we rust’ brigade…sort it out man.
Hi jj.i heard that hazard story around January and i think there is something to it.Gamiero has a david villa feel to him.id have no complaints if we take a punt on him.
Adam would be a good addition Steve, 30M Holloway is asking though 😮
Hi JJ, did you see the Conor Henderson interview? Comes across as a very sensible & intelligent lad, he also plays the game intelligently, think we’ve got a good one in him…
Rico, isn’t Adam out of contract in the summer???
Hi WATH and jj
agag, wenger would have played ya 😉
I wouldn’t have thought so kev, only because Holloway said if Carroll can go for his price Adam will cost as much, i could be wrong though – is he that good though or just a bright light in their side?
Agag, once i knew they were women, i probably took a bit more notice, but what i did notice, was that they were able to kick the ball pretty long and some of their shots were hit with a bit of venim, previous matches i watched years back, the women had problems with the long ball, maybe the new balls today help. mind you doesn’t help our boys much, they shoot like tarts, excuse that, children.
KT, i’m looking forward to Blackpool v Arsenal 🙂
KT, I’m sure you’d still watch that ragtag team of ours though. It’s chronic Arsenalitis for us all. 😉
It would make for a nice change, watching the ladies, I think. Steve, I am sure you took a bit more notice once you realized they were ladies. 😀
Hey, JJ. You just gave a very JJ-ish description of PHW. Hah. 😉
Hola, GG Man. Worse for the wear??
whys that rico, gonna buy a stick of rock
The league is over to me rico.
SP, haha
😆 Steve…
No, I am confident we will win, I love our club and all the time there is a chance I have hope – I can’t stop watching them just because they are rubbish – you know that from the years you have supported them, it’s not always rosy 😉
It’s not Diaby, denilson, Nik, Almunia fault they are rubbish, it’s wenger fault for buying them and then persisting with them….
i may be wrong kev but i dont think connor has a future with us..
he doesnt stand out for me
ktr yeah watching him reminds me abit of villa hes good with both feet and likes to finish..
hes not a powerhouse forward but hes pretty nippy and he likes to shoot
the leagues over
we will do well to finish second but if we go on a good run now and end the seaason strongly instead of falling apart as usual the fans will be more appeased i think
coming seconds not winning..but if we finish in style and beat utd pool and spuds on the way finishing second wont be so bad seeing as though we havent finished in the top two for years…
we just need to get our act together and finish strongly and not fall apart and be 20 points behind the winner at the end of it all
For me rico its like watching England play, i know there shit but i always support them, even the likes of Rongkey and the like, because i’m English, Arsenal are a fans choice you make it when your young and if your a pucker supporter you support them till you die, that i’m afraid is me , but i still watch them and support them and hope like fcuk Wenger spends.
Thats exactly it steve…
Hear hear SP, well said. They do your head in, but we’re hooked [and the Board know it and take advantage]
JJ, give Henderson a year on loan mate, he’ll be ok.
Right i’m offski for awhile, might do some ‘retail’ agag, see all you fine Gooners later.
grand national time
see yall in abit
yes, I said before Gameiro is like De Villa (not so good in a few things but better in others).
I have two articles sending to my facebook: a) http://www.dailymail.co.uk “Arsenal clearout – Arshavin, Clichy and Bendtner are Goonners” b) http://www.fansonline.net “Dear Mr.Wenger, Second in not good enough when…”
As anyone viewing those articles?
As anyone watching Porto, Benfica or Villa Real on Thursday? Looking to the scores: Benfica 4 Psv 1; Porto 5 Spartak Moscow 1;Villa Real 5 Twentw 1 dutch and Russian fotaball is not in the bottom of Europe (clubs and national team)
Anyone around?
Am around.
Who won the Grand National…
Can’t believe how stuffy Sky Sports are… No coverage of the Ladies….
Daily Mail Arsenal AW news are in all european sports newspapers
Hi JM, i am not surprised, it’s utter rubbish coming out of our club right now….
This is interesting, very interesting if it holds any truth…..
http://www.dailymail.co.uk/sport/football/article-1375076/Arsenal-clearout–Arshavin-Clichy-Bendtner-Gonners.html
JM what do you think of Falcao?
Chavs have gone 1-0 up
Mancs 2-0
Swampies 3-2
I don’t want Clichy to go. It’s not like we have great options at LB, anyway. 🙁 And I think AA still owes us a fantastic season… If we are to sell him, it’s not as if he would fetch a high price. I’d rather keep them both. I don’t know what’s wrong with Bendy, he did well last year when Robin was out.
Ah, the pressure is on then…
But we will have to buy one agag, i know he is a fav of yours but arsenal need to be ruthless, clichy has been responible for a few of our goals this season, he just isn’t the same…. Its sad, but its true..
AA, well he blows hot and cold and he’s out of contract next season, zenit want him back and i think he’ll go…
Bendy’s problem is that he is always too much in love agag…
with himself…. 😉
AW isn’t ruthless with his players, we have seen that. Maybe this summer, that will change and new players, quality ones would be brought in.
As for Clichy, well, I have no defense, really. 😉 Like I always say, I’d rather someone who plays like he cares than one who plays just for a day’s work. Who do you have in mind at LB? VDW is an RB. Now, there’s one I’d like in our team. And if Affelay is off… I’d like him, too. 😉 I like the Dutch, clearly. I still think the teeny totts scored a coup with VDV.
Falcao is fantastic! With Falcao and Rolando we will be the champions. 🙂
Schuster said yesterday Porto is, after Barcelona, the team who palys better football in Europe
VDV is fading agag, he is overweight and unfit – he seldom lasts 90 mins and i won’t be surprised to see him move in the summer, he keeps sulking at being subbed 😉
We have been linked with a couple of LB’s, Aly Cissokho of Lyon and Leighton Baines of everton..
http://www.goal.com/en-gb/news/3274/ligue-1/2011/04/08/2431687/you-did-not-respect-this-shirt-and-were-fed-up-with-it-hugo
Cissokho is not so popular…..
Hello, JM. I know nothing about Falcao or Rolando. I shall do my research. 🙂
rico, oh, if only Bendy were a self-fulfilling prophecy! 😉
JM, his goal tally is very good, but i think arsenal need a big lump up top – maybe him and drogba would be good together …. 😉
JM i thought so.and were you referring to Bernd Schuster the former madrid and Getafe coach?
We need an x factor signing but it won’t happen.
yes, Bern Schuster.
Falco plays very well head. The height is not predominant. Look. for example, the MU. Roodney, Chicharito are high? Even Berbatov who “escapes” from aerial?
A tall player is usually not a very mobile player, quick reflexes little, little player with his feet. A tall player, almost “forces ” the successive crossings in hopes of profit Alatur. The modern football is not that. And Arsenal’s neither.
We don’t need an x factor, we need grit, determination, passion and pride – that for me is what we need above and beyond some guy who will cost the earth but doesn’t care about OUR club and isn’t prepared to earn his wages….
Rico thats the x factor i meant.a signing that will make it known we mean business.
I agree with JM.we don’t need a static lump up front.i prefer having mobile forwards who can shoot on sight,dribble and show defenders a clean pair of heels every once in a while.i’ve had my eye on Falcao for a while and i think he is worth a punt.
Afternoon Gooners… By X factor KT are you thinking of a Bergkamp class signing? How much would Falcao cost?
Ah, i thought you meant a 50m player Kt…
I’m talking about a player who scores for fun, with his feet, his head, even his chin – we lack the threat in the air, we have for ages and that needs to be rectified in my opinion…
‘static’ – i din’t say static, i mean we need a lump who will challenge for everything, a player who will score us scrappy goals as well as pretty goals – i’m talking about a drogba kind of player…
is he static? If he is, then thats just what we need….
falcao is that man. Has the same qualities of Drogba. Static? He runs everywhere !
Is expensive. I don’t know how much. But, sure he is.
What about in the air???
Hi kev..
Buffon
Cahill
Parker
A.N.Other striker who wants to score not pass.
clichy out? The solution: a) Alvaro Pereira (Porto -Uruguay)
b) Coentrao (Benfica- Portugal)
Rico whats the worth of splashing 50mil pounds on a player who can’t score?Torres is showing that form at the moment which is like a man who wouldn’t get laid in a women’s prison with a box full of patents.
Alvaro pereira along with Fucile impressed me at the world cup for Uruguay.Coentrao sadly won’t join us as he is probably out of our price range right now.
JM, if Falcao is expensive, then there’s no chance of seeing him in an Arsenal shirt amigo.
Buffon is a great goalkeeper but he has began being injury prone.his record is becoming worse as he is getting older.he has only played 10 games for juve this season.
Rico if we get Falcao or a similar sort of striker we’ll just need to alter our crossing.barca’s tallest forward is villa but what they do is having plenty of runners to the near and far post as a low cross is put in.at times they cut back to incoming runners.that would be more effective than crossing it high against defenders in England who are used to them and are built to nod them away.
KT, more about his experience and what he can teach ches.
I’m agrre with K-TR7. Buffon is injury all the season. Is like Kaka in Madrid.
Parker I think is older too.
All the good players are expensive. Coentrao, maybe go to MU or Bayern this season. 25 million?
The good players in Portuguese league termination clauses are high. This allows the players and monetize Clubs continually going to their youth and the South American market fetched emerging players.
Ex: Ronaldo (Sporting-MU), Nani (Sporting-MU), Di Maria (Benfica-R. Madrid), Pepe (Porto-R.Madrid); R. Meireles (Porto-Liverpolol); RCarvalho (Porto-Chelsea), Figo (Sporting-Barcelona) …
Will it will be a total waste of money to buy a very expensive GK with lots of injury problems.
I think he is kinda free.
the club have released a statement regarded phw’s comments..
anyone seen
Seen them jj but i don’t care what they say anymore.
Hill Wood said:
“They are in danger of us becoming less friendly with them. “We haven’t yet, but I am just saying we could become less friendly.”
He made the comments after the Arsenal Supporters Trust issued a statement which said there was “considerable disappointment” amongst Arsenal fans after the club had been eliminated from the cup competitions and the fact the club has “gone without winning a trophy”.
Arsenal, responding to the comments made by the chairman, said:
“We have always had a uniquely strong working relationship with AST and other supporters’ groups and this is important to us.
“Our fans are at the heart of what we are here to do and that will always be the case.”
they basically saying phw’s a turd..
hes been put in his place by the people who actually have a say in the club
bring back david dein ffs he wouldnt be saying that shit..he’d be concerned like the rest of us..
while gazidis and co are counting the pennies dd will be out trying to spend it thats why they dont want him and thats why we need him…
KT, that was my point to about a 50M player…
I like Will’s listed players…
jj, what have they said??
KT, if Clichy does go, crossing solved on the left, sagna isn’t that bad this season….
JJ what the club have said, is an effort to lessen the fall-out, from the fans reaction to that idiotic old fool of a chairman we’re lumbered with.
Privately i suspect that the rest of the Board share PHW’s view on the fans. They want our cash, but they don’t want us…
Will, did you send your letter, and what response did you get?
Lets start wearing black snoods from now on.
of corse thats the case kev
phws comments were dumb
try telling the fans what you think of them and then asking them to fork out for increased price ticket renewals..
mmmmmmmm
the rest of them have told him to shut it…
but they dont mean it…its all about the money..its all about the dumb dumb dumb dumb dumb dumb..
KT, is that some kind of green&gold demonstration like the Mancs??
JJ, that’s why i never spend any money in the stadium when i go.
Kev, Rico is touching it up.
AK Black snoods will piss Wenger and FIFA off.
Will, i’m trying… but it’s hard without making it sound just ‘angry’….
I’m off guys, got a date with Mama Mia on the television 😉
Catch you all tomorrow, nighty night….
KT, the only way we’ll have any effect is to hurt them in the pocket mate. If only the fans that go would refrain from buying their overpriced food, drink and merchandise, then we might see a few changes, i don’t buy any of that crap and rarely buy a programme, as they’re full of adverts and propaganda. As for the magazine, what a pile of shite…
Blissimo Rico, see ya
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HFv6aQNnmzc&feature=related
i think that should be the song at the emirates..
bastards…
Hey JJ, you going to anymore away games??
My boy is trying to get a ticket to The Slum, he’s never been. My last visit was when Sherwood did Petit, we lost 2-1 but played them off the park with 9 men [or was it 10, Freddie got a red, i remember]
kev
nope…
kev
nope…
its good that your lad is wanting to go kev
dont try and influence him let him make his own mind up.. 😉
JJ do you really think we’ll smash Blackpool?
yeah i think blackpool are in for it tomorrow..
i know our forms bad and we cant score but we have to put it right at some point and blackpool open up..
so i think we’ll do em…
No JJ, i’m not trying to stop him mate, i’d go as well if he could get me a ticket, glutton for punishment me!
Blackpool don’t know how to play a negative way, so i reckon they’re right up our street. After that, i’m not so sure, we’ve got a whole host of banana skins laying in wait.
Morning..
Any news on Sagna? He was having a scan of Friday and is a doubt for today…
Eoooooowie 🙁
Blackpool are boosted by the return of top scorer DJ Campbell from suspension.
Matt Gilks played for the reserves in midweek but boss Ian Holloway says the goalkeeper is not ready for a return to first-team action.
Arsenal pair Theo Walcott and Bacary Sagna are major doubts, but captain Cesc Fabregas will make his first start since returning from injury.
The Gunners still have a lengthy list of absentees, with Denilson and Alex Song among those who miss out.
New Post up