Morning all….
Yesterday the Ivory Coast were dumped out of African Cup of Nations. Having won their group with ease, they were dumped out by Nigeria 2-1 and that means only one thing.
The return of the Gerv!
Some love him, most though think he’s awful! However, he’s part of our squad and he’s had time away from club football. He’s got himself on the score sheet and he’s had time to shake off the pressure he had at his club before he left and hopefully, he’ll be back playing with a bit more confidence.
He needed time away too, before he left he’d missed a few sitters, the most blatant of all cost us a place in the Capital One Cup semi-final but that was then, now is now and we really need him to come back a very different player to the one that left.
Mind you, I think I once wrote something similar about Chamakh…
Quite when Gervinho will be back though I don’t know. He played yesterday but that was after being rested for the Ivory Coast final group game so he should be too exhausted should he.
He’ll be like a ‘new signing’!!
Yes of course I jest but we all know we will read that on afc.com before too long don’t we?
We need every player to start pulling their socks up now and take us on a good run through until the end of the season. Third place is very much up for grabs, if City carry on dropping points, second place could be too and it really is up to Wenger and this team to prove that’s what their current aim is. Not just a scramble for 4th on the last day of the season!!
We really cannot afford to carry players, not anymore. We have done it for far too long now and if Gervinho returns in the same club form as he left, then I hope he doesn’t get the chance to disrupt our attacking unit which is looking good these days.
Now our players head off to represent their country during ‘International Week’, a time we all hate.
Having checked all the fixtures the best I can, it appears that none of our players have to travel too far. I think all remain within Europe so thankfully no long haul flights etc and it’s only friendlies so there is absolutely no reason why players should be over played.
We need our players to come back unscathed and ready to face Sunderland next Saturday.
That’s it for today, have a good one all…….
Gerv always stars for his country – its his Arsenal career thats a waste of space hheee – hello guys!!!
Good morning Rico and all. As for Gervinho, I suppose hope springs eternal, although I felt a curious comfort knowing that he wasn’t anywhere to be seen for the past few weeks.
yeah Adam, like we’re sitting here saying damn, can’t wait for Gerv to return 🙂
Morning Oz, Adam and all…
Wonder if he’ll bring some confidence back with him?
Hi all,
The last 20 mins when Poldi is tired should do just fine. He may even surprise us against a tired full back.
Seriously though, up front we seemed to be getting better each game. Even Chamberlain. Although he didn’t have a ‘great’ game against Stoke, he had two really good chances which on another day, maybe another keeper wouldn’t have saved. That will do him good.
Walcott seems to have grown a pair, and he, Giroud and Podolski seem to be working together well. Santi and Jack, well not too much needs to be said.
If Diaby and Arteta can stay fit, who knows…..
As long as we are 5-0 up Bradster 😉
Hi Oz. I must admit a certain admiration for Wenger’s sense of humour this morning. His “Why buy when we already have Gervinho?” Is nearly as funny as our defensive work against Liverpool and believe me, that was truly hilarious. The funniest lines are often those with the most obvious answer.
Ox is having to endure the usual Wenger test. This means that you play the player out of position for ages and ages and then put him where he should be playing and stand back to siphon up the plaudits. Curious, but I suppose he wants to give him game time.
Perhaps better instructions too. Like get to the by line and pull it back for xxx or a low cross quite firly for xxx to get onto.
Help develop a football brain and not be an ostrich
Quite a strange game to start him I thought Adam. It’s not like we don’t know Stoke are bullies. But yes, that does seem to be the pattern with the younger players as he tries to make the the ‘all round good egg’
Why he doesn’t allow them to progress and become a master of their own position I don’t know…
Brad are you insinuating Gerv has his head up his arse most of the time……?
Morning All….!
Evening all.
Bradtser, what is the mail on the lad from Mali?
Did i see his one great game, or has he truly got something?
Gervinho doesn’t like the colour red….it is all i can come up with 🙂
Wath, look at the forehead……it looks like his head has been stuck somewhere lol
Ostrich is being rather polite Brad….. 😉
I read a stat earlier…interesting.
Van Persie, Rooney, Hernandez and Wellbeck….50 goals thus far.
Giroud, Walcott, Podolski and Cazorla….52 goals.
Hey Scott,
I felt he’s not that great and that South Africa were unlucky not to win it in normal time. I’ll watch the next stage to make judgement. Felt our defenders kept him quiet in the game.
Trust you Wath 😉
Scott, what about when he plays rubbish in our away kit, like at Bradford??
face it, he’s just rubbish 😉
Um, yep i am WATH. Needs others to think for him and tell him what he needs to do.
Fair enough Bradster…..best two out of three it is then 🙂
Blah blah Rico…minor technicality lol!!!
Frustrating guy.
Hypothetical situation….if we had just bought him, watching him play over the last few weeks, we would all be pretty excited, but we know better!!
Red rag to a bull Scott, he’s shit scarred of the colour red..!
Spot on Brad apart from the fact your being harsh on Ostrich’s
Wenger will persevere with him , he always does. It’s one of his major failings , the inability to make snap decisions as in buying or selling. His loyalty is admirable even if sometimes misguided.
good morning all!
Early start tomorrow….catch you all tomorrow.
Have a great day guys.
Actually I thought it was a good game for him to play in and he did better than of late. It also accentuated how much more power and emphasis Podolski can bring to the left when he comes on. I do think that Ox will be quite a player but he needs to feel that belief perhaps. I imagine Wenger knows this.
Morning all, Dont know about gerv… He sat down and cried for almost ten minuites. He loves his country obviously. He cried last year and came back a worse player. I saw the quote about wenger saying gerv is the best player at the Afcon… That quote was made when he was actually the best player why it is been rewritten now by journos is beyond me. Probably they are trying to turn arsene into a clown if he isn’t already. @ scott you saw his best game imho he is pretty average aka gerv. @ bradster the south african team is a collection of ramseys. Plenty of talent but trying too hard. If they adopted ont touch football, they would become a very good team.
Sorry all i meant One touch football
Ha ha Scott – night to you…
I suspect so too Potter, just why we have so many on our books who are average at best…
I was surprised to see his start though Adam. He was so unlucky with that cross goal shot….
Podolski is a beast, love him…..
Agree Potter, AW doesn’t admit he’s bought a dud and get rid for the better of the team he’s rather try to prove a point than do us and the player a favour and move him on and accept it just didn’t work out.
Morning Adam, Ox needs games mate that’s for sure and bench sitting isn’t good for him at all.
Cheers Scott.
Hi Wath. The best game I saw Ox play was against Milan last year at the Emirates and it wasn’t on the wing.
the old pork pie and salad for dinner – so then… what we arguing about now then 🙂
state of mind with Gerv. He knows he’s a star for them and a donkey for us 🙂
Boiled spuds with that ? Arguing never , Purely discussing.
hey potter – nah warm day over here today so nice cool meal tonight
He did play well in the middle against Milan Adam but still think he more of a winger at present. He needs to make more use of his pace when going past people and for me he’s dangerous when getting at the fullbacks when he plays wide, this again though means he needs to play more…!
Joywed..
Gerv booed after the game yesterday?
Didn’t see him shed a tear for the CO match against Bradford… Guess we don’t matter….
He wasn’t crying cos they lost he was crying at the thought of having to come back to us a few weeks early…!
Good Morning Rico and everyone else in the House.
Gervinho is a bit of an enigma, just when you wish he would disappear he conjures up that little bit of magic that almost gets you believing again. However, if he or any other of our players can’t produce a decent performance on a regular basis, they should be sold. I think we are due for a clearout of non-producing and underachieving players. We need a real cull of the deadwood this Summer, whether they can be sold for a profit or not. Take the loss and buy or promote from the Academy players that are willing to fight for their place in the squad.
Good Morning my Esteemed Fellow Gunners (and conspirators)
Sorry I could not join you on Saturday and Sunday. In the former day I was busily rolling back the years and banging them in and then having to help the missus and Prince while yesterday I had to observe some of the football that our academy was dishing up. But both days were satisfactory ones. Could have been better but the scum seemed to win which spoilt my weekend a bit.
I saw the game yesterday evening and tbh I do wonder why not one AFC player gets it into his head to shoot the ball FEKKING HARD when Pulis is on the radar smack into the prick’s face. Or tackle Shawcross in the same way he tackles others. Now I am not advocating someone breaks his legs but if that’s the only way to make him realise what pain he inflicts on others then so be it.
I can assure you that when and if that happens the roar which follows will be much more bigger than the roar which comes after someone lifts the Champions Cup.
I was not that impressed by the game itself. SRC (we cannot put the F since they are not a footballing side) had only one intention. No not to get 3. Neither to get 1 point. But to keep the effing score down. They knew that eventually they will loose.
Its not a culture of Pulis though. Back in 1982 they visited Anfield and lost 2-0. And I still remember the been commentator saying that Stoke got what they deserved…….NOTHING. Pulis has simply amplified and refined it.
But every cycle has its beginning and the end……..like Hull, Blackburn etc. And remember…….they will eventually go down again.
Best player on the pitch? Wilshere was here there everywhere. But all of them deserve good points. They matched those idiots for brawn and managed to outwit them through the use of their brains. If Stoke Rugby Club players have any that is.
i hear ya Devil – I was positive Saturday night because everyone was up getting the three points, but the truth is a deflected goal after the ref over ruled a linesman is all that stood between us and a very poor result, or should i say another one
Yeah rico…. Our superstar cried. With arsenal its a little bit different. In africa when you lose in that condition, you not only lose the match but the respect of your neighbours, friends and even your family. The ivory coast players will simply be labeled as unpatroitic. His mother will hear a lot of that in the market place i suppose… Its funny that while arsenal fans are moaning about gerv playing well for his country and not arsenal his country men think the exact opposite. I guess it is worth crying for. He just cant please anybody at the moment.
A number of you have mentioned Gervinho lacks confidence and that is why he underperforms for the Arsenal. I think the team as a whole suffer from that. It seems they have to have their backs to the wall before they perform to the level they are capable of. Too many of our recent games have been games of two halves where we concede the first half and then come storming back in the second. If they could just shake the stage fright and learn to enjoy playing the game.
I also like Nacho’s performance. It was a solid one if unspectacular. He does remind me a bit of Winterburn. Solid, keeps it simple and remembers that he is first and foremost a defender. Gibbs is more of a Cashley type player, both having been wingers converted into fullbacks. But Nacho has played there all his life and is used to it. He will not face Stoke every week. I think he had a good debut and hope that he forms a solid partnership with Podolski or whoever is in front of him.
yep agreed with that as well on Saturday Devil, good steady start by the lad
😆 Wath..
Morning CG and devil…..
We keep hoping for that clear out Dg and finally I believe we have seen a hint that this summer it could finally happen. Some will depart on free transfers and the likes of Chamakh will just depart…
JD – well who knows what will happen to him
David Villa is past ‘sell by’ date. should go to the MLS instead.
Got to go walk Fido now, before it rains 🙁
Back in a bit….
Hiya Lady. Good Post.
I think that Nacho will improve the defence much more than Villa would have improved the attack. I just read the stats about our strike force and the MAnure attack and its impressive. I think that its more about our midfield and attack chipping in with goals. I mean…….Giroud, Podolski and Theo are already in double figures while Santi is near with 7 or 8 I think. But after that???? Arteta, Wilshere, Diaby, Ramsey, Ox, Koscielny, Mertesacker, Sagna,??? Not many goals between them and I doubt if together their goals would add up to 10.
Before he got injured we had TommyV scoring goals but they seemed to have dried up lately. We need to start scoring more from other areas of the pitch.
Arsenal are plotting a move for £5m Ligue 1 striker Alain Traore according to the Metro.
The North London club were reportedly hopeful of signing the Lorient man in January but the 25 year old suffered a thigh injury that curtailed Arsene Wenger’s interest, albeit only temporarily.
The Burkina Faso international has been in excellent form at the Africa Cup of Nations finals, his three goals making him the joint top scorer whilst helping his country to a semi-final berth against Ghana on Wednesday.
This source believes Man United are also keen on the former Auxerre forward who can play in a wide attacking role as well as in a central striking spot.
Lorient are said to be after a fee of £5m, a fee that seems more than reasonable in today’s inflated transfer market. Traore only moved to the Stade du Moustoir side last July but has been mightily impressive when used in tandem with former Arsenal man Jeremie Aliadiere.
Arsene Wenger has seen Olivier Giroud and Theo Walcott both hit good runs of form but may feel that Traore can offer an alternative up front and at the price quoted is certainly one Arsenal can afford to pursue.
Afternoon All
How many left backs has wenger used trying to replace cashley,
was it really only another £8,000 a week he wanted.
Adam..Cashley not your normal ..Stepney Boy
We needed David Villa 4 yrs ago not now… We need Jovetic in the summer not some 5million quid buy from France…! Back to ambition and intent again and buying quality not a makeweight just cos he’s cheap and not bad…! Bollox to that had enough of those not any more please.
Fred don’t wanna upset you but it was only another 5k a week not 8k mate…..
Cashley would have left 5K or no. Even if they gave him 10k more than he wanted he would have gone. If not in 2006 he would have gone in 2007 or 2008. AFC got Gallas plus 5 million for him. While Cashley is in a different league to Gallas all the club saw was the 5million they got in their quest to pay back the loan.
And Nacho does not replace Cashley. As I said earlier he replaces Winterburn. Gibbs replaces Cashley since their playing style is the same (but Gibbs gets injured more often)
Oop’s..Nearly hit a lamp-post.
Thank’s W.A.T.H
Careful next time Fred. Or you might end up in Narnia. 😉
good post fred and of course you are right – story of Arsene’s life now isn’t it? Trying to replace quality with might be’s and falling short and all to prove a point
DG – I agree, Ca$hley would have left eventually. The additional 5K may have kept him for another season or two, but once someone waved more money under his nose he would have been off. He would have engineered a move one way or another.
WATH, hi mate, agree with your Villa post and personally have never believed a single word of any of the rumours anyway. Never once have a i seen a post from Villa saying he wants to go anywhere and for that matter i haven’t seen Wenger admit to any offers either. He repeats whats been in the press for months that barca will not sell and unlike his worthless “we will not sell” comments he’s accepted that and it works for him because we think he actually is chasing a real world class player, when we all know he never will.
Hi all,
I have been of the opinion for a while that Gervinho is one of the worst pro footballers I have ever seen. Lacking basic skills such as kicking the ball with proper technique! However, when I see the likes of Andy Wilkinson and Shawc**t being paid thousands to try to cripple people then my stance softens. Stoke make the Wimbledon crazy gang look like Barcelona!
Vinnie Jones aka XAVI. 😆 :lol 😆
Vinnie Jones carving McMahon in half after about 3 seconds of the 1988 Cup Final was better than Sanchez’s goal and the penalty save. Its a pity the likes of Shawc**t don’t purvey their filth on the likes of Rooney, Scholes and Evra instead of picking on easy targets. Worst kind of cowards!
Righto my friends. Off to pick the little prince from his class.
Cu all later in the evening.
Bob..that tackle by shawcross,
Turned me right off me Meat and two Veg,sunday
DG – Vincent was a full fledged international player for Wales. Although I think he would have been more than capable of showing Shawcross and Wilkinson the error of their ways, one way or another.
Well its very late, I’m off to bed. Till tomorrow.
Shawcross give it the large with Fellaini…unstuck or what
Still the best ever is Vinnie with Gazza’s nuts in his grip and the poor look of desperation and pain on Gazza’s face…! A classic pic…!
Cashley would of indeed gone and the 5k was merely a cover up anyway as he had already met with the Chavs…! A cnut of the highest order and we have certainly had a few over the last few years.
Bob , Pulis wouldn’t want to upset the leading member of the M62 mafia. Be aware that the feelings toward The Arsenal are personal, Pulis hates them and everything they stand for, he belongs to the 60’s. A fly on the wall would have left the dressing room had it heard his half time instructions to Wilkinson regarding Walcott.
Cheers CG
The whole Cashley thing was engineered close to home. Dein was hung out to dry by the rest of our board, undermined by his nemesis Fiszman.
Cashley’s agent Jon Barnett brain washed cashley who has,
not much upstair’s,has he?
Barnett was banned for 2 years/seasons for his part.
I don’t like cashley,
but I do know he loved the Arsenal,and wanted to be captain one day.
Not wrong there Potter. Martinez has had the guts to stand up to them and look how Wigan get shafted by refs week after week. I met someone on hols last year who’s sister works for local press in Stoke. Told me that Pulis was a pervy little creep who likes groping junior female reporters. Hopefully, one will have the guts to sort him out one day.
Afternoon folks.
Have we signed anyone?
The fans are to blame. They have let the media control them and now, if a player has a bad couple of games, he is rubbish. How many games did it take Henry and Bergkamp to realy get going? I don’t remember too many boos for them and in fact, Henry states it was the love from the Arsenal fans that made him a Gooner. Maybe if those who attend stop booing mistakes and actually support the team, these players we have now would really excel.
Think that’s a tad harsh on the fans Tg…
I’m not a fan of booing during a game myself, but…. I can understand why some would having paid so much for a ticket. Especially when we witness what we have done sometimes of late.
And are those boos directed at the team, individuals or the board??
Yes but they are counter productive and even Wenger is now stating that they don’t help. If you are a little short of confidence and every mistake you make is booed by 40k fans, would that help you?
Wenger would state that because he right in the middle of what the fans are showing their discontent with TG – How would you like the fans to show their displeasure in a way the Musketeers get the message?
I think TG has a point, almost the same thing happened with TW at Tott. a season or two ago. When we boo our players,it takes away their confidence during the game. This make them afraid to take chances.
Hi everyone…
Were Bergkamp and Henry booed when they were missing sitters? No
Was Pires booed when he joined and by his own admittance was milky? No
The players we have are unfairly judged by these greats of world football and the media led fans boo them for every little mistake rather that opening their eyes and seeing what is really going on. Even Stoke has spent more than us but who has the record we do over the last 16 seasons spending what we have and playing the football we have?
Just accept that football at the moment is being killed by very rich men spending obscene amounts to buy trophies and we can’t compete but (and it is a J-Lo sized but) when those owners get bored and leave, what happens to those clubs relying on outside money.
Is a two-way street though TG…..
your argument only stacks up if we had no funds and EVERYONE at the club were on average wages – they are not are they? In fact one of them, is one of the highest paid managers in the game, hypocrisy at its finest. The transfer accounts are clear for anyone to check, even the most ardent of fans are now questioning Wenger’s monitory tactics. He’s working for Stan not Arsenal FC clearly. We are not progressing at all and City and Chelsea can’t buy all the players in the world, its a cop out
Oz, for sure. And AW is where the buck stops really. It’s his job to motivate these players, the same players he says are so good…
I’m not convinced the players take too much notice, most after just after their weekly wage NG 😉
Pires was average in his first season, but second season came and the rest is history, he was pure class.
Surely Bergkamp, Henry and Pires cannot ever be compared to many if any of our current players and when the latter two joined, we’d just won the double hadn’t we?
It a very different situation now….
TG – I take it you don’t boo from your seat at the Emirates each week, did many around you when things have been bad?
Have to agree again Oz.
And how much is Gerv on?
Do we know for fact that the money is available to AW to spent then refused to spend? Is he the one authorizing the sales of our good players?? A load of questions un-answered.
The Emirates deal says yes on its own Ng and Gazidis said that was for player signings i think…
Back in a bit…..
Ok to those of you that think we can compete with Man City and Chelsea and that it is Wenger not spending. Did Nasri leave because he wants to get a medal from the bench or because he was offered £200k a week?
Ancd my point about Bergkamp, Henry and Pires is a huge one and if you wish to ignore it, cool with me. keep boouing, keep slating and keep watching us lose our best players because we win nothing due to fear of making mistakes.
@Rico, please don’t tell me you believe a single word from Gazide’s….
TG have you actually been to a game where a player has been booed during the game…? I have not and I think your way off base… The team as a whole have been booed for poor performances NOT individual players during a game so unless you’ve been hearing things at game that I have not I don’t know where your coming up with the booing of certain players cos it doesn’t happen..! There are many moans and groans when they miss a sitter or yet another misplaced pass but not a direct boo…!
They are professionals if your happy to make excuses for them cos the little petals can’t take on board some criticisms for poor performances then that’s exactly why they don’t compete when the going gets tough.
NG, with the media hounding the club do you think they could hide behind our accounts and NOT give wenger the money that’s in the bank…? If he has asked for money and been refused is he not negligent in his duties if he then didn’t resign and tell the fans it’s due to lack of funds and support from the board..? Just a though….
As far as I can detect TG nobody boos the players during the game and blaming the fans is extremely harsh. The only time I have heard boos has been at the end of the games against Chelsea, Man City and Swansea when the team didn’t show up. Where in the ground do you sit that you hear the players being booed during the game?
What is happening is that week by week, the crowds are dwindling and a certain apathy has fallen over the place, a kind of silent resignation that we can be a very, very average team for too much of the time. And such teams tend not to win the PL.
adamant…….
Goonster……
i hear your boy nashit is up for sale in the summer???? i ll have him back though. forgive and forget i say. lol.
Nasri eh? He could play for Stoke that cretin.
Scott i think the goal stat about manu not surprising because of few minutes played for welbeck and hernandez. That in mind, i think we actually dont look good by comparison. Our four have alot more minutes so manu better by comparison. BUT they are definitely more dependent on that guy we GAVE them and will lead them to the title. Its sickening. Even if vp were to miss the rest of the season from here on in, he has already saved so many matches for them, that they could still see it out. Depressing.
WATH: how many times AW has said he never walk out of contract? If he refused funding for new players then he is negligent. But the funding never made available to him. Imho. And how come he never get fired?
Nigel. There’s the EPL for you.
come on adam he’s class. he ll fit in seamlessly as long as he’s willing to take a pay cut and get him from shitty for less than 4 mil.
Nashua. I don’t believe Wenger sees himself as negligent at all. I think he honestly just believes in the players we have. Others can disagree but his inactivity in the transfer market after promising great activity speaks volumes.
Stan. He CAN be a class player but he has proved himself to be a lazy git who is content to pick up his money and do as little as possible. It’s a mantra I have lived my life by so I recognise it in others. 🙂
NG, we won’t ever know whether he’s been negligent or not thats the problem…! It’s ok saying you won’t walk but if you have not done your job properly as you say they board should have the guts to make sure he does what he is supposed to and if that then means he needs sacking then so be it… If the board won’t back him Wenger should walk for the good of the club so the fanbase know exactly who is to blame.
Adam: Let say for argument sake he refused to spend when we all can see that we need few more new players, why can’t the Board relieved him of his duties?
Cos they lack the balls to do it NG….?
They scared to fire him…? what other excuses are there… Oh yes he makes them a fortune in players sales and balancing the books and profits…?
NG. I would imagine that Wenger wields more power within his club than any other manager apart from Fergie. I don’t believe that he believes, at this moment (a critical distinction) that we do need new players. As the manager of the club he has taken a wild flutter that we will achieve 4th spot, without new players. As CL qualification seems to be our highest aspiration, Arsene has put all his eggs in this particular basket. If we don’t get that position, then I believe he may well walk away, leaving the core of a great squad and a lot of money for the next manager. He is backing his judgement and he may well be proved right. The decider will be in the points column of the table at the end of the season.
I remember walcott being booed in the chelski match last season. The same match where he ended up bagging a brace.
In any case, however, whether it’s booing individuals or the team, I do think that it is counter-productive. It helps nothing. Why even bother to pay to go into a match if a sub par performance is going to bring boos? Fairweather fans that sounds like. Yes u paid to be there, but as a supporter. It’s much cheaper to be a critic or detractor from home. The way to send a message is with your money… Stop giving it to them. I’m sure they’ll take note.
Will XL. I was at that game and I don’t remember Arsenal fans booing him at all. I can assure you that nobody is booing the players during the games. It is a myth.
Ok Adam. Maybe it just seemed that way on tv. I do remember it being reported that he was being “given a hard time” by the Arsenal supporters. I remember Wenger speaking to it as well.
If it doesn’t happen then that’s great because I can’t see it helping anything.
GERVINHIO IS OUR LIVING ROOM BEAR CARPET – HE WILL BE WATCHING MOVIES A LOT
Afternoon Goonerdom worshippers,
Back in a bit. Stuff to do. Cheers.
No, I agree Wiil. All I say is that I don’t hear booing but I am sure there are several notable knobs dotted around the ground who do just that. After all, morons are the one thing that the world has an ample supply of. As I said, the atmosphere at the ground is an interesting reflection of where Arsenal are. It is very much an “of the minute” thing. When we were doing really poorly recently I found the atmosphere tense and quite unpleasant but, as I said, there’s an air of resignation around now. I think we can all feel that changes are going to happen in one way or another sooner rather than later. Discontent seems to be a logical conclusion of disappointment these days. It’s the society we live in and football is a reflection of that I suppose.
Hello again, sorry I had to dash off……
TG – I don’t know if your saw my comment about asking if people around where you sit at The Ems boo each week??
If they do, which games?
Very few boo where I am in block 10 , but then we are all regular s.t holders from the North Bank and Clock end at Highbury “” Sob Sob “. I think that the amount of crowd noise that comes over on the T.V. depends on where the microphones are placed . Against Stoke we were giving Both Shawcross and Wilkinson dog’s abuse but when I got home and watched MOTD and the sky football first it was hardly heard. If you have a dozen people booing near the mike it would give a poor impression.
Ah, that old chestnut, players getting booed at Ashburton Grove…
I have heard fans moaning quite loudly at players, although not on any of the games I’ve attended this season.
But booing them during a game?… No….
There are, of course, plenty of shit-stirrers in both the written and broadcast media, who love to claim that that is the case. It fits in with their perverted anti-Arsenal agenda.
And if you are sitting in your home, watching the game on TV, and the commentator states that ‘so & so’ is getting booed, I suppose the tendency is to believe them…
Shearer and Savage made a point of stating that Shawcross’ reckless challenge on Koscielny wasn’t a red card.
I suspect that their opinion would have been totally reversed if Kozzer had stuck his boots into Shawcross’ bollocks… But there ya go Gooners…
They all hate us… And you should all know this by now…
No-one boos where I sit either Potter, but then i’m in my lounge 🙂
Gonners, 😆
Gooners, 😛
Evening Rico, I am enjoying a delicious cup of tea made for me by a very attractive Spanish lady from a coffee shop in Marylebone High St…
Evening Ak. I have never heard it either.
S&S talk exactly where Kos was caught – bollox!!!
Dinner calls… Back shortly
If the atmosphere in my living room gets so tense and awkward I can only imagine what the stadium must be like!
Sometimes I just wish a wave of positivity would sweep across the stands though. The energy of the crowd must be a boost.
Eboue in tears, remember???
Rico….language please..tut tut. You country girls. 🙂
Don’t get me wrong , there is exasperation and I was there for the Eboue incident which actually was not so much booing as a rousing expression of relief when he went off. There is a feeling within the stadium that all is not well in the club, the divide comes with the various factions putting forward their views, but in the main while the team is on the pitch they get the support of most of the committed , however there is always a large percentage that seem not to care one way or the other and these are the ones that demand entertainment and the ones that leave in droves before the end of the match.
Get you Ak, how posh… and lucky 😛
😆 Adam…..
Potter
His foolishness was followed by an exacerbation of their quarrel. Only mentioned the Eboue incident as a precedent for media to direct and attribute the boos individually. Heaping shame on us fans as a collective.
Morning all.
I agree supporters are there to support, but though i only watch on tv, i haven’t heard individual players booed.
The closest was v Ut last year when Ox was replaced by Arshavin.
The booing was aimed at Wenger, but i don’t care what anone says, Arshavin was looking for a place to hide that day, and it was disgraceful.
The catalyst for RVP going. At that moment his attitude to Wenger changed . Rightly or wrongly his reaction to the substitution told a thousand stories. I reckon he had doubts about the club’s ambition and obviously had opinions about other players in the squad. Bringing on Arshavin when the Ox was tearing them apart was probably the final straw.
Good Evening my Esteemed Fellow Gunners.
The Doom Monger of Conspiracy theories is here. I have been proved right………………….
Police have uncovered a criminal network suspected of fixing 380 football matches, including in the Champions League and World Cup qualifiers, Europol announced on Monday.
“It is clear to us that this is the biggest investigation ever into suspected match fixing,” Europol chief Rob Wainwright told journalists.
At least 425 referees, players and other officials are suspected of involvement, with matches rigged so that major sums of money could be won through betting.
Most of the allegedly fixed matches were played in Turkish, German and Swiss championships, but other matches around the world are also concerned.
Two of Europe’s Champions League matches and some World Cup qualifiers are also suspected, Europol said.
Europol showed television coverage of a suspect match, an international between Argentina and Bolivia, during which a Hungarian referee awards a highly dubious penalty.
At a news conference in The Hague, Netherlands, Europol claimed:
The fixed Champions League tie in England took place in “last three or four years”;
The identity of that match cannot be revealed due to “ongoing judicial proceedings”;
Other “corrupt” matches included World Cup and European Championship qualifiers and “several top football matches in European leagues”;
In Germany-based matches alone, criminals wagered £13.8m (16m euros) on rigged matches and made £6.9m in profits
Officials fear this is as the “tip of the iceberg”.
One of the matches is in England. Till now only one. How many more will be uncovered?
Time will tell.
More links here…………
http://www.newsnow.co.uk/h/Sport/Football?JavaScript=1&searchheadlines=&search=europol
I should add that it also did more to turn the crowd into Wenger outs than any other event. You could tell from the conversations on the concourse that the numbers of those critical of Wenger grew that day.
I have to agree, RvP and his clash with Wenger that day, was the writing on the wall…..
Arsenal news?
many players involved again in particular games
If any current players are involved they will have to sacked immediately
Hiya JM. No news at all. not that much that we do not already know!!!
I guess that the players involved are no longer with the club they betrayed through match fixing. They are already at another club.
but I feel that they used to wear at least one of the following numbers……..8, 4, 10, 23.
Do not mention any names. Case is still sub judice
I doubt any of our players will be involved…..
That is what we would all like to be Rico. Hopefully not any one of our players…….past or present is involved.
Our hope……….maybe its the lot from the theatre of screams who are involved.
But its definite from Europol……One of the games involves an English team in the champions league.
Maybe the scum in their only Euro appearance?? lol Trust ole twitchy to scrum it up
I wouldn’t bet against Merse devil……
It happened in the last four years Rico.
Potter, the truth came out later that our medical staff had warned Wenger Ox was good for 60-70 minutes and no more.
I don’t care if it was Mess or Pele, players do NOT have the right do act in such a way in public.
It should have been left til after the game.
He acted disgracefully for a captain, as a captain should support his manager and team mates.
He failed to do either that day.
the number 23 should read 25. Sorry ….. my mistake
Not saying that he was right or wrong only that that was when the worm turned for many.
I am off now my great friends.
Time to call it a day.
Cu all tomorrow.
Oops, sorry devil…. In that case, i doubt any of ours will be involved.
Scott, I have never seen that about the Ox and ‘that game’
Night devil, rest well….
potter – fingers crossed that squlli, mannone and a couple of others are found guilty….
I’m off now too guys…
Have a good evening and for those down under, have a good day….
Night all
Til tomorrow……
Nobody ever booed back in the days when I was a regular on the North Bank. Bad form old boy!
I was at the Emiratesthe day the crowd bood Eboue, he was woeful, it was right that he was subbed, the sub, subbed. What ashocker! But i was aghast at the crowd around me, just behind Wenger’s lair, they had been silent all game, not ancheer, not a chunter not even a sneeze, and then they booed the boy off. Fans like that need to take a good, long hard look at themselves. They need to recognize that these players are todays heroes and yesterdays legends. They are not to be pilloried its like living in the middle ages when we used to throw rotten fruit etc
Sorry Potter, that ran wasn’t aimed at you mate, it was at the “little boy inside”.
Rico, just because you didn’t see it, doesn’t make it untrue 🙂
One of the medical staff said it a month or so after the game, not Wenger.
Well said Wavy, well said.
Dutch, I was also at the game where Eboue was substituted, and I will always maintain that most, if not all, of the crowds ire was actually directed at Wenger.
And mostly for his stupid, juvenile and stubborn insistance in playing Eboue in a position where he was patently unsuited, left-midfield.
As usual, Le Professeur couldn’t accept that his judgement was flawed and played Eboue where it was clear to any idiot and even Shearer, that he was struggling. Despite clear evidence to the contrary…
I felt sorry for Eboue, even though I thought that he was not good enough to play for Arsenal…
Wenger was completely to blame for that episode, but you would never hear him admit to it.
Kev I miss Eboue’s smile around the pitch these days, remember the one from his early days.
To do him honour an article by Adam Sherpgold, enjoy.
Night all. See ya tomorrow.
Everyone loves Eboue! Arsenal cult hero
The right-back’s six years at the Emirates were certainly colourful – a player who often played so poorly that he became an easy target through which Arsenal fans could channel their broader anger at interminable passing without an end result and a lack of silverware.
And yet despite his headline contributions during those six years amounting to some funky dance moves and terrifying his teammates by dressing up in a tiger costume at a Christmas party, Eboue is remembered with fondness by many. It’s another case of fans loving an average player because he somehow sums up all their wider frustrations at how things are going.
Eboue was spotted by Arsenal scouts while playing for Beveren in the Belgian league and the 22-year-old was brought across the North Sea and earmarked as one for the future. His breakthrough came in 2006, when he was promoted to the first team following an injury to Lauren and impressed in a succession of big Champions League matches against Real Madrid, Juventus and Villarreal. Such was Eboue’s entrance to English football that Arsene Wenger compared him to Brazilian great Garrincha after a 5-0 win over Aston Villa in April 2006. With hindsight, this might not have been a great comparison.
He also played in the Champions League final against Barcelona and, as he flew off to Germany to represent Ivory Coast at the World Cup, the future looked very bright for Eboue. But he seemed to come back cursed and the 2006-2007 season was a constant struggle with ankle injuries as he flitted in and out of the side.
The ankles might have had something to do with the terrible positioning and lack of coordination that started to creep into his game, contributing to a leaky defence that was especially susceptible on their travels.
Wenger’s response was to replace Eboue with Bacary Sagna and push the Ivorian forward to the right wing. As a defender, he had been good at bombing forward, but when this was actually expected of him, he seemed to freeze. There was often a calamity about his play – colliding into the opposition, falling over when in a crossing position, falling over when not in a crossing position and the occasional naughty dive.
A series of abject performances came to a head in a home match with Wigan in December 2008, with Arsenal struggling to kill off a poor opponent in what had become an all-too-familiar occurrence. Eboue, a first-half replacement for Samir Nasri, came up with one of the worst performances ever seen in an Arsenal team. He seemed on a mission of self-destruction, gifting the ball to Wigan’s players over and over again and, to top it all, tackling team-mate Kolo Toure to surrender possession.
The crowd was mutinous, using Eboue’s inept performance as a conduit to vent their frustration at the way the team had been set-up and the way they were playing. The jeers reached a crescendo when Eboue, a sub, was remarkably subbed back off in injury time.
Appearing on Soccer AM’s ‘I love football’ segment, Eboue once said that fans would come to his house and he would always go out, sign autographs and pose for pictures. After the Wigan debacle, this wouldn’t have been such a good idea.
But the totally different reaction to Eboue’s spirited performances thereafter that season proved that he’d simply been a scapegoat for lingering frustrations about a lack of big-money signings, the club cashing in on star assets, infuriating tactics and defeats at places where such a talented team shouldn’t lose.
In fact, Eboue stayed another two seasons at Arsenal and continued to feature regularly despite strong competition for his place. He contributed the odd goal too, including one in a 5-0 Champions League win over Porto and a great left-footed strike at Blackpool in April 2011.
By the end, he was a cult hero among the fans, who even invented an ironic chant for the opposition fans – ‘You’ve only come to see Eboue.’
Good Morning my Esteemed Fellow Gunners.
Eboue??? No thanks. We have enough jokers in the pack now. At least we are getting rid of them bit by bit.
What we need are men. MEN with BALLS who know how to USE them on the football field not in another part of the stadium.
We must be really in a desperate situation to hanker for the return of Eboue. Granted, he loved the club and has never mouthed the club off, even after he left. In one case he even defended the club in one of his interviews around a few months after he was gone. Just like Djourou who has never said anything bad about our club. Unlike some money grabbers.
Neither should we look at someone like Villa or Milito. Both are over 30. We should have bought them around 4 or 5 years ago.
What we need is someone who is around the 25/26 year age mark who can contribute his best years to our club.
BDW……….last year in the beginning of February we had only one player in double figures in the scoring charts. Now we have three. Things are looking up.
However its time to get those 1st half nerves and performances out of the way and start winning first halves in the same manner as we have won the second ones.
Morning all,
Just reading some of your comments about supporters booing at games. I haven’t heard boo’s at the games i have attended, but to be honest the way we have played this season i would say that they deserve to be boo’d. What supporters pay to watch a game is enough to make you boo if you feel that you have been taken on, and i’m sure many have felt that this season. Personally i have watched some of our players miss clear cut chances and i must admit i have fucked and blinded. I expect proffesional footballers to get shots on target from ten to twenty yards out, after all they train all week don’t they. If i was running for a bus and i grabbed for the door and missed, which resulted in me missing the bus, you would naturally think i was a bit of a dipstick and thats how i feel when a shot from ten yards hits the corner flag. I have been to the Ems when there has been empty seats lots of empty seats, my guess is that supporters have needed a break from what they have been watching, because lets face it we have been bad. Maybe our position in the league is not that bad, but perfomances have been pretty grim, enough to make you boo but i must admit i have not heard it.
When your told that there is 70 million waiting to be spent and you need players in certain positions, and you get an 8 million left back, makes me want to boo, but heh were just supporters and we expect our team to compete in every game and win most dont we. Our performances have started to improve and it looks like we still have a chance for a CL place, how that has come about i don’t know, but it proves that there are a lot of teams out there that are worse than ours. I can think of a lot of things to moan about, but at the moment were on the up. 🙂
Morning Devil.
Nice and sunny in your parts??
Hiya Sir SP. Bonzer Scott.
Nice and sunny today. But the weather forecast has predicted storms from thursday onwards.
I agree with what you said Sir SP. The exception being only the left back. I can assure you it was 8 million well spent. As I said yesterday, he does not replace Cashley. He replaces Winterburn. Similiar style, similiar build and both of them defenders first and foremost. And he had a sound match on Saturday. Hopefully he and Gibbs will alternate the left back spot between them. Maybe even push Gibbs further upfield.
In essence we need more signings like Nacho. What about Banega of Valencia? Capoue of To Loose (lol)? No nonsense players who are no softies. But get stuck in.
Morning Scott and Devil, I agree Devil Nacho looks ok, Bit early to pass judgement on him at the moment but as you say a good buy. Wenger has suprised me with this buy though, I was expecting a strong D midfielder but i’ll settle for Nacho at the moment.
That is the spirit Sir SP. You will have fish and chips after the Nachoes. Then Eggs bacon and chips tomorrow. 😉
Hi rico1, Got a spot for an over 40 overseas gooner to post about The Arsenal in the Highbury House?
Hi rico Got any vacancies for an over 40’s Gooner over here in Highbury House?
Morning all…
Hey george, you know you are always welcome here…..
We have two others from Oz too george, Scott and Oz ….
Cheers rico, I guess I’m in then 🙂
Mon Dieu………another Ozzie!!!!
Always be careful with the time then Lady. Do not turn the clock upside down!!! 😉
Morning Rico.
You sure are george, and a huge welcome to ‘an old friend’…..
Morning devil…. haha…
New Post is up now….