Should we trust Jack Wilshere? Time to players to stand up and be counted………

Morning all,

We’ve heard from George Graham, Ray Parlour, Stewart Robson, Gary Neville and even Jeff Stelling has had a few words to say on the ‘should he stay or go’ debate….

But forget all of those, what about the current players, what do they think? Surely they are some of the most important people to ask, especially as many fans believe that Arsene Wenger has ‘lost the dressing room’.

Obviously I don’t know what they all think but Jack Wilshere, our future captain, has nothing but support for our manager:

Every year we’ve been in the Champions League and there’s no other manager who has done that. He’s built a legacy at this club, he changed everything. He brought the Total Football to Arsenal.

For me, there’s no question he’s the right man. When you have a few bad results I don’t think you can start blaming the manager. The players have to look at themselves. The manager puts a team on the pitch and, if the players can’t do it, it’s not the manager’s fault.

None of us can deny that we have a lot of quality in our squad, we international players in abundance but they just can’t seem to all get it right and work as a unit on the same day. Look at our most recent defeat, we created the chances, plenty of them but on the day and as he does so many times, Gervinho couldn’t finish any of his. Cazorla had numerous shots on goal, all but one went high or wide, shocking from a Spanish International.

They are not the only two though, just two that sit fresh in my mind after the great disappointment against Bradford. Giroud’s finishing hasn’t been as good as it should although he works hard for the team. Jack in the first half at Bradford couldn’t find his own players with a pass and this is something many of the guys are doing each match-day.

We are failing because the simple game is failing. Get our precision passing back, (stop hanging onto the ball too long Gervinho) and maybe our game will come back.

It’s also a time for some of our older, more experienced players to stand up and be counted, as said earlier, we have plenty of internationals, time for them to start showing why they are. 

Wilshere continued:

There are leaders in the team and, maybe now, we need to step up and show we really are leaders.

We have to know our season’s not over. I think we can still realistically win everything we’re in. I know we’re a long way behind in the Premier League but football changes quickly. We know in the Champions League anything can happen.

Other than staying free from injury, Jack Wilshere wants the club to finally win a trophy:

It’s something we have to change, it’s there and it just adds to the pressure. Maybe there’s a mental block that we need to get over and, once we get our first one, it will all start to happen. It’s too long for a club like Arsenal. We should be winning things. We’ve got good players. We used to in the past and there’s no reason we can’t in the future.

Jack is about to sign a new five-year contract. He’s one of the best young, if not the best English players in today’s game and he could go  to any club he wanted but he wants to stay exactly where he is. Ok, I know some will say a contract means nothing, of course he’d want to stay because he’s an Arsenal fan as well as a footballer but that doesn’t always mean much, especially in today’s money driven game.

It could just be that he’s been told the truth about what the future holds for the club and whatever that might be, he believes in it.

He is right, we do have the quality in the squad, now we need to start showing a bit of character and we need that character tonight.

If we can do that and with a couple of important additions next month, this group of players could turn our season around, then we might ‘all’ trust Jack Wilshere…..

That’s it for another day.

0 thoughts on “Should we trust Jack Wilshere? Time to players to stand up and be counted………

  1. Bendtnersgone says:

    Morning Rico,
    For all the complaining I and many others have been doing lately there’s no doubt a decent Christmas period and a couple of inspirational signings in January would turn the tide of opinion and the negative thoughts to positive ones. Will that happen? I hope so. I won’t hold my breath but I do hope so.
    One thing’s for sure, it’s not impossible to turn it around. I mean, how the hell are we only 5 points from 3rd & 4th place with a game in hand? Crazy season this.

  2. devilgunner says:

    Good Morning my Esteemed Fellow Gunners.

    Time to stand up and be counted.

    Time to be weighed.

    Time to be measured.

    I hope its not time to be found wanting.

    The sun is better than it has been the last fortnight for me. 🙂

  3. devilgunner says:

    Good post Rico.

    However, its not Jack I am worried about. Its the other ten on the pitch.

    BDW………….this might bring a smile to your lips…………..

    Just last week Inter Milan were strongly linked with Klaas-Jan Hunterlaar, indeed some outlets reported that his agent said the club were his first choice and that he’d rather go there then anywhere else. His agent didn’t say anything of the sort and merely explained that his client wouldn’t mind a move to Inter Milan.

    Italian clubs aren’t awash with money at the moment and if the Huntelaar issue comes down to a battle of wages it’s unlikely the club would want to take part given the situation they now find themselves in with fellow Dutchman Wesley Sneijder.

    Today’s Gazzetta dello Sport says on its front page, and has a more lengthy feature inside, that Inter Milan are looking very closely at a possible deal for Marouane Chamakh. The claim is that Arsenal are trying to get rid of Chamakh any which way they can, be that a loan or permanenet move and the idea of a temporary fix is one which appeals to Inter.

    It sounds like an agent has been at work because Inter Milan apparently think Chamakh can slot in as a ‘classic’ number nine and is very good with his head bu equally adept with his feet. They say he’s exactly what the club are looking for, which may cause mild amusement among Arsenal fans who have watched him struggle at the club.

    The idea would be that Inter Milan take Chamakh on loan for the rest of the season with a clause in the agreement which would allow the club to then sign him permanently in the summer for a pre-arranged fee. This all sounds very promising for Arsenal, on one hand they get someone to take Chamakh off their hands and pay his wages and on the other hand Inter Milan would no longer be chasing Klaas-Jan Huntelaar.

    Perhaps it’s all a bit too good to be true.

  4. rockyrocastle07 says:

    Morning all. Good post Rico. Future Arsenal Capo for sure. Enjoy the Mad Stad! I’ll be enjoying some quality garlicy Indian grub. Not sure about the company I’ll be in though…..! Morning Adam…….!

  5. Scott from Oz says:

    Morning Devil…..you have been conspicuous by your absence of late.
    Hope all is well mate.
    Jack must be in a position to know a little more than our ex players,surely.
    I loved one line of his…..in 3-4 years we can challenge for everything.
    No stupid,throaway lines about winning it all this year or next.
    Maybe i am hoping against hope,but is there a long term plan about pay dividends?
    Let us all hope so,and forget about the bold predictions bordering on the ridiculous,just get them up and firing, Arsene!!

  6. rockyrocastle07 says:

    Morning Scott. Hopefully Jack was referring to more than just the obligatory lines from Slaphead-idis about “in a couple of years when FFP kicks in we will be in a strong position” blah blah blah.

    Anyone seen Kev today? Or is he tired from his weekend of trying to ruin everyone’s phones and computers with a virus he is sending out!

  7. Adam says:

    Rocky. I am looking forward to Lee’s latest appraisal of our playing staff. His views on our strike force should well thought out, subtle and enlightening. A joy for our fellow diners in fact.

  8. devilgunner says:

    Oui Scott. I have been on and off (well more off than on) for the last fortnight. But I still follow it everyday……………when I have some time that is.

    I just hope this week will be more kinder with me than the last couple have been.

    Adam………Garlicothon should be started when the ref blows for kick off. That is when blood pressure should begin rearing its head. And if you are not careful to start it immediately you run the risk of suffering from its side effects for the next week or so.

  9. devilgunner says:

    Without doubt Lee, I am assuming that you will be using the sides of his forehead to make some decorations. 😆

  10. rico says:

    Just F5’d

    Morning Rocky, Lee, Adam, JW, Scott and anyone else I missed 🙂

    Valium is a good idea Adam..

    At least my ticket is free….

  11. Adam says:

    JW. 🙂
    Devil.We are meeting at 7 PM and will probably check the score as the evening progresses and we work our way through an entire herd of garlic’ed animals of all descriptions. They pile the carcasses high in this place. No ruminant is spared.

  12. stevepalmer1 says:

    Morning all,
    You keep on hanging in there Rico very comendable.
    The team have lost the ability to win games they look fragile when they go in front we have weakneses at the back in midfield and up front. They lack that all important ingredient confidence which only comes from winning. As you say we need people to stand and be counted but in all fairness we are lacking in that department. the only time i have seen this team perform is when they are 2 up early in the game they seem to flow much easier. but a goal against and they revert to panic stations. What we lack is a confidence builder Robin Van Persie was one such man but we sold him, he was a player who with a touch of an angel could create a goal from nothing yes he missed a few but he also scored many. A good goalkeeper can keep you in a game that your drawing but he rarely wins you a game, where a goalscorer of Van Persies Quality wins you games. Giroud or Podolski are reasonale players but they are not a replacement for Robin. Magic goals lift a side you can see how a team is lifted when a goal is scored we have lost that man and untill we buy one our confidence will stay silent. This team speak well when off the field but they don’t believe it on the field. confidence may come back but while more players look to leave will only send the wrong messages.

  13. rockyrocastle07 says:

    Morning Steve. How’s tricks? Agree with your post. Particularly with the remark about a quality keeper. Wenger just doesn’t fancy Chezzer any more I don’t think.

  14. rico says:

    Haha Lee, I’d do better in front of goal than Gerv, that’s for sure…

    I’m only going because it’s Reading 😉

  15. Temi T says:

    I don’t understand what Ʊ meant by a few bad results.Do u mean not winning a single trophy for 7yrs a few bad result,losing d carlling cup final to a relegated side or being knocked out by 2nd division side still a few bad results?If u carefully looked @ Man U team, if Ʊ pick vidic,Ferdinard,Evra,VP,Rooney n Giggs.What other big names do u have in that team.In our own team we have Vermelen, Matasaker,sagna,Cazola,Arteta,Podolski,n Walcolt,Ashavin and so on .Alex Ferguson has been able to instill winning mentality into the team,I think Mr Wenger had lost trophy winning spirit.

  16. Scott from Oz says:

    Steve,i reckon a top class DM will solve one hell of a lot of the sides issues.
    A striker wouldn’t hurt,either.
    Our problems are not fatal, which is a positive.

  17. JW says:

    Rico,

    Your free ticket reminds of the story about the guy who phoned Port Vale to ask if he could book twenty seats for the next home game and asked what time the game kicked off. The reply was ..Yes Sir and what time can you get here?

  18. rico says:

    Morning Sp, too good a chance to say no really, mind you, if I had to pay for the ticket or parking, I wouldn’t be going trust me….

    Nice evening out with my family though….

  19. stevepalmer1 says:

    Hiya Rocky and Scott, there is no doubt we could do with other players i wouldn’t dissagree with that but we need change keeping deadwood and putting them on the bench is a waste, we all know what they bring to the team and its normally not good. we cannot keep keep operating this way. selling our best and keeping our worst is suicide and i am wondering why this situation has to be intended but why.

  20. devilgunner says:

    Honestly I do not think its the players. Its the system which is used. The players may or may not be suited to the EPL however I still think that its the tactical system which is not good for our team. Or more probably its the lack of tactical nous on the part to the coaching staff.

  21. rico says:

    Me neither devil – apart from a few we all mention, the players are vastly experienced, for whatever reason, Wenger isn’t getting the best from them…

  22. stevepalmer1 says:

    Although i agree with Devil, we certainly could be tactically better but we seem to lack creativity right through the team bar Rosiski. In Rosiski i see the only glimmer of hope, he seems to shift a gear and propels himself forward he looks like he wants to win but sadly static players around him are not helping they do not look for open spaces they just wait for the ball to come to them but have no idea what to do with it . Giving the holding player options to pass to is paramount, players moveing to recieve is the most important part of football, to have options is a must Gervinho is getting plenty of stick with some justification but when he goes forward he has no one with him, we say he holds to long, we have also criticised Walcott for his crossing to empty spaces thats because they have run out of options. These players are not bad we have seen good things from them but that has come when the team is working well and the players look interested, i don’t think we have a bad set of players but they are just not working together . I do blame Wenger as coaching and tactics is ultimatly down to him, I feel he has to put a little more faith in his other coaches as Wenger can’t do it all, thats why they call it teamwork

  23. frednerk says:

    Wengers been theating to buy an experienced keeper for the last 2 seasons to replace the spanish waiter manuel,
    now before you all jump on my back,the fulham keeper(schwarzer) was a done deal by all accounts,
    I think I read that we offered 2m but sparky wanted 3m.

    Those of you maybe to young for this but..can anybody see Jack and oxo being the new bremner and giles midfield.

  24. devilgunner says:

    No Fred. These two were tough as steel nails. Jack may be but the OX is not so tough. We need to have a tougher beast in DM position

    Arteta is not a DM. With a player like Essien, Schweinsteiger, PEtit, Vieira in the centre, Arteta, Wilshere, Ox, TR07 would have shared the remaining two spots.

  25. rockyrocastle07 says:

    Steve, with Gerv, his dribbling is not the issue. He’s great at that. It’s his massive lack of composure in front of goal that is disgraceful.

  26. stevepalmer1 says:

    Frednerk, i can see what you mean, but Bremner and Giles were hard men they had the will to win they would run through walls and they had a team that backed one another all the time, Jack and the Ox have qualities but i havent seen that winning streak in them yet and the teamwork is a long way off at present

  27. rico says:

    Sp, it would help if the players could find a team-mate with their passing, so many times we are losing the ball. But, when we do get it, we so often lack spark.

    It doesn’t help when we play 2/3 touches, ball quickly played to Gervinho who then hogs the ball, gets left with nowhere to go so it goes backwards or alternatively, he looses it all together…

  28. frednerk says:

    Steve
    football ain’t like the old days look at the so call hard case at the spuds the prick sticks a gum-shield in is gob.
    Trying to imagine what norman bits you legs would have made of that.

  29. stevepalmer1 says:

    Fredn you made me think back to Lorimer and that shot he had. I hated Revie But boy did he build teamwork in that team

  30. stevepalmer1 says:

    Rico, I don’t like to point the finger at any one single player they are all under performing, but when our Mojo returns the really bad players will stand out and we have to out them

  31. terry says:

    i would like to see a change in tactics that’s our biggets weakness we are so dam predictible..
    why not play to the strength of our players
    ————Giroud———-
    ———–Podolski———
    –Santi Jack Arteta Aoc–
    Gibbs Vermy Mert Sagna

    this way jack and arteta both have to attack and defend
    Play podolski centrally thats where he plays best.
    Giroud would be much better with a strike partner.
    Santi is as good on the wings as he is centrally.
    i dont understand why wenger wants to stick with 433 it just dosent suit our team.

  32. tsGH says:

    Morning all…

    A super post Rico. Nice and upbeat a trade make off HH.

    I don’t mind cricket at all Adam, its just down my pecking order just as the CoC is down 4th place finish for Monsieur wenger. 😀

  33. frednerk says:

    Steve,having spent most of my playing days on the marshes the leeds team were the sort of team that would have been just as happy on the north marsh or the san saro.

  34. Potter says:

    You ask if we can trust Wilshere to stay. If I was his agent I would be telling him to sign up for another 4 years. Get an increase in money , he’s settled enjoys himself , has just started a family and in 4 years will be young enough to get a great pay day if things don’t work out. No brainer really.

  35. yinkami says:

    its wenger’s fault cuz he keepz selling d quality players and replaces em with average players that cnt do more than what they are doing now. He ddnt see Ba, Michu buh Giroud, Chamak, ramsey

  36. SD London says:

    I wish players could shot up and not try and dictate to the coach which position they want to play in especially if your coach is the man with the biggest ego in English football (Wenger).

    The reason we are stock with Gervinho playing upfront is because Podolski thought it was wise to mention to journalists that he wants to play upfront. I was like , nooooooooooo not you again because

    Wenger hates been dictated to in the media, he will always do the opposite. Walcott as a case study, Wenger has always said he was going to eventually push him forward but the little chap will not shot up and thinks he should let sky sports and other nameless journalists to know.

    Guess what , Walcott has not played in the front yet.Why cant they learn from players like Henry, he never like playing on the wings but realized that Wenger needed to make use of his speed and we won trophies and he scored many goals and became a living legend.
    Oh plus Wenger eventually pushed him forward.

    But RVP thinks he can dictate to Wnegr how to spend the club’s money, Podolski thinks he knows best and Walcott is just doing and saying whatever his agent tells him.

    Verminator doesn’t complain in left back (he hates it of course ) and i am sure Arteta didn’t sign to be playing DM but they got on with the job.

    I hope our spoilt madonnas can learn from this and shot up and do what the manager instructs and win games for the club.

  37. rico says:

    Just wondering really with all the stuff over his contract, I really don’t want to see Gerv in the starting line up….

  38. tsGH says:

    When it comes to poldi the facts show that he has never been trusted to play as a striker. When he broke through at kkoln in 2004 he was used as a winger.Even though Bayern bought him as a striker he could never cement his place because of Luca Toni after he got injured.

    An even for the national team the records show he has been used as astriker only 5 times with 3 such appearances coming just in the last 6 months.

    Unfortunately, we have got ourself another David Bentley who would rather run away than fight to acheive what he was born with.

    And for those saying that Arteta is not a defensive midfielder, maybe not in the mould of de Jong or Edgar Davids but he was always a CM/holding midfielder until he joined Everton. At PSG and Espanyol he was used as a CM in the mold of Alonso and also tipped to be the understudy of Gonzalez but he never when back to Spain after his loan spell to France and then Rangers…

  39. rico says:

    That makes little difference with AW Ts, after all, Gervinho isn’t a striker either…

    Podolski has to be a better option surely, certainly until we sign another goal scorer…

    Re Arteta, but he was very good for Everton…..

  40. SD London says:

    Arteta is still very good for us infact he has been the focal point of why our season hasn’t crashed totally.

    Unbelievable really that we are just 5points from 3rd when it feels like 15points.

  41. tsGH says:

    Its funny how the media made sure AW dropped what made Arsenal a force by continuously commenting on the number of 2 yellow cards we got in a match after people like Razor Ruddock, Savage, keane and Denise Wise had provoked our players. Now they are saying we do not have what we always had i.e fight.

    Even when we thought we had a promising tormentor in Frimps the general public got unto him to say he was always a red card away even though he had been sent of only 1’s and on that occasion it was a yellow card. 😉 3 yeloow cards out of 14 appearances whilst tiote gets nearly 16 yellow cards a season. How many yellow cards or red cards did De Jong use to get a season?

  42. tsGH says:

    That is why I am always positive with Aw in charge…

    When you consider that apart from swansea, WBA, Everton, the chavs, Scums and the 2 manchester clubs no team has still been able to put together more than 3 straight wins all season. Even ain the last 2 months only the manchester clubs have been able to do that.

    We on the other hand have out longest unbeaten run as 2 matches and that was in September. As you said SD we still have a good chance if we can add this January and go 3 games unbeaten run…

    Coygsss

  43. SD London says:

    Exactly Wenger reads too much into what the media says where as , red nose doesn’t listen to the press and even ignores any known journalist out to attack him.

  44. SD London says:

    Wenger needs to focus on the game more and maybe allow Bould to really coach and he (Wenger) do the thinking which he is very good at.

  45. emma says:

    Goodday all

    rico – I would have Gerv over Podi all day unless we switch to a two prong attack 😉

    Podi tends to disappear or anonymous from matches whenever he’s being played on the wing

  46. tsGH says:

    He tries to pretend like what the public say does not affect him but it causes his judgement to be clouded. Infact he becomes like a donkey who does not want to carry a loan and stays there getting lashed instead of just maybe doing the work that it is being asked to do to save the pain.

    On the other hand since October 20th I have thought AW has lost all his confidence. My reason is that last summer Aw gave a lecture on 4-2-3-1 formation to a number of leading coaches and he stipulated that if it iwa not working it would be easier to change to 3-5-2 set-up than 4-4-2. Srangely enough Juve used 4-2-3-1 against chavs at the bridge and Pirlo was cancelled out the way Oscar and Wooney did to MA08. Conte changed to 3-5-2, 10 minutes into the 2nd half but AW has still been shy to use that set-up even though every dog knows that our whole team especially our fullbacks will be more suited to 3-5-2.
    AW changed to 3-5-2 at WHU when we were at 1-1 and we went ahead to win 1-3 evebn though we lost Gibbs that day. The question is why is Aw scared to change to 3-5-2 but is always happy to change to 4-4-2 in the last 15 to 20 minutes of most matches even though we have no crosser of the ball?

  47. rico says:

    Hi emma – I have got to do what you did at Everton tonight and sit on my hands 😉

    Re Pod, It comes from Terrys team suggestion earlier and that was with Pod playing up top with Giroud…

  48. tsGH says:

    I am also very surprised people believe Robson when he says that Bould is not allowed to coach. If most people are honest they would realise that it is Bould’s 4-4-2 set-up that we use when we loose the ball. That is the reason why we have conceded the least goal against this year.

    our issue has always been SC19 because instinctively whenever he gets the ball he looks for MA08 instead of anyone else which causes us to lose vital minutes. Alonso and cGarcia use to do the same at liverpool and Gerald and Hammann complained to Benitez.

    i am not saying SC19 is a bad player at all however, as Emma has said on a number of occasions, SC19 needs a season to get used to this league the same way Mata and silva needed a year to bed in.

    Emma, I can understand what you are saying but Gerv has lost confidence in his own ability and maybe he needs some time away from starting matches. He and Torres are the only players I know who seem to lose confidence when they score goals…

    its strange how in our first 5 games he was very good but since he scored against the chavs he has really struggled instead of thinking ‘I have scored against a very good team so I must be good’.

  49. emma says:

    Forgot the match is at berkshire. Glad you are going to see the boys hope you won’t be disappointed. Hope the good guys turn up today. 😉

  50. emma says:

    tsGH – ‘He and Torres are the only players I know who seem to lose confidence when they score goals…’ 😉 😉

  51. Bradster says:

    Hey all,
    Busy December, glad to have a day to chill, public holiday here.
    Giroud would play striker today and i’d actually prefer a lucky packet Gerv on the left than the usually anonymous Pod.
    Cazorla really needs to play higher up the pitch, get in the box and bloody well get some shots on target.
    I’m guessing it’s Ox in and Walcott bench.
    I also see we’re again linked with every player under the sun.

  52. tsGH says:

    OG12 is going through his usual 7 to 8 games non-scoring run I am afraid. That is OG12 to the tee. As I said on here when we bought him. He scores 4 or 5 goals in 3-4 matches and then goes 5-8 matches without scoring. Very frustrating. If only he could spread his goals out to 1 in every 2or 3 games he would be a category A striker like the VP and drogba’s of this world and not just a good striker….

  53. W.A.T.H says:

    I’ll take 2 good strikers like OG any day Ts…. long as we get rid of Chmuk and Gerv…! Add Bendtner to that as well and Park and AA and look at the wages alone that you free up…! Mind boggling really..!. Problem is we only have 1 OG and not 2….!

  54. W.A.T.H says:

    Don’t forget the Armani cap and Stone Island Jacket Rico, apparently it’s all the rage….. you gotta fit in proper you know 😉

    Was thinking of you the weekend Lee….!

  55. tsGH says:

    AW has to be ruthless in January. On paper we have no room for anymore non-british players based on the 25 player list. However, if those ‘deadwood’ dont move we have to not register them and get 2 good players who can contribute…

  56. W.A.T.H says:

    Enjoy Rico…..! No winding the family up on the way home gloating.

    Curryyyyyyyyy…. Tentodeloo here we come….!

  57. DutchGooner10 says:

    Afternoon Goonerworshippers,

    Garlicothon???? Are you guys dinning at the Vampire Lodge? Be sure to bring silver bullets as well, they don’t do master cards.

    Have a blast Rico. No boob-flashing when we score. 😉

  58. SD London says:

    I hope we win because Reading will be out for blood for beating them in the Carling Cup.
    But if the guys show some believe , they should out perform Reading.

    This are suppose to be Top players and all of a sudden they are shy, Wenger needs to get some Spanish coaches and Italian trainers so they get tactically sound and physically unstoppable.

    Good luck …………

  59. W.A.T.H says:

    Hey SD, be a hard game 2nite that’s for sure..! Lets hope we turn up and put in a shift and if we do the quality should win through.

  60. DutchGooner10 says:

    Hola WATH,

    I’m suffering a bleeding heart with all the shenanigans going on. Taking umbrage with the situation is a understatement. I took some Diaby-days off.

  61. SD London says:

    At least it is not that cold today they should fare better. The Bradford night was very cold and i knew we would loose.

    Wenger needs to start forcing them to train in minimal clothing so when they leave for colder towns their legs wouldn’t freeze.

    Chamarkh froze from London, VM eventually lost all the blood in his legs and missed, Carzola couldn’t feel his toes he was far from sunny Spain(poor guy), The OX wished he was wrapped up in mummy blanket (his crosses were terrible), Gervinho? No comment.

  62. W.A.T.H says:

    We really are petals eh SD…………..

    I hear ya DG…! I’m off chat lata enjoy the game and lets hope we turn up and win.

  63. DutchGooner10 says:

    SD London

    It’s true you don’t win matches on your weaker assets. Frosty eyebrow weather always been bumpy road for us. Nevertheless I can’t escape the notion of 8 hour jobs in similar circumstances with a fraction of the compensation our players are paid.

  64. DutchGooner10 says:

    Ginge,

    Missed ya buddy. My phone has been subject of a Ncap crash test by drooling toddlers. When it returned from repair I fell into the Bradford shitstorm. Which forced me to take a few Diaby-days. Didn’t want the responsibility of being a solution for a crisis not of my own making. 🙂

  65. DutchGooner10 says:

    Ginge

    I beg to differ. Like you said yourself, Diaby-days are on Saturn time. A month lasts one earth year.

  66. tsGH says:

    😀 very disappointing DG,nothing on ‘the untold origins of RedNose’?At least there should have been something about the voodoo priest who Abou Dhabi crossed and never played 4 games in a row..

  67. DutchGooner10 says:

    Evening Emma

    Don’t know how you feel about it but for me names don’t excite me at this stage, only performances. Win or win or win. Take no prisoners attitude for which they are handsomely paid.

  68. tsGH says:

    DG- on a seroius note, a very interesting link you have posted. You have given me something to do over the x-mas period… 😉

  69. Bob John says:

    Worried about set pieces tonight. In the cup we scored two from corners and another from a free-kick. Reading score most of their goals from set pieces. We may rue the lack of height in the team.

  70. Micko says:

    Evening all,
    Tsgh, I’m gonna make a voodoo doll of Diaby and stick some pins in his arse, that should get a reaction, Father Christmas works more days than him !
    Enjoy the evening rico, think your in for a goal-fest tonight.

  71. DutchGooner10 says:

    Ginge

    F*ck Rednose. Suddenly he’s pulled off the master stroke but would Fergie been patience enough to wait 7 years for loyalty delivering dividend? Hell no.

  72. tsGH says:

    ‘arry hoodini in disguise should be the song for Poldi Emma…lol

    That would be unfair Micko on his bony backside.It must be sore from all the time spent sitting on his behind. I suggest a a puppet on a red kabbala string… 😀

  73. DutchGooner10 says:

    Micko!!!

    😛 😛 Father Christmas works more days…..

    Why aren’t you at the garlicothon with the boys??

  74. tsGH says:

    DG10 a replicate of Emma and I’s comment a few days ago. Since the Butt, Scholes and Neville brothers came from the last player he developed was CR07. He buys finished products but even then he still buys the Djemba-djemba and Bebe of this world… Djemba-djemba must have been so good he was named 2 times…

  75. DutchGooner10 says:

    ENJOY EMMA. Lata.

    Me neither Micko. Those London geezers are a tight knit. How dare they call our board an elite enclave. The snobs. I bet they mocked us going for an workman curry. Didn’t want the buzz turn into envy. 🙂

  76. DutchGooner10 says:

    Ginge

    Re link. I lost interest in tv, docu’s are my sugar to spend my eyes on. BBC Storyville being one of the best production houses.

  77. tsGH says:

    If you are a manager of a team that see’s this kind of natural ability of a bunch of players on a daily basis what would you do or say in public?…

    DG-I have lost faith in BBC for a number of reasons… 😉

  78. DutchGooner10 says:

    I’m content Rico got a night worthwhile. She truly deserved an all guns blazing from the boys. Enough said.

  79. Joaquim Moreira says:

    hello there.
    don’t forget: we can’t play with Cazorla-Ramsey and Wilshere at the some time. This is the key for a good result.
    lack of concentration in 10 minutes, two gaols.

  80. emma says:

    What Walcott did today was what Arsene was expecting from Forehead Gerv. Walcott scared the living daylight out of reading central defenders because of his pace. Reading Central defenders were too scared to push forward. I believe reading’s coach has his sight set on Giroud to start but was disappointed. Problem with Giroud is he works his socks off but has no pace and defenders could afford to give him a 4 yard head start and still caught up with him.
    Would love to see Walcott again in that position but against a physical team to see how he will cope. He might just be the quick, technical attacker which we need.

  81. Charlie George aka AK says:

    Morning Gooners…

    Morning Lee…

    Morning Rico, did you go to the Mad Stad?
    If you did then I’m sure you had a very enjoyable evening’s entertainment.

    I suppose that there’s two ways at looking at that result?!!!
    Either Arsenal are not as terrible as we had thought?
    Or, maybe, Reading actually ‘are’ terrible?!

    Great to see Santi get a hat-trick and it was great to see Podolski score.
    I wonder if Poldi had an effective 90 minutes, or if he drifted out of the match for prolonged periods?

    Walcott thru the middle and a goal…
    Will that make any difference, or is he toast???

  82. Charlie George aka AK says:

    Conceding those two goals was disappointing.
    Somebody mentioned Vermaelen & Sagna…
    We’re they responsible?

    Good to see Gibbs play. He just needs plenty of game time to build up his strength…
    Eventually, if he can avoid those confidence sapping injuries, I can see him replacing Ashley Cole in the England team…

  83. Charlie George aka AK says:

    Gotta say, last night’s curry was delicious…
    Mick, you are welcome anytime…
    Just tip us off when you are over…
    Some time in late January or early February is likely to be the next session.

  84. Scott from Oz. says:

    Kev,an ordinary pass followed by Jack slipping cost the furst goal,whilst the second was good play by Reading,though Merts was caught all watching.

  85. Bradster says:

    Morning all,
    I must admit I was wrong about prefering Gerv to Pod in this game. Pod actually got invoved and played well.
    Scariest part is that without Giroud we put in quality crosses from a few players, had Gibbs knocking the ball down and the shortest player in the team scoring with a header.

  86. Scott from Oz says:

    Bradster,we often find our worst headers of the ball with crosses when Giroud plays as well.
    Can’t work it out.

  87. tsGH says:

    The key to last night’s Arsenal-like performance was that apart from when SC19 and MA08 kick-off the match they passed to each other 2 times only in the first half.

    In the 2nd half they passed to each other 12 times between the 49th and 67th minute period.

    Its funny how when Poldi is not getting kicked by Ivanovic type of RB’s he does not moan about playing LW or insde left…lol

    Sagna and TV5 that is what I like to see. ‘Ralph’ Lauren and PV4 anyone…

  88. tsGH says:

    Has AW got garlic breathe? None of his assistants talk to him when he is talking. Pat rice use to have just look straight ahead… 😀

  89. tsGH says:

    And we have almost a perfect record when we play on MNF… On the other hand manure have a similar record to our Saturday lunch time kick-off when they play on MNF but win almost every saturday lunch time kick-off match.

    Who wants to bet its Mike Dean or another ilk on Saturday for us after such 5 star performance

  90. Scott from Oz says:

    Ginge,you’re a cynical bugger lol!!
    Just about to watch a replay of the game.
    I saw the highlights,and Podolskis goal was just world class,from the first touch to the shot.
    Theos goal proved NOT that he shold be our first call striker,but that he is working hard in training to prove his worth…it was sensational.
    He is not sulking,just working extra hard to earn his chance.
    Yes,i want him to stay for his attitude as much as anything.
    No need to mention Santi.
    Morning all.

  91. Lewis says:

    Any coach worth his salt will be looking at the videos of games where the opposition managed to stifle Santi. He can be devastating when given room, lets hope this inspires the rest of his season. And poldi’s, he looked up for it for the first time in a while!

  92. stevepalmer1 says:

    Morning all,
    We played a very bad side last night, so i wouldn’t get to excited over the result. We made pittyfull mistakes and that cost us 2 goals. Theo looked ok but a good test will come when he plays against a good side. Taking nothing away from our goals which were taken well on the night, but the bottom team in the league scored 2 very easy goals off of us last night, and that cannot keep happening. I still see very tough times ahead. Last night just proved to me that we still have a lot of work to do.

  93. Scott from Oz says:

    Steve,we have one massive thing in our favour……Manchester sides apart,there are no teams better than us out there.
    Realistically speaking,we can not finish top 2…..it would take either Mancs side to self implode,but 3rd is a very realistic proposition.
    Reading were not great,but how many teams out there are?
    That is no reason to sit back…we need to bring some quality in to the club in January.
    No,we can’t get over excited,but equally we should not overestimate the competition out there.

  94. Scott from Oz says:

    Ignorance is bliss.
    Jan Vertonghen says Christian Eriksen is “good enough” to play for Spuds.
    Scott from Oz says his 6 y.o. son is as well!!
    Seriously,Eriksen is better than that mob!!

  95. stevepalmer1 says:

    Morning Scott, very true mate, but we are a very basic side at the moment, Gary Nevelle may have talked us up last night but we are miles away from playing anywhere near our potential, definitely something wrong with us and its taking a very long time to put it right.

  96. Scott from Oz says:

    Steve,i think we are a long way off our best,but not too many changes need to be made to get there.
    Evening Agag…..great result indeed.

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