As much as I’d like to think our manager is right, we all have to be honest; he’s talking out of his Arse-nal!!
We have won just one of our last four Premier League fixtures and that victory was a 1-0 over QPR, which needed a moment of magic from our captain to seal victory.
Hardly Premier League Champions form eh?
To be honest, we haven’t looked like serious title contenders since the beginning on the season and no doubt, tomorrow we will witness another display that will fail to convince otherwise.
I was surprised to read Arsene Wenger latest comment about tomorrow’s fixture:
It is not the only game any more because you have Chelsea and Man City coming in, with Liverpool still there. But it is a game that is watched all over the world.
We do (lift ourselves), we think we are on a similar level. I still think that when we have everybody available we are a strong force in this league. That’s why it is important that we fight very hard not to drop points.
Two things from that comment don’t make any sense whatsoever!
A) Just looking back on our last few showings, when have we actually fought hard not to drop points??
B) Similar level to Manchester United? I don’t think so!
The comment that makes me sad: ‘if we have everybody available we are a strong force in this league’.
We haven’t had the fortune of fielding our strongest side since the beginning of the season. As each game comes and each games goes, we seem to lose another player through injury, yet still nothing is done about it in this transfer window.
We allow players to be loaned out to help other clubs, yet we don’t try and get a loan or two in, just to ‘tie us over’ – but we have talked about that since the 1st of January, so I won’t ramble on again today.
We all know that Arsene Wenger is trying to sound positive before Manchester United come to visit, what else can he do? He can hardly go on record to say that all things look bleak and he’s dreading another battering on Sunday can he?
After all, he is responsible for what we are going through.
It’s time to face facts, we are struggling!
Struggling to defend as a unit, struggling to create clear-cut chances and even when we do, we are struggling to convert them. We maybe not be title contenders right now and I think most of us have accepted that, but we are not far off from being there if only…
If only Stan and his merry men could see just how close we are, maybe if they could they would just take that one step forward and make changes and bring in additions.
If they could do that, I think we’d all be a whole lot happier, including most of the current players….
Until that day, it’s going to be very sad times for all of us Gooners as we watch another season pass us by….…
Have a good day all…..
REVENGE is the watchword for Arsenal supporters at the Emirates tomorrow and one man in the stands has more reason than most to hope that the tables get turned on Manchester United.
Henri Lansbury’s last appearance for Arsenal was as an 84th-minute substitute in the 8-2 mauling at Old Trafford in August, before joining West Ham on loan.
He admits Arsenal’s worst result in 115 years will stay with him for the rest of his career and is desperate for United youngsters Danny Welbeck, Phil Jones and Chris Smalling to get a dose of their own medicine.
Midfielder Lansbury went to the European Under-21 Championship for England with Welbeck, Jones, Smalling and Tom Cleverley during the summer. But his friendship with the United players only meant the stick he received after the thrashing was even worse.
“They didn’t give me any time to get over it, they got straight into me on the pitch as we were walking off,” said Lansbury, 21. “Two of them, Jonesy and Smalling, came up to me and said, ‘Oh, you lot are good aren’t you?’
“Then on the bus, Welbeck sent me a text. I can’t repeat it, but I didn’t reply. I just deleted the conversation. I went quiet for a couple of weeks.
“In fairness, I was at them the whole trip with the Under-21s, so I knew it was going to come back and bite me somewhere. But I obviously didn’t think like that. I had gone on with six minutes to go when we were 7-2 down. It was bizarre. Watching it from the bench, seeing the goals flying in, it was just, ‘This isn’t happening, this isn’t real’.
“When you’re 7-2 down you’ve just got to dig in and try to stop it getting even worse.
“I’ve been an Arsenal fan since I was young, so I would always help the club in any situation. And going on against United at Old Trafford has always been a dream, but it turned out to be my worst day in football. Afterwards, I think all the boys thought, ‘Did that really happen to us?’ Everyone was in shock and just wanted to get on the bus. On the way home we were in silence the whole
Morning all……
The only strong force is the wind here in the UK, maybe it will divert one of our wayward shots into the net tomorrow 😉
Morning Rico, good post and couldn’t agree more. We haven’t had a fully fit side for a sustained length of time probably since the imvincibles. There are so many ingrained issues with the Arsenal that Arsene is either not willing to or is unable to change. It’s a shame but time for change has well and truly arrived. I think most hoped Wenger would change his ways but he won’t. He and the board need to go.
Wenger is an idiot. There, he has an excuse
what is even more bissare regarding the comment about having a competetive squad when all are fit is that Manure have a injury crisis of their own and where are they in the prem?
Morning Sam, alan and TT
TT – Spot on re Manure, they have suffered injuries but they have a deeper squad….
That’s no excuse alan 😉
Thanks Sam – Wenger needs a proper boss, an arsenal thinking boss not one who counts his dollars, he needs to told to sort things out and fast but when the board suggest that CL qualification isn’t a priority, what does that say….
“..If Stan and his merry men could see how close we are…”
How close we are to what? Mediocrity? Oblivion? Do me a favour. Having a few good players left doesn’t make us close to anything. Especially when we are travelling in the opposite direction. The only way anything will change is if the cash flow is interrupted.
Good morning!
I expect a victory tomorrow even with 12/13 players out. 1-0 it’s enought. 2 ,3 or more is better.
I’m going for a walking. Catch you later.
Billboy – i disagree, 3/4 players added to this current squad would make us real contenders….
Morning JM – victory fur us, love your optimism 🙂
It says that for the people at Arsenal it’s all about the status quo and protecting their position. There is no ambition because that for them involves risk an they don’t want to risk failure. A far cry from the days of Dein and signing Bergkamp et al. The only thing that will work is a fands demo of epic proportions and boycotting the matches but this won’t begin until the summer. For now the fear of another Man Utd tonking…. 🙁
Sorry gone to iPad!
They are risking failure right now Sam, i to fear for another tonking tomorrow….
You can’t be a big club and show so little ambition. Our Board has to sanction quality buys.Our coach has to stop being in denial. And our players have to start showing more fight.
Boo, rico! Morning, all.
The thought that We have’nt got a strong enough squad to repay for 8-2 drives me crazy..
Been thinking about the players available to us .What ever be the formation there will be cracks and weak links thanks to wenger indecisiveness and pigheadedness.. The squad was simply not strong enough and slightly disjointed.
We need a lot of determination and luck to win that match.. Hope for the best result !
morning agag, couldn’t have put it better myself… 😉
hi Stv, our left side will be punished by Nani and if JD plays Rb, lord help us…..
Hi rico you n me will be shocked by sight of JD in the team..
remember how we all were appriciative of him last season when he put a string of gud performances last season after his injury. All of us fooled by that and he’s been a disaster since then untill now !!
Mikel, simply not mature enuff for this kind of game. he tormented by swansea fwds last week.
Imfact many of our players are only been good in the press these days.
He’ll be in there tough Stv…..
Not going to be happy viewing tomorrow….
And rico, there is no point hiding behind the excuses so readily bandied about: “youth”, “injuries”, “players only just starting to gel”… Sick of all those.
Hello, STV. While I don’t think much of the Mancs, they seem to know how to beat us and beat us handily… Pfft.
Sick of hearing excuses too agag, it’s simple, go and spend some money in the window – we have injuries, deal with it arsene, he bought this frail squad, now go add to it….
how long has he known that all four full backs are injured and out for ages?? but no, he’d rather put square pegs in round holes and just hope….
I’m off out for a few hours, back later this afternoon, have a good day all….
oh yes he was the leader of revenge mission in press..!!
it’s a shame but we would see him few more games atleast sagna/ gibba comes back
Is Henry available ??
Morning Rico,Agag, STV, Goner Sam,and Joaquim, good post and one again that questions the Clubs hunger for success. Was it the pompous Hill Wood who said that CL football is not important to us? To attract the best players, its important to be in the CL each year, but as we no longer appear to want to buy the best, I suppose he has a point……
A win against the Mancs tomorrow will just paper over the cracks and make Wenger just more delusional.
You mentioned Lansbury, I watched him at White Hart Lane when we mauled the Spuds in the Carling cup, he capped a fine personal performance with a great individual goal. Shame he went on loan, I bet he would give his all to correct the 8-2 drubbing against the Mancs.
Our players have been so careless throwing away all those points in the past few games. No point staging a mini comeback, only to get all defeatist again… Grrr.
Hello, Marinello. Lansbury is a favorite of rico’s. He’s AFC through and through. Loved the celebrations against the SPuds. It’s easy to tell he knew what that game was about. We sure could use someone with his passion…
Catch you later, rico. Have fun; I just bet you’re off to the shops! 😀
Hi AGAG.. howdy..
Wenger too know how mancs able to do that with ease He dont seems to know how to counter act !! This time he is short of players too.
We need luck and 8-2 in mind for 90 mins (positive emotions )
Is Henry available ??
Who cares ? He’s not the answer and should be putting his feet up in a box watching the debacle tomorrow. Pinning our hopes on his returning was stupid in the extreme , we should have been positive and taken the bull by the horns and had another forward available on January 2 nd.
Yes agag losing against fulham,swansea and then winning against man utd does’nt make lot of sense.. but it would be far worse if we lose against man utd too.
cant wait to see how it’s going..
The daft thing about football is that a game can sometimes end up totally different to what one expected. The Arse may score tomorrow, park the team bus in the final third, and just nick it. Well we can only dream….
The Spuds play City, good marker to see how far they have really come. Although no Adebyor for them.
Henry may appear for a cameo performance say for 20 mins. Can’t see him being given any room or space by whatever defence ‘Ol Drinkers nose’ puts out. So its left to RVP to take up the mantel and see what he can do. I’d love to see the Ox running at them, he deserves to start. Let’s see how we defend against Rooney and Co…
Afternoon Gooners.
Afternoon Rico. Great post…..
Have a super day Rico….
Injuries update from AFC.com.
Ignore the video, just scroll down the page….
http://www.arsenal.com/team-news
Referee tomorrow, is the appalling Mike Dean.
From what i’ve read, Arsenal have not won in the last 10 games that he has officiated in…..
Happy Days… 🙁
http://arsenalyouth.wordpress.com/
Youths won 5-0….
A good omen..?
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_mZo3qWRvbs
Wellington Silva’s goal vs Almeria
Allezkev: youth team players and young players in general play with no real fear of the opposition. Our problems with the first team is that many players are just not good enough, and when up against opposition that are a cut above them, start to panic in dangerous situations during a game. It could be a one on one situation, or just a basic corner where one has to attack the ball, but a player not on his game or a class below will more than likely be 2nd best to that important ball. I see the majority of our team as foot soldiers, with players like RVP, Czesny, TV, Arteta, JW and eventually the Ox and Frimpong carrying these players through matches. Walcott is the nearly man, who blows hot and cold. Arsene needs to seriously take stock of his current squad and rid us of the dross and recruit players that are fit to be called Arsenal players.
Funny you should say that Marinello, because i would have to say that it has been some of our more senior players that have let us down recently.
I know what you are saying about young players though…
I think if the quality is there, then youth isn’t an issue…
I’ve seen some fantastic young players at Arsenal and some terrible older players.
I agree Allezkev. The old Liverpool Manager in the 60’s used to say “if you are good enough, you are old enough.” The secret is getting the right balance between youth and experienced players. When we won the Fairs cup in 1970, the team had youth and experience. Players like Charlie George, Eddie Kelly, Ray Kennedy were bloodied into the team alongside experienced players like McLintock,Ure,
Armstrong, Radford, Skirton etc and it worked.
Frimpong plays with no fear, and big name opposition players get treated the same as when he plays reserve team football. Let’s hope that he returns from Wolves and Mick McCarthy with the experience that he needs to become a permanent fixture and push Song for a place in the team. Competition for places is good for a team.
Afternoon all,
Rico, your first two lines made me laugh, arsene lives in his own wibberly wobbly world, i say let him get on with it.
Kev, hope your not having a dig at john hawley.
Just had a peek on LG, was gonna leave a comment, but then i just thought, “What’s the point”…..
I remember that team Marinello, the youngsters came in and gradually Mee/Howe moved on the more ordinary trundlers like Neill, Ure, Court, Gould and co.
To a certain degree we can see parallels with todays team.
Once the likes of Frim, Coq, Ox, Yennaris, Afobe and co come thru, then we are gonna have a fcukin good team.
John Hawley… 😆
How could i ever forget honest John..?
His performance in our 1-3 home defeat by the scummers is a fixation in my memory….
An interesting exchange betweem Wenger and a journo in yesterdays Press Conference;
J: Is [ 4th place ] a realistic prospect. It looks as if it could be a bad scenario after Sunday?
AW: It could bea good one. In the Press you are now educated to see everything in black. And i am not sure it has no consequences on your spirit, be carefull!
You are not the only people.
J: But it’s our job to also reflect the fans and that’s what we’re doing.
AW: You reflect the fans’ fears but you also create it as well.
allezkev: blimey, how old are you?
Ian Ure was a really clumsy defender. he always got into scraps with Ian St John, the Liverpool player. we sold him for £85000 to the Mancs, good bit of business. one bit of useless info, he appeared on the BBC football team quiz at the time and came across as a bit of a brain box. if you got a question right, you chose a route to goal. bob Wilson was another bright chap. wonder how Rooney would have faired?
Marinello i’m quite old, but not as old as Wath… 😀
I remember reading a Gunflash quite a few years back, and the guys in there, wrote a piece, about how they visited a pub that Ian Ure ran [ can’t recall where it was ] on their way to an away game.
Apparantly he was still a big Gooner….
Blackburn owe their bank 10 mill quid and bank has told them not to sell Samba for less than he’s worth lest it cheapen all assets of the club
Source Talksport
I never saw that programme Marinello tbh, think it was called Quiz-ball, not sure, but didn’t Arsenal win it….?
Alan MP, Arsenal’s January Window opens on the 31st…….
90th minute… Norwich 0 Chelsea 0
Is Vermaelen fit for tomorrow? and Diaby? 😉
Afternoon gooners….. We signed anyone?? 😆
AK how’s Mrs AK? She getting you at it?
Hiya Lee…
Got my earphones on listening to some music from youtube……
I can’t lip read so it works for me…. 😉
Mrs AK is good, thanks
How’s ya Mum?
Hi Allezkev
I can’t see us buying a thing
Allezkev
Wenger will pull a trick when the window closes and tell us all the players he missed out on
Alan, you might be right mate,
but that was how i also felt as August 31st approached….
And hello buddy.
Tbh Alan, i have mixed feelings about the transfer market.
There’s a lot of players out there hailed as the season-saver for Arsenal.
But they might just end up as just another expensive Andrei Arshavin….
She’s ok mate levels rising so hopefully come home soon…. then dad will running around like you! 😉
Tell ya Dad to get himself a pair of good quality earphones Lee… 😉
Offski to the gym, see ya’ll lata…..
That’s it Allezkev, Quiz ball. We did win it. I heard that Ian Ure went into either Education or became a Counsellor. I bumped into Terry Neil a couple of years ago in a pub in Canary Wharf. He’s working in tele comms. Had a beer and a chat, he was with a mate who works at my company. Told a story, of when he was player manager at Hull, and they were playing QPR. He said that was kicking everything that moved and the Ref sent him off just after half time. On running down the tunnel he banged his head on something metal and hard, protuding from the tunnel ceiling, cut his eye and got a shiner. At the Peress conference after, they asked him about his shiner, he calmly said “It’s a Mans game.”
I had a picture of him that I sent away for from Typhoo Tea in about 68, I gave it him, we had a good laugh at how young he was in the picture, and he signed it.
Sky sports classics just showed the game against Leicester….unbeaten champions, how far we are from that team……so sad!! 🙁
Goon afternoon all.
AK ref Mike Dean ehh? Let me break a fortune cookie. *crack*
If the universe is expanding, why can’t I find a parking space?
FFS damp philosophers. What does this mean? A dancing traffic cop blowing his whistle to groove on a rooted spot? Lock, lock see me popping those moves? Surely expect a performance that rocks the boat. No doubt.
Fripong is playing!
The commentator is saying he is doing a great game and probably took place in the Arsenal first team
Marinello I am sick and tired hearing AW place motives above actions.
‘Arsene needs to seriously take stock of his current squad and rid us of the dross and recruit players that are fit to be called Arsenal players.’
With 7 seasons of injury hampering any progression or title challenge, you can’t deny the hours put in growing a revelation are fruitless. False projections are a omnipresent idea.
Evening guys and gals 🙂
lee – good news re your Mum …..
Fulham beat Newcastle 4-1 😮
Good….
was’nt it 5-2 rico
Rico it wouldn’t change the table if tomorrow is a debacle. Though it signals Newcastle may struggle to put pressure on the top 6 places.
Hi mog – thats even better 😉
Thats what is important DG, keep those behind us away from us, then we just hope…..
Citeh need to batter the totts tomorrow…
bolton and shitty both need results of the winning kind.
Fingers crossed we can edge out a draw. Creeping up the table does justice to the speed of our progression at the moment.
definately mog
we need a win tomorrow DG, but i doubt we will…
Bolton 1-0 🙂
Vermaelen is out for tomoorrow?
I hope AW looks first to MU team and them choose our line-up
TV is yet to be confirmed JM, hoping for a big surprise…
What we need and get these days are distant by lightyears. I am actually worried a positive result will accentuate we turned another page while we haven’t started reading the reality.
So, probably yesterday, I’m correct in the line-up for tomorrow. Now, miss the score 😉
That old chestnut won’t wash anymore DG – if we should get a result, it will be a miracle, nothing more nothing less, but for sure AW will see it to be another reason, in a list on many, not to sign players….
20 minutes Bolton 1 Liverpool 0 🙂
A serious facial injury to Frimpong?? Oh Lord. They’re injured even when on loan…
Hoorah JM – may they score more….
What has happened to him agag??
A “serious kick in the eye” from the Red London website. I hope he’s well soon enough. 🙁 🙁
yes rico I watch it in direct. Frimpong probably has a problem in his face or head. 8 minutes of extra time in the game…
29 minutes: Bolton 2 Liverpool 0
It’s sad Rico. Fear even a loss won’t catalyze new signings. I read the comments and they all underline the bloody obvious. Yet we are taken to be Lemmings forced into the abyss of oblivion.
Need to go, dragging home some groceries.
37 minutes Bolton 2 Liverpool 1 (where is Cahill? ;-))
Dutch, it is sad. No direction for this club. 🙁
Hi, JM! Easy on Cahill, rico is still hurting about that. 😉
JM 🙂
DG, maybe the summer will see signings, this month is a no for sure, we as a club lack ambition… sorry state of affairs!
Cahill who?? agag 😉
Come on the Bolton 🙂
I’m off again guys and gals – i’m allowed an early one, got a year older today so having a nice dinner delivered by a lovely chinese restaurant 🙂
Nighty all, have a good one….
I’m off doing chores.
Take care, Rico, agag, Joaquim, Dutch Gooner, Lee, Mog and Allezkev. See you tomorrow.
Marinello.
Nighty Marinello….
Bolton 3 Liverpool 1 50th minutes 🙂
rico, I thought your birthday was tomorrow!! 🙁 Happy Sweet Sixteenth! 🙂 🙂 Hope it was a fab one. 🙂
Evening All.
Nighty night Rico, Birthday Girl….. 😉
Night Marinello, good chat mate.
Hiya Agag, your a bit of a night-hawk….. 🙂
http://www.3news.co.nz/VIDEO-Emmanuel-Frimpong-kicked-in-head-Wolves-Vs-Aston-Villa-Premier-League-2011/tabid/317/articleID/240179/Default.aspx#.Txrs5i-wmTw.twitter
Emmanuel Frimpong @Frimpong26AFC 22m
Reply RetweetedRetweet
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FavoritedFavorite · Close Open Details You lot should stop caring about me I hope petrov foot is on after hitting A metal face:)
I hope Lady AK is loads better, Kev! I have trouble sleeping. 🙁 I trawl the net for news on Beloved Club… and shopping deals. 😀 Not a bad life. 😉
Agag, you should join a gym?!
Ms Muscles prehaps????
Mrs AK is very good thanks agag.
I heard a comment on another blog that Frim has got a broken cheekbone… 🙁
I hope he’s wrong….. 😕
Happy birthday, Rico
Kick some of them guys out your bed Agag you will sleep like a baby take an Arsenal program to bed it makes my old worman sleep
At least, he seems very upbeat, AK. 🙂 Gyms here close early. You should be in bed now, too!! You young ones should sleep early! 😉 🙂
Sorry Rico missed your birthday Happy 21st 🙂
what a result that is with frimps playing for another club sorry injured and being paid by them
Cheeky as ever, SSP! 😛
Nightynight, guys. 🙂
Nte Agag just when i was on a roll
Agag, i’m a night person…..
Never been much good at being an early riser….
Hope the rumours re: Frim aren’t as serious as i’ve heard….
Ah, you off agag.
Sleep well.
Dream about Robin’s thighs, that’ll do the trick… 😉
Behave, gents!! 😀 Easy on the GG SSP. SAK, rico’s staked a claim on RvP’s thighs. 🙂 🙂
😳 night Agag
How’s the Mrs Ak
Sorry Stevo, she’s ok thanks.
How do you think we’re gonna do tomorrow?
Arsenal’s new away shirt for 2012-13, so the rumour goes, will feature black & burgundy horizontal stripes……
Hmmmm, groovey…. 😯
Twitter is awash with rumours that Arsenal are willing to pay £14.9million for Huntelaar…
Frimpong will be out for 3 months.
We all ready for another embarrassment tomorrow? Maybe a heavy beating will push Wenger into getting John lukic out of retirement.. so something equally circusish…
Usmanov offered 100m to be spent on transfers.. board turns it down..??
ESP Of course they would turn it down. That spending , including other people’s money, is not part of the business model
Has anyone out there ever heard of a French winger, 17 year old, by the name of Typic Alarsen???
I saw it on Twitter, that Arsenal have signed him and my first reaction was, that it was a wind-up….
Well, there it is, make of it what you will.
There ya go…..
Typic Alarsen = Typical Arsen….
Yes, very good, hahaha…….. 🙂
Sorry I missed you AK, Thought everyone had gone for the night, Pleased to hear Lady AK is recovering. As far as the result for tomorow You would hope for a massive win just to get our own back, but realisticly another hiding would probably be more beneficial in the long run. Bad losses is the only way to open eyes. Get a good win today will see our season off.
Morning guys and gals, thanks re the birthday wishes…..
New Post up…..
allezkev says:
January 21, 2012 at 8:54 pm
Twitter is awash with rumours that Arsenal are willing to pay £14.9million for Huntelaar…
lol he he ho ho Ha Ha
It’s the AW comedy hour