The other day when I read about Wenger re-signing Mad Jens until the end of the season I honestly thought he really had lost the final marble left inside his brain. But having read around a bit, thought a bit more about it I’m actually having a bit of a re-think.
Back in the summer we all wanted Wenger to sign a winner.
We all wanted him to sign a player who knew what it was like to win the Premier League.
We wanted a player who would take no s***e.
We wanted a real leader when the chips are down (no disrespect meant to Cesc)
Some of us even specified we wanted Wenger to sign ‘one of them big Germans’.
Hey, we even wanted an older signing 😉
Well, Jens Lehmann is all of those things, yes he’s a bit too old but doesn’t he tick every other box?
He was our keeper in The Invincible season.
He won us the FA Cup in 2005
He helped take us to the CL Final in 2006, breaking the record for the most consecutive clean sheets along the way – (853 minutes).
There was often a story in the red tops about Mad Jens, a rift here, a rift there and not only at Arsenal. He ‘battled’ with Almunia, he was the same with Oliver Khan but that’s because he wanted to be number one for his club and country and was prepared to fight for it.
His last game for us was less than three years ago yet it seems longer, much longer.
Whether he signs and plays another game for us remains to be seen but having Mad Jens in the changing room and on the training pitch could very well be the kick in the Arse…nal this current lot need…
If anyone can instil a bit of fire, passion and belief in them, Jens can….
Hi Rico, you have an interesting point amigo. Go back 12 months and we were all going on about the positive effect Sol Campbell was having. Personally i was a little disappointed he didn’t stay another year.
Yeah Rico, honey and lemon, lemons are full of Vit C, with hot water and a couple of spoonfulls of natural honey, hmm great for a sore throat as well. I always have some lemons in the fridge, very undervalued but delicious.
hi kev, has he actually re-signed yet?
Mad Jens is arrogant, childish, pig-headed and determined in my humble opinion, but he doesn’t like to lose and thats all i care about 🙂
bonjour ricolicious…
thing with mad jens
he wasnt everyones cup of tea when he was at his best..
he had the odd blunder in him….
and now hes back ppl see it as the saviour?
i dunno…
Jens finest game, in my view, was home to Real Madrid CL, he made one save, from Raul i think, it was quite amazing. He got a standing ovation from us Clock Enders that night.
none of that is any good for what i have kev, i have some anti biotics which are slowly starting to get me up and going again….
flu symptons but with a viral infection, i was at the GP’s 48 hours before i fell ill, probably picked it up there!
Anyway, few more days and i’ll be spot on again 🙂
Welcome back…
Rico, sorry to hear that, it wasn’t ‘man-flu’ then? You keep in the warm, good to have you back amigo
Hi jj, he certainly wasnt my cup of tea and if he does sign i hope he doesn’t play unless we have the league in the bag and its for sentiment only and even then for ten minutes….
What he brings with him though could be what helps us right now, wenger is too soft with them, Jens could take a few down a dark alley and read them few stories 😉
as long as he kicks denilson and diaby in the nuts its all good
Thanks Lee
Ha ha and thanks kev, that only lasts a few hours doesn’t it 😉
Jens was a bit like Flamini, had one and a half good seasons 😉
It’s quite a compliment to Arsenal, that Jens has come here to do his badges, what with the reputation of the Bundesliga re: coaching etc….
Rico, it only last half an hour, but puts us in bed for a week, you girls simply don’t understand….lol
But is old and the time never come back… moreover he has been stop for 0ne year (at least…). but, who will be the goalkeeper? almunia or him? And what happen if Leehman start with a poor performance ?
Hey, rico! Welcome back. Glad to hear you’re better! 🙂 Mad Jens wasn’t my cuppa either. 🙂 But he should be able to sort some of ours out. Punch ’em in the nose or headbutt them or something.
haha kev ….
JM, he will be an emergency cover only, i can’t see him playing in all honesty, we have 10 games left i think, even that whimp almunia should be able to stay fit for those games…
Hi Rico, the guardian stated this (Paolo Pandini):
“Arsenal’s present tally of 57 points after 28 games this year represents a year-on-year decline of 1.7%.”
Is that correct. Can you get last season’s league table after 28 games for Arsenal?
Howdy agag, just been catching up on emails, nice pics again…
who was it he headbutted, Robbie Keane 😆
I think this guy Paolo Bandini is a disgrace and wants us to believe in stupid assumptions as truth.
Read this:
“Of course, those same fans might still not mind were it not for the suspicion that the club will only go and blow all that extra money on the likes of Sébastien Squillaci, a man who is now known to represent a 74% reduction in standards from any other player. At least they can be reassured that the manager, Arsène Wenger, has given up any notions of knowing what a defender looks like, and will instead go back to scouting French sides for undersized wide attacking types that he can call on when the other eight are injured. Marseille’s André Ayew fits the bill.”
Re; season ticket prices, did you know that Arsenal’s ‘cheapest’ season ticket, is more expensive than the ‘dearest’ ticket at every other EPL club, with the exception of CFC,Mancs,Fulham,Newcastle & Spuds! Our most expensive ticket is a thousand quid more than the Mancs & Scousers. Yeah, the boys at The Grove certainly know how to treat and reward their fans, err customers!!!
robbing bastards…
might as well rename it ars£nal fc
Osi – who is Bandini?
kev/jj – Pedro on LG did an excellent article on the season ticket situation the other day, was going to link it then the chill set in, it’s really worth a read
http://le-grove.co.uk/2011/03/13/exclusive-season-ticket-price-hike-revealed-arsenal-choke-fest-is-75-complete/
JJ, i wonder if the ticket increases were decided prior to the CC Final? Arsenal usually ‘jack-up’ ticket prices after a cup/lge success.
Yeah Rico, i read it, got a link to a John’Gooner’Cross piece in the mirror, worth a look. That’s where i got info on tickets, eye watering.
I’m really getting a bit weary at the money-grabbing mentality at our club. Do we have Kroenke/Gazides to thank for this???
that’s todays post i’m on about btw
i read it rico
pedro and lg also got a mention in the mirror
its becoming unnacceptable
but what can we do..
I’m offski for a spell, see ya all later, hope to see you to Rico, ciao.
didn’t realise they got a mention, about time too in my book, they cove the financial side of the club like no other…
Off topic but sad news, Bryan Robson is having surgery for throat cancer….
see you later kev
We are a bigger laughing stock today than we were yesterday.
Maybe this is what’s needed Will for the club to wake up…
It is making us look stupid.
I’m well, rico. 🙂 You do everything to get better!! I would tell you to eat your veggies, but you already do. 😉
The last two weeks have been embarrassing. Each day, it gets worse. 🙁 AFC does not listen to its fans.
AFC doesn’t care Agag.
Certainly makes it seem that way, Will. 🙁 We’re not asking for multi multi multi million Torres-types (well, I was); just two or three proven quality players.
I think 4 top quality buys, sell around 5 of the dross we have and bang wallop zoom, we are off to the moon.
I am not surprised by our failings if i’m honest….
I suggested a while back, our then current position was false…
We said take one game at a time……
This is the worse season for the last decade quiality wiise and we are struggling.
Hello y’all!!
So, mad Jens to join us? who next, Kaba Diawara and Oleg ‘The Horse’ Luzhny?
morning rico and welcome back…i don’t think mad jens is going to have enough time (ten games on the bench) or enough (if any) first team action to make that much of an impact…but if he can shake a few squad members out of their apparent comfort zones, i will be more than happy with that…
i see his signing similar to when we brought mart poom in around 6-plus years ago…cover on the bench, but little/no actual first team action…his real benefit – as you suggest – will be through his strong personality…but i don’t think he will be here long enough to make the impact i hope for.
😆 re the veggies agag
IF some drastic improvements are made beacuse of what is going on right now I’d take it – for 4/5 seasons we have scraped along, just making the top four which we should do again this season.
But just maybe the way we have crumbled has truly exposed how reliant we are on several players who are carrying the others and when those others are called upon they not only fail but fail badly….
At some point something has to happen…..
Hi T-buzz, i wouldn’t worry, he won’t play just kick a few in the butt to wake them up, that’ll do me….
hi oliver, thank you….
i think it helps him as much as us too, he doing his coaching badges so hopefully he’ll be staying fit and it’ll be a case of sitting on the bench for 90 minutes on a saturday afternoon…
I hope you’re right Rico. how are you anyways?
🙂 I almost forgot you’re not one to have to be reminded to your leafy greens and chicaritos! 😉
It’s just dismal being an AFC supporter right now. As for Mad Jens, it really is just insurance. I guess though that’s scant comfort. Maybe the “competition” will see Almunia deliver!
Hey, T-buzz. 🙂
Bit brighter today thanks T-buzz, bed with a laptop 🙂
How’s you??
chicaritos agag, he’s a manc isn’t he 😉
I know, rico. Chew ’em up and spit ’em out. 🙂 I’m still on a media lockdown. I don’t feel like reading anything about how we’re coming up short again. It is only too true, and nothing we don’t already know.
😆 agag
I’m taking a new approach, i’m not bothering to get worked up about them again this season….
Hi rico.welcome back.we missed your presence here.wath deputised well yesterday.
Hi KT, thanks – he certainly did….
Just heard what Nani said about “that” tackle. What a mug.
i’m apprehensive about saturday…i know it is only w-brom and that we would ordinarily be favored to beat them comfortably…but they won at the ems earlier this season (seems like ages ago) and we will be bringing the same goalkeeper (al) and central defensive partnership (squil and kos) which played very, very poorly on that particular afternoon…
dimatteo’s side turned us over by attacking and capitalzing on a lethargic, unfocused, show-up-and-win attitude throughout our side. they are in a real relegation battle, and i don’t think roy really gameplans to attack, so we will probably face massed defensive ranks…we have to do better in breaking defensive teams down than we have recently…
thirty points from our last ten matches will see us crowned champions…it is a tall order, but if we can do it, we will win the league…united have a severe injury crisis of their own – and having to deal with three competitions – so it is really set up for us to do. if our players have the stomach for it…anything less than a win this weekend, and it is no longer in our hands…we have a great opportunity if we can – for once – just take it…
fergie banned 5 games
Afternoon all,
Bring back Wath thats what i say, giving me news of lehman, i can still see the tackle against Barca, dont tell me i have to suffer that again, the schoolboys will all start crying. Glad your feeling better ricolichous, missed ya. Well Jens eh whats the world coming to, just when i thought the pain was going away, it comes right back fcuk a duck, give me some of your tabs.
I’m good rico, thanks.
WBA is always a difficult team for us to beat and history has shown that. Someone was telling last night that we havent lost a game in the PL whenever Djourou plays? Anyone heard that or know how true that is?
red nose banned for five matches…won’t matter that much, he’ll have in-match communication with his no. 2 anyways…
Hello, all. Does that come with a monetary penalty, too? Its loose change to them, probably, but I hope there is.
hi agag…i think i heard 30k out of pocket…the ems fixture is right at the tail end of that – i think the final of the five domestic fixtures…but if newcastle agree to resked their home fixture with man u (postponsed due to the all-manchester fa cup s/f) to a date prior to may 1st, red nose will be back on the touchline at the ems…
oliver, you and me both re West Brom, expect nothing then we won’t be disapointed… Kos has got better though since the home match and Al can’t play any worse than he did on that day….
i think thats true Tbuzz, even if its JD and Squilli…
rico, i am worried our players will collectively shrink from the challenge rather than rise to the occasion…i absolutely hate admitting it, but i am worried based on what i have seen recently…
saturday is huge – we drop points and we have lost the initiative. we will need to rely on united dropping points to get it back. even if they do drop points, our players will know that this is another opportunity gone begging…
We have only conceded 4 PL goals with JD in the team this season.the last time we lost with JD in the team in the league was in a 3 nil loss at the City of Manchester stadium in November 2008.this game followed the demotion of Gallas as club captain earlier that week.
Afternoon Gooners.
Ryo Miyaichi’s 15 year old brother is on a 3 week trial at Feyenoord. Apparantly he’s as talented as his brother and has been recomended to both AFC & Feyenoord. More on YoungGuns
good to see your lasting the pace Rico, thank God for anti-biotics…. And veg of course……!
So basically we have being the joke of the town right now and there has never being a worse time to be an Arsenal fan, trust me.
We are signing a 41 year old keeper,
We were knocked out of FA Cup by a second string Man Utd team consisting of 7 defenders,
We lost the Carling cup to a relegating team,
Barca beat us mercilessly not helped by an inexperienced goal keeper who caught a shot awkwardly- the bad luck started from his inexperienced catch.
We have now lost our best defender this season and we will have to depend on an unsure Squillaci and also promote an 18year old defender to the senior team.
Then my darling club decided that the next thing to do is increase the ticket prices the highest in the country for any event b4 Olympics.
Well done Arsenal, well done Wenger and well done, out of touch board members.
We suffering fans
Well, they/Old Red Nose are 30K poorer, so I like that!!
There is little to suggest that our players are up to the challenge of the next ten games. The youth excuse has worn thin, and injury troubles ought to have been anticipated, so it’s def looking bleak for us.
So the ‘Red Nosed Ogre’ has been banned for 5 games! Somehow i can’t imagine HIM laying in bed worrying about it. He couldn’t give a toss about the FA, and who can blame him as they’ve had their snouts up his backside for years.
Sadly oliver, I think they are already there….
Right now what we need is some ‘new blood’ and that can only come from Wenger doing the most sensible thing possible and thats to recall Bartley, JET and Lansbury…
Yes they are in a title fight of their own, well Bartley and Lansbury are but bringing them back to fight for their own club while their game is going well surely has to be the best option…
afternoon sd…while i am not quite as emotional, i gritted my teeth a bit when i saw news of the price hike…sometimes i wonder if anyone is actually running the afc pr department? suggesting the timing of this particular bit of news is inauspicious is understatment, to say the least…
Oh, he won’t though, one only has to look at the afc website to realise that…
Miquels name is everywhere….
😆 kev…
Good comment SD…. Spot on re ‘Out of Touch’….!
We have no Alex Song for the weekend in case you didn’t know….
Popping off for a bit, back later
Well-said, SD. AFC is definitely not attuned to the fans’ pulse.
rico, it’s a bit unfair on Miquel, too. Ten really important games, and his (in)experience is not something to look forward to.
Just had a look in the programme, the team vs WBA = MA,BS,GC,SS,LK, AS,AD,EE,AA,SN, MC. Could see quite a similar line-up at The Hawthorns, major differences are JW,RVP,NB.
I know manure have picked some injuries of late (good), but why do we seem to have an injury epidemic, every season?
Over the last few seasons….
Brilliant goal by marcelo.thats what our FBs should be doing.
the madrid match is alot easier on the eye than the chavs
but it still doesnt beat last nights bayern v inter game
that was one of the best spectacles ive seen in a while
Eto’o was quite brilliant jj,wasn’t he?…
etoos a great little player..quick as lightening still and a quality finisher
how old is he now??
Actually Etoo would fit us perfectly.
morning, post will be up in an hour ish….
Sweet, I should be back from the gym by then.
new post is up