Are you ready to Rock n’ Roll Gooners?
Because it’s back, yes, It’s the League Cup again tonight and on the menu are Bradford City, a team that Arsenal have never faced in this competition. In fact, the Bantam’s are a club who Arsenal have faced on very few occasions and only ever in three previous cup-ties which were all FA Cup…
We have to go back some 110 years to the very first time these two clubs faced each other and in that League Division Two fixture, Harry Bradshaw’s Woolwich Arsenal beat Bradford City 4-1 at the Manor Ground, in front of a crowd of 18,000.
Four month’s later, the Gunners travelled to Valley Parade in Yorkshire, which has been Bradford’s ground for the clubs entire history, which at that time was quite a short, as they were formed in 1903! Woolwich Arsenal duly won their first visit to Valley Parade 3-0 on the way to being promoted to the First Division during that memorable 1903-04 season.
Five years later, a newly promoted Bradford City joined a mid-table Woolwich Arsenal in Division One. Harry Bradshaw had left, Phil Kelso had been and gone and George Morrell was trying manfully and ultimately unsuccessfully, to keep Woolwich Arsenal in the top division.
During those five struggling seasons Woolwich Arsenal’s record vs Bradford City was quite mixed P 10 W 3 D 3 L 4 F 8 A 13.
Arsenal’s best result against tonight’s opposition was a 2-0 victory during the 1911-12 season, the goalscorers were Alf Common and the jewel in Arsenal’s crown, Andy Ducat, the Cesc Fabregas of his day. He was eventually sold to Aston Villa to help clear debt’s.
Some thing’s never change at Arsenal it seems!
Woolwich Arsenal were relegated for their one and only time at the end of the 1912-13 season and duly moved to Highbury, eventually changing their name to Arsenal in 1914. During that brief sojourn in Division Two, prior to the Great War of 1914-18, the Gunners faced the Bantam’s in their first ever cup-tie and that was in the 1913-14 FA Cup, 1st Round. (know today as the 3rd Round) Bradford City of Division One, entertained Woolwich Arsenal of Division Two at Valley Parade and there would be no giant-killing as an 18,000 crowd roared the Bantam’s to a 2-0 victory.
Following the First World War, Arsenal found themselves elected back to the First Division at the expense of some unimportant club called Tottenham Hotspurs.
Whatever happened to them?
Then, for the next three seasons Arsenal vs Bradford City was again on the fixture list. The 1919-20 and 1920-21 saw Bradford win three and draw once as Leslie Knighton’s team struggled to maintain their status in England’s top division.
The Gunners got the upper hand in 1921-22 with a 2-0 win at Valley Parade and the clubs first ever victory over the Bantam’s at Highbury by 1-0, a goal scored by Billy Blyth and witnessed by 32,000 spectator’s. Bradford City were relegated at the end of that season.
It took 40 years (1961-62) before these two clubs would be paired again. This time 40,232 watched Mel Charles (2) and an own goal, put pay to Bradford City in the 3rd Round of the FA Cup at Highbury, the Arsenal manager was Bradford born George Swindin.
Another 10 years later, (1971-72) the Bantam’s visit Highbury again, this time in the FA Cup, 4th Round. 40,407 watched on as Bertie Mee’s side won 2-0 with Charlie George and Alan Ball getting the goals.
Valley Parade is still synonymous with that terrible fire that killed and maimed many fans during the mid 1980’s but with a new stand replacing the old wooden one, Bradford City returned to the big time., by winning promotion to the EPL in 1999 after 75 years of lower division obscurity.
1999-2001 saw two 2-0 victories for Arsenal at Highbury, whilst at Valley Parade the Gunners suffered a 2-1 defeat in Bradford’s first season back followed by a 1-1 draw, before Bradford City were relegated.
Bit of injury news for us:
Olivier Giroud, Theo Walcott, Laurent Koscielny, Andre Santos, Ignasi Miquel, Nico Yennaris and of course, Abou Diaby are all out for tonight but surely we should still have enough to get a result.
This season, Bradford are currently 4th in Division Two (Division Four in old money) and have lost twice at home this season, 0-1 to both Port Vale and Exeter .
They have accounted for Notts County (a), Watford (a) and Burton Albion (h), so far in the League Cup. That run was expected to end at the JJB against Wigan in the last round, but the Bantam’s pulled off a memorable 0-0 draw before beating Martinez’s team 4-2 on penalties…
So we better not underestimate Phil Parkinson’s team, or we’ll come a cropper.
Their danger man is 22 year old Bermuda striker Nahki Wells whose scored 14 goals in 26 appearances.
Wenger has said he wants to win this one, so do we Arsene!
COYG.
Written by Birthday Boy Allezkev…..
Happy Birthday mate. May your hairy toes never grow old as your moustache. 😉
Happy Birthday Allezkev !
It’s his 30th birthday I think Tom. 😉
Nahki Wells……….In late June 2011, Wells went on trial with Bradford City alongside four other players.[14][15] He signed a one-year contract with Bradford City on 22 July 2011.[16][17] Wells made his debut for Bradford City on the opening day of the 2011–12 season, coming on as a 74th minute substitute for Mark Stewart.[18] He scored his first goal for the Bantams in a 4–2 win against Barnet.[19] His second goal of the season came with an impressive strike against Rochdale in the FA Cup on 12 November 2011.[20] He followed this up with goals in back to back league wins against Crewe Alexandra and Shrewsbury Town. He scored his first goal of 2012 in an FA Cup match against Championship side Watford.[21] On 28 February, he finished off a 4–0 victory over Barnet by scoring in the 88th minute after coming on as a substitute.[22] On 9 March 2012, Bradford City exercised an option in Wells’ contract, and extended his deal by one year.[23] On 14 April 2012, Wells scored a hat-trick as Bradford beat Northampton Town 3–1.[24] He was later named in the Football League Two Team of the Week for that week.[25] Following this, former Bradford City player Dean Windass urged Wells to remain with the club,[26] while ex-Bermudian international Kyle Lightbourne compared Wells to Jermain Defoe.[27] In early May 2012, Wells and Bradford City began discussions over a new four-year contract,[28] and later that month Wells publicly assured fans that he would stay with the club.[29] In June 2012 there were further rumours of Wells leaving the club,[30] while it was later revealed that Wells nearly never signed for the club in the first place.[31] In July 2012, Wells stated he was in no rush to sign a new contract.[32] He scored a penalty on the opening day of the following season in an away match against Gillingham.[33] He scored his second goal of the season on 25 August in a 5–1 win against AFC Wimbledon, and also assisted the fifth goal, crossing for James Hanson to score with a header.[34] In September 2012, Wells suffered a hip injury.[35] On 25 September, Wells came off the bench to score two late goals to help Bradford overturn a 2–0 deficit against Burton Albion in the League Cup third round, with Bradford going on to win the game 3–2 in extra time.[36] At the end of September 2012, Wells signed a new three-year contract with the club,[37][38] in a move praised by Phil Parkinson, the club’s manager.[39]
He is 1.7metres tall
Morning all…
Happy Birthday Kev, hope you have a fab day and the boys get a comprehensive victory later, just for you….
Love the post, a good old trip down through the years for Bradford and us…. love it…
This is a tricky fixture and if our lot think it’s won before they get there, then there will be trouble….
Have the workmen in today so I’m off to find a warmer house…
Back later…..
BDW……….the club is 126 years old today. So Kev and the club have something in common even though there is the slight age gap!!!!! 😉
Feliz , my boy. Tonight is a banana skin waiting to happen , A full house, a lot of noise, an intimidating atmosphere. Those predicting an easy win either have not watched The Arsenal over a period of time or live in a delusional world. We need a quick start and an early goal and need to keep at them , no sitting back and resting on our laurels. Should be fine if we do.
Morning all,
Takes a very old man to remember all those fixtures and Sir Kev remembers them all, 🙂 Many happy returns of the day old un.
I can’t see any other result but a win for us tonight, i dont see any posibility for the Bantams so i hope they enjoy their trip south and hope they wont be to disappointed on their trip back up North, meanwhile Kev and his mates will be celebrating with an old traditional English curry searved with plenty of ice cold Cobras. Have a blinding evening Sir and get a cab. 🙂
Happy birthday Kev! Let’s hope the boys give you a birthday gift with a win over Bradford.
Good nostalgic post AK and how apt you share your birthday with The Arsenal……have a good day mate!
Good morning all,
Happy Birthday Kev, and a happy birthday to The Royal Arsenal too.
I love the history, it shows a different facet of football to the current daily diet of racism, cheating, crowd trouble, referee abuse and rampant commercialism.
In the absence of Giroud I hope to see Podolski playing central striker tonight, please not either Chamakh or Gervinho and bloody Ramsey needs a further ninety minutes on the bench.
There are five days for the players to rest before Monday night’s game against Reading, so no reason to take it easy tonight.
A win in normal time please.
Happy Birthday Grandad… It’s a good job Arsenal are a little older than you although only 40yrs difference ain’t that much. Have a great day mate and a healthy and happy year ahead. Will raise a glass or six of the Goose stuff later for you. Def no easy game tonight lets hope we turn up with the right attitude.
Which players would you go with today???
Well according to the limitations imposed by the injuries and by rotation I would go for the following line-up……
Mannone,
Yennaris, Jenkinson, Djourou,Mead
Eisfeld,Coquelin, Ramsey,Rosicky
Arshavin
Chamack
Maybe put Gervinho there. He might find his scoring boots for once.
Hiya W.A.T.H. How are you mate.
sent you an email yesterday.
Is Kev really 86 years old?? I thought he was 30+.
Then again I should have known better.
He looks younger than he is though.
Hi Dev, just seen your email now, will respond shortly, good news so far mate, thats great.
Kev is bloody good for 86 i’m always impressed how well that botox works on him..!
Gerv find his shooting boots Dev, he could hit a barn-door with a banjo…!
oh well he might my friend
But I do not think AW will go down with the team Iwrote
I have a hunch that Podolski and Gervinho will be involved
Morning Gooners…
Morning RICO, thanks for the sub.
Thanks for the positive response on the post and the birthday wishes, thanks.
It’s gonna be a tricky game tonight, in freezing conditions.
We’re gonna need our team to face up to an aggressive crowd and Bradford team.
Tonight is the Bantams cup final…
I just love that Botox….
Coach, I like your age assessment.
Grandson, you’re being sent to bed early with no tea tonight.
Sir Stevo, that sounds great mate, but I have to work.
No curry tonight. 🙁
An Arsenal win will do the trick. 🙂
I know that past experience points towards Wenger picking a second string line-up.
But needs must!
So I expect a near full-strength team.
Wenger needs to win this game, so that we have a semi-final in the bank to look forward to.
Maybe Le Prof is leaning towards the pragmatic at last???
Tom, How is Santa Claus doing, he is local to you so I understand? 😉
Good evening all.
A fine post Kev,and my i say happy birthday mate.
I hope the boys give you a lovely present….enjoy the day.
Thanks Digger, I hope so to..
Cheers UpGunner and JW…
Podolski thru the middle for me as well.
Chamuck and/or thru the middle would prove nothing…
But I hope we see Eisfeld start. That lad needs to be pushed on and into the 1st team squad on a more regular basis.
The profile of Eisfeld is certainly growing.
I can’t wait to see more of him.
Cheers Lee, you still in the Big Apple?
Gotta do some, lata.
PSG have put Javier Pastore for sale.
He plays as a 2nd striker, in the DB10 mould.
Currently we have Cazorla and or Ramsey in that position.
Would anyone like to see Pastore play in our shirt?
I would.
Not seen enough of him Dev to have an opinion to be honest.
Happy Birthday ole boy,
Another 7 goals would be nice tonight only without the kamikaze defending this time.
Think it’s gonna be pretty straight forward if I’m honest, Arshavin will need his gloves though.
4-0 to the Arse.
I think it will be 3-1 Mick.
I always see us conceding. But we might have enough fire to put them out.
Pastore is good Watty. I think under AW he will flourish.
Like Th14 did. Like PV04 did. Like DB10 did. Crap players elsewhere but great ones under AW.
Sorry to hear that Kev.
Its certainly not a time for an experimental team its been a while since we had a good win and after saturdays supposedly lucky win i would expect Wenger to go as strong as he can. plenty of time to rest after this game and he also knows that after a win the last thing we need is a downer result. He has in the past gone with youth and inexperience with a fluttering of first teamers but he knows or should know that this is a time for building confidence a strong team and a win would do a lot in the building process but then again who knows.
Crap Bergkamp !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! I think the moguls at Ajax can take credit for him and I doubt Wenger could believe his luck when he inherited him. Admittedly he struggled at Inter but that was because of the way they played him. Bit like so many of ours that have suffered by being fitted to a system rather than finding the system that brings out the best of the player.
Good Morning Rico and All.
@ Kev,thanks for taking us back in De-Days. Happy B-day young man:-)
Much has been made about our lack of goals since RVP left.
Just to point out that we are just 5 shy of last year after 16 games. At the moment we have 26. Last year we had 31.
Points wise we are 3 points worse.
And we are just 5 points off 3rd place.
Yes I know we should have done better and we should have been better, but we are not so in the doom and gloom that others are putting us.
Much is being said of AFC’s lack of winning for the past 7 years.
When was the last trophy the scum won? Everton won? Newcastle won? etc etc etc. But its us they pick about.
Potter……….you should have seen the DB at Inter. I used to do it weekly basis. And more often than not he was crap. But top marks for the last line………..Bit like so many of ours that have suffered by being fitted to a system rather than finding the system that brings out the best of the player.
At the moment that is the problem. AW is trying to fit the players into the system rather than………..finding the system that brings out the best of the player.
Good afternoon all…
Happy B’day HH’s own Methuselah.
Dev I loved Pastore when he was at Palermo 2-3 years ago. He was meant to be a better and cheaper version of Hazard or Ganso and we were even linked to him before he went to PSG. Rumours have it that AW recommended him to PSG as we could not afford his asking price at that time and AW was hoping he could have tied the SC19 deal instead because of his experience. At the time we were looking at him he did not havwe an EU passport.
Where PSG are transfer listing him I do not know?
Dev DB10 was poor because he was being played as a RW then. That was where he started out until the original converter (not AW) Cruyff moved him into his famous role post the retirement of Gullitt.
And the popular believe that if you win the CC or now CoC you will go on to win other trophies are baseless really. GG with the scums won it but are still waiting for another trophy and even Emile Heskey with O’Neil won the cup but they still got relegated. 😀
I know but teams are not AFC but…
Dev – I will play TR07 ahead of Carzola in the DB10 role any day of the week.
We should all note that the last part of last season was the first time he had played in that role for us. Before that and upon his arrival in 2006 he played on the LHS. AM was his natural position at Dortmond where even youngster such as Eisfield and Gotze court as their role model even though they never played with him. And he is still the DB10 of Dortmond to this day…
Good day gooners!
Loved the historical post AK, cheers.
Dev – Nico is still out. As is Miguel.
I do not know why most fans do not like Miguel at LB? He has never let us down playing for us. He even turned down Barca B to stay with us last summer and he is an AFC badge kisser too 😉
Malaga also inquired of him but he wanted to stay with us so a Spanish gunner just like Toral imo…
Oh and Appy Birfdee!
Nani has been house hunting in london…
And he was spotted in Colney on Sunday according to Twitter.
I may not be a crazy man if my comment in August that T Walnut will be joining Judas at the old manure grounds based on Nani’s comments that he did not understand why contract talks were cancel abruptly . I hear Nani wants to join us but will he drop his 100k wage demand to play for the best forward coach in the world?
Happy birthday Allez and happy birthday Arsenal!
Hi JM- Any rumours about Nani in Portugal?
AW on being linked to PSG…
“PSG did not contact me, and I think they should support Ancelotti. For my part, I must show loyalty to my employers, my club and my contract. I still have one and half years of work to do at Arsenal.”
AW is a proper gooner like us (except his pay packet as some cynics will point out) but even the celebrity self professed – mouthpiece of Arsenal Pierce Morgan thought a basic salary of £1m a year acting as the clubs CEO was not enough to persuade him to take the job. So anytime he tries to play the good guy like he did with the fake squaddie pictures lets remember he is as slippery as a water snake…
Happy Birthday Kev mate. A win would be a super present tonight.Cheers
Afternoon Gooners
Just had a lovely cuppa.
Pastore Coach, don’t really know enough about him?!
How would he cope with the physical side of the EPL…
Cheers young Michael…
Thanks Ginge/Nash/Louis/Eusebio(JM) 🙂
11730, cheers mate, a win would top it off, that’s for sure.
Ginge I see where you’re coming from re:League Cup etc, but this team has a huge monkey on it’s back, ie 7/8 years without silver wear.
The only club, of a similar stature, who we could compare, are Liverpool, who are constantly reminded that it’s 12/13 years since they were champions…
Those other clubs you mentioned whilst big clubs, do not really rank alongside Arsenal IMHO.
Potter, what is Feliz…?
Nani swapped for Theo?
I recall someone flagging up that one, was that you Ginge?
It’s a ‘possible’ I suppose, but I cannot imagine Ferguson selling a quality player to an EPL rival, bearing in mind how he blocked Heinze move to Liverpool.
Back to the slog…
Lata
AK,
It’s what Richard Burton got off his wife. 😀
Isn’t that Latin JW…? 😉
Gone now.
Tsgh, i totally agree about Ignassi Miquel. Couldnt have said it better myself. He also has shown some skills moving forward also. We need to find him some game time, why not at lb. He may decide to leave if he doesnt receive some playing time. Matches like this are an opportunity.
Feliz is Spanish for happy….
Evening guys and gals…
Finally…..
http://www.dailymail.co.uk/sport/football/article-2246449/Nani-pictured-Arsenal-training-ground.html
Off to eat…
Portuguese media:
Arsenal are ready to offer 25 million euros to Manchester United Nani pass by. The Portuguese player can now head to London in January, according to the newspaper “The Sun”.
The situation of Nani at Old Trafford has worsened and the Portuguese international does not appear to figure in the plans of Alex Ferguson. The player does not, in fact, the club’s calendar for 2013.
Arsenal following closely the events unfolding in mind and will bring the player back in January to the Emirates Stadium, where Walcott has indefinite future. The Gunners are preparing a proposal even superior to that which was reported as coming from Juventus.
The British newspaper also notes that Zenit and Paris Saint-Germain are interested but Nani prefers to remain in England, where Chelsea also appears on the prowl
birthday wishes charlie aka AK
Nani that wont work. Another one linked with us. £20million? No way he is coming to us. We can dump that story in the bin 😉
COYG’s!!!
https://twitter.com/Arsenal/status/278572644352290816
https://twitter.com/Arsenal/status/278572844538023936
I guess Mosieur Wenger wants this match done and dusted in the first half 😉
COYG’s
I bet you Bradford players where expecting to see our reserve players. It’s a psychological punch knowing they are playing our 1st team
Hope we win… 😉
It all depends which Arsenal show up. But win, we must.
We don’t want him JM…
Bloody heck emma, i wasn’t expecting that strong side, but very glad….
Rico. This tells you AW is taking this cup seriously.
Just hope Gervinho has his shooting boots on…
It could have been nice to start TR7 instead of SC19.
Sure does, and I’m glad Ng..
Good Evening my Esteemed Fellow Gunners.
Back with a smile today, Rico, Kev and W.A.T.H. And its such a relief.
Wow what a strong side. I just hope we win. And that the game offers us plenty of goals in our favour.
TR will get on i suspect, the pitch could have a part to play tonight….
This might have legs now. I do not know what to make of it but it seems as if a swap deal may be on the cards………
In Nani. Out Theo.
After reports of Arsenal’s interest in the player circulated, fuel was added to the rumours as Nani was spotted and photographed near the North London club’s training ground on the same day as the Manchester derby.
No Eisfield at all?
I was expecting Mead, Eisfeld and Gnabry on tonight. But that is a very strong side TSGH. I just hope that they do not slip up.
Evening devil – great to hear ….
We can’t think about losing this one, not with that line up, but…..
I’m not convinced about that Nani story about him being at Colney…
No Ts, Eisfeld not even on the bench, no kids are…
He was photographed Rico. At least that is what is on NN.
Evening Dev- very suspect line-up. I do not like Senior players in the FA cup or CoC before the finals. They always let us down.
Anyway hoping for the best as it seems the players all want the monkey off their backside…
No goonie today?
COYGss
Hanson and Will are leading the challenge for Bradford.
Any links mates? I cannot find the game anywhere.
Dev here you are:
http://www.thefirstrow.eu/watch/158360/1/watch-bradford-city-vs-arsenal.html
I know devil, but no-one ‘credible’ has confirmed he was at LC have they?
Pitch looks frozen…
bloomin heck!
zonal marking!!
Bradford 1 0 Arsenal
Which team plays in the 4th tier of English football again?
I must be having trouble.
Its not working.
Its the beeb for me.
we’re going to beat them Rico…
We better had Ng..
Final ball is letting us down and Bradford really want this …..
Arsenal Esp 😉
Morning all.
Another solid start is see lol
Who’d have thought it?
Our defending is shocking…. again!
Hi Scott…
Me Wavy….
They were always going to come out firing.
I would not be overly concerned….yet 🙂
Ramsey caught sleeping…
How long did that throw-in take??
Why didn’t we come out firing?? Shocking to have conceded such a sloppy sloppy goal…
This is embarrassing
Jack, that was awful…
So the starting 11 said they wanna play and they’re up for this game. Shew, i’d hate to see when they’re not.
It is Esp, have we forced a save from their keeper yet??
What was that Ramsey?
That’s a bit better….
And then Santi blasts one over….
For a number 10. Cazorla is a poor shooter.
Nice shot by the Frenchman…
He is Bradster….
About time someone had a shot on target….
Gervinho really is rubbish!
Why do we have to concede to wake up?
As I told Micko this morning……….I always see us conceding.
Arsenal always have to put us through the wringer.
Pro footballer? How the duck do you miss that?
Gerv is a waste…just missed a possible goal…
Damn auto correct
Thought we were about to again devil…..
Just read that Gervinho has missed an open goal.
Watty you were right.
Seems as if the Beeb is praising Nahiki Wells. He is having a great game it seems.
Gervinho is one of the worst players I have ever seen in an Arsenal Jersey.
Our defence needs to go, we need a new solid back 4. its beyond a joke at this point.
Well that was entertaining….
This Arsenal team is a disgrace.
We need the win these guys have no guts and will be down for the next 2-3 games if they lose and will struggle.
AW “The gap [to the top] is big, but not big enough to think it’s done. Ur a fuc*ing clown
The stats with our season players in cup competition is appalling. Less than 5% won.As I said before kick-off I am not confident but the faithful wanted a strong squad so there we go.
The daggers are already out for Ramsey. I thought he was the best midfielder but hey….
SC19 is a waste for a no.10 when will AW learn that. JW10 fans favourite hardly ever sets up an assist or goes beyond the opponents defence but still…
3-1 to the Arsenal or 2-0 lose for us.
COYGs
AFCON couldn’t come too soon. Gervinho is an outta gabbage. Ramsey i wouldn’t blame cause he is not a right winger.Vermalaen is having one of those days ;(
Indeed you did devil.
Anyone would think we’re playing for extra time and penalties !
Nothing less than a bollocking will do at half time, the team needs a rocket up their arses.
Didn’t think Gerv could top his miss from less than 6 yards against wba on Saturday but to miss from less than 2 yards out tonight takes the biscuit.
Where’s Arshavin, it’s not like he plays league games.
C’mon Arsenal.
I just saw the goal, wow that was piss poor. Zonal or not, how the fuck is the back post not a zone to mark.
It was a sitter devil, even I could have scored it looked so simple… only needed to get a big toe on the cross….
No daggers for Ramsey here Ts…
Just saw the highlights.
As I always say. In the box its man to man not effing zonal.
Gerv’smiss was the biscuit you said? That’s the miss of the century. it seems as if he pulled the leg back when he should have stuck it forward.
Is it me or AFC players have played some bets that Bradford would win the first half and AFC the second?
I just want another goal…………..and I do not give a shit from where it comes.
A huge rocket Micko…
GET CHAMACK ON. NOW MR AW!!!!!!
Remember in the summer we talked about Podolski and how he may not hit the ground running in England….
Well imho, he’s struggling….
Scariest is this is our best 11 bar Arteta as Walcott and Giroud are injured.
Why, in the name or Jor-el, is that sack of shit Gervinho still on? Why is he our main striker tonight? What must Podolski be thinking, seeing that spanner miss chance after chance?
Arteta is going to have to come on soon, and Tomas….
good question rocky…..
And why is Vermaelen so shit these days?
Wilshere’s passing is poor tonight, straight to an opponent.
We’re not even in this. Terrible.
Not one shot on target…..
Is anyone playing well?
Bradford are
Jack and Santi are trying to force the issue and just playing woeful balls.
I asked for that ….
I would have to say Coq
Brilliant shot Gerv. Just great. Bell end.
What on earth was that!
Ball pulled back in the middle of the box and…no one there
Taking our best player off…. Great.
He’s had a hair cut…..
I have managed to get a link working at last.
We are effing piss poor. Just like the game against Schalke at the Ems.
Not one shot on target.
Seems as if Bradford have got us on the backfoot.
I like Nahki Wells. Better brains than Theo it seems. And also over half of our team for that matter.
Santi Cazorla is a fantastic player.. but he is surround by dogshit.
Bet that stung a bit…..
Why Coquelin off for Chamack??? Surely that should have been Gerv for Chamack.
He’s not that fantastic tonight – his passing is very wayward and his shooting is very average imho….
They’ve dragged him down to their level then Paul because so far he’s been gash
Gervs going to score in a minute….
Gerv for ME would have been a better change.
Giving the ball away
Do we not challenge for high balls anymore?
This really is cack…..
What else AW needs to do to be fired?
I know you are all focused on the game. But…………..
…………the players are having reductions if they do not get into the CL.
At the same time…………..why doesnt IG make AW the same proposal. That is, he will have his salary reduced if he fails again this season?
Why is Gervinho still on my TV??
Now that’s better play
Gerv misses another header….
Why is AW still at AFC
This seriously is a huge steaming turd of a performance. Looking forward to AW’s patronising email about this saying we looked sharp and deserved the win……
Forgot Jack was even playing til just then.
Until he leaves or gets sacked, he always will be gdna….
Chamakh has come on and kept up the standard of passing…
Dire….
It will remain 1-0. We will not score. And they will not.
Will it be a cup upset of big proportions? No it will not.
For Bradford it will be though. And from what I have seen they deserve it.
Do we deserve to draw at least today? No we do not!!!!!!
Hoof ball to no-one….
Worst is that Bradford aren’t even parking the bus
I just can’t see us scoring….
I thought that the 2-8 loss last year was the lowest our team could stoop.
This is worse!!!!
That is the quote of the day Bradster……..Bradford aren’t even parking the bus
AW gots to go, he is bringing down the club with his lack of ambition, this is embarrassing..
Why would anyone want to sign for us at the moment? This system just does not work. Played off the park by a bottom league side. Embarrassing.
Thank fuck for that
Extra time then
Penalties?
Tommy has made it 1-1. Am I pleased?
No I am not. We should have been able to win tonight in the first half alone.
As usual we make the opposition look great……..which they are not.
But I like Nahki Wells.
Great to hear the 4000 fans in full voice
i hope that every fecking Gooner accept that even if we win tonight..this really cant go on !!
if wenger cant see this then, he just have to walk away…and take that feck hollywood hooker kroenke and his madman nazidis with him…what a fiasco they are..
Agreed Brad. Done us proud. Not stopped all night.
If feeo has not got a footballing brain, where does that leave Gervinho?
No BRAIN AT ALL. MY GOD HE IS TOTAL CRAP!
Why is Gibbs offside? Why is no-one shooting?
We can do a Man U. Play shite and steal it in the end
He’s turned us into a pub team – please, please don’t give him a penny in January.
Also good that Thompson and Wells ar
e off
Wouldn’t be surprised if this game doesn’t finish… The pitch gets whiter by the minute…
Gervinho? Where does that leave him????
To leave someone behind he has to start at least.
Gervinho does not.
Bring on Nani!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Totally agree re the fans Bradster…. They must be frozen….
right devilgunner ;)lets be manure’s farmer team..let them have the few good players we have and in return we can take the players fergie doesnt want ::sounds interesting !…bright future
Very soon we’ll differentiate the BOYS from the MEN…
Doesn’t matter Steve…. He wouldn’t spend it anyway.
At least Nani has a little bit more than Gerv.
Fucking shoot!
That was Cescesque from Wilshere. Or Messiesque. Brilliant boy.
A little bit, dev? A little bit?? He’s miles better than Gerv.
Still couldn’t hit it with his wrong foot though dev.
9.29 rocky – they wouldn’t…
If we didn’t have Gervinho and in his place had someone far more direct and who would pass and move, then we’d be so much better….
This is why our ‘strongest’ team Shud not have been fielded. At least our younger and fringe players would have a point to prove, this lot just turn up like the game is won. I think we get worse every time I watch.
couldnt agree more devil :)…still
boys from men Nashua mate…well ok maybe it only takes 90 minutes to grow some balls..;)
cant wait to hear what a gret team Bradford is,and how strong mentality we have…for godness sake …wake up and smell the coffe wenger…have you completely lost your way…taking pointers from the american robbers wasnt such a good idea ..?maybe?…
Ts said similar about our first teamers not playing Lewis because they muck up all too often…
Sarcasm Rocky mate. Sarcasm.
At least I am smiling. I had the game for over 1.5 gls. That is why I said I dont give a hoot from where the next goal is going to come.
Sorry dev….. Hard to pick out sarcasm through my intense rage
We’ll soon separate the boys from the men…you can run but cant hide
We don’t want pens guys, come on, finish this bloomin game off….
Even if we pulverise them in the 2nd half of ET I would still be angry Rocky. But that is when I am at my most worst. When I am angry.
You’ve heard the expression “caught in two minds”. It does not apply to Gerviho! He doesn’t have a mind at all,
And our players were ‘jaded’ before this bullshit show!
We’ll score 12:12am on 12/12/12 CAT.
darn is it true that nazidis makes more money than the entire Bradford team ?…i must say we spend wisely ?
Nashua…….I am assuming that the boys are the Arsenal team right!!!!!
@Tomstoned, it not over till the the ref says so…I still believe
@dg, who have the tired legs???
Stan Kroenke will be pleased, taking them all the way to the 4th quarter, this will make or break our season.
Rico……the headline for tomorrow’s post should read……
…AW took this game seriously, and FAILED.
I guess this lot did beat Wigan so going by that they are about as good as us.
Even TH14 with his 34 year old legs would have outrun the Bradford back 4. They are playing a high line and no balls are played behind the defence…………we simply have no sprinters up front.
Come on ox, do something with the ball.
Bradford deserve the win.
Pens.
Pathetic
Oh dear, oh dear – it’s behind the sofa time…..
hahahaaaaaa..In Arsene we trust….lol
Quick……….lets have a guess who the penalty takers will be.
Podolski…….err he is off.
Arteta………..ummmm he did not play
Giroud……..oh shit he is injured.
RVP……………oh no. he has been sold.
Wait……… Gervinho. YAbbbbbaaaaa Daaaabbbbaa Duuuuu
New players please.
We usually suck at penalties. Here’s hoping for a change in luck
Can’t see Ches saving any so hope the Bradford boys legs are tired, somehow though I suspect they won’t be….
Can I join you behind the sofa Rico? Is it warm and cosy there???
😉
c’mon rico stay alive….hope at least chamakh,and gerv,will have a go ;)..hehe its really ridicilous ….but im gunning for a victory…after all we have been the best team all night..
yes you expected that>
I’m offski guys, catch you all tomorrow…
Night all…..
2-0
We really are cack!!
This will show if we have any mental strength!
sc19 is shite
lets blame AW because he did not motivate the players on 80k a week
Jack is the only player that gives a shit!
So this is what it’s all come down to !
Where did it all go wrong Arsene ?
God we are fucking shit!
And that sums up Verm this season. Need to get the armband off him. It doing no-one any favours. Pathetic pens that were missed. Absolutely pathetic.
We are out.
The players should be ashamed of themselves today.
AW should be ashamed.
The whole club and its structure should be ashamed.
They deserved it.
Dogshit
tsGH SC19 is the only player why afc is talked about, AW is the biggest shit at the club, what AW supporters have to say now, i would be so ashamed
unbelievable. We are shit in crossing. This guys need to take a learning lesson in crossing
Looking forward to tonites excuse.
Where r the AW supporters?
No ifs, no buts, it’s time to go Mr Wenger.
where is scott?
Arsenal loose on penalty, wow, diz is a big disgrace
thats it then…i expect no more than wenger does the right thing and quit first thing tomorrow…still our probs will continue…we are being robbed by the slick americans….im a peaceful man but right now…i truly wish that something bad will happen to the holly….No then again its only a game so i shouldnt go there…after all i have kown about The Arsenals ambitions since 07…no surprise..au revoir..
we need a new coach
Looking for people to blame as always but the fact is the players are letting the club down. Its got nothing to do with system or mental strength.
JW10 was awful in thye first half. BFG hardly ever wins an aerial duel for a 6f7′ footballer.
tomstoned AW is the problem, stan do give a fuck about afc because they don’t play in the nfl or the nba, stan don’t care because afc is his least important franchise that why he allows AW to fuck up the club. We can all assume but AW is the problem.
Time to go arsene
I am off now mates and fine folk.
We all deserve better than that load of shower. And while this team does not make me proud having you all as friends is great.
Cu all tomorrow.
wenger = finished
tsGH whi the feck bought these players then mate eh ?
tsGH i don’t know what AW did to some of afc supporters but he certainly channel some of fans vision his way, every player on the field AW want them at the club, the way that clown talks says alot about him. AW is a big shithouse
and who have sold our best players every fecking season tsGH ?c’mon get a grip
AW have some of the fans brain wrapped up, deluded bunch…
I’ m here dna. So what is the blame here. He fielded our best available team bar ma08. The creative players were shit from the beginning. JW10 and SC19 hardly pcompleted a pass in the first half.
Wenger cannot motivate the team anymore.
Wenger picks, buys, motivates the squad, also has a say on wages and contracts. Clearly lost it. Thanks for the past but he has got to go
Not only Jack, Lewis, there are others who really care and will fight. Funny thing is AW either leaves them on the bench or surrounds them with the lazy and useless. He will persist with the gutless Gervinho and take off Le Coq who was full of fight. I’m starting to wonder if AW gets a bonus for sabotaging this team.
@tomstoned, when AW refused to sell and the Board ordered him to sell, who’s to blame???
Wengers interview…… Embarrassing
c’mon Nashua mate you know better….the best team wenger had..wasnt even his…you do remember right ??…
So AW is the reason players earning more than 90% of the world population earn in a year in a week miss penalties. Contrary to what the ignorant commentators said we have a very poor penalty record. Galatasaray anyone?
A manager either deluded or speaking in subliminal messages no one knows. All I know is the players on the pitch should be doing better simple.
Nite all..
I am utterly aghast!! I got what I wanted, a strong team put out to show we want to win a cup. Send a message. We got that. No offence to Bradford but how humiliating. How can the manager and board even look at themselves in the mirror much less carry on tomorrow as though nothing has happened, as they surely will.
Any other top flight club would be looking at the man at the helm and asking who they should get to replace him. Not today’s Arsenal though. They’ll come up with insulting rhetoric and bullshit spin. Tonight truly marks a new low. I now wish he’d fielded the kids, we’d likely have won.
Why aren’t they then Tsgh? What’s the reason we are so consistently poor?
Wenger: “Congratulations to Bradford. They played very well. I cannot fault the effort of my team. They gave absolutely everything.”
Go f*cking spend that money in January. Get the deadwoods out
They turned up thinking the game was won, as usual, strong mentality? I think not.
Really Tom which team are you talking about? Not the 2003 team I presume?
Apart from DB10, MK, Ray who else was not his buy
Never thought it would come to this but all I can say is Wenger Out. He is no longer what we need.
Dna,
I am out earning a fucking living so i can feed my family!!!
You know i live in Australia,i am at work and this is the first minute i get a chance to get on here only to check the result which is bad enough,but then i see a whinging bloody sook like you pointing the finger at me.
The one word i can’t use on this forum is the one i would like to!!
I don’t need this shit from some arsehole i have never met!!
To DNA,get a life!!
If you hate Arsenal so much,find another pastime!!
To all others,i apologise.
BG – fucking terrible wasn’t it. There’ll be no ramifications whatsoever. None. Season over. Great. Well done everyone.
Any person in their right mind still believe in the guy is a fecking clown, tired of this bs, too many dumb people in this world its irritating.
Easy Scott. Risen above it mate. And get back to work you lazy sod!
If I knew I would make myself rick Rocky. Didn’t manure drop 10 points last season for shitty to win the league? The fact is even Barca went 7 years without a trophy and they had Figo, Ronaldo, Rivaldo, Gonzalez etc in the team.
Our first team should never have started this game, when they are expected to win, they fail.
I really do not like Arsenal at the most Scott. Don’t like what we are becoming. I’m still going to support them though. Even if they do make my blood pressure far too high.
Coq was the man of the match until he was taking off. Full of energy pushing the team forward. Wilshere only woke up in the second half. Podolski as usual disappeared(Dont know how he does that). Ramsey did put a shift better than Podolski who is another deadwood we have bought. Pathetic AW took him off instead of Gervinho who missed a sitter 1yard out (3yard out against WBA)
I agree with Tsgh, we still haven’t recovered from losing to Galatasaray on penalties in 2000, funny stuff.
scott u r a clown, did i told u i want to meet u? I don’t date guys, fuck u…I’m self made clown, i always u want to come like u r the bad guy, but u dont know the half, face to face u can’t talk to me, u r a key board missesss
True, but Barca weren’t losing to teams 3 divisions lower than them! There’s something fundamentally wrong with us at the moment. There’s absolutely no way we should be churning out so many performances like this. And let’s face it, there’s been too many like that this season
Rocky, sounds like you need another holiday mate !
haha DNA, you are being too sensitive mate. Those who want AW out why dont you all cancel your season tickets and go on a demonstration etc. Jeez its just football mate. Even those who braved the cold weather sang to the end and some of us armchair spectators are spilling puke ….
c’mon Scott…nobody would blame you …and most of us love The Arsenal mate..but its a big difference we love the club not a manager who seems to have lost with reality and certainly not our american owners who have done nothing but robbed us…dont get me started on gazidis that lying son of a b*tch…
im only hoping that wenger will be a man about this and walk away…the owners well…im afraid they will keep milking us dry…
one thing they all have in common…no ambition whatsoever..
Good job I only have 8 days of work left til I’m done form the year Micko!! Boston seems like a lifetime ago after watching that!
DNA, leave it out mate.
Chelsea under mauren lost to Wycombe.
I am not making an excuse for AW or anyone. I know or owe them nothing. All I am saying is at 7 o’clock this evening those complaining thought the team selection was good. And if a grown professional footballer needs to be screamed at to perform then lets give up.
@tomstoned, which team are you talking about?…. because all the best past Arsenal players gone through AW. PV, TH, Big Sol. to name a few.
Hello
I didn’t say anything about the line-up bit AW make the some mistake: we can’t play with Ramsey-cazorla and wilshere at he some time. That it’s so obviously ! Why AW make the some mistake again?
Moreover, Podoslky again. what is he position on the pitch? What he improve to the team? He is always replaced.
Ramsey. He didn’t know what he is done on the pitch.
and we were out the competition. This score maybe dramatic for the future because we had played with the mean team.
Our way of play is past. nobody has afraid of us.
tsGH this dude scott always behaving like he is the bad but he just never know, anywhere we meet dude we can have a fight because ur a clown, i’m tired of u trying to jump up up like some bitch
Rocky, these players are capable of infinitely better than they are producing. What is going on behind the scenes? Wenger has lost the player’s confidence. He needs to take a stroll and be a while about it.
That’s the sad thing though TS…. It seems they have to be screamed at. Yes, its bollocks. But so are we at the moment. Something has to give. And thus zonal marking can fuck right off too
Dna – there’s people on here I can’t be bothered with or that annoy me. Just ignore them. Don’t start with the fight talk. You’re never going to meet up and do it so forget it. Just ignore. Works great for me!!
Wind your neck in dna. No need to start personal attacks, this blog is about arsenal. Yes we’re are shit and we’re all upset about that, so ease up yeah?!
@gunnerdna, we all entitle to our opinion, no need to call others clown because they still believe AW.
Take it eay guys. The players either dont care or are hurting too. At the end of the day a professional player should have some pride. And those thinking SC19 is better than AFC, please we are a step too far for him. He slows our game down contributes f all for his position. But hey…
Nashua mate…well i can go this far…wenger used to know what he was doing…ill give you that…but like in crime…look at the timeline since the hollywood hooker kroenke came into the picture 07..wenger was clearly robbed of not only his best mate Dein but his manhood aswell…since then he has been a joke…oii hold on a moneymaking joke that is..
maybe some day some of you wenger lovers will have to admit..rvp,nasri,cesc,was right ..we have no ambition whatsoever and thats a damned shame…
and even if i like wenger..to me he has told far to many lies…but be nice with him he is nothing more than an older gentleman who have lost his ways…then again he have enough money im sure he will do ok..
That’s it BG – something must be happening. That’s the only explanation I can come up with. Why are they just so lacklustre these days? Really makes no sense.
easy I meant..
Not like it’s just tonight, we’ve been poor at best for a while now. We were ok until we lost to Chelsea in the league. A couple of good results have dragged it out but somethings been wrong for a while
Jimario, there’s been something wrong since we lost to Birmingham in the league when Eduardo broke his leg. A slow decline.
Show me one comment i made during or after the game defending anyone you fool?
I have no made a single comment.
Fight…..haha…..classic.
You would lose,and badly.
Having said that,if that is your best comeback,you are in trouble mentally and physically lol.
Oh,and wtf are you waffling about me wanting to meet you?
I never said it,but it is looking a more enticing proposition right now.
Uneducated,illiterate muppet.
Enough from me.
I will re-enter the conversation when the kids have gone to bed.
Anyway, can’t be arsed to keep beating myself with how poor we are. Night all.
Capital one cup gone for another year. Well done Bradford city showed heart and determination. I felt that we should of had the upper hand in this match although we were away from home. Athough Bradford play in a lower league and have players who are not household names they showed us how to play in a competition and play with belief. Our team were realy poor tonight they didn’t only embarass the club they embaressed themselves, they played as if it was them that should be playing in a lower league. This was a game where you couldnt pick out the worst player they complimented one another with a shocking team effort. Many will call for the managers head but speaking from the heart i felt we had a strong enough team to put paid to Bradford. how can we put the blame on the manager when players turn in a performance like this. When spoken to after the game Wenger would not pass the buck he congratulated Bradford and said how well they defended, he also said that we made chances but couldn’t finish them off. It has to be said that Bradford never played that well, in actual fact they didn’t need too Arsenal players were pityfull even our so called top stars were shown to look amaturist 70 minutes before we got a shot on target is almost unbelievable but this is a very poor team who have no confidence they are a shambles. I felt in my earlier post that we had turned the corner how wrong i was.
People i respect everyone opinion, but this guy scott always try to get at me, he is just a lucky guy, trust me….
rocky….its not that difficult to understand if your working in an enviroment where there is no demands…where making money is the only thing thats important..where 4th are seen as a trophy…where it doesnt matter if yo lose or win,where there is no ambition..sooner or later it will rub off on every member of that club….
and at Asrenal it clearly have …just read the excuses all the fine talk..it never stops..Cox tried to explain..remember…my oh my..
ive said this many times..were being run like a mcdonalds …
Scott u r an asshole, u r as educated as AW, say it all…U know what fuck..
scott we dont throw punches, read between the lines
gunner..Scott is a Gooner with his own views…respect that and im sure he will respect you…get over it..
tom i never messed with this dude, i dont even read his post, as soon as u expressed ur views on AW he jumps in defence like Mrs Wenger
Poor player attitude, like gallas sitting down having a tantrum, even that Muppet new there was something wrong. I’ve been a loyal wengerist but it’s too much cesc rvp flamini nasri even gallas new. I’ve been unsure if the crap comes from aw or higher, now suspect aw is reason for bad attitudes, no ambition etc.
Bore off with the fight talk, lads. If you wanna carry it on, can you just exchange email addresses and do it in private? Or just ignore each other?
but gunner its all about having an opinion and being respected for that opinon right ;)lighten up…some love Wenger..some dont..its fine…and i hope nobody slags you off for not believing in wenger anymore…thats your right…
Right… Seeing as my Arsenal-induced rage hasn’t subsided, I’m going to bed before I smash the front room up and put my foot through the fish tank. Tomorrow’s another day. A day where I will be ridiculed by all and sundry. Can’t wait. Catch thou also soon. Scott… DNA… Play nice !!
That should have read ‘catch you all soon’…. Just in case you thought I’d gone all Shakespearean on your asses!!
Good night people, merry xmas and a happy new year when it comes to you and yours….Jah bless….
@tomstoned, are you even blaming AW for Knoenke not spending on the club?? or am i missing something?
Yes Nashua…i am…either wenger lost his balls along with the Dein episode or he simply agrees to how we are being run…like RvP more or less told us all….
but if you have some inside info on the matter im interested…still do you really think a man..who lives and breath football would have accepted to be seen as a puppet….
my thoughts Nashua this is wenger living his dream…but sadly or not football has moved on..wenger hasnt…
what we can agree on Our club is a mess ! and something has to be done to sort it out ..right ?
and Nashua im still pissed off that we let Song leave…he would have made a big difference this season..imo…and since its becoming clearer and clearer that RvP was actually right and tried to do something about our policy….well i miss him too…
Wenger is best off leaving for his own benefit.
None of us know the truth about what happens behind the scenes,but he is being subjected to unwarranted personal abuse by people who would not be capable of managing their own finances,let alone a football club.
Go Arsene,and live in peace.
Watch Chelksi or Real grab him and flourish even more.
We will be left in total chaos,but if that is what we want…….the fans will get exactly what they are asking for.
I truly hope he goes,but it will be to the massive detriment of Arsenal FC.
@tomstoned,selling our best players is something we’ll agree on re: Song and RVP. But even if AW refused to sell, the Board has the authority to over ruled him.
Yes, RVP said it, and I agreed with him and I refuse t o slag him as a money grabber.
Scott mate…it will be a new dawn..dont worry that much..sometimes changes are needed…im worried about our policy…so if we had to get a new manager…then we would know just how much backing wenger had(or not)and what the true reason is behind the hollywood..take over..
lets say we tried to sign pep…im sure he would demand freedom to do what had to be done..
and Scott….wenger did the same thing at Nancy they were relegated,..did a great job with Monaco before it went all wrong..so he is NOT the messiah..
@Scott, Cant disagree with you. We all have opinions of what we see but not what goes behind close door in the club. Which manager would want his team belittle by any other club; even by a 4th tier?
well off have a great night or day ;Nashua and Scott…laters..
still no exciting news about arsenal……when will all these end…finding it real hard to sleep.
Scott, I did say normal service would be resumed tonite !
The writing was on the wall after the Reading game.
Don’t let it ruin your day.
Like you, I also wish Wenger would walk away but for different reasons, this is the last straw for me.
I’m off to my bunk, I’ve had enough.
I told ya!!
https://twitter.com/JWTelegraph/status/278653760698478592
If manutd gets Theo in Jan, they will win the league in march
I remember saying early last transfer season that of all the big clibs out there,Utd was the one who would benefit most by buying RVP.
I didn’t actually think it would happen though.
Theo would flourish at Utd because they are so quick on the counter….a bit like Arsenal can be,but so rarely is.
Guys,the result doesn’t ruin my day…a dickhead did.
Calling me out was totally uncalled for.
Suggesting a fight was totally uncalled for.
Telling me that it would not be a fistfight as he hints at using a weapon is uncalled for……
Bsically,DNA is uncalled for.
If that is what i need to put up with to continue posting on HH then bugger it…..i will spend my time elsewhere.
I have to quantify my comments by admitting that I have not seen the game or goals.
Last night was the best chance Wenger will have this season, to end his barren spell.
I have to say now, that I have lost the remaining slithers of confidence that I had desperately held onto, in Arsene Wenger’s ability to win another trophy with Arsenal or arrest the currant slide of the team.
It’s a combination of issues that have seen the club descend to this new low.
Not least the tacit undermining of Wenger by a Board/Owner who are content with profitability over everything else.
I’m not sure where we go from here for the remainder of this season, a season that begun so well, but has now the look of a season that could spiral out of control.
Do the Board have any ideas?
Is the Owner even aware of last night’s result, and would he even care???
It has all the ingredients of the last days of a once great manager.
Although the state of the club is different from the mid-1970’s and mid-1990’s, I can sense a similarity with the End of Days that preceeded the departures of Bertie Mee and George Graham…
It’s almost as if Arsene is powerless to stop the decline.
A decline that is developing a momentum of it’s own…
I will always point the finger of blame, for where we are at this point in time, at the Board.
And in particular Hill-Wood and Fiszman.
For whatever anybody thinks of David Dein, I strongly believe that Arsenal, on the field of play, would not be in the midst of the decline they are currantly in, if Dein was still at the club and was an influence on Wenger’s team construction.
Wenger now faces a monumental task in motivating this group of players into a top-four finish.
If he were to achive that, then I would suggest that it would be a bigger achivement than what he managed in finishing 3rd last season.
But forget winning a trophy…
Regardless of everyone’s disappointment, lets not decend into mire of abusing our once great manager.
He still deserves respect for what he has achived.
Save your anger for those at the club that are the real culprits…
Afternoon guys – still gobsmacked after last night – are things really this bad?
Agree with your 3am post Charlie – been saying the same for years actually – left the club nowhere that sacking
Scott from Oz – still arguing then? 🙂 Thanks for the intro mate
Hi Kev.
I have had a breather and decided there are too many great people on here to let one not so great one spoilt it.
I have also introduced a fellow Oz Ooner to the group,so expect some more down under wisdom.
As i said earlier,Wenger really needs to go now for himself more than anything else.
He has given his heart and soul to the club,and the disrespecful and ungrateful “fans” chanting about him and his family should be left behind him.
Who to bring in though??
The easy part is getting rid of a manager,even Wenger.
The hard part is bringing a new one in.
Didn’t see the game, BUT how about all the useless cnuts we pay £50k pw+ to, go get AW,the syrup and the board and all fuck off en masse!!
We are an embarrassment of a football club right now, do the right thing!!Stop blowing smoke up Arsene’s arse, stop living in 2004.
I want my Arsenal back…..
£7.5m pa to assemble that squad…..it’s fraud, the shit that is being served up on a weekly basis! Get the yank the fuck out!!! The papered over cracks are splitting, BUT there’s no RVP to get us out of jail, it’s hardly rocket science, is it???
Board out!
Lee,it was actually £7,500.00 and all on one player…the rest were free transfers.
I didn’t see the game,but losing says it all.in the after match interview,which i just saw,Wenger is a broken man.
I honestly would not be surprised if he quit.
For whatever reason,these guys are not responding to him,and it is easier to replace a manager than an entire squad,because that is probably what is required.
People can blame transfers,tactics,the plague…….it matters not.
The group we put out there should never,ever be losing to Bradford…..we should be able to play with 10 men and win comfortably.
The players need to take a bloody good look at themselves.
No point in m mentioning the board or Stan,because those pricks are going nowhere,unfortunately.
Sorry Lee……just understood your 7.5 million quote.
tactically inept and glue less other than organising his wage rises – as soon as he started with the “we want to do this and we want to do that” rubbish, you knew we were in trouble – Bradford ffs – the fire has well a truly burnt out
Good Morning my Esteemed (and Embarrassed) Fellow Gunners
Welcome to the day after.
Winning yesterday would just have prolonged the agony for something to happen.
Who can we criticize? Certainly not Scott. I could not understand why he was being showered with comments when he did not say anything. He cops it if he says, he cops it if he stays silent. Talk about a punch bag.
Certainly we can all point towards AW. However he is only a part. AW is not the sum of all parts. At the end of the day the owner sets the standards, the board of Directors should make sure that the standards are being followed, the manager works under them and finally the players PLAY. Or should they???
Kroenke out? YES
The board out? YEs
AW out? YES
The players out? Certainly.
At the end of the day the 11 guys AW put out should have pulverised Bradford from the start. No not expecting a 10-0 scoreline, but certainly a comfortable 3-0 to 5-0 scoreline.
Yesterday I put forward a comment which I feel was overlooked and I understand why.
I said the following…………..IG is asking the players to sign a clause that if the team do not get into the champions league then they have to take a paycut. DID IG PUT THE SAME CLAUSE IN AW’s CONTRACT IF HE DID NOT WIN ANYTHING THIS SEASON?
Well, at least we can now concentrate on winning the CL and the PL without the distraction of the something or other cup.
What surprises me is that anyone is surprised.
And another thing…………Bradford played a 4-4-2 traditional English style. We played a 4 2-3-1 latin style.
At the end of the day its not the team formation but those who have most desire. I liked the look of Wells. He has a fighting spirit which is much needed at the club. Lacking in skill? Maybe. But then we had many players over the last 6 years who had the first touch of a serial rapist or a hen!!!!!
The darkest hour is just before dawn. Or so it says in a song.
Thank you for your support Devil.
Even i will not defend what occurred at Bradford.
I do not need to watch it to know we failed and dismally.
I was gobsmacked when i got on here this morning…….you’d have thought i was in hiding rather than at work,but hey,whatever gets him excited.
Anyway…..yes,the club really needs an overhaul.
It must start at the top….Stan.
Where is he right now…..probably right in the middle of his new ranch,and just far enough away from those pesky fans!
I can’t see anything changing until he is gone…..replacing Wenger and players will be a short term fix unless Stan goes.
If Stan goes and and a new manager is brought in then fine.
While Stan is there,we are stuffed,in my opinion.
Lee. You in New York?
Devil,players we have let go like Henri Lansbury would have been in their element in a scrap like that….
We have enough (too many??) flashy players and not enough grafters.
I am not agreeing with you again on principle Scott hahaha
i feel very strongly on the over paying of Wenger and his mates devil and have gone to bat all over the net about it – you can’t take these poverty claims Wenger lives behind seriously when you are pulling money like he does for him and his mates. It’s just not right. I am also annoyed at the playing strength asset stripping that is going on, my calculations have Wenger 40m up over the last 3 years, the financials tell us that money should have gone back into quality, not potential wanna be’s as is often the case – the players Wenger has brought are biting him in the ass – poetic justice maybe?
Another Aussie…..god help HH.
Welcome Alan…..this is a good man,and a good Gooner,guys.
Treat him kindly 🙂
Oh and guys,as you can see,i have not invited another “Wenger lover” in for support…
I am turning into someone who now is feeling sorry for Arsene,…who’d have thought?
Morning All,
Lee stop being such a tart and get your arse over to Kansas and go and kick shit out of the syrup…!
Holy shit another one we have managed to get away from the sheep… Welcome Ozgunner… pleased to see your not one of Scott’s mates… Arsene speaks to him on a regular basis regarding holding up his good name…!
Saw what went on last night Scott, out of order in my opinion mate and won’t happen again…!!!
Not surprised at all by our lack of fight and commitment as Adam says it’s not the first time and won’t be the last are any of us really that surprised that we got turned over by a team that wanted it more than us..?
As has been mentioned before a fish rots from the Head… that sums up our club…! Arsene leaves without the board going will achieve very little.
Agreed Dev did Arsene volunteer a pay cut if the team doesn’t deliver or does he just expect the players to do that..?
5/6 years of asset stripping selling our best players and replacing them with potential that doesn’t materialize and average players had now caught us up in a big way. Still unacceptable when good players can’t be bothered to put in a shift and show some bollox.
Morning all,
You are still fighting your corner Scott? 😉
I totally agree AW has to go not because he is a bad manager but for his own good and the good of the fans who want him out. Whilst at it lets remember liverpool the most successful club in UK until 2 years ago.
And about AW being at fault for Nancy relegation,well, if that was the case why was he recruited by Monaco and wanted by Bayern.
And about Monaco issue was also due to selling his best players Weah and the likes just like it is here and also the Marseille bribery issue. Lets get facts right first.
This is no defence of AW by the way, he even said you can not be a great club if you sell your best players and he has to make £15m to £20m before he buys so lets go and get Pep and see what he does with making a profit first before spending. And Pep did not build this Barca team Van Gaaal and later Rijkaard who ended a 7 year trophyless run.
Oh and the fact that Arsene does not think last nights result is embarrassing well he bloody should do…. Lucky for him he don’t have to go to work or college or school and have everyone take the piss out of him all day long and for the rest of the week…!
No dramas Wath…..i will ignore it from now on.
Ginge…..i am confident in my ability to survive the day lol.
I saw the highlights a little earlier……..now,emphasising the fact i ONLY saw hIghlights,it appeared to me we had a million chances but just stuffed them up.
Two penalties hitting the post just stood out,but we should have been off and gone before Bradford even scored.
Gervinhos miss….i do not know what to say.
Since we created so many great chances,it seemed we played ok…yes or no??
If we did have a top class striker,would we not have potted 3 or 4 at least?
The conceded goal was a nice finish,but we had nobody even close to him.
This was our genuine chance of winning something and we blew it.
Morning all. Still pissed off about that result. I still don’t understand why we didn’t have a single shot on target until after 70 minutes!!
why do we insist on fannying about with the ball on the edge of the box? Just leather the fucking ball goalward once in a while. Take a chance at least! Why is Gerv preferred as a central striker over Podolski? What the hell is that about? He must have been pissed off with that decision. And then to add insult to injury, take Pod off and leave that useless spam-headed, unbelievably inept fuckwit on to contribute sod all!
Hi WATH. I think it was last week when I asked why things have to get so bad before they can get better. Some of us, deluded perhaps, have been watching the slow decline of our club for several years. Why can’t the board see it? Wenger’s reign is now entering it’s death throes and those who want him to stay can come up with nothing other than there is nobody else to take his place. This is nonsense. Dividing people as pro and anti Wenger is feeble. We are all pro-Wenger but he has had his day. As to the board or The Syrup’s culpability? Who knows.
It’s gonna be agonizing, but things will surely change. The alternatives? We are seeing them now.
We haven’t changed our style or formation from last season but the personnel have.
No one in our team can replace RVP. He did alone what even 2 of our players can’t do. He had the skill to hold it up, play number 10 and striker.
Song was on fire last season and with all his defensive faults got us moving, strong on the ball and worked well with Arteta. Our midfield is too light now no matter how hard they work and that’s why we play better with Diaby. We need that strong mid, Coq played well and should play with Arteta and alternate Rosicky and Wilshere.
Rosicky was amazing with control and distribution and found Walcott in space.
No matter how we set it up, the loss of RVP was the biggest blow. We now need to cross, and well, to get the best out of Giroud, even then we still need someone to play off him because he can’t finish unless on his head or at this foot, he won’t be able to run onto anything like RVP.
we certainly need to start crossing better that Ox was yesterday. Can’t remember a single decent ball from him.
Morning Gooners,
The morning after the night before, i hope supporters have their composure back, calling one another names and fighting talk is for children get yourselves together for FS. Yes we are all bitterly disappointed, being beaten by Bradford in the only competition we looked to stand a chance in hurts our pride. I’m sure many of you feel like i do Embarassed more than anything else, but its a cup game and we have had many bad results before. We look to blame somebody for results like this but that is the nature of football. Our football team is below par in actual fact they are playing painfully bad, you know as well as i that our players are better than last nights performance. Passing is a fundemental part of the game which we used to play with so much ease but that little skill seems to be gone at the moment, every player gave simple balls away and put us on the back foot it happens. Zonal marking was found out last night and was our undoing for the first goal. but this is not the first time we have been caught out and if we continue with this system it wont be the last. At sometime or another every one of you has sung the praises of every one of our players so they are not useless they are going through a very bad run but the amount of money they earn is not a factor in this form. they are all as bad as one another. Wenger played a fairly strong team last night and every one of you must have felt the same as me before the game that we had enough talent out last night to win this game but we didn’t Bradford hung in there and won. You would still fancy us even in the penalty shootout, when have you seen two penalties hit the post but thats life. Wenger will be under enormous pressure there is no hiding place for him, he looked like a naughty schoolboy after the game and struggled in the interview he knew we blew it, he knew the players were bad but he never passed the blame. He will be crucified today and a lot of us will think he deserves it but the players are the ones who deserves the stick, they are the ones that should take the full brunt of it. Attrocious play from them and they got what they deserved.
.
Morning Adam, I have never been of the opinion that any player or manager or member of the club is irreplaceable…! I say any player that wants to leave then go… My problem is that who ever goes/sold should be properly and adequately replaced and for far to long quality players have not been replaced.
Can Wenger not be replaced…? Of course he can BUT would the new manager have to put up with the board penny pinching or would a new man insist funds were made available and that there are guarantees he can spend what we have..? Has Arsene become to comfy that he doesn’t demand anymore..? We have all been over this time and time again and we do not know the details either way so we merely assume and speculate, there are so many things not right and we can all see them so Arsene is not stupid he see’s them… can he not act or is he not allowed to act…! One way or another I feel we’ll find out very soon.
Morning all,
Just going to have a read back, what on earth happened other than at Bradford…
Just watched this (no idea why…..). It doesn’t get better with age……..
Morning Rico. Som epretty colourful language has been used. Don’t think its for delicate eyes!
Steve,i am sorry that it got to that level last night,but you know what?
It would have been much better for all concerned if someone had told him to cut the crap as it was happening……i was not on and everyone knew it.
I did not start any talk of a fight….read back…..seriously,i live thousands of k’s away….what a waste of time……but i am certainly not going to sit back and cop that crap from anyone….would you??
I was not even online so had obviously not made a single comment,let alone supported or defended Wenger.
Maybe as a regular member and contributor i should expect a little more support,maybe not.
Hopefully that is the end of it.
Anyway, it is easy to sleight those of us wanting a decent option before sacking Wenger,but i am yet to hear of one.
Those who are good enough would never come to Arsenal under its current ownership,in my himble opinion.
We will either get a has been or a wanna be,and either option is a massive risk.
It is easy to say there are options out there,but can we hear of them?
Rocky, My Gran would of scored that goal and she not been of this world for over a year now….! The bloke is a walking disaster, look at the times he doesn’t challenge…. Someone said earlier about the fact we should even of won with ten men, well we play with ten men when he starts…!
Morning Rocky, too late 😉
WATH. I agree. We really don’t know what Kroenke will do when a new manager arrives do we? Looking at our spend I believe that the way the money is distributed is wrong. The cost of Gervinho’s wages, hooked onto Chamakh (I can barely say his name), add on Bendtner and the rest and you could have a Falcao for that money.
After seeing the after match interview,i believe Wenger is so close to breaking point it is not funny.
He needs to get out before they carry him out.
I’ll deal with last night guys, if people name call, they can name call elsewhere…
Let’s move onto todays very positive post.. 😆
Morning Rico.
Scott, in fairness, I missed his initioal “where is Scott” comment, but after the slanging came back after your response, I actually did ask him to cut it out.
Scott, there are options mate and Wenger was also a huge risk when he joined…! Fear of not replacing isn’t an acceptable excuse not to try go forward.
As you say a decent manager would want guarantees so then ask and get them… If we can’t attract a decent manager then we know exactly who is to blame and then the worm turns and makes their lives hell and untenable to continue..!
If you want my list I’ll throw a few in the hat straight off the bat…!
Laudrup
Klopp
Rijkaard
That’s three straight off who I think would do a good job.. Risk..? of course they are… life is one big risk..!
cheers wath – we’ve had the odd run in me and Scot but remained mates in the knowledge we both want the same thing, like us all. A truly competitive Arsenal side. There is clearly something missing in the pre match build ups and maybe even the intensity of the training. We go in underdone regularly and seem to think it will happen simply because. Well it don’t and hasn’t in years and we need change. It’s another reason why i’d like to see someone in the chair other than Wenger. someone with some fire rather than covering excuses year after year.
Scott, AW is finished. The Norwich game did for me! I on the other hand will never slag him off for not having a plan b. Up until this year Rednoses win record was just 2% higher than AW’s but up until last week it is now 8% higher. I suppose Arsenal but I realised 3-4 years ago that I did not support this regime so I was not going to spend my dime on the team. Saying that I traveled to Blackburn last season to see us lose 4-3. I guess I love pain…
This season I have watched the U-19 at the emirates only.
Adam we are so we are such a well run club yet look at the squad and the said players and more and you can see where millions are wasted every single month…!
Poor poor management and allocation of funds. That earns them bonuses every year as well, pathetic.
Morning Adam..
And welcome ozgunner10, hopefully you are calmer than the other one 😉
I am with you WATH on Rijkaard. Klopp has no plan b too. He even gets slagged off by his 21 year olds for changing formation 30 minutes before a match when they had not practiced that formation. The last ssuch incident was 2 months ago against Schalke. And klopp is a AW whilst Michael is more like Huddink or Van Gaal. A change in philosophy…
Fair enough Rocky.
Wath,i can handle a change without a drama.
My issue is with nearly all the “Wenger out” guys,that is often all they say without actually bringing up a decent alternative….well,Pep and Mourinho get a run lol.
I said months ago if we could get 2 guys in i would be rapt.
Hiddink short term until his understudy,Dennis Bergkamp was in a position to take over.
Comments guys?
No,the travel issue doesn’t worry me.
Ginge,i reckon Giroud is his Plan B,but until our boys learn how to cross,we will never see it come to fruition….Nani,anyone?
Are you still here Alan lol
Yeah Rico,Alanbastard was a nightmare 🙂
Ha ha Scott, good answer..
Off to the new one now….
Huddink will definitely sure us up in the short term. He plays quality football too but unlike Van Gaal he has a soft underbelly just like AW.
I do not mind AW to be sacked if he does not buy at leat 2 other players in addition to Henry this January. No excuse as I said he my post will please even his most loyal fan who has followed him since I watched him beat one of my favourite teams in 1990 ie Marseille who had players such as Abedi Pele, Papin, etc…
Of Bergkamp,Ginge??
He seems to be getting a good grounding,commands respect and would definitely help in attracting players to the club.
Thought you’d like it Rico…..
morning all…
the more i think about it the more i want an answer..why does our best players want out of Arsenal.?..i would love to know !..but im sure their contracts forbid them to speak out loud..
secondly i cant believe that anyone believes that our current owner and board have any ambition at all…gazidis is full of lies and fox tells the truth..
wenger…well he looks like a broken man,and with only himself to blame…poor buys and poor sales,besides from the lies..
our players…c’mon their just in it to receive a hefty paycheck..except the ones who leaves and actually have some ambition…many of us have slagged off RvP…when all he did was trying to show/tell us whats going on at Arsenal..
nothing will ever change until we kick that americano out…and gazidis..what a slick operator..cant believe anyone believes a word that come out of his pie hole…
Tomstoned,plenty knock RVP NOT for leaving,but because he left us in the lurch after the club supported him when he was constantly injured,and in times of personal troubles.
Then again,the board were happy to cash in on him.
Scott….thats why its hard to accept…imo RvP wanted to stay and why..well because as you mentioned..we have stuck behind him in troubled times..add to that his wife didnt want to move away,nor his father or anyone else…
so the question remains what was the real reason..??..was he forced out for not accepting the way we run our football club(no ambition whatsoever)what about cesc…he had a long time to go at his contract..do you for a second believe that cesc would have just stopped playing ?..nope…Song he was more or less shown the door..why ?..nasri..was it just about the money…clichy ??..
walcott ??…Sagna ??
we have used the excuse that we had to be prudent..building a new stadium and all..well manure did the same did they stop winning ??
ill say this to the day i die…from 07 and the fishy business with kronkers…we have been ripped off,!! and wenger is right in the middle of it..i dont for a second believe that the man who breath and lives for football would accept this without agreeing..ad do remember the board revieved a hefty payout when kronkers got in…selling their soul they did..leaving The Arsenal out to dry..and for what…money ??…
feck em all…
I still believe Wenger does his best for the club.
Whether it is good enough is another issue,but i reckon hisintentions are honourable.
I reckon you are dead on with the other points.
Morning all….it’s just come back to me the “fight” comment, ha ha ha!!! We’re all angry but cyber punch ups….please!!!
Yes Adam, I’m in NYC, nursing a monster hangover…..are you ok mate? As you said, the writing was on the wall for this to happen!
To be fair AW should of gone a few years ago with a bit more dignity in tact, shame but on the slide for ages.
Bergkamp won’t fly so its a no from me, but saying that we won’t be in Europe for a while…..
Lee,but did you read between the lines lol.
Hangover…well,it is that time of year!!
Wenger has barely been able to be a manager in Europe of late….no nasty comments now,i am talking about the bans lol
Another thing, if there is this mystical war chest available, do we want AW spending it?? It’s a resounding NO from me…..Gervinho epitomises everything that is wrong with AFC, who bought him? That chance last night, Douglas Bader would’ve smashed that home!!!!
I’m only pulling your leg Scotty…..when are we losing to Reading??
I know mate.
War chest….well,there is still a doubt as to whether its contents…or lack of them…is the big problem.
Who knows?
Monday night…Reading…
night Scott
Another Aussie on HH, strewth cobbers, what’s the bloody world coming too…
Next we’ll be getting Kiwi’s…. 😉
thanks Rico – calmer than the other one? you mean there is two of me? 🙂
good point Lee made the same point myself elsewhere and Scott you know full well there is major funds available in the player cash accounts – cheers for the welcome everyone