Over the last few months we have heard managers moan about this, that and the other. Some is justified but a lot is just moaning for the sake of it.
Yesterday morning though while watching Sky Sports as you do, waiting to hear all the news coming out from Arsenal, I stopped and had a laugh at two clips shown from the Tottenham Hotspur and Blackpool Managers.
‘Arry was being asked about the mid-week game, you know the game I mean, we beat them 4-1 at White Hart Lane. Talking of which, I know only one Spurs fan around where I live and after the 4-4 draw and their victory earlier in the year I bumped into him, or did he bump into me just to mention the result? Funny enough I haven’t seen him all week and I can’t think why, maybe he’s gone into hiding… 🙂
Back to ‘Arry, obviously still smarting from the Carling Cup game he played a trump card. He turned the loss into humour and totally deflected any awkward comments. He said his ‘kids’ struggled after extra time due to cramp and couldn’t keep up with their opposition after ninety minutes. He said his players ran and ran – especially Sandro who had cramp everywhere, he said he ran so much he had cramp in his ears…..
Everyone laughed, midweek game forgotten and ‘Arry’s awkward interview was over – well, for then!!
Next up was Ian Holloway who’s Blackpool side face Fat Sam’s mob this weekend and I for one hope they win…
When asked about the Chelsea game, Holloway said that he got it wrong, his side should have attacked them, he may have been wrong and they may not have been good enough, I was a bad leader…. he said.
He went on to talk about how he and the team would learn! He said his team should shut up at half-time, listen to him and he has to make sure what he tells them is right.
He’s really chuffed with the quality of their pitch, so much so he thought he was on another clubs playing area when he walked across the grass it was so good. (maybe ours)
The man responsible for this is Stan and Holloway had this to say:-
He said its great, Stans absolutely brilliant, loving it, ‘he’s happy, he’s got his new mower’ and he’s going up and down there like Billio……
I just loved that, there was Holloway, smile beaming from his face talking about Stan getting a new lawn mower, it is a ride on too 🙂
Some may wonder why I am writing about Ian Holloway and Blackpool, well the reason is to highlight just how fortunate we are to be supporting the club we do. We don’t support them through choice, we support them because it was the most natural thing to do when taking our first steps into watching/supporting our first football team.
We don’t have a problem with buying a lawnmower, no doubt we have the best, we don’t have to worry about fighting to get into, or to just survive in the Premiership, we have been in the top flight for more years than most.
It’s so easy to rant and rave when things go wrong and I do but just sometimes other ‘goings on’ around us should make us feel proud to follow such a historic and successful club.
As for ‘Arry, it’s not very often our boss has to deflect a tough interview with humour after being beaten by our bitter rivals is it? No, we are lucky!
Anyway, on to today, West Bromwich Albion will be making a short journey down the M40 to pay us a visit. They are another club will often flirt with the dangers of relegation but like Sunderland, they are another club I hope doesn’t go that way this season. Roberto Di Matteo is doing well there and his side had a good win in the Carling Cup midweek when they knocked out the ‘Rich Kids’ from the city side of Manchester. Di Matteo was a classy footballer (in a crap side) and we can only expect his side to play in the same way today.
He promises a tough and hard game but it’s so refreshing to hear what he told Sky Sports yesterday:-
My opinion is that football is a contact sport. Part of it is physicality – but it needs to be fair. Referees have to be strong and make sure the game is conducted in a fair manner where no players get injured. They need to protect the players. Sometimes it is just an unfortunate challenge, sometimes it is challenges that can be avoided when a player gets injured. It has got to be fair. No one wants to see players getting injured or breaking legs.
Isn’t that pretty much what our own boss has said recently?
We know Diaby could be back today but there will be no Vermaelen, Bendtner, van Persie, Walcott, Fabregas, Gibbs. Frimpong and of course Ramsey, Squillaci is also rumoured to be out.
The last time WBA came to London they were on the end of a 6-0 defeat. Just for this one game I hope the result is the same for them, after that Mr Di Matteo, I hope you have a good season..
Thats it for today, enjoy the game later…..
Morning….
Morning rico,
Ian holloway is quite refreshing. The problem with sky sports news is the manager interviews, they all seem to be reading from script, with the paragraphs changed round for each club….
Morning Rocastle
I really like Holloway, I think he’s really good for the game – its clear that just getting promoted to the EPL is so exciting for them…
I steered clear from all the Wenger is a nutter stuff today as i’m sick of reading about managers who have something to say about ours…
Yep. He’s under no illusions and he’s there to enjoy it. Likes to get the ball on the floor and play which is very refreshing!!
So many resort to parking the bus, like you say, he gets his side to play football, i think they could survive this season, would be great if it was at the expense of the dippers 🙂
Yeah, I had the same feeling for west brom a few seasons back. They didn’t resort to 10 men behind the ball at all times. It got to a stage where everyone would do that against utd and Chelsea then try and kick us off the park!!!
And regards to wheeler dealers comments, the guys an idiot. Ever wonder why the press don’t question him on subjects such as the world recession etc. Like they do with AW? They just keep it simple with ‘Arry…..like ‘what colour is your jumper??!!
I can’t stand the dodgy dealer either, and to have the gaul to say he and wenger get on well…. we just know thats rubbish!
You going to the game today Rocastle?
rico,
also please add a new tab on the right that shows assists by our players too( after the goals scored section)
indian gooner, you are cheeky 😉
Unfortunately not mate. Huddled around the radio today I’m afraid!
You and me both, well, listening to Stelling and Co rant on…..
Hola! Holloway is unabashedly excited about being in top-flight football, it’s refreshing. I hope he doesn’t take to channeling the approach of Pulis, and Fat Sam & the like.
rico, make a mental note to remind the Spuddy of the 4-1 drubbing. Hardly classy behavior, but make sure to rub it in. 🙂 I know I would.
Hello, Rocastle. rico is a lady, by the way. 🙂
Howdy agag, i will make that mental note 🙂
I really like Holloway, honest, no whinging and just gets on with it, he’s like a kid in a sweet shop 🙂
I’m good. I hope you are too. The game isn’t on tonight… Sigh. Have to look for crappy streaming, now. 🙁
I’m good too thanks agag, the sun is shining, our boys play today so all is well…
not televised here either 🙁
The billionaires’ showdown is on though. I hope Citeh win; although the Pensioners are looking like the team to beat… 🙁
i may just watch that one agag, if i can get all my chores done 🙁
Chores, chores, chores. I haaaate chores. I’m having to do them today. 🙁
Our housekeeper is “ill”. She’s convinced that she “disturbed” some spirit while picking fruit in the empty lot adjoining our house; and has taken to bed. 🙂 🙂
My mom, ever the diplomat, asked (with a straight face) whether she wanted us to call for a witch doctor or to be brought to a medical doctor. She declined both options since someone had given her some “blessed” oil, which she swears to it, would ward off evil spirits/dwarves/goblins. 🙂 🙂
I had to bite back a smile when she finished a big plate of spaghetti (it’s her favorite; and we all humor her) though. For someone sick, she has quite an appetite. Ha.
Fair enough. I think some days, we all just want to malinger. 😉
Thats a funny story agag, sometimes though you can be poorly but still want to eat – we have a saying here in the UK…
Feed a cold and starve a fever, maybe she just has a cold 😉
I think Citeh will get a draw today at least – they will out to prove a point, half of me though wants them to absolutely thrashed, but the sensible head hopes for a draw or Citeh win….
Nice Post Rico. 🙂
If you get half a chance try and get a look at Des Kelly’s article about Arsene in the Daily Mail, or on their web. It is absolutely brilliant. The best write up i have ever seen about Le Prof without being grovelling. 🙂
Monsieur Kelly is not an Arsenal fan, but he writes very professionally.
Morning RA, just got up 😉
I’ll take a peep in a bit…
Howdy folks
It’s my first time to hear of that. 🙂
I am sure rico, that it has to do with the the guts and gore and witchcraft and possesion horror movie marathon that she ran the other day. 😉
The “convalescent” has commandeered the couch now, is watching some soap, and looks quite in the pink of health to me.
I’m off now. Chores, chores, chores. 🙁
Hey Erick, How you doing??
agag, I love the witchcraft theory more too, its funny….
maybe its a good time to hoover the couch 😉
Here is the piece that RA mentioned, it is very very good and worth a read
http://www.dailymail.co.uk/sport/article-1315023/Des-Kelly-Arsene-Wenger-needs-cup–glass-wine.html
Morning all nice post Rico, I hope Blackpool stay up too 🙂
Hi Stef, thanks – I just would love to see Blackburn, Stoke and Liverpool go down 🙂
Am good Rico Agag been doing witchcraft 🙂
😆 Erick, big win today is needed….
Rico we don’t need witchcraft for a win today 😉
Morning all.that des kelly article is absolutely brilliant!
Kt and Stef totally agree guys get in 🙂
Right team, right attitude should be enough for today Stef…
Hi KTR7, one of the best I’ve read about Wenger in a long while…
Apart from what we all write about him though 😉 😉
Have to pop off for a while, chores and mutts to walk, all before 3pm 🙁
nil – nil at HT would like to stay this way 😀
one-nil for tevez 😛
Bonjour,
Glad the Chavs lost, hopefully we can start catching up with them….!
Anyone has a link for the game?
Boo – just heard the Chavs lost 🙂 😆
justin tv is the one i used to use T-buzz, haven’t for a while though…
http://myp2p.eu/broadcast.php?matchid=87087&part=sports
Thanks rico, iraqgoals doesnt seem to be working at the mo…
Thanx Stef, I’ll have a look
http://www.veetle.com/index.php/channel/view#4c912fba086cc
this is the best stream so far but you’ll need veetle player
we are rubbish at the moment, so is the ref, should have let play go on there and nasri was in….
veetle Stef, what the heck is that??? 😉
it’s not a beetle I can tell you that 😀
Who we have on the bench? we look crappy so far!
Subs: Rosicky, Vela, Denilson, Wilshere, Djourou, Fabianski, Emmanuel-Thomas
Jack, Vela and Rosicky can change this game Stef…
Quite poor, so far… 🙁
And maybe Denilson for Diaby or JET for Eboue
Crap game guys hope we can win it
Bloody heck, Carling Cup we are drawn away to Newcastle!!
Bollox!!
Right Wenger, changes needed please….
Rubbish!
Stef – we have to go for it, no denilson, please 😉
Rosicky for Diaby
Jack for Eboue
Oh, we so deserve to lose.
2-0
agag, we are dreadful, just dreadful… we need a goal in the next five minutes…
Take Diaby and Eboue out. What are we waiting for???
Good…
agag, clichy is having a mare 🙁
I know… Awful.
I can’t believe how many times when the teams around us at the top lose and then we play badly…
We will do well to get a point from this, 25 mins left though…..
Just absolutely pathetic
My day started so well agag, now i fear for a night of misery and little sleep!
3-0 its all over now!!
Our players should be absolutely embarrassed by their performance. There is no defending this. We won’t win with this keeper.
all over now
3-1…
Ten mins left…..
It’s not just that we’re losing. It’s that the boys are not playing with no urgency… And there is no winning with that man between the sticks. None.
I meant, no urgency…
Thats what hurts more than anything agag, they are cack, i would sack about four of them at least
3-2 🙂
If we manage to get a point, we won’t even deserve it.
Ugh.
We are sh*t!!!see you when the hangover is over…
We don’t and we didn’t agag….
Shocking, just shocking but I guess some credit has to go to the Baggies….
That result hurts. If anyomne trys to say that was just a bad day at the office….. i don’t believe it!!
the third goal put this game to bed
this is so last season result remember Wigan this is even worse what a shock.
KTR7, feel for me please, I have to now go and write about it…. 🙁 🙁
Stef, we were crap, Diaby, Almunia, Eboue, Clichy all got heavily critised during the game on the commentary i listened to while watching a snowy picture…
I am afraid to say but we played better in the first half against Sunderland.
Unbelievable!
My hearth is broken…
BTW how many Arsenal players were on the pitch?
I’ve counted 7 or 8
Stef, I am heart broken too, we were on for a record today too, had we drawn or won it would have been our best start to a season since 1978…
Oh, but we mucked it up!!
I feel sorry for the fans at the stadium no1 left such a commitment but in the end we weren’t good enough.
Let’s call it a day
I need a long sleep Nighty Night rico
got back home in time to watch the second half. for obvious reasons, i wish i did not.
i hope some good can come of this. the team wins 4-1 in the cup and then shows up for the next fixture thinking they will win just because of who they are. life is not like that.
i do not have a big problem with almunia here – defense was criminal, and the whole attitude was atrocious. sagna, in particular was horrible. vela gave the ball away every single time he had it, and i can go on and on. full credit to west brom – it would have been a travesty if arsenal had pulled it back to 3-3. but there was little chance of that, too little urgency, too many passes around the opposition penalty area.
the big question is where to from here. if this serves as a wakeup call for the team, and they approach these type matches with the professionalism that was sorely lacking, i can live with the defeat.
this is also one instance where arsene needs to throw his players under the bus. if he does not want to name names, fine. “the collective team attitude was poor from the start. we lacked energy, incisiveness, and were overly casual. the warning signs were there in first half, but the players did not heed them. i am encouraged by the fightback in the second half, but it should not have come to that. we will look to use this as a learning experience, and i expect the player to understand that we cannot take shortcuts in this league. west brom played very well and caused us plenty of problems.” or something along those lines. no moaning about the ref, what might have been, etc. bottle any frustration up, publicly let the players know the performance is unacceptable, and let ’em have it behind closed doors. no pissing and moaning, please arsene – that kind of behavior makes you just as big a part of the problem here.
i understand the spotlight is on al for the second goal (between his legs) and his hesitancy for the third. perhaps so, but it was his “defense” that put him in those positions. he did save the penalty his “defense” forced him to concede in the first half – dave seaman would have conceded three or more with the lack of effort and awareness from those in front of him.
i get that al is a lightning rod, but to focus on him gives those more culpable a pass. i have not often defended manuel almunia in recent years, but this is one instance where i am.
A game to forget we were Crap and we didn’t even care crap
Night Night Stef…..
hi oliver
i am struggling to reply to your comment, maybe it’s becaue i am so so angry…..
Erick, that just about sums it up….
Wenger must be furious, the starting eleven should have beaten the side they were up against, they were too cocky, too complacent and even going behind 1-0 didn’t wake them up….
Each player should go and take a long hard look at themselves today….
understand rico. just let it go for now. i can accept losing at home – and west brom were the better side and fully deserved to win – i almost do not want to see arsene’s post-match comments. if he suggests otherwise, i retort that he may well be the biggest problem we have. peformances like this will continue, so long as arsene “has their back” and there is not accountability. these players must be publicly told the collective performance and attitude were an absolute disgrace.
regarding the cc, we’ll just have to do it the hard way. if we can win at st james, the reward will no doubt be a trip to old trafford. if we win both those, they can just give us the cup, never mind the latter rounds/final.
oliver, would you like to do the match report?
i have just watched wenger post match – he said many players made many mistakes and WBA deserved to win…
he was asked about Almunia – he took a deep breath then said it would be wrong to focus on one player when so many made errors….
.. now that is unbelievable
True Rico all 11 players were poor and Champions don’t get beat by a newly promoted side
in the midst of the wreckage, a few at least managed to stink it out less than the others. nasri was up for it and i thought arshavin worked hard and put some good balls in – they were the ones that really tried to salvage something. chamakh tried as well, but was slow to pull the trigger on several occasions.
arsene made a huge mistake by starting diaby – to me, he personified the languid, almost indifferent attitude and pace that the team had. if arsene wants to make an example of someone, i can think of no better candidate. agag will undoubtedly wince, but clichy was dreadful. sanga was worse. kos had a rotten game. and vela, quite frankly, was a waste of a substitution. jack and rosicky tried their best to pull us back into it, but at 0-2 down, the damage was already done.
Focus on almunia.. he turned a match that’d have been 2-1 to 2-3.. ::angry::
When we should take advantage of Chelsea loss we dont have the look of champions and the Chelsea game is a must win
ok, good for arsene. i wish he had commented about the attitude, but we cannot have everything. i also appreciate him not giving al unqualified support – i know his confidence will need rebuilding, but giving al a pass, even if he had no help out there, will be counterproductive in my opinion. now, let’s make an example out of someone.
this is a game where theo would really have helped – shame he is not available, but that is life. so many other players of ours are out, but the ones that are available should have beaten a side like west brom rather easy.
to put it in proper context, a win would have put us top of the table – we lost a lot more than just a match here. think united won’t take advantage of chelsea and our slips tomorrow at bolton? and that is a pretty mediocre united side as well. but they still have a measure of professionlism our players continue to lack – they usually captialize on these opportunities.
Hi STV, not a happy bunny here!!
I’m saying nothing about Almunia until I see it all again… :mrangry:
Thats what annoys me erick, we knew before 3pm this game was our chance to gather some ground – the eleven players should have been raring to go and should have come out of the tunnel with fire in their belly…
what did they do… shrink!
stv, i am defending alumina here. he certainly could have done better for the second and third goals, but he got no help out there – the collective defending for each of the three goals was nothing short of an embarrassment. its a shame gibbs is hurt, because i have had just about enough of clichy. and if possible, i thought sagna was even worse! no goalkeeper will excel with his defenders waving opposing forwards into the danger area.
oliver, he did comment about attitude, he said ours was very wrong 🙁
honestly, i think scoreline flattered us. this was embarrassing enough but perhaps a 1-5 loss to a team like west brom is the only way for certain players to get the message.
Hello Rico, failed to wish you.. one step forward ad one back season is going good in a creepy way…
by thee way how you doing
by the way, i thought a certain alexandre song billong was clumsy, ponderous and error-prone. he was not much help out there.
oliver, wenger couldn’t and wouldn’t defend almunia today…. neither can i….
but its not only him i cannot defend..
this game reminds me the one against hull two season back., taking it so lightly on the back of other results and get stabed
thanks rico – it is encouraging that he mentioned that publicly. i shall be satisfied with that. sometimes i want him to go further and name names, but that is a line that needs to be crossed very carefully, and only when absolutely necessary. he can just as effectively send the message by leaving a certain vassirki “abou” diaby at home for the trip to beograd. perhaps do not take him to stamford bridge either.
the players will have to deal with this. if they should win at the bridge next week, they should not be surprised if that is met with skepticism: “you won at chelsea, nice. you also lost at home to west brom last weekend. why should we think this season will be any different for you? we still do not see any consistency.” the players made a rod for their own backs here.
perhaps. certainly al should have done better with the second and third goals, but i just cannot kill him over them with his “defense” completely absent on both occasions. he was not only exposed, he was hung out to dry!
STV – why do we do it – how many games against the so called lesser sides do we take three points for granted…. arrg, i am so cheesed off!!
so oliver, i ask again, would you like to write the match report – your view would be less ‘angry’ than mine…
oh, and probably more balanced oliver 😉
i do not know if it would. let me give it a try here. how quickly do you need it? i am working on a couple of other things, but i can bang one out. i am frustrated a bit, but my anger has worn off. i still think the players can turn this into a positive result, but that requires determination and resolve. i have yet to be convinced about some of them.
It has to go up sometime tommorrow oliver, i have been working on mine since full time and will of course carry on – but its just when you commented about almunia i thought it would make a good one…
i want him gone and sold and flappy can go with him…
no pressure, and honestly you don’t have to write it, only do it if in your heart you want to….
oliver, i will do mine and pot it in the morning as usual…
if you end up writing a report too, then yours will go up around 2pm Uk time, hows that??
rico, i am nearly done here, i can save you the trouble if you so wish. Another ten or so minutes, and I will be ready to send it to you.
i am not ready to sell al out yet. if the team played well and he dropped a couple of clangers, that is one thing. but i still maintain that he had no support around him. i cringed at what i saw for the second and third goals, but he was effectively a one-man defense for both – set up to fail, he was.
Well oliver, that will be just fab, i look forward to it – and i mean it…
i do have a heading and afew opening lines i would like to include if thats ok ?
guys/gals, i am off for the day….
be good all and catch up tomorrow…
stay safe….
Oliver, if you email, i will pick it up later or in the morning and post yours – thanks again…. enjoy the rest of your day the best you can…
Night all…..
it is on the way to you rico. whatever you need to do with it is fine.
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