Random Arsenal Shit (When it's not worth starting a thread)

[Chippy]

[QUOTE=Chippy;4578993]


Cod Glaswegian

Thank you, I will add this to my Duolingo app and see what the fuck it means. ��

[Mac76]

[QUOTE=Chippy;4578993]


Cod Glaswegian

:lol:

[WMUG]

[QUOTE=HCZ_Reborn;4578994]

:lol:

Has the quote function gone all fucky?

[WMUG]

[QUOTE=Mac76;4578997]

Has the quote function gone all fucky?

Yes.

Leeeetteeeerrrs! :wave:

[Letters]

Has the quote function gone all fucky?
I don't think so. You lot don't know how to WWW

[Mac76]

I don't think so. You lot don't know how to WWW

test

[Mac76]

hmmm, seems to work now - strange but I wonder if this is a case of 'Letters makes an adjustment he forgot to before but doesn't want to admit it' :lol:

[Letters]

hmmm, seems to work now - strange but I wonder if this is a case of 'Letters makes an adjustment he forgot to before but doesn't want to admit it' :lol:

No.

Chippy buggered up his quoting of Mandela and then you lot starting quoting that so then all those posts were screwed too.

:p

[Chippy]

No.

Chippy buggered up his quoting of Mandela and then you lot starting quoting that so then all those posts were screwed too.

:p

Guilty as charged :dunce:

[WMUG]

Letters :bow:

[Chippy]

No.

Chippy buggered up his quoting of Mandela and then you lot starting quoting that so then all those posts were screwed too.

:p
This is what happens when you let an old bugger like me be in the group :oldboy::lol:

[Letters]

Letters :bow:

:gp:

[Mac76]

Letters :bow:

:gp:

[LDG]

https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-merseyside-66754753

Bet he swerved off the road when he heard his sentence called down

[Letters]

:haha:

[Letters]

Zinchenko just scored against England :lol:

[HCZ_Reborn]

Finished 1-1, not a great result but in the context of qualification quite a helpful one.

Italy at home our toughest fixture remaining. England will qualify for Germany easily but I suspect won’t get that far (quarter finals at most)

[Letters]

That all sounds about right

[IBK]

https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-merseyside-66754753

Bet he swerved off the road when he heard his sentence called down

Do we still hate him, or has time healed the bad feelings?

[Mac76]

Do we still hate him, or has time healed the bad feelings?

Not whenever I hear anyone talk about him, they acknowledge his ability but he's still persona non-grata

[IBK]

Not whenever I hear anyone talk about him, they acknowledge his ability but he's still persona non-grata

Right answer :good:

[Marc Overmars]

He’ll never be forgiven for the way he engineered the move to Chelsea. Great player of course and the career he had should be respected but there’s a way to leave a club and what he did wasn’t it.

[HCZ_Reborn]

Not whenever I hear anyone talk about him, they acknowledge his ability but he's still persona non-grata

Leaving like he did left a bitter taste, that plus you suspect that he’s a massive bell end anyway

[Letters]

I think that's the thing, he's just a bell end. When the whole "swerved off the road" thing came out he was booed at England games. Everyone thought he was a complete knob.

[Chippy]

Sorry, I know this is an Arsenal chat forum, but how the fuck did that lot down the road win that game yesterday?
Also, I am a bit annoyed that the Aussie is whipping up a good spirit there. Thought he would struggle tbh.

[HCZ_Reborn]

Sorry, I know this is an Arsenal chat forum, but how the fuck did that lot down the road win that game yesterday?
Also, I am a bit annoyed that the Aussie is whipping up a good spirit there. Thought he would struggle tbh.

We hoped he would struggle. I think next week will be an important game because it’s a test of us and a test of them. They will be dangerous because they have nothing to lose. They won yesterday because they were playing a side that had lost all but one of its previous games, the club is an utter mess and the amount of time wasting they engaged in meant a ridiculous amount of added on time was given. When you’re playing without the ball, it’s a lot more tiring both mentally and physically so it wasn’t that big a surprise that they beat them.

I think we can beat them if we take our chances and don’t play too open. But I actually have to say I don’t think their squad is that bad…it shouldn’t be they’ve spent enough on it. But they are playing with purpose, confidence and enjoying their football which clearly wasn’t the case under Conte.

[Chippy]

We hoped he would struggle. I think next week will be an important game because it’s a test of us and a test of them. They will be dangerous because they have nothing to lose. They won yesterday because they were playing a side that had lost all but one of its previous games, the club is an utter mess and the amount of time wasting they engaged in meant a ridiculous amount of added on time was given. When you’re playing without the ball, it’s a lot more tiring both mentally and physically so it wasn’t that big a surprise that they beat them.

I think we can beat them if we take our chances and don’t play too open. But I actually have to say I don’t think their squad is that bad…it shouldn’t be they’ve spent enough on it. But they are playing with purpose, confidence and enjoying their football which clearly wasn’t the case under Conte.
Absolutely, not too much money spent but playing with purpose and playing for the Manager. Annoyingly.

[Letters]

I’m not worried about Spurs.

Yesterday was bloody irritating, but in some ways I’m glad that a team who tried to time waste came a cropper because of the new rules around added time which are designed in part to deal with that. I could have done without Spurs being the beneficiaries but I guess we were last week.

There is an annoying feel good factor around Spurs right now but it won’t last. It never does for them. Even if they do beat us next week, which I think unlikely, they’ll Spurs it up at some point. They always do. It’s the history of Tottenham…

[HCZ_Reborn]

I’m not worried about Spurs.

Yesterday was bloody irritating, but in some ways I’m glad that a team who tried to time waste came a cropper because of the new rules around added time which are designed in part to deal with that. I could have done without Spurs being the beneficiaries but I guess we were last week.

There is an annoying feel good factor around Spurs right now but it won’t last. It never does for them. Even if they do beat us next week, which I think unlikely, they’ll Spurs it up at some point. They always do. It’s the history of Tottenham…


I don’t really give that much thought to them. For me them losing is a bonus not a requirement unless they are playing us. I have to say going by his press conferences I like Ange Postecoglu…seems like a thoughtful guy. But the fact of the matter is that from the post World Cup period last season we were rather spoiled by Spurs being dreadful….they lost ten times between December and May….and in reality so far this season they’ve been winning games you’d expect them to win.

[Mac76]

It’s the history of the Tottenham…

corrected for you ;)

I would never be that complacent - don't forget they came very close to winning the CL and while I know you'll say the fact they lost that proves it, we can't rely on it forever

I'd still much rather it was the good old days of their flirting with relegation

[HCZ_Reborn]

corrected for you ;)

I would never be that complacent - don't forget they came very close to winning the CL and while I know you'll say the fact they lost that proves it, we can't rely on it forever

I'd still much rather it was the good old days of their flirting with relegation


I was far more nervous (and proven correct to be so) when Bayern Munich were playing Chelsea in 2012 than the 2019 final. I still regard that game as the most upsetting non Arsenal game I’ve ever watched. Never occurred to me once that Spurs could win that game, don’t get me wrong I celebrated the second goal from Divock Origi but even when Spurs had that good spell in the second half never felt like they were at risk of coming back into it.

2021 final? Well Chelsea had won it already, so there was nothing they could do to hurt me anymore :lol:

[Mac76]

I couldn't care less about Chelsea winning it, but as for the Liverpool/Spuds game, I daren't even check the score until the next morning when i braced myself and looked at about 10am

I still think we should have a statue of Klopp outside the Emirates for preventing the apocalypse

[HCZ_Reborn]

I couldn't care less about Chelsea winning it, but as for the Liverpool/Spuds game, I daren't even check the score until the next morning when i braced myself and looked at about 10am

I still think we should have a statue of Klopp outside the Emirates for preventing the apocalypse


Really??

For me the competition was sullied by Chelsea winning it. For me it was almost our destiny to be the first club in London to win the European cup and that scummy piece of Shit club forever robbed us of it with their financial doping.

I don’t like Spurs because they are our north london rivals, outside of geography I don’t really have a beef with them. I absolutely don’t want them winning anything and always want to beat them. But with Chelsea it’s not tribal, I viscerally despise that club…it absolutely epitomises everything that’s wrong with the game. Fans are knuckle dragging scumbags and it’s a club that operates without any kind of class.

I’d get far more pleasure from Chelsea getting relegated, in fact don’t want spurs relegated at all. I love the NLD…winning those games are incredibly enjoyable and the atmosphere and tradition surrounding it are irreplaceable

[Mac76]

Really??

For me the competition was sullied by Chelsea winning it. For me it was almost our destiny to be the first club in London to win the European cup and that scummy piece of Shit club forever robbed us of it with their financial doping.

I don’t like Spurs because they are our north london rivals, outside of geography I don’t really have a beef with them. I absolutely don’t want them winning anything and always want to beat them. But with Chelsea it’s not tribal, I viscerally despise that club…it absolutely epitomises everything that’s wrong with the game. Fans are knuckle dragging scumbags and it’s a club that operates without any kind of class.

Your comments about Spuds show you aren't a real Arsenal fan, you should hate them to your very core :)

As for Chelsea, sure i know they have some nasty fans and Abramovic brought in the big-money era but i still quite liked some of the players - I was pleased for Di Matteo for example, though I realise they treateed him pretty badly

[HCZ_Reborn]

Your comments about Spuds show you aren't a real Arsenal fan, you should hate them to your very core :)

As for Chelsea, sure i know they have some nasty fans and Abramovic brought in the big-money era but i still quite liked some of the players - I was pleased for Di Matteo for example, though I realise they treateed him pretty badly


Don’t be a twat all your life

Proper Arsenal fan?? Are you fucking 12??

[Mac76]

Don’t be a twat all your life

Proper Arsenal fan?? Are you fucking 12??

well the smiley face was an attempt to show i was saying it in humour but i forgot you don't have a sense of humour, sorry :rolleyes:

[HCZ_Reborn]

well the smiley face was an attempt to show i was saying it in humour but i forgot you don't have a sense of humour, sorry :rolleyes:

I’m afraid to say that finding you funny or not is not exactly a litmus test for whether someone has a sense of humour. Given that usually you’re about as funny as Childhood polio.

[Chippy]

I couldn't care less about Chelsea winning it, but as for the Liverpool/Spuds game, I daren't even check the score until the next morning when i braced myself and looked at about 10am

I still think we should have a statue of Klopp outside the Emirates for preventing the apocalypse
Totally agree. The night the scum beat Ajax 3-2 was my birthday. It was the worst fucking birthday ever. Also, like you, I could not check the CL final score until the next day. It was the stuff of nightmares!

[Mac76]

Totally agree. The night the scum beat Ajax 3-2 was my birthday. It was the worst fucking birthday ever. Also, like you, I could not check the CL final score until the next day. It was the stuff of nightmares!

Yeah, I remember that evening knowing the final was going on, but just trying to put it out of my mind, it just doesn't bear thinking about what it would have been like if they'd won it ..

[Chippy]

Yeah, I remember that evening knowing the final was going on, but just trying to put it out of my mind, it just doesn't bear thinking about what it would have been like if they'd won it ..

Hence your comment regarding the Klopp statue :d

Them getting so close to winning the CL has made me paranoid because it was so painful, especially the three weeks gap waiting for the final. I never want them to be in the top 4 again to alleviate my paranoia :lol:

I probaly need to get out more :rolleyes:

[HCZ_Reborn]

I was disappointed that they made the final because it matched our own achievement in making the final, but never for a moment did I think they’d win it so I wasn’t at all nervous. Maybe I should have been, them winning would have been unbearable but it just seemed ridiculously unlikely…Liverpool had pedigree in the competition and Spurs with the exception of the one game away at Ajax couldn’t buy a win at the time.

Chelsea on the other hand I knew were more than capable of getting an underserved win over Bayern, and I genuinely was so relieved when Muller scored to cement Bayern’s dominance only for that cunt Drogba to get an equaliser out of nowhere and when Cech saved the penalty in extra time I knew what was going to happen.

Plus the champions league final was only three days after our embarrassing failure against Chelsea in the Europa league final, where we managed to lose 4-1 despite having the better of the game first half…absolutely rancid performance.

I liked Emery as a coach but thought that throwing away top four and losing that final meant that I doubted that he was the right guy for the job.

As for Spurs finishing top four, as long as it’s behind us I honestly couldn’t give a shit.

[Letters]

I was leaving for a work trip when the Ajax game was going on. It was only to Edinburgh but I was flying. Just as we were taking off I checked and saw it was 2-0 and thought "oh that's alright then!".
Landed, checked the score and just though "oh fuck OFF!".
Was too scared to watch the final although I had heard it had gone 1-0 early. I was actually driving but there was a problem on the M25 which meant I ended up at a standstill for a while. I knew by then the game must be over so I nervously checked, thought "oh thank fuck!" and went home a bit happier!

But I do agree with HCZ. Spurs winning it would be a bloody catastrophe - can you imagine? Shudder.
But aside from the local rivalry, I don't actually have a problem with them as a club. Their fans are alright and if I wasn't an Arsenal fan I'd probably not have an issue with the club - they Spurs it up often enough to be an amusing irrelevance. But Chelsea...they're rotten to the core as is their fanbase.

[WMUG]

Really??

For me the competition was sullied by Chelsea winning it. For me it was almost our destiny to be the first club in London to win the European cup and that scummy piece of Shit club forever robbed us of it with their financial doping.

I don’t like Spurs because they are our north london rivals, outside of geography I don’t really have a beef with them. I absolutely don’t want them winning anything and always want to beat them. But with Chelsea it’s not tribal, I viscerally despise that club…it absolutely epitomises everything that’s wrong with the game. Fans are knuckle dragging scumbags and it’s a club that operates without any kind of class.

I’d get far more pleasure from Chelsea getting relegated, in fact don’t want spurs relegated at all. I love the NLD…winning those games are incredibly enjoyable and the atmosphere and tradition surrounding it are irreplaceable

Yup.

As the saying goes, I hate Tottenham because I'm Arsenal. I hate Chelsea because I'm human.

[HCZ_Reborn]

Was flying back from Edinburgh when we played Newcastle in that 0-0 game at the Emirates start of the year (only time could get a flight and thought we were playing on the Wednesday).

Half nine at night, pissing down with rain, couldn’t find my car in the long stay car park and I was more preoccupied with whether we’d managed a late winner.

As I remember was more frustrated with the City-Spurs game because of all the VAR decisions (if I recall VAR was being used for European games and had been trialled in the FA cup but wasn’t used for premier league games until following season).

[Letters]

Yup.

As the saying goes, I hate Tottenham because I'm Arsenal. I hate Chelsea because I'm human.

:gp:

[Letters]

I was disappointed that they made the final because it matched our own achievement in making the final, but never for a moment did I think they’d win it so I wasn’t at all nervous. Maybe I should have been, them winning would have been unbearable but it just seemed ridiculously unlikely…Liverpool had pedigree in the competition and Spurs with the exception of the one game away at Ajax couldn’t buy a win at the time.
Liverpool were definitely favourites but I was definitely nervous. Cup Finals are all on the day - remember that Utd FA Cup Final, Vieira's last kick and all that. Utd battered us, but we won. And Utd in '99 when they completed the treble. Bayern tore them a new one but couldn't get the killer second goal and the rest is history.

I hated Chelsea winning it as it felt like another step in the destruction of football. But Spurs winning it would have been worse for obvious local rivalry reasons. It would have been something they'd have gloated about forever. Doesn't bear thinking about.

[Marc Overmars]

Chelsea winning it before us was awful but you could get over it because of how universally disliked they are.

Spurs winning it though would have been genuinely heartbreaking as far as footballing banter goes. The question was asked at the time, would you rather lose the EL final and have Spurs lose the CL, or both of us win? I can’t lie I’d rather go without a EL win if it meant no CL for Spurs.

[Letters]

Chelsea winning it before us was awful but you could get over it because of how universally disliked they are.

Spurs winning it though would have been genuinely heartbreaking as far as footballing banter goes. The question was asked at the time, would you rather lose the EL final and have Spurs lose the CL, or both of us win? I can’t lie I’d rather go without a EL win if it meant no CL for Spurs.

Chelsea are a horrible club so them winning it was a nail in football's coffin. But their "achievement" can be easily dismissed because we all know how they've got there, like City now.

But Spurs winning it...ugh. It would have changed the whole relationship between the clubs and the sets of fans. We are the successful club, we actually win trophies and that. They are the perennial underachievers who want to get one over us but repeatedly fail. But if they'd won the CL...they'd have had that over us forever. :sick:

[Chippy]

Chelsea are a horrible club so them winning it was a nail in football's coffin. But their "achievement" can be easily dismissed because we all know how they've got there, like City now.

But Spurs winning it...ugh. It would have changed the whole relationship between the clubs and the sets of fans. We are the successful club, we actually win trophies and that. They are the perennial underachievers who want to get one over us but repeatedly fail. But if they'd won the CL...they'd have had that over us forever. :sick:

Yes indeed, they would have not stopped going on about it <_<

It has been really interesting reading the various feelings you guys had about that particular CL season :good:
Lets just hope it NEVER happens again. :pray:

[Mac76]

Chelsea winning it before us was awful but you could get over it because of how universally disliked they are.

Spurs winning it though would have been genuinely heartbreaking as far as footballing banter goes. The question was asked at the time, would you rather lose the EL final and have Spurs lose the CL, or both of us win? I can’t lie I’d rather go without a EL win if it meant no CL for Spurs.

It only took me a nanosecond to answer that question, absolutely no contest in terms of what's more important betweeen us winning a second-tier cup and Spuds winning the CL

[Mac76]

Their fans are alright

Well, i know some Spuds fans who, yes, are ok but I think their worst fans are pretty nasty - you hear some stories about some very intimidating behaviour when we go there

Also they have such a jumped-up opinion of themselves, through no more than a few cup wins and a fawning media insisting on calling them a 'big club' even though they never win anything

[HCZ_Reborn]

It only took me a nanosecond to answer that question, absolutely no contest in terms of what's more important betweeen us winning a second-tier cup and Spuds winning the CL

I want my second tier cup and them to lose the final, fuck hypothetical choices.

I certainly don’t accept our 4-1 loss to Chelsea as the universe balancing things out prior to them lot losing


However an interesting one I put to you, would you be ok with those lot winning the fa cup (if they beat us in the semis like in 1991) if we won the league ?

[HCZ_Reborn]

I can’t say too much about personal experiences about Spurs fans on match days, as I’ve only ever been to the one North London Derby (1-1 draw where we dominated and they fouled us all over the pitch…Pochettino’s first NLD so back in 2014) and the nearest I was to any Spurs fan was opposite sides of the platform at Highbury and Islington station.

Most football fans are utterly deluded to one extent or another, you only have to see our Heaven’s gate cult members on Twitter to see that.

Addendum: I found the match reaction to that game on here (27th September 2014) and it shows that as I edge nearer 40….my memory is still working as I bitch and moan about the fouling in the game then

[Mac76]

I want my second tier cup and them to lose the final, fuck hypothetical choices.

I certainly don’t accept our 4-1 loss to Chelsea as the universe balancing things out prior to them lot losing


However an interesting one I put to you, would you be ok with those lot winning the fa cup (if they beat us in the semis like in 1991) if we won the league ?

No I wouldn't - the CL case was about being prepared to not win something in order that they didn't win a bigger prize

I never want them to win anything ever and while I'd love us to win the league again I believe we can and should win the league without wanting them to win something also

[Letters]

However an interesting one I put to you, would you be ok with those lot winning the fa cup (if they beat us in the semis like in 1991) if we won the league ?
Deal!

Because the league > the FA Cup. By a fairly significant degree.

But the CL is as good as it gets in club football, I don't think I'd trade Spurs winning that for anything.

[HCZ_Reborn]

No I wouldn't - the CL case was about being prepared to not win something in order that they didn't win a bigger prize

I never want them to win anything ever and while I'd love us to win the league again I believe we can and should win the league without wanting them to win something also


Fair enough it is a pure hypothetical. The 1990/91 season is really the first Arsenal season I remember, I remember getting upset when they beat us in the 3-1 semi final but looking back, the annoyance of them beating us and winning the fa cup was overshadowed by us winning the league.

That’s ultimately where I am, I don’t give a fuck if they win certain trophies as long as we are winning bigger ones (like for example wouldn’t have given two shits about them winning the league cup if we’d gone on to win the league in 2008, in fact it might have been nice to be super patronising to them :haha:)

[Letters]

I can’t say too much about personal experiences about Spurs fans on match days, as I’ve only ever been to the one North London Derby (1-1 draw where we dominated and they fouled us all over the pitch…Pochettino’s first NLD so back in 2014) and the nearest I was to any Spurs fan was opposite sides of the platform at Highbury and Islington station.

Most football fans are utterly deluded to one extent or another, you only have to see our Heaven’s gate cult members on Twitter to see that.
I remember one of the semi-finals, the one we won 2-1 having gone 1-0 down against the run of play. I think that was the season we lost to Liverpool in the final. It was when we were going through that "absolutely spanking teams but not actually scoring many goals" phase. Anyway, I remember on the way back to the car I got chatting to some Spurs fans who said how good we were and they were well beaten. I generally find them a lot more pleasant to deal with that the Chelsea knuckle-draggers. They obviously have their idiots but so do we.

It was a NLD before which Rocky's passing was announced, I'll never forget the way they respected the minute's silence.

[Letters]

Fair enough it is a pure hypothetical. The 1990/91 season is really the first Arsenal season I remember
That semi-final is the first really big game I went to.
Miserable
:(

[HCZ_Reborn]

On that note a few months ago I did the sad thing of watching the highlights of every game from that season (almost 500 given it was a 42 game season) that took me about a week watching about an hour at a time. I tell you what, if someone told you United were going to be champions two years later you’d have laughed in their faces…absolutely shit….actually if anything City were a better side then.
Shows you how things change quickly.

We often struggled for goals in that season, Alan Smith was off the boil and I’m pretty sure Anders Limpar was our top scorer, but our defence was pretty much impregnable. There were a few games like with this season where we leaked too many silly goals at home but on the whole massive amounts of clean sheets and only one defeat all season

[Mac76]

I generally find them a lot more pleasant to deal with that the Chelsea knuckle-draggers. They obviously have their idiots but so do we.


fair point re Chelsea fans, but on the second bit I've quoted there, i'll say again i don't think we have fans that are a bad as Spuds' worst ones are

[HCZ_Reborn]

I remember one of the semi-finals, the one we won 2-1 having gone 1-0 down against the run of play. I think that was the season we lost to Liverpool in the final. It was when we were going through that "absolutely spanking teams but not actually scoring many goals" phase. Anyway, I remember on the way back to the car I got chatting to some Spurs fans who said how good we were and they were well beaten. I generally find them a lot more pleasant to deal with that the Chelsea knuckle-draggers. They obviously have their idiots but so do we.

It was a NLD before which Rocky's passing was announced, I'll never forget the way they respected the minute's silence.


I’m going to show my weird borderline neuro atypical brain again. The 2-0 win at Highbury was the game where Rocky’s death was announced (poor bugger was only 34) and we scored both goals in the second half - Pires and Henry. Which was the same season we beat them in the semi finals at Old Trafford (the fucking hell was the point of that) and I think it was Pires and Henry again.

No just checked, it was Vieira and Pires….I was 17 at the time, and was doing a-level course work so listened to the game on five live rather than watching it at the pub.

[HCZ_Reborn]

The league game and the semi final were a week apart. The game at Highbury was 31st March and the semi final at OT was 8th April.

[Mac76]

It was a NLD before which Rocky's passing was announced, I'll never forget the way they respected the minute's silence.

fair dos, that is good

[Marc Overmars]

If Spurs had our trophy cabinet and standing in the game then I’m sure the relationship with the fans would be a lot more hostile, like it is with United and Liverpool who are similarly successful and the fans absolutely despise each other because neither has an inferiority complex.

Compared to Spurs, we’re the bigger and more successful club and I’m sure even the most ardent Spurs fan would accept that. They’ve always had somewhat of an inferiority complex about us which contributes to how we feel about them. They’re more like an annoying little brother.

[WMUG]

That semi-final is the first really big game I went to.
Miserable
:(

Mine was the Liverpool final.

:sick:

[Chippy]

If Spurs had our trophy cabinet and standing in the game then I’m sure the relationship with the fans would be a lot more hostile, like it is with United and Liverpool who are similarly successful and the fans absolutely despise each other because neither has an inferiority complex.

Compared to Spurs, we’re the bigger and more successful club and I’m sure even the most ardent Spurs fan would accept that. They’ve always had somewhat of an inferiority complex about us which contributes to how we feel about them. They’re more like an annoying little brother.

The part that mentions Spurs being like an annoying little brother would have changed everything if they had won the CL that year. Whatever is in our trophy cabinet would have been overshadowed by thar one victory. As someone said in an earlier post, a final is all on the day. Thank fuck for the scourers.

[Letters]

Mine was the Liverpool final.

:sick:

:lol: :(

Although personally I’ve always found losing a semi-final more painful.
The final is at least an occasion.
But that one was bloody frustrating as we were much the better team.

[Mac76]

The part that mentions Spurs being like an annoying little brother would have changed everything if they had won the CL that year. Whatever is in our trophy cabinet would have been overshadowed by thar one victory. As someone said in an earlier post, a final is all on the day. Thank fuck for the scourers.

exactly, they'd have been able to sing that "Champions of Europe you'll never be that" song

I vowed never to call Klopp 'Flopp' after that - although in any case you can't really call a PL and CL winner a flop anyway...

[IBK]

I couldn't care less about Chelsea winning it, but as for the Liverpool/Spuds game, I daren't even check the score until the next morning when i braced myself and looked at about 10am

I still think we should have a statue of Klopp outside the Emirates for preventing the apocalypse

I watched the game, and the Liverpool pel on 1.48 was absolutely delicious! Really enjoyed those twats' dreams being crushed.

Don't think our final where we were robbed can be compared to that Spursey sh*tfest :lol:

[WMUG]

:lol: :(

Although personally I’ve always found losing a semi-final more painful.
The final is at least an occasion.
But that one was bloody frustrating as we were much the better team.

The sting was taken out of it somewhat by winning 3 of the next 4 FA Cups, I'll grant you.

But it did introduce me to the concept of footballing heartbreak pretty early.

[Marc Overmars]

That Liverpool final was on my birthday. :sulk:

[Letters]

That Liverpool final was on my birthday. :sulk:

Chelsea beat us at home on my wedding day :angry:
And Spurs won at Old Trafford, to rub salt into the wound :sulk:

(That should be enough information for you all to wish me a happy anniversary soon :lol: )

[HCZ_Reborn]

That Liverpool final was on my birthday. :sulk:

The FA cup final? Oh I was working that day (still a lad of 17, working in a supermarket whilst doing my A-Levels)

I was trying to get to the break room at every opportunity to keep an eye on the score without being noticed, had some utter gobshite Liverpool fan (lots of Liverpool fans at the time who had never been to Liverpool) crowing about Michael Owen scoring twice. Fuck it all.

Had come home from that shitty grocery job, just in time to watch the pelanty shootout between us and Galatasaray in the UEFA cup final the previous year….wish I hadn’t bothered.

Still though happier memories to come. Was in my local when we won the league at Old Trafford, have a clear memory next day of going into college, teacher asking if I was hung over to which I replied “not at all…I’m still drunk”. Drinking a four pack of Tenants super strength after having a skinful down the pub will do that for you. Word to the wise, it also gives you the diabolical beer shits.

Then there was winning the league at white hart lane, was watching that in the Twelve Pins. Still even now upset that the league win was sullied slightly by giving away that last minute penalty because Lehmann is a hair trigger tempered thug.

[HCZ_Reborn]

Chelsea beat us at home on my wedding day :angry:
And Spurs won at Old Trafford, to rub salt into the wound :sulk:

(That should be enough information for you all to wish me a happy anniversary soon :lol: )

29th September, day after my Birthday.

Torres and Mata for them even though we were clearly the better team.

[Letters]

29th September, day after my Birthday.

Torres and Mata for them even though we were clearly the better team.

Check out the big brain on HCZ :d

[HCZ_Reborn]

Check out the big brain on HCZ :d

No I just have one of those weird eidetic memories where I can remember things in reasonably clear detail from long ago.

To compensate I have the absent mindedness of someone with advanced dementia and often forget to buy items that I went there for when I go into a shop. I could help myself by writing a list, but I don’t want to

[Letters]

No I just have one of those weird eidetic memories where I can remember things in reasonably clear detail from long ago.

To compensate I have the absent mindedness of someone with advanced dementia and often forget to buy items that I went there for when I go into a shop. I could help myself by writing a list, but I don’t want to

My memory is very random. I don't have one of those brains that remembers much of anything about the hundreds of games I've been to - a few notable highlights aside of course.
But I can tell you that Michael Jackson was credited as John Jay Smith when he appeared on The Simpsons (and it was him, except when he sang when for some contractual reason they had to use an impersonator).
TL;DR - I'm quite useful in a pub quiz, so full is my brain full of mostly useless crap.

[Chippy]

My memory is very random. I don't have one of those brains that remembers much of anything about the hundreds of games I've been to - a few notable highlights aside of course.
But I can tell you that Michael Jackson was credited as John Jay Smith when he appeared on The Simpsons (and it was him, except when he sang when for some contractual reason they had to use an impersonator).
TL;DR - I'm quite useful in a pub quiz, so full is my brain full of mostly useless crap.
"Lisa it's your birthday, happy birthday Lisa"! :music:

[HCZ_Reborn]

My favourite Simpsons episode remains the prohibition episode, in fact so much so that rather than use my actual name on certain social media accounts I use the name Rex Banner instead

[Marc Overmars]

My favourite episode is the Stonecutters one. :bow:

I started watching The Simpsons again from the start on Disney during lockdown, the earlier seasons are so good.

[HCZ_Reborn]

My favourite episode is the Stonecutters one. :bow:

I started watching The Simpsons again from the start on Disney during lockdown, the earlier seasons are so good.

Who controls the British Crown?

Who keeps the metric system down?

We do…We do

[Letters]

Cape Feare is my favourite.
Sideshow Bob :bow:
Rakes :bow:

[Shaqiri Is Boss]

My favourite Simpsons episode remains the prohibition episode, in fact so much so that rather than use my actual name on certain social media accounts I use the name Rex Banner insteadYou're out there somewhere Beer Baron... and I'll find you.

no you won't

Sent from my M2101K6G using Tapatalk

[HCZ_Reborn]

You're out there somewhere Beer Baron... and I'll find you.

no you won't

Sent from my M2101K6G using Tapatalk


How can you say you don’t like bribes if you’ve never taken one? Here

Say that feels nice…..No…No Bribes!

Ok I will stick to smuggling Heroin!

See that you do!

[WMUG]

https://twitter.com/SimpsonsArsenal/status/1704376631987499456

:d

[Marc Overmars]

Odegaard has extended his contract.

Pretty much every asset this club has is tied down long term. Far cry from those awful days of being left in limbo about whether our best players would stay or go.

[Letters]

:good:

Our contract management back in the day was bloody awful. Every year we had the "only one year left on his contract" thing and ended up having to sell people cheap for fear they'd leave for free the following year.

[HCZ_Reborn]

Odegaard has extended his contract.

Pretty much every asset this club has is tied down long term. Far cry from those awful days of being left in limbo about whether our best players would stay or go.


Yep it’s basically an insurance policy. It’s quite possible that Ramsdale has been supplanted as no1 but he recently signed a new contract which means if we sell him in January or the summer we should get a lot for him. I hope we don’t sell him I like him as a player but I get the impression that for Arteta this has been a long time coming.

[HCZ_Reborn]

https://www.arsenal.com/news/arteta-martinellis-fitness-ahead-spurs-game?fbclid=IwAR18E9U8sHQ5u0QIMKQ9pwRpji_3mg9o8bBO YEZb9cS1eUGV2fRLwI2OaUA

Have to say, immediately when I heard hamstring I thought we were looking at between six weeks and three months

I’d honestly say don’t rush him back, a) don’t want to aggravate injury and have him out longer b) Trossard the last couple of games has clearly shown he deserves his place in the team

[Mac76]

They've been quite careful with Jesus so hopefully wiill do the same wtiith Martinelli - anyway i want to see Trossard against Spuds, I reckon he'll score the way he's going

[HCZ_Reborn]

Lot of Ivan Toney traffic circulating about a potential January move. He wouldn’t be my first choice, if we were going to buy English I’d much prefer a player like Ollie Watkins. But I’m not against the move either (providing he’s learned his lesson over his questionable betting practices). We clearly need another dimension up front, and he certainly would give us that

[WMUG]

The women's team have set the record for biggest WSL attendance this afternoon against Liverpool.

The Angel didn't get quite the rousing reception it does for the men's games :lol:

[Mac76]

The Angel didn't get quite the rousing reception it does for the men's games :lol:

Good for them - it's total shite

[The Wengerbabies]

The women's team is too white apparantly :rolleyes:

https://www.skysports.com/football/news/12040/12990856/arsenal-women-acknowledge-lack-of-diversity-in-team-photo

https://pbs.twimg.com/media/F8UVT2oWoAAWvkH?format=jpg&name=4096x4096
From left to right:
Back row: yeah, nah, no, no, no, YES, yes
Middle: yeah, nah, yeah, yeah, no, NO, yeah, yeah, yeah, no
Front: no, no, no, no, no, man, yes, no, yeah, no, no

[Mac76]

I don't think we can be blamed for that, it's obviously not a deliberate policy and our men's team proves the point that we'll sign whoever seem like the best players (apart from Havertz and Zin ofc ;)), that said maybe there's something we can do around having a particular scheme for girls from deprived areas or something and offer things like safe travel

as for your selections, the 'NO' made me laugh (we both probably think she really wouldn't be interested) but I'm not sure why middle left gets the nod and some of the others don't

The one to the right of the guy is nice but looks hard to get, if I saw them all in a bar I'd probably go for one of the two to the right of 'NO', they look more approachable

[HCZ_Reborn]

It’s kind of funny how women’s football is a microcosm for how actually gender norms are self-selecting. Across most clubs and international teams there is a plurality of women footballers that are in relationships with fellow professionals. Some obvious like the NO one in the middle but others the more stereotypically feminine ones (some are shacked up with the short haired Megan Rapinoe type, others not)

It’s I suppose a bit like the girls that were referred to as Tom Boys back in the day because they were more sporty or liked to rough house with the boys….whilst not all were lesbians they were far more likely to turn out to be than the more girly girls.

I think apart from anything else trying to enforce gender norms unnecessary because largely most from a young age will conform to those norms naturally and it’s not necessarily a form of societal conditioning, and those that don’t are more the outliers.

That’s what transing kids is, enforcing gender norms. Mother says “my little boy likes to play with dolls” “oh well he’s a girl born in a boys body then” fuck sake…no…let him figure it out for himself and ultimately prepare yourself that the first time he brings a girl home to meet you, they are most likely going to be called Harold.

[Mac76]

It’s kind of funny how women’s football is a microcosm for how actually gender norms are self-selecting. Across most clubs and international teams there is a plurality of women footballers that are in relationships with fellow professionals. Some obvious like the NO one in the middle but others the more stereotypically feminine ones (some are shacked up with the short haired Megan Rapinoe type, others not)



I think that makes it a lot more healthy, no-one cares if someone's gay or not and no-ones's going to to do silly Robbie-Fowler type homophobic gestures

[HCZ_Reborn]

I think that makes it a lot more healthy, no-one cares if someone's gay or not and no-ones's going to to do silly Robbie-Fowler type homophobic gestures

Not sure that would necessarily apply to the men’s game though. Anyone who has been going to football matches for 20 years or more and frankly hasn’t joined in a chant that would now be considered homophobic is in my view a liar.

Plus let’s be fair there’s people in the crowd who might make mocking statements as fair game banter, and there are a lot of people who genuinely despise homosexuals (largely our friends in the Muslim and Afro-Caribbean community) and given football is a money making enterprise…you’ll probably not get many gay male footballers want to come out.

The reason female homosexuality is seen as different from male is because much of the religious disapproval refers strictly to sodomy/buggery (and the laws that existed here and still exist in the many countries) and because women don’t have any sexual agency in these societies it’s not really considered (there’s often corrective rape in African countries…but most of the homophobic language is in reference to anal sex)

Even in this country before homosexuality was decriminalised in 1967, the laws largely referred to male on male penetrative sex

[Mac76]

The latest TV fixture changes have been announced - includes the Palace game put off by an entire week, and couple of 8.15pm midweek KOs :blink:

ok so the opposition are Luton and West Spam so they don't have far to go but still it looks like Amazon don't give a flying one about people having to travel late......

Luton Town v Arsenal
Tuesday 5th December 2023
Kick off: 8.15pm (originally 7.45pm)
Live on Amazon Prime Video

Aston Villa v Arsenal
Saturday 9th December 2023
Kick off: 5.30pm (originally 3.00pm)
Live on Sky Sports

Liverpool v Arsenal
Saturday 23rd December 2023
Kick off: 5.30pm (originally 3.00pm)
Live on Sky Sports

Arsenal v West Ham United
Thursday 28th December 2023 (originally Tuesday 26th December)
Kick off: 8.15pm
Live on Amazon Prime Video

Fulham v Arsenal
Sunday 31st December 2023 (originally Saturday 30th December)
Kick off: 2.00pm
Live on Sky Sports

Arsenal v Crystal Palace
Saturday 20th January 2024 (originally Saturday 13th January)
Kick off: 12.30pm
Live on TNT Sports

Additionally, we can confirm that the following fixture has been re-arranged due to Brighton & Hove Albion's participation in the UEFA Europa League the preceding Thursday:

Arsenal v Brighton & Hove Albion
Sunday 17th December 2023 (originally Saturday 16th December)
Kick off: 2.00pm

[HCZ_Reborn]

The old winter break in effect I see. Have to say fair enough really, with the way the fixtures were completely realigned to facilitate a World Cup in an oil rich kleptocracy…there hasn’t been a real significant rest period for players, and with the European championships coming up that makes it two long seasons back to back.

[Mac76]

I hadn't thought of that, was assuming it was for international games but if it's a break then yes good to see, though I expect Arteta will arrange for Saka to take part in a week-long kick-boxing tournament, can't have the guy slacking off after all....

[Letters]

Happy Birthday Ian WWW. The big 6-0!

[McNamara That Ghost...]

Happy Birthday Ian World Wide Web.

[mandela8]

What a guy.

The single reason I support arsenal and still my all time favorite player.

Fuckin legend.

[Letters]

https://metro.co.uk/2023/11/03/chelsea-mauricio-pochettino-insists-he-will-never-manage-arsenal-19769709/

oh noes.

[Letters]

What a guy.

The single reason I support arsenal and still my all time favorite player.

Fuckin legend.

https://i.ibb.co/sCbY0zz/IanWWW.jpg

A quick reminder of how excited he was to meet me :cool:

[Mac76]

https://i.ibb.co/sCbY0zz/IanWWW.jpg

A quick reminder of how excited he was to meet me :cool:

are you serious, is that you or am i making myself look really dumb (or both)?

[Letters]

are you serious, is that you or am i making myself look really dumb (or both)?

It's me :lol:

Back when they did the North Bank, they funded it with bonds. The first thousand people to buy them got an opportunity to meet some players and have a photo before a game.
It was players who weren't playing that day but Ian Wright, being Ian Wright, had got himself suspended :lol:, so he was one of the players I got to have a photo taken with.

[Marc Overmars]

I love Wrighty. Met him at the airport once after I had a few beers. I don’t think he was best pleased that I drew attention to him while he was with his family but he was still decent about it and let me take a photo with him. :lol:

[mandela8]

https://i.ibb.co/sCbY0zz/IanWWW.jpg

A quick reminder of how excited he was to meet me :cool:

Quality that, man.

[HCZ_Reborn]

I love Wrighty. Met him at the airport once after I had a few beers. I don’t think he was best pleased that I drew attention to him while he was with his family but he was still decent about it and let me take a photo with him. :lol:

Never met him but I do like what I’d call his infectious optimism

Met Romford Ray a few times, used to be a regular at a pub I’d go to. Seen him at the local train station a few times and he’s given me a friendly nod (has no idea who I am or what my name is of course but he’s seen me at the pub). I went up to him and said hello once but other than that he’s either with friends or with his girls so I don’t pester him

Certainly wouldn’t embarrass myself by telling him that he’s scored one of my favourite ever Arsenal goals (the screamer against Chelsea in the fa cup final)

[Letters]

Big fan of Parlour.
Not the most technically gifted but worked hard and kept his place in an exceptional side.
And yes, “it’s only Ray Parlour” :bow:

[WMUG]

Me and dad were right behind that one.

I got him a signed photo of it framed for Christmas one year, which I think is probably the best present I've ever given :lol:

[Mac76]

It's me :lol:

Back when they did the North Bank, they funded it with bonds. The first thousand people to buy them got an opportunity to meet some players and have a photo before a game.
It was players who weren't playing that day but Ian Wright, being Ian Wright, had got himself suspended :lol:, so he was one of the players I got to have a photo taken with.

Nice one!

[Mac76]

Big fan of Parlour.
Not the most technically gifted but worked hard and kept his place in an exceptional side.
And yes, “it’s only Ray Parlour” :bow:

That was such a great bit of commentary :)

As you might know there's a North London ale called 'Romford Pele' in his honour - it's a good pint :good:

[mandela8]

Big fan of Parlour.
Not the most technically gifted but worked hard and kept his place in an exceptional side.
And yes, “it’s only Ray Parlour” :bow:

I dunno, man. I think that's one of these kinda false narratives that formed around Parlour. Probably because he was so industrious but it never came at the expense of technical skills, imo. I was actually watching some Wright highlights after this thread and Parlour features a lot with some lovely assists. Beautiful through balls and flicks.

Scored an amazing hatrick against...German team...Werder maybe...and the first two were things of absolute beauty. Outside of the boot in off the far post for one and another he skinned a few players and rolled it in off the same post...canny mind the third, tbh, so prob not as good.

Anyway, naw saying he was Bergkampesque or anything but I think he's hugely under rated nowadays.

[HCZ_Reborn]

Ugh it doesn’t feel right, but I actually agree with this. I think Parlour was if anything underrated

[The Wengerbabies]

Arsenal U18 game at Brighton postponed because the coach went to Bournemouth instead :lol:

[Letters]

Arsenal U18 game at Brighton postponed because the coach went to Bournemouth instead :lol:

We don’t know where we’re going
We don’t know where we’re going

[Globalgunner]

Arsenal U18 game at Brighton postponed because the coach went to Bournemouth instead :lol:

Easily done. I hear there are hundreds of people each year who end up in Austria when they meant to be in Australia or vice versa. I`ll take a guess and assume they were mostly "Mericans" :d

[Mac76]

It's not quite the same but a couple of decades ago I managed to go and spend a couple of days in Blackpool whilst all the time believing it was in the North East :lol:

[HCZ_Reborn]

So the VAR audio from Gordon’s goal has been released and I still feel the same way I did at the time

Offside, handball, ball in or out…inconclusive (though with that we should clearly have sensor technology to establish)

The push? I genuinely can’t make my mind up. I lean towards foul but I’m absolutely not 100% factually convinced.

The only grating issue is that I don’t think I’m any more confident that a different lot of eyes on VAR at the same time would have come to the same decision.

It feels a pisser to have the goal given for sure, but I don’t feel as a matter of fact that it shouldn’t have been

[Letters]

Interestingly, I'm less annoyed having listened to it.

I have to concede it's not conclusive that the ball was out of play.
I do think it was a foul but it is one of those "you see them given" ones - but equally you see them not given too.
And the offside - it isn't conclusive he's ahead of the ball.

We scream for consistency but in real life that isn't possible, there's always going to be some interpretation. And at least they went through it thoroughly, it wasn't the utter shit show that was the Liverpool "goal" against Spurs where VAR actually got ir right but bolloxed up the comms with the ref who they thought had allowed it :doh:

And as we all said at the time, we were never going to score. So if we were robbed it was only of one point, not three.

[Mac76]

The foul was 100% - two hands firmly on the back clearly pushing a player over

[HCZ_Reborn]

The foul was 100% - two hands firmly on the back clearly pushing a player over

Is that a rule though that two hands on the back constitutes a foul? That’s a genuine question by the way

[Mac76]

Is that a rule though that two hands on the back constitutes a foul? That’s a genuine question by the way

This is the relevant section of FA Law 12 which deals with fouls and misconduct - I would argue it was both reckless but either way it certainly involved excessive force and was obvs a push

"1. Direct free kick
A direct free kick is awarded if a player commits any of the following offences against an opponent in a manner considered by the referee to be careless, reckless or using excessive force:

charges
jumps at
kicks or attempts to kick
pushes
strikes or attempts to strike (including head-butt)
tackles or challenges
trips or attempts to trip

If an offence involves contact it is penalised by a direct free kick or penalty kick.

Careless is when a player shows a lack of attention or consideration when making a challenge or acts without precaution. No disciplinary sanction is needed
Reckless is when a player acts with disregard to the danger to, or consequences for, an opponent and must be cautioned
Using excessive force is when a player exceeds the necessary use of force and endangers the safety of an opponent and must be sent off

A direct free kick is awarded if a player commits any of the following offences:

a handball offence (except for the goalkeeper within their penalty area)
holds an opponent
impedes an opponent with contact
bites or spits at someone on the team lists or a match official
throws an object at the ball, opponent or match official, or makes contact with the ball with a held object"

[Mac76]

I believe this is known as 'shooting the messenger'...

https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/football/67442180

[Mac76]

I only just saw that Havertz played at left back for Germany :haha:

https://metro.co.uk/2023/11/18/arsenal-germany-boss-explains-kai-havertz-played-left-back-19844380/

[HCZ_Reborn]

https://x.com/dfakexgoalanke/status/1727340994268655882?s=46&t=n1tnxEg6k_DvSqUkaQFrjw


This made me laugh a lot.

[The Wengerbabies]

https://x.com/dfakexgoalanke/status/1727340994268655882?s=46&t=n1tnxEg6k_DvSqUkaQFrjw


This made me laugh a lot.

Senderos lol

[HCZ_Reborn]

https://x.com/justjelafc/status/1728514979161379129?s=46&t=n1tnxEg6k_DvSqUkaQFrjw

I have to respect this guy’s commitment to being a bell end. What fucking difference does it make who scored the goal you twat?.

I couldn’t stand Aaron Ramsey but I went berserk when he got the winner in the fa cup final in 2014 (less so in 2017 but the context was going almost a decade without a trophy…but still obviously celebrated).

[HCZ_Reborn]

https://www.mirror.co.uk/sport/football/news/tony-adams-arsenal-mikel-arteta-31532015?fbclid=IwAR2J-y5qUw94UPED23WLFQzRu6v9_NkHyiHBuwm7wzmkqqcaIKG19ve _Pt0

Not sure I agree with this. Outside of PSG, Emery has not won a league title and the reason he’s doing better at Villa is because it’s a smaller club and tends to do better over performing at smaller clubs than achieving big things with bigger clubs.

Rightly or wrongly, Emery lost the dressing room at Arsenal. Whether there is an issue with Arteta and players (I think overstated, but not non existent clearly), they clearly didn’t respect Emery. Used to laugh at his accent etc.

[Marc Overmars]

Emery is a very good coach but with us it was the wrong place at the wrong time. His first season was mostly ok but ended in horrific fashion by failing to secure 4th despite being in pole position for the run-in and of course the EL final disaster. After that the squad downed tools and it was finally time to tear the club down and start again.

His work with Villa has been quite impressive but this revisionism about his time with us is not needed. We were a ticking time bomb, we had no control in games and conceded so many chances it was unreal.

[HCZ_Reborn]

Le grove is a bit of an Arteta simp for my liking, spent too much time defending the horrendous signing of Kai Havertz but I think he was right about Arteta’s attitude towards players. He’s a cold son of a bitch even with the players he favours, seems to insinuate that players that are carrying knocks and injuries should be more prepared to play through the pain barrier, even suggested Rice was a wuss for coming off injured against Spurs.

Like Alex Ferguson once you’re no longer rated by Arteta you are essentially frozen out. Ramsdale is experiencing this (he didn’t help himself Saturday but it’s not good that a player should be that lacking in confidence and it’s a sign of mismanagement). Apart from anything else it means that we are not getting anything in the way of value for player transfers when they leave the club.

Really the club need to intervene and put someone in there with Arteta to smooth over his prickly and abrasive manner.

[HCZ_Reborn]

Emery is a very good coach but with us it was the wrong place at the wrong time. His first season was mostly ok but ended in horrific fashion by failing to secure 4th despite being in pole position for the run-in and of course the EL final disaster. After that the squad downed tools and it was finally time to tear the club down and start again.

His work with Villa has been quite impressive but this revisionism about his time with us is not needed. We were a ticking time bomb, we had no control in games and conceded so many chances it was unreal.


I agree. I think the game that sums that up most was away at Watford in 2019, where we threw away a two goal lead because of this insistence on playing out from the back when we clearly didn’t have the players to do it. I’m no fan of Arteta but it does at least make sense to bring players in who can complement the system you want to play.

I think Emery didn’t get the say he should have had over player transfers. The Pepe signing was clearly not his, plus he had to deal with players like Ozil being Cunts. But I just don’t think he was the right fit for us.

[Mac76]

Le grove is a bit of an Arteta simp for my liking, spent too much time defending the horrendous signing of Kai Havertz but I think he was right about Arteta’s attitude towards players. He’s a cold son of a bitch even with the players he favours, seems to insinuate that players that are carrying knocks and injuries should be more prepared to play through the pain barrier, even suggested Rice was a wuss for coming off injured against Spurs.

Like Alex Ferguson once you’re no longer rated by Arteta you are essentially frozen out. Ramsdale is experiencing this (he didn’t help himself Saturday but it’s not good that a player should be that lacking in confidence and it’s a sign of mismanagement). Apart from anything else it means that we are not getting anything in the way of value for player transfers when they leave the club.

Really the club need to intervene and put someone in there with Arteta to smooth over his prickly and abrasive manner.

yes, especially the last part, it;'s not healthy just having Edu and Arteta running the show football-wise, they're still both relatively inexperienced and kind of reliant on each other so Edu is not likely to interfere with what Arteta is doing

[Marc Overmars]

I agree. I think the game that sums that up most was away at Watford in 2019, where we threw away a two goal lead because of this insistence on playing out from the back when we clearly didn’t have the players to do it. I’m no fan of Arteta but it does at least make sense to bring players in who can complement the system you want to play.

I think Emery didn’t get the say he should have had over player transfers. The Pepe signing was clearly not his, plus he had to deal with players like Ozil being Cunts. But I just don’t think he was the right fit for us.

I don’t think he had any say really with those 2 frauds calling the shots above him. Mislintat and Sanllehi were a disaster.

The club simply botched Wenger’s succession and it took a long time to recover. You could put Emery in now and you might see a different outcome but back then it would have taken something special to get a tune out of that squad.

[Letters]

The club simply botched Wenger’s succession and it took a long time to recover.
It was always going to be tricky moving on from a generational manager who had got himself involved in pretty much every aspect of the club.

[WMUG]

It was always going to be tricky moving on from a generational manager who had got himself involved in pretty much every aspect of the club.

Yup.

The first job after Wenger was always going to be a poisoned chalice.

[Niall_Quinn]

Le grove is a bit of an Arteta simp for my liking, spent too much time defending the horrendous signing of Kai Havertz but I think he was right about Arteta’s attitude towards players. He’s a cold son of a bitch even with the players he favours, seems to insinuate that players that are carrying knocks and injuries should be more prepared to play through the pain barrier, even suggested Rice was a wuss for coming off injured against Spurs.

Like Alex Ferguson once you’re no longer rated by Arteta you are essentially frozen out. Ramsdale is experiencing this (he didn’t help himself Saturday but it’s not good that a player should be that lacking in confidence and it’s a sign of mismanagement). Apart from anything else it means that we are not getting anything in the way of value for player transfers when they leave the club.

Really the club need to intervene and put someone in there with Arteta to smooth over his prickly and abrasive manner.

The club needs to intervene to prevent him being like Alex Ferguson? I don't think so.

[HCZ_Reborn]

The club needs to intervene to prevent him being like Alex Ferguson? I don't think so.

It was a fleeting comparison, Ferguson could look a player in the eye for a start

[Niall_Quinn]

It was a fleeting comparison, Ferguson could look a player in the eye for a start

I'm encouraged he treats players like shit, because mostly that's what they are. I'd be frustrated too if I had to work with pale imitations of players he actually took to the field with in his era. And if he resorts to throwing boots in their face then I fully approve.

[Ollie the Optimist]

Interestingly, I'm less annoyed having listened to it.

I have to concede it's not conclusive that the ball was out of play.
I do think it was a foul but it is one of those "you see them given" ones - but equally you see them not given too.
And the offside - it isn't conclusive he's ahead of the ball.

We scream for consistency but in real life that isn't possible, there's always going to be some interpretation. And at least they went through it thoroughly, it wasn't the utter shit show that was the Liverpool "goal" against Spurs where VAR actually got ir right but bolloxed up the comms with the ref who they thought had allowed it :doh:

And as we all said at the time, we were never going to score. So if we were robbed it was only of one point, not three.

In my opinion it’s 100% a foul on Gabriel, he was pushed out of the way of the ball. It was a shocker from VAR not to call it a foul. The ball out of play & offside I’m less fussed on.

But Howard Webb & PGMOL justified that decision and said it wasnt a foul. So when City had a goal ruled out for a push against Liverpool (it was never a foul on that one), this is the decision they have to used as they have set a precedent. VAR did not intervene that day as it wasnt clear & obvious, but it was when you compare the amount of force used by Joelinton which they decided is legal.

Look at hte Onana incident against wolves in game 1, PGMOL admitted a mistake and said any keeper doing the same again would give a penalty away. So when the Chelsea keeper took out Jesus in that game, an identical incident to Onana, the referees ignored it.

There is no consistency because those in charge are completely incompetent. They protect each other rather than apply the rules of the game.

[Letters]

https://www.gofundme.com/f/underpaying-west-ham-for-declan-rice

Give what you can :lol:

[Mac76]

https://www.gofundme.com/f/underpaying-west-ham-for-declan-rice

Give what you can :lol:

well i suggested £50m but same idea... :cool: https://www.goonersweb.co.uk/forum/showthread.php?t=5313&p=4581952&viewfull=1#post4581952

[Letters]

:lol: So you did.

It is an objectively ridiculous amount of money but I guess that's the footballing world we live in now :shrug:

He's certainly added something to the team.

[HCZ_Reborn]

I think Rice would make a better captain than Odegaard, he is a natural leader and he leads on the pitch by example

However as I said in my player ratings his last minute goal belies his limitations as a player. He struggled a lot with the closing down of Luton and whilst his reading of the game is sublime, it’s simply that he lacks the technical ability to always accomplish what is in his mind. A team better than Luton could have punished last night, what we need is someone is him to be partnered with someone who can play through the press. Whilst I think we’ve lacked the midfield presence of Partey I don’t think he’s that player either. I’m still as convinced as I was in the summer that, that player is Caicedo but I think Chelsea would have to be in a very dire place indeed for us to get him for an affordable price so we need to be looking elsewhere for that player with the technical skill and burst of pace that Rice lacks.

[Marc Overmars]

I’d like to see Partey with Rice in the middle but:

A - I don’t think Arteta fancies it because of the need to give Havertz as many opportunities as he can to succeed.
B - I think Partey could be done as an Arsenal player anyway. Spent too long on the sidelines this season and he’s out of contract next summer.

As for Rice, he’s absolutely the bloke you want in the trenches with you. He’s certainly the best leader we’ve had since Vieira. He’s a throwback player and they don’t make many like him anymore. He’s clearly at his best as a 6, so I would agree that we need to find someone who can move us up the pitch quicker.

[Mac76]

Forget about Partey, he's finished, washed up, kaput, an ex-player, he has ceased to be...

[HCZ_Reborn]

Forget about Partey, he's finished, washed up, kaput, an ex-player, he has ceased to be...

Now days everyone wanna talk
Like they got something to say
But nothing comes out when they move their lips
Just a bunch of gibberish
And mother fuckers act like they forgot about Partey

[Mac76]

Now days everyone wanna talk
Like they got something to say
But nothing comes out when they move their lips
Just a bunch of gibberish
And mother fuckers act like they forgot about Partey

What drugs ya doin' these days?

[HCZ_Reborn]

What drugs ya doin' these days?

That’s between me and my court ordered psychiatrist. And no you’re not getting any

[Mac76]

That’s between me and my court ordered psychiatrist. And no you’re not getting any

:(

[The Wengerbabies]

Emery seems to be doing well at Villa, can someone give me the cliff notes on his time at Arsenal and why he failed.

[HCZ_Reborn]

Emery seems to be doing well at Villa, can someone give me the cliff notes on his time at Arsenal and why he failed.

Horrendous transfer policy which he wasn’t in control of, insisting on players playing out from the back when they clearly weren’t up to it, simply had no idea what his best side was, players didn’t respect him and made fun of his broken English. Emery invariably has a history of performing better at smaller clubs where the expectations are lower and then he can over perform, rather than bigger clubs with bigger expectations where he invariably underperforms.

Put it simply, Villa is a much better fit for him than Arsenal

[Letters]

Arsenal Ladies :bow:

https://metro.co.uk/2023/12/10/arsenal-break-wsl-attendance-record-4-1-victory-chelsea-19953542/

[Mac76]

Horrendous transfer policy which he wasn’t in control of, insisting on players playing out from the back when they clearly weren’t up to it, simply had no idea what his best side was, players didn’t respect him and made fun of his broken English. Emery invariably has a history of performing better at smaller clubs where the expectations are lower and then he can over perform, rather than bigger clubs with bigger expectations where he invariably underperforms.

Put it simply, Villa is a much better fit for him than Arsenal

Very charitable of you, my reply would have been "watch your team and work it out yourself..."

[Niall_Quinn]

Emery seems to be doing well at Villa, can someone give me the cliff notes on his time at Arsenal and why he failed.

Nobody could have come straight in after Wenger's Biden period and made any difference. Not really fair to judge his on what was nothing more than the inevitable caretaker role. Should have brought some absolute bastard in to chuck stuff at the players and shit all over the Wenger utopia. THEN bring is a manger with potential, once the bitch players had got the caretaker sacked.

I suspect the players at Villa are less pampered and more realistic about their status. Makes it so much easier for the manager.

[The Dismantler]

Would any of yous welcome back Emery back to the Emirates should Arteta leave for other clubs?

I would... hell yeah I would... with open arms...

[Letters]

Would any of yous welcome back Emery back to the Emirates should Arteta leave for other clubs?

I would... hell yeah I would... with open arms...

No.

He's doing well at Villa but it wasn't working for us with him at Arsenal. Don't forget the form we were in which resulted in him being sacked, what makes you think he'd do better a second time?

[Mac76]

No.

He's doing well at Villa but it wasn't working for us with him at Arsenal. Don't forget the form we were in which resulted in him being sacked, what makes you think he'd do better a second time?

:gp:

[Mac76]

so the ST holders' window for Liverpool FAC tickets was supposed to open today at 2pm, but they've buggered it up so it's now 2pm tomorrow

another fail for Arsenal ticketing :clap: :rolleyes:

[Letters]

I'll be at the Masters snooker that day so will most likely miss it :doh:

[Mac76]

I'll be at the Masters snooker that day so will most likely miss it :doh:

I've always thought going to watch snooker was a very expensive way to have a nap ... :ninja:

[Mac76]

Nice of the players to do this, though i didn't realise we'd made a new signing - someone called 'Jakub Kimor' apparently...

https://www.hamhigh.co.uk/news/23987976.arsenal-captain-martin-degaard-visits-royal-free-hospital

[Letters]

I've always thought going to watch snooker was a very expensive way to have a nap ... :ninja:

:lol:

Sort of a tradition with a mate. We must have been going getting on 25 years now :oldboy:

[Mac76]

:lol:

Sort of a tradition with a mate. We must have been going getting on 25 years now :oldboy:

I did used to watch it on TV in the 80s when it first broke through - all those Pringle jumpers in the audience... :lol:

[Mac76]

so the ST holders' window for Liverpool FAC tickets was supposed to open today at 2pm, but they've buggered it up so it's now 2pm tomorrow

another fail for Arsenal ticketing :clap: :rolleyes:

Just booked my ticket - GTFI :dance:

[Letters]

:good: Should be a good game.

Are FA Cup games not part of the season ticket these days? :unsure:

[Mac76]

:good: Should be a good game.

Are FA Cup games not part of the season ticket these days? :unsure:

Not any more no, just the three home CL group games this year ... :(

[HCZ_Reborn]

https://www.skysports.com/football/news/11095/13030334/mikel-arteta-arsenal-manager-cleared-after-fa-charge-for-comments-about-referees-and-var-after-defeat-to-newcastle

[Mac76]

https://www.skysports.com/football/news/11095/13030334/mikel-arteta-arsenal-manager-cleared-after-fa-charge-for-comments-about-referees-and-var-after-defeat-to-newcastle

Glad to hear there's no punishment, interesting to see some of the reasons

The 'disgrace' thing is BS though i reckon, he knew what he was sayimg and good for him

[Marc Overmars]

Apparently Willock had told the players the ball went out, which is also why he’s avoided punishment.

To be honest, I thought this was blatant and I’m very surprised with all the camera angles available now they couldn’t verify this.

[Mac76]

Arteta :bow:

https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/football/67730603

[Mac76]

:popcorn:

https://www.nowarsenal.com/transfer-news/mikel-arteta-now-willing-to-sell-attacker-who-played-against-wolves-to-raise-funds-for-new-january-signing/

[HCZ_Reborn]

:popcorn:

https://www.nowarsenal.com/transfer-news/mikel-arteta-now-willing-to-sell-attacker-who-played-against-wolves-to-raise-funds-for-new-january-signing/

If we get 40 million for Edward would be more than happy to let him go

Possibly too soon to say comprehensively but I don’t think selling Balogun was a big error. Looks like he was a one season wonder with Reims

I saw this website linked us with Dominic Solanke….think that would be a panic purchase. I’m not really sold on Toney either. Would go for Watkins but no way would Villa sell and couldn’t blame them for a second.

[Letters]

If we get 40 million for Edward would be more than happy to let him go.
I read earlier that he didn't score a single away goal for us in the league in 2023 :lol:

[HCZ_Reborn]

I read earlier that he didn't score a single away goal for us in the league in 2023 :lol:

Only scored seven at home

[Marc Overmars]

He’s not very good, that’s about it really. Hard to see him being anything other than a number 2 striker unless he moves to a mid to lower end club.

If selling him meant we could possibly sign Toney then we’d be daft not to.

[HCZ_Reborn]

I don’t especially want Ivan Toney that much. I think someone like Osimhen would better suit us and we’d have to wait to the summer for that. Second I think we all agree what needs to change is how we play. I think with the fa cup we have a chance to change things up. Drop Odegaard, Drop Martinelli, Drop Havertz

[Chippy]

I don’t especially want Ivan Toney that much. I think someone like Osimhen would better suit us and we’d have to wait to the summer for that. Second I think we all agree what needs to change is how we play. I think with the fa cup we have a chance to change things up. Drop Odegaard, Drop Martinelli, Drop Havertz
Drop Arteta TBF :coffee:

[Chippy]

Scum have signed Werner on loan from Leipzig. Quite a shrewd one imho. :unsure:

[Mac76]

Drop Arteta TBF :coffee:

I'm in :good:

[Chippy]

So....Spuds have made their second signing of the window, Dragusin has chosen Spuds over Bayern. He looks like a solid player. What the fuck are we doing? Nothing! Bayern have also been stupid enough to take Dier off their hands.

[HCZ_Reborn]

Can’t spend any money without selling because of FFP

[Chippy]

Can’t spend any money without selling because of FFP

I guess no one wants to buy our duds :lol:

Surely we have a recepit for Havertz? :shrug:

[HCZ_Reborn]

I consider who we are being linked with now as likely transfer targets in the summer

For me we need three players. A striker, a right sided attacker/winger and a midfielder


We also do need to trim the squad and get rid of the wasters. I expect a lot of departures in midfield with Partey, Elneny, Jorginho going and probably Smith Rowe too.


And possibly looking to bring in players like Amadou Onana and Martin Zubimendi

[IBK]

I consider who we are being linked with now as likely transfer targets in the summer

For me we need three players. A striker, a right sided attacker/winger and a midfielder


We also do need to trim the squad and get rid of the wasters. I expect a lot of departures in midfield with Partey, Elneny, Jorginho going and probably Smith Rowe too.


And possibly looking to bring in players like Amadou Onana and Martin Zubimendi

I have thought a lot about where our squad is currently and the pros and cons of a January signing.


I think where I am at currently is that in broad terms, we are playing well consistently, and creating sufficient chances to win games. This is even where following the first 2/3rds of last season teams have done their homework on us, and are nowhere near as open - they are clearly mindful of our capacity to tear them open in the initial stages of games, and look in most cases to play a low block and hot us on the break. I think that the manager's idea behind our evolution was to deal with this - and in particular control the transitions - which presents the other side with opportunities to spring the counter. We are also dealing with the rebuilding of our MF. As good as he has been, Rice is not Partey, and does not have the line breaking/verticality ability that Partey has. We are very much missing Xhaka's ball progression as left 8, and his shot-chance creation ability. Havertz is a different type of player and we are still working out how to accommodate him. So our left has suffered, and our right has also suffered from teams overloading Saka and the fact that Ben White has not been at his best - the consensus is that he has been carrying an injury.


In short, in the circumstances the system is working OK - and here I acknowledge that I have been critical of our systemic issues - but on reflection if we pan out, our system has suffered from individual drop offs accross our front line.


While it's easy to suppose that adding a 'killer' striker would simply translate chances into goals, I am not sure it's that simple. Firstly, even if such a unicorn striker was available in January (I don't think this is the case), incorporating him would involve a change to our system - to a greater or lesser extent - particularly given that he would not just need to have finishing ability, but the technical ability to gel with the group. Secondly (and I think this is where you are coming from), at this stage I think that trying for a 'quick fix' could do more harm than good in terms of the evolution of our team.

So I would be inclined to do better planned, and strategic business in the Summer than panic buy now.

[Mac76]

I consider who we are being linked with now as likely transfer targets in the summer

For me we need three players. A striker, a right sided attacker/winger and a midfielder


We also do need to trim the squad and get rid of the wasters. I expect a lot of departures in midfield with Partey, Elneny, Jorginho going and probably Smith Rowe too.


And possibly looking to bring in players like Amadou Onana and Martin Zubimendi

I'm not so sure about Jorg, i think he has a season left in him and i suspect Arteta values him as a willing squad player

and i think it's a mistake to get rid of ESR but Arteta's not giving him much game time

[Mac76]

Henry :bow: :lol:

https://www.independent.co.uk/tv/sport/thierry-henry-arsenal-spurs-messi-b2479113.html?ap=1

[Mac76]

and what do people think of the whole Salt Bae thing?

https://www.msn.com/en-gb/foodanddrink/other/salt-bae-feeding-arsenal-manager-mikel-arteta-steak-becomes-embarrassing-internet-meme/ar-AA1mUXsU

I think it's a bit cringeworthy, as people are saying, but not that big a deal ...?

[HCZ_Reborn]

and what do people think of the whole Salt Bae thing?

https://www.msn.com/en-gb/foodanddrink/other/salt-bae-feeding-arsenal-manager-mikel-arteta-steak-becomes-embarrassing-internet-meme/ar-AA1mUXsU

I think it's a bit cringeworthy, as people are saying, but not that big a deal ...?


Who cares

[Letters]

Who the fuck is Salt Bae? And who cares about shit like this?

[Mac76]

Who the fuck is Salt Bae? And who cares about shit like this?

well sure, and i didn't know about him before this, but let's face it most newspapers and websites are full of this kind of crap on a daily basis aren't they

[HCZ_Reborn]

Who the fuck is Salt Bae? And who cares about shit like this?

Turkish attention seeking weirdo famous basically for cutting steaks and seasoning them with salt

Arteta probably being polite because get much more negative press for telling him to fuck off

[Mac76]

Turkish attention seeking weirdo famous basically for cutting steaks and seasoning them with salt

Arteta probably being polite because get much more negative press for telling him to fuck off

well, he could have laughed and said "haha i can't eat it that way so put it on the plate please" and just treated it all like a friendly joke, but anyway as you say who cares

[HCZ_Reborn]

It’s a bit like when I’ve got out for a meal with family in and around my birthday and my brother knowing full well that I hate this, tells the staff in the restaurant it’s my birthday so they come over with a cake and singing happy birthday. You kind of grin and bear it.

[Mac76]

"I'm gonna take the corners now"

"No, I'm taking them, get off!"

https://www.arsenal.com/sites/default/files/styles/gallery_extra_large/public/images/SM2_9391_WMrWzJJT.JPG?auto=webp&itok=xVbl80e-

[Chippy]

I have just been reading an article on the Deloitte money league and they suggest that the Spuds have overtaken Chelsea as London's richest club in relation to revenue.

Spuds £549m
Chelsea £512m
Arenal £463m

A large part is down to NFL and concerts being played at the shi* hole.

It begs the question if a) the Emirates needs an increase on capacity or b) we need to market the stadium better as an alternative venue.

They moan about Levy, but as a business man, he seems to know whats what, sadly.

[Mac76]

yeah the Toilet Bowl is relly annoying - without it i think they would have been gradually fading away 0n the pitch and into decline, they've nothing to sustain them except that stadium and the media love-in that portrays the myth of their being a 'big club'

I'm especially annoyed they conned Haringey council (which was my own effing council at the time) into giving about them £60m to help fund it, basically by threatening to leave the borough if they didn't

you can better they won't repay the Council once they're in profit.

Still it did go massively over budget, I heard plenty of Spuds-supporting contractors were quite happy to stretch the work out to milk Levy for as much as they could... :lol:

[Chippy]

yeah the Toilet Bowl is relly annoying - without it i think they would have been gradually fading away 0n the pitch and into decline, they've nothing to sustain them except that stadium and the media love-in that portrays the myth of their being a 'big club'

I'm especially annoyed they conned Haringey council (which was my own effing council at the time) into giving about them £60m to help fund it, basically by threatening to leave the borough if they didn't

you can better they won't repay the Council once they're in profit.

Still it did go massively over budget, I heard plenty of Spuds-supporting contractors were quite happy to stretch the work out to milk Levy for as much as they could... :lol:

I am still hopeful that their luck will run out both on and off the pitch. I was really happy when they were shit.

[Letters]

the media love-in that portrays the myth of their being a 'big club'
What's your metric for "big club", out of interest?
I mean, they have a hilariously embarrassing record when it comes to trophies but by every other metric they're clearly a big club.
It's because they're a big club that their famously echoy trophy room is so embarrassing!

[Chippy]

What's your metric for "big club", out of interest?
I mean, they have a hilariously embarrassing record when it comes to trophies but by every other metric they're clearly a big club.
It's because they're a big club that their famously echoy trophy room is so embarrassing!
Your final paragraph put a cheery spin on things
:lol:

[Mac76]

What's your metric for "big club", out of interest?
I mean, they have a hilariously embarrassing record when it comes to trophies but by every other metric they're clearly a big club.
It's because they're a big club that their famously echoy trophy room is so embarrassing!

Well obvs i could ask you the same question ;) - for me it's do you have a big fan base and are you regularly competing right at the top and winning trophies in general - ok we've not won the league for a while but our last FAC win was only four years ago whereas their is in the 50s or something

clearly they fail on the success front, but also I don't know about their fan base but i think it's fairly localised and nowhere near ours, Liverpools etc

[HCZ_Reborn]

If the determination is made by fan base, Tottenham is the 6th biggest club in the UK. With Man United, Liverpool, Arsenal, Man City and Chelsea bigger.

On one hand, it can be asked why a club like Spurs hasn’t won more. But then can be asked why we haven’t won a league title in twenty years or indeed why Liverpool have only won the single league title since 1990.

[Mac76]

ok although i wonder how much of that 'fan base' is stoked up by the constant media hype about Spuds, as opposed to people who would have followed the club from their own volition

[Letters]

They were invited to the Super League. That tells me they've got a big global following.
Not as big as ours, but they're not a club with a smallish fan base restricted to North London.
EDIT: I feel dirty for looking, but they've got 8.8m followers on Twitter.

(1991 by the way, FA Cup. Gazza et al. Now let's never speak of it again :upset: )

[HCZ_Reborn]

ok although i wonder how much of that 'fan base' is stoked up by the constant media hype about Spuds, as opposed to people who would have followed the club from their own volition

But then you can say that about any club, when fan base is determined is it simply domestic or foreign fan base. Where I grew up it was far more common to support Spurs than Arsenal (but then it was far more common for people to support West Ham than either of the north london clubs). But Spurs is one of the founder members of the premier league, along with Everton, Liverpool, Chelsea, United and us it’s the only club never to have been relegated from the premier league and it has in my lifetime anyway always enjoyed quite sizeable support.


I have no connection to the club because both my parents grew up in Islington. My mother on Essex Road and my father Pentonville. I do have some cousins who live in Tottenham, but the area has never been familiar to me. But given I’ve always known spurs fans…I don’t have visceral hatred for the club….they are rivals and always want to beat them, and of course don’t want them winning anything big. But beyond that, I don’t have contempt for them the way I do for Chelsea.

But then no bad thing, we see what happens in other places where football rivalry takes on a much nastier dimension such as the sectarian element in Glasgow or the stabby element between the Istanbul clubs

[Letters]

I also hate Chelsea and Spurs in very different ways.
Chelsea are rotten to the core, Spurs aren't - if anything they're more to be pitied than scorned.
But I enjoy Spurs' failings more because of the local rivalry thing.
Certainly back in the day, when I cared about all this stuff far more than I do now, I would enjoy a victory over Spurs far more than Chelsea and take a defeat to them much harder.

[Chippy]

ok although i wonder how much of that 'fan base' is stoked up by the constant media hype about Spuds, as opposed to people who would have followed the club from their own volition
I know quite a few "new found" Spurs fans and they are the fucking worst kind. Their run in the Champions League in 2019 and new stadium has greatly assist this annoying craze. I loathe them more than any other club. I guess down to history and crowd disorder I unfortunately witnessed in the late 70s and 80s.

[Chippy]

But then you can say that about any club, when fan base is determined is it simply domestic or foreign fan base. Where I grew up it was far more common to support Spurs than Arsenal (but then it was far more common for people to support West Ham than either of the north london clubs). But Spurs is one of the founder members of the premier league, along with Everton, Liverpool, Chelsea, United and us it’s the only club never to have been relegated from the premier league and it has in my lifetime anyway always enjoyed quite sizeable support.


I have no connection to the club because both my parents grew up in Islington. My mother on Essex Road and my father Pentonville. I do have some cousins who live in Tottenham, but the area has never been familiar to me. But given I’ve always known spurs fans…I don’t have visceral hatred for the club….they are rivals and always want to beat them, and of course don’t want them winning anything big. But beyond that, I don’t have contempt for them the way I do for Chelsea.

But then no bad thing, we see what happens in other places where football rivalry takes on a much nastier dimension such as the sectarian element in Glasgow or the stabby element between the Istanbul clubs

I also spent most of my early years in Islington (before it became gentrified). My older brothers took me to Arsenal from an early age as it was so close. My parents were born in Tottenham and had cousins living there (before it became stab central shithole) who were Spurs fans. It still doesn't stop me hating them with a passion! As mentioned in another post, I guess it is down to crowd disturbance I witnessed in the late 70s and 80s? They also hate us! :thumbsdown:

[Mac76]

I know quite a few "new found" Spurs fans and they are the fucking worst kind. Their run in the Champions League in 2019 and new stadium has greatly assist this annoying craze. I loathe them more than any other club. I guess down to history and crowd disorder I unfortunately witnessed in the late 70s and 80s.

This is more like it and just to add that the worst of their fans are real scum whereas while I'm sure there's one or two idiots among ours I don't think we're in any way a club known for violent fans

I hate the way most Spuds fans are so deluded, may they go on failng and failing well, maybe one day the media will have to admit they're one big permanent flop

[Chippy]

This is more like it and just to add that the worst of their fans are real scum whereas while I'm sure there's one or two idiots among ours I don't think we're in any way a club known for violent fans

I hate the way most Spuds fans are so deluded, may they go on failng and failing well, maybe one day the media will have to admit they're one big permanent flop
:gp:

[Letters]

This is more like it and just to add that the worst of their fans are real scum whereas while I'm sure there's one or two idiots among ours I don't think we're in any way a club known for violent fans
I don't think either Spurs or Arsenal have that reputation. I'm sure we both have our knuckle draggers - back in the day I went on a few away European trips with Arsenal and there were some real morons. And there was that whole Arsenal forum (The Herd?) dedicated to misty-eyed memories of pre/post match punch ups. An era I'm sure NQ would describe as the good old days.
But, overall, I don't think either club have a big nasty element in their fanbases, unlike teams like Chelsea who definitely do, some of which I've encountered back when I was going to games.


I hate the way most Spuds fans are so deluded, may they go on failng and failing well, maybe one day the media will have to admit they're one big permanent flop

There is a fair amount of delusion amongst them, I agree with that. But that just makes it all the funnier when they fall flat on their stupid faces over and over again. :d

[HCZ_Reborn]

Whatever has been negative about the corrosive effect of money on football, I think the one change we can (well most of us) appreciate is the downturn in football thuggery across the board. I’ve been going to games (infrequently mind) in the last twenty years or so and have never felt remotely intimidated by opposition fans, even in local derby matches against spurs and West Ham.

Yeah the police are there to manage things, but ultimately most fans confine themselves to banter and chanting. You’ll get the odd group of dickheads who can’t behave themselves but invariably most people just want to watch the football.

[Chippy]

Looks like Edu and the back room staff are working hard in trying to plug the revenue gap on City, Chelsea and the scum.

I remember when Wenger helped design the "State of the art facility" with the Anelka transfer money.

https://dailycannon.com/2024/02/arsenal-london-colney-sobha-realty-partnershi/

[Chippy]

Partey has yet another injury setback!

This guy needs to be sold asap. He is Jack Wheelchair's brother, I am sure of that.

https://www.onlinegooner.com/articles/view/arsenal-midfielder-thomas-partey-suffers-injury-setback-as-liverpool-clash-looms

[Mac76]

we should have sold him in the summer, it was obvious he was already finished, but at that point we'd have been able to con someone into some kind of decent fee, now we've no chance of it - we'll get nothing

[Chippy]

we should have sold him in the summer, it was obvious he was already finished, but at that point we'd have been able to con someone into some kind of decent fee, now we've no chance of it - we'll get nothing
Yep. Another potential financial loss on a player.

[WMUG]

"Injury setback"

Uhuh.

[HCZ_Reborn]

we should have sold him in the summer, it was obvious he was already finished, but at that point we'd have been able to con someone into some kind of decent fee, now we've no chance of it - we'll get nothing

Like with Xhaka we didn’t get the money we needed to replace him. We wanted to buy Manuel Locatelli in Summer 2021 but Roma were only offering us peanuts for him. So we panicked and got him to sign a new contract. Same with Partey, we were offered thirty million tops for him, and a replacement would have cost an arm and a leg.

Don’t get me wrong we clearly hold onto players too long. Or freeze them out so they lose any sell on value….we clearly are going to have to sell players we don’t want to in the summer, simply to meet our FFP obligations.

[Mac76]

The point is, £30m is better than nothing, which is what we're looking at now, plus we've.been paying him all this time so that must have cost a few million more

[Chippy]

Watched MOTD last night not knowing the scum result. Can't believe my TV survived. How the fuck do they get so much luck with injury time goals!!

[WMUG]

Off to the Emirates to watch the women today.

Another sellout which is encouraging!

Expecting a very different atmosphere from your average men's NLD :lol:

[HCZ_Reborn]

Ornstein reckons that Sambi Lokonga, Edward, Tavares, Tierney, Smith Rowe and Ramsdale are all going in the summer. Not a massive surprise..hopefully he’s just forgotten to add Elneny and Partey to that list. I’d want Jorginho gone as well, at 33 he’s too old but I think it’s clear I’m alone in this.

I think it’s a shame about Ramsdale, but what can you do.

Tierney? Well he’s a decent player but he can’t stay fit regardless of what one thinks of this whole inverted full back thing

[Niall_Quinn]

Ornstein reckons that Sambi Lokonga, Edward, Tavares, Tierney, Smith Rowe and Ramsdale are all going in the summer. Not a massive surprise..hopefully he’s just forgotten to add Elneny and Partey to that list. I’d want Jorginho gone as well, at 33 he’s too old but I think it’s clear I’m alone in this.

I think it’s a shame about Ramsdale, but what can you do.

Tierney? Well he’s a decent player but he can’t stay fit regardless of what one thinks of this whole inverted full back thing

Well you could put Ramsdale in goal. Why was he dropped? Decent keeper. The guy they have in there now looks dodgy as fuck. Well, maybe not as dodgy as some of the other disasters we've had in goal since Dave, but he's not the pair of gloves you want if a title is on the line.

Also big shame about Smith Rowe if true. Possibly the biggest talent at the club if it could be unlocked. He has that air of Arsenal players long past. Then again, for him to be useful, you need another 10 in the team with similar attributes and we currently have about three. So in a journeyman team I suppose I can see why he's surplus.

This will all become obvious in the title run-in, as always.

[Niall_Quinn]

Off to the Emirates to watch the women today.

Another sellout which is encouraging!

Expecting a very different atmosphere from your average men's NLD :lol:

Any 10s? Photos or GTFO.

[HCZ_Reborn]

Well you could put Ramsdale in goal. Why was he dropped? Decent keeper. The guy they have in there now looks dodgy as fuck. Well, maybe not as dodgy as some of the other disasters we've had in goal since Dave, but he's not the pair of gloves you want if a title is on the line.

Also big shame about Smith Rowe if true. Possibly the biggest talent at the club if it could be unlocked. He has that air of Arsenal players long past. Then again, for him to be useful, you need another 10 in the team with similar attributes and we currently have about three. So in a journeyman team I suppose I can see why he's surplus.

This will all become obvious in the title run-in, as always.

I agree about Ramsdale but if we aren’t going to play him might as well make some money on him.


Smith Rowe? Not sure what you’re seeing truth be told. Not especially quick, nothing great technically and he’s an injury record on a par with Jack Wilshere. Yes he had a nice purple patch of goals a couple of years ago….but so did Joe Willock when we set him on loan to Newcastle. Scored fewer goals in the two and a half seasons since they bought him outright than in that half a season on loan.


I can’t imagine anyone who isn’t being a contrarian thinks Smith Rowe is significantly better than any of the players we have starting for Arsenal

[HCZ_Reborn]

https://www.tntsports.co.uk/football/a-great-shame-gareth-southgate-reveals-ben-white-made-himself-unavailable-for-england-selection_sto10061629/story.shtml

Very bizarre. Clearly something more to this than Southgate is admitting

[Marc Overmars]

Yeah a bit weird, not that it’s a bad thing as he gets to stay fresh during the break. Maybe it’s just that he doesn’t really give a shit about international football? He seems like a bit of an aloof character and I’ve read in the past that he isn’t really passionate about the game either.

[HCZ_Reborn]

Yeah a bit weird, not that it’s a bad thing as he gets to stay fresh during the break. Maybe it’s just that he doesn’t really give a shit about international football? He seems like a bit of an aloof character and I’ve read in the past that he isn’t really passionate about the game either.

Nah I don’t think it’s that, regardless of what you think of football…it’s the pinnacle of your career to play for your country. It’s because he knows he doesn’t get played by Southgate…and despite Southgate’s protestations there’s clearly an issue between White and Steve Holland

The sad thing is, if Southgate wasn’t coach…I think we’d have a really good chance of winning the Euros. Hope he fucks off after this tournament, and we get in someone like Potter or Howe who doesn’t have us playing negative over cautious football

[Mac76]

it’s the pinnacle of your career to play for your country.

Maybe for you, maybe not for him?

that said, I think it's more to do with the coaching staff/Southgate than anything

[HCZ_Reborn]

Maybe for you, maybe not for him?

that said, I think it's more to do with the coaching staff/Southgate than anything


We aren’t talking about patriotism/nationalism here. Objectively one of the highest achievements you can get to in your professional career is being picked to play for your country. It’s like being a writer/journalist winning a Pulitzer or a Tennis player winning grand slams or being picked to play in the Davis Cup.

Agassi hated Tennis, any passion for the sport was driven out of him by an overbearing, tyrannical father. Yet he won all four majors…winning his last at the age of 33 three years before he retired

The fact is if you’re not in football for the love of the game, you quite possibly are going to be even more career driven…because if you’re not necessarily enjoying what you do, you want a pay off of another kind.

[Letters]

Well you could put Ramsdale in goal. Why was he dropped? Decent keeper. The guy they have in there now looks dodgy as fuck. .
#agedlikemilk

Although I don't think Raya is much of an upgrade tbh. The main thing is his distribution, which is a fairly significant thing in the modern game.

[Mac76]

#agedlikemilk

Although I don't think Raya is much of an upgrade tbh. The main thing is his distribution, which is a fairly significant thing in the modern game.

The pelanty shootout was the last nail in Ram's coffin (although Arteta had clearly already made his mind up anyway) - if one thing might've saved him it was if Raya was really lame but saving two pels ended the argument

I still think all that ridiculous cack Arteta spoke about in terms of subbing goalies etc did him no credit at all, he was just BS-ing to keep Ram on side but it was so obvious

Got to say England's choices for goalie are really dire atm - Ram is the best keeper but out of practice and form so we're stuck with Pickford and have the Palace keeper as third choice...

[Mac76]

Just broke the England squad down into how many players from each club:

3 players - Arsenal, Man City

2 - Chelsea, Villa, Man Ure, Neverton

1 - West Ham, Spuds, Ajax, Real, Brighton, Newcastle, Brentford, Palace, Liverpool, Bayern

good to see that Gunners representation in there - the years of it being mainly Spuds plyers are gone thankfully

[HCZ_Reborn]

Ramsdale still getting called up? Hmm interesting

I didn’t pay much attention to the England call ups after noticing White’s omission and the depressing fact that Maguire still gets called up

[Chippy]

Ornstein reckons that Sambi Lokonga, Edward, Tavares, Tierney, Smith Rowe and Ramsdale are all going in the summer. Not a massive surprise..hopefully he’s just forgotten to add Elneny and Partey to that list. I’d want Jorginho gone as well, at 33 he’s too old but I think it’s clear I’m alone in this.

I think it’s a shame about Ramsdale, but what can you do.

Tierney? Well he’s a decent player but he can’t stay fit regardless of what one thinks of this whole inverted full back thing

Hardly fucking rocket science is it? Everyone knows they will be gone. The others should be Elneny, Eddie and Partey. Please!!

[Mac76]

and the depressing fact that Maguire still gets called up

yeah and Hendsron too ... :rolleyes:

[HCZ_Reborn]

https://x.com/skysportsnews/status/1397910182126964740?s=46&t=n1tnxEg6k_DvSqUkaQFrjw


I think this undermines any theory that White is indifferent about playing for England. But most importantly it undermines Southgate’s assertion that there is no problem.

[Mac76]

Tomiyasu has signed a new long-term contract with us - hmm, good player but a bit injury prone...

https://www.arsenal.com/news/takehiro-tomiyasu-signs-new-long-term-contract

[HCZ_Reborn]

The problem is Arteta has wasted so much of the clubs money swapping out defenders that the differential between what we’d sell him for and what we’d pay to bring in a replacement would seriously eat into our ability to strengthen the squad in other areas

This is the main reason Jorginho will stay and the indicators are that Partey may get a new deal as well.

Not ideal. Partey as you are quick enough to remind us is no longer a reliable player for fitness. And although no question Jorginho has had a good season, I’m reluctant to have to put so much faith in a 33 year old to keep fit

[Mac76]

I think we have to take the evidence based on what we see and Jorg is remaining fit and making a massive contribution, as you say given we don't want to keep changing defenders, so it's a no-brainer to keep him for sure

I'd ditch Partey though, even on a free, he's a waste of time

[Marc Overmars]

I like Tomi but yeah you have to question his reliability.

I think we will sign a young CM in the summer and keep Jorginho. Partey, as good as he was I’m not sure has much of a future with us now. Unless he turns into a monster for the final 10 games and helps us win the league I’m fine with him moving on.

[HCZ_Reborn]

I think we have to take the evidence based on what we see and Jorg is remaining fit and making a massive contribution, as you say given we don't want to keep changing defenders, so it's a no-brainer to keep him for sure

I'd ditch Partey though, even on a free, he's a waste of time

Well it’s just as well you have no influence on our transfers in and out of the club then, even though it’s bad enough what Arteta and Edu get up to.

Partey I agree struggles to keep fit, but at full fitness he’s still our best midfielder by some considerable distance. The fact that we have had to adopt attacking set pieces to open the scoring is a result of lacking his dynamism. Don’t get me wrong attacking players were poor as well, but even Mbappe needs space to operate in and whilst Jorginho has offered variety with his passing it’s really not that much different from having a slower more leggy Xhaka (yes he does have a better all round passing range than the Albanian imbecile)

Partey needs game time, because we need to get money for him in order to bring in a young dynamic midfielder to give us something we clearly lack with Rice. Of course Arteta if we sign a midfielder will probably go Full Wenger and buy a mincer who will get knocked off the ball by a slight breeze but does ok in unsophisticated leagues where you get time to wind your watch before making a pass.

[HCZ_Reborn]

I like Tomi but yeah you have to question his reliability.

I think we will sign a young CM in the summer and keep Jorginho. Partey, as good as he was I’m not sure has much of a future with us now. Unless he turns into a monster for the final 10 games and helps us win the league I’m fine with him moving on.

We simply don’t have the manoeuvrability to move him on. Do I think he’s not fit enough to be reliable? Well I’d have to be blind not to agree. He should have been moved on last summer or before that but I think his constant injuries mean it’s impossible…I don’t think people really understand here how little space we’ve left ourselves to operate with, with transfers. If we don’t start making money on players we are going to end up in United territory. The differential between spend and sale is extensively vast and the more we get off the wage bill the more we add to it with new additions or through new player contracts.

There’s upgrades we need all over the pitch, but it’s not going to happen right away because the priority has to be a striker and I think we will need to sell players to accommodate that

[HCZ_Reborn]

Edward, Smith Rowe, Nelson, Ramsdale the English quartet have to be the priority. Partey only if we can get 30-40 million for him, Tierney, Lokonga and Tavares

Yes we need to make sure we keep a core nucleus of English players in the team but that will require us to promote some of the youth players like Nwaneri, Cozer Duberry, Waters, Patino

[Mac76]

Partey's a waste of time and money, if you can't rely on someone to a reasonable degree, there's no point in keeping them, he's just taking up a place in the squad and a drain on finances - we should get rid for whatever we can get for him

[HCZ_Reborn]

Partey's a waste of time and money, if you can't rely on someone to a reasonable degree, there's no point in keeping them, he's just taking up a place in the squad and a drain on finances - we should get rid for whatever we can get for him

Given that we’ve clearly lacked a player of his profile this season, and given also what I’ve just said about the problem we are running into with FFP and the clear fact that we’d need to replace him (simply because starting the next season with just two central midfielders would be suicidally negligent) your suggestion to dump him for nothing is to say the least a bit dim.

He’s clearly been fully fit for the last few weeks which is why he has come on off the bench, and if we want a player to come in and offer the dynamism we lack and which you contend Partey can no longer give us on a consistent basis…it kind of makes sense that he gets enough game time so that either a Juventus or one of the Saudi clubs come sniffing…at a time during the summer where we absolutely do need to make player sales.


No need to say anything, I absolutely understand that you’d rather cut yourself than admit I’ve got a point.

[Mac76]

Given that we’ve clearly lacked a player of his profile this season, and given also what I’ve just said about the problem we are running into with FFP and the clear fact that we’d need to replace him (simply because starting the next season with just two central midfielders would be suicidally negligent) your suggestion to dump him for nothing is to say the least a bit dim.

He’s clearly been fully fit for the last few weeks which is why he has come on off the bench, and if we want a player to come in and offer the dynamism we lack and which you contend Partey can no longer give us on a consistent basis…it kind of makes sense that he gets enough game time so that either a Juventus or one of the Saudi clubs come sniffing…at a time during the summer where we absolutely do need to make player sales.


No need to say anything, I absolutely understand that you’d rather cut yourself than admit I’ve got a point.

Where you say "it kind of makes sense that he gets enough game time so that either a Juventus or one of the Saudi clubs come sniffing…at a time during the summer where we absolutely do need to make player sales", well yes fine and then we sell him for whatever we can get - that's not contradictory to what i said about our needing to move him on - I never said we shouldn't give him game time in the meantime