Fenerbahçe at the Emirates: a unique Untold vision

Dominic Sanchez-Cabello

This game really doesn’t matter anymore. We’re 3-0 up, they don’t seem to care and if the worst happens there is a hearing anyway. Bearing that in mind, I was half tempted to write you a match preview for St Stephen’s Borough against the Old Enemy Plymstock A.F.C instead.

I had it planned: I’d include a paragraph analysing the tragic subtext of them poaching our star striker (Yes, it hurts – pace, power and technique are hard to find in the East Cornwall Premier League). Another wistful paragraph on how he allowed me to play my favoured number 10 role. And finally, how together we formed a partnership that instilled fear in defences right across the Duchy.

But, alas, Fenerbahçe at the Emirates is probably more significant.

Fenerbahçe have nothing to lose and after we shamed them in front of 50,000 of their finest fanatics, they will have everything to prove.  At the very least they will need a performance to be able to walk the Kadıköy district with peace of mind.

Arsène Wenger spoke briefly on how he wouldn’t alter the team hugely from the Fulham game. “95%” was the figure quoted, so I guess that means cutting off Mertesacker’s legs – or something?

On a serious note, I expect Monreal to come in for Gibbs, giving him that welcome rest. Koscielny has recovered from last week, but Arsène seems unsure whether to start him tonight. Wilshere, after being rested at The Cottage, “will play.” I hope Podolski starts, as it is an ideal game to sure up his confidence after a fine performance on the weekend.

The team:

     Wojciech        

Jenko              Sagna/Koz                 Per             Monreal

Ramsey

Wilshere                        Cazorla

      Walcott                             Giroud                         Podolski

There’s not much else to include here, so a few lines on St Stephens Borough  – Plymstock AFC!

As is often the case in amateur football, coaches enjoy being creative with their formations. The Plymstock manager, whose name is Gary, will probably opt for a 3-1-2-1-2-1 formation, popularised by the legendary Kilkhampton coach Geoff Truncheon. We will play our normal 4-3-1-2, setting out to maximise possession.

The ref will probably be local old boy Barry Nyles, who despite being as blind as the blindest of bats has been oddly thorough these past weeks. Not to mention, after buying him a pint at the start of the season, a few more decisions have gone our way. Coincidence?! I think not.

Gazidis, let this be a lesson to you.

Cheers guys,

Dom

PS: Do you know what happened when we played Fulham away and then on this day of the year played a Champs League qualifier?  If not, you might like to read this (or read it anyway to show what a clever person you are)>

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84 Replies to “Fenerbahçe at the Emirates: a unique Untold vision”

  1. just showing his colours, Kampalagun…

    Spreading the message : SAF is gone but I’m still here…

  2. Bayern Munich left out a couple of players against us last year after leading 3-0 away. Beware of playing too many youngsters tonight

  3. andy bishop,

    Bayern Munich led 3-1 at the Emirates and they played essentially their first team in the return leg.

    Totally agree with your warning though. It’s heartening to know that AW has no plan to do no such thing.

  4. The first talk from Lee Dixon is about strengthening.

    It’s going to be a long evening.

    Yes, Arsenal needs to strengthening. Arsene Wenger has affirmed this fact repeatedly. Please talk about the match.

  5. Interesting factoid:

    We got the CL final after spending £17million on Reyes. I recall Reyes single handedly taking us to the CL final. Great fact.

  6. Bould’s hotpants have definitely put me off my dinner. Thanks for pointing that out, missus.

  7. Something strange just happened.

    Lee Dixon just talked about the stadium affecting our spending. Wow, when did he get this ‘strange’ information?

    We’ve just been shown some cry baby fans with their “Wenger spend” A4 print outs. The words are held up by about 4 whiners standing side by side. I can hear their groans rather than cheers for the team that they have come to see.

    Kick off!

  8. You would think that Bacary Sagna has played as a centre half all his career. Great to know he can do a real job there.

    Fair play Rambo, deserved his goal for his recent performances.

    Come on Arsenal!!

  9. I think all this talk about a need for a new GK is nonsense; seen Shez make some brilliant saves in the last two games most keepers wont even manage an entire season. Yes he makes mistakes like any other GK(e.g., Joe hart), but you never hear these mistakes by other GKs amplified the same as when Shez makes them.

  10. @Ian Jenkinson

    Yes Sagna is looking really good at CB. Reading the game well and also great positioning.

  11. Typical ITV, start by focussing on the negatives….why am I even listening to this shyte????

  12. AL,

    Joe Hart does not play for Arsenal. Szczezy does. That is all you need to know.

    The moaning about our need to make 3-4 additions is the most repeated news in the whole world right now. Whenever I hear anyone say Arsenal needs to add players now, I say to myself: That is a moronic sheep.

  13. @ AL

    I was thinking the exact same. He has been fantastic tonight.

    @ Tjekem

    Yes, it gives us real backup there should we need it over the season. I still think we will buy a defender but it does take the pressure off that position.

  14. According to the commentator we have had a ‘traumatic’ start to the seasons. What a pratt.

  15. You’re right Bootoomee. I have not seen anything to suggest we need the 3 or 4 players so far this season. Wait, I never thought we’d hear this; Adrian Chiles just told all Arsenal fans to stop moaning when they have got midfielders like Ramsey & Wilshere! Yes, from Mr Chiles’ mouth!

  16. Oh crap, I hope Podolski is ok.

    Soglorious,

    To be fair, I think tonight’s game is a kind of foregone conclusion. It is very difficult for many to travel to and from London on week nights. I understand if many wouldn’t do it for a game that does not appear to be very contentious.

    Of course it could be that the moaners are staying away. That’s even better.

  17. @ AL and Bootoome

    We do need an experienced keeper to guide Szczezy. He seems to suffer from a lack of concentration in game and maybe an experienced keeper will help. He also needs to be pushed. Competition for places always improves players.

  18. We do need the 3 or 4 players, it’s just we haven’t needed them yet. Wait until after the international break and see who comes back in one piece.

  19. That actually was my first guess, the moaners are at home. Thanks for the info bro! Hoping Podolski’s injury isn’t that bad

  20. Stuart,
    I agree we will need some cover, especially with the kicking which is bound to come our way when we visit some grounds up North. But the way its being repeated over and over one could be excused to think we are using defenders for strikers, midfielders for defenders, or something like that.

    Our need for players is exagerated way too much. I have tried to quote the ITV commentator’s comments almost verbatim here; “Ian, I have listened to a fair amount of Arsenal supporters moaning, and I just wonder well you’ve got Ramsey & Wilshere in your midfield just stop moaning, they are both brilliant, you can build around that, its all gonna be fine”. Never thought I’d hesar anyone in the mdeia actually say these words. Maybe our persimist friends in the AAA will come up with some explanation to that, like AW holding a gun to the commentator’s head when he said those words.

    Ah, Ramsey:) Deadwood for real. Quick AW, ship him out.

  21. Why no yellow card for Bruno Alves (85th minute) for assault on Wilshere?

    Right in front of the referee.

    Hmmm.

    I am enjoying the game…just need to tell Andy Townsend to shut up. I am enjoying the comments here too.

  22. More great comments from Adrian Childs immediately after the game 😀
    Bitch-slap for Mr Wrong & Lee Dixon.

  23. Is Adrian Chiles always a complete and utter wanker or is it just when Arsenal are playing.

  24. Great win for the team, I am very pleased for them – but the ref was poor all match. If he had been given a kebab with a brown envelope on it I would not be surprised.

    Did anyone see why Ramsey went off?

  25. Apparently we have had a roller coaster start to the season?…LWWW…perhaps he has not been on a roller coaster?

  26. AL,

    Thanks for that response, although I think you meant it for Stuart.

    Stuart,

    Everybody in the world agrees that Arsenal needs to add players. AW has said so himself REPEATEDLY. He has also confirmed that players will arrive before TW closes.

    All these people can be grouped into 2.

    1. Those who appreciate the fact that the core of the team that came 4th in the EPL last season remains intact. They believe that the core of the team should be maintained and additional players should be added as the necessary by the manager. This group would neither recommend players nor give ultimatums. They respect the management’s ability and experience to conduct its own affairs.

    2. The other group contains everyone else.

    My dog knows that Arsenal needs to add players so when I hear paid pundits parrot it on TV, they just come across as idiots, especially with the number of times that AW has CONFIRMED that we’ll add players. They might as well be singing that animals need oxygen to survive.

    At this point, it is just fucking annoying.

    Oh, and ITV was able to find a moron with the “Wenger not Wonga” sign. You know because when you look at Arsenal model and Wenger’s business sense, all you see is the vulture organisation called Wonga.

    Fucking idiots.

  27. GoingGoingGooner,
    If this rollercoaster was at Alton Towers, I’d be extremely disappointed!

  28. Sincerely, we didn’t play well today but credit to the guys for getting the job done in a professional way but then I like it when we dictate the pace of a game like today. Maybe that was the game plan. What do I even know about tactics than to support the team in all circumstance? And what does “Wenger not Wonga” mean?
    Why did Ramsey get off?

  29. Hope Ramsey and Podolski will be ok.

    On another note, one of our supposed top 4 rivals, Liverpool, are struggling to beat Notts County at anfieldin the league cup. Lets see what the press makes of it. Oh wait a minute, crises only happen at Arsenal.

  30. @ Bootoome

    The Wenger not Wonga sign was in support of Wenger.

    In other words, we’d prefer Wenger not money.

  31. Can anyone tell me what the point of the UEFA Super Cup is please. What does it prove? Isn’t it more of a hinderance to the participants than anything else?

  32. Ramsey, szcezney, gibbs, Giroud,van persie, fabregas, nasri,….. And on and on….. What lessons we learned from those and from today? Arsene knows better than all the AAA, and media and always prove them wrong…they just dont get it.

    As for Ramsey, why did the referee book him? What happened?

  33. Ian Jenkinson,

    Are you sure?

    In that case I withdraw my earlier comment. I am sorry for going off but at this point I cannot stand any more moaning about buying players.

    Thanks for clearing that up.

  34. @Stuart

    Nah, Alton Towers has nothing on our roller coaster.

    Ours is equipped with a media controlled HUD which shows us only going downwards regardless of which way the car is actually moving. It leads to great disorientation, cognitive dissonance and nausea.

  35. @ Bootoome

    Yep, the man holding that sign was one of us, a true Gooner. Let us keep all comments positive and not focus on the negative people. Since the Villa defeat there hasn’t been one of the usual doom and gloomers on here. Not one has even come on to say well done or give the team any praise. It just goes to show you.

    I am enjoying the positivity. Let us help build it up and bring it back to the Stadium. There are many negative people in the world but they are far outweighed by the positive people. We just need to ensure that we are heard.

    Victoria Concordia Crescit

  36. Now to go on and sign the entire Real Madrid team for a baleful of Bales…Yes, I still keep up with the “transfer news” or whatever else we may call it.
    And I forget: Add Cabaye, Mata and Rooney to the list. That makes 8 players or is it 9? I lose count. Of course, no tally of the total cost…why bother, when we can buy, buy, and then buy some more.
    Now, if all that buying happens, what will the moaners moan about all season? However, as all of that won’t happen, there will always be enough moaning to go round.

  37. I love the way how we have gone back to the fast fluid counter attacking football of 02-04, this won us trophies in the past and there’s no reason why it wont again.

  38. Ramsey got his card for coming back on the pitch before the ref told him to. The ref had told him to go off to put his shoe on and hadn’t waved him back on again.

  39. This is what the c*nt writes at 16 min, with an accompanying pic of AW:

    16 min Here’s Arsene Wenger sitting on the bench. Do you see a chequebook in his hands? I don’t. Instead he’s just watching the football without a care in the world. SPEND SOME MONEY.

  40. C4
    What else could we expect from a cnut.

    To borrow a saying from can’t-remember-who from last season, this place smells like heaven whenever we win.Haven’t heard from a certain bunch since the villa debacle. Long may it continue.

  41. What is it with all these people who do not actually give a f**k about Arsenal that causes them to get so hot under the collar over Wenger’s spending habits? What has it got to do with them how Wenger and the BOD want to run the club anyway? They don’t get angry and critical with the way Stoke or W Ham or Norwich etc are conducting their affairs,just us. Why?

  42. C4,

    The article read to me like he is making fun of the buy-buy-buy moaners.

    The 16 min quote is great but the 34 mins one is not bad either.

  43. C4,

    I think the prat was trying to have it both ways by mocking AW for not signing as well as the whiny fans and pundits for their fixation on signings. If he was indeed just mocking Wenger, then I think he crossed the line.

    It’s one thing for a private blogger to dedicate a whole match report to a side issue but it’s a totally different and unacceptable matter for a journalist of a national newspaper, even a rag like Telegraph, to persistently ridicule someone like AW the way he did.

  44. Stuart,

    Is it just me or don’t you think thatv he was mocking the buy-buy-buy whiners?

    I think the guy’s attempt at humour fails for reasons: he was trying to have it both ways and he used a VERY wrong channel – a minute by minute match reprt – to do it.

  45. I think that he was just being tongue in cheek, hadn’t read the commentary. But then again one can never be sure with these media cnuts.

    Off to bed now, hoping for a repeat performance against the spuds at the weekend.

  46. @ Bootoomee
    I suppose you’re right, looks like he was trying to have it both ways. Taking a dig at both AW and the whiners. I wonder if he reached his target number of hits…
    Still comes off like a c*nt though, albeit a slightly amusing c*nt. His MBM commentary could easily incite some vitriol in our more brainwash-prone fans.

  47. Value.
    After the summer of over-payment, AW will find value as the Bale deal will start the merry-go-round of transfers, and the best poker player will pick better players for less. There are many good players out there, and several great ones, including some that will fit in the AW system.
    In fact, I believe that the Sp*uds know this, and this has lead them to delay the Bale transfer.
    PS: I enjoy reading the highly entertaining Poznan In My Pants blog, but it looks like it has been censured by World Press; the last post on it was hilarious; it had to do with a video that was supposedly developed by some Sp*ds fans, but it did look like a false flag operation.

  48. A good win – well done lads ! Hope this keeps the momentum going .
    Nice link – My take is that he was ridiculing the ‘spend some fucking money ‘ brigade but some of his jokes were off.
    Maybe I ‘ll send him some ! Or he could read it all here ! He ‘d probably be enlightened too !

  49. And so we come to today’s quota of merriment, with the battle of the sexes .

    WOMEN’S REVENGE

    ‘Cash, check or charge?’ I asked, after folding items the woman wished
    to purchase.
    As she fumbled for her wallet, I noticed a remote control for a television set in her purse.
    ‘So, do you always carry your TV remote?’ I asked.
    ‘No,’ she replied, ‘but my husband refused to come shopping with me, and I figured this was the most evil thing I could do to him legally.’

    ________________________________

    UNDERSTANDING WOMEN
    (A MAN’S PERSPECTIVE)

    I know I’m not going to understand women.
    I’ll never understand how you can take boiling hot wax,
    pour it onto your upper thigh, rip the hair out by the root,
    and still be afraid of a spider.
    ________________________________

    WIFE VS. HUSBAND

    A couple drove down a country road for several miles, not saying a word.
    An earlier discussion had led to an argument and
    neither of them wanted to concede their position..
    As they passed a barnyard of mules, goats, and pigs,
    the husband asked sarcastically, ‘Relatives of yours?’
    ‘Yep,’ the wife replied, ‘in-laws.’

    ________________________________

    WORDS

    A husband read an article to his wife about how many words women use a day. 30,000 to a man’s 15,000.
    The wife replied, ‘The reason has to be because we have to repeat everything to men…
    The husband then turned to his wife and asked, ‘What?’
    ________________________________

    CREATION

    A man said to his wife one day, ‘I don’t knowhow you can be
    so stupid and so beautiful all at the same time.
    ‘The wiferesponded, ‘Allow me to explain.
    God made me beautiful so you would be attracted to me;
    God made me stupid so I would be attracted to you!

    ________________________________

    WHO DOES WHAT

    A man and his wife were having an argument about who
    should brew the coffee each morning.
    The wife said, ‘You should do it because you get up first,
    and then we don’t have to wait as long to get our coffee.
    The husband said, ‘You are in charge of cooking around here and you should do it, because that is your job, and I can just wait for my coffee.’
    Wife replies, ‘No, you should do it, and besides, it is in the Bible that the man should do the coffee.’
    Husband replies, ‘I can’t believe that, show me.’
    So she fetched the Bible, and opened the New Testament and showed him ontop of page, that it indeed says, ‘HEBREWS’

  50. Fenerbahce didn’t seem to have any belief in pulling off a great upset in that game. When we’ve been fighting a lost cause (Milan, Bayern) we’ve given a great account of ourselves.

    That was a good performance but I do wonder why Wilshire was out there for the whole game. Why risk him when we’ve got a NLD approaching? Think I’d have started with Sanogo too to see what he was like over 90 minutes.

    For those who get incensed over Arsenal-bashing commentary I thought it was fairly balanced. After the game Wright and Dixon both stressed that some quality signings are needed if the team is going to be contenders for the league or CL and I don’t think you could disagree with that. The real test for this team is when it plays the likes of Chelsea, Manu, Spuds and City and the best teams in the CL.

    I notice that Adam has split into two and is now challenging himself to fights. Some people I guess are just born to brawl.

  51. Rupert
    I don’t think Fene had enough about them to put up much of a fight tbh and I feel we always had another gear if need be. Ramsey was excellent again last night and its a sign of his incredible development and influence upon the team that I’m more concerned that he, rather than Jack, won’t be available for the game this weekend. I would hazard a guess that AW played Jack for the full game with every intention of playing Rosicky in Sunday and feels Jack needs game time with last nights game viewed as less intense than the NLD, although the possible injury to Ramsey may have put a spanner in there. Moreover, the injury to Poldi was telling as my first thought was Rosicky would come on with Santi moving to the left but Gibbs did an excellent job in both attack and defence.

    With regards to the commentary and pundits, I personally don’t listen to the pre-match/half-time stuff, I just switched on at 7.45 and flicked over for a bit of baking action at half time. My issue though is the endless repetition of the same old lines by the commentators, saying time and again that we need signings to kick on and win things (even though its been proven with other teams that it aint necessarily so). It’s just so lazy and obvious. We all know we need players, we’ve had a whole summer of it being endlessly debates on every forum, so when it comes to actual football, why can’t they just talk about what’s happening on the pitch? I would rather they point out things such as off the ball movement, how attackers are dragging defenders out of position etc. Instead we just get players names called out and brainless chat.

  52. Boo,

    Yes, I think he was mocking the buy buy buy brigade. His comments were based on the game and the fact that we won both legs quite easily.

  53. @WalterBroeckx, yeah I get it now, but what about the sewer rats who don’t believe that the refs are against us did they see that? As always the morons will never give us a breather but we always prove them wrong. Come Friday or tomorrow and we will be in the Elite group, I wonder why morons never learn, we will be in the top teams as we are a top team how does that sound.
    Like us or Hate us we will always be in the mix, I just love the Arsenal. Do you!!

  54. @Stevie E. Well I guess it’s hard to concentrate solely on the game especially when it’s pretty much a dead rubber. Once Ramsey scored it was all over so it’s inevitable that there’ll be some debate about signings, even more likely as you’ve got two ex Arsenal players in the studio. It’s worrying that both Ramsey and Wilshire are doubts for the NLD and Podolski could be out for three weeks. This is why we need signings, not because the first team isn’t good, it’s just that we need some good players to cover those that get injured. I was very impressed with Ramsey, probably our best player last night.

    Ha, ha, another baker boy, I watched some of that too. The wife loves it and I find it rather addictive myself. I really don’t know what’s happened to me, when I was younger I hated cookery programmes. Better dust off the first Clash lp and reacquaint myself with my rebellious youth.

  55. Rupert Cook (@10.35am),

    I have read and heard your rationalisation this summer more than a thousand times. YES WE ALL KNOW! The man in charge, Arsene Wenger, has repeatedly said the team is thin especially after the clear out. He has repeatedly promised that the additions will arrive before the TW closes.

    Shouldn’t that put the issue to rest? If you think that he will break his word, why not wait till he has before unleashing hell? Afterall, all the noise about signing players for the last 3 months have changed absolutely nothing. Why not give it a rest and wait till the deadline?

    When paid pundits come on TV and parrot what we’ve all heard to the point of getting bleeding ears, we’ve got to say enough is enough. I could have picked 2 commenters from the Arsenal TeamTalk Yoursay page and get exactly the same insights as provided by Ian Wright and Lee dixon last night.

    At this point it’s just freaking annoying. Especially because in the whole years of my life that I have been following football, I have never known any team, club or national, to be subjected to the kind of co-ordinated attacks that Arsenal has suffered and continues to suffer on this player signing nonsense.

  56. @rupert (depressive AAA sewer rat)

    Your comment: –

    “Fenerbahce didn’t seem to have any belief in pulling off a great upset in that game.”

    is a strange one. Ok, they were 3 nil down to a vastly superior team – but they did try & their main tactic was to foul our guys all match – to both win the ball & stop us playing.

    Your comment would imply that Arsenal did not have to work hard against organized thuggery to secure the win – that was not the case & I do wonder if you have gone back to your old habit of commenting on a match that you never saw.

  57. I see plenty of games and only comment on games I see so don’t talk nonsense. As for fouling, yes they did that but only really maliciously in the last 20 minutes when their cause was lost. A pointless vicious response that one might expect of sore losers. Anyway “organized thuggery”, really? That was tame compared to football thirty years ago. Thankfully we’ve moved on a bit.

    @Bootoome, I am not unleashing hell as you call it. I enjoy hyperbole as the next man but I prefer to use it when it’s warranted. I have repeatedly said I expect us to sign some quality players before the window closes as I believe Wenger wants to do. (I’m not sure this player signing nonsense could apply to national teams). I also think this obsession with Arsenal signing players would not have happened, at least not to the extent it has, if Gazidis hadn’t made such a statement of intent regarding high profile additions/ money available etc.

    I also find it strange that you claim you’ve heard me spout on this topic thousands of times. Others maybe but I may have mentioned it half a dozen times. Not that often compared to the times you’ve mentioned how wonderful Wenger is or your rationalization on how Arsenal are going to do well. I have no issue with you declaring such things again and again though, after all plenty on here are prone to repeat themselves endlessly simply because the same arguments blossom almost every day.

  58. @rupert (depressive AAA sewer rat)

    You have a short memory, didn’t you have to admit (after being challenged) a few months ago that you went to the cinema, missed a match & yet still commented on it? Or, are you being economical with the truth?

  59. Yes I went to the cinema and then said what a drab game it APPEARED to be judging by all the comments on various Arsenal blogs. I didn’t comment on specific things in the game because I didn’t see it.

  60. Rupert Cook,

    There is still nothing from your post that has not been said a thousand times over, by you and others who like to scream the obvious. I think my major grudge with you is your nit-picking and trying to the smartest guy in the room. Of course, until your comment, I thought national teams sign players. Thanks for educating this fool.

    The crux of the matter is that Arsenal signing issues have been talked to death in the last 3 months with absolutely no effect on the club and the team. Continuing to parrot it is just plain ridiculous now and thus very annoying. Suspend the noise till the window closes, then it will make more sense. Right now, it’s just senseless noise, whether coming from some Internet commenters or some club legends.

  61. @rupert (depressive AAA sewer rat)

    So, you commented here on a match which you did not see, the comments were based on what you had read on other Arsenal blogs.

    Nearly, but not quite plagiarism, more like the plague of an AAA sewer rat!

    What a plonker!

    And then you have the audacity to claim above that you do not comment on matches that you do not see!

  62. bjt,
    exactly what I thought but didn’t want (couldn’t be bothered) to mention it.

  63. @Stuart

    Thanks for that. The rupert has been trying to change his image – moving from a very obvious AAA type to an attempt to be subtle and to try and present the image of a concerned supporter. Possibly this is under direction.

    Anyway, an AAA rat does not change his spots!

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