By Walter Broeckx
Those who have read my article before the match could skip watching the game. I said it would be scrappy and it was just that. After a heavy defeat you need a match where you control events. You don’t need to win it. Although that would have been great of course. But not conceding a goal is almost as vital in such a match.
In a way this was a repeat of the Chelsea match that we played after our heavy defeat at Manchester City. Chelsea came to us with a game plan. The plan was to counter us dead. But our team had learned the lesson from City and played in a very controlled way. It hampered our attack a bit in that match. Because the team was always looking at their defensive job. And that is just what we did today.
Apart from a silly Arteta moment at the start and a few close offside calls all going Uniteds way in the opening minutes it was all they could show. We were a bit unlucky with the fact that Giroud just couldn’t get the ball between the posts on a few occasions.
Overall this was a match where it was important not to lose. How silly that might be but securing a point in this match after our bad performance in Liverpool was more important than taking first place again. Of course I would have loved a win and taking first place and I write this with a bit of disappointment. But imagine if we would have lost this game today? That might have been a big and maybe fatal blow for our title challenges.
Now we are still only just one point behind the league leaders. And as I had said in my pre match article not one of the top teams seems to be in top form for the moment. Apart Liverpool. Who seems to have needed a last minute penalty to win at Fulham. What a stupid tackle that was from Riether by the way.
The postponement of the match of Manchester City might also be a blessing in disguise later on. It will have as a result that City will have to play at least one extra midweek match in the next weeks. I wouldn’t mind City and Chelsea drawing on Saturday to make sure they have a real fixture congestion in the next weeks. I probably will have jinxed it now and it will be us that will draw against Liverpool and get our fixtures congested.
But back on to the game. It was a match where on my side of the Channel everybody agreed that if one team deserved 3 point it should have been Arsenal. Apart from one counter United never really came close to scoring in the second half. But at that moment it showed what a lethal duo Rooney and Van Persie can be. Invisible for almost 90 minutes and then suddenly one moment and it needed a great save from Szczesny to prevent the most cruel and undeserved wins for United.
That was what they had been gambling for the whole match. And that was what I feared the most. And the team was well aware of that. And so we stayed disciplined for the whole 90 minutes. Just as we did against Chelsea in December.
What fills me with confidence about this result is that the match against Chelsea was the start of a great run again. And that is what I think is what we should be looking at now. In the PL we now have to play Sunderland at home, then we go to Stoke and then we play Swansea at home. That will be for me the most important matches of the season. If we can do the same as we did in December-January we will be in it for the title.
These matches will define the rest of our season I think. And if we can do again what we did after the early setbacks we will be there about before the fixtures against Tottenham, Chelsea and Manchester City.
Back to the match as I seem to wander off all the time. Sometimes you need a bit of luck to win a match. In this match it seemed that there always was a United body in the way of our shots. And when we got past that defensive line De Gea was stopping all what was coming to him.
He didn’t have to stop anything from Giroud today. As it surely wasn’t his day. Vidic using his elbow on a few occasions but didn’t get carded. A bit disappointing from the ref. But it clearly wasn’t Giroud his day. Working hard but no end product today. He could have won us the game and probably should have. But sometimes you need that little bit of luck to get on the score sheet. It wasn’t his day today.
For me one of the most important things when we go in to the fixtures starting from March 16 will be the return of Ramsey. I hope he is fit earlier but I think he is the missing link for the moment. He was the one that drove us forward in the opening matches of the season. He will be the one we need for the final run in from then on.
But in the mean time we have to make sure that we win our next 3 PL games. And if we don’t concede goals in those matches I’m sure we will win them. Now is the time to start a run again.
I think it was a good result especially after the liverpool game. We could have scored but we could have also conceded. I think the next few games are very vital as you pointed out. Let’s just get the job done!
I wanted to know your views on the vidic nudging giroud in the penalty area. It was a tough call, I feel.
A reasonable showing and result by the boys coming off the back of the weekend result and we were the better side I thought. Clattenburg didn’t do us any favours, Wilshere got his usual kicking, a blind eye being turned most of the time. Walter, should we have had a penalty when Giroud got pushed in the back? You could say it wasn’t a hard push but surely a push is a push.
A push in the back with your arm is a foul. A foul in the penalty area is a penalty. it’s that simple.
Well how about that. Per Mertesacker on MOTD saying the same as I did in this article. More or less 😉
Yes it was a push and I’m certain that if it had been a a United player it would have been given
Does vidic ever get carded by anything? Think only Rooney gets away with more than he does.
This will help get the last Liverpool game out of their system before the weekend, have a feeling we are due a win in that game.
What has happened to clattenberg?
Heard a few others on other blogs referring to this permitted rotational fouling against us as “wilshere rules”
Good old Walter, a voice of sanity and perspective! I am still fuming at some of the ‘supporters’ at the end booing the team off and moaning that they didn’t throw bodies forward at the end, when the truth is the players had put in so much effort that there was almost nothing left in the tank! As soon as Cazorla’s shot was kept out by de Gea, I knew that the players would close ranks and ensure that they didn’t lose, which is important to rebuild momentum. Lots of twists and turns to come, Liverpool will also have a huge say in where the title goes…
Not to lose today was just as in the Chelsea match in December the most important thing. 12 games to go. One point behind the leaders…game one…
Game on??? ur truly deluded!! we dont get a result if we really need. we r there but honestly we r not. but 150 million in the bank. great piece of business.
but u can still blame the refs for the rescue!!
Marchand,
Yes I am deluded.
Two seasons ago I was deluded to say we could get 3rd place halfway the season
Last season I was deluded to say we would still get a CL spot halfway the season
I’m that kind of deluded guy…
Indeed Walter. I was checking my text stream again and again and was just saying .. dont lose .. dont conceded.. dont lose.. dont concede. The bad run is snapped, we’re 1 point behind. What’s not to like? I for one am super happy with this result. Could be more.. sure, but it’s more or less expected as you say – if you know how AW and this Arsenal team think over the years.
@walter
if third and fourth is your ambition ur a happy man, but we maid dont even get that. after bayern is finnshed with us whats left of confidence and believe?? i am worried, deeply worried and no transfermarket to get fresh injection of quality in the team. i hope i have to eat my words but the script is written. we talk again walter!!off to the next beer.
btw, for a sprint u need players who can actually run!! do we talk, bfg, arteta and giroud now! ?last asset of pace (OX) on the bench for 70 minutes.
@Marchand,
Given up, already?
Remember mind the Gap?
well, if you lot consider a point against demoralised Moyes Clown Shoes United a ‘result’, then you and Wenger deserve each other…
Both teams need to avoid another defeat.Arsenal need to vary the passing. The series of short passes takes time. I know every game is different.
Wenger’s tactics are predictable and easy to counter by the big teams.In truth when RVP shot there were predictable gaps .In contrast the gunners try to thread a ball through a packed defence. It may work against the lowly teams but aint going to succeed against BM.
Believe me the germans will run the gunners ragged through their attacking speed.
I really think todays draw feels a little bit like all three points cos imagine if that dreaded van percy nod had gone in, it would have left a pretty bad taste in the mouth. We just have to pick it up from here and revive our winning instincts. Loads of luck boys.
We WILL have our CDM back on Sunday . Liverpool will be stuck in their own half………………..BY THE WAY POLDI SHOULD START……
The new spelling of muppet = SUGA3. Why don’t you just go and show Mr.Wenger how it’s done because clearly you know everything he doesn’t. Muppet! Arsenal played well today, with a bit of more luck we could have won this game by one goal but i have to say that the focus of this game especially for the players was to get back to the basics that escaped us at Anfield. As you could clearly see the team was extremely well organised, communicating well, Kos and BFG were alternating sprinting back from corners to cover just in case of a Utd counter, Ozil and everyone else were chasing back and pressing without the ball, I mean that was a team getting the 5-1 drubbing out of their system and did play well. And now we’re going to knock Liverpool out of the FA CUP!! All of us should get behind the team and stop whining like Marchand and SUGA3. We sit just a point off the leaders. Lets not pretend that when the season started we all knew that we would be only one point off the top at this point….Support the team, show some faith, let’s see them over the line. COYGS!!!
If we can’t beat Liverpool Chelsea man city and a week man u side how can we be the best to be honest I think our team is to weak we have not beat a team four or five love to convince anyone that we should be contenders I believe we need a striker and could some one tell me why podolski is not getting any play gnarby had some good games and he should get a play
@Marchand, 1 point off the lead is game on. This same sad United side drew with Chelsea early in the year. The team that is the most consistent will win it. Arsenal has a chance just like the other 3 teams. All teams go through a dip in form and it’s how they recover that matters.
Well here we are again with Masturbating Marchand spewing his inanities and stupidities all over the UA website and his barely comprehensible English berating anything Arsenal and saying he is worried? Marchand, you mindless clown, you should be more concerned about your feeble intellect and senseless comments than anything else but since you are an ignorant cretin, nothing gets past that thick skull.
Marchand
Every single player gave 100% of their body and mind in the game last night! they corrected all the mistakes which they made during Liverpool game, they all played with passion and decipline, what else do you want?
What else you mean by “ambition” mate? 🙂
OMGArsenal
Have you ever try typing while masturbating? It’s not as easy as you think.
🙂
Skysport named szeczney as the man of the match!!
Man! I hate this world!
Sometimes your problem may be a blessing for others !
From the files oF the Medical Division of UA –
What happens when you ask for help with an erection lasting more than 4 hours?
I walked into a drug store and asked to talk to a male pharmacist. The woman I was talking to said that she was the only pharmacist and as she and her sister owned the store, there were no male employees.
She then asked if she could help me.
I said that it was something that I would be much more comfortable discussing with a male pharmacist.
The lady pharmacist assured me that she was completely professional and whatever it was that I needed to discuss, I could be confident that she would treat me with a high level of professionalism.
I reluctantly agreed and began by saying, “This is tough for me to discuss, but I get erections every day that last more than four hours. It causes me a lot of problems and severe embarrassment, and I was wondering what you could give me for it?”
The pharmacist said, “Just a minute, I’ll talk to my sister”.
When she returned, she said, “We discussed it at length and this is the absolute best we can do.
…1/3 ownership in the store,
…a company pickup truck,
…a king size bed and
…$3,000 a month in living expenses”
I was able to watch the game recorded until I saw Vidic’s push in the back on Giroud. That was a penalty all day. Unfortunately Mr. Clattenburg seems to have turned to the dark side.
Just thinking there are some similarities between fans and marriages
There are THREE types of marriages:
The one where there is total love and trust.
The one where there is love but no trust.
and the one where you’ve been married for over 20 years…
For examples of all three please direct your attention to the following video!
http://www.ba-bamail.com/Content.aspx?emailid=8316&memberid=763708#.Uvxga_u6ETE
This was sort of game, for both teams, in which draw was supposed to happen. With heavy legs from Saturday and Sunday disappointments, probably this was maximum both teams could make. With a bit of luck we could win it, but so did Man United. We have to keep heads calm, last night cry for attack from stands in dying seconds of game almost costed us dearly when naive Jack lost the ball.
Game was played as its played, and to be honest, this was good point taking in account all what happened for weekend. Not to be too much happy with, but, it could be worse. There is lot of space to improve and to make something from this season, as this was not irreversible mistake.
At the end of the season, if we don’t manage to win league, I wont regret this game, I will regret Aston Vila or WBA those were supposedly 6 booked points, while points against ManU, even they are crappiest crap as they are now, are never granted. With a bit of luck, at the Emirates we can turn tide in our direction against Citeh, and we can harm Chelsea. So plenty of time and space to look forward, those who give up now, maybe didn’t had to watch this season anyway.
Marchand is one that is only happy with “trawfies”. http://blog.emiratesstadium.info/archives/33988
No problems with how the team played. This is what i like to see, engagement and purpose, what ever the result. It is only when we do not turn up(i’m sure you all know which game i mean) that i am completely disappointed. No one can fault the team’s performance yesterday, and except for a few mistakes(which always happen to any team) we were playing the game.
So let us plod on Gunners.
Forgot, this was an EXITING game for me, prickles all the way through.
Are we the only team in the EPL that hasn’t scored against Manu? Our record against our rivals is truly awful for a team that is supposedly trying to win the league.
This was a must win game as we have tough away games coming up and Pool are closing the gap with a superior goal difference. I have no idea where the goals we need are going to come from as we seem to have very little idea how to break down an organized defence so we have to hope that Chelsea, Everton and Spurs are inept in defending and our finishing is better.
This is a Manu team that lost at home to Spurs, Newcastle and Swansea and we can’t even muster a goal against them in 180 minutes. Poor.
And what was that booing at the end of the match ?
I don’t think it was toward any player. It seems to me there are lot of tacit but unhappy fans.
Perhaps the recent transfer window ? Me think.
Otherwise I can’t fault any single player performance wise.
This team plays as good it can be .It depends much on the quality of the opposition.
Irritating to say the least is the constant whining by Rooney to the referee, EVERY game, ALL the game.
The PGMOL should be reminded that Ferguson is no longer around and therefore Rooney is just another player and should be warned off.
@Alex, yes the TW is probably why many fans are frustrated. North of 80 million pounds in the bank and season tickets being raised by 3%. We desperately need some firepower up front and yes top quality isn’t available but there was Berbatov, a better striker than Giroud, but of course Wenger came up with some bull about being unfair on other teams.
Of course the striker problem should have been sorted out in the summer when Gazidis claimed we’d have a big summer and we’d do our business early. Sanogo was our early business, Flamini almost an afterthought and suddenly at the last minute Ozil. I can’t wait to see what we’ll be doing this summer.
I suspect if we were several points off fourth we’d have been in the transfer market whip smart.
As for last night it’s best forgotten. No pace, an overstuffed midfield and a complete lack of imagination except the same old pass, pass, pass when we got near their goal. We seem to be a shadow of a football team whenever we play Manu or Chelsea. Even when we lost 6-3 to City we at least looked lively.
I think the lack of transfer activity was why some fans were unhappy and I do believe another striker is vital, as we are the lightest up front in comparison to the top teams. I think the reason Wenger didn’t get anyone in was a lack of quality available; perhaps there was no striker better than Bendtner available, but it is a high risk strategy that as we have seen annoys fans when things don’t go to plan. I don’t agree that the booing was warranted as the team worked hard and created chances; it wasn’t a poor performance.
I think we sorely missed some pace and had we started with Ox or Gnabry (or brought one of them on earlier) the result could have been different.
Finally I believe that Clattenburg whilst letting the game flow for the most part, let Vidic get away with murder. I counted at least 7 clear fouls on Giroud, two of which were yellow cards and penalties. A friend listened on ‘Talk Sport (S*ite)’ and even Collymore agreed one was a clear penalty! It seems that the refs only favour ManU this season when they play us.
Let’s get behind the boys in the cup; COYG!!
Marchand, SUGA3 & Malaysian Gunner,
Since you fellas are worried and septical about our chances this season, im looking forward to read your comments at the end of the season.
Since you fellas are better players than the entire Arsenal team, im looking forwardoto see you fellas on EPL pitch next season.
Since you fellas are better than Arsene Wenger, im looking forward to see you fellas to take in charge of a struggling EPL mid-team, make them play beautiful football, develop a world class youth system, securing a worldwide scout network and build the best stadium in England. Not to mention, speak five different languages fluently.
If you fellas are better the management in spending the money, im looking forward to see you fellas take over a business, make it worldwide famous and install a self-sufficient model until the end of time while maintaining strong moral values and code of ethics.
Since you fellas are ruthless and relentless about people who needed you the most during challenging time, im looking forward to see you fellas basked in future Arsenal glories. Wonder about your sad personal experience with friends and families if you fellas kept up like this.
Finally, since you fellas are well known forecaster who can see the future, im looking forward NOT to see you fellas here again.
@Michael Ram, what struggling mid table team was this then? You mean the one that finished fifth in 1996? That’s not mid table is it?
As a matter of interest where do you think we’ll finish?
for me
the good: Wojciech Szczesny, Laurent Koscielny
the bad: Jack Wilshere, Olivier Giroud
the queen: Mesut Ozil
a penalty missed for Arsenal defenetly, another clean sheet, and one point behind the leader with two next game at the emirates.
and people stop whining, the transfer window is closed keep your fate on the team and share your positive energy, and fight to the end.
in wenger i trust.
Rupert,
Final league positions in the PL before Wenger:
10 – 4 – 12 – 5
That is an average of position 8. Firmly mid table I would think.
Since then 4th has been the lowest finish. Firmly top material I would think
Can’t believe we haven’t scored against the manc’s this season.
We weren’t a mid table team when Wenger took over though were we? We also had a certain Mr.Bergkamp so we weren’t acting like a mid table team either. We finished fifth so let’s not rewrite history. You’re as good as your last season.
Rupert,
did you know that in September 1996 just before Wenger officially started his career at Arsenal we were 10th in the league?
Rewriting history? Those are facts Rupert.
And you challenged the words of Michael Ram but now suddenly it is only about ‘the last season’ as Michael Ram clearly was speaking about a longer period.
I could say the long term vision against the short term vision clash…
12 games to go. Has Le Boss got the guile to drop a couple of players and spread the “wealth” to the likes of Bendtner, Sanogo and shackle Arteta to the bench for a game or two?
Whatever he decides….I have faith, hope and love in him.
We are so close this season to the IMPOSSIBLE. I hope we die trying.
Game at a time I know – but I hope Ramsey can come back RUNNING and inject some poise. He is still how many weeks away??
Last night poor old Wilshere was drowned out by ManUre players, infact they suffocated him. And he had NO help. Come on Arteta – go thy extra mile, we needed that from you last night.
IWWT
AK
COYG
@Walter, hold on a minute we were tenth in September 96. Exactly where were we last season around September? By your logic Wenger should have been replaced last year in September but of course there’s a whole season to go or do we just pretend the rest of the season doesn’t exist?
Oh and the mysterious Michael Ram who has since vanished did not make it clear he was talking about a longer period at all. You just assumed that.
Rupert Cook.
Usual bubbly, happy, positive self today I see. You’re such a joy to have around.
If Chelsea cant beat West ham at home of West Brom away they don’t deserve to win the title. Poor show.
If City cant beat one of there rivals at home or lowly Norwich away whilst failing to even score a goal they don’t deserve to win the title. Poor show.
That’s how it goes is’nt it Rupert?
Or do those type of radical judgements just apply to Arsenal?
You really are a prat !!!!
Looked like both teams were happy with a point there. I’d like to have seen us go for it a bit, but maybe a point is not so bad even though we were at home. It’s a tight league this year, as Liverpool’s rapid rise in recent weeks shows, and we’re still in with a shout. We’ll know more once we’re at the end of March.
I would have liked to have seen reinforcements in Jan, but that’s done now so let’s see how we go from here. The team is, for me, still a work in progress, but we seem to be on an upward trajectory after some very tough years. This year does seem like a chance to win the league though, with Chelsea, City, and United all in transition, and us fairly stable for the first time in a while.
Like most things in life, the answer is somewhere in the middle; we’re not as amazing as some think, but neither are we as terrible.
Clattenburg robbed us. As well as not booking players like Rooney and Vidic, Van Persie, Evra, and allowing Jack to be hacked to death, he missed two clear penalties and possible red card offences committed by Vidic.
Most people saw the shove on Giroud by Vidic, but most people didn’t see the second penalty shout where Vidic impeded Giroud with his arm from reaching the ball which Sagna had beautifully crossed to in front the net.
Here is the proof: http://www.arsenal.com/assets/_files/scaled/1000×732/feb_14/zp_14_Giroud-3_2124.jpg
Stuart.
Agree 100% with your final paragraph.
We are a very good side. But we are not the invincibles.
I can accept that, and more importantly understand why.
The thing is after a combined NET spend of ONE BILLION quid, yes, mind boggling isn’t it ONE BILLION QUID!!!!!!, both City and Chelsea SHOULD be amazing. One things for sure with a spend TEN TIMES that of ours it is simply amazing that Wenger has actually built a team that is at least in there fighting.
It is them that should be dissapointed for NOT running away with it, not us for hanging in there.
But, of course for some that’s just not enough.
You have people who moan and groan at every point lost, whilst at the same time being prepared to overlook any blips they may have.
You have people claiming that somehow Wenger has squirreled away £150 Million quid, I assume they believe as some kind of personal pension.
I know I get a bit uppity with these neg heads sometimes but they really do piss me off with there endless whinging and whining.
I love this site for it’s positive pro Wenger/Arsenal stance.
I still cant for the life of me understand why these people have to come here spouting there endless abuse when there are other sites far more suitable to there Anti Arsenal views !!
Jambug trolls will be trolls if you were an idiot you would understand sadly you doing get orgasms from this!
I meant trolls get organs damn that made no sense!
Oh my god the trolls have rubbed off on me I need to be cleansed…
Gianni Dioro
Wasting your breath mate.
Giroud was bear hugged to the ground recently right in front of the ref. Nothing.
Per lays his hands on a shoulder at the weekend which couldn’t of stopped a butterfly. Liverpool score an off side goal from the resulting free kick.
BT Sport agree it’s a free kick.
Giroud gets a shove in the back.
BT Sport (Owen) “Yes he pushed him in the back, but that’s not enough for me”
So how do you work that out Owen.
A hand on the shoulder near the touch line is a definite foul yet a shove in the back in the penalty area isn’t?
Said it a Million times. Easy calls for the refs to make as they know full well the media will back them to the hilt EVER TIME !!
@Gianni
You are correct about the second penalty incident – which was as usual completely ignored by the commentators.
It is a bit ironic for the rupert to use the phrase “the mysterious Michael Ram who has since vanished” just because Michael has expressed a different opinion to him. This is just the sort of thing the rupert complains about when the ball is on the other foot!
Gianni,I thank you for spotting the two clear penalty incidents I mentioned. As I said even Collymore thought one was a penalty, as did BT Sport! I also recall Owen’s comments quoted by Jambug on the second penalty incident. Actually Owen could not bring himself to praise or be positive about Arsenal at any time during the match. The ref situation is frustrating as Clattenburg had been a reasonable ref previously. It would seem that we will end up playing 12 men in most matches, unless the whole dynamic changes and it is decided that Arsenal will eventually get some favours (a sweeping statement I know and I just have the hump).
Any photos of the vidic elbow in the box guys?
Alex at 8:36 am
I see your question regarding the booing at the end of the match largely ignored except by one commenter who suggested it could have been down to lack of transfer activity, but that would be completely wrong.
It was pure disappointment and frustration at the game, the result and the nervous edgy home performance. Dropping two important HOME points against nothing better than a mid table side that our rivals for the top 4 Chelsea, Spurs, City and Liverpool swept aside. This was a massive opportunity to beat the worst United side EVER to visit the Grove, to return to the top of the table and to hit back at the media who use the big game bottlers stick to beat us with. We were promised a response to the weekends humiliation both by Arsene and several players- but they were too nervous. It actually felt like a loss.
We now need to face the fact that with Liverpool and Spuds just one and two results behind us respectively, we could end up anywhere between 1st and 5th yet this season.
TJ
I think it’s YOU that has to face the fact that Liverpool and Spurs are BEHIND us. As are CITY at the moment.
Also going by your tone do Chelsea have to ‘face the fact that Arsenal are just one point behind them’
It’s funny how you see Liverpool and spurs as more of a threat to us, despite the bigger gap, than we are to Chelsea.
jambug,
As I once wrote: Arsenal rivals are invincible while we are bottlers. Evidences to the contrary be damned.
Another striker in the transfer window???
OK, who????????????????????
And the cost would not have mattered.
Seems utd did good business if last nights performance by their new marquee players is anything to go by.
We have an outstanding squad of players………oh glory be.
Bootoomee,
The media negativity continues unabated, as does the fact we need a fatality to get a penalty.
Enough for today, work calls. Roll on Sunday.
Jambug
Where did I say see Liverpool and spurs are ahead of us?
Where did I say that Liverpool and spurs are more of a threat to us?
I had this from you yesterday too, where you again accused me of saying something I didn’t.
http://blog.emiratesstadium.info/archives/33988#comment-771985
Are you stalking me? Should I be flattered by all your attention or is it a vendetta against me?
Is it reasonable to say what I actually did say, that we could finish 1st or 5th considering we are one result off 1st and two results off 5th with 12 games left?
And Jambug of course the media negativity continues unabated. When our manager faces the media and tells them “we were too nervous” to win, guess who is feeding them and handing them the stick to beat us with.
Agree Nicky, he also kicked the ball away after being flagged offside, and if you can lip read you will have picked up some pretty choice swear words aimed at Clattenburg when decisions didn’t go the way Rooney thought they should have done.
Right Mick, that should have been a yellow card yet it is rarely called in the Premier League. Rooney was called offside, stopped play, and kicked the ball away so Arsenal could not counter. Compare that to Van Persie got sent off against Barcelona for taking a shot on goal less than one second after the ref blew the whistle and when he clearly could not be expected to hear the whistle with so many in the crowd constantly whistling whenever Arsenal had the ball.
I still don’t understand why people keep complaining about refs not applying the rules to Rooney. The English FA once sent an emissary to uefa to plead for his thoroughly deserved 3 match ban to be reduced to enable him to rescue England as the country only hope. Of course he had a lousy tournament and England failed as always.
Why would the refs apply the rules to Rooney when they know what their own FA would plead for the laws of the game be bent to accommodate the shenanigans of the prat?
@jambug, less of the insults mate and calm down. You’re disappointed at our performance last night I know but don’t look for consolation by having a go at me.
What radical judgements? I never said Arsenal don’t deserve to win the title. I said it was poor that we couldn’t even muster one goal against a very ordinary Manu that virtually everyone has scored against.
To Rupert and Walter,
My apologizes for not being here sooner. Anyways, I dnt think I need to clarify about ‘struggling mid table team’ term because they were. You dnt call Everton or Totenham a Championships League team just because they finish 4th in some odd seasons and battle relegation the next season. Or Man Utd a mid table team just because they might not even finish 6th this season. It’s a perspective upon a team quality, its season expectations and its final finish. Thats I purposely used the word ‘struggling’ because they were inconsistent season after season in that 5 years period. N with much respect to the players and credit to Mr Graham, when they won the league, they clearly over achieved. A lot of old fans will testify that. And the Bergkamp effect. I think a lot of us misinterpreted a whole lot of it. Bergkamp did not come to Arsenal as a world beater but as struggling world class talent. He was unable to compete with Ronaldo, Zamorano and Berti at Inter Milan. Exceptations were very high at that time at Serie A. If he was their best player, Madrid would have bought him instead of Ronaldo. The effect was because the type of player that came to Arsenal. Very motivated, technically masterful, world class talent and outstanding professionalism. Which I think similar to Henry effect not Ozil effect. The Ozil transfer was similar to Pires transfer. Cant really judge a player by the transfer fees because its out of their hands. Which why I believe Ozil will run rampart next season. I hope. I guess I went well away the actual topic but just want to testify how much of truth can be distorted with typical lazy journalism and failure to hunt for facts. All I wanted to say is that I do have expectations and hope for Arsenal every season but I also have faith and loyalty too. What about you guys?
TJ
I didn’t accuse you of anything yesterday.
As I explained in my apology, when I used the word ‘you’ It didn’t mean you yourself.
It meant ‘you’ as in the generalisation. I know you hadn’t said it. I was apologising for not making myself clear, not for wrongly accusing you of anything, as I hadn’t accused you of anything in the first place.
As for earlier. you said “We now have to face the fact that Liverpool and Spurs are just 2 results behind us respectively….”
So I know full well you didn’t say they was in front of us.
My point was to emphasise that they are BEHIND us. From your doom and gloom you’d think they was in front of us. That’s the point I was making.
Also, you seem to see them as threat to us, even though they are ‘a couple of wins behind us.’ Conversely, even though we are jut ONE POINT behind Chelsea, you don’t seem to see us as a threat to them !!
My whole point is that you find something negative in everything, that being a prime example.
So whenever someone gets into a debate/disagreement with you they’re stalking you are they?
Surely the sole reason neg heads like you come here is to wind people up, to get a reaction. Then when you do, you get all precious about it.
If you want everyone to agree with you why not go to a site full of like minded individuals, instead of coming to this ‘pro Wenger’ site, then you wouldn’t have to put up with deluded fools like me would you?
Bye bye !!
Rupert Cook.
If I think you are a prat I will call you a prat. Don’t take it personally there are plenty more here. Tom, Sperez, Neil, to name but a few.
If you don’t like it, go somewhere else. Go where they’ll lap up every negative thing you have to say. You’d be a super star over in Le Grove. You’ll love it.
Safe to say whilst you choose to stink this place out I’ll call you what I like.
Rupert Cook
One sentence in your post emphasises beautiful just how far apart we really are.
You said
“You’re disappointed at our performance last night I understand that, but don’t look for consolation by having a go at me”
You just couldn’t be further from the truth if you tried.
I’ll tell you how I feel shall I.
Sadness. That’s the first thing I feel.
I love Arsenal, Wenger, the players and it just makes me feel really sad when things go wrong.
That’s what I thought happened when you see someone/something you love having a bad time.
The next thing I feel is protective. Another emotion I find extremely natural when it comes to love.
Anger, recrimination all those emotions couldn’t be further from my mind.
The reason I love this site, and a vast majority of the people on it is because, by and large, they share the same love that I do for Arsenal, in the same way that I do.
So I know that they are feeling the same emotions I am.
Why I come here is to talk to people of a similar mind set.
Mull it over. Consol. Debate. See the positives. Share the hurt. Share the love. Move on.
You may think that’s crass. Soppy. Deluded even, and that’s fine, but to me the whole reason for this site is for people such as me to visit, and to somehow avoid the maelstrom of hatred and negativity that is so prevalent elsewhere throughout the media, and so sadly with so many of our so called fans.
Yes, I admit it is you, and people like you, that make me angry, because your whole attitude towards Arsenal is such a polar opposite to mine, and so contrary to the mantra of this site, that it irks me in the extreme that it is here you chose to vent your angst when there are other places much more suited to the way you want to express your love for Arsenal.
jambug
I have noticed that you have a particular liking for creating conflict with posters you do not like. Your common method is addressing not what is said in comments, but in your imagination, accompanied by infantile namecalling.
To demonstrate how you do this, I quote you, where you asked me, including my username, a very direct question:
jambug
February 12, 2014 at 1:09 pm
TJ
How can you expect, or be expected to, finish above teams that have spent 10 times the amount of cash on there squad that you have?
When I asked you to point out to me where I had said that, something I had not even mentioned, your reply was:
jambug
February 12, 2014 at 1:56 pm
TJ
Sorry. Misunderstanding.
I didn’t mean ‘you’ personally. It was the collective ‘you’, as in anybody who thinks as such.
That explanation as anyone can read, is pathetic and should be a source of embarrassment to you.
It’s telling that you actually would not answer my original post question – Is it reasonable to say what I actually did say (as opposed to what i did not and you invented in your imagination), that we could finish 1st (YES FIRST) or 5th considering we are one result off 1st (YES FIRST) and two results off 5th with 12 games left? Is this FACT or too negative for your brain to deal with?
@jambug
I agree with your comments, but look, you are probably wasting your time trying to reason with the rupert. I long ago came to that conclusion – after many contributors put reasoned points to him & he just replied with his previous diatribe.
He seems to be on a mission to cause as much discord and distraction as possible. Hence I treat him accordingly.
TJ
Whatever.
If you think I am creating conflict fine, but it’s not me who’s on a pro Wenger, pro Arsenal site forever moaning about Wenger and Arsenal is it.
Pot and Kettle springs to mind Troll.
If you don’t like my infantile insults then toddle off to some site where your constant moaning will be more appreciated.
Whatever?? That fits.
It’s not me who’s on a pro Wenger, pro Arsenal site forever moaning about Wenger and Arsenal either. In fact you will never find me moaning about Wenger, so I am afraid unless you show me where I have done that i can only say its that conflict creating imagination of yours I mentioned at it again.
And no you can keep the persona insults flying- they expose you for what you are
TJ and Rupert,
Guys, come on. You guys are the common reason why even the greatest lovers can go for divorce. The typical attitude to win at all cost even for the slightest reasons. If the very bridge that supports our club grumbles, what do you think happens next? If you guys claimed that you are pro Wenger, then why do you pick up a few good characteristics from the great one and just get along with it? And I say this with respect for both of you with lack of self interest. Come on! Have a beer and cheers!
http://www.telegraph.co.uk/sport/football/teams/arsenal/10636262/Arsenal-supporters-need-to-cheer-up-they-are-not-doing-enough-to-help-their-team-in-title-race.html
GREAT ARTICLE BY PAUL HAYWARD…
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