- Large football organisations exist to benefit those who run them
- This time it’s true: a game to remember for all time. AFC 3 Liverpool 1
By Tony Attwood
The CNN website summed up the situation yesterday quite well saying, “The Emirates erupted as Trossard’s shot squirmed into the net, with Arteta leading the party from the touchline.”
I’m not sure Arteta was actually leading anything, the whole stadium except the morose bunch of Liverpool supporters in the south east corner, erupted, and carried on erupting. We were happy, we felt joy, we wanted to share it with each other (lots of hugs with those around me) and show our appreciation to the players and the managers.
It was in short a shared moment. But not everyone liked it. The Sky Sports line was taken by Gary Neville, who told us that the celebrations showed immaturity.
Now this is quite a worrying thing to say – for a man employed by Sky Sports to be so ignorant of the passion and intensity with which supporters follow their chosen team.
Mind you I suppose it comes about through having had a life removed from the real world of supporters, where instead of being paid to play, or indeed watch football we actually have to go to work to earn the money to be able to pay to get into the game.
I have a season ticket but looking at Arsenal’s prices I think it would have cost me £136 to buy my seat just for the match. And surely if rather than being paid to watch a match and pontificate, one actually has to pay £136, it is not unreasonable to jump up and down, shout, and indeed hug the person sitting next to you (who has like oneself been occupying that seat come what may since the early days of the Emirates Stadium.)
In fact if there was any immaturity it was that of G Neville, who takes the money for punditing without actually bothering to find out what it is like to be a supporter. I imagine Gary Neville has never had to drive 86 miles to a road in north London where one can park, then get a tube in to Finsbury Park station and actually walk, and do the reverse journey only to find Finsbury Park underground shut and so have to walk to Manor House, and then get on a tube train that is so full one has to stand, and then walk the mile back to my pal’s house before driving 86 miles home again on a motorway with a speed limit of 50mph and solid four lanes of traffic all the way.
And throughout to pay for the privilege.
Jamie Carragher also had a go at Martin Ødegaard who apparently was “playfully taking pictures of the club’s photographer.”
His comment was “Just get down the tunnel. You’ve won a game, it’s three points. You’ve been brilliant, you’re back in the title race, just get down the tunnel, I’m serious, honestly,” (Sky Sports )
Now let’s consider that. Why should the club captain not take a photo or even several photos (if that is what he was doing – I didn’t see it)? It was a moment of sublime glory for Arsenal whom the media have written off throughout almost all of this season.
When I got my research degree following three years reading and writing in the libraries of London University Insitute of Education, I had pictures taken of me in gown and mortar board holding the prized certificate. That certificate was then framed and still hangs in my house, a memento of three years solid work 50 years ago. I also have shots of the moment, and indeed my beaming parents who were rather knocked out that their son had done it. And what is wrong with that?????
We should be encouraged to celebrate achievements. Only surly downbeaten complaining ne’er-do-wells and curmudgeonly deadbeats can’t stand it when other people can’t applaud achievements that are not their’s.
And that’s the point: we didn’t give a toss about the pundits, and that they could not stand.
I remember at the end of the Unbeaten Season, when Arsenal had disposed of Leicester City (who had just been relegated) in the final match, Arsenal players took the obligatory lap of honour, and as they passed the away support at the Clock End, those Leicester supporters applauded Arsenal players. Now that was real gentlemanly support. Leicester had had a dreadful season and yet their support could take the time to stay, watch Arsenal revel in what they had done, and applaud them!
Indeed I think we can seriously say of Jamie Carragher and Garie Neville they are clearly not at the level of Leicester City supporters. These are men who should be reminded that people like those Leicester fans, and indeed myself (since my journey to Arsenal is almost the same as theirs was) are the people who go to games and spend a fortune on so doing, because they love their club. Carragher and Neville are mean, measly, curmudgeons, nothing more nothing less.
It would be good to think that in retrospect Carragher and Neville feel ashamed of their own behaviour. Sadly I doubt they will ever realise how appallingly awful they have been.
Lest we forget, Carragher spits on young female
Supporters.
Spot on, what a shame that we have to put up with those two on Sky Sports every week.
It is normal, enemies can not see anything good in your footsteps when you wear a beautiful and befitting dress. Instead they will start to insult you from the pains of envy and jealousy that emanate from your achievements. This is the case with Carragher and Neville on the day.
they can burst if they want. we will continue to celebrate as long as we win. would klop and liverpool players just walk back to the dressing room if they won? carragher, neville, ohara and all those who think it’s wrong for us to celebrate should go to hell i don’t care.
I watched the sky broadcast of the match and then the post match punditry and it was all the way through very undermining of all things Arsenal, but with our dominance of game and the 3 points it just added to the entertainment and satisfaction. I then treated myself to MOTD2 expecting more of the same but was pleasantly surprised to witness generous praise and encouragement for all things Arsenal. Other than the very disappointing refereeing in the Ladies match earlier and the loss, it was a jolly decent day!
I think that The Arsenal did serious damage to both of these ex players during their playing days. I don’t think that Neville can forgive himself for the way that he and his sister treated Reyes , he knows that everyone else knows that Rooney dived and that his manager had Riley in his pocket . There is a certain guilt in his utterings trying to justify to himself that match and he blusters on in the hope that he can camouflage his culpability.
Carragher just got embarrassed at Highbury and like the petulant diva he is, not caring for anyone else ,threw a coin into the crowd which admittedly should not have been thrown at him in the first place . However it went into the East stand lower where the kids were and the stick he got from the North Bank is still on his mind.
Compare that to other players that got the full force of the North Bank’s jibes , Micky Quinn who had a pie thrown at him ,picked it up and took a bite. Teddy Sheringham victim of much abuse and when a steward pulled a 13 year old out of the crowd intervened and pointed to the north Bank and clearly said ” are you going to throw that lot out as well .
They might not be fans favourites but they knew how to react.
You can only appreciate what you have or had experienced before, Carrager and Neville looks like a bunched been saved from depression just by making mockery of others Joy.
The Liverpool managerial post is now available so am expecting Carra to take it up and let see how well he will do, on Neville his abysmal failure never thought of going into management again but can purse on screen event and sprouts nonsense about what should be done and not do.
Am Happy for Mr Stuart the team official photographer for finally getting his own picture portrait at the Emirates with the full overjoyed fans on the background while been snapped by the team Captain, can just imagine how big it will be in his living room and the Joy flowing through his heart when telling his grandchildren how the picture came to be, the Joy in his face to me his more bigger than beaten Liverpool and their Skysport celebration police.
As it was after 2 AM in Malaysia , I had to limit my celebrations at home , and watching it all alone . And with very minimal sound !
It was an impressive performance , and in the way as I like to see the game being played . Kitchen sink and all !
Was impressed with Jorginho ‘s adept controlling and marshaling of our midfield . We outplayed them all over the pitch.
Well done , the lads .
Up the Gunners !
Clearly, the whole Sky agenda was that Arsenal had a “must-win” game and were certain to lose it, so when it turned out differently, the commentators and pundits alike were shocked, deeply disappointed and bewildered. Carragher and Neville continued to talk their customary sh…e and picked on the celebrations, rather than the game, as they would have then have had to acknowledge Arsenal’s superiority. It was great to see their miserable faces and hear their bitter remarks – moving on to how it was a better result for Man City than for us, (ignoring the obvious point that a draw would have suited Mn City more).
When Klopp and others celebrate, it’s ok because that shows “passion”. Remember that Klopp pulled a hamstring in an over-enthusiastic charge around the pitch. The media hate Arsenal and Arteta, just as they did Mr. Wenger, because they fear and resent any Arsenal success.
As has often been pointed out, Neville was an average player who benefitted from favourable treatment from referees during the SAF era and proved to be an absolute disaster in his one attempt at managenent. Carragher was an average player carried in a good team, who has never tried to be a coach / manager. Perhaps he will put himself forward for the Liverpool job next season? No chance, as long as Sky pay him to spout rubbish.
I assume that when Man Utd ended our Unbeaten run, Mr Nevile gave the entire squad and coaching staff a severe ticking off after their ever so slightly excited reaction to winning a game in October.
Indeed James, one mustn’t let these over paid uppity young lads get above themselves by actually expressing joy. At least not in the sight of other people. Terribly vulgar.
Considering on skysports the commentators mentioned at the start of the match that Liverpool will have an 8 point gap when they beat Arsenal and only changed their tune to it could be reduced to 2 if Arsenal win with the score at 1-1
Carragher, Neville, Burley, Ferdinand and Keys’ responses to the Arsenal celebrations were hastily assembled due to a belated realisation that they lacked the ability to correctly analyse the tactical masterclass served up to their football darlings at The Home of Football.
When Neville went to Valencia, he thought he was getting a pair of designer jeans.
Here endeth the lesson.