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By Tony Attwood
I have no idea who invented the phrase “Highbury Library” but it was one of those half-rhymes that newspaper journalists and TV pundits love to repeat. A simplistic vision that if repeated often enough avoids having to think of anything new to say.
No one ever went out and measured the noise levels at grounds, and from my experience over a lifetime of watching football, Highbury and the Emirates were no different from other places in the Football League. Noisy in parts, noisy at times, quiet when facing a miserable defeat.
Of course some grounds are noisier than others, sometimes because of the architecture, sometimes because the football is so utterly awful that it is up to the fans to do something to make up for it. (One thinks perhaps of Stoke here).
But there are people out there who still maintain Arsenal’s ground is quiet. It is gibberish of course. For it can be – and for the last few months has been – the noisiest ground in England.
There’s a relentless deafening volume that can be maintained for far longer than in most grounds. And there is the humour. “He plays when he wants, he plays when he wants, Carlos Tevez, he plays when he wants,” doesn’t quite have one falling off the seat at home, but it was so funny in the stadium, given that the melody used about Robin is what we hear most often.
The Nasri song was presumably cut for TV audiences for being grossly obscene but also rather droll I felt. And had a lot of people who might not normally say such a thing, joining in.
Yes it was fun. We dominated the noise through the 90 minutes, (Man $$$ hardly made a sound), we dominated the game on the pitch, struck the posts, missed several open goals, cleared one of our shots off their line, and showed we could win even without luck.
Song, we must not forget, is fortunate not to be in hospital, such is the nature of the way Manchester City allow and indeed presumably encouraged their players to play, but it is part of the myth of football that this club built on many years of nothingness, playing in a stadium that us British tax payers paid for, creating a club with a disregard for the rules of Uefa and questioned for being improper within the Council of Europe, is all somehow ok. “Shit club no history” sang the crowd. Quite right.
David Platt at the end asked the Man C “players” (I use the word lightly in some cases) to go to their travelling support. Carlos Tevez did not, nor did quite a few others. That is what you get from this type of manufactured football club.
Having had 64% of the possession, 5 shots on target to their zero, and 13 shots all told to their 5 Arsène Wenger said that when the “horse smells the stable” it accelerates. It was a clever twist on calling Man U, Manure, just one of an infinite number of literary and linguistic observations that Mr Wenger has made over the years that makes him so worth listening to.
Back in the game, Nasri was awful, making us all so glad that we had taken the money and banked it, ready for this summer’s spending. When his history is finally written (and I would love to be the guy to do it) Mr Wenger’s ability to turn decent players into men playing way over their ability, and then flog them knowing that there is no one else in football who knows what to do to keep that player at the highest level, while pretending he doesn’t want to lose them, is so obvious, so well known, and yet clubs fall for it every time. Remember Hleb? Adebayor meandering from club to club? Poor Gaël Clichy just not really there. Even great players get the treatment – Thierry Henry costing Barca something in excess of £1m per game until they found his time had gone. Vieira, sadly finding that he had moved from a club of morality to a club that fixed so many games even the Italian league finally had to relegate them.
Yes of course Arsenal wanted to keep Nasri and Cesc last summer to avoid the disruption that we got when they left, and worse of all when Jack was injured. That is what Chelsea and Man City can do to any club – offer insane money for players – in the case of Nasri for ordinary players made great by our manager.
If ever we needed proof that Arsenal make players and rebuild players, just look at Tomas Rosicky, just look at Arteta. Oh and Song, the man whom the AAA always told us was not fit to wear the shirt. And our goalkeeper, who was clearly not up to it which was why the AAA were baying for us to spend £10m, £20m anything on a keeper. And a new centre forward because Van Persie could never see us through a season.
On the way home my companions in the car chose “606” on BBC Radio 5, and we listened to some turnip saying that Arsenal should not be celebrating because we are so far behind Man U. He said the same line about how many points we are behind the leaders nine times in three minutes before they cut him off.
So the AAA are still out there with their simple little statements amplified by a willing media who having had to let go of the Highbury Library are now casting around for something else to call us with forgetting that our team was torn apart by morally bankrupt but financially powerful predators as the season started. No conversation about football in England can be complete without the reminder that there are two clubs in the league who can spend anything on anyone (and still can’t be sure to beat us). Nor will it be complete without mentioning that there is something extremely curious with the way refereeing is going, and that in the midst of all this, we are still there, still winning.
606 did quite a bit on refs, and they, like much of the media look like a rabble in retreat. The old ploy of ignoring the referee issue totally has been battered down by the endless insistence that there is a problem published on the blogs like this one. Then the media tried the line that refs are incompetent (a line they still run). Then they tried “it all balances out in the end” on the basis of penalties given (as if we were back in the pre-TV days when Liverpool fixed games using that method to win the league over and over again).
Now they vacillate between each idea – nothing wrong, incompetence, all balances out – but you can just hear underneath the voices that they have read what we publish day after day. You can just tell that the media is holding on desperately to the notion all is ok.
Radio 5 even allowed on a guy who sought to explain why refs are biased in favour of certain clubs. He was a bit muddled, and the argument didn’t really stand up, but it was heard, and not for the first time.
Walter, and all our ref reviewers – keep it up, the myths are being blown away. The message is getting there.
A day at the Ems is a lovely, noisy, joyous day to behold.
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What a great game of football! How the atmosphere came across on the TV
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The referee series: what is wrong with the Premier League System
The stats that the Ref’s Association quote are simply totally wrong
Giving each ref each team just twice a season would solve the crisis
Mike Riley and the garden of secrecy
How many wrong calls do refs make per game – and in favour of whom?
nice post,i just hope we can still build on this team with m vila podolski etc..
That’s another thing that should go – this knee jerk response that we need 3 more players. Whatever happens, it’s always 3 players. As if the only way to build a team was by buying.
Before playing regular in our starting XI, I know Song is good, but I am surprissed that he make very fast progress.
When he still playing on Arsenal reserves team, Cameroon take him to African Cup Nation, and he played as starting XI alongside his uncle Rigobert Song. But he played as central defender.
At the end of the tournament, he was selected into the best starting XI of African Cup (I am forget what year is that)
So, I am not surprised when he step to our starting XI, but I am surprised he become good defensive and offensive (make assist), because I think he is only defensive player.
Once again I am happy we not buying Melo, if we bought Melo that time, maybe Song’s progress will be delayed and he is not as good as now.
As Arsene says, sometimes we must take a risk, not buying a big name players and give a chance to young players.
time really is a great healer sometimes.
rp-not to mention jack and abby.
@ Read Power: why Mvilla? No proven premier league experience, and are you going to bench Song?
@ FinnGun I know what you mean. Arm chair managers think that assumed world class players will join us to bench warm. Vertonghen’s another example-is he better than Kos? Did he keep Messi quiet? Can he play against Stoke? Maybe but it’s always a risk as we already have someone proven in that slot.
Tony,
btw, in NY, we have been enjoying that “over the hill” Thierry Henry has 7 goals in 3 matches. Yes, it’s MLS, but the further buzz is that his league leading total is down to his having spent the MLS pre-season by rounding into form at ARSENAL. Even our “has beens” are still kings! That would be productive and regal (in the same breath).
robl,
Why see it as either/or? Do yellow cards and (even more so) injuries not mean anything, especially when we are competing for multiple trophies? It’s important to keep that perspective in play – quality backup and quality rotation. Surely with multi-cup competitions on hand there is not only room for more quality depth, but opportunity for them to play. And some of the potential quality is adept at more than one position based on their individual histories. Imo, it’s worth first looking into that about Jan V, or anyone else really, before we circle the wagons and say “no more”.
My favorite moment was after Arteta’s goal; when Arsenal supports started to poke fun at ManC fans by turning their backs to the pitch, arms in arms… Is there a name for that?
I stopped going to the Emirates because I found it so frustrating being sat amongst a bunch of silent & motionless supporters. Every time I went, the noisiest thing most people did was stand up then sit down occasionally. One time, I was chanting & singing away, tying to get some atmosphere going on around me when I got asked to sit down and shut up by the guy in front of me.
I hate the atmosphere at the Emirates which is why I prefer to watch the game down the pub.
Sammy the Snake,
Poznan – it’s a mock-u-dance doing unto MC what MC support does at home whenever they score.
sammy the snake, it’s called ‘Poznan Celebration’ brought about by a club called Lech Poznan in Poland. Mancity then adopted the celebration, arsenal made a fun on mancity fans after the goal was scored celebrating that way too
@Bob or Statesiders, Are you in New York, If so do you go to any football games, what’s the atmosphere like compared to an English game. How seriously are you folk starting to take the Beautiful game. Lastly what could we learn from the way football is set up stateside?
This article by Mr Attwood is the first time I have read a change for the positive in his writings(“Walter, and all our ref reviewers – keep it up, the myths are being blown away. The message is getting there”).
I was thinking things might be slowly changing with opinions coming around. One can only hope and encourage those that can affect change. Keep doing what your doing untold.
Adam,
Will definitely let you/all know when I go see Thierry later this season. Meanwhile, (re)check out the amazing New York Cosmos legacy (on Wikipedia, maybe) from the 1970s, out biggest ever football bash which, alas, came and went. I think there’s a decent documentary on it as well.
Surely, onething will be good for next season, our stadium atmosphere is bettter and better. Arsenal supporters finally makes fantastic atmosphere in our home game.
@Bob, New York Cosmos, Sleeping giants. Could be huge and I want one of there shirts. Just hope they don’t affiliate themselves with Man Utd.
Robbie Savage accurately described the Man U penalty as “shocking”.
I’ve no idea how the BBC operates, but assume it is all highly scripted, (apart from when Alan Hansen goes on one of his off-piste rambles). Mark Lawrenson doesn’t exactly seem like the kind of guy who could break Watergate.
Ian Wright terminated his BBC career by describing a defender’s challenge as a “spooning”. Quite funny actually.
You write amazing articles which really makes sense rather than all the other crap on the internet written by writers who are so biased…..Arsenal Forever
Mon the Norwich
Mon “a scottish word meaning come on”
At 66″ Spud 1-2 Norwich!
Hang on man!
And bad news for king kenny, Everton lead 3-0 in 78″
Ryo (M) comes on for bolton (v Newcastle) and leaves two newcastle players for dead on the right!
Did tottenham just lose their game???? 🙂 🙂
@Norwich – 3 penalties not given, 5 minutes of added on time
@Tony
Interesting to hear Wenger on horses and stables. I think the thrust of what he was saying was that the EPL is not actually a competition.
“Horses accelerate when they smell the stables” applies to training runs, not actual races….
AW is always diplomatic, but still manages to get his point across if you listen carefully.
Guess who ???
1W-3D-4L in last 8 games
Ong bing, curious, whereabouts do you reside/hail from? find it facinating that Arsenal Untold has such a global patronage. It would be interesting if Untold found out where fans came from and the number from each country as well…
anyway, mon the norwich (after thier win, just how embaressing for ol’ arry)
yes walter! woohoo!
I remember a younger Arsenal player saying a few weeks ago he wished tottenham would be passed by Newcastle in 4th and Arsenal ending in 3rd. His wish may come true… 🙂
And please Arsenal com would you update your league table if possible. We are still in 4th over there and that 24 hrs after our game???
The pretenders are back to their shitty football. Van Der Fart & Co were horrible today, just as bad as Na$ri Co yesterday.
Go Arsenal!
@Jacobite, I am in Bali, today no broadcast on TV, I am listening live commentry from Bet365, and watch the uk.eurosport.yahoo.com for text commentry.
Surprised, surprised!
Spud 1-2 Norwich, Newcastle 2-0 Bolton.
Newcastle now level with Spud, if we win tomorrow, Spud will fighting for 4th placed!
And Everton 4-0 Sunderland, well, well, well, shame on you king kenny, Moyes had small budget but he managed and bought player very well.
Almost every year he lost his star, but he still can compete with the other teams.
Whether AW was also referencing the Augean Stables – a metaphor for chronic corruption – I don’t know
‘When the “whores” [Horse] approaches the stables…they speed up’
{One could infer a reference there to drug taking officals}
I take this from http://uk.eurosport.yahoo.com/football/premier-league/2011-2012/tottenham-hotspur-norwich-city-454028.html
Stat from Infostrada: “Tottenham are unbeaten in their last six PL games against Norwich, since a 3-1 defeat in December 1993 – Chris Sutton (2) and Efan Ekoku scored the goals.”
Hi,
this is off topic from this article but relates to Robson’s commentary on Arsenal Player for the Man City game yesterday. It
was a post on the arsenal blog “A Cultured Left Foot” and I find it poignant as I have noticed many untold gunners leaving comments regarding Robson’s negativity…
Limestonegunner | April 9, 2012 at 3:21 pm
Hi all, I wrote a letter yesterday post-match to complain about Robson’s commentary and posted it in the comments last night. FG asked me to cut it down and make it cut and paste-able to encourage others– who are pretty sick and tired of his constant running down of the club while taking a wage and befouling Arsenal Player– to express their dissatisfaction to the club at feedback@arsenal.co.uk. It is probably still too long and maybe I cut out the sternest part of it, but feel free to use it literally, to paraphrase or compose our own. But if you have been annoyed in the past, please join the several of us who have already written to seek a change. He’ll still be on sky or whatever broadcast it is that he does outside Arsenal Player, but it would be nice to make the point and also enjoy our internal broadcast, highlight packages and so on without his grating voice and noxious opinions.
Dear Arsenal FC,
As an Arsenal supporter, I would like to express my dissatisfaction with Stewart Robson’s commentary on Arsenal matches both for Arsenal Player and for other broadcasts. I am dismayed by his unfair and desperately negative comments about Arsenal. This has been a consistent source of annoyance to Arsenal supporters for several years, however, his commentary on the ManCity match was especially egregious and I would like to request that the club stop employing him at the earliest opportunity as a commentator and for his post-match tactical analysis.
From the opening minutes, his disproportionate, even wild, negative criticism of Arsenal was clear. Practically the first words out of his mouth was a comment on Rosicky’s response to being pulled to the ground by the arm from behind, for which Toure received an early deserved yellow for a cynical foul. Robson immediately focused on Rosicky’s angry gesture in response by claiming Arsenal players would systematically appeal in order to get players carded in a poor show of sportsmanship. This is at the start of the game! It continued in this vein, and he harped on the theme of Arsenal players going down easily and feigning injury when it was clear that Balotelli had embedded his studs into Song’s knee and all over Sagna’s leg. He gave a negative twist to nearly every incident which contributed to a very poor image of Arsenal’s team to viewers, quite out of step with our standard of positive and relative fair play, while downplaying our team’s total domination in every facet of the game. It was a remarkable performance in twisted and hostile commentary.
He is doing active damage to Arsenal FC in the footballing public and has done for a while. If Robson wants to proffer these views in media beyond Arsenal’s control, that is his prerogative. There is no doubt that his approach will be richly rewarded in the football media. What I and so many Arsenal supporters object to is that he collects a wage to offer similar, if somewhat less vicious, remarks on Arsenal Player.
We are used to the way the media portray Arsenal, but it is galling to be supporting someone to damage our image. If you aren’t moved by the sensibilities and feelings of your loyal supporters, at least consider that it is terrible business. There are a host of excellent Arsenal player commentators who could be engaged in this role who will give honest insight, even when critical, which I don’t mind when it is fair and moderately balanced. The hostility and anti-Arsenal bias on display from Stewart Robson is really intolerable and unjust.
Thank you for your consideration.
@Ong Bing,
Try typing “First Row Sports” to get live streams of games online.
They show all the big worldwide games and I usually have to watch the arsenal games on it
@Jacobite,
Thank you very much!
Jacobite Gunner
Thank you. Well said (written). And please keep writing about Robson’s commentaries. Even if you don’t send them to Arsenal, post them up here. It’s really important, I think, to document the way commentators back up the ‘pitch-tilting’ by talking nonsense while Arsenal are passing the ball around and trying to make things happen. I would’ve tried to do this sot of thing myself but I don’t wanna end up jumping out of the window or slashing my wrists – through the relentless negativity. Indeed, the way commentators go on, generally, inuduces some sort of “brain-deadness”, and may I once again, reprint someone’s comment about commentators:
“It is the job of the commentator to distract from, misinform on and conceal the blatant corruption that the viewer is watching.
His script is a lullaby for the credulous masses – atomised, in their arm chairs and utterly confused.
Above all else he must protect the percieved integrity of the brand.”
Arsenal shouldn’t allow Robson to commentate on matches via Arsenal player, “period”. (That one’s for Bob as he’s a New Yorker/American. Saves ‘fanny’ing around, innit?)
Thank you Jacobite Gunner for YOUR consideration.
I usually love this blog and I do agree with a lot of this article, however, I see some slight bias through out. This in particular I found a bit iffy – ‘…forgetting that our team was torn apart by morally bankrupt but financially powerful predators as the season started.’
This is of course true, however – Wenger didn’t have to sell either player. Spurs held onto their man Modric and I respect that, he will of course leave this summer but he’s always been a vital cog in their machine and they’ve had a cracking season for their standards.
You also presume that Manchester City instructed their players to be violent, unless you have any evidence for that I’d say that’s unfair.
Let’s be happy that we beat the best squad in the EPL and if we can stop dropping points to small teams we’ll start looking like contenders again.
Bob.
I done my best to second your proposals (from/in the previous post, “What a great game of football”).
I’ve only spotted recently that you’re from NY. That’s one of my fave cities. I lived there for 18 months in the ’90’s, and worked at WBAI, (99.5 FM) with Bernard White + Co. (I learned lots of stuff).
FinnGun: Good point about needing “XXX” players. As Frimpong would say: “Leave it”! (Although I don’t quite know what he’s referring to, as such, per se). (not Persie).
@Zinc,
I little disagree with you.
Yes, yesterday we playing very well, and we beat City. But it was not City best squad, they are missing 2 key player, Yaya and David Silva.
If Yaya still there and in good form, it would be very difficult for Song and Arteta in the middle.
But I still very proud with yesterday performance, for me the spirit and attitude from player on the pitch is amazing.
I already watch the highlight 3 times, and still smilling when RVP header hits TV5, and feel amazing when Arteta take the ball from City player (David Pizaro I think?), dribled a few moment in front of City player (yes, Lescott, his former Everton team mate), and shoot it very beautifully (in the slow motion the ball not spin). What a goal from panic buying player (Walter word).
Tony,
Superb article.
One of the best I have read all season, if not the best. I can’t really think of anything else to say, the article says it all. Truthful, strong, and raising significant questions for us Gooners (and all true football fans too) to ponder on. This is top reading, containing much more incisive analysis of not only our great football club, but also the current “real” state of the game in this country (I would like to see you discussing these points on some of these so called football chat shows – the likes of Press Pass and the disgusting Sunday Supplement. Let’s see if the old boys network of journey men old pros and supposed professional journalists could digest and respond to some of the issues you raise, I very much doubt they could actually articulate a reply. Well, let them continue with their façade and hidden agendas etc. their obsession with the sheiks and oligarchs’ football clubs (because let’s face it they are not really fan based anymore, in fact their fans are no longer relevant from a fiscal point of view in particular). We are Arsenal, proud of what we represent and what we are, the best in all aspects (ok, we need to win trophies again, but I’d much rather do it our way)! For me, this post reinforces this belief and is a credit to the numerous quality Arsenal blog sites out there.
A Ciceronian article, and there is no better praise than that.
Cheers
Flashman71
@Zinc
Yes – Wenger did not have to sell either Na$ri or Fab. But remember Na$ri would not sign a contract extension and would have gone the following year for nothing. Na$ri was excellent last year for the first half of the season, but, second half he was useless. I suspect he was tapped up around the New Year. So Wenger correctly sold someone who had chosen to become useless.
The Fab situation was more complex – but basically Fab wanted away so badly that his usefulness to Arsenal was diminishing day by day.
I am convinced that Barca and City deliberately delayed the transfers until close to the end of the window to try to deprive Wenger of the time needed to bring in replacements – to weaken the threat of Arsenal as much as possible. They both knew that Wenger had the basis of a very good side and given the opportunity had (and still has) the ability to but another championship side together. On that point, if we can retain the core of the present squad, with one or two quality additions over the summer and the maturing of our young guns I expect Arsenal to challenge next season.
Ong Bing,
As for your logic: Hello? We’re missing Wilshere, Diaby and lost Cesc and Nasri, remember. So when you find an imbalance on who MC were lacking, why not look to our own backyard instead of seeing us at our best and them at their most depleted.
I’m beginning to wonder whether, at long last, the peculiar behaviour of refs and their assistants is becoming under closer scrutiny than ever before.
At a crucial time of the season for some, we have appalling mistakes (I use the word lightly) as in the Chelsea/Wigan game and (more suspiciously) in the Man Utd/QPR one.
In addition, it would appear that the ref reviews of Walter and his merry cohorts are just starting to bear fruit.
Could there be a brighter horizon ahead? 😆
@ bob & adam,
there is a very good documentary about the NY Cosmos called “once in a lifetime”
there is also a good book about that era of american soccer by david tossell called “playing for uncle sam – a brits story of the north american soccer league”
as for the current MLS, it is an ever improving league. i think the physicality and athleticism caught up to europe a few years back. now the technical and tactical aspects of the game are catching up. there are many good young players in america, it is the most played youth sport in the country believe it or not. now that we have a solid and stable professional league there is an avenue for people to have a career in football. it has taken years for that system to begin to really churn out quality young players but i am now starting to see a number of truly promising youngsters emerge.
the league is also slowly expanding, with new clubs in portland and seattle etc. that says to me that there is growing interest and an emerging fan base that understands the game. people who played as kids rather than people like my grandfather who think we really ought to just pick the ball up and hit a homer.
i have been to a few san jose games since all the way back in, i want to say, 1998 or 99 before they moved away and then back again. the atmosphere has improved immensely over the years but i still get the impression that many american fans are unsure of when to cheer. most american sports are broken up with lots of obvious times to cheer. football is a more fluid game and i sometimes feel that the american soccer fan is unsure of what to do during possession play. but its a growing pain. time and history bread passion, loyalty and custom and i truly believe that that will begin to show itself in the next ten years.
rantetta,
Very glad you read and replied; and many thanks for the appreciations. Coming from you I’m honored and happy to blush.
Henri Lansbury comes off the bench for the second half of West Ham versus Birmingham. Fouls one player, gets booked and takes 3 shots on net (according to BBC play by play). All shots blocked. Second shot was judged to blocked by a hand illegally, resulting in a (converted) penalty. Hence, Lansbury gets an assist in a 3-3 draw.
John L,
Cheers for your assessment; it’s whet my appetite to go see TH play very soon. Seven goals in three games! And with kudos to Arsenal for sharpening his blades. He is so clinical, nuanced, efficient, not in the least bit macho, scoring by any means appropriate, to say the effing obvious. What a treasure – and yet, the sports talk radio in this mega media hub have nothing but the occasional Red Bulls score (and Thierry’s name) being mentioned in barest passing along with the other major sports scores between the major broadcast segments and commercials. However, the Red Bulls have had a recent ad campaign to drum up interest, even though the radio station(s) have no hosts who are in any way conversant with “soccer.” It’s not part of the demographic they go after; and until it builds to that point, (independent of them, even if the stadium is packed to the rafters, as it was last year one match), they make a point of their macho indifference and proud ignorance of our so-called “girly game.” I’d love ’em to have a little 1:1 embrace with the likes of Shawcross, Barton, Balotelli, Cattermole and our host of miscreants and see how they fare.
John L,
I’ll definitely be looking to view the doco Once in a Lifetime and hope the Red Bulls and the MLS make strides that begin to approach where the Cosmos had reached. And, Giorgio Chinaglia’s death was noticed on several NY radio stations, harkening back to that (now largely forgotten for most city dwellers) Cosmos era.
seeing Michael Oliver’s performance where he denied Norwich 3 penalties im certain he has become a full registered member of the Hives of Riley and is now ready to serve lord Fergus in whatever way possible..his last test was against fulham and he passed with flying colours
Ha. An attempt at humor no doubt but its the truth, isn’t it? Wasn’t Lee Mason too in the “chosen” list?
Oh the irony..
http://soccernet.espn.go.com/columns/story/_/id/1046769/the-fifth-official:-officially-poor,-mad-man-mario
Mahdain,
Yes, Michael Oliver’s now passed and become one of the Hives’ killer bees. Someone has to come in as a new honey-dripper; now that their ex-Peter Walton has just arrived in New York to become Queen Bee to the MLS referees!!!
OMG!! What did Thierry and I do to deserve this westward expansion of the PGMOL/EPL syndicate’s reach. Can you bear it, mate? TH and Walton living large in the same profession in the same city.
Anne, he’s on our soil! And, surely, John L, a sign of bigger and not better things to come(?)
@ bob,
ive actually been thinking about flying to NY (i live in california) at some point this season to see henry play. i would love to see him live, and since i never had the chance to see the arsenal with him, NY is the next best thing.
i also really hope that NY can grow into a cosmos like powerhouse, but i hope that this time there are a few other teams that match that growth elsewhere in the country. i believe that was one of the reasons the NASL failed in the end.
i wonder if in time NY might have room for two teams? what a rivalry the red bulls and cosmos might possibly form? and who wouldnt want to see the return of a team that once boasted pele, beckenbaur and changlia??
@Ong Bing
Which area in Bali, only asking I’ve been twice and stayed at the melia Bali in Nusa Dua.
sorry to get a little sidetracked tony, since your article wasnt about the state of the game in america, just to keep it real….
do you think the club has had a word with stewards to allow people to stand and scream? (ive heard reports of people being told to sit down in the past at the grove) do you think the clubs work to ‘arsenalize’ the stadium has helped with the atmosphere?
or is it that we have had some fantastic results recently and the AAA are being drowned out?
http://www.change.org/petitions/arsenal-football-club-relieve-stewart-robson-from-his-arsenal-player-duties#
i normally wouldn’t be so pleased to hand that cheating red nosed bastard another title, but in the case of man shiteh ill take it. another prolific flop of a performance from na$ri, balotelli once again showing us all what charming character he is, and three points clear with a game in hand of those spuds down the road. all in all a good easter.
now mancini wants to sell stupid mario….i reckon neil warnock would be a match made in heaven…
come on you gunners!!
Have a guess at when St Totteringahms day will be anyone??
About BPL refs and lack of transparency, it’s time to take it to next level. We should use the social networks like twitter and facebook to spread the reality. The reality which says how incompetent/corrupt BPL is. How pathetic it’s administration is.
We will be laughed at first but hey i laughed at u at first.
What’s with liverpool fixing to win the titles?
@critic
try and resist the temptation:-
http://www.telegraph.co.uk/sport/football/teams/liverpool/9107431/Liverpools-Carling-Cup-final-victory-is-crucial-for-their-confidence-and-Champions-League-ambitions.html
Some trivia from BBC http://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/0/football/17651918
> 2037: I bring exciting news. Pele is on Twitter. He has only posted once, about 30 minutes ago, when he said “Hello world, thank you for welcoming me to Twitter. I am very excited to share my life with you. Love, Pele” and he already has more than 10,000 followers.
I don’t know if Sepp Blatter or Mike Riley have Twitter accounts, but I suspect Pele will have more followers than both together.
dan,
what a great link. LOL what a stupid fool that Hansen is.
Winning the carling cup turned the season in a nightmare of both Birmingham (went down) and now Liverpool.
I really hope AW plays the U18 next season in the carling cup
@Gord
Pele is the worst kind of whore, no-one respects him in his native Brazil and really he the kind of Fifa bastard you could imagine.
Fulham @Man U -1 Valid Penalty
Chelsea @WIgan +2 illicit goals
SO, by the law of evening out, Chelsea will get a cast iron penalty turned down….and the Universe will be bang to rights again….everything will have “evened out”
OH….Chelsea just got awarded a penalty.
@dan
Sorry, I hadn’t a clue on that. I was never fond of the Argentinian, Maradona.
@Gord
At least with Maradona what you see is what you get, and balls bigger than brains.
Then again Maradona won the greatest player of the 20th Century as voted by the people, Pele cried like a bitch and was offered the award Greatest player of the 20th Century as voted by the FIFA Family (what ever the fuck that is???), but sure enough as all things FIFA it must be corrupt!!!
Here’s a few more laughs:-
http://www.telegraph.co.uk/sport/football/teams/liverpool/9162307/Rating-Dalglishs-Liverpool-signings.html?frame=2175537
@dan, I stay at Kuta, not far from Nusa Dua, normally about 40 minute.
@Walter, I agree with you about Carling Cup, that’s the place for our youngster, just put 2-3 senior players, and 3-4 in semi & final.
That’s cup meant so much for our youngster, and that was a good experience for them.
Thanks arsenal.com for updating the league table 🙂
BTW, Fulham 1-1 Chelski, as I said before, Chelski has hard fixtures and they still playing in CL & FA.
I can not imagine if Chelski not playing in CL next season.
@ Walter, it’s not updated yet. They are yet to include today’s results.:P
Why is Totts not a club in crisis ??? Is the word crisis copyrighted to be used only in the case of Arsenal ??? The russians are 6th in the table and we can move 5 clear of totts and newcastle with a win and St Totteringham’s day is approaching fast. Begin your preparations.
Oh well, can’t expect them do work until midnight can we? 😉
If we take 3rd place, Chelski win FA Cup and not qualified for CL next season, is people still said win the trophies is important? Even “only” FA Cup trophies?
@Ong Bing
I know your asking about Chlski but take a look at this, it may answer your very question:-
http://www.telegraph.co.uk/sport/football/teams/liverpool/9107431/Liverpools-Carling-Cup-final-victory-is-crucial-for-their-confidence-and-Champions-League-ambitions.html
This is not joke.
15/4 Spud – Chelski – FA semifinal
18/4 Chelski – Barca – CL semifinal
21/4 Arsenal – Chelski – EPL
24/4 Barca – Chelski – CL semifinal
I think Chelski at least will lose in 21/4 and 24/4.
Another EPL fixtures, they still get Newcastle in home and away to Anfield.
@dan, thank you for your link.
I think from this season their history is behind Everton in the table.
I wouldn’t count on us getting third just yet. Apart from anything else, the referees still have a part to play. Chelsea were helped against Wigan, Spurs got away with 3 penalties not being awarded against them today, and STILL lost (haha), and apparently, Newcastle’s 2nd goal was offside (I havent seen it) .. And of course, we almost had another leg broken.
We have to concentrate fully and not let our level drop because ANY mistake, even a chance at what can be perceived as a mistake, might be called by the officials as a penalty, or a red card or something against us. Not done yet. Constant vigilance and alertness.
@Shard
I totally agree, it’s important we keep our concentration and motivation. It’s very important we pick up max points against Wolves and Wigan – no doubt the “men in black” will try to screw us. Just watched part of MOD2 – one of the denied penalties for Norwich would have been a red for (I think) Kaboul. The same spud seemed to do a deliberate kick off the ball – not picked by the ref – no surprise there.
@shard yeah im sure they can still do a lot though i have to say PGMO are running out of options..one game i can seriously see them screwing us over is against stoke city..just hoping and praying Halsey doesnt ref that cos stoke will have a field day and lest not forget Probert who i can see getting the Westbrom away…im not worried about the home games cos we have shown we can beat em
@bjtgooner
Yes. and Spurs went up and scored at the other end from that passage of play.
if they have any bit of shame left then they wont send Dean again but im sure Webb is gonna get his fifth game for us(vs chelsea?)…We have Swarbick for wolves and really dont know what to expect from him as one game aint enough to know
@Shard
Right you are, dark powers are at play and not just for the manures. Chelsea have been getting the rub of green of late and it aint no coincidence.
visit football is fixed, see how Chelsea get more help than even the manures.
Guys,
Are we now out of any further “orange” card trouble for the season, aside from Kos?
It would be so great to have an Arsenal of Songs at-the-ready to burst forth by the lungs-full at the first sign of the expectable ref-shite.
@ shard,
i agree, we have to play well and most importantly not make mistakes over the next couple games. i read someone saying that the next two games will be easy. i disagree, i think that in the last ten games of the season playing teams in the bottom five can be very challenging.
obviously the refs will be…well, the refs. but as we cannot do anything about it in the next six games, i think we have to continue to be very good and extremely committed.
although the next two games dont have the emotion of the city match we need to be just as good.
We now need to win the next game to open a 5point lead over spurs. We also need to play to the whistle n not get intimidated by ref dubious decisions.
My hate off to Wenger How else would buy a 29 y old Arteta for $10mil change his position from creative midfielder to defence and get the best stats in the league for pass and completion and the papers say a panic buy we are lucky to have One of the best Mangers in the World, Bravo Wenger .
@ozziearsenal,
Half of passing is the other guy being able to receive the ball properly. Arteta has always had the ability to play ‘the Arsenal way’ just not the team-mates.
Xavi’s stats are only as high as they are because he and Iniesta spend 45 minutes a match pointlessly passing the ball back and forth between them. Arteta and he make roughly the same number of key passes per game.
The PGMonkees have tried to adjust the results and have succeded. The chant ‘you dont know what you’re doing’ is completely misplaced. It should be ‘you cheating whistle blower’. The reason is that they know what they do and they cheat!!!!!! The media keep harping on Wengers nationality and have still not acknowledged his phenominal contribution to The Game. He has brought a level of morality fitness and quality to the young player that has made role models of them. He is quick to rid the club of controversy and will not argue with idiots that have userped the Game.
It is truly a proud period of history for our club. We are playing the game with such talent that it makes ordinary players appear beautiful.
I love you Arsenal I do.
@Woolwich keeping the ball is controlling the game its up to the players to decide what to do with it attack or defend plus it tires the other team if their chasing of position come the last 1/3 off the game its all Arsenal [eg Man C our last game]they barely got to the half way line.