Arsenal v Manchester City. The team, the preview, the loans, the spelling mistakes

Arsenal v Manchester City

3pm, Helsinki – not on live TV

By Tony Attwood

There’s not really that much news around about the game, and those sites that like to hype themselves up as being close to the action are just re-hashing what’s on Arsenal.com

We do know that Miquel has gone on loan to Leicester – so I might get a peek at him sometime in the season as their ground is only 25 miles or so from where I live.   However today we’re all off to see our local club Corby Town’s last friendly before starting in the Southern League (having been tragically relegated from the Conference on the last day of last season).

Back with the Arsenal, we know Rosicky is out with a strain – and so is someone else, but I am not sure who.  Jack, who didn’t play in the last game?

But back to what we can make of this game against Man City.  The first team as it stands looks something like this (excluding current injuries)…

The Polish Keeper who I have apparently racially abused*

Four from: Sagna, Mertersacker, Koscielny, Gibbs, Jenkinson

Three from: Arteta Wilshere Ramsey Cazorla

Three from: Walcott, Giroud, Podolski, Ox,

Benched: Gnabry, Akpom, Sanogo, Zelalem,

So whittling that down further

Sczsczscz (ooops sorry there I go again)*

Sagna, Mertersacker, Koscielny, Gibbs

Areta Ramsey

Cazorla (sub Wilshere)

Walcott, Giroud, Podolski (sub Ox)

Which leaves injured: Rosicky, Monreal, Diaby, Vermaelen

Uncertain: Ryo, Frimpong.

Ryo didn’t look back to his best for me on the tour games – those injuries of his seem to have taken such a toll that maybe he needs a solid few months of heavy training.  Frimpong, I don’t quite know what is going on.  Maybe you can tell me.

But with Miquel gone, and Coquelin gone, both of whom I saw as useful squad players this season, (and Coquelin I particularly saw as hugely improving last season), I am (not for the first time this week, month and year) a little bemused.

If we had another defender ready to step up surely we would have seen him on tour, but even those who looked like they were coming through before (Eisfeld and Yennaris in midfield for example), have not been given much chance.

This can only mean that the deals are there in all but signature – otherwise the loans would not be going through.  (That’s my logic, and what one of my close-to-the-action chums said – but then he was wrong about Higuain).

Anyway, just shows that we are in for another season of me spouting out of date commentaries and everyone else writing in to tell me where I have got it wrong.

By the way, thanks for everyone’s comments and the high readership levels of the two Liverpool pieces.   I did have to start cutting some comments, not least because a) I am not going to publish threats of violence from one reader to another, and b) if I did I would probably be open to prosecution.   But then I guess that is what we get when dealing with “sensitive” topics.

It is a rather interesting reflection that Tottenham fans were, in general, much more reasoned and reflective in their commentaries on articles relating to their club this summer than Liverpool fans.  Yet both clubs are facing the situation all too well known to Arsenal of the squad being disturbed in pre-season by unwelcome bids.  (OK the Billy the Dog piece invited a lot of silly “Yawn, what a boring article, you know nothing” comments, but the “Why choose Arsenal” was, I thought, very seriously argued indeed, and one of our best pieces this year.)

Anyway, this time next week we’ll be at the Ems once again.   That’s rather a pleasing thought.

Footnote

* A correspondent wrote in a week or two back accusing me of racism, and getting rather frustrated when I offered no apology for the perceived racism.  The issue was the spelling of Wojciech Szczesny, with the adopting of the silly Szcszsczsz thing I’ve done for a couple of seasons.  He wrote about my “responsibilities as a blogger” – which is an interesting concept and one we might return to perhaps.  I’m not at all sure what they are, but it would be interesting to find out.

Anyway, if you think I’m racist, or that mucking around with a person’s name is racist, then, I guess, at that point we part company.  For me to stop doing it now would seem to me to be giving in to what I think is just a silly accusation – and yes I know the Czszsz thing is childish and silly, but somehow, to me, in the strange world I live in, it is silly in a different way.

Below are the anniversaries for today, with an emphasis on recent times just so you can compare what we are doing now, with what has happened in the past just as the season gets going.  The anniversaries are put up on the home page most days.

Arsenal Anniversaries: 10 August

  • 10 August 1968:  League kicks off with away fixture at Tottenham.  Arsenal win.
  • 10 Arsenal 1976: Malcolm MacDonald’s debut v Grasshoppers in friendly.
  • 10 August 1977:  Don Howe returns as manager, six years after leaving
  • 10 August 1980: Partizan Belgrade v Arsenal, last game for Paul Barron
  • 10 August 1986: Tommy Caton last game away to Shamrock Rovers
  • 10 August 1991:  Arsenal 0 Tottenham 0 in Charity shield at Wembley
  • 10 August 1994: Vince Bartram signed from AFC Bournemouth
  • 10 August 2010: Kyle Bartley loan to Sheffield U

The books…

 

  • The sites from the same team…

123 Replies to “Arsenal v Manchester City. The team, the preview, the loans, the spelling mistakes”

  1. can anybody tell me where the spuds are getting all the cash from, their revenue streams arent even close to ours yet they are spending like drunken sailors can they afford this behaviour or are they spending the bale money before they receive it, a pay day loan scenario if you will.

  2. Tony , keep up the good work. Screw the critics – what do they really know ? Zilch !
    Hope we have a good showing to get the juices flowing for next week .
    Up the Gunners !

  3. Szczesny. Sz = S in English.

    cz = ch in English

    s = sh in English

    ny = ner in English.

    phonetic English we have

    Schshner.

    To rework Arsene statement about a player’s passport.

    I couldn’t careless how a player spells or says is name I consider his ability to play football.

    I am believe in Szczesny and I am hoping he has a great season for us as I do for all the players.

  4. Why does Arsene prefer foreign players to English players? This could be the answer:
    1. The Japanese eat very little fat and suffer fewer heart attacks than the British.

    2. Mexicans eat a lot of fat and suffer fewer heart attacks than the British.

    3. Africans drink very little red wine and suffer fewer heart attacks than the British.

    4. Italians drink large amounts of red wine and suffer fewer heart attacks than the British.

    5. Germans drink a lot of beer and eat lots of sausages and fats and suffer fewer heart attacks than, British.

    MEDICAL CONCLUSION:

    Eat and drink what you like. Speaking English is apparently what kills you.

  5. Tony, just 2 comments on the Liverpool posts and all the angst:

    1) People being wrong on the internet is what keeps us awake all night after all (read this from an xkcd comic strip)!

    2) I get the sense that Liverpool are facing their “Cesc” moment. We all know how demoralising and unwelcome it is when someone stirs your best player’s heart in pre-season. At least we’ve managed to stay in the Champions league since, whereas Liverpool are looking at mid-table irrelevancy.

  6. It’s over now.

    Final score:

    Arsenal 3 – 1 Manchester City

    Can this Arsenal team compete this season? We’ll see but I continue to have faith in and support my team!

  7. Final score 3 – 1 to the Arsenal!

    Good game & well played to the team. If one wanted to be ultra critical (as the AAA scum do), but in a constructive way (as the AAA scum do not), one could say that with many changes in the second half we lost a little bit of cohesion, but by that stage the match was won. There were many good performances, but Ramsey in particular stood out.

    Having said all that, I would still like some reinforcements!

  8. An excellent team performance this afternoon and a thoroughly deserved three one win. Perez looked comfortable albeit that one mid-timed challenge got him a yellow card. Very well assisted and taken goals by Walcott, Ramsey and the Giroud. Negredo looked the pick of City’s new boys and deserved his goal.

    On this performance we will be there or thereabouts this season. Looking forward to this year!

    COYG

  9. Dunno about the rest of you, but three goals like that every game will keep me a very happy camper. Best of all though was the way we harried them, indeed at one point I thought we may be bullying them. Such fun and such promise. Obviously they learnt a few lessons from last week. 🙂

  10. Al, you can still watch it now as live at arsenal player.. very unlike arsenal, doesn’t hog all the possession but very, very clinical..

  11. It was a great game. I enjoy the way Ramsey, Walcott and Giroud took advantage of every error of our opponent and turned those to goals. 1st half was quite balance but we were the stronger in 2nd half with Giroud and Cazorla.

  12. AL,

    From Arsenal point of view, it was an excellent game. We scored 3 beautiful goals. The defence was solid and even the lone goal conceded was due to Koscielny not being aggressive enough against Negredo. Please see it on ArsenalPlayer.

    Our boys did very well against a team that has done everything that we’ve been accused of never doing. You know, splasing the cash and buying players!

  13. Woo Hoo !Well done the lads !Managed to see the game from the 35th minute and was not disappointed .Good overall performance and very well taken goals .The ball went from defence to attack very quickly .
    Was surprised that Koscieny was swept aside so easily for their goal but he did have a good game .
    Happy to hear the boos from Finnish Gunners directed towards Nasri and Clichy .The other faithfuls cheered the booing ! As it should be !

  14. Now, we just need to play consistently like this. Our first team (minus Carzola) matched their first team to the tee. Sagna hit the post with a well taken rocket and Giroud’s second goal in the second half could have been counted on some other days.

    Like I said before, we just need to be consistent as the advantage of our teams’s togetherness shows very clearly today against one of the 2 most predicted title winners.

    Oh, I’m feeling so good.

    It might be a good time to check this out again: http://blog.emiratesstadium.info/archives/30394

  15. Bootoomee,
    Thanks. Watching it now, and agree we are looking solid all round. Classy goal too from Walcott.

  16. @ Bootoome – just clicked on to your blog – awesome man !
    Have saved it for now and will reread your posts ! May have had one glass too many of wine tonight !
    Hi to the missus and the twins ! Hi Edda !

  17. I watched the match live on a stream. Does anyone know will the it be shown later on a UK available channel? Thanks.

  18. I bid you all goodnight with this quote of hope –

    The work goes on, the cause endures, the hope still lives and the dreams shall never die. Edward Kennedy

  19. bjtgooner,

    Just logon to Arsenal Player. It’s free!

    I’m about to start watching it again as my toddlers didn’t allow me to enjoy it the first time. But it was still a cracking display by our team.

  20. Gf60,

    That was precisely my feeling after that disqualified goal by Giroud. I was almost pitying them.

    Maybe Koscielny allowed Negredo to score their consolatory goal out of pity too 🙂

  21. Brickfields Gunners,

    Thanks for viewing my blog and for your interest in my family’s welfare. I got Edda’s approval for his picture to be published, hence why I did. He is such a nice guy!

  22. Hold on:

    Has anyone else noticed that none of the AAA has shown up so far?

    Amazing, isn’t? Our finest performance of the pre-season and their silence is deafening! Meanwhile after the serial diver robbed us of victory over Galatasaray, they were all over Untold like termites.

    This is when you know those who truly love Arsenal, even if they are critical when necessary. May we continue to do well so that we can be rid of the merchants of gloom on this site forever, Amen 🙂

  23. welldone arsenal. couldnt watch the game, surprised as hell. here’s wishing me more surprises throughout the coming season

  24. Well I already said to my mate, my top 3 bet this year is Chelsea, Arsenal then Man City. I feel more certain about this now.

  25. Im trying to watch the game on Arsenal player, but cannot seem to watch the match, anyone else having problems?

  26. Even I didn’t really expect this result – just watched it after being out watching Corby 0 Bishops Stortford 5.

    How strange that with every blog under the sun pumping out all the rumours all day and night, we just get a couple of nods that Perez is training with us, and here he is. Very little about him on the internet – just seen by a scout in the under 20s internationals.

    Do you know the Liverpool fans are still coming in with their “you are a xxx” “boring boring” “you got it wrong” and all that stuff about the Liverpool articles. I’m cutting all the threats of violence that I see there, but some of it is quite unpleasant stuff. Still it takes us up the rankings I suppose.

    Anyway, lovely way to finish pre-season.

  27. @Bootoomee

    Thanks for the info re Arsenal Player, but having watched the match on a stream I would prefer to watch it again on my TV – can see more with the larger screen.

    Agree about the AAA being absent – not that they are missed – but had we lost today the half brained Doubledoomer would have polluting the site by now.

  28. Tony,
    With the Liverpool fans claiming boring boring Arsenal, this just illustrates how stuck in the dark ages they are. They obviously think Kenny Dalgleish is on his first stint as manager.

  29. Was wondering who Perez was too when I saw him in action today:) There is very little on him out there.

  30. Must admit I’m finding Liverpool fans very unpleasant. We have had our fair share of fights with spuds fans (who are our bitterest rivals) here but don’t think I have seen things get to such a low level; threats of violence, incomprehensible posts filled with profanities, the lot. I always had a dislike for pool fans, what with the way they scream for everything at their ground, but hadn’t encountered them before, and boy am I glad I didn’t.

  31. The Scousers on here need to ‘carm dsown, ya know, arrright, hey, hey, carm dsown’

  32. Great TEAM performance today, pressed and harried well and battled hard all over the pitch. Ramsey was excellent, so were Theo and Kos. Contrary to popular belief (from some section of the “support”) it seems the old professor still knows what he’s doing after all. My only real concern was the bench was pretty thin, when we get hit by our seasonal injury crisis I do worry where the backup is. That said, with another three players leaving the team this week, I will be stunned if we don’t see reinforcements before the window closes. Also, when Perez came on, I don’t know about you guys but I had flashbacks of a certain Mr Pires. Not in playing style (though they do run in a similar way), but the name, hairstyle and general look made me instantly think of PR7.

    A point on the negative posters. It makes me absolutely sick that a positive post about how Arsenal can compete this season can bring hundreds of comments and huge disagreements, whereas after a great performance and the beating of a fellow title contender, well it’s radio silence. Absolutely showing their true colours. I refuse to engage with them anymore, I suggest you guys do the same.

    I’m a very happy Gooner this evening! 🙂

  33. Tony,

    The Perez manner is how I personally expect Arsenal (and indeed all professional clubs) to sign players. Quietly and efficiently. It’s why I so HATE the whole player speculation nonsense (I may be sounding like a broken record now 🙂 )

    To be fair Arsenal FC never said anything about Higuain publicly and but for Liverpool management running their mouths to the press, no one in Arsenal would have said anything about it either.

    On Liverpool fans, I used to wonder why Man U fans hated them so much. Not anymore. They are irritating as hell. Apologies to the sensible Scousers who have contributed here even if our positions differ.

  34. Due to supporting the wife’s efforts in her 26 mile mile night walk for a cancer charity I missed the match. Walked 16 miles today with the wife as part of her training.

    Well done Arsenal. Hope we can repeat this in our first league game and all those that follow.

  35. A Great Win plus the away support reminded Nasri of what a $hit he shall always be. Now it’s on to the real deal.

  36. nicky,
    Now, now. Surely there’s room at the very top of the priority list for shopping at Tesco? 🙂

  37. Damn I lost money predicting 3-0, but hey ho! come on you gooners!! Need to watch the match now 😀

  38. After all, it’s only a pre-season friendly and Man City weren’t trying…..so we are still crap, and this result means that Arsene won’t splash the cash, so it’s really a disaster…

    On the other hand, if we had lost, it would be proof that we are no good and bound to finish below Spurs and Liverpool and get knocked out of all the cups.

    These are, of course, not my views at all, but may be representative of the peculiar logic of the habitual negative critics.

  39. AL,
    Any thoughts on how it is that Scouser alumnae get so many of the prized TV football pundit roles? I well understand that AFC gets mostly shut out; but Why are Liverpool so overly represented in the face-time punditry?

  40. @Nicky, certainly do. My aunt died of cancer and one of our best friend’s mother has it and has a 50% chance of survival.

  41. If you need any further proof on how deluded the Liverpool fans are, Paddy Power have a Liverpool Specials section on the premier league screen (but not for any other team). The only available bet is Liverpool to win a trophy. I imagine that is the most clicked button on the paddy power website every year.

  42. Arsene Wenger on the pre-season as a whole:

    “I’m an optimist. That’s why I do this job. Overall I think we finished the season well. In the last 10 games We had eight wins and two draws and we kept the squad together for the first time [for a number of years]. We didn’t lose any regular players so that makes me very positive for the new season.”

    Me too Arsene, me too!

  43. ha ha ha Americangooner me too but other tabloids are accusing us of winning when we are not on form!!!! Can you imagine, when we lost to Galatasaray the press was all-over us as we are going to suffer this season we win and they tell us how we won angry ?? What is wrong with some morons ,why are they against us and do not appreciate.
    Anyway sewer rats are sewer rats you can never change that.

  44. Good win lads, and i loved to watch the togetherness of the team. A few hiccups, but they are always going to be a few of them per game. The transfers are starting to open up now and soon we will have our additions to the squad, definitely before CL squad registration deadline i would think.
    //
    Can Untold please do some research on why the media does not like Arsenal? I can’t for one, put my finger on the real reason. Or have you already done so?

  45. 1 of the best thing for me last night was the confirmation of AW himself that the most pressing situation with this squad was the squad depth, not a stinking rotten zombie eating ratboy.

    I dunno why, but I somehow feels that Moyes did somehow screw our shopping spree with the Cesc “intention” and AW tried to save up money in case he needs to trigger the clause and bring Cesc back home >.< .. Dont really explain the bids on ratboy tho, except maybe it was a smoke screen, and Perez seems to show that we do working secretly to bring in some depth.

  46.  yesterday was

    This post has been removed as it was a word for word copy from an article on Arseblog. Apologies have been sent to Arseblog for this.

    Tony

  47. Margin
    Agree with your sentiment, however I had already agreed with it when I read it almost word for word on Arseblog this morning…

  48. The Talksport morons have totally ignored yesterdays great win, absolutely no mention that I have heard so far, as if it didn’t happen. Contrast that to last Monday after the Galatasaray result when they couldn’t stop rubbing it in.
    Wasn’t Ramsey terrific by the way.

  49. Marvin,

    your comments are lifted word for word from the Arseblog post this morning. There is a name for this and its plagiarism. If anyone (including TA and WB) want to check this have a look here http://arseblog.com/

  50. Hilarious or pathetic. We are all entitled to our opinions but not to other people’s!

  51. Just watched the whole game, impressive movement in midfield, and stingy like bees in the attack:) Hope we’ll play at least like this when I’m coming to see the NLD on September 1st. Hope to meet at least a few of you guys at a beer. Up the Arsenal!

  52. nice win…..AND Finland is all ARSENAL….man it was all red and white. What a game…Ramsey and Theo. Also Giroud. Theo has set a target for himself, but I think this season (looking at the pre season) he is on for 30+.

    The thing is people (AAA/media/pundits) are so fixated on Suarez, Higuain, Fellani, Cesc…..that they miss the real thing. The need for filling the bench. Its not the first 16 we need, its the 17-23.

  53. Bookmark this post fellas. When next we are told that the AAA don’t exist, we can always refer them to this post. The AAA do exist, they are all over the place when we get bad results but they disappear when we triumph.

    That is why they are AAA. True fans will still make congratulatory comments if their comments had been aimed at building the team up and not at tearing them down.

    It’s great to have almost 70 comments and none of them abusive. Long may results like this continue.

  54. Blacksheep – any idea how small and petty you look reporting somebody to the head for plagiarism? Jeez, grow up. This is a football blog, not a classroom.

    Great win yesterday, in preseason. We still need bodies though, a clinical striker, DM (Gustavo reported, great player), CB cover or RB cover if he insist sagna is CB cover.

    Our squad is at 15 players, we need more for a 55 game season though.

  55. Doofus,

    Geez man! If only the man in charge has your great insight.

    Arsene Wenger (after the victory yesterday) on if he’s happy with the strikers he’s got:

    “I think what is important is the strength of the squad. Today is one game. We want to play 55 games and we are maybe a bit thin squad-wise to go through a whole season.”
    from Arsenal.com

    It is sad that you are defending plaigiarism. Are you a plagiarist too? What I did above his how you use the words of others. Just put the double quotation marks around them and state where you got them from. It doesn’t take anything away from you. It takes a smart person to be able to find useful and intelligent or relevant quotes.

    Using the written words of others without acknowledging by giving credit is nothing but stealing!

  56. Boo – you’re serious? So you guys really think that somebody putting a post from elsewhere counts as full blown plagiarism? Wow, you need to get a life and not take this so seriously! It’s a middling arsenal blog, not a peer reviewed journal.

    So, Wenger knows we need to strengthen. Why haven’t we then? You were so very,very certain we didn’t need any new recruits a couple of weeks ago. What changed Boo?

  57. Doofus
    Not only is it bad form to copy from other sites (you know, it does tend to show a lack of imagination and original though which is kind of the whole point of these forums), it can also infringe copyright –

    (From Untold landing page) Articles that appear on this site are copyright (c) Websites and Blogs 2007, 2008, 2009, 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013. If you wish to quote a small amount of an article you are free to do so provided you only quote under 5% of the total article, and state the page the article came from giving the URL in full and cite the name of the author. Not to do so, or to quote more than this without written permission would be a breach of the 1998 Copyright Designs and Patent Act. Websites and Blogs Ltd and the author will take action to protect copyright material from unfair reproduction or exploitation.

  58. Doofus, whether you think this blog is awful or brilliant makes no difference to the copyright issue at all Your argument is a bit like saying that you only stole a Ford car, and that should not count under the Theft Act because was only a Ford, not a Mercedes.

  59. So posts are articles?

    Stevie – there’s zero imagination and original thought on any arsenal blog, but here particularly the posters and article writers have a very singular point of view. How can you have any original thinking when that’s the case? Not really possible.

    So that would also mean that when brick fields quotes other people’s jokes from other sites, he’s also caught in the plagiarism net? Yikes!

  60. Very true mick compare and contrast critics reaction to yesterday’s game to the gala result. And how good is Ramsey getting a legend in the making …not to put any pressure on him of course

  61. Doofus wrote:

    “You were so very,very certain we didn’t need any new recruits a couple of weeks ago. What changed Boo?”

    I will always refer to you as a liar henceforth unless you pull up the quotes of me saying what you wrote above. I have never said I’m against adding players just like I am not against Arsenal winning trophies (as I was accused by one of your comrades). I object, yes very strongly, to persistent moaning about signing players to solve our ‘trophy’ problem because it is lacking in thoughts and originality. There are other key factors that lead to trophies and yes, a big and strong squad is one of them but how come it is the only one that you guys ever talk about?

    I have always expressed my faith in Arsene Wenger to sign players that he thinks will improve the team and I refuse to drop names for him to choose from or write annoying comments on the Internet on when he should act. The manner in which Perez was signed is how I expect professional teams to do their transfer business. I am very proud that Arsenal has continued that tradition.

    My offer to always call you a liar stands until you provide my quotes saying that we didn’t need any recruits.

  62. Doofus,

    Brickfields Gunners has never claimed any of those jokes as his. Actually, he provides links to where he gets them regularly. Besides, sharing a joke is not the same as expressing an opinion. From the nature of jokes, we can’t even find the origin of most them as they are spread by hearsay. I have never heard anyone ask for the source of a joke before. Have you? People care more about delivery of jokes than their originality.

    If I am using your OPINION as expressed here on another forum, the least I could do is say: “As someone posted on Untold Arsenal: …..(insert your opinion)…. ” I might not have mentioned your name in credit but I’m not passing your thoughts as mine either.

    It is just plain immoral to use other people’s opinion as your own in a forum like this. I’m finding your inability to accept this basic principle rather embarrassing.

  63. @Doofus

    Is Doofus an acronym for DO gO Fuxx yOur Self? Not a bad idea. Why don’t you?

  64. So Doofus you wrote “Blacksheep – any idea how small and petty you look reporting somebody to the head for plagiarism? Jeez, grow up. This is a football blog, not a classroom”.

    not clearly it isn’t a classroom but stealing someone else’s words is lazy, unnecessary and wrong under any circumstances. Given your regular appearance on this blog I imagine you to be someone with opinions that you believe in. You can of course write your own blog pots (or articles, I don’t see the need to play semantics about the terminology) and when people start to steal your own words perhaps you will be perfectly happy with it. Either way there is no need to be rude to me (or others – and Gf60’s comment is not helpful), you disagree that stealing is wrong – that’s fine if that’s what you think. I happen to read the arseblogger every day and value what he does (for free) so will point out when others present his words as their own.
    I please don’t tell me to grow up, I’m not a child I’m a middle aged doctor

  65. That was a very very pleasant win yesterday.
    It seems some people calling themselves gooners wanted City to win.
    Apparently it’s all City’s fault for being terrible, nothing to do with Arsenal being any good.
    That would not do at all, with some peoples version of reality.

    Well, Wenger and the lads don’t read the script.

    I ‘d go along with Arsenal13’s comment of 10:00am, we could possibly strengthen from 17-23, especially when we only have 19 fit players available, 20 if you count TGSTEL as still being a Gooner.

  66. What the Guardian Football Department does in today’s (Sun) paper (online) is give ZERO coverage to our win over Shiteh and lots of coverage to Manure’s (RVP’s brace) victory in the Community Chest. Speaking about chest beating and who they typically ADORE. Yet, not a word seems beyond prediction. After all, forget AFC, our opponent was the re-stocked former epl champs. Not even amy covering of Shiteh (which means covering our victory) is a new act of lens-crafting by a truly insidious set of stenographers masquerading as jornos.

  67. @bob

    I concur with your comments. I have noted minimal coverage of our win yesterday by BBC, Sky and the UK press. The win was obviously not in their script!

    I was very pleased with the win and the way we played yesterday. We do have an excellent base to build on, but I do hope we can bring in some reinforcements before the window closes – to get us through injuries/fatigue.

  68. Bob,
    it used to be called the Manchester Guardian.
    Old habits die hard, it seams.
    They gave Arsenal a 5th place prediction.

  69. bob,

    It’s not just the print and other traditional media that are suddenly unaware of Arsenal’s existence. Even the Internet media too. I posted this complaint on TeamTalk main YourSay page:

    “bootoomee77 (Arsenal): TeamTalk editors/crew, Is it not a bit odd that 2 of the top 4 teams in England are playing a game and there is not even a peep on probably the topmost football website in England in terms of coverage? You still have the result of Rio Ferdinand’s testimonial displayed for goodness sake!”

    If scoreline had been reversed, they’ll be all over it like ants on sugar!

    If I am to go by my “glass-half-full” philosophy, I can say that at least they have all stopped talking about Suarez and how Arsenal is being arrogant by trying to sign him from Liverpool, their superiors.

  70. Good point bob, I’m also amazed at how little coverage there is on the beating we handed out yesterday. The most I could find was a minute by minute account of the match by the Daily Mail, but no match reports.
    I guess the missing AAA and the writers of the guardian, mail, etc have something in common.

  71. Bootoomee,
    Right, first Rio’s testimonial (I forgot!, thanks), then Manure’s Oh So Massive Community Shield win grab the spotlights. Two daze in a row and the jornoscum have, by exclusion, done their hatchet job on public awareness of our big win. Let it interrupt their sheepish bleating of there being no signees yet are as a “sure sign” of AW’s terminal rot and the launch pad for their desired civil war in the fanbase.

    unbelievable belief,
    Yeah, I wonder if (you knew whether) their Sports Editor, or Football Editor, or longer term senior writers can be pegged to being Manchester fans from back in the day. Or, more insidious, that (even though their then so-called honest broker and long-time grew up near Highbury Amy Lawrence denied outright, here on, UA at the start of last season) that any anti-AFC bias exists at Guardian Football Department (to any non-employee, a cancer on the Guardian’s otherwise quality, like a flea in heat demanding it gets scratched).

    bjtgooner,
    Really telling that the semi-blackout (or at least minimization) of a top match on the last weekend before the big show is so widespread. This of course makes us paranoids. We’re supposed to not see what we in fact are seeing.

  72. unbelievable belief,
    sorry, got into a mess with the parens and all, but I think we’re on the same page and you catch my drift there. Cheers.

  73. C4,
    I’d love for Arsene’s next press conference to “jokingly” put out their “nap time” absence of attention to the game. Why not call them on this? Do they hope to succeed with a deafening silence where we exceed on the pitch…

  74. I’m watching the match now again. I was there and it was great. But I think the atmosphere that there was didn’t show completely on TV. Attendance record was broken at stadium (mainly with people in Arsenal colors). Well maybe some City fans where dressed as Arsenal fans (like the woman sitting next to me).
    After I got home around midnight (I went to celebrate after the match and got home around same time as players got to theirs). I checked Finnish news medi websites. Main topics were Arsenal trounced ManC. 🙂 but there were also 2 weird articles. 1) ManC fan was wondering why fans were booing to Nasri. And that they were doing everything making him feel welcome (80% where Arsenal fans so of course we booed him). Fan even said match was like park football….
    It was funny when I was booing for Nasri having ball and then going straight cheering (without taking breath between) when Jenkinson got the ball.
    2) Kompany claiming (after the match) that they were really tired all that traveling they have done preseason). Like Arsenal had not travel at all. Also if they are tired before season starts how can they manage whole season?

    Oh and Tony I have changed my email address so that is why it is different.

  75. bob, you just made me wonder about something – you mention Amy Lawrence coming on here to defend the Guardian, claiming there’s no anti-AFC bias over there. If I recall correctly, didn’t we have John Cross here as well at one point, when they were all working overtim to try and help sell rvp? Are you aware of these journalist (if I may call them that) visiting other blogs to try and quell any thoughts that their reporting may be a bit fishy?
    I suspect the media watch that goes on over here troubles them to some degree. They might not be used to people seeing through their agenda so clearly, that they felt compelled to come in person to try and tell us what to think, like they successfully do with so many others. I wonder, have they visited any other Arsenal blogs? What about manure blogs, or chel$ki, or man s!tty blogs? I have my doubts, since those fans don’t get the same treatment from them that we do.

  76. ^^ Please excuse my spelling. That should obviously read man sh!tty, not man s!tty.
    Just felt that I HAD to correct that.

  77. When I was doing a bit of promoting of the ref reviews to try and find refs who were fans of other teams, I spent alot of time on other teams blogs having articles published telling all about it. Arsenal have by far the most number of active blogs on the web (more than double the next team) and some teams I could not find a blog that posted anything (including in the comments section) on a weekly basis. Arsenal fans are clearly more active in discussion of club and football matters which might be part of the answer as to why media attention is geared towards us. Obviously it would be geared towards winding us up in order to get a response and prove their readership numbers to the sponsors because that’s how shallow these news outlets are, don’t think for a moment they do what they do because they want to provide a service.

  78. Stuart
    Absolutely right.

    I even am beginning to suspect that Newsnow is a spud troll service.
    they love ANR posts over there.

  79. Just watched the game, up until now I had only seen highlights.
    We spanked them, nicely. Each of our goals made them look like children. Especially the build up play and slick passing that led to Aaron’s goal. That wasn’t even a counter attack, but we confused them to the point that Aaron was left 1-on-1 with Joe ‘art. Lovely stuff, I replayed that one quite a few times. 🙂
    So it’s no wonder they failed to write anything about it – a match report would be difficult to produce without praising the hell out of us and condemning their beloved 500 mil team. We contained them well, and then gave them the “blink and I’ll catch you sleeping” treatment.
    I could get used to this. 😀

  80. C4 (10.32pm),

    That was my feeling yesterday, even after my 2nd viewing of the match. I’ve always believed in the team but after that performance, my faith has gotten stronger.

    What has been most overlooked about this team is the stability. It is a factor that we’ve not enjoyed in years. Giroud is bubbling with confidence. Ramsey is making his haters eat their words. Bacary Sagna is back at his usual best and doing great at CB too. The team’s confidence is really high and that is a great thing.

    The team’s performance yesterday just turned everything that we’ve been hearing all summer upside down. I am a very strong feeling that Arsenal is going to surprise many people this season. Of course, the media and (sadly) some of our own fans who have been running the team down are not very happy but I say, screw them all.

    On the needed recruits that is often used to qualify our prospects, isn’t it interesting to see Perez yesterday? No noise in the media, just a good player wearing our shirt. I love it. I am pretty sure that a few more like him are coming before September 1st.

    Trust Arsene, he still knows best!

  81. Boo
    Arsene really enjoys throwing curve balls at us, doesn’t he?
    A guy no-one had ever heard of, just over for a trial just walks into the first team in a game a week before we kick-off the League campaign.
    This guy must be something good, or else the doomers on here have been right all along…not haha.

    I think that Wenger has found another good’un , like Sanogo.

    The haters are now pissed that we are getting good cheap players. FFS are we supposed to spend 50m on one player just for fun, to prove to them that we are rich? They not only want us to compete against city and chelski, but to actually be like them.

  82. C4
    there is a clue:
    Published 15:52 GMT August 10th. (is that not 14:52 BST?)
    Helsinki is two hours ahead, so it would have been sent at 12:52pm.

    look’s like he already has a story -sorry agenda- written beforehand.
    pressed send back to the office too soon. Lunchtime o’booze strikes again.

    Is there someone smarter than me around here, who can re-check that?

  83. C4
    That article is full of shit
    “Jenkinson accidently catching Nasri in the face with an arm” haha.
    Our Corporal didn’t do that by ‘accident’.

  84. @ unbelievable belief
    That’s true, its like the writer watched a different game.
    I enjoyed watching the Finnish fans giving Na$ri the treatment he deserves though. He lost the ball many times while being booed.
    Even the fans of other teams were complaining on Arsenal’s behalf in the comments section, saying the writer is biased against us. And that includes Liverpool fans, who are not very happy with us at the moment.

  85. C4,
    Your idea about Cross and Amy L. making appearances to quell the criticism is very interesting. They did show up here, and at least with Amy it was in the context of people calling her peers there out on the swill they dish out. They can surely sound oh so reasonable and flash the occasional warm smile toward AFC, and so, do that back and forth old (Lambeth) walk all over Arsenal to stay in sync with the Arse-bashing that gives them legitimacy.

  86. Amy is bound to defend her colleagues in the same way that Tony would defend Walter and vice versa. Amy is also an Arsenal fan and I must say I’ve seen very little criticism of Arsenal from her. As I only read the Observer I’ve no idea what the rest of the press say but perhaps if you took my stance you wouldn’t get so het up about the press. In fact the last time I read any press about Arsenal that wasn’t in the Observer it was an extremely supportive piece by a journalist on one of the dailies. In fact it was so pro Wenger it read like a press release from Gazidis.

    And yes some Observer journalist, Paul Wilson I think, predicted a fifth position finish for Arsenal. Hardly stinging criticism , more like a reasonable assumption based on transfers so far. As I expect we’ll bolster the squad in the next few days he may well revise his opinion.

  87. Rupert Cook,

    I’m sorry but why should I take any footy journalist who predicts a 5th place finish for Arsenal seriously and not accuse them of bias? It is borderline disrespectful if not an outright disregard of everything that the club has achieved in the current financial doping era.

    Since Man City’s emergence, has there ever been any pre-season when Arsenal wasn’t counted out? I think their bias show when they base all their predictions on money spent. When has lack of that ever stopped Arsenal from a top-4 finish? Shouldn’t a serious journalist put the team’s experience, history and pedigree into consideration when making predictions?

    Their hatred and DISRESPECT for Arsenal show each time they make these predictions. Spurs, their favourite, never finished above us, even though we are told they would year after year. Liverpool are out totally and even Chelsea, the pioneers of crazy spending had falling into 6th once. If I have predicted something so wrongly for as long as Arsenal falling out of top-4, I’d be more careful about doing the same in future but then I don’t have the rabid hatred that these guys have for the Arsene Wenger team.

    Rupert, this comment is not against you personally; these journos and pundits just drive mad. Rant over 🙂

  88. “Arsenal 3 Manchester City 1: Wenger seals win… but scoreline flatters solid Gunners”

    The Gunners were solid but the scoreline still flatters them? And this guy is paid to write shite like this? If the team, by his admission, were solid, would the scoreline not be a consequence of the solidity?

    Or is it my understanding of the English language? Somebody help me out here.

  89. Here’s another:

    “even though it fell some way short of the ‘Super Match’ billing in Helsinki that attracted a sell-out 39,000 crowd – a record attendance for a football match here.”

    Moron, it was a ‘super match’ because it attracted a RECORD CROWD! It was a super match because it involved 2 of the best 4 teams in the most exciting league in the world.

    God, this guy is pathetic.

  90. “However, it was Arsenal replacement Olivier Giroud who had a more telling impact as the Gunners put the result beyond doubt with two goals in three minutes, SOMEWHAT against the run of play.”

    Emphasis mine because I have no idea what that word is doing in that sentence. It seems like he wanted to write ACCIDENTALY or BY FLUKE but then decided to dial it back a little bit. Still the “somewhat” in that sentence is ridiculous.

  91. “It was Giroud who set Ramsey free on goal with a well-time pass in the 59th minute, but Hart will be disappointed that the Wales midfielder went around him so easily before placing the ball into an empty net.”

    Two issues in this sentence: 1st, Walcott assited Ramsey as noted earlier by C4. 2nd: What exactly could Hart have done about that goal? Pull the player down and get red-carded while also conceding a penalty?

    This guy is stupid.

  92. Boo 9:21: If your talking ‘Media English’ then yes according to them you probably have an 8yo level.
    Don’t fret though, in the real world your English is fine by my reckoning.

  93. I will end my unofficial review with the first sentence of the report:

    “Three goals might suggest that Arsenal can do without Luis Suarez but this victory in Helsinki’s Olympic Stadium was far less emphatic than the scoreline indicates.”

    It seems no one can give Arsenal credit without qualifying it with a line about making additions. And this time, I mean even some of us positive fans. ALL teams can be improved with the right additions. Stating this ad nauseum about Arsenal is not incisive, it’s needlessly repetitive.

    Plus we beat Man City, one of the hot favourites without Suarez, didn’t we?

  94. Bootoomee.

    Good win against City but it was only pre-season or at least that’s what you were saying after the Emirates cup.

  95. Matt,

    And what were you saying about every other pre-season game that the team won?

    Besides, my Emirates cup comment was directed at you and your ilk. I said you can’t crucify the team about our loss to Gala if you had been discounting other victories on the account of their being only pre-season games.

    I know you have confirmation bias when it comes to my comments but here’s my post from during the match yesterday:

    “Bootoomee
    August 10, 2013 at 4:23 pm

    I know it’s only pre-season but at 16.21 pm,

    IT IS ARSENAL 3 – 0 MAN CITY”

    and then

    “Bootoomee
    August 10, 2013 at 4:55 pm

    It’s over now.

    Final score:

    Arsenal 3 – 1 Manchester City

    Can this Arsenal team compete this season? We’ll see but I continue to have faith in and support my team!”

    I understand how bad you must be feeling right now but you’ll have to wait till the team falters again to have your usual tantrum party.

  96. Me and my ilk? Look i know pre-season is pre-season nad results dont really count as the season will be a different proposition.

    You seem to caught up in some bubble where because you have a positive outlook on the team rather than seeing some problems that you’re more of a fan than others. I can assure in my case that’s not true.

  97. Rupert, Boo,

    We were predicted a 5th place finish for about the last 4 or 5 seasons, why would you take it seriously now all of a sudden?

  98. I don’t think Wilson predicted us finishing fifth for the last five seasons at all. And as he said in his piece he expects to be proved wrong. Very few people can predict the exact positions of the top 5.

    And I hardly thinks it disrespectful to predict us finishing fifth. It’s based on how teams have improved their squads over the summer. And also how good they were overall last season which is why we are fifth and at the moment that seems reasonable. There’s nothing wrong with our first eleven but if anyone thinks we’ll get through the season without an injury or suspension or two then they need to think again. A few decent additions and we’ll be a much better prospect for fourth and beyond.

  99. “And yes some Observer journalist, Paul Wilson I think, predicted a fifth position finish for Arsenal.”
    Rupert Cook,
    My getting “het” over the Guardian is because your tsk-tsking about my “hetness” is so blinkered. Your professorial above the fray measured tone misses that Mr. Wilson (a regular senior football greybeard at the Guardian/Observer) has been chronically anti-Arsenal. That football department (led by Wilson, Williams, Hytner and others) which has so beguiled you with its multi-syllabic coverage was among the most vicious point men in the Arsene Out/AFC unraveling Campaign in the summer of Cesc. Try this coverage for a glimpse of the (Manchester) Guardians in full regalia: http://blog.emiratesstadium.info/archives/13934

    As for our Amy, yes, she was reared near Highbury and may still have that soft spot in her heart for Arsenal, but her performance then was in no way a DEFENSE of AW/AFC. She was a bit more conciliatory in that nest of vipers, the best of that lot; but she also showed her ability to write in the same arch style as her cubicle mates. Dare one (perhaps not you) say that not spouting the party line then (at least) would likely have had a negative impact on one’s ability to pay the rent (if not future career prospects).

    Then, and at times since, she has shown she knows how to do the anti-AFC spin that is usual and customary among that lot; your vouching for her (” Amy is also an Arsenal fan and I must say I’ve seen very little criticism of Arsenal from her”) notwithstanding.

  100. @bob I only read the Observer on sunday so I accept your more rounded report on the matter. I don’t let the press worry me and as I’ve said before if you don’t like it don’t read it. Football journalism is often of the sensational type, more often based on opinion than fact, and it seems a game can be seen in different ways depending on your bias as seen by the quotes used by Bootoome. I watch a game and I form my own opinion as most of us do.

    As for an anti Arsenal agenda it may well exist but as I read so little press I rarely encounter it.

  101. “if you don’t like it don’t read it”
    Rupert Cook,
    I don’t find your individual mantra (above) responsive to the broader issues being raised here. Going beyond personal pique or indifference, Untold Media was an initiative here that was launched to cover the media coverage of AFC. As hoped for, many UA readers have become more vocal and adept at analyzing the press and electronic media spin that (alas) continues to influence many football fans to adopt the customary anti-AW/AFC habit: whereby our club/manager becomes, via the repetitions, a kind of national standing joke, if not whipping boy. It also shapes non-AFC international fans because all they get to hear about AFC is via BBC and Sky and ESPN, and the usual bias is right at hand.

    Your personal equanimity is unruffled as you choose to avoid the gutter press negativity. But too many AFC fans have to deal with it far too often, if not daily(– even agreeing with some of it because repetition of the negative mantras and tropes is corrosive). To stand up and get “het” about this crap is a counter-perspective that, given the large readership here and in some other blogs, can dilute the negativity and pinpoint its sources and perpetrators for future reference.

  102. The Star, our local newspaper had this on today’s sportsnews
    “Gunners lack firepower’ -Midfield prowess gives Arsenal victory over city .And goes on to say that’s why we are still ‘in the hunt ‘ for Luis Suarez. And …they scraped a largely
    unconvincing 3-1 win over Man. City ….
    But – ” Lampard and Lukaku lead Chelsea to win over AS Roma’

    And while still with the news , this reminded of the smart alecs who think they know it all.

    “Youth ages, immaturity is outgrown, ignorance can be educated, and drunkenness sobered, but stupid lasts forever.” ― Aristophanes

    http://www.abc.net.au/news/2013-08-10/one-nation-candidate-withdraws-after-islam-gaffe/4878190

  103. FinnGooner,

    Great to read you had a great day out!!
    Oh, I miss the Cologne pre-season game as that was less than 2h away from where I live.

  104. Bootoomee @ AUG.11th, 12: 58 – Thanks for standing up for me
    against them who I don’t ever engage ! Was about to follow Americangooner’s ” Don’t feed the Trolls ” call , but just couldn’t resist to take a swipe to show that I do have original ideas and jokes of my own.
    Here is The Brickfields Gunners unleashed !

    http://blog.emiratesstadium.info/archives/28042

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