The trophy dreamers’ wet dreams

By Walter Broeckx

Amazing as it might be but we are closing in towards the end of the season already. We are only 12 match days away from the final match in the PL. And also in the cup competitions like the FA cup and the CL we are a few rounds away from the finals. We are with some 16 teams in the FA cup and we also have 16 teams left in the CL.

And when we are that far we have some teams who start dreaming of not only winning one trophy but even two or why not go for 3 trophies in one season. Do the treble as it is called.

But who in Europe could do such a treble? The treble of winning their league, their cup competition and the Champions League. Now I know that in England we have the league cup and that could make it even a quadruple. But the thing is that in most other countries they don’t have anything like the league cup and so we will leave this aside in this overview.

Theoretically there are still 10 teams who could do a treble. But for some this might be a bit exaggerated. The chance that Borrusia Dortmund would win the German cup or even the CL is not that far fetched. After all they got to the final and only lost in the last minute last season. But Borrussia Dortmund being more than 17 points behind Bayern Munich seems to be a bit too much to complete a treble.

Two other teams that might still be able to do it on paper are Galatasaray and Olympiakos. Greek side Olympiakos,  where our own Joel Campbell seems to have a rather good season with mostly playing and starting all the time will probably win the league. Olympiakos being seventeen points in front seems to be enough to win it. They could win the Greek cup also. But lets be honest not many expect them to win the CL. But putting Manchester United out of the CL would be a nice thing to do.

Galatasaray is a possible winner of the Turkish cup competition. But they are now 11 points behind in the league and just as with their Greek neighbours not many people will put money on the Turks to win the Champions League. But then again seeing Drogba diving for a penalty and putting Chelsea out would feel like justice.

There is also a French team in contention for a treble. PSG seems to be on their way to buy the title, sorry to win the title. They might be an outside favourite to win the CL. But where it stops is that the only French cup they can win is the Coupe du Ligue and that is the League cup. France is one of the few countries who have two cup competitions like England has. So on paper a treble but for me more a 2 ½ trophy if they win all those competitions.

In Spain there are two teams that might do a treble. Yes you guessed it right: Barcelona and Real Madrid. You also had Atletico Madrid up to this week but they went out of the Spanish cup this week.

And then you also have 3 English teams that could do a treble. Arsenal, Manchester City and Chelsea. And the thing is that after the next round of the FA cup at least one of those teams will have to forget about any treble. As Manchester City and Chelsea play each other they will suffer a set back on chasing all competitions. Theoretically if Manchester City go out of the FA cup they could still do the 2 1/2 trophy treble like PSG.

Just as for Arsenal,  Manchester City will face a big European match after this FA cup match this weekend and they might be caught up in two minds on what to give most priority. Beating Chelsea in the FA cup or Barcelona in the CL?

Of course our hunt for a treble (not that we really considered it as a goal to be honest) might end this weekend. The all-or-nothing in a cup competition has its charms of course. The win or lose, no draw at the end of the round brings its extra suspense.

I think the least of our worries should be about a possible treble. We should not even talk about such things unless we reach two finals and are in with a chance for the league on the last day of the season. Before that the only focus should be on the next match. That is the most important match to win. That is the match we should win and then we could say: so who is up next.

This was just an exercise in who has a chance now. And already some big names are out of it like Manchester United.  In probably one month’s time the list will be much much shorter than it is now. Wouldn’t it be nice if we would still be on that list then?

But let us not get thinking about such things too much. Like I said let us just focus on the next  match.

But from time to time it is nice to dream about distant horizons that might come near one day.

The Anniversary Files February to March

The Books Books on Arsenal at a discount

 

31 Replies to “The trophy dreamers’ wet dreams”

  1. That Is so true Walter. If we do win what would the poodits say about trophy less years sexy new stadium and prosperous sponsorship?

  2. Got miffed this weekend by Mourinho comments, i wish we win atleast one cup. Then we use it as a springboard for better things next season. That’s why tomorrow’s game is really important for us. Besides, if we win, and considering that we have already got smashed by Liverpool, they will always have a full week to prepare for our rivals, which will help us out later when they win or draw against Chelsea, ManC, Tottenham, etc.

  3. I just wrote exactly the same on 1 nil down 2 one up. The NEXT match is always the most important!

  4. Seems a lot of the aaa have just become Chelsea fans with their sickening veneration of Jose. God I wish these fans would stay there.
    Why are the aaa so obsessed with bigging up,other teams all the time?

  5. “Why are the aaa so obsessed with bigging up,other teams all the time?”
    Because they’re not real fans. It doesn’t matter who it is,be it that we’re playing Bayern/Galatasaray in the CL, Bradford in the league cup, or some other club, they’ll always talk the other team’s chances up. If you find yourself speaking against a team you claim to support all the time what does that mean. You can’t like that team, simple.

  6. Mandy it’s because they live a sad existence. Never happy with what is in front of them. Be it their girlfriend. Claiming benefits and not needing to work. But yet still trying to sound like they have morals. Worse line I heard from a so called friend. I’m only with her until I find someone better. That was 12 years ago 2 kids and engagement ring later…
    There are live appreciaters and live haters (Maureentheho’s). I really appreciate what this country has done for me and my family so have been doing charity work for the last 18 years. Give back what I’ve been given.

    I have been pondering the aaa mentality and how to change it but like what I am doing and stop trying to help is negative people. I am a positive person who looks forward and try to improve. But others live on glory days with no effort on the future.

    I think this is down to reality tv success without effort this mentality has hit like an illness. And I wonder why some aaa say they are aresnal fans? Like Rupert sperez whatever? If they gave an explanation when and why they supported that might make more sense? Seeing as they do not have morals or principles they could just jump ship the the oilers. What do you guys think?

  7. As big sam said the other day….”he cant take it.”

    Jose cant take criticism. All he can do is criticize. At this point of time in the season, if you cant be brave enough to say that you are going to fight for the title when you lead the league table, then it is fear of failure that is stopping you.

    Mr Wenger has hit him where it hurts the most. Mr Wenger kicked him hard on his tenders………..

  8. Lol. Yeah Wenger ruined him. 500 million top with 1 point saying my little diamond pony can’t win is definitely scared of getting fired! You win but you’re not respected there’s a big difference winning with style and flair. red army! Comes storming through!

  9. @Va Cong

    Good points. A dedicated group of the AAA are determined to undermine the club, starting with Wenger, this is why they are so persistent, even when it is clearly demonstrated to all that they are talking rubbish.

    Their ultimate plan is to remove the board and also the owner, replacing the latter with someone they falsely believe will throw money at the club. The first step in this plan is the undermining and removal of AW. The more mindless whinging and moaning AAA and plastic fans assist this plan, probably unthinkingly, by complaining about everything connected with the club. But, we need to recognize the dedicated AAA group will try to wreck the club in order to bring about change.

    We have some of the best fans that any club could have, but those within the AAA category(s) are some of the inconceivable worst.

  10. A lot of truth there Va Cong, as I say, I wish some of them would relinquish any association they pretend to have with the club. That is not to say people do not have the right to debate, or constructive criticism, but some of them go,too far, and as Al says, some are not true fans
    Arsenal13, brave is one thing Jose is not, this is the guy that poked a fellow coach in the eye on the touch line then ran away. If he were brave, he may consider trying the same thing with Steve Bould…..

  11. What are you guys going on about? The AAA don’t exist. What we have are the ‘realistic’ fans and ‘deluded’ fools like all of you. Especially you bjtgooner 🙂

    Stop going on about the AAA, they don’t exist. Plus I know that the term AAA is one famous Untold commenter’s kryptonite.

  12. @Bootoomee

    Nice one!

    Also, I have noted a seemingly organized group of apologists for the non existent AAA – they have come to the fore over the last few months – a developing tactic? No doubt their (non-existent) campaign will evolve further.

  13. When he says I have never failed, I just look at Inter Milan. Success but at what cost???

    Any one remember champions league games and those deliberate red cards for time wasting????

  14. @Mandy, it’s gonna be a great show if he can try that poking with steve B. In Naija here, we’ll call that ” undisputed beating of your life”. lol.
    Boo, AAA dont exist? I just met one textbook example today. This guy keeps INSULTING A. Wenger and each time i ask him for proofs of what he accuses Wenger of, he starts the insult.
    Keep the faith guys, ignore Mourinho. He is who he is – the moaning one.

  15. Well, we have a chance to win the PL and/or the FA cup, and even a “slim” chance at the CL too, but all in all i would really like to win the PL. Everything else is just icing on the cake for us at this moment.
    As Bootoomee said, Stop going on about the AAA, it really is getting/has got boring.
    May all the combined gods of the players and supporters, who ever they are be floating above the stadium today, peering through from their dimensional habitat, be with us, but more importantly, may the players get down and do it for themselves today.
    Come on Arsenal.

  16. Knowing that Arsenal are playing midweek with Bayern, which S.O.B. scheduled our FA Cup game for Sunday?!

  17. para,

    Bootoomee was being sarcastic (I thought was obvious but apparently not).

    The AAA exist contrary to their denial as well as those of their sympathisers and apologists.

  18. We ain’t winning fiddly squat this season. But I am still going to be behind the manager. Yesterday with all its one-way joezaay “$speciaist” talk reinforced my dedicated respect for le boss.
    I hope the players stick newspaper cuttings all over their plush changing rooms about what that slag said about le proffesuer. If anything inspires them then it should be this. The players should have it in them more than ever to give blood for the cause.

  19. Sammy, I was thinking the same today but as yo rightly put it, its defo a real son of a bitch.

  20. I’m surprised that no one has picked up on Mr A. Wenger’s mischievous dig at J. Bourinho?
    He’s probably sitting some where sipping a cup of tea and laughing his pants off at the over reaction of Jose? Don’t under estimate Mr Wenger, he’s a smart man who knows how to look after himself.

    As for the odious one, he’ll always bite? Hoping he’ll harm the reputation of Chelsea Oil club?

  21. @Sammy The Snake, annoying but not surprising, it’s as though nobody wants to help the English clubs in Europe in the powers that be. Arsenal’s match should have been on today at 12:45, Man City vs Chelsea should have been played yesterday; compare that with PSG playing a day before the rest in France to get maximum preparation time for their Champions League Match on Tuesday…

  22. We all know what these AAA types are, we’ve sniffed them out because of their overwhelming odour of holier than thou, sanctimonious BS and rancid fear of Wenger/the Board/the Arsenal and the AKB community succeeding. That is why they disappear back to LeGrove website and other septic tank dwellings when AFC are doing well (95% of the time) and only slither out from under their rocks when the scent of contention or disappointment is in their fetid brains (5%?). Their ultimate aim in life is to get 5 minutes of ¨attention and fame¨ and to bait true fans with their troll shite….shame on us for feeding them!
    The little man that is Jose Moaner is a very poor pseudo-psychologist, with his classless commentary trying to wind up Wenger and others with mindless games. His record speaks for itself: never remaining at one club longer than it takes a tomato to ripen, sneaking off into the night when he is discovered as a clown, trying to use his Latin ¨charm¨ and ¨flair¨ for cheap publicity and media sensationalism (England’s media are perfect for that), winning a few trophies but leaving the fans in a quandary and dangerously angry at him. This is truly pathetic failing mentality, regardless of how many trophies he wins or competitions his team succeed in….he will always be a second-rate, very poor understudy when he’s on the stage with a man of class, stature and elegance like Wenger.

  23. Oops! Chelsea’s wheels have fallen off? Mind games? Jose should have just kept his gob shut?
    Mind the GAP? In Chelsea’s case it should be GAP the mind?

  24. As I noted on another thread, if not winning a trophy is the yardstick for failure then one of our greatest ever, the distinguished Tom Finney who sadly died today aged 91 was a failure as he never won anything of note his entire playing career.

  25. @Alistair formerly of Tanzania
    Mate, we are gonna win DIDDLEY squat. Premiership.

    And Jose is a hurtful man. he has always win jealous of Le Boss – even when he has bought silverware or has disrespected football by virtually cheating to titles (eg. INTER).

    He will never get that monkey off his back. Le Boss will always be ahead of the curve when it comes to Jose.

    We can stand proud and sleep well, Jose will always be a burnt chilli – never at one, never at peace.

    He cannot stomach that Le Boss has been at one club so long when he himself can only burn bridges. He is Jealous. He is a specialist at Jealousy. hE CANNOT COPE with the reality that even when he wins silverware, clubs want to sack him. But 8 years without silverware and Le Boss has not been sacked. He cannot compute that.

    Where he buys titles with the opposite of total football(albeit not Wimbledon FC style) Wenger wins titles and also discovers and develops players…List too long to list!

    IWWT
    AK

  26. Jose Mourinho – Specialist of Hubris – The self-made man who worships his creator

  27. Alister @ 4.25. I really hope there is a reaction to egorino’s comment. Any one remembers Patrick fuckra’s comments a few seasons ago when he said that we are a academy. My blood boiled but there was now reaction from our players. We lost the game and what was fhckra’s comment after? U guessed right its “I told U so”. Maybe with bouldy it could be different.

  28. @Mick, slightly different in those days as players often remained at one club all their career. Finney was unlucky in the 54 final as he wasn’t fully fit.

    If he’d been around today he’d probably be playing for Man City.

    Here we go again with all this AAA/AKB nonsense. It’s all black and white for some fans. I find it all quite pitiful that people aren’t allowed to have different views without being called despicable names. This site should be ashamed of itself for promoting such divisive drivel just as any site moaning about AKBs should be.

    The majority of fans, whether they think Wenger is a genius or not, want Arsenal to win every game. It will be interesting to see how many fans on here will still be supporting Arsenal when Wenger’s gone.

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