D-Sanchez-Cabello
So today we travel to Stoke, a place where it seems we are destined to be embroiled in some narrative or other. From the moment this northern club with a reverence of physical courage and graft came to the Premier League, I guess it was obvious that it would be played-off against this southern club of dishonest, tricky foreigners.
Almost 4 years to the day and Ramsey’s leg break is still as relevant as it ever was.
Martin Samuel’s column a day after it happened pretty much articulated my views on the subject. It was one of the few pieces of mainstream journalism that bothered to delve deeper than the “he’s a nice guy…” narrative and also to acknowledge the dated attitudes in British football.
A quick Google search couldn’t tell you much about Shawcross’ character as a person, but it could tell you about pretty much everything else. The same people telling you “He’s not that type of player” were a single Google search from finding that “he is exactly that type of player”. Be it: Francis Jeffers in 2007, Adebayor when he wasn’t even on the pitch and if you care to look, even a video from his time in Belgium…
My 96-year-old Nan (bless her) is a lovely person, but that doesn’t make her any more suited to driving a car. Shawcross might well be a good person, but he is awful at tackling.
Anyway that’s enough of that. Rants are the medium of choice when discussing Stoke it seems.
Today will be a hard game; it always bloody is. We know how they treat this game and the quality they do have.
The injury front is looking good and bad. Ozil and Vermaelen are back, but Monreal is doubtful.
The team may look a little like this:
Wojciech
Sagna Mert Koz Verm/Monreal
Flamini Wilshere
Rosicky Ozil Chamberlain
Giroud
Short one again, I’m afraid – I’ll make it up to you though!
2-1 Away Win.
DSC
I don’t blame Stoke for singing the praises of, and extoling the virtues of there player.
We would do the same.
But it’s the media we rely on to portray a fair and balanced take on the incident and subsequent fall out, because it is they, like it or not, that forge public opinion and attitude towards the whole affair.
Yet despite the obvious fact that it was actually Ramsey and not Shawcross who was the victim in all this you certainly wouldn’t believe it from all that’s been written and said these last few days.
Arsenal, as usual are being portrayed as the villains. The whingeing Southern softies who refuse to move on, refuse to apologise, refuse to accept it’s all ‘just part of the game’.
And Shawcros, bless his heart, is entirely blameless.
And Stoke fans are rightly indignant that Ramsey refuses to shake the hand of the man who nearly ended his career.
Yep, according to the media, as usual IT’S ALL OUR FAULT !!!!
I think the morons who support Stoke City and the team of rugger players, feel that Ramsey’s leg was clearly the aggressor and he should apologise to Shawcross. Sir Stanley Matthews, a gentleman on and off the field and Stoke’s
greatest son, would be ashamed to see how his old clu have now descended.
Anyone know of a stream to watch this game on?
Oh I forgot COYG!
Comon Fulham, park a bus cos they will if you try to play, anything please.
Comon saints, show us what you got again!
Comon Sunderland, do a Wigan pls.
Who are utd playing, go them!
Elkieno,
Was just thinking the same thing. Common Fulham!
10 mins to kick-off!
Common Arsenal!
I see Gibbs had some kind of miracle! Can we get 3 points as well? 🙂 Please.
@elkieno, it looks like ManU has the weekend off, and plays West Brom next weekend. Is that correct?
COYG!
My bro on law is staying in couch for a week, I can’t watch the game now! Which is why I wanted a stream!
COYG its kicked off hasn’t it?
This match is truly a character testing match. Our players are gonna go for a battle against Mark Hughes’s soldiers. True enough, Mark has made them play football since he took over but my knowledge of his history at previous club, he will tell them to get stuck in if needed. I have a feeling that if Arsenal players are gonna win this match convincingly, they will be riding on that trophy parading bus at the end. Go gunners!
Stoke should be down to nine men two dreadful challenges from Stoke
I’m just reading commentary again. The only team fouling is Arsenal? According to the BBC. Sports Mole makes it look similar. Same at Goal.com. It takes 11 minutes for Stoke to do something contrary to the laws?
Here’s the Telegraph:
> 15.06 Wilshere chops Adam down from behind at the Brittania. Typical dirty Arsenal when they travel to Stoke…
perfect exampe of why the time clock must be taken out of the hands of the referee. pass up the middle to Rosicky, he runs at the last defender and….the referee blows the whistle RIGHT at 1 minute of added time.
Goal.com
> Pieters is in trouble with the referee after he whole-heartedly slides into a challenge with Giroud. It was a 50-50 bal but the defender got there second and clattered the Frenchman, earning himself a yellow card.
More “accurate” reporting: if it’s a 50-50 ball, both get there at the same time. Sports Mole doesn’t even report the card. Sorry, 5 minutes after the event, Sports Mole reports it.
COYG!
GoingGoingGooner my thoughts exactly.
Gord, don’t believe them. Adams jumped into Arteta studs up absolutely out of control. Clear case of dangerous play and a straight red. Not given of course. Second one with two Stoke defenders sandwiching Giroud, somehow Foul against Giroud and whilst on the ground he was stamped on
0-0 at half time and Phil Thompson on Sky (not a man you think of as a friend of Arsenal) has been saying that the refereeing and the approach by Stoke are equally utterly appalling.
Andrew Crawshaw pathetic isn’t it? Stoke and the ref live up (or should I say down) to expectations.
From March 1st 2010, Anti Football:
http://www1.skysports.com/watch/tv-shows/sunday-supplement/news/5991425/anti-football
‘United to Swap Europe for Friendlies’
Imagine if we should do the same… ‘Arsenal on verge of bankruptcy – Desperate Declining Club to Play Extra Friendlies for Money’
Let’s not forget the Guardian is actually the Manchester Guardian.
How can the ref end the match when a counter attack is in progress? Pls anybody?
COYG
@ Tony
Even the commentators – I think the ex-pro is Trevor Francis? – has been talking about how well Arsenal are playing and the fouls committed but not given – referee Jones didn’t get the memo. At least he’s not as bad as Taylor. If I saw Taylor I’d do something impolite to his general bodily region.
Clear yellow for Thomas 😉
Tbf to he ref he’s trying his best to ignore the stamping by stoke.
What a farce!
How is Adam still on the pitch I’m at a loss to explain. Second red card offence, on Giroud. Dreadful.
jambug, you night have been right.
Ah getting fucked by the ref not even using lube now its so raw and plain to see!!
Game decided by ya cowardly referee. And that is a great shame for Sanogo
not a great performance by the team to be honest. But it is clear that Stoke got the better of the ref calls. The penalty. Really? AFter the defender was bowled over?
Last fixture, Chelsea were helped by 2 points with that last min. dive.
This fixtures chelsea were helped by 2 points with this ref by giving stoke this goal.
Now at the end of the season, no body come around and say we never won a trophy in x years, cause Its Fuckin Impossible
Even if people in the media had a beef about the officiating today, nothing will be said because in another match, a manager (Pardew) headbutts a player.
COYG!
the dream ended today Gooners. now we have to face the nightmare of the FIGHT to finish top four.
That is an assessment of the sinister harsh reality that we face here on in.
I am worried. But that this normal.
And please lets not BLAME the ref for this result, Stoke deserved the 3 points.
Ho hum.
Terrible refereeing, gave us nothing, looked like he was under orders to me.But we know what we are up against, we need to find a way to stop losing games like this. At times this season, we have shown we can deal with anti football, but today was a lapse into the bad old days. We need to be able to beat these teams and the refs. Our record there is abysmal, it is something we need to deal with. We were not great today.The team are going to have to get back on track, the last thing we need is another nervy top four fight, if anything goes wrong there , could be huge consequences for the club, as we all know, wenger has signed nothing yet. No need to press the panic button, but hope the team improve on today.
A parody of a performance from Mike Jones.
This league is bent. There’s no denying it.
As I Lay Dying – Now that’s just silly; I think it’s time you scuttled back beneath that rock where you clearly belong you.
COYG
An extremely disappointing result.
Before any sewer rat trolls gleefully appear with their crocodile tears I would like to make the points – our guys played their guts out – AT CONSIDERABLE PERSONAL RISK – that they did not collect all three points is entirely due to a corrupt incompetent excuse for a ref. I’m not sure if his problem is cowardice – or if he was following Riley’s orders – either way he and Riley should be struck off the ref register.
Almost every attack was broken up by foul after foul – Giroud & Wilshere seemed to suffer most. The Orcs are despicable, their fans are despicable and their manager is despicable.
I think im on a verge of giving up of this fixed league with its bent and corrupted officials. Why should i keep wasting my time watching a league where there is a never a level playing field when one certain team is involved? My patience for this bullshit is running very thin and its only my love for Arsenal thats makes me endure it but im afraid soon that wont be enough.
@Mandy Dodd
Panic button does not exist in Le Boss’s vocubluary but it does with the players.
It is going to be a nervy 4 top battle. That is undoubtable.
Like I said the nightmare begins now the dream has ended.
And stop blaming the ref……it was not his fault – it was our players.
Remember all you sensible Untolders….DO NOT FEED THE TROLLS, they are sure to be out in force this evening.
@Btjgooner,
U summed it up perfectly, no team can play good passing football, with that bending of the rules. The kick them all u can way should be stopped.
This league is bent and no one can make me believe anything other than that, we were not on our best, but in last minutes to time, had we been 0-0, we could have scored a goal that saved the game. But that penalty, after that officiating, destroyed our moral even more.
Arsenal is losing the league unless someone steps up to stop this non sense.
We cant win the ligue with Taylor-esque performances.
@ GooneressNo1
wot u gapping about? U abusive twerp.
Explain yourself or simply scuttle back under the rock you belong 😉
Ridiculous penalty.
Well done to the boys. On a day like this, we know what will follow…Brickfields Gunners, please get the load of sh*t ready. The usual suspects are coming.
@As ‘u’ Lay Dying, I do not think this loss translates to struggling for top4. One of us would be right at the end of the season.
By the way, I thought cheski’s first goal was an offside. I may be wrong though.
COYG
Don’t blame the ref….Do you think it is acceptable for a professional ref to put in a performance like that? Our players were not great, but the least they can expect is a Level playing field. That was the softest of pens, and Adam should have seen red. Constant rotational fouling , the ref did nothing.
Mick, actually, you have a point.
@Mahdain,
Same feeling here, am starting to hate watching Arsenal cause of how pissed i become of shitrefereeing.
I lose my nerve and get angry, and in the end no one cares, not the Fa, not the Pgmol, not the media, and even the commentator is always against us.
From the first minutes of the game, the ref said, today stoke wins. A challenge on the high ball from Giroud, he gives a foul, they play it, they make the same challenge, no foul given. When I am an Arsenal player, and I do see this happening, I know that this is a bad day, and I will be out of my nerves, and play as bad as possible, cause I know if I run through two players, and theu foul me, they will get a counter and may score, and the ref will be watching. So the player will just not try that extra thing to break this defence.
Mike Jones is fucking useless as tits on a bull.
The first yellow for foul on Wilshere should’ve been early in the first half for Erik Pieters and not in 74 th minute.
The two studs stomps on Giroud by Whelan and Adams should’ve been at least two yellow cards maybe reds.
Soft penalty. The arm was up but Kos was in motion so you can’t say arm was in unnatural position.
Scczesny penalty saving strategy is pitiful . The fake left go right or vice versa ,he’s been doing for as long as I can remember is too predictable and fails to fool anyone.
This was a must win for Arsenal considering we can’t get points off top teams. We were slow and predictable and easy to defend against and created too little to deserve anything from the game. Two shots on goal against a club in the relegation zone is weak.
Wenger’s player selection was puzzling to say the least.
Ox came on the pitch with fifteen minutes to play and was easily our best player . Ozil came on just before him and created the most dangerous scoring play , a shot from his left that just barely missed the goal.
Where is Gnabry ?
Our title challenge is over.
Really Tom but anyway… who says the EPL isn’t bent?
Gooneress, seeing so many ref performances like that against us, and seeing how yet again, untold can predict the behaviour of a ref almost 100% says only one thing to me. If it were all just ref incompetence, we would be seeing Chelsea, or city getting similar appalling ref performances with a similar frequency that we seem to suffer. Just does not happen.
I am quite convinced there are people in power who would see us out of the top four if they could, especially with all the money about to pour in for ECL viewing rights
@ Damilare – Here’s BG !
Type B My Arse!.
How dare that quack of a doctor tell me that most of my medical problems come from my having a Type B personality! I told him right to his face that he was dead wrong and threw a fit right then and there.
They may not let me back in the door but as soon as I get home, I’m getting my old grade cards out and show that smart eleck that I got all “Grade A” in typing.
Meanwhile…I need to rest a bit over this headache and these heart palpitations.
From- http://www.thespoof.com/jokes/13830/gets-your-gooner
“Get’s Your Gooner!”
I hated being a little kid and grandpa always reaching toward my crotch and placing his thumb in his hand and saying “I got you gooner, Boy!” Maybe at 2 years old it was funny but by the time you’re eighteen years old there seems to be no point in grandpa doing that.
So finally, he did that in front of my girlfriend and I yelled, “Of course you want my gooner! Your’s is probably old, wrinkled and don’t work anymore!”
So yes, I do feel bad about him going upstairs and hanging himself.
The Stupid Intern
I had an operation for a stomach problem and wound up in worse condition than before the operation.
After a whole bunch of us had been operated on that early morning, they wheeled us one at a time into a recovery room where they would leave us until all the air they had pumped into our stomachs had went down. You can imagine what it sounded like in there. Sounded like the mother of all farting contests.
But everything would have been fine if that stupid Intern hadn’t forgot and lit up a cigarette.
At least he is now in the same condition as the rest of us. Hope he dies last.
Out of topic: (to distract ourselves from the ref problem :((!! )
Today is Vela’s birthday, and there’s a fact that this season, from Arsene day 22/10, we’ve been very unlucky with our players'(former and current)as well as our manager’s birthdays. Lost 6 out of 10 games, won 2 out of 10 with bad injuries (Ben 1/1 and Ramsey 26/12). The only good results were the wins over Fulham(18/1)and Liverpool(16/2) with no injuries during the games.
@GooneressNo1
hey there….any chane of an explaination or you just gonna dish out the abuse without offering any debate?
All is not lost.
chelski are being bigged up.
shitty are wobbling.
pool are going through a lucky period.
The rest are nowhere.
I am still convinced Arsenal will wi the league.
A Men
Clothes make the man. Naked people have little or no influence on society.
If the world were a logical place, men would ride side-saddle.
Whenever two men meet there are really six people present. There is each man as he sees himself, each man was the other sees him, and each man as he really is.
Women like quiet men because they think they are listening.
On one issue at least, men and women agree; they both distrust women.
The men who try to do something and fail are infinitely better than those who try to do nothing and succeed.
Help a man when he is in trouble and he will remember you when he is in trouble again.
Show me a man with both feet firmly on the ground, and I will see a man who can’t get his pants off!
Don’t kick a man when he’s down unless you’re certain he won’t get up.
Early to rise, early to bed, makes a man healthy but socially dead.
Man who sneezes without tissues takes matters into his own hands.
Bachelor: the only man who has never told his wife a lie.
If you never want to see a man again, say, “I love you, I want to marry you, I want to have children.” — they leave skid marks. This works whether a man or woman says it.
My wife ran off with my best friend last week. Man, I miss him!
Whenever you meet a man who would make a good husband, you will usually find that he is.
Mankind is stupid. If you forget, they will remind you.
Men are like fish. Neither would get in trouble if they kept their mouths shut.
SUCCESS – from…
http://www.brainofbrian.com/quotes-success.html
If at first you don’t succeed, then sky diving definitely isn’t for you.
If at first you don’t succeed, then you didn’t do it right!
If at first you don’t succeed, then get someone else to do it. It’s called using your initiative.
There are two rules for success in life: Rule 1: Don’t tell people everything you know.
If we do not succeed, we run the risk of failure. –Vice President Dan Quayle
I don’t know the key to success, but the key to failure is to try to please everyone. — Bill Cosby
Don’t be irreplaceable. If you can’t be replaced, you can’t be promoted.
The secret of success is sincerity. Once you can fake that you’ve got it made. — Jean Giraudoux
If at first you DO succeed, try not to look astonished!
If at first you don’t succeed, destroy all evidence that you tried.
To successfully keep robbers out of your house put six locks on your door. When you go out, lock every other one. No matter how long somebody stands there picking the locks, they are always locking three.
If at first you don’t succeed, try, try again. Then quit. There’s no use being a stinkin’ fool about it.
If you are feeling unsuccessful just think about this: eagles may soar, but weasels don’t get sucked into jet engines.
Animals facts – all because it reminds me of certain people !
There is a sea squirt found in the seas near Japan that digests its own brain. When the sea squirt is mature, it permanently attaches itself to a rock. At this point it does not need to move anymore and has no need for a brain. So, waste not want not, it eats it.
Rats can’t vomit. That’s why rat poison works so well.
An ostrich’s eye is bigger than its brain.
A cockroach can live 9 days without its head before it starves to death.
Starfish don’t have brains.
I think I have said this a few seasons ago. Those who just whin, complain and grudge irrationally will stop supporting Arsenal and start to jump into same wagon as other glory-hunters to seek personal bragging right again. Perhaps all these so-called years without silverware should filter out all the unloyal and egoistic fans from our club. And we shall laugh and tout them when they come crawling back when Arsenal starts world domination.
re: Adam stamp
I have played a fair bit of football and the only time I can remember landing on another’s foot is when I have challenged for a ball in the air. The business on Giroud doesn’t come near to that.