By Walter Broeckx
What a regret we have now. During the first half hour we should have gone well ahead in the first leg but failed to convert our chances. Then the injury from Gibbs made us lose our concentration a bit and Bayern then got a penalty and most importantly we lost a player because of a red card. It completely messed up the wonderful game up to then and as a result of us being a man down we lost 0-2.
Mission impossible? It was last season for Juventus who lost twice 2-0 against Bayern. It was mission humiliation for Barcelona who lost 7-0 (seven-nil) over the two legs. The only team that could make it difficult over two legs was Arsenal. We only went out last year on the away goal rule.
For those who read or looked at the pre match conference it was clear that Wenger had his tactical plan. Even though some say he doesn’t do tactics. You could see that he set the team out to not concede an early goal and to try to use the speed and skill of Oxlade-Chamberlain to cause problems for Bayern. The Ox just did that. The cynical foul from Dante deserved the yellow card. And lucky for him another defender was just level with The Ox or it should have been a red card.
Wenger had said that we had to be patient as we could score late on. So in plain English this was we soak up the pressure for one hour and then we go and try to catch them when they get tired. Not that German teams do get tired that easy but in fact they did.
So Bayern got the ball and tried to score but they couldn’t really get to a lot of chances. The best chance for Arsenal was a header from Giroud but he couldn’t hit it hard enough to score and the keeper could save. Meanwhile I was dreaming on how a fast arrow like Theo could pin them back a bit. The Ox is fast but he has to come from deeper and therefore usually was brought down after a few promising runs.
0-0 at half time was just what Wenger had ordered I think. Well he would have liked us to score of course but I don’t think that we really wanted to open ourselves up for the Bayern counter in order to score an early goal.
The worrying fact after the interval was that Özil didn’t came out again. This can only indicate at an injury I fear. F*ck, f*ck, F*CK! Sorry.
Rosicky came on and did a great job. And you could see that slowly we were going forward as planned. More high pressure on the Bayern defenders. But as a result we also opened ourselves to more direct Bayern play. And they got the first advantage when Ribery found the unmarked Schweinsteiger who calmly scored. Now the match surely was over?
It just was the signal for Arsenal to not hold back any more and go for it. And Podolski sure went for it. Giving a little nudge, the Bayern player (as usual) theatrically going down to ground and this time the ref let it go. What followed was a sublime goal from Podolski from a very tight angle.
Now the game came completely to live. The Bayern keeper almost gifting a goal when he messed up a pass to one of his defenders but the ball didn’t reach Rosicky who was free in front of goal. Bayern was also dangerous of course. But Fabianski once again showed that he really is a good keeper hat we will miss when he is gone. What an excellent backup keeper we have.
Meanwhile Robben had started his how to dive on a football field in 5 lessons. He dived left, he dived right, he dived in the penalty area, he dived outside the penalty area. Sometimes the ref fell for it, sometimes he didn’t. But you knew he wouldn’t stop till he would get a penalty or a yellow card. Certainly the dive inside the penalty area warranted a yellow card. In fact any dive no matter where on the field should result in a booking. But we all know that the rules are not the same for everyone of course.
Arteta and the once again excellent but plagued with cramps (I hope) Oxlade Chamberlain came off and were replaced by Gnabry and Flamini. Arsenal pressed for a second goal that would leave Bayern in danger completely and Bayern completely speculated on the counter.
And you knew that Robben would go down once in the penalty area and the ref went for it. There was contact but well we know Robben he will go down even without contact. Justice was done when Fabianski prevented us from defeat. He stopped the shot that threatened to go in after all but he could recover just in time to push it away in front of the on storming Bayern player.
The game ended with 1-1. Again Bayern could not win against Arsenal in their own stadium. And this brings us back to minute 38 of the first leg. Given the fact that we were the better team in the first half hour and the fact that we could have done the trick again in this leg. And that without the likes of Theo, Ramsey, Wilshere, Gibbs, Monreal…playing a third choice centre back at left back, losing Özil (who had a hamstring injury I just found out)… it makes you wonder what could have happened if we would have stayed with 11 v 11 on the field over both the legs.
And that against a Bayern team that rules the Bundesliga like never before and is crowned best team in the world.
It’s not nice to go out a competition. But after all looking at our injuries I don’t think we could fight on 3 fronts for the moment. So going out of the CL will enlighten our fixture list. And as Johan Cruyff once said: every bad thing also has a good thing. So we take the positive from this: again not lost at the home ground of the world champions and an easier run in for the rest of the season.
COYG!
Many reasons to be proud of Arsenal’s performance tonight. No doubt that the combination of bad luck and injustice in the first leg was the deciding factor.
Robben’s habitual cheating is a topic in its own right. He seems to be even worse than he was when he used to dive for Chelsea.
Arsenal outplayed Bayern tactically in both games. Individual mistakes not the officiating or diving as some may suggest cost Gunners the tie. Bayern were quite underwhelming especially Guaridolla’s tactics and Arsenal made them look distinctly average. Bayern are definitely a team in transition and I’m not sure they are moving in the right direction. Perhaps Pep will be found out this time?
you are right walter, we cannot fight on three fronts.
Hopefully, nest year, a couple reinforcements, and perhaps a bit more luck with injuries….and winning the group stageand avoiding the draws we get….should do wonders.
Can only praise the team this evening
Thought the ref was inconsistant to the point of being out of his depth. Ox was fouled everytime he moved, they should have had several more bookings.
Robben insults the game, but it seems he is allowed to do just that
We played very well, tactically we were outstanding
Bringing Gnabry to the game was fantastic decision and of course Flamini
I believe this team can beat spurs by such a game play and attitude
Heads hold high!
Is John Hartson the new Stewart Robson.
http://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/0/football/26533456
Scroll down and see his comments. Not sure what game he was watching.
He knocks the club at every chance he gets.
Not only is he thick, he is lazy as well.
Not good news on ozil, looks like he is out for a few weeks
http://news.arseblog.com/2014/03/wenger-ozil-out-for-weeks-with-hamstring/
I keep banging in, but we really need to start getting on top of these injuries a bit more. We must be doing something wrong in over training or something ? The way we are going, we will soon have half the team out
Nice write up. It was good to hear the away fans booing Robben each time he got the ball. We showed what a good squad and attitude we have, i.e. not far off an exceptional team.
The initial report on Ozil was a tight hamstring, not too bad, now apparently he could be out for some weeks – not good.
Mandy – agree – the ref let Bayern away with too much – esp the rotational fouling on the Ox.
I have heard that Özil have visited the Bayern doctor and team doctor of the German team Muller-wohlfart. If there is any doctor that can heal him quickly it is him. don’t ask me how but he knows a bit about injury treatment. So lets hope he can give some good advice….
And let us hope and pray that Ramsey is back this weekend. We lost Jack, now Özil… they are falling like flies for the moment damn…. 🙁
No shame in drawing 1 – 1 with the Champions League holders on their own ground. Marvellous goal from Podolski and great save from Fabianski. Proud of the team.
I think we should be looking to sign that doctor above anyone else this summer Walter.
Might be a good idea Mandy. Mind you he is already over 70 years old but when you see a picture of him you give him hardly 50… there are some strange rumours doing the rounds about him but I’m not a doctor so I know nothing 😉
@Mandy
Couldn’t agree more re the Ox (although it wasn’t just him) being fouled. Bastian Schweinsteiger brought him down deliberately and blatantly at least twice early on in the game with body checks in order to prevent quick counter attacks with no card from the weak, compliant ref. This gave the green light to Bayern to indulge in constant largely unpunished fouls whenever Arsenal mounted an attack. He (the ref) obviously watches a lot of Premier league matches and knows how to blunt Arsenal’s attack. I guess he will get reprimanded though for missing the Podolski ‘push’ on Lahm which resulted in us equalising. Why Robben wasn’t carded will remain a mystery for years to come and makes a mockery of bothering to have officials who are supposed to administer the laws of the game. We might as well do away with refs and assistant refs if they are not going to apply the rules fairly.
Well, I would take anyone, however strange who could keep our players fit!
A really strange performance from the ref Mick, not even sure I could call him out and out biased, but he just got so much wrong
Still Platini and co will be very happy with this result, so a good performance for the career of this ref. think someone really needs to explain yellow card offences to him though.
Fingers crossed that Özil is back in time for the FA cup semi final then… 🙁 ah fuck….
A strange moment was the Arteta yellow card. Arteta was tripped, tried to stay on his feet (Robben would have dived of course and go to ground as shot) and as a result of the not given foul then came just late and got the foul against and was yellow carded. He was playing for the home crowd a bit it seemed.
Still the German, European and world champion cannot win in their own stadium against Arsenal. Something to be proud of
I don’t think is all bad news the injury to Jack and Mesut. This two in my opinion where below par their own performance. So if Ramsey comes back and Gnabry they wouldn’t be missed as such.
I’ll get mine in early then, before the usual suspects show up.
1. Wenger is a tactical fool. Guardiola showed him up. Cancel his contract !!!
2. Ozil is a luxurious flop. That’s why Madrid let him go.
3. We’ll never win anything again with that fool for a manager.
4. We need 7 new players to make top 4 next season.
5. Spurs will wipe the floor with us this weekend.
6. We won’t make top 4 this season. I wish we drop into Europa league so Wenger can go.
7. Why is Sagna’s contract not tied up? Jenkinson sucks so bad.
8. Our bench is terrible, look at Bayern’s bench and who they brought on.
9. Our medical team is terrible too…Arsenal are in such a ruinious state.
10. Get Mourinho in. He’ll help us win things.
11. Kroenke is a money grabbing asset hoarder who loots the fans.
Bonus:
1. Why is the Malaysian jet still missing? Surely we can do more to find it. We suck so much. Spend some fucking money and get a new radar system.
2. Why is there a problem between Russia and Ukraine? Usmanov could solve it but the greedy board wont let him.
3. Why are so many people in the world dying of starvation? The fool Wenger who is a so called great economist is actually incompetent.
I could go on… I’ll let Brickfields take over when he arrives : )
For the rest.. I havent watched the game, but we managed to give them a game and its 1-1 in Munich. That, I think says it all. Yep. It says it all.
Trouble is Alex, we are getting a bit short of numbers.
Reason Ozil was on the field is because when Bayern get this nervous moment and start doing mistakes, Ozil is the one who can do that killer pass. It just was that bad luck, again. Fuc u injury.
Even though, a mistake by Cazorla to cover on Sweinsteiger when the goal was scored, just at the moment we started to click and exploit them. That what cost us the game. Do I blame him, hell no, he did enough today to deserve full credit and support. And he desereved it ages ago. Just u damn luck, couldnt u help us and make the ball hit fabianski, post, Robben nose…..
Damn, am feeling sad now, as if I was dreaming of something I love,and when am close to reach it. Boom, i wake up.
BTW,for people telling its not the refs who destroy our season, how come we can play good against best teams in Europe, but not against Stoke?
I think Arsene planned it and successfully got it right. I dont mean the result of the match. I think not only he wants to try winning the tie but at least come out from it with head held high. HHH effect. The morale and motivation of a team in Arsenal situation is very essential. The quick response from Podolski as an example. Its a message to opponents that ‘you gotta kill us if you wanna beat us’. Arsenal did made Bayern look like an average home team at times in despite of the first leg damage. The players might not get the same result like last season but definitely got back the same mojo that drove them through to 4th place last season. Now, lets face the rest like Leonidas and the 300.
The Vancouver Canucks I believe bought a hyperbaric chamber a few years ago. Supposedly spending time in it, at elevated oxygen levels, can help speed the healing of some injuries. I have no idea what sort of success rate they seen.
I have since seen articles about other kinds of injuries, which heal faster in reduced oxygen environments.
Arsenal hired a couple of medical type people since Christmas.
ManU was in the news about some kind of medical thing they just bought.
Bayern were shit the first leg lucky with the sending off. They were shit again today there goal came from a foul on the ox. The ref was like just another premier league ref really.
Bayern must have watched the stoke game
No doubt about it Bayern are a strong side. Losing to them is no disgrace. Robben is an abomination of a footballer. It is too bad as his theatrics taint the efforts of those around him. Assuredly, he will not be sanctioned for his fish-flopping antics.
We did well. We didn’t impose ourselves on them but we had a number of half chances to snatch a late one.
Let’s take it out on the Spuds, shall we?
Robben disgraced himself and the UEFA game. What a coward. Chronic diving. How can this be allowed to stand? Even the presenters on Fox said that to clean up the game, that has to stop (him making the most out of light contact). Robben simpley knows he won’t get booked and so, keeps on trying. So after a while it makes the ref nervous about the need to give a penalty already. It seems an intimidation tactic against the ref to force a call. Fabianski did really well so this creep of footballer didn’t get a goal, but did waste over a minute of the precious time we could have used – so his mission accomplished in that respect. Arsene’s accusation against Robben in the first match doesn’t seem like such (as the medja put it) whinging now, after all.
Vermaelen foul on Roben out side the penalty area (2nd half).
Yes there was a contact. But was it enough to bring him down? Well. NO. If it was he would have gone down right at the spot. He took 3 step and that too fully in balance and then went down as if he was pushed from the back. Ref bought that.
And the penalty. I wonder how our opponents get these?
Sorry guys , didn’t see the full game ,only the highlights .Was busy at work , so for a start here’s from today’s e-mail –
Irish Vasectomy
After having their 11th child, an Irish couple decided that that was enough, as they couldn’t afford a larger bed. So the husband went to his doctor and told him that he and his wife didn’t want to have any more children …
The doctor told him there was a procedure called a vasectomy that would fix the problem but it was expensive. A less costly alternative was to go home, get a large firecracker, light it, put it in a beer can, then hold the can up to his ear and count to 10.
The husband said to the doctor, “B’Jayzus, I may not be the smartest guy in the world, but I don’t see how putting a firework in a beer can next to my ear is going to help me with my problem.”
“Trust me, it will do the job”, said the doctor.
So the man went home, lit a cracker and put it in a beer can. He held the can up to his ear and began to count:
“1, 2, 3, 4, 5, ” at which point he paused, and placed the beer can between his legs so he could continue counting on his other hand.
This procedure also works in New Zealand and Tasmania
An Aging Contest.
Three older gentlemen sat down at the park for a conversation.
“There’s no worse age than 60,” says the youngest, “I always feel like I have to pee, and most of the time you try and try and nothing comes out!”
“That’s nothing,” said a 70 year old, “70 is a much worse age. You can’t even do your business anymore. You take laxatives then sit on the toilet for hours waiting for something to come out!”
“Actually,” said the oldest one, “80 is the worst age of all!”
“Do you have trouble peeing too?” asked the 60 year old.
“Not really. I pee every morning like clockwork at 6:00am.”
“Do you have trouble crapping?” asked the 70 year old.
“Not at all, I do my business every day promptly at 6:30am.”
The 60 year old looked at him funny. “Let me get this straight, you pee at 6am and you crap at 6:30am? So what’s the problem?”
“I don’t get up until 7:00!”
The GPS Cat
There was a man who couldn’t stand his wife’s cat. So, one day, he decided to get rid of him by dumping him a long way away from the house.
He put the cat in the car and drove about 20 blocks away, then he left him at the park. But when he got home, the cat was there as if nothing had happened.
The next day he decided to take the cat somewhere further away, about 50 blocks. He put him out of the car and drove home. And again, the cat was there waiting for him. ‘This is impossible,’ said the man to himself. ‘tomorrow I’ll make sure he can’t come back!’
The next day he puts the cat in the car and he drives around, taking turn after turn – right, left, right, right and so on. Eventually, after about an hour of driving, he finally lets the cat out and drives home.
A few hours later, the phone rings at his house and his wife answers it. It’s the husband, and he asks: “Is the cat there?” “Why, yes.” says the wife, “he’s been here quite a while, where are you?”
cat
“Put that bastard on the phone, I’m lost and I need directions.”
Don’t mind that we are out of UCL; don’t mind the usual anti-Arsenal lot in the press, blogs and the ranks of Arsenal supporters: WE DID WELL.
IMHO, as with last year, we also moved our game up a notch, showed another dimension of our game and where, I think, in the rest of this season and the coming seasons, we are taking our game. Expect a tighter, faster and more aggressive midfield. It does seem too that we shall be fighting the subtle biases against Arsenal more directly and more constantly. Last night, with a sharper, faster and more creative No.9, we could have won the day or, maybe, overturned Bayern.
Just as with last year, this performance can spur us to a different playing style and a wonderful conclusion of the season. With everyone else, I am very hopeful for the club for the FA Cup. But unlike most and on the strength of our game last night, I refuse to write Arsenal off for the EPL trophy. It is not over until ALL the outstanding games are played!
While most prefer to focus on the here and now, fact is: Arsenal have been a “work-in-progress” over the so-called 8 trophyless years. After the disruptions occasioned by premature and involuntary losses of our emerging star players, I see incremental improvement in the quality of our players, in the the retention of star players and in respective departments of our plays. Next year, by God’s grace, I expect to see a sharper last third that builds up from the wings rather than launches a frontal attack most times…I expect to see a faster, tighter and more aggressive midfield even as we keep a back four that hardly gives anything away. EPL, UCL etc., will be more interesting for Arsenal in 2014/15 and onwards.
The reaction to our 1-1 was as expected. People are talking about us not creating chances in the first half. And the usual ‘arsenil’, whiner, moaner…..
Well, all this coming from people who hardly watched a minute of the game.
We gooners should be proud of the performance we put up yesterday. We were tactically set up not just to win, but to qualify for the next round. Last 30 mins of the game was the proof. We let Bayern have the ball and run around. They were tired. And more tired than us. The fitness level of this ARSENAL team is unmatched……
Strange, looking at reports this morning, about a team who went to the patch of the best in the world and avoided defeat, you may even think the English press is full of Spuds and Mousers out to undermine us……come to think of it……..
And John Cross, and I know you read this blog…..quit your employer, the Daily Mirror which has one of the worst anti Arsenal anti Wenger agendas…..or hang your head in shame as an Arsenal fan. Why no mention of Ozils injury in your narrative?
@Mandy
Gary Neville has defended Ozil manfully on twitter and thanks to him for doing so. As I said earlier it comes to something when we have to rely on comments from an ex Man U player to defend our corner against the overwhelming anti Arsenal media which includes a number of our own ex players all of whom should immediately be removed from the Arsenal legends roll of honour.
As for the Mirror and its like they will print anything, true or not, in order to sell papers to the predominantly anti Arsenal public that they have created with constant indoctrination for that very purpose. They and many of their reporting staff are scum.
Can only agree with all you say Mick. It does seem as our ex players are amongst the worst. Maybe desperate for work? Just naturally submissive to the powers that be, feeling they have to try a bit harder? A couple honourable exceptions of course.
Seems , apart from supporting rival teams, they all want a piece in bringing wenger down.
Come to think of it…strange? Well not that strange in fact…
Interesting comparisons with Man City, who will get credit whatever the outcome of their second leg. Note how their being defeated at home by a Championship club has been barely mentioned, whereas the media is already stoking up hysteria about our semi-final ” all the pressure is on Arsenal and this could be the end for Wenger” nonsense.
To sum up: we draw away at Bayern = failure
Man City lose at home to Wigan = no comment.
Agree about the press. My view now is if they distort the Arsenal news so badly there is no point spending even a few quid buying the papers – they can keep them for re-cycling! I have not bought a daily for the last few years except when helping with the Untold Media watch.
As many say, we can now concentrate on the FA and PL. Game played well i thought, and to me it looked like we could have scored the required goals but it just was not.
One thing i realise is that Arsenal players have now gained much CL experience, even the younger ones, and this can only be good for the team as they constantly improve.
I hope that we can in future seasons, with the biggish squad we now have, rotate a little to keep injuries down more, and we will not have a problem.
Fired up for Spuds.
Let me just say a few words about Gnabry. He maybe made a few wrong decisions. Shooting when a pass would have been better and a pass when he could have gone for a shot. But he showed he wasn’t fazed by the occasion and never he hide away for the ball. A gutsy display and one that will make him stronger.
He and The Ox combined with Theo, Aaron and Jack when he comes good are going to tear teams to pieces in the not that distance future.
Well said Walter.
I remain so proud of out team.
Many hours after the match finished, and having read comments on this and the previous thread, I summoned the courage (or foolishness) to watch Dixon, Chiles and co’s post match analysis, knowing, obviously, they’d be on their uber-negativity high horses.
They really were dire. ITV clearly want to be top dog when it comes to destabilsing Arsenal fans, but they have heavy competition from all other meedja. Relentless!
Thanks to a poster above who wrote about the reaction of the Arabic commentator. I always wonder what’s said by foreigner’s when they describe Arsenal’s games.
Somebody needs to tell the club to ban Neil Ashton and daily mail for that matter indefinitely. No more tolerating bs please Arsenal
This young Arsenal team and squad is still growing. Even if some seniors will come and go over the next few years, that is normal.
This explains why AFC’s rare ability to run a top club with a rebuilt squad that has undeniably regained momentum without bungling transparent frauds leaking all over the shop provokes the lame and predictable hacks who write in thrall for funny papers owned by the kind of owners who like that kind of bungling.
On the media scrum:
http://positivelyarsenal.com/2014/03/12/munich-result-exposes-media-agenda/#comment-27363
@Brickfields
It isn’t the GPS cat, but there was recently news about a 22 pound house cat that attacked a baby and chased the family into a bedroom. The police had to come subdue the cat.
Mind you, that story doesn’t work in parts of Saskatchewan. You can see your dog (or cat) walking away from home for 3 days, it is so flat.
Until Arsenal FC start to do something about the media then nothing will change.
Start by banning our players, all staff in fact, from giving any interviews out side there contractual obligations.
Say the absolute minimum at said obligations.(The Ox comes out and gives a great, honest and open interview to ITV, who then proceed to rip us to bits) GIVE THEM NOTHING OX.
Note to the Ox and Theo:
Talkshite ,via that prat Durham, accused both of you of faking injuries to avoid England duties. They did this a couple of weeks after both of you gave them interviews. Also accused us of scheming to get Flamini a soft Yellow to avoid big game suspensions. Never ever talk to that bunch of W*****s.
Never give ‘exclusives’ to ANY of the red tops.
Ban known anti Arsenal press guys. Lets be honest it wont leave many facing Arsene on a Friday but who gives a damn.
Ban all the anti arsenal ex goons who undermine Wenger, and Arsenal in general, starting with the following:
Wright, Hartson, Dixon, Merson, Smith, Stewart even Keown. There’s more, many more.
NB. To me Keown is the one that upsets me most because he was at first so fair. Not only that it seems when not ‘working’ for the media. i.e. ‘tweeting’ he is fair, but stick him on the Radio or TV and he instantly falls into Arsenal bashing line. Shameful.
NBB. Take down any tributes at the ground to Wright and burn the F***ing lot !!
Even Wenger wound me up last night by saying he thought Podolski pushed the guy in the build up to his goal. WHAT? He hardly touched the guy. Even if he did, making apologies after what Robben had done? Joke.
I’m so proud of you lads, you don’t deserve this shit. Fight back !!
@jambug, you’re a lunatic. Most of our ex players are saying what they see. All this anti media garbage is a distraction from reality, that is that Arsenal are a decent team that are just about good enough to scrape out of the qualifying rounds of the CL and then go out when they come up against a quality team.
Let’s win the FA Cup, that’s something that we should be capable of. Then at least Bootoome can stop going on about the fans wanting instant gratification, as if waiting nine years for a trophy could be called as such LOL.
Rupert Cook.
Whatever you say.
@ Gord – I’ve not seen that on Youtube or on the internet but am not too surprised.Have always enjoyed watching ” My cat from hell” with Jackson Galaxy ,and admired his ability to tame and ‘correct’ wayward pussies !
Think I write to him and ask for advice and tips on how to counter and ‘adjust’ the AAAA pussies and hissies who come on here ! Just think about ,” BG the pussy whisperer !”
In the meantime I just follow Cesar , and go,
“Tisk !”, and yank on the choke collar of them who come sniffing around here !Doggone ! It works !
Whoa ! Give them a wide berth !
http://img43.imageshack.us/img43/8941/blindh.gif
Rupert Cook.
Read comments referencing media bias from:
Mandy Dodd @ 9.41, 10.02
Mick @ 9.58
John @ 10.14
Bjtgooner @ 10.17
Rantetta @ 12.16
Mahdain @ 12.25
Finsbury @ 1.14
Seems I’m not the only ‘Lunatic’ and as usual you are in a minority.
One sane person in a room full of insanity. You must feel so out of place. So why don’t you do us all a favour and leave the asylum and we’ll all be so much happier ?
Re the latest utterance from the rupert: –
“Most of our ex players are saying what they see.”
Well – there must be several hundred (or more) ex Arsenal players about. So have even one hundred complained about Arsenal – I don’t think so.
Have a few ex players made derogatory comments about Arsenal – the type of comment that would fill the AAA with glee – yes a few have – but NOT most of our ex players.
Further, those FEW ex players who have made such comments have been PAID to do so. They have not commented on what they saw – they commented to keep their cushy numbers.
Once again the rupert pontificates with a load of nonsense.
Also from the ‘Bavarian’ thread referencing Media bias:
Leany @ 10.27 pm
Pat @ 11.25 pm
Gord @ 3.30 am
Save from Australia @ 7.51 am
Paul ‘The Gooner’ @ 8.42 am
AL @ Various.
Seems like Untold has more ‘Lunatics’ than Broadmoor !!
Or perhaps Rupert You may of heard this famous old proverb:
“When to you everyone else seems to be insane, then just maybe, it is not them that are insane, but you”
bjtgooner
That’s such a good point.
There must me hundreds of ex Gooners out there who take the same positive, long term, ‘bigger picture’ view of all things Arsenal, that most on here do. It’s just the media have no interest what so ever in there views. Similar to the ‘loaded’ phone-ins that only put the AAA types on the air, or mock, cut off, anyone who dares be positive.
@jambug
“When to you everyone else seems to be insane, then just maybe, it is not them that are insane, but you”
Quite correct. It was very rude of the rupert to call you insane, especially remembering that he does not like people calling him names (can’t think who would 🙂 ) – so there is an unashamed hypocritical element to his rather complicated make up.
@bjtgooner
I have been called worse !!
Can I ask a question.
As I have said before on here I am a real computer numpty. But I would like to be able to do those Smiley things.
I remember back in the days of the old BBC football forum they had a file of 20 or 30.
What I found it did was enable you to put some kind of ‘inflection’ on what you was saying, or trying to get over.
So it’s not just the ‘Smiley’ You know, if you are trying to be perhaps, Ironic, sarcastic, funny, angry, all kinds of things that can’t be inferred with words alone.
I know some find them annoying, which is fair enough, I just think it can be fun and even enhance the banter.
Any help?
@jambug
Colon & close bracket, no space between.
But, you need a space between the previous last character and the colon. (You may also need a space behind the close bracket – not sure on this, I usually try to leave one just in case.
A happy test 🙂
Thanks mate.
Is there a list of all the possible icons.
@jambug
I usually post here using the reply box & I can only do a smiley in the box as described above.
Usually you can find a list of icons in Word, your email provider & possibly Excel – I must admit my knowledge of Excel is limited. Sorry I can’t be more helpful – but there are others who post here who should be able to advise. We both might learn a bit more!
Unfortunately my email to the club re our terrible treatment at the hands of the media sent 2 weeks ago has not even warranted the courtesy of a proper reply from the club. The email was acknowledged and said my comments had been passed to the Communications Department but they have failed to respond to the points I made. Maybe the club should change the name of that particular malfunctioning department to something more appropriate like the Who Gives a F**k Department.
@jambug, bjtgooner
Maybe Rupert likes to be seen as the ‘only adult in the room’. Either that or he is simply a pratt!
Jambug, I completely agree with your comments at 3.40pm above.
There’s a long standing media war going on against Arsenal generally and Arsene in particular, so we should be as brutal & ruthless with the “enemy” as they are with us, and take no prisoners whatsoever (including the wingnut section of the Arsenal fanbase).
The Telegraph gave the lads a pasting today, and the bias was towards City,and that they should show AFC how to come back from 2-0 down…(!!!) again they were moaning about Wengers lack of tactics,I personally dont agree.
The German papers were saying that Özil ( why are the umlauts beyond the BBC?, if in doubt stick an e after the O)is dead in the eyes/not really present and that Löw is also worried about him. Apparently Mesut is also having a hard time on the family front.
Good thing is that Wenger is brilliant at man to man management, even Alex Song admitted it the other day! Mesut could do with the fans getting behind him too..or coming over to Untold for an evening.
I just hope we have roast chicken soon…
COYG! Aha and Amen
Rupert,
You imply that Bayern Munich are a “quality” side… a bit of a disservice to them as they are actually the best team in the world! When the draw was made I was asked by someone what I thought Arsenal’s chances were. I estimated 20-30%. Since then we have had a whole raft of injuries and then played over 50 minutes of the tie with 10 men. For the remaining 130 minutes + injury time we actually held them (although I acknowledge that Bayern were the more threatening team on average during that period).
Although Arsenal have been knocked out at last 16 stage for 4 years, for 3 of those years we did indeed lose to the best team in the world at that time – and also the year prior in the last 8.
As for winning the group, I have pointed out much earlier that our group this season was possibly the hardest ever in the history of the competition – the 2nd seed got NO points whatsoever!
Arsenal are very close to getting to that elite level – but I agree they are not quite there yet.
Let’s see what the press coverage is after Man City’s game tonight. Fair play to them if they get through, but if they don’t then I look forward to the “out of two cups in four days”, “£500 million wasted” etc headlines.
Guys,
Stop giving attention to all the morons.
bjtgooner
Sorry for the delay,(been for an Indian. Yum Yum!) But thanks for the help. I’ll try to find a list of icons or wait for help. At least I’ve got one 🙂
“Let’s see what the press coverage is after Man City’s game tonight.”
Nothing like it’s been in our case definitely. Martin Tyler asked Gary Neville if he thinks city have done more than Arsenal so far, and the answer was yes. But city could and should be two down; lescot tripped Messi for a clear penalty not given and Neymar had a perfectly good goal disallowed. All you hear is how well city are doing, better than Arsenal. What has Arsenal got to do with this anyway.
http://www.mirror.co.uk/sport/football/news/brian-reade-column-arsenal-arsene-3235299?
Will Wenger ever win the CL? Had to vote no.
Rupert,
What a biased, loaded, muck-raking column. You shouldn’t be reading nonsense like that.
@Mick 4.02
If Arsenal themselves are going to say who gives a fuck, what chance have we got?
@Pete 7.08
“Lets see what the press have to say after Man cities game tonight…..”
Well going by SKYs Fawning coverage so far, not much.
Despite offering NOTHING going forward. Having a perfectly good goal against them ruled out. A stone wall penalty against them not given. Several really good chances against them not taken. Apparantly they are doing really well.
Already setting it up for Glorious defeat where as we of course where just crap.
City have been no better, and definitely more fortunate than us, and yet they are still bumming them up.
And some still cant see this media bullshit.
Staggering !!!
Just read on Eurosport that Aguero has left the match with a hamstring strain. Thought that’d lighten us up a bit:)
Oh, and, to quote the same commentary: “Sergio Aguero made just six touches in the first half.” City are indeed doing well.
Rupert Cook.
Give me ONE reason why we SHOULD win the CL.
@Pete
That piece brings additional discredit to the gutter press – but it is obviously appreciated in the sewer.
Well Rupert,
we had a serious amount of posters agreeing with me (and not you) that CL qualification was more important than the FA Cup.
We had a serious amount of people agreeing with me (and not you) that the media are in fact a bunch of Arsenal hating W*****S
You as of yet have failed to give ONE reason why we SHOULD win the PL.
And the Media are still loving Man city despite spending £500 Million quid and being out of the CL, FA Cup and probably PL. So not a City love-in there at all.
To be fair Rupert, every time you open your mouth you embarrass yourself so best thing is you skulk of to whatever cess pit you crawled out of and never appear here again.
But alas I have know doubt you’ll be spouting your crap any moment now !!
By what they read, you shall know them.
So lets see how the media report this 4 – 1 humiliation, or should I say Brave fight, of Man City.
Barca were denied a penalty and an on-side goal in the first half. City were denied a penalty in the second half. I’m sure the media will spin this around – let’s see.
Heroic, gallant, just some of the superlatives used by Jeff Stelling.
To echo the last few posts, let’s compare and contrast Arsenal and City’s exits in the eyes of the fcukwits of the British press
Yep, “heroic failure” is the phrase Sky came with – as they announced the upcoming intvw with Kompany. 2-1 to Barca.
Note how the commentators had sorrowful drone voices as ManC couldn’t break through. When Arsenal are playing, that tone is only employed if Arsenal are thrashing their opponents.
Looks like it’s all coming apart in one week for the oilers, and they’re probably looking at the capital one cup only this season after spending £500m.
Where are all the ex man City Players telling us what a poor show it is to spend all that money and yet still get stuffed 4-1 (should of been at least 6) by a declining Barcalona.
Where as we run the CL holders, Bayern (who had by all known sources even improved since then) pretty close and still got our ex players queuing up to have a pop.
Arsenal lose 3-1 to over whelming World champions Bayern Munich 3-1……Poor.
City lose 4-1 to declining Barcalona side (who lost 7-0 to Bayern) 4-1….Heroic.
Explain that you media apologists.
Do city have an AAA?
Yes, the unfortunate Oilers need to buy another centerback (re Redknapp the younger) to partner Kompany, Lescott (@ approx £20m) not up to it!
I noticed during the Oilers v Wigan match that the Oilers quickly lost their composure and cool when the ref decisions, which usually go dramatically their way, didn’t. Tonight again the Oilers gradually lost their composure culminating in Zabaleta being sent off. I wonder is there something wrong behind the scene.
@bjt
MC obviously thought the centre back money would be better invested in referees – but forgot to extend the bounty to Europe. (That was a joke by the way)
Danny Mills on BBC website (and I guess R5) said they should indeed have spent £20mm on a centre back – but, as you note, they had already spent that on Lescott.
@mandy
But how can City have an ACC if they spend money with no constraints? Isn’t that what our moaners are forever demanding? Obviously money guarantees success – well, the League Cup anyway.
Very true Pete! Think our moaners have actually lost sight of what they are moaning about…..think it is the manager, but not sure.
Mandy – Yes, the ACC got a new manager last summer as well! What’s not to like about the way the club is run?
I did lurk briefly on some of the well known moaner sites last night and today and the level of imebecility in some quarters is absolutely staggering. Look at Charlton – moaning because they were only top half of the PL. Changed the manager (several times) and ended up in the third tier!
Arsenal are doing at least as well as could be anticipated given the financial situation. Some people have no idea whatsoever about football economics.
Football economics, and the building process. This team have done well, but are not the finished article. We all know areas where we need reinforcements. A different approach to injury management could maybe help as well. We have some great players, but it is difficult when there are between 6 and 9 injured every week. Something must be wrong, and something must be improved, think this is potentially more important than new signings. Wenger is a developmental manager, I have long felt that injuries and covering for them is part of his developing of the squad, not saying he wishes injuries of course, just that he thinks he can cope with them and use them to bring on players…but maybe things are getting a bit out of hand on that front.
Mandy, all:
Earlier this evening I attempted to watch a rerun of last nights match. I skipped over the preamble and went straight to the kickoff.
Wooss that I am, I managed less than two minutes.
As the first kick was taken, Tiydesley chirped, “another fine mess Arsenal have got theirselves into”. No, he didn’t provide any context, and why would he? He’s a hater! He sees it as his job to spread abject doom and disgusting disdain on anything and everything Arsenal related, and has been doing so for years, along with his colleagues.
Arsenal kick off and a couple of passes later the ball goes back to Mert, who passes forward to Arteta. Arteta is kicked on his Achilles by a BM player who charged at him from behind. Ref blows for free kick.
Arteta’s up straight away and passes to Ozïl. Robert is in front, BM 27 comes from behind. Ribery kicks Ozïl’s left foot as he releases the ball towards Chamberlain. BM 27 kicks Ozïl’s right leg and our no. 11 is on the ground. Swinehunt intercepts the pass, plays it left, BM players are charging towards the Arsenal penalty area. Mert intercepts a ball at the same time as BM9 plants his foot against Per. The ball spins into midfield – to Robben, who first goes toward the left wing and then cuts back so he’s running in the centre towards goal. “Robben can fly” tries a trick but the ball’s intercepted by Arteta, who runs forward, then passes back to Sagna.
That was the first 30 seconds of play. Three – possibly four fouls have been committed by BM. Only one was called.
See where I’m going with this?
Well, for starters, I want to explain why I only managed to watch two minutes of the rerun.
I noticed the references to Injury Management in your post, and note that you’ve mentioned this subject recently, and stretching back, occasionally, over time.
So the second reason I’ve described in detail the opening 30 seconds of the match – is because I want to make it clear (even if only to myself), that the reason we have ongoing multiple injuries to our squad, week after week, year after year, is KTSOOA – KICK THE SHIT OUT OF ARSENAL!
Does anyone think the Ox’s “exhaustion” came from lack of fitness? I’d beg to differ. Despite only being back from injury for a short while, I’d argue that his constant battering by BM players contributed to tiredness. Most of this battering was unpunished, of course.
KTSOOA is the cause of many Arsenal player’s injuries.
Arsenal are at the forefront of injury management. Let’s face it, they have enough practise, and have spent loads of fking money on rehab facilities. Plus, Arsenal try desperately to not bring players back early, following Fabregas shenanigans circa: the whole fking time he was at the club. (A player trying to regain fitness, who then breaks down during rehab, isn’t a reflection of shit physio’s, but rather a reflection of human beings, in that if an ordinary person has flu, they might think they’re over it, and then it comes back to give a bit more suffering.
I’ve also failed to watch reruns of Villa, ManC, Liverpool and Stoke. These are all matches where KTSOOA prevailed, unpunished. But even going back to the match at Selhurst Park, Crystal Palace were at it, with Chamack being one of the worse offenders. Everton cannot consider their season a success unless they take out a few Arsenal players, and let’s not even mention that lot from the very extremely Old Toilet (copyright bob, possibly).
So, this lack of me being able to watch the reruns – is why I describe myself as a Wooss! “Grow a pair”, me.
“Robert” should read “Ribery”.
@rantetta
Very good comment.
Cannot out what you are saying rantetta about getting kicked. I do still wonder if as has been suggested recently that our fitness regime and pre season may be a bit harsh but who knows.
Maybe there is little we can do about it
Rupert Cook
TYPO:
I asked you earlier why we SHOULD win the PL. I meant, as you would probably of realised, the CL. Although the same question applies to both it was the CL we was talking about with reference to an article in the ‘Mirror’
Either way the silence is deafening but extremely welcome.
Mandy Dodd
It is obvious from what we witness with our own eyes, and the devastating amount of serious impact injuries we incur, that we take more than our fair share of abuse on a football pitch.
But I must say I share your concern about the amount of ‘pulls’ and ‘strains’ we incur.
How did Ozil do serious Hamstring damage on Tuesday?
I am not an Ozil basher but lets be fair he wasn’t exactly throwing himself in to challenges a la Flamini.
My point is we seem to have so many of these types of injuries without ever actually seeing anything much happen.
often we don’t even see any limping. They go in at HT, or off at FT, and the next thing we hear is there out for 5 weeks !! It’s like, how the hell did that happen?
Anyway it does seems to me something isn’t quite right.
Rantetta,
Mandy alludes to it, but while reading that Brian Reade tripe in the Mirror I also looked at the article by Verheijen (the ex Wales coach who repeatedly slags off poor fitness management in the PL). He was attacking Wenger for the way he manages fitness through the season – in particular how the pre-season is too intense and leads to problems 3-4 months down the track. I acknowledge that this is all part of the media onslaught, but I don’t think Verheijen has an agenda (he also praised Wenger).
I will say it again, but the only significant problem I think we have at the club is injury management. We have external problems (e.g. refs, media) but those are harder to control.
There is no question that Arsenal are fitter than most PL teams (check the number of goals scored/conceded in the last 15 minutes of games – these stats are overwhelmingly in our favour for several years) but this comes at a cost. I do wonder, though, how the likes of Dortmund manage to appear even fitter than us. Dark thoughts.
Having watched his BarcelI think Guardiola encourages
Having now watched his legendary Barcelona and now Bayern sides, Guardiola is a cheat, freely uses cheating as part of his tactics and probably coaches it, for all I know. I’m surprised he has got away with that in Germany, because he’d never get away with it in the Premiership
@Chris N
‘I’m surprised he has got away with that in Germany, because he’d never get away with it in the Premiership’
Why wouldn’t he get away with it in the premiership, plenty do including Mourinho and Ferguson for years.
Pete,
Dortmund play on average eight games per season less than Arsenal do and they have a proper Winter brake. Bundesliga is also far less competitive than the PL,where there are no easy fixtures.
Also , Arsenal have a relatively shorter squad than other PL title contenders and our bench usually features players Wenger rarely trusts enough to put in games. One wonders why they are even there e.g. Bendtner , Gnabry or Miyaichi
Most if not all soft tissue injuries happen as a result of not enough recovery time between matches . Training methods might be at fault as well but we don’t have enough information about Wenger’s to make a definitive judgment .
What we do see however is players being run into the ground on more than one occasion like Ramsey for example , who before he went down with a thigh injury in training no less , was showing signs of slowing down and outright fatigue.
When you play in five competitions like Arsenal players do and I’m including the dreadful internationals as the fifth , you have to rely on all squad players to contribute during a season in more ways than just occasional cameos , something I alluded to earlier.
Southampton and Liverpool have been playing some of the most attractive football this season because they usually have no games midweek.
Swansea City did the same last season but as soon as they started playing Europa League , their form dipped and key players got injured.
When Claudio Ranieri took over at Chelsea in 2000 , he said the premier league schedule was for horses not footballers and many foreign managers have agreed with him over the years.
I don’t think it was a coincident that Arsenal hit form in the league at the end of the last season when they got eliminated from all cup competitions.
Pete
Thanks for your thoughts. I must confess that whilst I know of fitness articles in the Mirror, re Ars, I simply haven’t read them. A couple of years back someone sounding suspiciously like ‘Ver’, a well known trainer, slagged off Wengers methods. That was when Arsenal went to Austria, and those articles coincided with the usual TW crap as well as ‘Arsenal = Titanic, etc.
So I find it difficult to read through the various newspaper articles – knowing that there’s an anti Arsenal agenda at work, always.
We played ManC pre season. We probably outplayed them partly due to better fitness. ie, they were not fit enough to kick us around – as they did to Ars at the Etihad.
In my experience, when the Medea rack up injury talk re Arsenal, it means we’ve got some serious kicking coming up.
Oh yes, we’ve got spuds on Sun and they’ve sent Mike Dean. Ho ho ho. Then Chelsea. There’s not a game from Chelsea with Maureen in charge where their players haven’t tried to cripple one of ours. And profited directly from the fouls or injuries they’ve laid on us.
I guess I’m saying, all things told, media reports of arsenal wrongful training methods – may be wide of the mark. It’s the same meedja that pushed for Ars to buy Berbatov. Where is he? Ain’t seen him for awhile, helping out Fulham’s chances. There were a few on here commenting on how good he would be for Ars, but they were goaded on by the media. Arsenal never had intention to buy him, obviously. And they probably knew he’s injured, too, which on turn is why said meedja ran headlines about how good he’d be for us.
Many praise Wenger, but I think it’s generally an afterthought relating to the slagging off of all things Arsenal.
Chris N
Salient point about Pep.
So many brilliant comments from everyone, a truly enjoyable and enlightening read. I salute you all!
Rantetta,
Your post about the constant kicking of Arsenal players should be a thread on its own. I think you have highlighted the reason for the perennial ‘Arsenal injury crisis’.
Thanks, Sav.
Trouble is, I don’t have the stomach to watch through whole matches of kicking – (although I do watch live) and then report on it. I only managed 2 minutes of BM v Ars, so far.
Just.Too.Painful.