By Tony Attwood
May I start with the Untold prediction. I mean I don’t want to make a big big thing about it, and I know that much of the time if we do a prediction we get it wrong, but in the face of an anti-Arsenal media onslaught the likes of which I doubt that any club has ever had to face before, we predicted 3-0.
Just to prove it here is it
Did you get that?
You can imagine the celebrations at the headquarters of the Universal Empire of the Untold in darkest Northamptonshire. I may best summarise it thus….
Yes yes yes yes yes yes yes Yes yes yes yes yes yes yes Yes yes yes yes yes yes yes Yes yes yes yes yes yes yes Yes yes yes yes yes yes yes Yes yes yes yes yes yes yes
etc.
Amidst corruption by the opposition on a wholesale scale which the media utterly refused to deal with but we once more dug up the facts on, we won.
Indeed it was a bit like Liverpool in 1989. We were away. We needed 2-0 to win. Liverpool were known throughout football for very dodgy last minute goals in front of the kop (a name incidentally they nicked from Woolwich Arsenal’s Manor Ground) to win, win and keep on winning. We were 1-0 up at half time, and then went on to get what we need. Except this time we didn’t leave it to Thomas in the last minute.
Instead we had Giroud who is (we know because the aaa has told us time and again) quite a goal scorer. “You can’t judge him on one match” the repulsive aaa will be saying now. Except he has scored 13 goals in 23 games this season. He has been at around 1 in 2 for his first three seasons, now he looks ready to go higher.
And we did all this with no players left because everyone is injured, and the most appalling, preposterous attack pre-match on Arsene Wenger by the BBC, whose correspondent said that if Arsenal did not get through this time there would be “no more excuses” for Mr W. As if he needs an excuse for anything. The man who has a record of keeping a club at the top far beyond anyone else. The man who gets his club into the champions league every year from the start. The man who has just won the FA Cup twice running. The man who is the all time record holder for the number of wins of the FA Cup (shared only with one man from the early days of the competition). The man who won the only unbeaten season since the first ever season.
No, it is the BBC that has no more excuses. The deadwood dead beat presenters should be out now.
The Corporation even had the temerity to run one comment from an so-called Arsenal fan before the game saying “we don’t have enough strength in depth”. Something about the 25 rule seems to have missed his reality – and the BBC’s.
Let’s focus on that depth then. Campbell is part of that depth. Nurtured through a series of loans while awaiting his UK passport he was there when needed. Most supporters thought he wasn’t up to much but when needed he has been superb as we he was last night.
Arsenal were bold last night, waiting first to see if the opposition would just retreat waiting for a goal on the break, waiting to see if the referee was bent, waiting to see how it was going to pan out. And the media were just going through the motions. Giroud went down with an ankle injury and there was the talk of yet another player gone, and “he’ll have to buy now” and headlines in the media were already being set.
And then thrown away as he got up and got on with it.
Not all Wengerian purchases work. Not every youngster who gets his chance becomes a star player. Not every unknown is Thierry Henry. But that is what is now demanded. Superstar status on day one. And then when it is not there, denigration as Giroud got after Monaco is the order of the day.
As Mr Wenger says, “When a guy plays in division three in France at 20 [the amateur league] and gets up to the national team there is some mental strength there,” he said. The team Giroud played with, Istres, is now, incidentally, in the sixth tier.
And let us not forget Laurent Koscielny, who brings utter control to the defence. Remember his first year? It was hard going to find anyone who believed in him other than Mr Wenger. Remember Mr “nicking a living” Mesut Özil?
And remember all those people who endlessly said that we would collapse now without Francis Coquelin (forgetting he was not one of your big name big money purchases but a player so good that even I could see it six years ago, except few others could – me and Mr W – we know stuff), without Santi Cazorla and Alexis Sánchez.
18 successive seasons, what a phenomenal record. And done without the oil money of Russia or the denial of human rights by Sheikh Mansour and his family, and without 50 years of worldwide marketing for which Man U should always be given credit (but also without the relegation to the second division which they also achieved in the early 70s).
It was done by the control and regulation of Arsenal’s own resources, and having a manager who could deliver no matter what the financial restriction. No other club will ever do this.
Barcelona banned for a year from buying players because of child trafficking offences, Bayern Munich which is in effect just a branch of the German motor industry… they haven’t done it. Only us and Real Madrid, funded by the government and monarchy which has a better record by one year.
We will face either Real Madrid, Atlético Madrid, Barcelona, Wolfsburg or Zenit St Petersburg in the next round. It was ever thus. Maybe we’ll go out. Maybe not. But this win sets us up for the rest of the season. If we can do this with so many injuries we can’t even put a team together, then…
Mr Wenger said, “We were in escape mode before the game and we needed something special. I told you that it would be the greatest escape. When you do that, it creates a positive memory for the rest of the season. Maybe it is a lucky year for us in the Champions League. You never know.
“When we look at who we lost in the last three weeks – Coquelin, Cazorla and Sánchez – and we came here with all the other players who were already out, not many people gave us a chance. [Unfortunately he forgot to mention Untold at this point, but you can’t have everything].
“But we are a real team. We are very close in the dressing room and you could see this tonight. We needed the perfect performance and it was one of the best we have given in Europe.
“It was the perfect performance from Olivier. He scored a header, one from a great pass from Joel Campbell and the penalty. He found himself in uncomfortable positions but he showed skills and character. He had to fight like mad. I have always defended Olivier’s character. He has something special on the character front and he showed that again tonight.”
Even the Telegraph managed to dig itself out of a trench of its own making and announced, “Wenger was right about Campbell”
Of course they won’t let Arsenal take credit for this, saying, “He has thanks to give to Olympiakos for the experience he gained on loan there and was applauded off by two sets of fans who appreciated how much he has come on”. Their conclusion: “Write them off at your peril.”
So as Man Utd can go of to play with Sevilla, Valencia, Liverpool, Napoli and Dortmund and Tottenham in the Europa League, we have Thursdays free.
Thank you Arsenal. I really don’t get many predictions right, but that one was something else.
Anniversaries
- 10 December 1960: Arsenal 5 Bolton 1: George Eastham debut – he scored two goals. Strong got two, Barnwell the third. It made up a little for a 6-0 defeat to WHU, a 4-1 defeat to Chelsea, and a 5-3 loss to Wolverhampton.
- 10 December 1963: Arsenal 6 Everton 0. (Baker 2, Eastham 2, Armstrong and Strong). It was the second 6-0 of the season, but was undermined by a 2-7 and 0-5 defeats.
Anniversaries – the full list of anniversaries can be found here
Woolwich Arsenal the club that changed football, is now available on Kindle at £9.99. For more details and to buy a copyplease click here or go to Amazon Kindle and search forWoolwich Arsenal.
- Woolwich Arsenal: The club that changed football – Arsenal’s early years
- Making the Arsenal – how the modern Arsenal was born in 1910
- The Crowd at Woolwich Arsenal
Nice one Tony.
Good call I must say. I had it down as 1-3 because I was certain ther’d be a soft og or a pen from a homie ref after a blatant dive or some obscene diversion of a freak 30 yard punt past Cech. Well we had the blatant dive but, miracle of miracles, we had a decent ref who didn’t (often) give in to intimidation. Top marks to him for a difficult job a well done. What a fabulous night. Many good and some great performances from the Arsenal, lots to look forward to in the new year. What a great time to be a gooner.
Eat your humble pie, suckers…
I have a ‘gooner’ colleague who is usually more swayed by media rants than by team performance stats. No amount of logical explanation on my part seems to pacify him. Before the match, he has reiterated most of the usual balderdash in expectation of a loss. “Arsenal is the only team that did not get an outfield player during the last window”; “Wenger ought to have bought Schneiderlin”; “Giroud is not a world class striker”; etc.
Now with this result/feat, I don’t have to talk. Just a humongous smug smile 🙂 on my face. Thank you Wenger and the team. You’ve made my week.
Blimey Walter, where did you learn English like that?
You’ve been watching American TV again.
I was a tad disappointed with Lee Dixon on itv’s highlights show who twice mentioned how poor Olympiacos were last night. I think this was down to Wenger changing tactics about 15 minutes in to the game and swapping Theo & Campbell to opposite wings, once Theo remembered he had to defend we stopped most of their breakaways.
Unsurprisingly Adrian Durham was quickly on the case with
“Terrible management made it hard work but Arsenal eventually get out of an easy group. No big achievement”
As all English clubs showed this season no group they were in was particularly easy with all groups going down to the last game.
As you point out Giroud is a a goal every other game striker which normally puts a striker up there as world class but as Roy Keane pointed out “he’s not” I do wonder what someone like Giroud (and Ozil for that matter) has to do for most in the media to accept that these are great players who are doing exactly what is asked of them to do (Score & create goals)?
Arsenal have shown again that they are one of the top 16 teams in Europe what Arsenal need to do now either with or without Wenger is now push to become a constant top 8 or 4 European club, unfortunately as with all things football nowadays it comes down to money and especially wages. In the last European wage table I think we were 9th (4th in the PL) and I am guessing our average position in the CL is round about 9th nearly every season.
Tony, I first had it worded differently but don’t want to lose our children allowed rating 🙂
with Nicola with the whistle we commonly get the bad result. there were shivers, may b something has changed
Nice write up Tony….good performance from the team.i was particularly happy the win came from a first Hatrick for Arsenal.With opinions like Roy Keane’s,does one need to wonder why he has not been sucessful at football Management.Giroud’s 13 in 23 this season could have been much more if he started most of those games…i dont have an exact stats of how many he came on as a sub.the guy is just fantastic.
Well done on the 0-3 prediction, and well done the team for the achievement.
I put my hand up to admit that personally I expected us to win, but not by enough to qualify, but not only did we get the result have also avoided “Thursday night Channel 5” jibes.
Now to await the draw on Monday to assess our chances of reaching the rarefied atmosphere of the quarter finals & possibly onwards from there.
UTA
“I do wonder what someone like Giroud (and Ozil for that matter) has to do for most in the media to accept that these are great players who are doing exactly what is asked of them to do (Score & create goals)? ”
What do they have to do…they could try playing for a team like Liverpool or Spurs if they want acceptance from the media for their considerable abilities
Such an excellent performance last night. Really pleased for all of them, especially Campbell for some reason.
Cannot help but love it when Wenger makes fools of the media
Super article. Exactly what I have felt and am extremely delighted that there is still some proper fans left. For me the joy of watching Arsenal play is most important and will always accept that there will be good times and bad times – seen plenty of those since I started supporting Arsenal in 1978.
Giroud was the main man last night. Agree with observations Campbell was superb last night. He could have had two assists had that shot from Flamster not cannoned off the bar. Assists aside, his all round play was superb. And once AW swapped Campbell and Theo to opposite wings Olympiakos were always on the backfoot. And when did he make that change, minute 20 I think. So much for a man who doesn’t do tactics.
I once posted, a few weeks ago, that a left footed player who can play on the right wing can be devastating, e.g., Robben and Costa of Bayern. Campbell looks like he’s heading in that direction. Koscielny (Gerrard (or was it Rio?) apparently thinks he’s probably the best CB in the pl right, and agree), Ozil, Flamini also had great games. It’s unfair to single anyone out as they all were fantastic.
Here are some Giroud stats (from Metro) for all the doubters of his quality….
‘After his three-goal performance v Olympiakos, Giroud is now averaging 1.65 non-penalty goals per 90 minutes in the Champions League, to go with his 0.82 non-penalty goals per 90 minutes in the league.
That league average is actually better than the averages posted by the likes of Cristiano Ronaldo, Lionel Messi, Zlatan Ibrahimovic, Arjen Robben, Marco Reus, Thomas Muller, Edinson Cavani and Antoine Griezmann to name but a few.’
Won’t we be disqualified for playing an ineligible player? Surely Joel Campbell doesn’t count as part of the squad because he didn’t cost us lots of money in the summer when we didn’t bring in any outfield players. I can’t believe we’re allowed to get away with this flagrant breach of media-inspired rules.
I think if the Boss will mention the Arsenal Untolders(AU) of Mr Tony Attwood and Mr Walter Broeckx for getting Arsenal 0-3 Ucl away victory score-line result against Olympiakos correctly, I should not only be mentioned by him but be commended by him as well.
I mostly get my Arsenal game score-line wins correctly or nearly correct most of the time. If when I fail to get the score-line correctly, the result is either a draw or a lose game for Arsenal. I don’t predict a draw game or God forbids, a lose game for Arsenal. If a draw or lose happened, it happened on their own.
My predictions is never a guess work predictions. But by an insight to the current Gunners form and their metal state of minds. And also by the quality of their opponent teams as well as the value of the game in the table. And who in more hungry to win and who needed to collect all the points at stake most. And are at more in advantage position to win the game and by what goal margin are they like to win. Above all, my hunch(inner vision) inform me mostly.
For an example, am being informed by my hunch that after our incredible victory over Olympiakos yesternight, Arsenal will narrowly defeat Aston Villa by 0-1 or 1-2 on Sunday afternoon. Why? Because I believe the Gunners cannot help it but to underrate the Villans capacity to beat them due to Aston Villa bottom rock standing position in the table.
But unfortunately, football result is said to be can’t be mathematically calculated but could be thought or assumed to likely to be. Moreover, this is Premier League football, where a result can defies the odds and all expectations to unexpectedly turn the other way round.
Arsenal will definitely collect all the 3 points that will be at stake at Villa Park on Sunday to go top of the table on 1 points(preferred) or on goal difference after a hard fought game with a narrow victory over Aston Villa. Garde’s Villa outfit are in dear need to break the duck in their winless game since Remi Garde took over the managership of the club. And I think the Gunners will be a little bit tired after their return from Athens. And they will naturally underrate the Villans which is normal. One can’t blame the Gunners for doing that because the gap between the 2 is too far away from each other. Infact, Arsenal are out of Aston Villa sight.
I think if the Boss will mention the Arsenal Untolders(AU) of Mr Tony Attwood and Mr Walter Broeckx for getting Arsenal 0-3 Ucl away victory score-line result against Olympiakos correctly, I should not only be mentioned by him but be commended by him as well.
I mostly get my Arsenal game score-line wins correctly or nearly correct most of the time. If when I fail to get the score-line correctly, the result is either a draw or a lose game for Arsenal. I don’t predict a draw game or God forbids, a lose game for Arsenal. If a draw or lose happened, it happened on their own.
My predictions is never a guess work predictions. But by an insight to the current Gunners form and their metal state of minds. And also by the quality of their opponent teams as well as the value of the game in the table. And who in more hungry to win and who needed to collect all the points at stake most. And are at more in advantage position to win the game and by what goal margin are they like to win. Above all, my hunch(inner vision) inform me mostly.
For an example, am being informed by my hunch that after our incredible victory over Olympiakos yesternight, Arsenal will narrowly defeat Aston Villa by 0-1 or 1-2 on Sunday afternoon. Why? Because I believe the Gunners cannot help it but to underrate the Villans capacity to beat them due to Aston Villa bottom rock standing position in the table.
But unfortunately, football result is said to be can’t be mathematically calculated but could be thought or assumed to likely to be. Moreover, this is Premier League football, where a result can defies the odds and all expectations to unexpectedly turn the other way round.
Arsenal will definitely collect all the 3 points that will be at stake at Villa Park on Sunday to go top of the table on 1 points(preferred) or on goal difference after a hard fought game with a narrow victory over Aston Villa. Garde’s Villa outfit are in dear need to break the duck in their winless games since Remi Garde took over the managership of the club. And I think the Gunners will be a little bit tired after their return from Athens. And they will naturally underrate the Villans which is normal. One can’t blame the Gunners for doing that because the gap between the 2 is too far away from each other. Infact, Arsenal are out of Aston Villa sights.
Just checked again, it was Rio who said Kos is the best defender in the PL. And who am I to argue with one of the best defenders from the Premier League era 🙂
Samuel
Yes, observed you and Bricks also predicted 3 nil wins in favour of the Gunners. Somehow something tells me neither you, Tony nor Brickfields are betting men, or you could have made yourselves a ton of dosh with such an accurate prediction 🙂
Times up for that pro establishment state supported propaganda machine!!!
An apology from the torygraph.
http://www.telegraph.co.uk/sport/football/teams/arsenal/12043423/Arsene-Wenger-An-apology-to-the-Arsenal-manager.html
FANTASTIC.
Please for the much maligned Arsene Wenger and pleased for those players.
Tony said: “You can’t judge him on one match” the repulsive aaa will be saying now”. Spot on. They were actually saying Wenger got lucky and that Giroud only came good against a poor Olypiacos side. In fact, the aaa on their blog (mixed in with the disguised Chelsea and Spurs fans) were claiming Wenger is a lucky manager and that we are a better team without Sanchez! Apparently Sanchez isnt a team player. The irony is that you just know these would be the ones saying we need 3 players and had a weak squad.
Interesting that the narrative about our ‘weak’ squad and lack of cover gets repeated in the BT studio after the game, without any understanding of the facts. It is clear that we have a number of injuries but it is also clear that we do have cover. Campbell proves that Wenger knows his players and what they can deliver – a players who has taken his opportunity with both feet. Players like the Coq, Bellerin, Campbell all prove that you dont have to go and spend £25m on every player you bring in. Koscielny is another case in point. Unfortunatley, the FFM still seem unable or unwilling to accept this – it flies in the face of their fantasies of team selection. A squad is the sum of all parts; a collection of players that can play for and with the team and with an understanding of the teams philosophy and tactics. This takes time and I would argue is Wengers real skill. A skill the FFm’s just do not see or understand.
It always amuses me how lists get drawn up of so called ‘rubbish’ Arsenal players without acknowledging the fact these players all qualified for the Champions League and from the Group stages too. Its not easy, especially when you consider teams like Man Utd invested £250m and couldnt manage it. Man utd arent the only big spenders to find it harder than Arsenal and their bargain players.
Comparing us negatively to Barcelona, Real Madrid, Chelsea, Bayern Munich and using that to suggest Wenger cannot win the Champions League is another irritating load of bollocks I am fed up reading. There is not even an acknowledgement that for many of those years, the mere fact we qualified for the Cl and the Group stages, was a minor miracle.
In the future, Wengers achievements will be respected a lot more than they are now that is for sure. However, those of us who participate on this great blog, already respect him and recognise what a brilliant day it was when David Dein bought this gentleman to our club.
A real shame the media and the AAA dont have our knowledge and understanding.
We won in Olympiacos by playing the Arsenal way.
I think it is about time people realised what a great achivement these 16 consecutive years are.
Dan
Thanks for that link. Kudos to the Telegraph for standing up and admitting they got it wrong, and apologising.
I have just read the Telegraph so called apology and found it to reek of insincerity. A real apology is not full of ifs and buts like their article is. They are jumping on a bandwagon forced on to them by our terrific result and a desire not to look completely stupid by maintaining their usual anti Arsenal bollocks.
Just wait and see how quickly they revert to type if we fail to beat Aston Villa at the weekend, they won’t be able to get their knives out fast enough!
Why oh why, why oh why do they hate us so much? The jury is still out on that one, but last night showed them, again, that Arsenal is a force to be reckoned with.
Great win lads, you exceeded my expectations by sharpening up after the first 10-15 mins and then went for the kill.
A double anyone? 🙂 (and i do not mean alcohol).
Mick/para
Those were my thoughts initially, but then thought that’s probably the closest we will come to getting an apology from anyone. I didn’t particularly pay any attention to their verdict, but they raise some important points we have debunked on here such as having a thin squad, injuries, Giroud ain’t good, not good at tactics, beating big teams, etc etc. So will take the apology, even if it may lack sincerity.
Al
I bet Adrian Durham can’t wait to offer his apologies as well later on today!!!!!
I seen a blurb from Martin Keown in the Daily Flail. My paraphrasing is:
The medja has invested so much time and effort trying to convince everyone the Giroud is shit, that there are still quite a few sheep^H^H^H^H^Hreaders who continue to feel that Giroud is shit. Having readership unanimously liking Giroud isn’t likely to be seen any time soon.
(Note: the ^H used above, is a dinosaur ASCII thing. It is meant to represent a backspace. The word “sheep” has 5 letters, and so to overwrite our word entered “by mistake”, we need 5 backspaces and then we proceed to put the “correct” word on top. It is a kind of sarcasm.)
Oh, there is something in the news again about that Peirs idiot. Peirs is _NOT_ an Arsenal supporter. Peirs is a Peirs supporter, who feels it is necessary to try and fool the public into thinking he is an Arsenal supporter.
Mick
Can’t remember where I saw this but think Durham has already weighed-in with his opinion, and don’t think it was apologetic but as you say wouldn’t surprise me 🙂
And also wouldn’t be surprising if the DT stick the knife in if we come short at Villa. These hindsight managers/pundits/journos are a bunch of jokers; it was comical the way Darke and Savage changed their tune, from about minute 25 onwards last night, from Arsenal’s performance is crap for a side hoping to stay in the CL bla bla bla to this is the best performance by an away club at this ground ever 🙂
now, even the lead article on LG contains the word “apology”, something so significant, surely a sign of some impending apocalypse, or pan universal event?
Mandy.
Very funny, apocalypse.
I went on LG last night to read the comments – because everytime we have a good win, that comment section goes into anti-Wenger meltdown. I was not disappointed. I have no idea who these people are but they do ‘claim’ to be supporters, bizzare as that sounds.
Here are ten of the best from LG last night::
1. “Zagreb and Olympiacos are fucking pub teams; the fact that we were in that position is lamentable, but all the AKBs will be arse licking Wenger that he managed to pull it out of the bag. He should be sacked for that showing in the group stage”
2. “Could anybody live at the match look at involvement of Bould? When Wenger is desperate and the players Le Imbecile hands it in to Bould. The tight defensive setup is the giveaway and Bould shouts out instructions from the dugout letting the Dictator take the credit so long as he sanctions his extension. Sad fact of potential bottled up in #arsenebottle And The AKB go quack quack””
3. “Leave it out (the praise). Coz of that senile clown we were in this mess”
4. “Wenger has lowered expectations so far, it’s like supporting Celtic. Just happy to have made the last sixteen. Pretty pathetic really.”
5. “So losing to 3rd tier pub teams makes it interesting. Watching Wenger fuck up easy games makes it worth watching. Getting embarrassed by Bayern make it worth watching??”
6. “Dismal has been saved tonight. Great result but for one second should dismal take any credit, his blunders in not playing cech put us in this postition”
7. “If the manager is keeping the club 2-3 steps back then hoping to lose to get rid of such manager to move 3-4 steps forward is supporting the club”
8. “I don’t care what the new manager does when he comes in. I just want Wenger out. Btw. I think the new manager will win us the league first season”.
9. “Giroud is still shit and not good enough to be our first choice striker. We have no chance of winning the champions league and will go out in last 16. Wenger got lucky – AGAIN”
10. “…Helped us Sanchez not playing. The whole game would have been him cutting it in and getting shots blocked or being too selfish”
My best goes to number 2. That guy needs a full frontal labotomy.
The Arsenal website has a twit from a fan, saying that Giroud is now the 29th leading scorer for Arsenal with 71. That must be in all competitions.
11v11 has a page just restricted to top level (or EPL?) scoring. There are 100 names on that list, comprising 1534 goals. The number of unique number of goals is 35. The highest number of goals scored by more than one person is 46 by Ljungberg and Adebayor. The number scored by current Arsenal players is 265. There are 17 current Arsenal players on that list.
6: Theo Walcott
7: Olivier Giroud
13T: Aaron Ramsey
15T: Santi Cazorla
16T: Alexis Sanchez
18T: Thomas Rosicky
22T: Mikel Arteta
23T: Laurent Koscielny
25: Mesut Ozil
26T: Mathieu Flamini
30T: Jack Wilshere, Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain
31T: Per Mertesacker
32T: Danny Welbeck
34T: Kieran Gibbs, Hector Bellerin, Joel Campbell
The IOC is now growing concerned that so much corruption is being uncovered at FIFA, that it is growing ever more difficult to hide corruption at IOC. That IAAF is also dealing with a corruption problem aggravates this situation.
Sure, we all believe the IOC is completely clean, just like the septic bladderbird (I’m clean, I’m clean).
Proudkev
Sorry, but I fail to see the significance of quoting the LeGrove comment section on a pro Wenger site.
Most of those comments are too predictable .
I was more surprised to see a line like ” I’m not stupid enough to think Arsenal can win the CL”, from an Arsene Wenger backer on this site.
Any idea who that might’ve been ? 🙂
I guess I am stupid enough to believe Arsenal can win the CL , with a bit of luck( ok , maybe more than a bit) and a different attitude perhaps.
The biggest impediment to Arsenal’s success in the CL is Arsenal themselves.
If you look at the last five seasons or so , Arsenal have managed to beat everyone in Europe, but not over the two legs.
This group stages was quite the same.
Disaster at Zagreb , a convincing win against them at home.
Disaster against Olympiacos at home, followed by a perfect performance and a win away.
Great performance against Bayern at home, followed by a drubbing away.
Only Bayern away can be remotely excused by injuries.
Same thing happened last season against Monaco, and seasons before.
This isn’t a talent issue, but rather approach and application.
Let’s hope Arsenal have learnt their lessons.
Tom.
The point I was trying to make is that Arsenal winning seems to be less important than the Wenger issue for some.
I would go one step further and say that they appear unable to separate Anti-Wenger to Pro-arsenal.
In all my years following Arsenal I have never failed to celebrate victories. The more challenging the more rewarding!
You may be right, to some degree, I was disappointed too with some of our results in Europe against the so called lesser teams. Being realistic, I acknowledge the financial and other advantages many other teams have enjoyed and how that has meant us being 2nd favourites against teams like Bayern, Barca, Real, etc. However, despite that we went out on away goals to Bayern, having won in Germany and have beaten Barca and Rea, often against the odds. So your point is fair but I feel we are getting closer to raising expectation levels to the level the Wenger Out crowd seem to have had for each if the ladt 10 year’s. Who knows what may happen this season.
I am still waiting for the “pundits” to eat their hats for the 99th time.
Some great quotes Kev….everyone has the right to constructive criticism….where merited, but please tell me they are not all Arsenal fans!
‘Them’ be as smart as this farmer !
A traveling salesman whose car has broken down goes to the door of the closest farmhouse. The farmer says, “You can spend the night but you’ll have to share a room with my daughter.”
The daughter, a gorgeous 20-something, winks at him over her father’s shoulder.
“Oh, I don’t mind that,” exclaims the salesman.
“Just one thing,” says the farmer. “No funny business. If you touch her, I’ll kill you.”
“Oh no sir,” says the salesman. “You can count on me!”
– Advertisement –
Just to be safe, the farmer builds a wall of eggs between the two beds in the daughter’s room. To get through, one of them would have to break them. However, In the middle of the night, the salesman can no longer control himself, busts through the eggs and he and the willing farmer’s daughter spend some passionate time together.
When they’re done, they spend the rest of the night piecing the eggs back together one by one and rebuilding the wall. They couldn’t get the yolks in so they just glued the shells together and threw away the rest.
The next morning, the farmer goes to his daughter’s room and takes a couple of eggs to the kitchen to make breakfast. However, all the eggs he tries turn out empty. When the salesman wakes up, he goes down and is surprised to find the farmer staring out the window at his chickens, holding a shotgun.
“What are you doing?” asked the man.
The farmer continues to stare. “I think one of my roosters is using a condom.”
@ Al -December 10, 2015 at 12:40 pm – Am not sure about the others , but you are right that I’m not really betting man . Whenever I put money on something , I tend to jinx it ! With wine bets I do better .
Then again it could be all in the (mis) aligning of my stars. Here’s the predictions for my sign for 2016 .
Capricorn (Dec 23 – Jan 22) You are conservative and afraid of taking risks. You are basically chickenshit. There has never been a Capricorn of any importance. You should kill yourself.
Did you think that was a tad too forthright and offensive ? To me it sounded like one of ‘them’ wrote that. And as sincere as that ‘apology’ form the press.
Check out what is in store for your sign next year, in this Horror-scope !
2016 HOROSCOPE
Aquarius (Jan 23 – Feb 22) You have an inventive mind and are inclined to be progressive. You lie a great deal. You make the same mistakes repeatedly because you are stupid. Everyone thinks you are a fucking jerk.
Pisces (Feb 23 – Mar 22) You are a pioneer type and think most people are dickheads. You are quick to reprimand, impatient and full of advice. You do nothing but piss-off everyone you come in contact with. You are a prick.
Aries (Mar 23 – April 22) You have a wild imagination and often think you are being followed by the FBI or CIA. You have minor influence on your friends and people resent you for flaunting your power. You lack confidence and are a general dipshit.
Taurus (April 23 – May 22) You are practical and persistent. You are one lazy motherfucker. Most people think you are stubborn and bullheaded. You are nothing but a goddamned rapist.
Gemini (May 23 – June 22) You are a quick and intelligent thinker. People like you because you are bisexual. You are inclined to expect too much for too little. This means your are a cheap bastard. Geminis are notorious for thriving on incest.
Cancer (June 23 – July 22) You are sympathetic and understanding to other people’s problems, which makes you a sucker. You are always putting things off. That is why you will always be on welfare and won’t be worth a shit. Everyone in prison is a Cancer.
Leo (July 23 – Aug 22) You consider yourself a born leader. Others think you are an idiot. Most Leos are bullies. You are vain and cannot tolerate criticism. Your arrogance is disgusting. Leo people are thieving motherfuckers and enjoy masturbation more than sex.
Virgo (Aug 23 – Sept 22) You are the logical type and hate disorder. Your shit-picking attitude is sickening to your friends and co-workers. You are cold and unemotional and often fall asleep while fucking. Virgos make good bus drivers and pimps.
Libra (Sept 23 – Oct 22) You are the artistic type and have a difficult time dealing with reality. If you are a male you are probably queer. Chances for employment and monetary gain are nil. Most Libra women are whores. All Libras die of venereal disease.
Scorpio (Oct 23 – Nov 22) You are the worst of the lot. You are shrewd in business and cannot be trusted. You shall achieve the pinnacle of success because of your total lack of ethics. You are the perfect son-of-a-bitch. Most Scorpios are murdered.
Sagittarius (Nov 23 – Dec 22) You are optimistic and enthusiastic. You have a reckless tendency to rely on your luck since you have no talent. The majority of Sagittarians are drunks. You are a worthless piece of shit.
Then again for those who are unduly aggressive , high strung and have anxiety issues , maybe this new fad could help you find peace and tranquility .
http://educateinspirechange.org/spirituality/enhance-your-life-with-ganja-yoga/
“Ganja Yoga Classes are Healing and Awakening experiences designed to open and expand your perspectives on life, allowing you to recognize your Divine Spiritual Nature and your Creative Powers to Create the Life You Desire.”
-Jess Jones, Ganja Yoga Instructor
While not promoting drug use or abuse , whatever stills the raging heart and soothes the soul is not to be sniffed lightly at. Just imagine the peace that would reign over the Arsenal universe . Even Piers Morgan would come across as positively amicable and insightful . No ? Never ? Not a chance ? That’s what I thought too !
‘ Those who practice ganja yoga say that their relaxation is increased, because their brain activity is decreased.’
Just imagine what it would do for those of ‘them’ whose brain activity is already decreased to start with ! You know all those who have only half a brain. And those ‘fixed’ to their electronic gadgets . It would allow them to attain nirvana with a single toke , yet keep body and mind supple !
Another educational idea from the Medical Division of UA – at the forefront of unclogging your minds !
Morning Mandy.
Some of them will be Gooners but that blog was infiltrated years ago by rival fans, dressed up as Gooners.
However, there are some Arsenal fans who seem to revel in not enjoying good results probably because they feel it somehow proves them wrong. You see that a lot, it was apparant Wednesday night. Their agenda is more imprtant than results, which is ironic.
They have beleived the repeated lie that Arsene Wenger had money to spend during the difficult years. Ironically, they think he is such a brilliant manager that he should have won league titles, the champions league, moved stadium, redeveloped Highbury – all while clubs like Chelsea and Manchester City were going mental. Truly extraordinary.
What is interesting is the level of intellect they display and their appetitie for colourful language. That was why I sent those comments up, thought it may give people a laugh.
I read some of the tele article before spotting it here at UA.
I say “some” because half way through, and without clicking on any links, I concluded: I know where this’s going. (I’m sure it’s a precursor to many shite-fests too come, just as the daily fail published one “good” article about Arsenal – then reverted to type).
This is a brilliant article followed by fantastic replies.
I nearly chocked as I read the horoscope.,I’m not telling you my star sign because…
Anyway, if you take the last line of each period, you’ll know me too well!
Didn’t you hear the odious Mark Lawrenson after the match comment that only two first teamers were really missing, Coquelin and Alexis … obviously Santi is too small for Mark to spot … as ever minimise any positive result for Arsenal …
I haven’t heard his comments from Thursday night, but no doubt Klopp is the living embodiment of Bill Shankley, (although I thought Bob Paisley actually won more for them … who’d have thought the club’s most successful manager not getting the credit he deserves), for winning that tough Europa League group …