Thierry Henry Out For The Season: A Positive Spin
0 guns March 10th, 2007
Yesterday, I was pretty negative. Perhaps I was a little hasty: following my post, Emmanuel Adebayor was fined £7.5k and banned for a further game, whilst Thierry Henry was ruled out for the rest of the season. As if to top it all off, the word on the street (which street in particular I could not say), is that we’re unlikely to see Robin van Persie in action until August. So, ladies and gentlemen, prepare for the mother of all escapology acts, as I attempt to escape from these particularly dark doldrums to put a positive spin on all things crippled-Henry-esque:
First thing’s first: Henry will benefit from the break. I don’t believe he’s got one injury that will genuinely keep him out for three months. I reckon he’s struggling with several niggles, and has been for many months now. It’s clear that his Christmas lay-off didn’t shake those off, and this enforced break (coupled with a long, World Cup-free summer) could finally set Henry to rights. It’s clear all isn’t well between Thierry and Arsenal - he professes his love for the club, and I don’t doubt him, but love alone is not enough to conquer the mental and physical blocks that are keeping him from performing at his best. Sometimes, when a relationship isn’t working out, it takes both parties to take a break for them to understand where things are going wrong.
Another benefit of Henry’s injury is that it will take him off the transfer radar of most of the big Spanish clubs. I’ve said more than once that I thought there was a possibility of him leaving this Summer, but an injury-ravaged season, and this injury in particular, have knocked that idea square on the head.
Furthermore, it is in Henry’s absence that the team have produced some of their best performances this season: see the successful Carling Cup run, the win at Old Trafford, the draw at Chelsea and the 3-0 thrashing of Spurs. Once Emmanuel Adebayor returns from his suspension he can get back to building on an already impressive season - I personally am of the opinion that he seems to play better when he’s not in his pal’s shadow.
And then there’s the two men who seem to have been in last-chance saloon for the best part of three months now: Julio Baptista and Jeremie Aliadiere. Both players are, to use what is becoming a real cliché, “playing for their futures”. For Aliadiere, nothing much changes: he’s likely to be behind Adebayor and Baptista in the pecking order, and must continue to make the most of any opportunities he gets. But for Baptista, he is now in a position whereby he knows the team are relying on him, week in/week out. His performances have been those of a player lacking in confidence, and a large part of that must stem from the insecurity of his loan position. He can now draw a greater belief from the responsibility he will hold within the squad, and his showings may well improve on the back of that.
So there you have it. It’s not all bad after all. If I’ve made your day a little brighter, then stop reading now. If I haven’t, you might as well continue.
The Smallprint
- We now face tough games against the likes of Liverpool, Chelsea, and Spurs without our main striking duo
- Theo Walcott is likely to have to postpone his shoulder surgery again, meaning he might miss the start of next season
- The injuries will give Arsene and the team a nice excuse for any shortcomings
- Should Thierry come back after this huge lay-off and still not get it right in an Arsenal shirt… well, erm… that doesn’t bear thinking about.
115 Comments Add your own
1. Thierry Henry Out For The&hellip | March 10th, 2007 at 1:10 am
[...] Read This Entry In Full [...]
2. adam | March 10th, 2007 at 2:44 am
when we beat united i said to my brother i would rather have lost that game and still have van persie uninjured, well that goes about 10 times now
3. no name | March 10th, 2007 at 2:51 am
you are full of shit. TH14 is the greatest player this club will ever have so f*** off
4. adam | March 10th, 2007 at 4:02 am
that should read no brain not no name
5. WillyG | March 10th, 2007 at 6:13 am
We are a bit down coz this season did not go the way we where hoping for……Now we have to get that 3rd or 4th spot and prepare for next season
6. Gelbs | March 10th, 2007 at 7:51 am
Who really gives a shit in all honesty? 4th spot is secure anyway I reckon. Season’s over. I’ve completely lost interest and couldn’t give a fuck what Arsenal do for the remainder of the season. Only one game I am gonna watch and be interested in. And that’s the north London derby. Another season like this, and other fans will feel the same and the Emirates will be half empty. Speaking bollocks? Then why was Highbury only about 20,000 capacity in the late 80s before GG won stuff. Particularly now when the tickets are high lol. What a farce.
7. Gelbs | March 10th, 2007 at 8:12 am
One thing as well. Saying our team is still learning and young is the reason we aren’t winning anything, is actually a smokescreen for Wenger’s shite tactics in breaking down the opposition etc and not having the right players.
8. Dave | March 10th, 2007 at 8:30 am
We have still some fights against the likes of Spuds, Fat Sam’s killer brigade, Liverpool and Chelski this season. 2nd place (lol) should be now the aim and to deny Chelskum the title in the last game (what a sad target).
Hopefully there will be no English team winning the CL this season. I have actually figured out that for the game Chelski plays you don’t need to have your player’s at a top fitness level. That’s why they can play with the same team throughout the whole season without major setbacks. Their game is not based upon quick passing and movement. They hit the ball forward to Drogba who does the business for them at the moment.
But I can imagine the Mancs collapsing soon. They now have a massive striker crisis with Larsson leaving and Saha injured and a lot of games in three competitions on their fixture schedule. Wouldn’t be surprised if they fuck up their whole season in the end. Like we did in 2002/2003. Luck can turn swiftly against you and it never rains but it pours.
Beside that I think Gelbs had a good point. Who ta fuck cares about this season anymore as long as we finish in the top 4 and won’t be humiliated anymore in the top games.
Post scriptum: Gilberto has lost his Champions League record against Roy Makaay who scored against Real after only 10 seconds. You might know it anyway.
9. Ric-dizzle | March 10th, 2007 at 8:46 am
http://football.guardian.co.uk/News_Story/0,,2030691,00.html?gusrc=rss&feed=5#article_continue
UNfortunately.. he is correct.. lacking the winning mentality is wot we seem to have a lot of!
10. Gelbs | March 10th, 2007 at 8:47 am
Either way, Wenger fucked us up by breaking up a undefeated title winning side, and within a year, not replacing like for like. Maybe he was right in parts to get rid of some players as they either had past it or wanted out, but he went for similar players to what he had already and not good enough. When I say that, I mean players like Vieira and even Edu. Replaced them with Cesc and Diaby fair enough, but more worse with shite like Flamini and Song. Bergkamp with Adebayor and V. Persie who is good, and Pires with Rosicky who is good but will never score goals. Just like that turd Hleb. Then when he does get a good squad, players like Gallas and Baptista in (only last day deals because 2 players wanted out, never of got them regardless lol pathetic), he fucks it up by his tactics and over-playing with the ball. We have never played like that before. Where we piss about with the ball. And one reason is because we don’t have players wanting to get in goal-scoring areas from midfield. And he had the audacity to claim prior to midweek that they was practicing corners lol. Worked wonders with an own goal. What a dick!! Arsenal have been shit for years at corners, and he just suddenly decides to pracitice them more now and in vain?! Should be doing it all the fucking time! What on Earth do they do in training?! Just 5 a side shit and a bit of running? Doesn’t say much for the fitness coaches neither. When you consider our injurie crisis’ the past 2 seasons.
11. Gelbs | March 10th, 2007 at 8:49 am
Exactly Dick Dribble. I was gonna post that link but couldn’t been bothered lol. Next season our midfield be the same of Rosicky, Hleb, Fabregas and Gilberto and probably Reyes. Be the same old story.
12. mzu | March 10th, 2007 at 8:56 am
Gelbs fuck off!u r not a fan, we r all frustrated and still support our team!particularly i htink Wenger needs to buy a big player thta wil give us the added booost rather than playing with the kids, which can be good at times, but only to a certain extent…dude tell u wat, go support man utd since u r keen on not supoorting us..we do not nedd people like you!!!!
it is frustrated but to go as far as saiyng oyu dont care….??those are characteristics of fake ass fans!!!
and oh, man utd have been lucky, just as chelsea was 2seasons ago!!
13. Gelbs | March 10th, 2007 at 8:56 am
Be the same old story where you just didn’t realise, and it’s a long way to come, from the Dog and Duck karaoke machine, and Saturday nights drunken dreams
Now why you wanna go and put stars in their eyes.
Lmfao.
14. Gelbs | March 10th, 2007 at 8:59 am
Why don’t you go kiss my arse you fuck. Tell me. How does one (a supporter) go about a team that is doing shit? Suck up to them and tell them how wonderful they are? Wenger tryed that. It doesn’t work. Truth hurts you cunts. People think I don’t know what I am talking about? Lol, Utter bullshit. I said in the summer we wouldn’t win shit and that our midfield is not good enough to score goals. Oh, look, I was right! So someone please tell me. How does that make me a cunt and wrong?
15. Gelbs | March 10th, 2007 at 9:00 am
Fake fans huh? So what about the 15, 000 + fans that never turned up in the late 80s and probably do now at the Emirates? Are they fake fans as well?
16. Gelbs | March 10th, 2007 at 9:06 am
I will always be an Arsenal fan. Regardless of what happens. Could never support anyone else. But I ain’t gonna be a rosy mother fucker and be blind to the obvious. Somehow that doesn’t make me a fan lol.
17. Dan Fabiano | March 10th, 2007 at 9:08 am
Barca fan is on the line!!! Hope there no hard feelings, just read this. Arsenal and BARCA are the two best playing clubs in the world. That means that both Rijkaard and Wenger are the two best coaches around[bias]. Am also frustrated by the efforts of some of the players like Ronaldinho and all, but there is nothing u can do about it. The two clubs had their best ever champions League campaign last season, which explains their poor form this season. The best man won the CL but there was still a lot to be proud of as an Arsenal fan. U can only get worse in order to improve and thats what Barca in particular and Arsenal are going thru.
Gelbs, 4 u to talk shit about ur players will kill u softly, can’t wait to c ur comments when Arsenal is back to its best. I regard Hleb as the best midfielder in the premiership(ha ha ha, u can laugh but I am serious). His vision, awareness, movement and hard work, If u can reach Arsene Wenger, please tell him to make an exchange between Hleb and Ronaldinho!!!!!!!!!
18. Ric-dizzle | March 10th, 2007 at 9:09 am
GELBS>> why ARE U POSTING SO MUCH?? THIS IS WHY THERE WAS MODERATION.. BE MODERATE IN OUR POSTINGS.. STOP RANTING? SAY IT ONCE AND LET OTHERS HAVE THEIR OPINIONS .. BESIDES U ARE VERY TRANSPARENT WE ALL KNOW WHAT U ARE GOING TO SAY .. SO PLEASE JUST CHILL..
19. Gelbs | March 10th, 2007 at 9:10 am
Hell will have to freeze over first before that happens my friend. As for your comments on Hleb….Lmfao. That is a joke. So wonderful we went out of Europe thanks to him last week and also never won anything since he joined.
20. Gelbs | March 10th, 2007 at 9:11 am
It’s called responding Ric.
21. mzu | March 10th, 2007 at 9:15 am
dude the least u can do is stand by ur team!it does not mean that Arsene is doing all this shit on purpose, but due to circumstances he cant do anyhtign, we just bought a new stadium and u cant expect all to be rosy….and oh, u can stop supporign us if u like, dont go to the matches, but there will always be Arsenal fans around the worl who suport Arsenal, I am from South Africa and give up an arm and a leg to watch Arsenal, whether be it that they r shit or not, it does not matter, this is a phase, one that is unfortunately taking longer than we would like!
I urge oyu to stop being negative about everything because by people like you complaining and bitching about everything will not make things any better!
I am not fighting with you, I just cant understand how u can be so negative as to say you do not care about the club…
22. mzu | March 10th, 2007 at 9:25 am
Ric you are right, i can not log in for a month and i will come back with Gelbs saying the same shit over and over..i have to be honest and say that half of what he says makes alot of sense, but the other half is total bullshit and he knows it.
I believe in Arsenal, and i dont care how long it takes for them to come to form, i think they will eventualy achieve all that they are striving for!I really wonder wat peple are going to say when these youngsters are ruling the English Premier League…most probably people like Gelbs will be long gone by then, probably suporting Man Utd or Chelsea..
If we had money like all those motherfuckers, i belive that we could also buy quality palyers..look at wat chelsae are doing wiht the likes of Alex, they own them, and soon they will be in the chesea squad, u knw why?because they have money and they buy thier success…..
23. Dave | March 10th, 2007 at 9:29 am
Hleb for Ronaldinho???? Deal done. In addition and as part of the deal we can offer you Reyes, Flamini, Hoyte and Senderos. See you in June when the transfer window opens.
24. Gelbs | March 10th, 2007 at 9:29 am
We never had money have we? 7 million on Adebayor, 2 million on Song, 8 million on Hleb, 10 million plus on Walcott potentially. That’s almost 30 million wasted. And the youngsters won’t even be around to dominate the EPL mzu. And don’t worry, I’ll be here next year saying I told you so lol. Not unless something magical happens during the summer.
25. Gelbs | March 10th, 2007 at 9:31 am
Lmfao what manager (apart from Wenger) would choose Hleb over Ronaldinho?!!!!!!!! Wind up surely.
26. Ruralgoon | March 10th, 2007 at 9:42 am
Morning gelbs… Good to see you still on the same single-minded destructive trail
On the evidence of what I’ve seen this season through enforced weekend la liga viewing I’d say Keep Hleb and stuff ronaldinho. If anything he’s been even more of a dissappointment this season than TH14 and as far as I’m aware he’s not had an injury!
27. Gelbs | March 10th, 2007 at 9:47 am
All of Arsenal’s players, most of them have been disappointing this season. So should we sell them all?
28. mzu | March 10th, 2007 at 9:54 am
Gelbs I agree with u when u say some of the young lads might get santched or better yet “get tired of being close and yet so far”..
yes i understand we cant keep on excusing Enger fopr his “lack of trophies”, i understand that we spent omeny on talent that never prospered(mind you that judgement is based on one 2season or less)…
we do not have consistency i know, but if anyone knows, that team has not been a unit, partly because Wenger keeps on chaning the set up(why, i do not know)….
i know this wil sound a bit cliche and contradictory, but give the lads atleast 3years and we will come back tp pur winnign ways…
Gelbs you should become a Football Critic…and oh it is a bit weird that henry all of a sudden is out for the rest of the season..i dont like the lad,he has achieved all he could at arsenal and the way he has played(excluding the injuries), it seems that he has nothing to look forward to, maybe he should leave-i may be wrong, but i think he feels that being in the starting line up is does not extensive involvement from his side..we need someone who is determined to achieve at all times…
29. Gelbs | March 10th, 2007 at 9:56 am
2007/8 will be Wenger’s judgement day.
30. Ruralgoon | March 10th, 2007 at 10:00 am
We will have a fantasic season next season. This is not just rosy specs, but careful observation of the players that we have. It cannot possibly happen that we end up with so many crucial injuries at any one time again, and every young player will be that much stronger and experienced. To my mind we will start next season with one of the strongest hands we’ve had for a while.
31. Gelbs | March 10th, 2007 at 10:05 am
What makes you think we won’t struggle to break teams down and that a midfield as I mentioned will become regular goalscorers? That’s observational fact.
32. Ruralgoon | March 10th, 2007 at 10:31 am
I believe Diaby will become a regular goalscorer for starters.And denilson as well for that matter. Rosicky will continue to score as he consistently starts. Add into the mix that our strikers will be back and fit then I dont forsee a problem.
33. Amos | March 10th, 2007 at 10:31 am
Supported by the well-known Prussian psychologist, Steffen Freund, a new psychological syndrome afflicting some Arsenal followers, has been identified. Post Traumatic Defeat Disorder (PTDD) renders these people incapable of objective thought. The condition has its counterpoint in Post Traumatic Victory Disorder (PTVD) best illustrated by Englands 6-0 win against Jamacia prior to the World Cup which had its sufferers claiming that this golden generation of English footballers would win the world cup by scoring a record number of goals while conceding none and lauding Peter Crouch as a combination of Pele, Maradona, Van Basten, Cruyff & Jan Koller.
Post Traumatic Defeat Disorder (PTDD) sufferers see only failure and a spiralling decline leading to Arsenal followers proposing absurd solutions to non-existent problems. This can include the demand to buy Jan Koller and lump long balls up to him, the acquisition of any over-hyped player currently being promoted by their agent particularly if they look good in computer games, the restoration of George Graham as manager despite the fact that he has been unemployable for many years, slating of their existing manager Arsene Wenger who, were he to be available tomorrow, would be readily signed by Chelsea, Real Madrid, Barca or any of the Italian clubs despite his alleged tactical ineptitude. The condition is also reflected in demands for ‘wingers’ to specifically provide the width that the team already employs using all its players. Sufferers can rarely see that despite the disappointment of not winning a trophy for two seasons following the most successful period in its history the club is actually in good shape and is competing every year at the highest level. The fact that new young players are developing rapidly and are the envy of teams all over the world along with the new stadium and training facilities is ignored as is the sensible financial management designed to ensure the future of the club beyond the interest span of Russian oligarchs. The disorder also promotes the dismissal of any one attempting to introduce a balanced perspective as wearing ‘rose tinted spectacles’.
Others may wish to report any other symptoms in order to gain better understanding of the affliction and in the meantime sufferers can seek support from the PTD Support Group c/o Spurs Football Club, Tottenham, North London.
34. Passenal | March 10th, 2007 at 10:33 am
MZU - do what I do, when I see Gelbs’ name at the top of a post I skip past it. It’s not worth reading, you know exactly what negative bullshit he’ll be spouting. Arsene Wenger is the best manager we could have for our current situation. He has achieved fantastic results with limited resources including the new stadium and state of the art training facilities. If Abramovich goes Chelsea’s financial profiligacy will see them crash and burn, whilst Arsene’s legacy will be a club built on strong foundations for the future.
35. Passenal | March 10th, 2007 at 10:38 am
LOL Amos - we must have been posting at the same time!
36. Dave | March 10th, 2007 at 10:40 am
If the statistics don’t lie, Ronaldinho scored 17 goals this season in the Primera Division and is consequently second on the top scorers list behind Frederic Kanoute (18 goals) and in front of David Villa (5th with 10 goals). So what about a disappointing season from him???? He is Barca’s topscorer and arguably one of the best players in the modern era. What has Hleb achieved so far???? I would say pretty much nothing. It’s laughable when some of us compare Ronaldinho to Hleb. Nor can you compare an Aston Martin to a Fiat Panda. Both serve as vehicles transportation but that’s pretty much all they have in common.
37. Gelbs | March 10th, 2007 at 10:44 am
There is also a syndrome for the Wenger defenders. PTR-TODH sufferers.
Post Traumatic, Rose-Tinted, Optimistic Diehard disease.
38. Ruralgoon | March 10th, 2007 at 10:55 am
Yeah, if u say so dave. RVP has 11 and has played for approx 1/3 of the season. Ronaldinho is one of the most selfish players going and yet has barely scored more than one of our rotated [and currently crocked] strikers. Hardly an out standing season. My point was actually that Hleb actually works for the team, not just standing about sulking.
Amos: that was the funniest thing ive read in weeks!! Add to the symptoms the compulsive urge to sell the best player ever to grace the EPL- despite his obvious injury problems!
39. Amos | March 10th, 2007 at 10:56 am
PTDD update: It should be noted that, sadly, some cases are untreatable.
40. Gelbs | March 10th, 2007 at 11:02 am
Not as funny as “Arsenal being world beaters next season” or “I’d rather have Hleb than Ronaldinho”
41. Ruralgoon | March 10th, 2007 at 11:06 am
Oh, and has anyone spotted the “cannot possibly win” situation that AW finds himself in?
For the last couple of years AW has sold big name players seemingly prematurely, only for these players to suffer a major injury the following season and subsequently achieve nothing further in their careers.
If AW had sold TH14 at the end of last season, he would’ve been slated like hell by the media and the press would have called us a club in crisis cos our talisman had left. He didnt. Now there are some sections that want him sold cos he’s done nothing this season due to injury…
Should we have taken Barca’s ridiculous bid and run? or has AW kept TH14 knowing that there is much more in the tank for next season… or will he nowe be sold for less than we’d have got last summer?
42. WillyG | March 10th, 2007 at 11:27 am
Gelbs do you think I`m happy or any Arsenal fan,that we are out of the Champions League,FA cup and Title race BUT most of us stand by the team.This has not been our season just like it has not been for Man Utd in the past 3 years…..I don`t think Helb is a bad player coz his dribling is great but he needs to improve his finishing touch….Though I do belive we need to get 2 new players……But take my advice Gelbs-Be a real fan coz even when we win you complain,you are never happy what so ever….
43. Gelbs | March 10th, 2007 at 11:32 am
End of the day, your optimistic, I’m not. End of.
All I’ll say is the past 3 seasons we have been shit apart from a decent one off fluke in the CL Final. Most other managers would of been sacked by now. Like Mourinho said. All Wenger is doing as well is living by his past and his reputation which is beginning to falter. Every manager has his day. Look at Brian Clough at Forest. Interesting to see what you people will say next season when it be the same.
44. Top Gunner | March 10th, 2007 at 11:43 am
gelbs you are a pessimistic fool. you find any excuse to slate wenger and arsenal, even when we win. you have a field day when we lose
45. Gelbs | March 10th, 2007 at 11:46 am
Then your a cock. I have never slated Arsenal when they win. Not unless it has been fortunate. Any excuse for slating Wenger? 2 seasons without anything whilst our rivals sweep the lot? I can’t be assed with this shit. Total pricks. I look forward to this time next season.
46. Gelbs | March 10th, 2007 at 11:50 am
Your the equivalant of the Liverpool fans who have been saying “We are gonna win the League next season! Mark my words!” For the past 17 fucking years. So what you got to say about that? Actually, don’t bother.
47. Gelbs | March 10th, 2007 at 11:55 am
And you say I have always something to moan about, you always have something to be positive about. The negatives outweigh the positives.
48. tubes | March 10th, 2007 at 11:57 am
some people need to be grateful for what this club has achieved under wenger: 3 PL titles, 4 FA cups, 4 charity shields, an unbeaten season, a state of the art training complex, a world class stadium, a team that plays breath taking football, took us to our first CL final. now before certain people start saying “yeah but he never won us the CL” or ” breath taking football alone isn’t enough” just think where we were before arsene came along… finishing 6th / 7th every season playing mediocre football hoping for a half decent cup run, compare that to now, ok we’ve not had a great season, so we re-group in the summer with one or two new experienced faces and come back next year with the hunger and drive to bag a couple of trophies.
P.S wenger has done all this on a shoe string budget compared to united, chelsea and pool.
49. Gelbs | March 10th, 2007 at 12:02 pm
All past glories Tubes. Past is past, present is present.
50. tubes | March 10th, 2007 at 12:08 pm
you have to see that wenger only has one choice - to try and find rough diamonds and turn them in to gems or find youngsters with “potenial” (ok thats two choice’s). he cant just go out and take a risk on a 25 - 30 million pound player with 100k plus wages because if he flops then ultimutly arsenal will then we will be just like leeds.
51. Gelbs | March 10th, 2007 at 12:10 pm
I’m not talking about the youngsters as such, more his tactics and overplaying. That’s my point. And that’s kinda shit anyway. Because he coped alright during the 2002 double winning season without buying kids.
52. tubes | March 10th, 2007 at 12:21 pm
yeh in 2002 the whole team clicked, i cant recall any major injury’s that season either so that shows if you have the luck and the team gels then you obviously stand a better chance in every competition. this season we have had an unreal amount of injurys, its still a team with a lot of youngsters in it and it will get better. youve read the comments about if united and chelsea lost there main players, it doesn’t matter who you are it would have a negative effect.
i dont think it has anything to do with tactics and everything to do with putting your chance’s away that has cost us this season.
53. Josh | March 10th, 2007 at 12:43 pm
Gelbs please leave this site.How you can call yourself a fan bemuses me.If you dont care why do u put so much effort into writin g about them.
54. Beautiful Rose-tinted Glasses | March 10th, 2007 at 12:43 pm
Arsenal’s season.
Arsenal lost away to Sheffield United and could not score from open play.
Arsenal drew to a hapless Newcastle side at home and could not score from open play and break down packed defence.
Arsenal drew at home to an unambitious Everton side and could not score from open play.
Arsenal were thrashed in the EPL away at Bolton conceding from a set-piece after 5 mins.
Arsenal lost away to CSKA Moscow ad could barely make a proper wall for a free-kick.
Arsenal missed a record 8,570 guilt-edged chance at home to CSAK in the CL. They drew 0-0
Arsenal missed a catalogue of sitters away to Man Citeh. They were punished and lost 1-0.
Arsenal missed a catalogue of sitters away at West Ham. They lost 1-0.
Arsenal were slow in tempo and abject against M’Boro at home and could only draw 1-1.
Arsenal were slow in possession and predictable away to M’Boro and drew 1-1.
In their first game at their new stadium Arsenal started as they mean to go on by conceding a set-piece and only able to beat a packed defence in the 87th minute.
Away at Fulham Arsene Wenger ballsed up team selection and tactics and Arsenal could have gotten stuffed. As it was they were lucky to escape with a 2-1 defeat.
At home to Portsmouth Arsene Wenger’s Arsenal show no signs of being able to up the tempo and start quickly and go on at half-time 2-0 down to Portsmouth. A very weak team who only had one fit striker. The Arsenal minnows peg them back to 2-2.
Away to PSV Eindhoven Arsenal miss a catalogue of chances and end up losing 1-0.
At home to PSV Arsenal show no tempo or hunger and deservedly go out. Ending their season as they started it: by conceding yet another set-piece.
Some rose-tinted deluded people think that Arsenal are so special they do not need to sign wingers. Arsenal have not won the EPL for 3 seasons.
Cristiano Ronaldo has more goals than the whole of the Arsenal midfield combined this season. But yet some people will tell you that ‘nah don’t need wingers. We never played that way.’ Indeed. Look at how successful we have been this season.
Liverpool, Chelsea and Manchester U. have once more left Arsenal trailing in their wake. Arsene Wenger has turned Arsenal from being the best team in the country into being only the 4th-best in the country.
Arsenal have missed more clear-cut chances than any team in the EPL this season. Yet, some people think Arsene Wenger is perfect and can do nothing wrong. So many missed chances suggests getting superior players or improving coaching methods.
Arsenal have gone 10 years in Europe and made a one-off final. And just like Chesterfield in the FA Cup semi, or Milwall in the FA Cup final it was a one-off. Like Milwall they lost the final and will never make another.
Arsene Wenger has the best individual players in England but has contrived to lose to Sheffield, Fulham, Bolton, Manchester City and West Ham.
Arsenal were lazy and unfussed at home to Blackburn in the FA Cup and had to have a replay.
In the replay Arsenal were rubbish and were knocked out. Arsenal again missed a host of chances. Blackburn took their one chance.
Some rose-tinted optimists think that Arsenal are ‘unlucky’. Even though the opposition taking their only chance continues to happen every week.
Arsenal’s season ended on March 8. As of that date Arsenal were out of every domestic cup and the CL. Yet some rose-tinted optimists think it’s ‘all to play for’
Arsenal FC have a track record of general mediocrity over the last 3 seasons with a fluke FA Cup final and a lost CL final to show for it. Yet Arsenal charge the highest ticket prices in the EPL for a team incapable of even competing for the title. Fair? Realistic?
Arsenal charge the highest ticket prices without people knowing what for since the cash is never spent on quality players.
Alex Ferguson, Jose Mourinho, Frank Rijkaard, Vicente del Bosque, Fabio Capello and Rafa Benitez are all more successful managers than Arsene Wenger. They all have CL trophies and 2 or more league titles. Some back-to-back. They all see the benefit of using wingers. But some deluded rose-tinted optimists think Arsene Wenger is such a God that he knows more than all these managers. Some people think they know more than these managers who have 6 European Cups between them.
Arsenal miss chances like they were out of fashion.
Koeman told Wenger he was going to sit back and not take any risks. But Arsene Wenger is so tactically clueless he was still unable to find a way eben with prior knowledge. Sad.
We take the piss out of Liverpool fans for singing ‘18-5, 18-5 na na na’ and for living in the past. Yet how different to them ARE we? Arsenal’s state is so sad that I must have heard the words ‘unbeaten season’ at least 200 times over the last two days. Sad indeed living in the past to justify our rubbish present.
Some people keep talking about ‘how great this team will be in 3 years’. Nice. It could be. Has it ever occurred to any of u that Cesc, Clichy, VP and Diaby will not be sticking around to play for a team contented with 4th place and CL ‘participation’ every year?
The rose-tinted optimists moan but Jose Mourinho is right. What kind of a club wins nothing at all for 3 seasons and puts no pressure on the manager to achieve results? What kind of ambition is this?
What kind of message and winning mentality does it send out when a team is knocked out of all competitions on March 8 and instead of demanding improvement and progress, all the fans can say is “Wenger knows”??! Could you imagine such a thing happening at Barcelona e.g? Rijkaard has back-to-back titles and possibly on his way to a third. He also has a CL trophy (something Wenger will never win at Arsenal doesn’t have the tactical nous). Yet Rijkaard may very well find himself out of a job come summer. Ancelotti at Milan has a CL trophy, a CL final and an Italian league title. Yet Ancelotti may also be out of a job come summer. Winning teams have winning standards. No team has a diving right to trophies but every top team has a right to be competitive. NOT out of every cup and league by March 8.
How much longer can Arsene Wenger live off the unbeaten season? What have Arsenal actually done since then? A luck FA Cup scrape and a lost European final?
Senderos, Hoyte, Flamini and Adebayor are not good enough for this level. Nowhere near. Perhaps Flamini can be useful but the rest are no-go. So why does one get the impression that even if Wenger were offered Eto’o in a straight swap with Aebayor that Wenger would refuse?
Rose-tinted glasses are great. I am sure I imagined Alex Hleb giving the ball away near his own penalty area only for Reading to go and score fro the resulting corner. I am also sure I imagined him doing the same thing home to PSV where Farfan nearly scored. Ah yes. And I am reminded of the pointless foul on a player going nowhere that lead to the PSV goal. Did I imagine that?
In light of all the statistics and cold hard evidence this is what we hear from the Rose-tinted Optimists.
‘We will win everything next season’
‘Arsene knows’
‘Hleb is world-class and would not swap him for Totti or Kaka’
‘Arsenal have had an excellent season’
‘We are in transition’ (can someone please remind folk that transition is supposed to be a short-term phase. Isn’t supposed to last 5-6 years)
‘We do not need wingers or any players. The squad is perfect’ (as the 0 trophies show)
‘Sell Henry’ (who will score then?)
‘This team will be great in 5 years’
‘Cesc is loyal and wants to stay. He never said them things’
Yeah sure. All paper talk. Just like Cuntley n Anelka and Reyes. Would explain why Cesc missed that sitter against PSV. Dreaming of sharing a dressing-room with Xavi.
‘We do not need a world-class striker we just need to put our chances away’
Bit like saying ‘I can shag Pamela Anderson if I want. The only thing I need to do is find her’ Yeah sure. Maybe time to consider that if the chances keep being missed its cuz the team is not good enough.
So that is that. Keep the rose-tinted optimism coming in large portions. Why strive for success and winning mentality? Let’s treat Wenger like a demi-God and tell the players how amazing they all are even though they cant compete for an EPL in 3 years. Let’s.
Special note to Emmanuel “Ade-fool Forrest Gump” Adebayor. If I ask my line manager for a pay rise at work it is because I have produced results. What I cannot do is start in my job on April 1, do naff all and then ask for a pay rise on April 10. Adebayor must be having a laugh. Had he put that chance away against Gomes then perhaps I might have taken him a tad seriously. But then he IS an Arsenal player so putting your chances away and being clinical is about as synonymous as Paris Hilton and catholic nun school. Where can I buy a pair of those rose-tinted glasses? I live in Cornwall and nobody knows where I can find some.
55. WillyG | March 10th, 2007 at 12:44 pm
How much have Arsenal,Chelsea and Man U spend in the last 3 years?
56. WillyG | March 10th, 2007 at 12:51 pm
Gelbs the way you put it seems Arsenal have not won a Trophy since the 80`s
and you said you also complain even when we win with luck.So if you were a Man.U fan in the Champions league Final of 1999,Liverpool fan in the FA cup Final where it ended Owen 2 vs 1 Arsenal,Barcelona fan when we lost 2 vs 1 10 men Arsenal Champions League final.You would have been unhappy? just support Chelsea my friend
57. WillyG | March 10th, 2007 at 12:53 pm
In football you need Good Players and Luck(for examples No injurys + In the game itself) Gelbs who has won a major cup and not been lucky,WHO?
58. Gelbs | March 10th, 2007 at 12:55 pm
Lmfao. That is you Respects. Making another alias. One it’s long, and two it sounds just like you. And you don’t live in Cornwall.
59. Gelbs | March 10th, 2007 at 12:56 pm
Fucking excellent post Respects.
I don’t need to say anything else. That huge post says it all.
60. WillyG | March 10th, 2007 at 1:01 pm
what the fuck are you saying you cunt….just say you are not an Arsenal fan you gay coz you piss everyone off……
61. Legolas | March 10th, 2007 at 1:01 pm
Actually Gelbs you are wrong. It’s me. And I DO live in Cornwall btw (Newquay). You will note that I made a complaint not very different to this one some time ago and got ridiculed for it. It was before the start of the EPL season in 2006.
And I was mocked for it and people called me a joker for it.
Seems I was not wrong.
62. Gelbs | March 10th, 2007 at 1:02 pm
Fucking excellent post mate. Brilliant!
63. Dave | March 10th, 2007 at 1:02 pm
From now on Wenger has 2 years time to win some silverware. As Gelbs said you can’t live on past glories. You have to give respect to those people who have done so much for Arsenal over the last years like Henry and Wenger surely have but that doesn’t mean that we aren’t allowed to judge or criticise them by present performances. I think there is a great difference between laying into somebody and offending a person. The first one is realistic, the second one lacks of respect. I think if Wenger doesn’t manage to win us something over the next two years, he will leave by himself anyway. Most of all next season will make or break us. There is no worldcup, we have the whole summer to prepare for, Henry will have 4-5 months from now on to forget this season and to get back to his best form. I wish we can do our transfer businesses early in June or July so we have enough time to integrate that/those new player(s) into the team. We need a good preparation to find back to our winning mentality.
As for this season: I think we should take the opportunity to experiment a little bit with our starting formation. 3-5-2 with Gallas (CB), Toure (RB) and Clichy (LB) and two defensive midfielders like Gilberto and Diaby could be worth wile or a 4-3-3 like Holland plays in in the favour of Van Persie. There is plenty to give a trial.
64. tubes | March 10th, 2007 at 1:03 pm
thats what it is we’re missing chance’s and getting punished for them, it has nothing to do with tactics - there was 3-4 clear cut chances to score against P.S.V and we didn’t take them simple as that so that proves it has fuck all to do with tactics.
65. Legolas | March 10th, 2007 at 1:05 pm
Gelbs you can also tell that it is me because I remember reading that Respects hates people who use the word ‘EPL’. So I use it anyway deliberately to wind him up!
Gelbs you definitely have my support. I have written 1 post at the start of the season and one post after we got beat at West Ham and it got mysteriously deleted.
I also got dissed here the other day because I agreed with Tony before the PSV game. So now I just thought it was wime to lay down a few home-truths. I have no idea why you are getting slated Gelbs but I am also a pessimist. That is why I call myself “Rose-tinted Glasses”! Lol
By the way where has Tony gone?
66. Gelbs | March 10th, 2007 at 1:05 pm
Team selection then Tubes. Not signing the right players i.e. finishers. We have always been reckless at times even when we were finishing stuff. But now it has gotten incredibly worse.
67. Gelbs | March 10th, 2007 at 1:05 pm
Lol Tony.
68. WillyG | March 10th, 2007 at 1:09 pm
The word “Fan“ has a meaning you know-To support unlike like that dick Gelbs……
69. Gelbs | March 10th, 2007 at 1:12 pm
Is it not possible to support and slate the same time?! Your the dick mate. So a fan is someone who never dares criticise the team and always remind positive regardless? A real fan is someone who sticks by their team and always supports and follows them. I will never NOT support Arsenal. Just couldn’t do it. Arsenal through and through.
70. Gelbs | March 10th, 2007 at 1:12 pm
Remains not remind*
Think I am turning dyslexic.
71. WillyG | March 10th, 2007 at 1:14 pm
Do you go ever go out from your house coz it seems you make comments every 5 seconds
Nerd…..What Formation shall we use against Aston Villa? who is there danger man?what will the score be at H.T? what should Wenger change by then? answer me Mr.Gelbs(Supermanger online) 
72. Gelbs | March 10th, 2007 at 1:15 pm
Lol. Coming from you who is posting every 5 secs. 1-1 against Villa.
73. Amos | March 10th, 2007 at 1:16 pm
“Yet Rijkaard may very well find himself out of a job come summer. Ancelotti at Milan has a CL trophy, a CL final and an Italian league title. Yet Ancelotti may also be out of a job come summer. Winning teams have winning standards.”
So tell me. If Barca or AC Milan could get Wenger this summer would they appoint him?
74. Legolas | March 10th, 2007 at 1:16 pm
Gelbs basically the post was especially for that Amos character who always seems to insult anybody that will not drink rose-juice with him. He seems to really hate anyone who has a mind of their own to criticize Wenger.
And Amos yes, it was me who wrote to you yesterday under the nam ‘Red Roses’ although I am sure you msta figured that one out by now. Amos dude you sound fine but I have to say your arguments on Wenger have no base or substance.
My point on Rijkaard yesterday was that he has back-to-back titles and Wenger does not. And the point on Benitez was that Wenger CAN BEAT HIM IN A DOMESTIC CAPACITY BUT IF IT COMES TO PLAYING OTHER EUROPEAN TEAMS THAT ARE SOLID IN THE CL WENGER DOES NOT HAVE A CLUE! WHEREAS BENITEZ DOES! WENGER CANNOT HACK IT AGAINST SOLID TACTICALLY ORGANIZED TEAMS IN THE CL! BENITEZ HAS 1 CL WENGER HAS NONE! GOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOD!
75. WillyG | March 10th, 2007 at 1:17 pm
Sure you can criticise But not always NOT ALWAYS,every comment……I
76. tubes | March 10th, 2007 at 1:18 pm
dave, good comment about the transfers being done early this year, i dont think anyone wants another scenario like last august.
77. LMFAO | March 10th, 2007 at 1:21 pm
Amos post 33. Nice one mate! Made my day.
Where is RH? RH what do you think of RED ROSES post yesterday?
Know him from somewhere?
78. Legolas | March 10th, 2007 at 1:23 pm
Amos wake up damit. If Wenger is made available this summer there is not way AC or Barca will take him and let me tell you why.
Barcelona are a prestigious club with high expectations. So I reverse the question on you Amos. If Arsene Wenger moved to Barcelona and won nothing for 3 seasons. Would he still be in a job?
I also ask you the same on Milan. If Arsene Wenger went to Milan and won nothing for 3 seasons would he still be in a job? Right then. You know Amos I remember you in particular being very stinging towards me when I made a post before the Villa match at the beginning of the season. I had said that Wenger was taking his youth policy too far to an extreme almost.
Well I was statistically right since we won naff all. So I would love to see what you come out with next Amos. To answer yo question no they would only take him if he promised to SPEND MONEY ON PLAYERS. Clubs like Milan and Barca would certainly never accpet 3 years of ‘transition’ no chance in hell.
79. LMFAO | March 10th, 2007 at 1:29 pm
Legolas= Beautiful Rose Tinted glasses= Red Rose = Respects Highbury
80. Gelbs | March 10th, 2007 at 1:40 pm
Brilliant reverse question. No he wouldn’t be in a job. Fuck me Barcelona want to get rid Rijk and he has just won back-to-back titles and a CL!!
81. *_Respect Highbury | March 10th, 2007 at 2:06 pm
Right. I have only just logged on to this site and it is nice to see that the kindergarten kids have returned. So I will make only a few passing observations prior to buggering off.
1) The person posting on post no54 is clearly somebody positing to be myself, but is clearly not. For a start, were I to post under an alias, I would do a much better job of hiding the fact that it was myself posting.
Amos knows this and so do I: I 9 times out of 10, agree with Amos. I agree with him that a balanced perspective is needed. So again, to the twat posting under my guise, another one you got wrong
2) The person posting under LMFAO and then claiming that I, am all of these false aliases, is clearly the person responsible for this.
3) A crafty criminal does not bludgeon a suspect to death and then leave his calling card, complete with telephone number and address, lying on the victim. As I said, the person doing so forgot to make some consummate effort to hide this fact
4) I would hazard a guess that the person responsible for doing this would be the same twat that was responsible for posting under Lancealittle and my own, names a few months back.
5) Anybody with an iota of common sense would see that I actually mentioned only yesterday or sthg, the fact that there are things of more essence in life than football and Champs League elimination. Refer to my post on Sierra Leone please.
6) I never hide. If ever I have something to say to anyone then I trust in my own instinct and ability to formulate a crafted and comprehensible response. Never will I need to hide under the guise of an alias to do so.
7) I have never advocated the sacking of Arsene Wenger. If you READ nay of my prior posts it becomes clear that I attribute the blame of Arsenal’s season to the attitude of the players. I rarely criticize Wenger. So to “Legolas”/LMFAO/”Red Roses” swat up on your flaccid research please.
9) My reasons for not posting on this blog for the last 2 days can be attributed to two factors. The first, being that one of my kids has contracted glandular fever and I therefore have been more attentive to this event. The second, can be attributed to some of the abhorrent abuse that Thierry Henry has been given on this blog. I think it is an absolute disgrace the way certain short-minded folk have conveniently forgotten how much the man has done for us. Someone on this blog the other day even claimed that Henry was “faking his injury in order to make himself look good and have a valid excuse for his shit season”.
How absolutely far-fetched, fantasaical and ridiculous.
10) Another reason for not posting of late has now come about. Children have returned to the blog. I suppose with it being a Saturday and with Easter holidays looming, kids are being given “carte blanche” to run amok. And hence the polluting of the blog by idiots positing to be myself.
As I said, I never hide.
The funny thing is that the person posting under the pseudonyms “Red Rose”/”Rose-tinted”/”Legolas” is clearly the same buffoon who later, attempted to stitch me up under the name LMFAO.
Cunning.
Shame the dunce gave himself away by subsequently attempting to link my name, to the name of his other schizophrenic alter-egos.
Amos, for the record, I actually agree with the majority of what you say on post 33. I also have to add, that were Wenger to become available this summer, Barca and Milan would joust to snap him up in an instant. Only a complete halfwit (aka LMFAO) would argue with that.
Once again, showing the supine nature of the idiot posting under my guise, “Legolas” claims that Barca or Milan would not sign Wenger.
Fine. So there you have it. I will attend to my kid as there are things far more important to responding to half-wits who have some spare time on their hands, and have Mummy and Daddy’s PC monitors at their disposal.
Oh and 4th place is by no means a certainty with Henry’s injury and the additional news that RVP is out for the season. So once again “Rose-tinted Optimist/”Red Roses”/”Legolas”/ LMFAO, yet another prescient point you omitted from your ridiculous attempt.
Wenger may not have won anything but I have always, and will always say he is the best man for the job. So next time some moron wishes to post under my guise, by mimicking my writing style, he should consider adding that into his post. He should furthermore, consider adding more comas to my structure, as this has always been one of my major English flaws (as Little Dutch can point out) - oh, and he should furthermore make more concerted attempts to use terms such as “Champs League” and “Prem” - my terminology of choice.
That will be all.
See you guys after half-term when the kids are not left unsupervised on a Saturday.
Arsenal will come good again next season I believe, just for the record.
82. LMFAO | March 10th, 2007 at 2:20 pm
Respects if it ain’t you accept my apologies. Wouldn’t want to be slandering you especially if you are off attending to your sick kid. My get well soon wishes to him/her.
I am not the other guys that were pretending to be you. Actually I don’t think they claimed to be you coz one denied it, confessing they were Legolas!
My only crime is engaging in pseudo-intelligence. You always address people by their names repeatedly in your rejoinders. That and the posts being long.
Too right anyway. Loads of infantile behaviour/characters on this blog.
83. gooner4ever | March 10th, 2007 at 2:28 pm
I hope hell be back with more determination. Looking foward to see Diaby playing hes next Arsenal game, hes our hope.
84. Amos | March 10th, 2007 at 3:40 pm
Nice to see I am getting under your skin Legless. But in reality your problems are brought about by your own insecurity. That’s why you find it neccessary to post under different aliases in case you get found out as you did under your Lime Wedges tag when Little Dutch exposed you for the lying phoney fraudster that you are.
What problem do you have with my putting the contrary view to yours that the club is in terminal decline? For that matter want do you expect to gain by your stance? What do you imagine anyone can take from your posts and put to good use? Arguing with people like you is a bit like arguing with the guy wearing a sandwich board proclaiming ‘the end is nigh’ - he knows if he says it long enough he will be proved right.
If its all the same to you I will sit in the sunshine and leave the pit of despair to the negative, insecure bedwetters like you.
85. Amos | March 10th, 2007 at 4:38 pm
“Clubs like Milan and Barca would certainly never accpet 3 years of ‘transition’ no chance in hell.”
Precisely the point. My question was would Barca and AC Milan appoint Wenger if available this summer? No one can seriously doubt that they would which immediately squashes the ‘tactically inept’ abuse.
Your question is would Wenger be allowed 3 years without a trophy? I don’t expect that he would but given that he hasn’t gone three years without a trophy in the EPL and has always at least challenged for one I don’t expect the chiefs of Barca or AC Milan would expect that he would fail.
But to bring some perspective to the whole debate Wenger, at this point in time has to manage Arsenal differently from the way that he would manage Barca or Milan. Given unlimited transfer budgets he could achieve quick success much as he did at Arsenal by turning an underperforming team with the addition of some strategic buys into an attractive trophy winning side. If Barca were willing to offer £50mn for Henry then Wenger would have no trouble importing the players he wanted and he would never have let young talent like Cesc and Merida go either.
With the restraints needed to enable Arsenal to fund state of the art training facilities (better than Barcas or Milan) and the new stadium Wenger has had to commit to a nett transfer spend of £8mn a year (augmented by transfer income and the financial performance of the club) to stay within the terms of laon agreements. When faced with this he could have shrugged his shoulders and said ’sod this I am off to Barca, Milan or Real’. To his credit he didn’t he said ‘We can do this. I will focus on getting the best young players in from around the world and though it’s a risk we can still compete’. He had to do this to turn a middle of the road club like Arsenal into a club that can realistically be compared to the giants of football. He is almost there. So when you try to measure achievement it is important to judge the basis from which that achievement is made. If Wenger never wins another trophy in his career his achievements are nonetheless remarkable.
86. LMFAO | March 10th, 2007 at 4:43 pm
Amos if you’re not an imposter too, more power to you. Just as the world is tired with the being bullied and fed pact americana bullshit since the end of cold war so are we tired of the legless one’s ‘gunner blog consensus’ on this blog ( ‘I dominate all discussions regardless their nature with never ending drivel’). So I for one welcome the counter balancing of ‘power’ on here. Power to you Amos for not being another of the cheerleading buffons on here! ( you know, nicely said Respects, you’re sooooooo clever!) LOL
87. OOH2BA | March 10th, 2007 at 5:19 pm
Gelbs - you are a complete prick - eat shit and die
88. Gelbs | March 10th, 2007 at 6:13 pm
Mmmmmmmmmm. Fancy a kiss? Xxx
89. dennis_10 | March 10th, 2007 at 6:16 pm
Seems like everyone is practising their polemics, so I might give it a go, without reading any of the above posts (it’s far too tiresome), but I can’t believe how it’s come to quoting miles palmer, gilberto. Is it that bad?
Ultimately, theirry has paid the price of being a succesful international and club player, and his club and country both rely on him heavily. He’s knackered, and we can’t be relying on him for ever. We need a razor-sharp striker, 20 goals a season man, RvP was looking like that guy this season, but we still need the competition on the bench. I don’t know whether Bendtner is that man, but if he can cut it in the rough n tumble of the championship, and he does have the technical skills, i’m sure he could adjust to the Premiership quickly. I keep reading about Eto’o, but nothing will convince me that he is the right man for Arsene or the team. His monetary value and his potential value to us are 2 completely different things.
For anyone with the short-sightedness to think that Arsene should just leave Arsenal, is debate aside, a moron. To think the press lauds Mourinho for what he has achieved at Chelsea would be mildly amusing if they didn’t actually sound serious. 2 titles for half a billion pounds is hardly an achievement, and he is tainted with this for the remainder of his days. Arsene has built probably the finest training facilities in Europe in Colney (it’s feng-shui’ed for crying out loud), and his vision has taken the club forward light years with the realisation of Ashburton Grove. Rome wasn’t built in a day, if you’re of the view that it was, then who can convince you otherwise. But anyone who also thinks that the club is in terminal decline under Arsene’s stewardship needs admitting to a loony bin. Look at it like this- if you were in the Barca or Milan board, who would you take: Mourinho or Wenger?
Since ‘04, we have lost Vieira, Edu, Parlour, Keown, Pires, Lauren, Cole and Bergkamp- all of them stalwarts. With the budget he has, the team has still managed an FA Cup and a European Cup final. Look at ferguson- he went 3 years without a title, but look at the spending. I’m tired of the word “transition”, but the fact remains that youth is precocious, and it needs time and patience. Having said that, a fully fit Henry is a thing to behold, and I strongly believe that we will be challenging for the title next season with him. My only worry for the remainder of this season is baptista- I don’t think he’s Arsenal quality, but he’s what we’ve got for the moment, so I will hold my breath till May.
90. Dave | March 10th, 2007 at 6:35 pm
Mourinho is simply jealous because Arsenal have class and his money grabbing Russian prostitutes or merchants (what you like) are hated all around the world. Why the fuck is he always commenting on us? He should rather be concerned with his possible sacking in the summer and the departure of his brainless (sorry) captain if not payed 130k a week (laughable for any defender). Or what about Abramovich not meeting the players and him anymore? I had respect for Mourinho when he worked for Porto but since then he has achieved nothing witch other trainers might not have too with the same ressources available. About 500′000′000 pounds for transfers and not one Champions League trophy (perhaps this year). Beside John Terry and Fat Frank there are not a lot of players in their current squad who would have joined Chelsea without the black money put up their arses. That’s a fact.
91. Dave | March 10th, 2007 at 6:39 pm
I’m fed up with that arrogant prick. As soon as he doesn’t win the PL and the CL (there is a chance he won’t this year) he will be the real joke and the press will slate him.
92. Stokesy | March 10th, 2007 at 6:50 pm
With hindsight looking back on wed night i have 2 say i dont agree with you questioning our midfield partnership as a weakness. We dominated that game from start 2 finish and it was a combination of poor finishing and bad bad bad decision-making(hleb) that was our downfall. Its obvious that we need a clinical striker yeah?, and why not go for dave nugent? Around 6 million would seal the deal, hes got good pedigree, u21 international, been scoring goals for a couple of seasons in a decent league so why not arsene??????
93. Pabz | March 10th, 2007 at 7:09 pm
I don’t see any evidence for your claim that ‘it’s clear all is not well between Henry and the club’… HE’S INJURED. He has been carrying injuries for years and the chickens have come home to roost. Spot speculating and panic mongering.
94. LMFAO | March 10th, 2007 at 7:35 pm
Back again just to add my views on the Wenger debate. Have to say Arsenal is in terminal decline and Wenger needs to go sorry. Thanks for everything Arsene but it is nowhere near good enough for someone to be out of everything by the start of March. Henry should also be sold the petulant little bastard and we should think about getting some top-notch English talent like Terry or Lampard or Hargreaves in the team. Team cannot do the basics like taking set-piece and Wenger has lost the plot! The reason we are shit is no English players. obvious.
95. Dublin Gooner | March 10th, 2007 at 7:51 pm
Can I just say that LMFAO you are a complete and utter prick. Yeah sure, sack Wenger and Henry why don’t we? LMFAO says so and with a serious name like that who could ignore him? It’s because of ‘fans’ like LMFAO that see some people leave games with a full 10 mins still to go. LMFAO I am lmfao at your complete stupidity. You are a twit and need your head examined you glory-hunting child. Arsene Wenger understands and knows more about football than some loser who spends his lifetime wanking on an Arsenal blog. Do you realise how much of a git you sound? Oh of course not you sound great. Idiot. I really hope Wenger and Henry can ram it down your throat next season good deep and hard. Although I am sure your boyfriend is already doing that for you. Moron
96. John | March 10th, 2007 at 8:00 pm
Lmfao @ the cunt LMFAO. Wanna take first-team training instead on Monday? Wenger is shite inne? Lmfao. Go support CSKA Fulham chav tosser.
97. arsenalist | March 10th, 2007 at 9:04 pm
I’m wondering if Henry would’ve still been sidelined for the season if we had won the PSV tie.
With our top three strikers out, Baptista will get chances to play and I hope he stinks it up so Wenger has no reason to keep him on.
I think a top four finish is almost a surety. Our games in hand will pull us though. Besides, we’ll beat the crap out of Liverpool the next time we play them.
That stuff about the Spanish clubs and the transfer radar is garbage.
98. LMFAO | March 10th, 2007 at 9:07 pm
Legless LOL. The narcissist in you must be loving the convo with yourself. Just a reminder, you forgot to wheel your African and West Indian friends like you did during your titanic battle with Gunnerblood-whose identity incidentally, you’ve subsequently subsumed.
Only you can have the time for this nonsense. When you’re not indulging in verbal diarrhoea, you’re busy impersonating and inventing aliases. What can I say? Why pity a flawed genius?
99. Dublin Gooner | March 10th, 2007 at 9:52 pm
How come some posts are being deleted?
Especially if they are criticizing some people? MMMMMMMMMMMMM??
some unholy alliance exists here? is legless untouchable?
100. GilbertoSilver | March 10th, 2007 at 10:02 pm
No posts are being deleted.
Stop bickering and go and watch Madrid-Barca.
101. ey | March 10th, 2007 at 11:04 pm
Brilliant stuff from Messi.
102. Dublin Gooner | March 10th, 2007 at 11:33 pm
Legolas, Legless, LMFAO, Red Roses, Lime Wedges and Tony…Amos you hit the nail bang on the head mate. It is all the same insecure exposed motherfuckers trying to look cool. Also gotta love the way that tosser LMFAO/Red Roses/Legless/Cunt has now also assumed my own identity. Pathetic. I’m with Gilberto Silver. No time for bickering with this sad case. Suspect it might be Lase now. Mysteriously absent for a long while now since I added to my criticism of him. Phoney. Anyway sod that what a great game Madrid-Barca was! On the money GilbertoSilver!
103. Togo Mago | March 10th, 2007 at 11:49 pm
Well said who spoke of the children of the the blog. Whoever said Wenger should get the sack can go lick his mama’s pussy. Hell yeah I said it. And can people please stop childish arguing? Getting very ridiculus. I am from Togo anyway and have just seen an interview with Adebayor on satellite here in Togo. Adebayor has just said in the interview that he think that there is only ‘a 30% chance I will be an Arsenal player next season’ I could not believe it. He also said he is ‘unhappy wit his role’ and that Arsenal ‘have to show their ambition in the transfer market to convince me’. Now because I from Togo of course i love Ad-cool! But Wenger must break the bank to keep him we cannot let him join the manchester reds!!! so anyway what u guys think bout this?
104. ey | March 11th, 2007 at 12:14 am
Well, I love Ade’s effort and spirit, but if he said that (could be a fake/dub considering how fast he speaks), he can fuck right off. henry saying that - I wouldn;t like it, but fine. But Ade? Hell no.
105. Lime Wedges | March 11th, 2007 at 12:29 am
Amos they shootin! I made you look. You a slave to a page in my rhyme book! Since you’ve prolly never heard of hipp-hop in your life you wont know what I’m on about huh? Anyway I see you still take rose-flavored jam with your toast every morning. Cool! So Amos lets start again. Little Duct thinks he’s so smart but does not aktually know that u can burn plastic. didnt u do chemistry at school boy? Nope…Right anyway Amos since u n I are at it I might as well put forward another one for u to consider. ARSENE WENGER HAS LOST THE DRESSING ROOM! How can u explain that Djorou was on the bench for the PSV CL game and Kolo forced to play right-back? Cuz Gallas REFUSED to play anywhere but C-B and Wenger gave in to him. Weaks. Then for the B’burn game SENDEROS AAAGH! is forced to play right-back n we lose. how come Gallas didnt play there instead? Cuz Wenger lets the top French players do what they want when they want. ADE IS A CUNT HOW MANY TIMES DO I HAVE TO SAY THAT? SHIP HIIM OUT THE MUG! WHAT A NONCE! HE WANTS AMBITION? NOB! Wenger cannot even tame Eboue who does wot he wants. Cesc says wot he wants to the Spanish press when he wants and now look wot Ade gun said! Wenger lost it.
106. lase | March 11th, 2007 at 6:44 am
dublin gooner at 102 i have had my fights and disagreements with limes and co. interestingly they have been siding with you so if anybody is posting as them it must be you..it’s instructive that you only post when they post.
so after making a fool of yourself by claiming that some posts are being deleted while they are not do not turn around and pretend that someone else is assuming your identity. moron.
about my not posting for long people do get other commitments at times to keep them from visiting blogs. furthermore experience has taught me that after a painful defeat the last place you would want to be is at gunnerblog with morons like you (=legless=lime=tony) and doom-mongers like gelbert adding the salt.
from the negatives u get t’s just like visiting the spuds site.
now dublin gooner just grow up and stop having a conversation with yourself by posting under different handles and then blaming others.
107. adam | March 11th, 2007 at 9:05 am
hey lime wedges you’ve just admitted your a hip-hop faggot, that comes as no surprise
108. gooner09 | March 11th, 2007 at 4:39 pm
hey guys come on all of you still positive about ARSENAL NOW think again
GELBS is right with evrything he said and so is beautiful roses tinted glasses!
109. disco dave / Black Roses | March 12th, 2007 at 4:24 am
Well when DD signed Wenger we’d won nothing since 1994…
Gelbs (ManUSA fan); can you be sure Ronaldinho would be a success in the Prem, which is governed by a xenophobic, archaic FA sanctioning leninet refereeing and thuggery?
Legolas is a cock and a knobend. Fuck you pessimists; what purpose do your rants serve?
Wedges; where’s the evidence of any of what you claim?
110. Amos | March 12th, 2007 at 8:05 am
I dipped into this comments section this morning after posting yesterday afternoon just to see if the tone of the posts had changed, more in hope than expectation. It hadn’t of course. The vitriolic rants of Gelbs and whatever alias his buddy was posting under continued unabated as it has done pretty well all weekend as far as I can see.
It doesn’t matter really. It’s not as though Dein and Wenger are lying awake at night worrying that they might be upsetting a couple of people on a football blog. But I can’t help wondering what they imagine they can achieve? They have laboured the same point (as much as there is one) without variation for so long that surely everyone knows their stance and either agrees or not. They seem to want recognition that they predicted that we wouldn’t win anything at the beginning of the season and were proved right. But it is hardly a unique position. Every Spurs, ManU and Chelsea supporter, all those groups that loathe Arsenal with a passion, were predicting the same thing. And like Gelbs and Co will carry on predicting the same thing at the beginning of every season. The law of averages say they will be right some of the time.
On all to rare occasions Gelbs will post a sensible comment worth a response or at least an amusing one. The other guy is either just a wind up merchant or a 14-year-old kid, or both, and has yet to show a capability of making a rational point. So what is it they want? Just the opportunity to let off steam? What is the point of coming onto an Arsenal blog just to shout about how much you hate the team?
111. James Marsh | March 12th, 2007 at 9:05 am
Well, looks like some of you had a productive weekend! What the hell guys? I leave on Friday and despite the fact we’re all down about the season being over, we seem ok and then today it seems that Arsenal are falling to pieces and will be lucky to survive in the Prem next year.
Rather than regurgitate a rant I’d just like to refer to my post #50 on http://gunnerblog.com/?p=562 as I really can’t be arsed getting myself worked up again for negative idiots. As Richard E Grant said in some film I watched recently, “I don’t like getting violent, I’m not very good at it and it ruins the rest of my day”.
It seems that over the weekend Lime Wedges/Tony et al brainwashed some poor land bred them to be s angry and negative as them and gave them this site address.
112. James Marsh | March 12th, 2007 at 9:17 am
Well, looks like some of you had a productive weekend! What the hell guys? I leave on Friday and despite the fact we’re all down about the season being over, we seem ok and then today apparently Arsenal are falling to pieces and will be lucky to survive in the Prem next year. I turn my back for a minute…
Rather than repeat a rant TOO MUCH I’d just like to refer to my post #50 on http://gunnerblog.com/?p=562 as I really can’t be arsed getting myself worked up again for negative idiots. As Richard E Grant said in some film I watched recently, “I don’t like getting violent, I’m not very good at it and it ruins the rest of my day”.
It seems that over the weekend Lime Wedges/Tony et al brainwashed some poor lost souls, taught them to be as angry and negative as them and gave them this site address. ‘Fans’ like this have such a negative effect on the supporters, and in turn the players, is the atmosphere at the Emirates the other night any fucking surprise with these guys there on OUR side?
Rant about how gutted you are that our season is over, talk about how disapointing this year has been in terms of form, talk about the effort of the team not seeming all that we’d ask, even suggest some players don’t look interested but PLEASE can we have a bit of persepective. Maybe even a bit of respect or gratitude to Wenger for all he’s done? No, you’re right, that’s not something we football fans do these days is it?
We deserved to go out the other night, not cos of the team or the performance but cos of the fans. So many didn’t support the team, we didn’t create an intimidating atmosphere, we waited for the team to give us something to cheer about and then as soon as they suffered a blow so many of us gave up and went home. There were 7 minutes left! Which, incidentally is the same amount of time that liverpool took to get three in the Champs League Final.
So well done to all for standing up and screaming the team on for those last 7 minutes, for roaring them forward in a all or nothing climax….Oh wait, that didn’t happen did it?
113. James Marsh | March 12th, 2007 at 9:25 am
Apologies for posting part of that halfway through writing it. The reason is I’m still suffering from the Monday mornings ‘post weekend-pre tea’ shakes.
114. Stiglr | March 12th, 2007 at 2:43 pm
my first post here, so be gentle…
I think the main problem with Wenger’s tactics is not his insistence on playing the “beautiful game” style of football. When Henry’s fit and the team’s not flat, they can and do dismantle teams regularly.
The main problem, injuries aside, is that when we come across a team of talentless hacks who clog up the passing lanes and run about studs up and trodding about on people’s shinguards, we can’t seem to adjust our game and get scrappy. There’s no way in HELL, Henry on the pitch or not, that we should be forced to a replay and then lose that replay against the likes of Blackturd Rovers.
We need a “low gear”, where we can shelve our ‘pretty-boy’ football when we absolutely need to, and play tougher to get past a Blackburn type of side.
The only other complaint I have about this season is that Wenger stuck with his “let the youngsters play” stance and “took the high road” against basically a Chelsea A side with the Carling Cup on the line. If he were going to risk Henry’s remaining season on one game that would have been the one: you get at least a small bit of silverware and you put paid to an otherwise tossable type of season (which is the prospect we have to live with now). I don’t feel the least bit better about the scrappy youngsters “giving a good account of themselves” when you know even before the game kicks off that Drogba’s going to be on the other side and is going to be a thorn in your side as always. I can’t quite forgive Arsene for that.
I’m all behind the youth movement, however. I sure hope the rumblings about Adebayor being sought by Manure prove to be rubbish; no way he should be let NEAR any kind of door out of Emirates. I like watching Aliadiere, Walcott can only continue to grow and find his stride through the end of this season.
The only players I wince at now are Hleb (seemingly no first touch “touch” at all, a problem Adebayor struggled with but seems to have gotten past somewhat this season) and Flamini who just never seems to matter when we need him most.
So, much of this season is down to the piling up of (un)timely injuries. Face it, we’re not gonna be the same team without TH14, and when you pile vanPersie on the same medic pyre, it’s going to have an effect. We should be so lucky that the kids have shown so much resiliency with so much weight put on their shoulders.
115. Stiglr | March 12th, 2007 at 2:52 pm
The other dimension to this underachieving season is the inexplicable points we’ve lost to Middlesboro, Sheffield (!!), Fulham; Blackturd and Bolton (our two real bogie teams), etc. You tack those 12 - 14 dropped points of losses and home draws to our table stats and look where we are. Coupled with taking three out of Trafford, hanging with Chelski and all but possessing the deed to Anfield (remember we drummed them out of two competitions in the same week!)…
look where we’d be… breathing down United’s neck.
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