Yes it’s true, Kolo Toure is urging Arsene Wenger to buy Souleymane Bamba from Dunfermline, this nugget from the Ivory Coast plays in central defence and can also operate in midfield so would solve our problems next season, and with the Cup of African nations coming up this could be the perfect time to buy him.
Right that hopefully will be todays only red herring, but I thought I would let you all know early on, talk of Bendtner out and Villa in is as ridiculous so that’s as far as I’ll go with that one.
Gazidas has told the press that Arsenal are being really kind to their loyal fans by freezing the price of season tickets, as they really don’t have to because they have 47,000 mugs queueing up for them, how gracious Ivan, you should be reducing the price, not freezing it.
I never understand why prices continually go up, do your salaries? I would think many out there are fighting to keep their jobs and business’s afloat, do pensioners get big pay rises?
I would like to propose we put BBC reporter Matt Barbett in the chump box this week for his interview yesterday with the mother and sister of the family of 6 that were killed by the Portuguese truck driver, he was interviewing them and I could barely watch and at the end he says to the sister, ‘do you forgive him?’
She naturally said ‘NO’ he then said ‘why?’ If I were there I would have ripped his useless pony arsed head off, what a callous prick, can you imagine it, if it happened to me I would hunt the guy down and rip him to shreds, and Matt Barbett wants to know why they couldn’t find it in their hearts to forgive.
Back to football, I just put that in because life in this country has gone beyond a PC joke. It would be like asking David Cameron if he forgave god for dealing that poor little boy such a cruel fate, why can’t the media leave people to grieve and re-build their lives, why the constant intrusion?
This is what they do to Arsenal, never the Mancs, never the spuds or scousers, always us, they can’t leave us alone, if I were Arsenal I would get myself a decent agency to handle the press, and yes Ivan, I am available.
Fulham up next and Hangelaand fancies his chances, well Alfie I’m not going tomorrow, not because I can’t stomach another nil, nil bore, but more because I am beginning to think I am the Jonah, the last game I missed was Cardiff and we scored 4, so tomorrow I’m seeing if it is in fact me.
Also I will be around to police the site and join in the merryment of what I expect will be a royal tonking, maybe 6, I fancy our new boy Arshavin to shine and maybe some of the others to step up. I would think that Denilson gained some confidence and if Diaby was then fit maybe the two of them can have another go, but he’s not so not why not try Nasri in the middle with Vela and Arshavin on the wings?
Either way we are in the process of getting our big guns back and hopefully seeing less and less of Pinky and Perky.
Have a happy Friday Grovers, my absence tomorrow may just do it.
darn it
nearly blocked you there Nick 
you defended like senderos
Yeah that’s exactly what i’m thinking irish regarding the team, though there’s always a chance vp will start, i just think it might be the right game to give him a breather, then he can play tuesday knowing that he’ll get another rest at the weekend.
Those same players could also switch into the formation we played against roma, alot of fluidity there, i like that team! Though i think diaby might start more alongside denilson, and just drive forwards when he gets the opportunity. Really hope we put in a quality performance tomorrow
I wouldn’t mind Gibbs getting a run instead of Clichy and even if we are 2-3 up with about 20 mins left to give Sagna a breather and bring on Eboue
Nick – hopefully my defending is a precedent to Fulham’s tomorrow
i cant see wenger resting to many players until the likes of cesc, ade & theo are back because every game is a must-win for us now
I would go with a back four of eboue kolo gallas gibbs
Nasri den diaby arshavin
Rvp Bendtner
Finger crossed irish
yeah i certainly wouldn’t mind eboue start ahead of sagna, give him a rest and add some attackingness to our play. Bit less with gibbs because simon davies is a very intelligent player and he could get exploited.
yeah i think if anyone it’ll be vp tom, a fair few players should be getting a rest next weekend anyways, i only say about vp because wenger’s already talked about overplaying him this season, and it’d be tuesday, saturday, tuesday, and i thought he looked pretty tired on tuesday against roma
Good night all im hitting the gym late rs
I dont think we can rest anyone tomorrow. Winning breeds confidence and we need one tomorrow to start the run. I think someone is on the verge of a battering. If we can get an early goal in a game, I really can see us unleashing on some poor team. I would go with
Almunia
Sagan, Toure, Gallas, Clichy
Arshavin, Diaby, Denilson, Vela
Nasri
RVP
end of the day, we are running out of games and need to start the winning streak.
Come On Arsenal.
Bye Nick
Bye irish you
Good point on Davies and Gibbs “A” – I’d expect AW to rest Clichy against Burnley though, with WBA on Tuesday and Roma away the following week
yeah i’m thinking exactly the same pat, we really need to win tomorrow, and on tuesday, they’re actually very big games. Someone is gonna bet an absolute beating soon, and we kinda need it to be tomorrow! If VP is fatigued though there’s a big risk of him getting injured, and we really can’t afford him to be out of the away leg at roma, that’s what i’m worried about. Vela and Bendtner has proved to be a quality partnership too, though i wouldn’t mind that formation you’ve put either, vela and arshavin a bit more advanced
Pat – “the end of a battering” I like the sounds of that
I know what you mean about RVP, but I would rather take him off after 60mins with a lead, than put him on in desperation for 30mins trying to win the game.
Think we need to win the game tomorrow early and then get the fringe players on.
I really think the goals are coming tomorrow.
yeah i agree irish, quite possibly sagna for eboue too, and djourou will likely come in for either gallas or kolo.
for burnley i reckon –
Fabianski
Eboue Kolo Djourou Gibbs
Arshavin Song Ramsey Nasri
Bendtner Vela
i really hope so pat. Also – i guess if vp starts, and it does just click in front of goal tomorrow, we’ll banish the demons of the horrific finishing in recent weeks, get our confidence as a team back, then we can rest vp against west brom and the rest of the team should be able to do it easy enough
Just please dont play Song again. You could see how he altered the whole game the other night, it invited Roma onto us with his negative play, and I want 11 up for it players tomorrow, and not one who looks and plays like he has just come out of the wrong side of Rum and Ganja weekend with a load of Rasta’s.
Agreed A with your team – Denilson could do with a break too.
What about Eduardo against Burnley and Walcott or will he leave them for Roma?
Perrotta is out of the second leg for Roma
I reckon Eduardo against Burnley, he punishes weaker opposition and we dont want them to fluke a cup double over us, and then put him on the bench against Roma……If he is fit.
As for Walcott, not sure, he always seems to take a few games to get back in the swing of things. I hope he stays fit till the end of the season though
oh yeah irish, forgot about them! Yeah i could see theo starting so nasri gets a break, though he could only be sub against roma. Theo right mid, arshavin left, vela and bendtner up top.
Eduardo and ade aren’t back just yet are they so probably won’t be involved against burnley. I thought wenger said the second roma match will be too early for eduardo?
Burnley might be a good game to “ease” Eduardo back in again
Walcott could be useful against Roma with his speed
reports have come out that Eduardo may be back by Burnley – apparently Theo and Eduardo for Burnley and then maybe Adebayor for Roma
ah ok, cool. Yeah wenger said theo is back in full training from monday, so he’ll have a week of training before burnley, i’d imagine he’ll be fine to start. when’s eduardo actually back, only thing i saw was wenger saying that theo’s back first and that’s on monday
I’m off folks – enjoy your evening
A – from arsenal.com
Eduardo
Thursday, February 26, 2009
After making a goal-scoring return to the Arsenal first team on February 16, Eduardo suffered a hamstring injury. However he could return on March 8 in the FA Cup.
cheers irish – that’s also very good news, i thought he’d said eduardo wasn’t going to feature in either roma legs, he could be very important against roma, if he’d played in the first leg the tie would’ve been over!
Diaby is fit!!!
Possible line-up:
Almunia
Sagna Toure Gallas Clichy
Eboue Nasri Denilson Arshavin
Nik RVP
Although I can see Wenger playing Djourou so Hangeland doesn’t dominate us in the air. Also, not quite sure if Wenger will start with Arsh.
Actually, let me fix that:
Almunia
Sagna Toure Gallas CLichy
Eboue Diaby Denilson Nasri
Nik RVP
I dont think Arsh will start for some reason
wenger will definitely start with arshavin pat! I think it’ll be same back five with
arshavin diaby denilson nasri
vp bendtner,
or vela will come in for vp if he really needs a rest.
I hope Wenger replaces Bendtner with Arshavin but sticks to the same formation he played the other night. It may/may not work in the premier league but he can only try & against a very well organised Fulham is the time to do it.
The other systems haven’t worked.
I hope Vp scores 2 by half time so we can take him off and give Vela the second 45.
Hopefully then Vela will get his frist EPL goal and we will win 4-0 because Bendter/Arsh will add the fourth.
surely arshavin in for eboue rather than bendtner gmr??
GMR he can use the same system yeah but have Arshavin left, and Bendter in Eboue’s place.
Eboue can play right back or come on in the second half to give someone a rest.
…………..Al…………..
Sagna…..Djouoru….Kolo/Gall…Clichy
………..Diaby….Denilson………
Bendt………..Nasri……….Arsh
…………..VP…………………
Arsh and Nasri can interchange…VP and Bendt can interchange as well.
I think Denilson should get a rest on Tuesday against WBA.
Song/Diaby should be able to handle WBA.
hey Grovers how you all doing?
whos ready for another nil nil haha
Also I think Djouoru should play agsint Fulham
because of that big monster Hangeeland….Either Kolo or Gallas should sit out.
Kolo for rest..or Gallas for the knock.
Yeah it’ll be interesting to see whether that happens with wenger having talked about kolo and gallas lacking height. I find it unlikely though ja if wenger didn’t feel it necessary against Kenwyne Jones, that he’d do it for hangeland when it’ll only be set pieces he’d threaten from, if fulham even get any! Kolo and gallas actually did very well against kenwyne jones, won a few headers against him, was a pleasant surprise!
also ja i think denilson will play against west brom, but get a rest against burnley
i think this next game is win at all costs draw is the same as loss
nasri diaby delinson vela
aa rvp
we need a real attacking formation
Odub – I had the same experience with ‘ontherun.com’. They could not meet my request but TOOK my money. I’ve been trying to get my cash back for over a year and now hoping to receive the same shoes this year to clear the debt TO ME! Don’t go near them.
A – the reason I said replace Bendtner with Arshavin rather than Eboue is that Arshavin is far better coming from the left than right side. If Bendtner can do a job on the right side then I’m happy to see him replace Eboue but I don’t think there’s much between them at the moment (due to Bendtner’s lack of confidence on the pitch).
Unless Wenger is prepared to play the likes of Wilshere (which we know he isn’t) then Eboue is the only option until Walcott comes back.
why do you say that gmr – i thought against sunderland arshavin did more when he was on the right than the left. apparently arshavin has been training at right wing ever since he arrived which makes me think that’s where wenger sees his role as being
a
think ashivan can play anywhere in midfield centre right left or evon as striker i dont think it matters but i would play him right wing
i think with arshavin rvp nasri and nick.. we can see them interchanging all the time, which on paper looks very nice.
knock knock!!
It certainly does choy.
Why is it so quiet on here tonight?
Whos there?
fuck … there’s no one..
Fine just ignore me
hey stu.. how are you?
so how do you feel about the game tomorrow?
lol… m sorry.. didn’t refresh. what you upto?
I dont know really? I havent really thought about it but given our recent 0-0s and that Fulham are the team with most 0-0s this season then…..maybe 3-2?
Depending on our team selection and their tactics it could either be a 1-0 loss or 3 or 4-0 to us. I know which one im hoping for.
I just got back from the vet. My dog has so many problems!
we need to really start taking our chances, rvp and nick are hardly prolific and hardly anyone else scores, hope nasri and arshavin change that tomorrow.
Another 0-0 will be too much.
oh ok.. which breed is he/she?
tell me guys. what is the s&b pub? can’t think of one. I drink in the tollington these days (used to be twelves pins and then the drayton)
He is a Boxer. Might have problem with the tendons in is shoulder. Need to go back next week. He has already had surgery twice already. Not major but still….i hope he doesnt need more. Its a bloody recession like!
oh sorry to hear that stu
hope he gets better.
Im pretty sure it bothers me more than him tho….so its not like he even realises.
Hope that works out Stu
S+B anyone? What does it stand for?
Where is everyone
I watched Manure TV, The Red Cafe. What a load of crap that is.
……the audience appear to be a whole lot of old boot boy looking, out of work coal miners, who have never had to pay a debt back in their life.
Sitting there carrying on about winning this cup & that, & totally oblivious to the millstone of over a £1,000,000,000 facing their only love in life. I spose when the only thing you have to worry about is getting your next packet of smokes; your next pint of warm swilly beer, & complaining about the noise being made in the neighbouring council flat, paying off debts the size of a 3rd world country isn’t programmed into a brain the size of a pea.
Small & Beautiful, apparently. Its where th Grovers meet pre game
…….& speaking of money going down the shitter, has anyone seen the proposed design for Tottenham Hotspurs new stadium. Here check it out
http://freshome.com/wp-content/uploads/2007/10/toilet-house2.jpg
…..the bowl, I mean stands will be accusticly designed so so that every Hotshit song will make them sound like one big loud fart.
…….for instance “Stand up if you love Tottenham” will sound something like this
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bOdpX6dcrU4
Ok! thats me 6 in a row, Tag!!!!!
lol gg9, in this case its like scoring in an open goal.
Hi Geoff,
Bit new to Le Grove. Checked the glossary and can’t find ‘Pinky & Perky’. I’m old enough to remember the original curly tailed, beret wearing porkers, but I’m presuming you mean that chump Eboue and a.n.other – who’s the second rasher in the pack ?
London, is that Arsh just behind RvP or alongside as I’d go for the former?
Might be worth trying Arsh in the Bergkamp role.
I like the idea of Gibbs to chuck some good crosses into the mix also.
North Bank, it’s Eboue and Song
Chary, like the sound of that.
And is anyone about?
benno
Just Old GG9 working as usual. Are you going to watch the game, I’m not sure I will watch @ that hour here EDST, most PL games lately involving the Goons have ended scoreless snores
……mind u with the Brown Bear declaring he will be joining in “the merryment” during game time, Le Grove should provide a perfect foil during the game. I might just hit the keyboard in the wee hours.
With the inevitable inclusion of Pinky & Perky on the pitch
we could see an appearance of a slightly aggressive bear 
……..or if Pedro stays home as well, it could be Arsenals version of the “crazy gang”.
Gnarley, i daresay i will probs watch it, not as late over west plus i have nothing on tomorrow worth not staying up for. Pinky n Perky better not play, i think there might be a justifieable line-up that Wneger could play with neither of them in it aswell. Diaby and Arshavin in the place of Pinky and Perky, with the other 2 being Denilson and Nasri obviously.
Yeh i’ll probs fire up the laptop in the tv room so i cen witness the Bear in full flow ranting if they do play
oh and yeh i don;t think i’ve actually watched us win a game in forever, didn’t watch the Roma game coz of doing uni work the night before, didn’t watch cardiff coz oit was on setanta, and the hull game i was at party so had to miss it, which i think means the last game i saw us win would have been Bolton at the Emirates on 10th Jan
hat-tricks in the early hours just give no satisfaction….
benno
the Roma game was on SBS, & the defence was as tight as
……as tight as 
……as tight as Arsenal spending money on quality players 
Predicted line-up
———-Almunia———
Sagna–Toure–Gallas–Clichy
Nasri-Denilson-Diaby-Arshavin
——–RVP—-NPB——–
Subs: Fabianski, Djourou, Gibbs, Ramsey, Eboue, Song, Vela
(although i’d replace Pinky or perky with LJW, but i can’t see AW doing that)
Time to be optimistic…3-0 to the Arsenal. Arshavin and an RVP brace.
ahaha Gnarley, goon analogy
yeh i would of got up for it but was up till like 2am doing uni work, and the game was on at 5 over here i think, i suffered enough when i did the all nighter on transfer deadline day so wasnt keen on attempting that again.
*good
well Gnarley, i think it’s football manager time, i’ll swing by every now and again tho, by that i mean every 5 mins
They effing arent showing todays game on espn india
morons
ikon
someone on here will get you a link.
Arsene Wenger has lept to the defence of striker Nicklas Bendtner after his latest poor performace against AS Roma.
The Denmark international has come in for criticism from some sections of the Arsenal support for his disappointing form, but the boss believes he is improving as a player and will rediscover his touch.
This inability to score is now getting to my FIFA 09. I just had a 0-0 with Fulham, & missed heaps of chances.Its getting me down
morning gg9..
where the fook is the newe post like?
Now that the Gang of 5 @ the back are getting plenty of action together, I hope this consistancy will start to appear in the midfield.
You don’t have to be einstein to workout that the reason for the clean sheets is no injuries @ the back. & we have Big Johan as back up.
….hey maybe Wenger is defensive minded afterall. Coz Arsenal’s defence, on form, is up there with the best.
morning choy
What’s your new avatar
it is a fish!!
Morning all, seen the article is The Sun, Big Roy is concerned we might get a cricket score against his side today…..
morning rico… how you doing miss le grove?
Morning rico
I hope it doesn’t resemble England’s 51 all out
choy i’ll be stuffed if i can see a fish. it looks more like a head with a baseball helmet to me
george – thats an early bit of cheekiness
51 goals would do, eh ? 
good thanks choy, you?
choy – i can only see your no9 shirt still
rico
have you finished slopping the (guinea) pigs this morning.
m good.. rico thank you… eh? ok you will see the new fishy hopefully… heheh..
how do you feel about the game rico?
lol gg9!!
rico
Speaking of cricket, did you see Ben Hilfenhaus’s 1st spell in test cricket. Arguably the best debut of swing bowling for a while. Imagine what he will do on those numerous cloudy Blighty days in a couple of months. I really don’t England has a batsman good enough to get an edge to that sort of bowling
Sure have george, even fed and watered the chickens, dont get to get much of a lay-in at the weekends now that the mornings are lighter
I really think we will win today, Fulham are dreadful away, and at some stage our chances have to find the back of the net. I think the goals will come from Nasri and Arshavin, maybe even Diaby will pop up with one. The important thing is to get an early goal (we always say that
) and get the confidence up, then who knows how many we could win by. Diaby is important, he has so much more to offer than Song, and if he is on form I think today will be comfortable
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GMa5JZbm7Yk
george – I didnt see him, is that the test your boys are playing at the moment? They certainly seem to have SA all at sea, last i saw they were 85-3. But we have Wee Gooner Jimmy to whip through your top order
Seriously, I think it will be a close series this year, and I look forward to the banter on here during it
So Diaby is fit then?
He is george, announced yesterday afternoon, Arsene said he was suprised, yeah right Arsene
Thats a funny clip, Geoff is probably working on a masterpiece as we speak – another rip-roarer no doubt
where you all gone
waiting for the new post
Ah
heheh
I’m waiting for another one of your jokes Rico, it’s still Friday’s post.
can’t be far away then that alusive new post
george – just for you
An Italian, a Frenchman and an Australian are talking about sex.
The Italian says, “When i have finished making love to my girl,
she levitates six inches from the bed.”
The Frenchman says, “That’s nothing! After 6 hours of continuous
love making to my girl, she levitates 3 feet off the bed!”
The Australian says: “Streuth mate, when I’ve finished ‘rooting’
me Sheila, I get off the bed, wipe me cock on the curtains…and
she goes through the fucking roof!!”
No offence irish
An Australian was in Ireland. On his way to Belfast, he stopped
at a bar and asked one of the locals, “What’s the quickest way
to Belfast?” The Irishmen asked, “Are you walking or driving?”
The Australian replied, “I’m driving!” The Irishman said, “Aye,
that’d be the quickest way!”
Two guys are talking about their boss’s upcoming wedding.
One says, “It’s ridiculous, he’s rich, but he’s 93 years old, and she’s just 26! What kind of a wedding is that?”
The other says, “Well, we have a name for it in my family.”
“What do you call it?”
“We call it a football wedding.”
The first asks, “What’s a football wedding?”
The other says, “She’s waiting for him to kick off!”
Very highly strung the Australian shiela.
Geoff’s sister is a naturalised shiela did you know.
Wheres Geoff?
i didnt george, off for a bit, catch you all on the new post later – have a good sleep george
He’s off cooking the pre-match Lasagne for the Fulham boys.
rico
I’ve got a few http://www.needmorebeer.com/img/crown-lager.jpg to finish before ZZZZZZZZZZZZZZ happens.
new post???
Speaking of lasagne, I wonder if 1-0 will be enough. Something tells me that roma have a penalty in them @ home. It sometimes works like that
New post written and waiting for Pedro. Blame him.
He’s probably in bed still!
Morning Geoff
NEW POST!