Usmanov speaks, we should listen. And I have an idea…

May 12, 2009

So Usmanov has spoken at long last and has urged Arsenal to buy grown ups in order to compete with the top 3. At last a shareholder that talks sense.

As an aside I would put Kolo back in as a defensive midfielder, he has more pace than the other three, can tackle better and has a fierce shot. Only if the superstar we need doesn’t arrive though, Kolo is not a centre back I’m afraid, I love him, but it’s not working out.

Will the manager listen? Who knows but as the Mirror said today, so what if Wenger won two doubles, Joan Collins was a babe once. Think about that one, you can’t live off past glories forever.

I see their point, I’ve been thinking about our youngsters and what Wenger says about them when they improve, Gael Clichy and Flamini are probably the only two players to have come through after years of watching them struggle. So it may work now and again, but is it worth it, does it hold us back whilst waiting.

Arsene has played Song, Denilson and Diaby all season and arguably Song has improved, but he’s still not good enough for a title challeging team and the other two are nowhere near so I have an idea.

This is a radical solution and it goes back to the days of Graham, Clough and Paisley, it was something they lived by and was phenomenally successful.

It’s called the RESERVES, it’s a strange concept, but hear me out first and see what you think.

So you take players that aren’t good enough for the first team, players like Song, Diaby, Denilson, Ramsey, Wilshere and Fabianski. Players that aren’t far off but still not there yet. You then play them in the reserves week in week out, if there are no fixtures, then arrange them, that way they will either improve over the season or they won’t, they will be playing regularly which is good, rather than coming off the bench and getting abuse because they are having a shitter and it’s no their fault because they don’t play enough.

They then have the incentive to shine and get into the first team, that’s where players like Paul Merson and Perry Groves came from. Also use the reserves to bring back injured players. We only need our third choice keeper on the bench because they are very rarely used, Fabianski needs to play if he is to improve, sitting on the bench won’t do it, that’s for sure.

So putting those players in the reserves will leave room for at least 3 new signings, if those signings are truly world class, then we can win the league next year, we would also win the Carling cup because we would have a decent reserve side that play together on a regular basis.

Will it work, yes of course it will, how many European cups did Liverpool, and Forest win in those days eh!

Have a think Grovers, this could save Wengers blushes, give us the new players we crave and at least win us the Carling cup.

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Posted by Geoff

I think we needed that humiliating spanking… But will he change?

May 11, 2009

I’m not going to dissect what was a pretty horrible result.

Just a few points, then I’ll let you guys do the rest.

Theo missed a bag full of chances today… but there is the key. He is getting in position to miss them, he is learning his role. Earlier in the year he was barely registering a shot. It wont take long for him to develop composure… training with a genius will speed up that process. I look forward to 15 goals from him next year.

Arsenal were woeful in today… the keeper, the midfield and the defence were all terrible. We need major surgery there in the summer, and I was glad to hear the coach indicate he would sign 2 experienced players. Do I think two players will be enough? No… but it’s a start right?

The fans won’t be conned this summer. We don’t want to hear that we’ve got enough quality in the side to compete next year, because most of us aren’t stupid enough to go along with that this year.I guess what is damning for Wenger and his loyal band of disciples is that even the players don’t believe in his ideology… Almunia, Toure, Adebayor, Cesc and Robin have all mentioned the need to recruit this summer. Thousands of seasons ticket holders, hundreds of Grovers, majority of bloggers, every quality newspaper, every ex-Arsenal player, every pundit, any rival manager who is asked… all say the same.

We’re not good enough to win the league, we need to recruit. Wenger says we have no money, so when he said we need to build a new stadium to compete with ManU and Chelsea, he forgot to tell us it would take another 15 years, wow some omission. Perhaps we should have stayed at Highbury, at least we had money then.

Wenger also said judge him in May… we’re now in May. So what do we think? Well, the proof is in the pudding, and the facts are, our pudding tastes distinctly average compared to what the top three are offering… we need some better ingredients… we need to get some fresh produce from quality establishments.

Life is not a dress rehearsal… if the kids aren’t cutting it, let’s recruit some men who can. Or get real world class kids in because the one’s we have are most certainly not. How many of our team would get into ManU? Cesc maybe? Would Song, Diaby or Denilson? Would Fish head? We know the answer to that don’t we!

Today’s performance was awful, the team selection was awful and the result was down right humiliating, but hey, there will be no doubt about what needs to be done when Wenger sits down with the board this summer.

The problem is the manager will do what he wants, no one will stop him, he is Arsenal, if he made changes he has to admit he failed and he won’t do that.

We have two games left, we will lose one and win one, how bad is that, that we know we go into a game with no chance, how can anyone say anything positive about yesterday? 4 years and counting, way to go Arsene.

Over to you Grovers, what do you think needs to happen?

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Posted by Pedro

We need to win this one to qualify for not qualifying!

May 10, 2009

If that made no sense, let me explain… it means that 3rd spot guarantees our players don’t need to come back until pre season, which normally begins at the end of July, if we get 4th, we have to pre qualify and that will mean coming back a month early.

We should have beaten them at Wembley, we did beat them at Stamford Bridge and since then we have signed Arshavin, the saviour of Arsenal and he will be playing today regardless of the viral rumours, he has what 3 games left, why wouldn’t he want to play every game.

I think the Mancs will play a weakened side, not just because they won’t want to pick up unnecessary injuries. but because they will rightly say we are shit and not capable of beating their second team, so in theory we can beat the chavs and the Mancs and with Stoke up last we could finish 3rd.

So with a summer off coming up we need to play our best football of the season and I believe they will, they must know they owe us at least a performance where we have more than one shot on target, it seems an age ago that we had 29 shots against West Ham at the Grove, unbelievably that was the first game we lost there, I would sooner see us play like that and lose than the way we bent over to the Mancs on Tuesday.

So come on Arsenal, beat these scumbags proper good, show us why we have cause for optimism with this side, show us we can tonk a team above us in the league and keep our unbeaten run going, who knows this run could surpass the 49 of the invincibles in 2004.

Have a great day Grovers and let’s finish the season with a flourish.

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Posted by Geoff

If you expect me to change project youth, you’re in for a long wait.

May 9, 2009

Before I begin this post, it’s not a whinge, it’s a response to Arsene Wengers press conference and for all of you that hoped he would change his policy of recruitment. My question is, how long do you think some of our good players will want to wait?

So at his press conference (here, here and here) we got the predictable response to this season shortcomings and another trophy-less season, he said we got to the semi finals of two major competitions, we remained unbeaten in the English Premier league since November, and I spent big on Arshavin.

Well you could have read this blog yesterday and saved yourself a press conference because that’s what we all feared you would say.

You did however add the following, which I have to say I find puzzling. ‘Every player wants to play with big names because it’s re-assuring’ he also said they all want you to sign big name players. He then added, ‘If you then ask them what position, you will never get their position’

That’s like asking someone who out of all the girls out there, would you swap for your wife, and asking it when your wife in in the room at the time.

Robin Van Persie is hardly going to say, well boss, I think Diaby, Denilson and Song are complete shit and we should replace those three with Alonso, sling Fish head out and buy Chellieni or Lescott and replace that greedy bastard Adebayor with a clinical finisher like Karim Benzema or David Villa, is he???

However Arsene if you read Le Grove yesterday you would have some idea of who we and the thousands of people that commented on here would like, or don’t we count as we are just fare paying fans?

Or failing that, if you had tuned into Arsene TV last night, Stewart Robson even said we need a new centre back, a defensive midfielder and a goalscorer, so apart from your own TV station, every journalist and football pundit in the country, every living Arsenal legend an many blog sites including this one begging you to sign new players and giving you the positions that need strengthening, no one gives you names. OK.

So even getting beaten in 2 semi finals, nay hammered in one, you still don’t think you should change course, OK.

You did however leave a chink by saying you may bring in 2 experienced players in two positions, well boss that’s what we”ve been crying out for, well three actually, but two would do it if they were world class.

Tomorrow it’s the chavs and tomorrow this post will be about the game, and the task in hand of finishing 3rd and not having to pre-qualify, as this year we will probably have to face a top Italian or Spanish club and not a shit team from Holland. So third spot would be huge and it means the players get another month off.

Have a great day Grovers, the season is fast running out, let’s try and enjoy what we have left!

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Posted by Geoff

A cultured left foot? like London buses nothing, then 3 of them.

May 8, 2009

So I’m reading about Armand Traore and his successful loan period at Pompey, how he wants to come back and fight for his place, interesting, 19 year old Traore, 19 year old Gibbs and old boy Gael Clichy, not to mention Vela, Rosicky, Nasri and Arshavin.

So that’s 3 left backs, 2 left wingers and 2 right footed players we have been playing on the left wing this season. I don’t know what he plans for next season but we’ve been collecting left backs for some time now and they are all world class, maybe we should start to look at the centre backs, the goalscoring forward and the strong big lump we need in the defensive midfield role.

I can’t see how Arsene can keep them all happy, but I guess in the summer we will find out, losing to the Mancs in two one sided games will hopefully send out the message to the powers that run the club that we are only 3 players short of world domination, we will no doubt see the chavs, the mancs the scousers, the spuds, Villa, Everton and Man city all spending shed loads and if we don’t watch it the top four will become the top three and we’ll be fighting four others for the top 4th place.

Before I get the ‘so you know better than Wenger’ brigade coming on the answer is simple, if he can’t see what the rest of the world can see, then maybe I do.

What’s so frustrating is we all knew in the summer we were light, we all knew at Christmas we were light and had we had just 3 players we could have so easily been in 3 finals and leading the premiership by now, if we persist with project youth we face another season of winning absolutely nothing, yes we got into 2 semis and unbeaten in 21, but we played no one really until the semis, then we were brutally exposed.

It’s only Villa’s spectacular collapse that has given us fourth, so we can blow smoke up our arses, we can only thank Bjork.

What’s so, so frustrating is we are so close, a bit of experience would change all that, look at Arshavin, he single handedly drew with Liverpool whilst the defence were as bad as West Brom, look at the 4-4 game with the spuds, I have never seen us so bad at the back, we simply aren’t good enough and even though Song has done well this season, is he really the world class player that can help us to nullify ManU and Chelsea in the big games? I don’t think so.

The boss said judge me in May, well it’s now May and I’m judging, we at Le Grove are not calling for his head, we are calling on him to use his head, stop being so stubborn and buy what we need. Another year of this will yield nothing, we need the quality at the back, in the middle and up front.

Ade wants out, we want him out and with the ACN coming up we need to replace our African players, or at least back them up, or next year the boss will say ‘I lost 4 key players and that was unfortunate’. We have no idea if Rosicky will return and whether he’ll return as the same player, we should plan without him, if he returns it will be a nice bonus.

Robin Van Persie for me is a huge talent, but he’s always injured, if we haven’t worked that one out by now we never will, I’m not saying get rid of him, I’m saying get another in to help him when he’s injured and to rest him. Theo I love but he’s not a winger really, is he? Maybe try him up front and bring in a real winger, and no I don’t mean Lennon.

Wenger has been a great, great manager, but if he doesn’t act now, he will be turning into the mad professor, who refuses to change because he refuses to admit he was wrong, I think the same thing happened to Fergie in the Kleberson and Djemba Djemba days, people were calling for his head and look what happened, he bought some quality in and now they are on for back to back titles and back to back ECL’s, hell they even won the worthless cup along the way.

If Fergie can admit he was wrong, then so can Arsene. We all love to watch this team and the style you play Arsene, but 1 shot in two games on target against the Mancs just shows how short we are, the humiliation I have suffered from Manc mates has been too much to bear, it wasn’t the losing, it was the manner in which we lost.

Please boss, act now before it’s too late and another season passes us by, and buy early so they can get a full pre season under their belts.

We really aren’t that far off.

Have a great day Grovers, next up the chavs, let’s beat them this time and at least get some bragging rights, hey, and who knows, maybe 3rd spot and no pre qualifying, now that would be a result!

P.S. If you didn’t get the chance to yesterday, please check out the gallery!

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Posted by Geoff

Losing in the semis, what’s the best cure? Watching someone else lose in the semi’s!

May 7, 2009

Well we lost in the semis to the Mancs and I was so angry and upset it was best for me to stay off of Le Grove for a day in case I said something I regretted, so what’s the best way to get me back? Watching someone else lose the semi’s in the same competition, well as I left the Arsenal game after their 3rd goal went in on Tuesday, I received a predictable text for a chav, well I didn’t have to wait too long to send one back did I!

What was so funny was Barca scored in injury time and fat Franks cousin, Jamie and ex spud Souness were beside themselves for 3 penalty shouts, I have to say though Gullit could barely hide his glee that Barca were through.

I was so, so happy that the super rich team of stinking chav bitches got dumped out, it was Karma, I just hope that Barca beat the Mancs and Everton win the FA cup, that will really make the pain go away.

The big problem is though, we could have been in both finals but we weren’t because we weren’t good enough with the players we have, if Arsene Wenger continues with this crazy experiment we will be lucky to finish 4th next season.

We didn’t just lose to the Mancs, we were humiliated, we were so bad we made them look good and that for me is unacceptable, Wenger saying he felt bad is bollocks, he picks the team and buys the players, it’s down to him and if he doesn’t watch it, we’ll be another mid table team that no one remembers.

I broke one of my rules yesterday and read some of the other blogs. One blog actually praised the side and Wenger’s policy, I thought this guy cannot be an Arsenal fan, surely he just writing this with the sole intent of being balanced, not as a fan?

Anyone that is happy with our season and the job the manager has done simply cannot be as much of an Arsenal fan as me, I am hurting, I am hurting real bad, all I think about is Arsenal and this team wasn’t good enough last season, isn’t good enough this season and won’t be good enough next season. Anyone who is happy with what we have must be a loser. Trouble is I am an Arsenal fan for life, I can’t just switch off.

I said to Pedro the atmosphere at the Grove was the best I have ever seen, the Sun said it was great for 7 minutes, wankers, it was great way before kick off and even then until they scored we were great, then we were shocking and that has to be down to the fact we just don’t have the players the Mancs do, and if the manager can’t see that, he ought to get himself a job somewhere else.

I’m not calling for his head, far from it, I think Wenger is great, but this refusal to buy ready made players and his youth policy are killing our club, we have now had 4 seasons of nothing and for all those people that say ‘what? 2 semi’s, 21 unbeaten and 4th in the league, are you mad’ well if they all find that acceptable for what we pay, then their expectation’s are not in line with mine.

I read a comment on here that fateful night, and that person was more upset with the fans leaving than the result, that made me laugh, he was watching it on his telly, some of us were there and you know what, I was one of them and I left early.

I cannot believe that Kroenke has spent all this money to watch Wenger build a team of kids that can’t win a trophy, why would he do that? I now hope that someone tells him what his job is, and that he now goes back to doing what he did when he joined, buying great players and winning trophies.

The Chavs were unlucky last night but we weren’t, we were lucky to have been there in the first place, this team is not good enough and won’t be next season, we have players in the team that don’t want to be there, players in the team that shouldn’t be there and players in the team that aren’t good enough to play for a mid table team and if Arsene can’t see that then my arse is a kipper.

So I just hope that he now realises he was wrong and go out and buy 3 or 4 world class players in the summer, give us all a lift and you know what, he could sell at least 6 of his young players that we don’t need and raise some cash, the trouble is who will buy them, I wouldn’t.

It’s time to end this experiment. It’s not working and it won’t get better next year. Time to change.

Someone said yesterday they can’t understand how we keep writing this blog, well after Tuesday I have to agree, I was so disappointed I left the ground early and that can’t be right, I love the Arsenal, but I hate what’s happening to it.

When I got to the station there were as many people there as there was when I came in and that can’t be right, they were all real fans, none of them had suits on, the big problem we now face is so many young kids will turn to other teams, so what Wenger is doing will cause problems for Arsenal in years to come, kids either follow their dads or they follow success, I just hope there are a lot of dads out there that support Arsenal!

Have a great day Grovers, after watching the chavs lose last night I know I will!

P.S. Pedro has updated the Gallery with some of your fantastic pictures. If you have any Arsenal pictures close to your heart, send them to the address in the side bar (Click the Gallery link and the address will magically appear —>)!

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Posted by Geoff

Boys fail to become men / Project Youth: Fail / Ratings + Review

May 6, 2009

Normally when I write a post I feel like I can give people some sort answer to a bad result, I like to think in some small way I can offer a little bit of solace or make things easier to stomach when things go wrong. Today though, I just feel totally drained as a Gooner. I feel like a little bit of me died yesterday. I honestly don’t think I’ve ever felt a bigger anti climax… last night was like Nayim from the half way line, Bergkamp missing his penalty in 99 and Jens getting sent off in 2006 all rolled into one.

I took about a million pictures on the way in, the crowd were singing like I’ve never heard them sing, the flags made the ground look like a scene from some epic battle… it truly was one of the most electric atmospheres I’ve ever witnessed, felt or been a part of.

Arsenal FC, the management and the fans can be truly proud of what they achieved for the players yesterday. Like I’ve always said, fans always want to sing… you just have to create the right environment for it… which is the clubs responsibility.

The team sheet went up and it was the best team we could have put up… I truly believed something magical was about to happen…

Then my hopes were dashed… a slip of the foot, an ‘in the right place at the right time’ moment… and United were one up.

Maybe we’d win 3-1? Many had predicted that… it could happen right?

Ronaldo hits a freekick… Almunia slips… 2-0… inside 10 minutes.

Liverpool scored 3 against Milan… right?

Yeah they did… but lets be fair… Liverpool had a match winner in their team that night, ours was sitting in the stands.

Tonight, Arsenal were given a lesson in football… it was the equivalent of being bent over your fathers knee and getting spanked in front of the world. We had nothing… we could barely muster a shot for the most important game of the season… that my friends, is unacceptable. In fact, it’s not unacceptable… it’s a bit sad. I find it deeply disappointing that we don’t have the quality to look threatening against our most feared rivals. All the potential in the world isn’t going to change that.

My worry at the start of the game was where the moment of magic was going to come from. Cesc can create a match winning pass, he can’t provide the match winning goal… outside him, we don’t really have anything.

Theo isn’t anywhere near the level expected… if you believe he is, I’m afraid you’re a little too patriotic for your own good. Robin Van Persie is a bit of an enigma… I like him, but in a big games like last night he should be doing more. Adebayor… well… what can I say that hasn’t already been said? He is a big and fast… lets leave it at that. He doesn’t possess the quality to become world class… or make the difference consistently. Samir Nasri is young and finding his way… he isn’t ready to make an impact.

Our fiddly football feels overly complicated. I know the Arsenal teams of old were accused of over elaboration, but at least there was a directness about it. We regularly peppered the oppositions goal… This current team seem to take half an hour to move up the other end of the pitch and regardless of the game, there seems to be a complete lack of urgency. We need pace, power and quality… we don’t have that at the moment. We can talk about the potential of players till the cows come home… but we’re now heading into year 5 of project youth and we have nothing to show for it. 5 years is half a normal footballers professional career… half a decade and we’re still being asked to be patient… asked to see the bigger picture… shouldn’t the bigger picture be the smaller picture by now?

Plenty of fans will be pleased with the two semi finals… pleased with the unbeaten run… and will run around telling everyone how spoilt Arsenal fans are. There will be a million and one excuses flying around the net… injuries, youth… bad luck… but when it comes down to it, Wenger selected his squad for the year fully aware that people are prone to injuries and he told us that if you are young enough, you are good enough. Now we know that we are not good enough… what happens? Can our players jump to United’s level inside three months? Is anyone under the illusion that Liverpool, Chelsea and ManU will stand still this summer?

The simple fact is; once again, we’ve fallen short. Why? Because we’re not good enough… we never go into a season with a squad strong enough and we waste too much time cultivating raw talent that buggers off when it matures.

I love seeing players like Gibbs break through… he’s been immense since he’s come in and I thought he played a blinder last week at Old Trafford… but tell me this… what good is tonight going to do him long term? 18 years old and he’s just dropped a clanger in the first ten minutes in the most important game at the Emirates EVER… Then to top things off… he gets taken off? Talk about humiliate the guy… if that doesn’t mentally scar him… I don’t know what will.

I’m getting sick of being told about Wenger’s genius every year… how every club will be copying him one day… why would they? Project youth has achieved nothing… and judging by tonight… it never will.

‘Recently in the games that have mattered, like Chelsea and tonight, we couldn’t win. That of course needs thinking.’

Wenger knows… he’s knows something has to change this summer because his system is failing.

Big clubs will continue to buy big players and will continue to win the biggest prizes…

Tonight was men against boys, you’ll read that a lot today… when I was walking to the tube, weaving in and out of fans, that was the overriding summarisation by most. It was mostly said with a shrug of the shoulders and a meek acceptance of the truth. Tonight, it was all about quality… something I think we sadly lack when compared to the big three and the elite of Europe.

How thoroughly disappointing….

So, season over… prepare yourself fo the wave of spin that is about to hit you square in the chops. Life goes on, season tickets have to be sold and Arsenal only have a month to do it!

So… just incase you are unaware of what is about to happen, let me list the forthcoming events:

  1. Announcement of huge kitty available to Wenger… it’s a recession, so expect a figure of around £60million to be touted to really impress.
  2. Re-emergence of Jack Wilshere. He’ll get a few games in the run in… that’ll get everyone excited about the future again.
  3. Announcement of intentions: Expect Wenger to tell you that no one is leaving and he is keen to add 2-3 ‘super’ signings to the squad.

*All of the above statements are subject to terms and conditions. In the event that they are unfulfilled, please expect their to be maximum belief in the quality of the current squad come August 31st.

Roll on summer… make mine a Ribery and something solid at the back!

Ratings:

Almunia: His distribution was poor tonight and I felt he could have done more to keep out Ronaldo’s free kick. I received a call to say he’d slipped and to be fair, I was standing with a perfect view of the goal and the ball did seem to dip about 7 feet. I’m not going to rewatch it to give myself a balanced view. He made a few good saves after, but the damage was already done. 6

Sagna: I thought he was pretty poor last night. He seemed to be getting a rough ride by both Ronaldo and Rooney who channelled a lot of their effort into taking him on. 4

Kolo: My star defender of the night. I thought he dominated aerial proceeding and he made some superb last ditch tackles. 7

JD: Not the best performance from the Swiss international. Struggled at times… but he was preferential to Silvestre. 5

Kieran Gibbs: Can’t help but feel for the lad. He slipped for the first goal, it could happen to anyone. I thought he regained composure for the remainder of the half and I felt outraged that he was taken off at half time. The game was dead by then… he was playing ok, and the substitution only went on to highlight his mistake. I think something has to be said about the groundsman… Professional footballers have amazing balance, it’s part of what defines them… if they are slipping over, does that not tell you that too much water has been put down? It’s a weak excuse… but there is something in it. 5

Nasri: A positive out there tonight. He doesn’t shoot enough and I sometimes feel he fails to deliver on his final ball, but out of the creative lot… he was the best. All three of our attacks centred around his drive last night. 6.5

Cesc: I called up the CSI team… apparently our captain was due to play last night, but failed to turn up under mysterious circumstances? Our very own European Champion went missing badly today. He should be driving the team on, motivating his men… leading by example. We didn’t get any of that today. A very timid performance. 5

Song: I thought he played pretty well in the first half. He is much improved but at the moment, he doesn’t have the skillset to drive us or control the midfield. 6

Walcott: Theo is just not my cup of tea. He did well against lowly Portsmouth at the weekend, but he couldn’t raise his game for ManU. He excels at rarely getting a cross from out of his feet, running into people and the 5 yard back pass. Very poor for someone who wants £60k a week. 4

Adebayor: I can’t fault his work rate. 5

RVP: Offered us a glimmers up front, but again… in the big games, he disappears along with the other players who could all be off to sunnier climbs this summer. 5.5

P.S. If you’ve sent pics and I haven’t posted them up… I will do shortly! I’ve just been tied down at work… the bastards expect me to earn my money these days!

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Posted by Pedro

MESSAGE FOR KIERAN

May 5, 2009

Just a quick note for Kieran Gibbs.

You were taken off at half time after slipping over for the first United goal… I’m guessing that it was because you were distraught… I just wanted to say on behalf of the whole stadium and all Gooners worldwide that we’re behind you.

A mistake like that can happen to anyone… you’ll be a superstar… chin up son!

Tune in tomorrow at 0900 for my match report!

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Posted by Pedro

This is it, the moment we have been waiting for, TONIGHT WE WILL BE MAGNIFICENT!

May 5, 2009

Arsene has rallied the troops, he has made his speech, he has said we will be magnificent tonight and I for one believe him. He has said this Arsenal team will play to it’s strengths, keep the ball and attack, he also hinted he feels we play better 4-4-2, fantastic, at last, I hope he leaves Ade out not because I think he’s a bad player, but because I think he is better coming off the bench hungry and also because Bendtner deserves it after a great performance against Pompey.

I also think he (Bendtner) has a hatful in him and after all the seasons misses, it’s payback time, I believe his time has come to be a superstar, Robin the boy wonder is back in and he has a great chance to show us all he is the new numero uno at Arsenal.

Theo has been talking it up as has Cesc and on the way Cesc has said his future lies at Arsenal and I fancy him for a big game as well, I thought about not going as the tenseness of the game could kill me, but to not to be there and be a part of Arsenal’s history tonight would be like not being there when we beat Liverpool against all the odds at Anfield exactly 20 years ago. And if I have to die anywhere, it may as well be at the Arsenal.

Tonight we get our reward for refusing to play Wimbledon the Tuesday after the Hillsborough tragedy, that was when the FA threatened to dock us 2 points, this is the night God gives us our reward, tonight we have God on our side and everyone knows that no one likes the Mancs.

Tonight we should play like it’s the last game of the season, because if we don’t win, it will be, so every last ounce and every sinew needs to go into this game.

Tonight is the night our youngsters show the world why Arsene Wenger has unbending faith in them, tonight is the night they come of age, tonight is the night we overcome the odds and put a shed load past the cocky northern monkeys, tonight will be the greatest night in our history, tonight we put rednose and his expensive team of drug addicts and old lady shaggers to the sword.

I hope we get in their faces from the off and get 2 quick goals, that will throw them, tonight is not about caution and biding our time, tonight is about aggression and great finishing, shoot from everywhere and anywhere but boss, please don’t play Diaby. I think he will come good, I really do, but not tonight, tonight you need to have Vela in that spot, Vela has no fear, Nasri in the middle with Cesc and Song behind them should we play 4-5-1.

Eboue played well against Portsmouth, but I think I would play Gibbs, but if Gibbs is not 100% then Eboue without hesitation, I thought he gave us something on Saturday, I thought the whole team showed the attitude that we needed at Old Trafford last week.

We have nothing to lose, as far as the world is concerned, we have already lost so Arsenal, at em from the start!

In 1812 the brash new American army decided that wanted Canada, so they invaded Canada, we had two choices, let them have it and think about next season, or smash them and march all the way to Washington and burn it to the ground, we smashed them and tonight we will burn Washington to the ground, tonight will be the greatest night in Arsenal football clubs history, tonight will be Arsene’s finest hour, tonight we fix our date to march on Rome!

No offence to our Americans friends but it was a long time ago, you were the favourites, you did re-build it and didn’t do to badly as a result.

They can’t do it alone Grovers, so tonight you must be as noisy as you’ve ever been, wherever you are sing and sing loud, we’ll hear you, your spirit will be with us.

No predictions but I wouldn’t be surprised if we score 3 more than they do, go Arsenal, go!!!

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Posted by Geoff

Who would you have tomorrow? 1 nil down 3-1 up.

May 4, 2009

So one day to go, one day and ninety minutes away from the champions league final in Rome and it’s at home in front of 50 odd thousand Arsenal fans, me and Pedro included, we will never have a better chance than this, it really has 1989 written all over it doesn’t it? The anniversary, the playing the defending champions, the needing 2 goals, the drama, the fact that we are playing a team that no one gives us a chance against, it’s all there isn’t it???

So who will will play? I write this post today because it still gives the boss time to think about his selection, the only no-no’s are Eduardo, Rosicky, Gallas, fish head and Arshavin, so let’s pick our team shall we?

The team that beat Portsmouth almost got my vote, Pompey are no pushovers and that was an exciting side we had, but we will be playing the Mancs and they are better than them.

What stood out for me was the fact we looked strong at the back (mostly) and dominated the midfield. Eboue did look solid at the back, but he always does for me, but left back, that’s the first time I’ve seen him there and he was good and he made some good supportive runs as well.

Song partnered Djourou at the back and they both played well, Djourou has to be a shoe in there, maybe we should play Song just in front of them against the Mancs.

I thought Ramsey played a blinder, he really is going to be a Bryan Robson type player and I would take him over Denilson all day long, yes I know Arshavin said Denilson had a great game, but I am looking at a team to win on Tuesday and Denilson still gives the ball away too much for me.

Walcott played well and I think that Vela on the left is now a must, he gives us width and penetration and he’s not afraid to have a pop, he could be the ace in the pack.

Bendtner still has heart and can be a handful so he gets the nod for me up front and I would pick Robin, fit or not over Ade, Ade is a lazy arrogant bastard, but drop him, he may be better from the bench.

We need to win this by 2 clear or one and penalties, so we need 11 on the pitch that run their bollocks off, Ade only cares about Ade, yes he may play and score two goals, but on recent evidence he’ll be offside and do nothing, and in a match of this importance we cannot take that chance, Diaby should not get near the stadium, but apart from that, I would play the ones that want it most.

Almunia

Sagna Kolo Djourou Gibbs/Eboue

Song/no one if 4-4-2

Walcott Cesc Nasri/Ramsey/Song Vela

Bendtner Robin the boy wonder

So the above depends on 4-4-2 or 4-5-1 but I would send them out to shut down every move, chase every ball, shoot on target, in short, overwhelm them, it doesn’t matter now, we have played our last game, injuries don’t count, the EPL doesn’t matter, the final is meaningless because if we don’t beat the Mancs, there won’t be one.

We can do this, we just need to send the keenest side out there, the team that beat Pompey were far better than the team that lost to the Mancs, individually they aren’t but who cares, I would sooner see us try and go out, than to play like we did with prima donna’s at Old Trafford.

Arsenal, this is it, this is our last chance for glory for another 1 year and 3 weeks.

make the most of it, do us proud.

Now Arsene, have at look at my selection and read some of the comments below, it may help!

Enjoy the holiday Grovers, tomorrow is our season in 90 minutes.

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Posted by Geoff

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