Hunter-who? New contract signing imminent…

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Seeing Song and Denilson in the middle of the park makes me feel about as comfortable as I do every time I see that advert where Carlton Palmer turns up in that unsuspecting gamblers bath… imagine finding that twat sitting in your bath?

I thought it was a negative line up against a poor team and I didn’t really the benefit bar fitness? Does Wenger do it because he knows we’re going to maul the team we’re about to play, thus convincing us that maybe they are good enough? I mean honestly… couldn’t we play one half with Denilson and Diaby and one half with Song and Arshavin? Wouldn’t that be more interesting tactically? I mean surely we’re not contemplating those two as a partnership in a 4-4-2 next year?

I couldn’t tell you too much about the Hungarian team… when the commentator read the names out it sounded pretty similar to a conversation you’d have with someone who was in an area with a broken reception. So for today, I will mostly refer to the team as Salami FC.

Early on, Mannonne did his best to replicate Almunia’s moment of madness the other day. He dealt poorly with a bad back pass from Rambo but luckily it came to nothing. I quite like Mannone… he is a beast of a keeper, but I can’t imagine him displacing Fabianski as number 2.

It didn’t take us long to break the deadlock… Traore picked the ball out wide, raced past his marker and delivered a pinpoint cross for Thomas Bendtner who glanced it expertly past the keeper. I thought Nik’s half time interview was refreshing. He gets way too much stick in the press for his arrogance, but for me he has manned up over the last year. He works hard, he says the right things and I think he is going to be an immense talent for us this year.

The next goal incidentally was set up by the young Dane. He laid the ball off to a fit Eduardo, who nipped in front of the last defender and buried the ball low and hard across the keeper. A clinical finish from a player who pound for pound shames Huntelaar.

The third goal came from an Eduardo freekick. He hit it low and hard from about 30 yards out… a good strike, but really, the keeper should have done better.

The fourth came after Wilshere cut the ball back to Thomas B just outside the box, Nik looked up and placed the ball low and hard into the bottom right corner. A nice goal from a player high on confidence and perhaps life?

A couple of points that need to be made from the first half. Traore looks like more of a winger than a left back. His positioning was a touch dodgy as he seems more interested in getting forward… however, I think his crossing is superb. Song was pretty poor, his link up play was awful… he passed it to his imaginary friend twice despite having a lot of time on the ball. Yes, I thought the counselling had solved this ‘problem’.

Is this who Song was passing to last night?

Is this who Song was passing to last night?

If anyone has delusions of a league winning season with him in the middle… you should think again. I thought Rambo and Jack looked good on the flanks. Jack needs to bulk up though… he’d last about ten games in the prem… thugs will try and break him… and he still looks so fragile.

The normal changes were made in the second half and we saw the return of Big Phil to the middle of the park

Jack gave us a glimpse of his talent early on when he broke through Salami’s defence and chipped the ball over the keeper only to be denied by the bar.

What I like about Denilson and Phil is they don’t try and over elaborate. I like Phil in the middle more than Denilson because he was an ok defender and he is a massive lump. Phil just gets the ball out from his feet and plays it to the closest player… no nonsense, no frills and good in the air. I’d love to see how he fared against a good team.

I enjoyed the woman shouting ‘Come on you guuuuners’. If she did that at the Emirates, we’d probably hear her on the tele there as well!

Big Phil dispossessed a Salami player and drove through the middle of the park Yaya fashion, laid the ball off the Robin who couldn’t get a shot out. The ball went back to Phil who woefully crossed… I guess that’s why he keeps it simple! A nice run though.

Sagna put us under the kosh by losing the ball but luckily for him Gallas showed great recovery skills to make the tackle.

One of the Salami boys had a shot from the half way line… Chesney collected with ease. I didn’t need to tell you that, but I wanted to show you I’d thought about the spelling problems of the Polish keepers name (Wojciech Szczesny) and I’d found a solution. We never rest on our laurels here at Le Grove!

Bendtner got munched by the keeper on 66… Robin stepped up and showed off his penalty skills with a rasping top corner penalty. He sure is good at penalties…

Chesney picked up the ball and rolled it out (<- it really is a good nick name).

This is probably a good time to mention Arshavin… I didn’t realise he’d even come on. Annonymous is a word I’d mostly associate with his game today.

Wilshere made a lovely run, passed to Nik who flicked a little pass perfectly into Niks path… Jack showed his lack of maturity by going for the audacious outside of the foot shot when he should have buried it. It’s a tough thing to manage… because you want players to express themselves but not at the expense of an easy goal.

Chezzers showed his metal late on when a Salami player hit a low shot… the keeper parried it, then made a superb reaction save to deny the Hungarians a goal.

Denilson got himself into a mess by not clearing the ball, Big Phil clumsily challenged and gave away a freekick. The ball was fired high towards the top corner, Chesney was equal to it and tipped it over in quite spectacular fashion.

Then shock of the night, Silvestre whipped a superb cross into Robin who headed low and angled past the keeper. Sadly he was unfairly declared offside.

Senderos over hit a pass to Nik… and the young Dane raced onto it at surprising pace. He is deceptively quick… again, not an important moment… but info I feel it would have been a disservice not to let you know.

Salami cheated to get a penalty… Chesney dived early, the forward paused… then clipped it wide. Chesney delivered the wanker sign in amusing fashion… did someone tell him that they have camera’s in Hunagary these days? Arsenal.com in traditional propaganda fashion cut that part out in the replay… well played chaps, Goebells would have been proud!

So to summarize…

A clean sheet, 6 5 goals and some very assured performances.

The commentators kept talking about us playing a 4-3-3… I didn’t see that, I thought we played a traditional 4-4-2. I think we will flick between that and a 4-5-1 next season. It all depends on the strength of our centre midfield. Song certainly isn’t capable of filling that role… Can Denilson make the jump? Well, he doesn’t look different physically and he still lacks mobility. People talk about his pass completion rate… but that’s like talking about how many girlfriends the man who went to school in an all female convent had. If you play in a team who specialise in short passing football, the chances are you will be making more passes than a team who play a more direct style like Liverpool.

Nik Bendtner looked very good today, his passing was good, his finishing clinical and his work rate was much improved. Eduardo did what he always seems to do… score goals. His only weakness is his team play. I don’t think he gets involved as much as previous greats of the club have done… but Bilic always champs his team play for the national team… so I’ll give him time! I hope all thoughts of signing Huntelaar have passed people by… I’ve watched him quite a few times and I can tell you first hand… he will drive you crazy… he isn’t fast at all, he isn’t a team player and I don’t think he is better than what we already have.

Finally, before we go (I too have an imaginary friend)… I just want to run an idea past you all. Adebayor is really starting to irritate me in his new found role as spokesman for Man City and the Association of World class footballers. We need a plan for him when he comes over to the Emirates, and one of my good friends gave me an idea today. Why boo him? Why don’t we all laugh at him every time he gets the ball? How humiliating would that be! Everybody opening up a 60,000 people can of laughter every time he spoons his first touch 14 yards in front of him!

Have a think about it… because he’ll enjoy the booing, it would seem like we cared about his departure… he needs to know that I threw a street party when he left!

Right, have a rip roaring day and remember to say happy Birthday to Geoff… not as some sort of practical joke… but because it’s his birthday!

HAPPY BIRTHDAY!

It’s been a pleasure reading your blogs over the last year, may there be many more to come!

I hope I’ll be joined in raising a virtual Peroni to your 35th birthday! I’m also pleased to announce that after a year of solid contribution… the blog equivalent of a 50 game season… Le Grove Corp is pleased to announce that we’ve offered Geoff a one year extension to his deal. Geoff has accepted his new contract on pay as you blog terms and is confident he can take his blogging to the next level this coming season!

Cheers!

Enjoy irresponsibly

Italy's finest

1,456 Responses to “Hunter-who? New contract signing imminent…”

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  11. Dan

    cartman i left my itouch at home so im having to use my phone. My name is different on all three. My laptop is thomas dan bendtner, my itouch is dan norris and my phone is dan

  19. charybdis1966

    Morning all, and to be pedantic, Salami FC were Hungarian, not Austrian. Also, to be especially curmudgeonly, I prefer the Zombies FC as a nick name too. Bah…humbug !

  25. arsenalised

    If we sell toure to man city i’ll know arsenal is the weakest big team in the world when it comes to transfer activity!! I mean why cant we just stand our ground and tell teams to fuck off we aint selling….this is starting to look shamefull…wats going on?

  29. ArsenalKenya

    Happy Birthday Geoff….

    Wenger should not sell Kolo to Man City!!!

    I thought Yaya Toure said last week that Kolo would never play for Man City!!

    Is it because of the MONEY or being lured by ADEBAYOR DOLLAR PHEROMONES.

  30. Rohan

    the laughter idea is absolutely brilliant.. if you can pull it off, it would be hilarious watching it on TV…

  31. charybdis1966

    On the subject of how to receive Adebarndoor on his return (assuming he doesn’t give himself a strategic hamstring pull) I think laughter might be hard to pull off as a sustained repsonse – perhaps we could try a slow hand clap ? Or even a normal clap as that might confuse him and get him all flummoxed.

  35. tonyadamsisgod

    Why do I keep seeing that we scored 6 goals! It was 5 right? Edu x 2, Nikki x2 and and RvP pen??

  38. Mark C

    Hi Guys,

    Happy b’day Geoff.

    Did anyone catch Wenger’s interview after the game?

    Was he quizzed on players coming in and out?

  44. gazzap

    So Toure has been offered 120k a week. I think I know the reason Toure will go to Man City. clichy mate, you were right the first time.

  47. Chipo

    Morning all.

    Thought Nikki B was class yesterday. He looks fired up.

    This week – Touré to leave, Hangeland (cash + Senderos) and Bassong to come in.

  49. dennisdamenace

    Anderlecht has to play this evening to qualify for the Champions league.

    Two days ago, their Captain Jelle Van Damme, who still has a contract for 2 years with the club, announced that he will not play because he made a deal with a Premier league club that also plays in the champions league!! And, if he were to play with Anderlecht in this qualifier he couldn’t play CL football for the English team anymore this season.

    Anderlecht was not amused because they were not contacted in any way about a possible deal involving their captain. Even now they still have not heard anything from any club, manager or agent, all they have is their captain saying he has agreed terms with an English club playing in the CL this season.

    This then obviously narrows it down to Man U, Liverpool, Chelsea and Arsenal.

    According to my contact, City is about to announce the signing of Touré and he says that this guy is a very good Belgium defender and a ready made replacement.

    Anderlecht meanwhile has stated it will wait 24 hours before taking the whole mess to the UEFA, if by that time there is no clarity in what is going on.

  50. tonyadamsisgod

    Clough has decided not to take Randall on loan. I don’t blame him although he might have been at least useful squad player for them.

  53. Dan

    The thing is unless we’re offering toure a new contract then weve gotta sell him for 15m. If not fans will be screaming at wenger next season when he goes for free like flamini. just gotta take the money and run

  54. goonerdave

    Happy Birthday Geoff. It was nice to here that ade has flourished after his move, the other night on sky Sports the newsreader uttered the famous line “Ade has just missed a sitter” instead of jumping out of my chair and screaming abuse at the television I just sat there and pissed myself with laughter safe in the knowledge that he will never pull on a gooner’s shirt again, of course there was the normal txt mesages flying around to a few Man City fans but the only responce I got was “FUCK OFF” no sense of humour them manc’s.

    The real pre-seson starts this weekend so good luck boys, unfortunatly I can’t make it in person but I will glued to the T.V.

    Let’s hope there are some more signings to come Mr Wenger and please if there are can they be old enough to leave the creche under there own steam lol.

    Best of luck for the season ahead.

  55. arsenalised

    Chipo:i’ll judge nikki when we play man u,chelsea,barcelona and other epl clubs not when we play salami fc….but you are right he does look fired up

  58. tonyadamsisgod

    I say we need to make Micah Richards part of the Toure deal. Then we can sell Eboue and have Richards as our back up/starting RB or CB!! Surely that’s logical?

  61. Alan

    arsenalised, when nik b came on against chelsea and man u at the end of last season he was our best player, and one of the only players who looked like caring. he also scored against chelsea. by the way it was definately 4-3-3 yesterday.

  62. tonyadamsisgod

    anyone called van Damme would get into my team for having an awesome name! Lets get Danny Invincible in from Kilmarnock!!

  64. Arse&Nose

    Arsenal.com are so shite they had a match report on saying 6-0. Do they not even watch their own matches!? It was broadcast exclusively by their website how can they get it so wrong?!

  65. Rohan

    there is this dutch guy in the eredivise called
    van der gun :D if that isnt a perfect name for an arsenal footballer, i don’t know what is.

  70. arsenalised

    Alan:all nikki needs is consistency!!he has all the other attributes needed to be a top striker….when nikki gets his confidence and believe in his abillity then he will be better than Ade….

  71. tonyadamsisgod

    Surely Steve Death needs to be signed as our DM! He’s a goalkeeper but fuck it, surely it does exactly what it says on the tin? :D

  75. Chipo

    Cartman I don’t rate Bassong either, but remember that we have only seen him play for the worst Newcastle team in history!

    arsenalised: fair enough mate, he needs to step up in the big games i agree.

    It just seems to me that the arrogance has been replaced by a raging fire and a steely determination! I think now Ade has left he will thrive. They obviously didn’t get on. (Maybe part of the reason AW sold Ade was because he saw it was hampering Nikki Bs development and saw him as a far better player than Ade – which he is.)

  78. tonyadamsisgod

    Chipo – I think Bassong is better than he showed last year! How good can you be under 5 different and all shit managers in one season!

  79. tonyadamsisgod

    Dan – Yeah I didn’t really get that either! Their web team must be fucking wank with all of their late posts and misinformation!

  82. insidealbania

    that is very interesting stuff DDM, if it is us then there is a danger we might be punished by UEFA. But if it is us, at least it shows we are getting our hands dirty in the transfer market

  84. Dublin Gunner!!!

    please please guys just laugh at ade barn door!! It would be so funny watching it on tv!! Happy birthday geoff

  86. AngeAusArsenal

    Happy Birthday Geoff 35 eh, i remember those sunwashed glorious days.
    DDM hope you are right mate then Kolo can go with all our blessings.

  87. tonyadamsisgod

    Pedro/Dublin – It is a fantastic idea! We just need a good way of spreading the word! Please, if anyone writes on other blogs, let them know about this idea! Fucking hope he doesn’t score against us though!

  89. tonyadamsisgod

    I don’t think it is us. Would we sign 2 Belgium CB’s in one go? Nothing wrong with that, I would just imagine he’d pick one or the other. Also its not like us to get our hands dirty and get caught. Liverpool and Chelsea however might fit the bill a little better?

  91. leon

    sorry i have not changed my mind on song i think wenger will stick with song and delinson particualy song i will condede delinson cannot play dm on his own but both are good squad players yes song had bad game but aa played evon wors.i dont think there is any dought senderos is on his way and has no future in cd,i do think however wenger is looking hard dm play but will have find long replacements for gallas as for toure i think is gone

  92. tonyadamsisgod

    RSCA: “Jelle Van Damme is not for sale”
    Through the official website Anderlecht lets us know they heard about Jelle Van Damme’s declarations. In Het Laatste Nieuws they emphasise the player isn’t for sale.
    “They also say Jelle still has a contract of two year. And, up until now, the club hasn’t received an official offer for the player. RSC Anderlecht regrets the way this one clubs worked. This is a violation of the ethical rules and is also a violation of the official FIFA rules.”

    “RSC Anderlecht remembers the player formally and officially that he has to respect his contract and that the club has the right to do what ever is needed if the player decides to breaks his contract.”

  93. arsenalised

    Taig:i bet if he does he will rub it in with a stupid celebration to mock the fans who”drove him away”

  94. dennisdamenace

    Chipo – I’ve been reliably informed that this fella (who is currently the Anderlecht skipper) is quite an aggressive character too….

  97. Schteev

    Genius article.

    Chesney is a fanny-tastic nickname, thought the game was awesome. It was great to see Thomas and Eduardo get on the score sheet and frankly quite funny to see BIG Phil deployed in the holding role.

    I also enjoy the laughing idea with Adebyebye, I never booed, always stood by him but its frankly appalling behaviour by the togolese trouble maker and I think humiliation is a fair swipe. After all, Ive had to endure hours in the pub being humiliated every time he misses a sitter from 3 yards.

    Big happy birthday too! I’ve been a silent reader of le grove for about a year now so I thought it’d be time to pipe up and say nice work!

  98. dennisdamenace

    Inside – Whoever it might be from the EPL is gonna get it hard from EUFA you can be sure of that, but it’s an interesting story, and it’ll be interesting to see if the fella plays tonight!!

  99. Chipo

    TAIG – surely you know by now Wenger does not look at the passport he looks at the player! If there were 8 Welshmen all perfect for Arsenal he would sign them!

    I don’t think a couple of Belgians is anything out of the ordinary.

    And speaking of Belgium, what has happened to Beveren? Have we severed ties with them? We haven’t heard about anyone coming out of there since Pleboue

  101. Pedro

    HAPPY BIRTHDAY GEOFF!

    I’m glad some of you are liking the laughing idea… I think we’d be the first team in the country to do something like that… imagine the coverage it would get!

    Ultimate humiliation for Ade!

  102. tonyadamsisgod

    Chipo – Like I said, it would be no problem. It just all sounds a bit strange to me. Not sure about Beveren. I know they were our feeder club but wasn’t there some sort of problem with that deal? Hang on, found this:

    Arsenal FC controversy

    Between 2001 and 2006 the club had a co-operation agreement with Arsenal Football Club. Several players were loaned between the teams and friendlies played. The agreement expired on 1 July 2006.
    Subsequent to an investigation by BBC Television’s Newsnight FIFA requested the English Football Association investigate the relationship between the two clubs.
    In 2001 Belgian police concluded that a loan of over €1.5 million had been made by Arsenal F.C. to a company Goal which helped secure Beveren’s financial position. Newsnight have alleged this may breach club ownership rules under FIFA regulations. The accusation is refuted by Arsenal who state that the payment was an interest free loan and has no effect on the administration of the club.[1] The FA and FIFA cleared both clubs of any wrongdoing.[2]
    Several players have been loaned between the two clubs or had trials. However only Emmanuel Eboué and Igors Stepanovs completed permanent moves to the clubs in this time period, the former to Arsenal and the latter to Beveren.

  104. tonyadamsisgod

    Pedro – The ultimate humiliation or giving him the chance to wipe the smiles off 60,000 faces in one goofy sweep of his leg? Dangerous game, but a risk worth taking I think!

  110. ardentgooner

    Claims of racism
    Van Damme was sued by Standard Liege center back Oguchi Onyewu for allegedly calling Onyewu a “dirty ape” during the Belgian league play-off match between Anderlecht and Standard Liege.[1] Onyewu is an American of Nigerian ancestry.

  116. tonyadamsisgod

    ardent – I don’t imagine he would do too well at Arsenal if that is to be believed! He does look like a bit of a hill billy!

  120. Nick

    HAPPY birthday Geoff you old sod ;)
    did eddie come throgh with no injury?? and nikki b is top gun no strikers will be brought in on the back of that…..rw and cbs it is then :)

  121. Geoff

    I liked the bit about Song Pedro!

    Imagine those two in a 4-4-2 against someone good, like Sunderland, I don’t even want to think about it!

  125. goonerjay

    Happy Birthday Geoff.

    Great laugh… i mean post Pedro! Made me chuickle a couple of times. I’m likeing the laugh at Ade idea

  126. Geoff

    Swapping Kolo for Richards, buying Villa, YaYa and Dzeko, as well as Zapata and Sakho, you obviously don’t love Arsenal as much Nick!

  127. goonerjay

    On a side note i thought ramsey was disappointing last night. His decisin making at times is really really poor

  129. tonyadamsisgod

    My team of current players (Nasri injured and Kolo gone):

    Almunia

    Sagna – Vermaelen – Gallas – Clichy

    Ramsey

    Rosicky – Fabregas – Arshavin

    RvP – Eduardo

  130. Chipo

    I’m at work so can’t get odds from betting sites, but could someone find out the longest odds on us to win the league this year?

    I’m thinking about smashing a cheeky score on before we sign our 2 beasts!

  131. Geoff

    Chipo, good advice mate! Goonerjay, the more he plays the better he’ll become, he’s still better than the two clowns.

  134. leon

    i dont think much dought that delinson will be start dm he is a squad player and in y mind that all he will ever be,i feel song would played alot better with cesc,also ramsey would do well dm position,its pretty clear toure will not commit his long term futre to the club so i sell him,senderos is not suited the prem he did well because it was lesser team but going against the prem team he found wanting,

  135. tonyadamsisgod

    Chipo – I’d look at Paddy Power for a bet with Arsenal as they are our official betting partner and are 2nd biggest price on us at 9/1. You would think they would have to be one of the shortest if they are our sponsor! Its like they are saying we dont have a chance! ha ha!

  138. Chipo

    Lol just got this email from a Spud friend of mine:

    The negativity is rising…….Just like Cashley thinks, maybe it will be City who finish 4th……..

    At least when we play each other, neither side will have any defenders so should be another 4-4 goal fest !

    Spurs XI vs Liverpool:

    Gomes

    Hutton Chimbonda Corluka Assou Ekotto

    Lennon Palacios Jenas Modric

    Crouch Defoe

    Subs:

    Cudicini, Keane, Pav, Huddlestone, Bale, Bostock, O’hara.

    That Top 6 is better than yours, no questions……….

    (hahahaha what an idiot)

  139. Geoff

    I can’t understand why anyone rates Song, he committed foul after foul last night and his passing was woeful.

  142. Jimbobbypires

    i can just imagine now Ade’s disgusting face running infront of our fans, laughing his ugly head off after he’s scored at the emirates, his laughing face sprawled on the back pages the next day.

    Although, I still think we should do it, if we win (which is most likely) then it’ll be well worth it.

  145. tonyadamsisgod

    Geoff – Beyond belief right! He is so slow in the head that he is 2 seconds behind every piece of play which means he either fouls them or they just pass him by! Remember when Walcott said that Song is the least intelligent player on Soccer AM’s ‘Team Mates’!!

  147. tonyadamsisgod

    Zak – Not sure but he loves a tackle, id far better at playing football than Denilson and Song put together. he should at least be given the same chances that those 2 got last year!

  149. Aussie Az

    happy bday geoff, WE NEED TO FIND A SOLUTION TO OUR DM PROBLEM why does everyone see it but arsene????????????????????????????????

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