Just a quick post from me today because I’m heading off to Royal Ascot for the first time. Yep, I know nothing about horses, but rumour has it the only sport that goes on down that way is boozing and chatting to heavily inebriated ladies. Sounds like a crack if you ask me…
Last night I wondered what the hell I was going to write about because I feared England wouldn’t give me any inspiration. Well, shock horror, England failed to produce on the big stage yet again. Capello proved that it doesn’t matter how much money you throw at a problem, you can never tame a beast that is at its heart… self-centred, egotistical and mostly talentless.
Wayne Rooney proved that despite being able to nod in countless perfect crosses, when put in a team full of cloggers, he has nothing in the locker. He also proved he had no class when he slagged off the fans who’d traveled half way around the world to watch him. He and his band of merry failures should stump up those fans plane fares home based on that drivel… I won’t lie, I’m considering putting in an expenses claim for my travel card. He should be pleased that they could even be bothered to boo… I couldn’t, I just bought another pint and shrugged my shoulders in acceptance.
It wasn’t an effort thing last night, definitely not. It was a ‘we’re clueless’ thing. Arsenal might look like there is no plan b sometimes, but we still knock the ball around and we’re always looking for gaps. Our speedy short passing game is truly appreciated when you witness England’s laboured and blatant approach to forcing the ball around the field. I didn’t believe we had a goal in us yesterday, which is staggering when you consider what some of the individuals do for their home teams.
Luckily the fate of England still rests with England, regardless though… expecting to win a World Cup when you’re so badly off the pace is delusional. The art of rewarding potential is clearly not just an Arsenal thing… why give Capello a contract renewal before he’s won anything? Madness… Too much emphasis is put on the manager in that job. It’s about players and by the looks of things, we don’t have the right ones out there.
Coming home last night was irritating as well. I watched the game in Sheppard’s Bush so I had to jump on a few different trains. I honestly had to sit through the…
‘It’s only a game’
… routine on at least three occasions. Ladies, no man wants to hear such phrases after a loss. 86% of relationship breakdowns during a world cup are because of the misguided use of this ill-informed mantra and its active use straight after a game.
Did I tell my girlfriend it was only a shag after Cashers played away? No… Have a bit of sensitivity please.
On the transfer front there isn’t too much. The only thing I wanted to say was that despite my love of a transfer rumour, website Goal.com is really starting to irritate me. The site is parasitic in its nature and I’m sure it just prints stories based on what people want to read. I’m staggered that they can rip entire articles, publish them and make money from advertising without any come back. I just don’t click on their stories anymore. It’s a waste of time.
There are no transfer stories about us at the moment bar this Lorient defender clearly being the defender we want to sign before the World Cup. Now, I don’t want to get into a slag fest before I’ve seen the player, however, Arsenal bragged they’d be able to compete with Chelsea when renewals were up earlier on in the year. Why are we taking a risk of such high proportions to sign a player who has played one season in top flight French football for an average French club. Now I’m not saying he won’t work out… I trust in Giles Grimandi. All I’m saying is that we’re losing Sol Campbell and Willy G and replacing him with a completely inexperienced centre back from France.
Wouldn’t we be better served buying some proven talent to play next to a potentially world-class centre back? Is this chap going to be our only signing of the summer despite losing two defenders?
I don’t want it to be this way, but we clearly need more than one defensive reinforcement and judging by Wenger’s comments it sounds like we’re only getting one. Where is our keeper? How can one inexperienced defender dramatically improve our defensive record? Unimpressive. Worrying.
I guess we’ll wait and see…
See you in the comments!
UPDATE: Tell a lie Grovers… the Daily Mail have linked us with Italy number two Federico Marchetti and AZ keeper Romero. Good news is, judging by this picture… he can catch.
[youtube=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cCpzawcouVs&hl=en_US&fs=1&]
ethan he’s a right forward in the system we’ve played for the last 18 months, and picks up the ball in a far more advanced position than he did in 4-4-2.
lol when was that ethan, for what game?!
theo has literally NEVER played that role
the above WAS our lineup and theo’s role in it hasnt changed !
it clearly shows you muppets there are 3 attacking players in front of theo !
FFS !
A, forget it. He just wont listen.
The Zidane film just started on BBC2. Think i’ll give it a watch.
ethan that’s just someone’s preferred line up, and someone who knows nothing about football, and can’t spell lol
that team has never ever played a match
Guys I think we should get Enyeama of Nigeria.
The guy single handedly kept Nigeria from conceding say 10 or so goals in their two matches.
At one point he made a one handed catch on a cross. So he looks good in the air. When we were linked to him b4 I thought he was very short. But having seen him he is just slightly shorter than Yobo(who is 6 1 or so)
So basically he would be of similar size to Reina of Liverpool. The guy also goes mental at his defenders whenever they mess up.
Every single time a striker was one v one with him, he made the save, and that included Messi as well.
He spilled the ball for Greece’s second goal but we have seen many goalkeeping errors in this tournament…the ball has a part to play.
What do you think ?
Theo’s starts last season, going backwards:
Fulham
21 Lukasz Fabianski (G)
18 Mikael Silvestre (CD-L)
31 Sol Campbell (CD-R)
22 Gaël Clichy (LB)
3 Bacary Sagna (RB)
2 Abou Diaby (CM)
8 Samir Nasri (LM)
27 Emmanuel Eboué (RM)
23 Andrei Arshavin (F)
11 Robin Van Persie (LF)
14 Theo Walcott (RF)
Blackburn
21 Lukasz Fabianski (G)
18 Mikael Silvestre (CD-L)
31 Sol Campbell (CD-R)
22 Gaël Clichy (LB)
3 Bacary Sagna (RB)
2 Abou Diaby (CM)
8 Samir Nasri (LM)
27 Emmanuel Eboué (RM)
23 Andrei Arshavin (F)
11 Robin Van Persie (LF)
14 Theo Walcott (RF)
Sorry, got bored with that, what’s the point?!
Ja he’s not good enough for us, not very good enough at crosses, and has plenty of clangers.
Add into the equation that keeping is the one position you don’t rotate, and his going off to the african nations rules him out completely.
Yeah i dont remember that team at all. Arshavin, Nasri and Eduardo in the same team in 2008-2009. Ade and Song on the bench.
FUcking wiki. They had a link to our 09-10 season stats and it showed our team in terms of who was used the most. DOnt remember if theo was on the right or not but it was defo 4-3-3 with Song, DIaby and Cesc in the middle 3.
That blokes line up is funny, cesc at dm with theo and nasri as the more offensive players?!
does look like it was a while ago with kolo there but still pretty amusing.
Where on earth did you find it ethan?!
If you can find a line up from an actual game, where theo has EVER played in the midfield three, then I will never write on here again
I wouldnt be suprised if you just made that up right now Ethan. You are wrong, admit it.
i searched for arsenal starting line up and its pretty accurate A …
if dudu was good .. you can substitute him for nikb .
but other than that its accurate ..
obviuosly providing RVP was fit , and nasri and cesc ..
you guys never saw a consistent line up .. ive watched the games ! that line up essentially played every week .
nik B up front usually .. AA 23 tucked in behind ..
and subject to striker availability .. well you could put in your 3rd ..
im glad the line up works in all your minds because i cant for the life of me know how you have it figured out when every FUCKING WEEK IT WAS DIFFERENT!
“pretty accurate” meaning the closest thing you can find that will make you look right…which it doesnt.
pretty accurate ethan?!
seriously?!
It’s an absolutely ridiculous line up, that has NEVER played together.
There hasn’t been a consistent line up, but the system remains the same
GK
RB CB CB LB
CM DM CM
RF CF LF
Theo has only ever played as RF, or once or maybe twice, as LF
Arshavin has played all RF CF LF
Bendy has played RF CF LF
VP just CF
Cesc just CM
Nasri RF LF CM
Eduardo RF LF CF
A you prick. I agree with ja. Enyeama is a good GK. The fact that Arsene had already agreed terms to buy him but backed out shows that Arsenal rates him
It’s pretty much the least accurate line up i’ve ever seen on the internet, just made up by someone who knows nothing about arsenal, and has no concept of balance in a football team
sixx pac that was his agent chatting, we’ve got no idea whether it’s true or not.
He’s smaller and worse on crosses and set pieces than the keepers we already have, if Wenger had been in for him, then imo Wenger nearly made a big mistake
Yeah Ethan thats obviously supposed to be a line up from 2008-2009. I doubt Arshavin played in a game where Eduardo started in that season. And where song and ade were on the bench
A what clangers did Enyaema have other than the second Greek goal?
I dont remember any others. And he caught all crosses.
What were you watching?
I distinctly remember him catching a cross one handed as well.
The african cup is only 3-4 games missed. And arent you the one that said you cant rule a player out because of the african cup?
Yeah sixx pac, eduardo didn’t play with arshavin whilst ade and kolo were still at the club.
playing without a dm of any sort, nasri and cesc in the same midfield, and theo in the midfield three, are all just silly things that have never happened
I’m not talking about the greece game ja, i’m talking about having watched him a bit before, and seen him fuck up a fair bit.
in the prem being focussed upon by stoke and blackburn he just wouldn’t cope, even less so than fabianski
outfield players yeah you can’t rule out because of the anc, especially when it’s 18 months away, but that’s because outfield players get rotated all the time. keepers play the whole time when fit, and are integral to organising, and developing a strong understanding with the defence, so losing a keeper is different imo
International football is totally different to prem football. How often do you see a keeper challenged when coming for a cross in int football…its rare to say the least.
And i remember in one of the first matches of this WC someone went to stand next to the keeper on a corner and the ref told him not to.
I dont think a short-ish african keeper would succeed in england, definately not at arsenal where we get targeted.
A what games are you using to say Enyeama is poor on set pieces and crosses?
It definitely cant be the Argentina and Greece games…
He made one mistake in the 180 minutes. And considering that the jabulani is erratic, i think thats ok. I have lost count of the goalkeeping mistakes in this tournament. They cant all be that bad, the ball is deceiving them somewhat. Look at the Sneider’s goal earlier. Cmon A give me a break you always act as if youre word is gospel.
He could do absolutely nothing about Heinze’s goal and the first Greek one.
International football is different than Domestic football? So Rob Green should be good for Arsenal then
5 fucking foot 11?? Enyeama can fuck off at that height. We already have midget defenders, the last thing we need is a midget keeper.
Yeah but Stu, Enyeama may or may not work. Its just a suggestion.
But how the fuck can A say that Enyaema would be worse than Fabianski?
A has some love affair with Fabianski.
A give up on fabianski, he is crap!!!!!
No sixx pac but a midget goalkeeper has very little chance of being dominant in the air in a league that is full of teams who live off set pieces.
What about 6ft tall Reina?
Everybody says he is the best in the premiership.
As long as its just a suggestion then because realistically i dont think he is the type of keeper we need.
this zidane film
a 21st century portrait is really weird.
Makes football seem really lonely
You mean 6ft 2 Reina? He is the best in the prem but again, unless we get bigger defenders his height is likely to be exposed too.
You watching it incesc. I was thinking the same really. Zidane is so quiet and doesnt get a lot of the ball either.
Reina’s wiki says he is 6 2 but seeing him next to his teammates like Agger Carragher etc, he does not look like 6 2 at all.
Reina looks at most 6ft 0.5 inches…….
yeah ja like 2 inches make any difference. I wouldnt mind Victor or Sorenson. Sorenson would be my choice though
I always thought the same Ja, that he was very small but i guess he isnt. Espn have him as 6ft1.
I hear you Stu…if we got a 6 ft 4 monster, then
I would not mind Enyeama but with 6ft Vermy and possibly 6 1 Koschielny I guess thats a no no.
2 inches can be the difference between oooh and aahhh!!!
freaky Irish bwoy
BUt Stu no matter what size.
I just cant understand how A can defend Fabainski so much.
He is 6ft 2 and built but he acts like a 5ft 6 weakling. It does not matter how big you are if you dont know how to use it.
enyeama looks as if he would not be bullied. I saw him giving his defenders some seriuos looks. If looks could kill all his teamates would be dead.
He does not look soft at all.
hes so intense, like its all brewing just under the surface all the time.
you would think he would be talkin to other players
really fascinating film
Ha ha
Notice Ethan vanished after he got smacked to shit by A and Stu.
Good work lads
I will reserve jusgement on Emyeama because i dont watch him but regardless of strength he is just too small imo.
In a league full of both tall and strong oppo players we just cant take a risk on a short keeper. Its like with Vermaelen, he will beat most in the air because of his leap but when he comes up against someone who can just just as high and is taller than him then he will lose out.
He looks so laboured in his movements and as though he isnt enjoying himself but then when he gets the ball its as if he was born to have it at his feet.
They should have done more films like this.
Stu
Keep watching mate.
the phrase the beautiful game epitomised zizou.
He could have 10 players ll round him and he would shrug, feint and play a stupidly easy pass no one else would see or dream of.
ja im not defending fabianski in the slightest, i’m saying that fabianski being unable to cope with teams trying to bully him, is nothing compared to what would happen with the same teams trying to bully enyeama.
seen him loads for nigeria, he’s not good on crosses nor set pieces, and that isn’t against the stokes or blakcburns of this world especially focussing on him.
2 inches in height is a fair bit at the top level when it comes to defenders/keepers. that’s the difference between vermaelen and john terry.
what we need as a keeper is the complete opposite to enyeama.
we need a big, commanding keeper, not a shot stopper
LEGEND!!
amazing
They should have given Zidane an oscar or emmy or whatever the fuck he wanted for this.
i agree A to be honest
we need a smeichel, wish there was one out there but theres not anymore
there are better keepers than fabianski tho…
Yes we do incesc, though i have no idea who.
i loved the idea of buffon, but no chance of that now, has to have surgery etc.
Schwarzer is the only rumour that would make any sense really, although there must be someone better surely?!
Stekelenburg seems pretty dominant…at least him being 6ft5 gives that impression.
schwarzer is hardly going to set the world alight.
jens got a lot of stick at first but he was great. That had a lot to do with his desire to play for germany and prove himself when he had had to watch khan for years as no 1.
There just doesnt seem to be many of those big commanding keepers around…
Buffon will never be the same so no to him.
Just dont know who else to suggest…
BUt certainly Fabianski should be out on loan atleast, he should not keep for us next season…
and i guess if we get a half decent keeper who can cut out the mistakes it would be ok. hopefully if we can get our football to click nest season we can concentrate on our positives and outscore the opposition. we are never going to be a 1 – 0 team under wenger
Im off to bed, fucking wrecked tired.. Night.
Yeah he won’t set the world alight, but he’s pretty quality on set pieces and crosses, which would suit us, as long as szczesny was highly rated enough to come through in a couple of years
how often do we start brightly then make a mistake and give the opposition confidence. A steady keeper would be fine, we dont really need a world beater although that would be nice. So many times this season teams scored freak goals or scored on there first proper attack.
night stu
HEY GUYS!!! I have an important (non-footballing) question. I’m American and my cousin is moving to London to open a “hip” American inspired lounge/sports bar/burger joint. It would have the symptoms of your everyday pub (bar/dartboard/pool table/footie.. but with a focus on “American burgers”).
What are his chances of succeeding??? (Assuming its in a good location (central Londonish…)
incesc says:
June 20, 2010 at 02:06
and i guess if we get a half decent keeper who can cut out the mistakes it would be ok.
——————————————
its a 2 pronged problem . we need our cds to remain more grounded(stay back) , and a better keeper ..
the the defense would be more stable , i love TV scoring goals thats why i thought he would be a great DM ..he can track back unlike song .. is flamboyant.
we just need 2 ogres in front of goal and a half decent keeper ..
with 1 or 2 clinical finishers .. and someone who can control the center .. this team has an Engine ..
A
Theo is purely used as a winger RIGHT WING ..
there are strikers in front of him .. nik and either dudu or RVP . or nik as the lone striker ..
he is not a right sided striker for the club ..
if he was he would be scoring goals long before now .. he usually crosses , or sneaks into the right side of the box FROM THE MIDFIELD , or runs into a dead end across the back line .
he is RM and is replaced with EBOUE ! not another striker .. im not arguing with you .. as your the same person who would prefer not to sign GIVEN ! .
thankfully a power cut saved me from banging my head up against the wall , all i can say if you are confused about theo’s position , thats because he started like less than 10 games this season .. and probably never had the same 2 playing partners behind and in front of him at any time ..
or the same 2 formations ..
a bit hard to be a consistent team when your team is constantly injured . and your consistency tampering with the line up from week to week !
but it all comes back to the same argument get more 1st team players wenger then you will build a consistent side !
A power cut. How convenient Ethan. U got killed by A and Stu. U dont know what u r talking abt. Theo is a Right Striker. Cesc is the Right midfielder. Sagna is the Right back
lol ethan it take a man to argue but it takes an even bigger one to admit when you’ve been schooled, mate.
Ethan
Give it up. You got properly done.
You do realize we’re playing a 433 right and not a 422 anyomore?????
no guys. He probably thinks we play with 12 players. So Sagna at Right back, Cesc as RM, Walcott 3 feet ahead of Cesc as RM2. Then there is Dudu/Van Persie
Ok! I’ll probably get hammered for being a sore drawer, but there seems to be too many inconsitancies with the refs @ this WC, & we are getting all the crap decisions go against us
But hey, RICHMOND WON AGAIN!!!!!!!
Chamoneeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeee!!!!
Club footie/footy! You can’t beat it.
Evening all
Even @ 37 going on 38, Schwarzer is a cut above what we’ve got. He would make a good stop gap IMO until……
Oh the pain Gnarley.
Con-fucking-spiracy!!!!!!
Those FIFA clowns will stoop to anything to ensure an African team gets thru the group stage.
Schwarzer was a giant, Wilkshere should’ve scored but was fantastic otherwise.
Schwarzer will be a great stop gap, he’s got a good couple of years left. Morning all
AAA
Vidic deliberately handles the ball but gets a yellow, Kewell gets in the way of the ball & gets a red. Cahill a red, Bresciano’s butcher stays on. WTF goes on. Its a conspiracy all right. Ghanas points have come from penalty shots, & against 10 men teams
Its Racist
Gnarley,
I wonder if you can get odds on a German player getting sent off in Ghana’s next game, if FIFA’s patsies beat the Germans we will get thru with a win against the Serbs
Anyway, once we go out, I won’t have to put up with that noisy, annoying, irritating, painful, South African horn culture.
The funny thing is, when the Boks play, you never here the culture horns. Oh maybe its a blacks thing; they may refuse to play the horns when white men are performing. Sounds racist to me
i hate racists!
Mate, FIFA don’t want us there, its obvious, so don’t get your hopes up that we will go through.
They continue to resist the use of technology when every other major sport has employed it in the hope of eradicating errors in judgment calls.
penalties and red-cards should go to a video review, they would have a result before most injured players have miraculously climbed off the floor.
it amazes me how little you cunts know !
FROM THE DOGGERS EARLIER !
theo’s PROFILE taken from A.com !
it might pay for a few of you to read the cunt !
———————————————-
Suddenly, the little winger (LITTLE WINGER )was having a big say in matches.
A dislocated shoulder stopped Theo in his tracks last November and he spent four months on the sidelines. But he returned to score a vital goal against Villarreal in the Champions League and broke the deadlock in the FA Cup Semi-Final against Chelsea at Wembley.
This season(THIS SEASON ) we could see Theo in a different role – as a striker.
http://www.arsenal.com/first-team/players/theo-walcott
This season(THIS SEASON ) we could see Theo in a different role – as a striker.
————————————
and NO SHIT SHIRLOCK ! thats the whole back bone of the argument to begin with theo isnt being played like a striker !
he starts too far out .. .. HE’S A WINGER …
under the same brand apprenticeship TH14 got !
A – AA23 – rohan – drifter your all cunts !
stupid cunts
HEY GUYS!!! I have an important (non-footballing) question. I’m American and my cousin is moving to London to open a “hip” American inspired lounge/sports bar/burger joint. It would have the symptoms of your everyday pub (bar/dartboard/pool table/footie.. but with a focus on “American burgers”).
What are his chances of succeeding??? (Assuming its in a good location (central Londonish…)
Yon
As long as he isn’t intending to set up shop in the East End. Burgers will never be able to out do jellied eels
try fish and chips ..
youll get better sales ..
i suppose another question to ask yourself is how many fish and chip shops are there in the USA ?
Evening ethan
GG
still in with a chance lad !
Morning all, I have no idea where Pedro is so I’m writing todays post, I’m doing it from a dongle as my internet connection is down.
Yon if he opened it in the trendy areas it would do well.
So I won’t be around much, let’s all hope Pedro gets on sometime, happy fathers day and new post!