The worst fans in the world…

July 14, 2010

This mornings post has been inspired by the numerous people who rolled onto Le Grove stomping their cyber feet yesterday making comments surrounding they type of fans Arsenal have.

Here is an authors impression of how one of them looked.

‘What is Cesc going to think when he reads stuff like this, fans like you lot don’t deserve Cesc’

Now, I want to address that type of attitude because I truly believe that Arsenal have some of the greatest fans on earth, despite the protestations of a few on the web who constantly want to tell us that everyone outside Arsenal thinks they’re moaners (Yawn.com).

Not true.

Liverpool, Man United, Spurs, West Ham… even Newcastle all have the same problem. Everyone moans, it’s a right of passage as a football fan and I’m pretty sure it’s gone on for all of time. Anyone who says it hasn’t is a liar and a thief.

I sat in a cab with a Geordie cab drive in Newcastle a few weeks ago and he told me that he felt 90% of Newcastle fans have been so unhappy for the last ten years, he wondered why they even attended matches. My old boss is a bin dipper season ticket holder. He said bar the massive games, the atmosphere around the stadium has been so poor he finds it embarrassing to attend matches. My West Ham chums constantly p*ss and moan their way through the season regardless of how well or poorly they are doing!

So… everyone does it. Fact.

If you couldn’t have a rational conversation about the good and bad in your club, no one would talk to you because you’d be boring. You know, that same boring you get with super religious people or ultra-Patriots.

So how do players feel about the fans?

Well, the greatest player in Premiership is Thierry Henry. He left Arsenal 4 years ago and he hasn’t stopped talking about us since. He loves the fans, he loves the clubs and he loved his time there. He came back last season to say thanks to the fans for the good times. Patrick Vieira adored having his name sung by the fans week in week out… he’d stop mid-match to clap us! Bobby Pires recently said,

“It shows how great the Arsenal fans are and that they don’t forget their former players. I was really touched and moved by their ovation and the fact that they were singing my name.”

Even Emmanuel Eboue has nice things to say about us!

‘They sing my name when I play and that makes me feel really happy. I say thank you to the fans for coming to support us’

That’s great becuase it means our support is valued. Martin Keown once said if the fans are on your back, you’ve got to look at yourself, address the problems and fight for their respect.

Bang on the money Martin. Adoration isn’t a right, it’s something you’ve got to earn. Something I know most Arsenal player are patently aware of. In the grand scheme of things, having your own song would probably be worth more to most players than a £20k pay rise.

That’s why it really gets my goat when people slag Arsenal fans off.

So what could be classed as a poor fan?

Well how about the Nice  fans who spat a Loic Remy after a bad run of form recently? Or how about the Torino fans who attacked their players in Turin in January? Or the Athletico fans who managed to get their club a European ban for racist chants? The Juve fans who attacked the Milan bus? The Barca fans who attacked Jose (Ok, we’ve all dreamed of that)?

I mean even if you wanted to ignore the extremes, when was the last time you saw English fans waving a white hanky in protest at a player or performance they didn’t like? That’s what the Italians and the Spanish do. How many players stay long enough at these so called mega clubs to get their own chants? How many fans would finance get well soon banners for their young injured superstar? How many clubs have 4287 blogs dedicated to their cause?

How many fans adore their players from all clubs as much as the English (and followers of their respective clubs)! Well… as far as I can see… no one. We’ve got the best fans in the world bar none and I don’t think too many players, managers or outsiders would disagree.

So why if the fans of the mega clubs are so bad do all the players flock to play for them?

Are we shooting ourselves in the foot with our loving approach to football? Do nice fans finish last? Should we take a leaf out of Madrid’s book and boo Cesc like they booed Ronaldo after he innocently said he wouldn’t rule out playing for Barcelona? What do you think their fans would do if Higauin got caught wearing a Manchester United shirt?

They’d probably lynch him.

Now, I’m not suggesting we change the way we are for a second. I’d hate to go to the ground and pull out a white snotty handkerchief on Arsene Wenger for 5 seasons without a trophy.

All I’m saying is I find it incredibly annoying listening to certain sections of our fanbase slagging off the support the players get. They have it easy compared to most other clubs in the world and they should be honoured to play in front of us which many of them confess to after they head to pastures new or retire.

Cesc, you’ll never find love from the Barca fans like you’ve had from us. Sure they’ve got a big fake pair of boobs, collagen injected lips and faux Louis Vuitton bag… but face it son, it’s all been bought on credit and it’s all going to look like a big saggy, ugly mistake in a few years time.

See you in the comments, I’m off to the butchers to find a suitable pigs head to throw at Cesc in the Emirates Cup*!

Geoff is back tomorrow, I’ve heard he’s developed an American accent to fit in over there… don’t mention it when he comes on later!

*Joke

P.S. View here to see the sort of classy act Barca players are. Stick a Spanish footballer under the microscope as intensely as you do an English player and you’ll find out they’re all the same…

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    Posted by Pedro

    Disabled award tainted? / Cesc behaviour doesn’t surprise me as naive defence begins…

    July 13, 2010

    Finally we can start getting excited about the new season starting. I can almost taste the warm Underhill Stella Artois as I write. Sadly this year I am doubtful to be in attendance, but if you do have the chance to fly round the M25 to watch the game, I’d highly recommend it as an excellent day out. It’s kind of like going to an old school friends house who hasn’t done so well since they decided to pursue their dream of playing pan pipes on Britain’s got Talent. It really makes you appreciate the delightful stadium we have at the Grove and the calibre of some of our players.

    Last time I went, Eboue told one of my chums that he reads Le Grove everyday and he loves it. A very sweet lie if ever I did hear one!

    This years event should be quite exciting. I’m hoping that we’ll have a new goalkeeper to showcase. I’m hoping that we’ll get a dominant performance from Kozzer (Which I am reliably informed sounds like Koza which is Polish for Goat… which is the acronym of ‘greatest of all time’) and we’ll get to check out Moroccan heading sensation, Chamakh.

    Mind you, don’t get too carried away with what you see. I’m pretty sure Vermaelen had an aerial nightmare against Barnet last year which didn’t prove to be the case as the season went on.

    Rumours are still flying all over the place with regards to Joe Cole, people have been arguing the toss over the odds, asking how reliable Barry Silkman is and debating the quality of the player. I’ve got no idea what’s going on anymore, all I’d say is doubting his quality is foolish and judging him based on 15 minutes in a World Cup is also silly. We want quality players at Arsenal and it’s generally even better if they’re on a free from the not so classy ones on the other side of London.

    I wrote this at 0800 last night

    I’m not sure what to make of the Cesc comments doing the rounds,

    “All I can say is that this (World Cup victory) is for all the Arsenal players and fans, they are a world-class club.
    “I am an Arsenal player and proud to be.”

    I then had to add this in at 1000 last night

    Or is it the above a slimmed down version of this?

    “I had a text message of congratulations from Arsene Wenger. He said I deserve it. I just think this is for everyone at Arsenal who helped me get to where I am now. I am really proud to have been an Arsenal player.”

    I like the first one better to be honest. Not really a fan of the use of past tense when our Captain is talking about Arsenal. The source is pretty reliable as well, Eurosport aren’t known for telling porkies.

    Then had to add this in at 1200 last night

    The day got worse. As Spain celebrated winning the world cup in front of the worlds press, Reina walked Cesc to the front of the stage with a loose arm over his shoulder, two players came from round the back and apparently forced a Barca shirt over his head. Here is the video.

    It’s a practical joke in poor taste, but my take on this is as followed:

    • ‘Forced’ is an incredibly strong word. Reina is 3 inches taller than Cesc, he weighs 15kg more than him yet he is able to control him with the loosest headlock since my Grandma took up WWF at the age of 86.
    • Would Tony Adams have reacted like that if a few Man United players had tried to put a Spurs shirt over his head back in the day? Or would you have seen a bull in a china shop type reaction? Seriously, just imagine what your own personal reaction would be to something like that? I’m not saying he should have reacted like a cage fighter who’s having a tutu forced on him… I’m saying there could have been a struggle of sorts. Standing there like a lemon isn’t a reaction.
    • Even if Cesc was unaware, feeling incredibly weak and unable to identify a burgundy and blue shirt going over his head, what does it say about the conversations he’s been having this summer with his team mates? It says this story has been on the agenda and he’s been playing along.

    I hope we can finally lay to rest the naive mindset that every leak to the press has been without prior knowledge of our Captain. The Barcelona players are despicable, Reina is conniving and the whole process the Spanish put in place to lure players back to the homeland is vulgar beyond belief. However, it is my view that Cesc is not an innocent party in all of this. His behaviour this summer has been deplorable considering his role at the club and allowing your team mates to disrespect you in that way is not captain material.

    Though both of his original comments are encouraging. It’s interesting that he waited until now to say something. Wouldn’t you expect our Captain to come out with the above comments like that at the start of the World Cup?

    It’s interesting that Man U don’t have a pot to pi*s in, yet none of the vultures are circling their players this summer. No one goes after the Chav players they want to keep. Yet Arsenal have this crap every single year without fail and someone always seems to go. So much for project youth commanding love and loyalty eh?

    Anyway, none of this matters if you factor in that Barcelona have a deficit that would make the Greeks blush.  Arsenal’s stern stance on the matter also bodes well.  You’d have to suspect our captain isn’t going anywhere. Though a groveling apology should be heading our way.

    Good job too… I just wonder how the faithful will react.

    I see that Arsenal’s disabled supporters gave Tommy V the player of the year award. I’m not really sure why Arsenal have singled out disabled people for their own award? Surely they’re fans the same as the rest of us? Couldn’t they just vote in the same poll? Anyway, congrats Tommy V! I wonder if the disabled award was reflective of the Cesc situation? Interesting stuff…

    Finally, a big fat congratulations to Nik Bendtner on the birth of his brand new child. I hope the baby didn’t inherit his fathers big head… it could have been painful for the Baroness if you catch my drift. Anyway, good luck, hopefully it’ll inspire him to a fantastic season this year. Did you know his lady friend is worth £400million? Imagine that…

    Nik B: ‘Darling, let me get this…’

    Baroness: ‘Honestly Nik, you keep your money, go and buy yourself something pretty tomorrow…I’ll take care of this Nando’s bill.”

    A footballers salary and you’re still not the bread-winner!

    Anyway, plenty to talk about in the comments section today!

    I’m off to force my work shirt over my head.

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    Posted by Pedro

    Two players looking good / One leaving that’s got to be a joke?

    July 12, 2010

    Well, well, well… Head out thought heart as the Spaniards, my original tip for the World Cup, nicked a late goal in extra time to become the 8th World Cup winners.

    How was the game?

    Well, I thought it was a cracking spectacle. I’m not really sure where all these football purists have come from over the past month, but I for one do not expect 12 goals a game and I certainly don’t expect to see terrible defending in the final between two of the best teams on the planet.

    The game was a mixture of sublime skill, no nonsense tackling and high energy. Yellow cards were flashing around the stadium like they normally do when Howard Webb is reffing an Arsenal match and tempers flared from both sides as he made some interesting decisions. There was a lot of criticism that went his way, regardless of where he is from, I have to defend him because it’s near impossible to officiate against two teams who are so liberal with cheating.

    Seriously, it’s embarrassing to watch grown men dive about in such pathetic fashion. The world seems to have gone mad though. Apparently now, if you touch someone’s shoulder and fall down like a number 8 bus has clipped you, it’s ok because there was contact? Sorry, that just doesn’t rub with me. Your reaction should be equal to the force applied to you… Newton would be rolling in his grave if he knew how skewed his law of motion had become. I’m simply not buying you have to tumble at every chance these days and for me, it ruins the game.

    If the English were doing it, we’d be talking about how celebrity culture has butchered the physicality of our game.

    Anyway, player watch…

    Robin Van Persie was so anonymous yesterday I was barely aware he was on the pitch. Bar brushing the ball occasionally with a  deft flick, he didn’t really fulfill his role. I can’t remember him taking a shot or working the ball round a player all game. I know Arsenal fans have been raving about him this world cup, but watching him play for Arsenal and watching him play for Holland are two totally different things. The key difference being that Arsenal players actually seem to think it ok to pass to him occasionally.

    Cesc Fabregas came on late in the game. For me it was like being in a bar after having a nasty row with your girlfriend. You’re sure she’s going out to a club, then bang, she’s in the doorway of your local. She’s looking good, but you don’t really want to acknowledge her… she should have known better than to say, ‘it’s just a game’ after Arsenal lost to United.

    Anyway, needless to say, I wasn’t cheering his arrival onto the pitch. However, as we’re all aware of how amazing the boy  is, it was no surprise that he spiced things up with some terrific runs and some great shots. It was only a matter of time before he nipped in, picked up a loose ball and slotted in the Ferrel looking Iniesta who took a touch and banged it past the Dutch keeper.

    Heart break for the Dutch, jubilation to the Spaniards.

    The commentators after the game were disgusted at the Dutch tactics. Yep, the same commentators who queried whether it was Rambo’s fault for being too pacey when his leg was snapped and the same pundits who have been cheer leading brutal English tactics all year… they said the Dutch didn’t deserve the World Cup because of their approach.

    Unbelievable.

    I thought the Dutch were tough, but I didn’t think they were unfair. Again though, it rammed home the point that thuggish behaviour really isn’t a preserve of the English game.

    Just before I finish talking about the World Cup, I found it shocking that there were gaps around the stadium. Fair play to South Africa for hosting a nice World Cup, but for me, FIFA should give it to countries that have an interest in the games / can sell tickets to a public who can afford to buy them. Far too many empty seats for the World Premier sports competition.

    In England, I can categorically guarantee that there wouldn’t be spares to any game because we’re so football mad, we’d go and see any game if we had the chance. Being politically correct about where it goes without considering things like national backing for the game seems a bit silly to me. South Africa is a Rugby / Cricket nation… then football. Surely the World Cup would be better served in a country that is purely football.

    On the Arsenal transfer front, it appears that Arsene Wenger has refused to meet with Sandra Rossell from Barcelona on account of the Spaniard already knowing where Arsenal stand on the subject of Cesc moving. Well played Arsene, I hope you can stay strong and motivate Cesc for next season. Long term I don’t really care if Cesc leaves. The shame of it all is that in my mind, Jack Wilshere and Rambo are the future of the club and they are more than capable of filling the void… just not now. They need at least another two seasons before they can be trusted with the job of replacing the best creative midfielder in the world.

    On the outbound front, there is a disgustingly wicked rumour that A.Madrid are sniffing around our Spanish Waiter. I know, it’s far too good to be true, but for today, let me believe it! How would you seriously enter negotiations for him?

    ‘Errr, Ivan, we’ll give you some Spanish tree bark and a couple of bottles of 2005 red for Almunia’

    ‘Done!’

    On the inbound front, Ozil has decided that he’d rather spend another year with Bremen and make loads of money by leaving on a free as one of the most sought after bosman’s in history. Hey, at least Man United could bid for him then!

    The telegraph are sure that Arsenal are finalising moves for Schwarzer and Joe Cole this week. If that’s true and we can add a solid experienced defender into the mix, I’d say Arsenal are about ready to launch a proper challenge on a serious trophy next year.

    That for me would be some good business and it would make Wenger feel warm inside because he will have signed quality for a pittance. We’re all winners this summer if that’s the case… and if Wenger can shift Almunia on for a fee, you’d have to say that he’d get a few genius points back for the biggest transfer shaft since we sold Hleb for £12million.

    Before I go, I received some criticism for my thoughts on the UEFA licensing system yesterday. Though I’m sure it offers some benefits, I think it’s more of a money making swizz than anything. Just to highlight that point, see if you can find any manager in the top flight who has failed the exam. I couldn’t. You have to challenge the benefits of an exam you can’t fail. Sounds like this license is the equivalent of a GNVQ in flower arranging.

    Anyway, plenty to talk about… see you in the comments!

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    Posted by Pedro

    We’re favourites to sign him / The benefits of the collective / Patriotism…

    July 11, 2010

    The warm up to the World Cup final went off with a bang last night. A combination of terrible goalkeeping and some terrific fight back from the Uruguay team led to a pretty spectacular match up. Germany ran out eventual winners with a 3-2 victory, but it was hard to say they deserved it based on the howlers the opposition keeper dropped to let them achieve their 3rd place position.

    Why there needs to be a 3rd place decider completely baffles me? It seems like an unnecessary extra game for a position you wouldn’t really brag about. Still, it is what it is and the game showed off the impressive German style once again, it let us see Forlan for the last time bury a superb goal and it showed us what a little bit of fight can do to make up the chasm of quality between 2 teams.

    If Arsenal can take some of the Uruguayan spirit into next season, I’d feel a lot better about our chances of winning something.

    In Arsenal news it’s all gone rather quiet.

    The official paper of PHW has rolled with the Gourcuff to Arsenal story regardless of whether Cesc stays or goes. A bit of a non-starter for me… though the French playmaker oozes quality, it would seem highly unlikely Arsenal would make a move for anyone until Cesc has left. For me that would be a mistake if you could snare someone like Ozil in a cut price deal now.

    If Cesc is kicking up this much fuss now, I can’t imagine it’s going to be any easier next summer. Perhaps Arsenal should bite the bullet now. Buy up a replacement, bed him in this year, then we’ll be ready to hit the ground running next summer instead of scrambling around for a player that might not be available.

    Arsenal are back to being favourites for the signature for Joe Cole. I’m sure I read somewhere that he’s had a bereavement in his family, hence the lack of noise around his transfer right now. If anything is going to make you think twice about moving away, it’d be that. I’d still really like to see him in the red and white of Arsenal this season and I think it’s an excellent opportunity to acquire a quality player on a free.

    Wenger has let his thoughts be known on the collapse of the French team. He believes team collective has been key to the success of the Germany, Netherlands and Spain this world cup. That fits nicely with my thoughts on the matter. People have been bandying about figures about how many Uefa training licenses the English have. Apparently the top teams at this world cup have about 30,000 each, in England, we have 2,000. Well, if 15x the amount of pro licenses gets you a couple of extra victories in a world cup, you have to question how much benefit they offer.We’re still producing top players regardless of our coaching licenses and we’re producing teams that compete at the highest level (Not to mention we’re the number 1 league in the UEFA Coefficients again).

    If anything is tactically retarded, it’s the lowly Spanish teams trying to play Barcelona at the passing game. It’s hard to enjoy the Stoke style of football, but if you look at what they do logically, you can’t deny it’s effective. They play  to survive and they wouldn’t do that trying to play Arsenal at one touch football.

    For me, people just love to dig England out at any cost. Like the theory about violent challenges only being part of Premiership football. Well, I’ve seen horror challenges from all over Europe this year and I saw a particularly nasty one in the Germany game last night. It’s interesting that certain English people seem to get kicks out of slagging their Country down? I hate that attitude. You should never apologise for your Country. You don’t hear anyone else doing it. I’m sure if other Countries had a media as persistent as ours, we’d find there was plenty of scandal surrounding players of other nationalities. Men will be men wherever they’re from… never forget that when you’re lambasting what our players get up to.

    We’ve got a thrilling final to look forward today. My heart is saying Holland, my head is saying Spain. I’m not sure the Dutch defence can hold out against Spain today, but at the same time, I’m interested to see how Spain will cope with the direct counter attacking style of the Dutch. It could be spectacular and to be honest, I can’t see it panning out any other way! Could this be the night Robin Van Persie explodes? Could Cesc get off the bench to make Arsenal fans proud to sing his name again? Tune in tonight to find out!

    Right, have a great Sunday, pray for my hangover and get yourself in the comments!

    P.S. Guess who said this?

    “I was really surprised that Arsenal could be interested in a Lorient player with one season of Ligue 1 football in his legs,”

    Me and the Kozzer thinking along the same lines I see!

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    Posted by Pedro

    Let Jack go…

    July 10, 2010

    So, Geoff is away for the weekend so I have a free reign of Le Grove!

    I’ll start the post with the news that Owen Coyle wants Jack Wilshere back on loan next season and he reckons he can move Jack’s game on another level. It’s hard to know where to stand on this one. The kid is only 18 years old and the chances of him featuring heavily for Arsenal next year seem slim. For me the important question that needs to be answered is this.

    What is going to benefit Arsenal more in the long run?

    In my opinion half the problem we have with our youth players is that they don’t appreciate what they have until it’s gone, or until they’re plying their trade at some middle of the road championship club. undoubtedly Jack Wilshere has the talent to be whatever he wants in the game, but then again, so did Quincy. What’s going to make Jack a world beater in the long-term is his attitude. For me, going to a solid club like Bolton will do him Wanderers. He’ll get more games next season, he’ll be playing with experienced journeymen and he’ll truly appreciate Arsenal by the time the season is over.

    Hey… he might even bulk up!

    Despite Owen Coyle regularly embarrassing himself with his now finely honed ability to make a complete tit of himself, you can’t deny his talent for getting the best out of players and creating a half decent style of football. I think sending him out on loan also sends out the right message to rest of the kids… it doesn’t matter how good you think you are, getting into the Arsenal first team is not a right… it’s an honour.

    Arsenal are too wealthy these days to mess around bedding in players for 3 seasons. The only players that should go into our first team are the players that are ready to hit the ground running. If you’re not ready, you can go and play for a club where cutting your teeth and making errors is acceptable and less costly to the outcome of a season.

    I don’t want to read Arsenal fans getting on the back of Jack Wilshere this season in the same way we have done with Theo. Both aren’t ready for the Arsenal first team at the moment and personally, I think Arsene’s insistence on kicking players in at the deepend can have damaging effects on a player long-term. Hopefully Theo will recover, hopefully Jack will go out on loan, shine with some sparkling performances and by the time he joins the first 11 the season after, he is ready to guide us to a successful season!

    Arsenal have got to create a winning mentality around the first team squad again. Winning a major trophy has to be the only acceptable outcome of a season. Having players who will die for the cause should be on of the main criteria our scouts look for in a player.

    I think we’ve got that in Vermaelen and I’m hoping we’ve got that in Kozzer.

    If we went out and signed Melo, which judging by Wenger’s past comments is a definite possibility, I’d feel pretty confident going into the coming season!

    Things are starting to look up at Arsenal. If the boss beats the summer for the first time in 5 years, we could be in for a hugely exciting 2010/11 season!

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    Posted by Pedro

    They think it’s all over, no it’s not says Wenger, the spending will continue!

    July 9, 2010

    Arsene said yesterday that It’s not over, we are still open to buy, ‘We are still on the market for another defensive player because we have the need for one more’

    Well that’s the best news I have heard all summer, well done Arsene!

    I had a few Mr Angry’s on here yesterday regarding my piece on Cesc, some said I didn’t speak for them, well I didn’t intend to, I speak for those Gooners I know, and I know a lot, I also speak my mind and judging by the readership, I at least get a conversation going.

    And to the one person who asked me was the box my dads, no mate, my dad was a security Guard at Hedges & Butler, the box was mine. A few others called me a negative cu*t, well that’s because I felt negative, if you mate were happy with our captain asking to leave then that’s fine, I wasn’t and aren’t, if you want to write your own blog and tell the world that that sort of behaviour is acceptable, then like me, you’d better moderate your comments, because you’ll get a few on there that may not share your warped views.

    Anyway, after reading what the boss said, today I am feeling happy  and full of optimism, today I can dream of who is on the shopping list.

    Melo for Clichy, I don’t think so, Melo maybe, Inler better, but I’d take either, I would still like to see vermaelen in that role but I know many of you would preferred he stayed at the back.

    Shaun Wright Philips, no thanks, a few years ago maybe, but not for me, Joe Cole would be nice, Jagielka would be awesome, Honda, maybe, Ozil and Schweinsteiger yes please, Hazard ditto, there are a mass of players I would have in a heartbeat, but after reading what the boss said, I’m sure he has a list and that he’s working on it.

    I would welcome Cesc staying, but only if he said that what was said was bollocks and he’s seeing out his contract, and the reason he said nothing was because of the world cup and he didn’t want his bench preparations messed up.

    I love Cesc and I love the talent he has, I just hate disloyalty and I saw what has happened as just that, hopefully I’m wrong, however we must buy his replacement before he goes and not after.

    If I am wrong, Cesc please accept my apologies for my rather crude and unnecessary outburst.

    He does however need to tell his dad to keep his gob shut.

    The Gregory Van Der Weill rumours stopped, maybe because of the world cup, I like him too, I’m glad Gallas, and Silvestre have gone and we are replacing them, I would have liked to have kept Sol, but if he wants to screw his career up by playing for a team that plays in front of 5,000 people most weeks, then he should have stayed at Notts County, his call though, it’s not too late.

    If we get some of these players in as well as a new keeper, then I believe we can win trophies this season, if all the teams in the EPL have 25 players, then it will level the playing field, I hope that we see Wilshere, Gibbs, Ramsey and Lansbury play more this season and that doesn’t make me a racist as two people suggested I was, I like English players because I’m English, I don’t hate anyone who’s not, I do worry we have too many French players, but with a French manager, that’s going to happen, at least those we now have are good ones.

    Well if you want a more positive post than this one, you are on the wrong blog!

    Have a great day grovers, after today Pedro’s in for a few, you’ll like him, he’s not the one who writes the rants.

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    Posted by Geoff

    Gilles Grimandi is Arsenal’s new manager, official!

    July 8, 2010

    I always liked him, especially when he walloped Diego Simeone when we beat Inter Milan in the Champions league all those years ago, I met him and Patrick Vieira when I had a box and he really is a nice guy.

    I got an inkling that he could be Arsene’s successor when he became a scout for us in France, but he now seems not only to be our only scout, but he seems to actually pick the team, so on that basis, and the same way that I said Kosienly had signed for Arsenal and will play in the number 6 shirt 2 days before Arsenal did, I am now predicting he will not only be our next manager, he really in truth already is.

    Our 2 signings so far are both French and both unknown, yes I hear you say Chamakh is Morrocan, but he was born in France and has lived in France his whole life, so he’s French, no one has heard of Kosienly but he has been our number one target since the window opened, I don’t care what he’s like, buying a player who has played in a crap league for one season doesn’t do it for me. I hope you are special Laurent, because our next season hinges on how good you are, we’ve gone from Gallas and Campbell to you. Time will tell.

    Bankrupt Barca are offering £30 million for a rub-a-dub, I can’t believe they can afford even that, £30 million for someone who didn’t even make 3rd sub yesterday, how funny is that, we are coveting someone who isn’t good enough to make third sub for the Spanish team. I did a straw poll on who still wants him in the boozer last night, no one, not one supporter in the pub wanted to keep Cesc and every sod was supporting the Germans, ha, ha, that’s a first, see what you’ve done for your country Cesc? No one wants you anymore and no one likes Spain.

    I read we may be interested in Karim Benzema, that would be nice, I do like him, and the way we are going, we will have a team of Arabs before too long, Nasri, Chamakh and Karim Benzema, what happened to Ben Arfa, anyone?

    I still like Schweinstieger and Ozil, maybe their price has gone down since last night, who knows! But all I kept hearing was Meretsacker’s name, he really was everywhere last night, but you could see how they missed Mueller, he does remind me of Randall, I would love it if Randall ended up like him, but we all know that won’t happen, maybe it’s time to have a clear out, maybe with this 25 man squad thing we can earn some money, pick up some bargains from Man City and Madrid and challenge for the title, I was pleased to see Wilshere in the training pictures, maybe we’ll finally keep him, I have a feeling that him, Gibbs and Lansbury may get a chance under Capello this season, so maybe we’ll be saved by project youth after all!

    For those on here that maintain that because they never heard Cesc say he wants a move, he didn’t say it, wake up, he did, there’s no way back from that Cesc, well not and stay captain, I would be devastated if our manager kept him for one more season by throwing our hard earned at him, that would be the cowards way out and serve no purpose, Cesc has always maintained he wants to go back to Barca, screw him, he has a 5 year contract, strip him of the captaincy and whack him on the market, he won’t come back if he loses the armband and he will go to anyone that stumps up the cash.

    Learn from the Ade debacle, Arsene, we are Arsenal fans and if someone doesn’t want us, then we sure as hell don’t want them.

    Letting this Cesc situation fester is the equivalent of subbing the sub in the Wigan game, when that happened, Eboue got badly booed, allowing this situation to go on has just made the fans angrier and angrier, so you are either a very shrewd man, or a very naive one, my money’s on shrewd, do the right thing Arsene, Cesc has shown a complete lack of loyalty asking for a move when captain and under a 5 year contract, he has disrespected the loyal fans by saying nothing, when all around him have and frankly for someone who’s as injury prone as he is, I’d take the money and buy someone really good, they are out there. Put Fabregas on the market and end this fiasco.

    Here’s a dose of reality for you boss, if your head is still in the real world, your 23 year old prodigy earns £120k a week, add sponsorship deals to that, it’s probably more like £250k a week, I’ll bet the average fan singing his name from the terraces earns no more than £15k  a year, a year! Now think about that before you think about rewarding his disloyalty with even more money.

    Have a nice day Grovers, we’ll have to wait until the weekend to sell him, but at least come Monday we can move on with our lives.I wonder who Grimandi has up his sleeve next, let’s hope it’s a German!

    1,032 Comments | New Review | Permalink
    Posted by Geoff

    One hand on the trophy but will the other Arsenal player make it tonight? And what happened to the Israeli wonderboy?

    July 7, 2010

    And I’m talking Schweinsteiger or Ozil, not Fabregas, after his behaviour I don’t want Spain to win Jack shite, I used to like Spain, but after his display of treachery and all those slimebags begging him to leave the Arsenal, I don’t ever want to see him with the captains armband on again.

    When I say treachery, I don’t mean the fact he’s asked to leave, that could galvanise Wenger into doing something, it’s the fact he’s asked to leave with 5 years left on his contract, and whilst he’s the captain of Arsenal, he didn’t object to increasing his contract for more money when he did, did he? Barca won’t break the bank for Cesc, ha, ha, they already broke the bank, they are insolvent, tossers!

    First of all well done to Robin and my tip for the World cup, Holland. It’s incredible that he has played more straight games for Holland than he’s ever managed for Arsenal, is this the new fit all the time Robin? We can only hope.

    Barca are losing patience with Arsenal because we aren’t prepared to let him go for nothing, how rich is that! They should be done for tapping up our player, by now he must have developed Stockholm syndrome. Rossel has said it’s now or never, well what about we already told you no, you thicko. What part of no did you not understand? So let’s take that as a never. Give the captaincy to Robin or Vermaelen and let Cesc stew for a while.

    He can’t go unpunished for what he has done, we know he has done it and even the most diehardindenialCesc lover can’t say he didn’t, and yes, that is a word.

    So we’ve lost Campbell, Gallas, Silvestre and Senderos. We’ve bought Koscielny, you can’t count Djourou as we’ve had him for 5 years or so and he’ll be injured before the end of July. So four first teamers out, one in, typical Arsenal, but they do need cash for all the new and improved Club level bits. So don’t be too harsh!

    Do we need to sign new players though? As having Djourou, Wilshere, Rosicky, Eduardo and Ramsey back will be like having 5 new signings.

    What happened to the new Messi we were going to sign from Barca on a free, the kid from the West bank, or wherever he came from, that’s all gone quiet now hasn’t it?

    Who comes first boys, your club, or your country? I think I know the answer to that one.

    Bendtner, although he turned up and played bravely for Denmark is now injured and out for a spell, maybe another operation, so it could be a long spell. Ramsey is recovering from a broken leg so we are in the usual position of being light and injured early doors.

    We know that during the season Robin, Diaby, Djourou, Almunia, Denilson, Clichy, Arshavin, Cesc, Theo, Bendtner and Nasri will all be long term injured, so perhaps before we get to May and bemoan our atrocious luck, maybe we should at least buy as many players as we lose.

    So work that one out, that lot above are almost an entire first team!

    I still believe that Arsene will surprise us, and yes I know we say that every season, but we can only hope the Cesc debacle will finally prompt him to doing something, it would be strange though if we had our two best players both lining up to play each other in the World Cup final wouldn’t it!

    Have a great day grovers, it will soon be at an end, we can start thinking about pre-season, and hope like hell we have a team that can compete.

    923 Comments | New Review | Tagged: , , , , , , , | Permalink
    Posted by Geoff

    Koscielny signs and gets number 6, is this the sign of the beast?p

    July 6, 2010

    So I get my phone call from the one man in the know yesterday and he tells me that Campbell will go, Theo will have his first injury free pre-season and is determined to show how good he is and Kosielny will get the famed number 6 shirt. I’m happy we are replacing Silvestre but I would have preferred a monster, time will tell if he is the chosen one, but if Wenger is sure, then it’s good enough for me. hopefully we’ll also sign Jagielka, then we’ll have a DM back up.

    I think the success of Sol Campbell last season told Wenger we need a big lump with pace in there, so I have to assume that our new number 6 is that man.

    Yes I know you need another 2 6′s to get the mark of the beast, but I was referring to our Tone, the only beast we ever truly had.

    I felt I needed to explain it as I had a number of know-alls on here yesterday telling me to get my facts right that David Feherty was in fact Irish, ha, ha, how typical of the ill educated that when they hear an Irish accent they assume that person is from Ireland, well I hate to inform those blog nerds that Northern Ireland is actually part of Britain not Eire.

    OUT OF TOUCH OR OUT OF TIME?

    I have it on good authority that many box holders at the end of their contracts are not renewing, and I mean a lot, I have heard from 3 Grovers they have been bumped up the queue for season tickets, I have heard that many people have drastically climbed the waiting list, I even heard from my cousins that they are going to rent out their seasons for the second year running because times are tough and they are fed up with spending out and making the effort only to see our club not matching them in the transfer market. In betting parlance, they are laying them off.

    Though they still have their other seasons in the North Bank, so will still be going, fear not, they will still be there shouting and singing!

    Yesterday I met a customer in London, who told me that after 11 years on the waiting list, he was finally offered two tickets in the upper stands, he had the rest of the week to make up his mind and if he said no, he’s off the waiting list. I asked him where he was on that list last season, he said in the 30,000′s!

    Now I’m not for one minute suggesting that 30,000 fans have given up their seasons, I’m also not suggesting that 30,000 decided not to stay on the list anymore, what I am suggesting is somewhere between the two is closer to the truth.

    Only Arsenal know for sure, but believe me, there will be frayed nerves in the board room, if the empty seats last season were a warning, the lack of renewals and the drop in the waiting list were the bits you reap after the bad sowing.

    It is showing Arsenal that the fans are fed up with being taken for granted and the new additional WM club and the Foundry are classic examples of how out of touch with reality some members of Arsenal’s management team really are.

    They don’t understand that most of Club level members are just ordinary fans that went the extra mile for a bit of comfort and a free beer, they can’t afford an additional £10k for a 4 course meal and free wine before a game, real fans like a few beers with their mates, the 4 course meal and the expensive wine is what you do in Diamond Club, or with the wife in the evening, then fall asleep on the way home.

    For any out there that think I’m talking rubbish, call Arsenal and ask what are the chances of getting a box please, or Ivan, email me and tell me I’m wrong, I would love to be.

    I’M NOT MOANING, I’M JUST CONCERNED WE ARE LOSING THE NEXT GENERATION OF FANS, AS WELL AS OUT PRICING THIS GENERATION, THINK HARD BEFORE IT’S TOO LATE, THE WARNING SIGNS ARE THERE AND YOU KNOW IT.

    What we said will happen, appears to be happening. Arsenal, spend some money on some world class talent before you blow it, do something now or it will take years to redress, stop making out you are giving us something when all you are doing is killing the same Goose, over and over again. All you are doing is finding new ways to skin the same fans and what you should be doing is looking for new ways of finding sponsors, here I have a few ideas.

    Sell the pitch to a sponsor, much the same way they do in cricket matches, sell advertising space on the shorts and socks, do likewise with the tracksuits, do a pre-match tour to the far east or the USA.

    Barnet, Dagenham and Austria don’t bring in much money.

    I realise you can’t go back in time and re-do the stadium naming rights and the shirt deal, so move on and learn from your mistakes, don’t think it’s okay to sell our players for massive amounts but then not replace them for similar, the fans expect, the fans deserve to at least feel we can compete, having money doesn’t mean you’ll win, I think Man City have made some terrible buys, but having money in the right hands and buying the right players would make a massive difference.

    On the positive side we hear that Wenger is going to spend large on top, top players and surprise us all, I hope there some truth in that!

    Have a great day grovers, today we get to see our new number 6!

    883 Comments | New Review | Tagged: , , , , , , | Permalink
    Posted by Geoff

    Eduardo in and Eduardo out? Come on Arsenal, let’s get on with it!

    July 5, 2010

    Today sees another keeper enter the fray, this time the Portuguese keeper Eduardo, at 27 though it seems unlikely, I’d have him over what we currently have, but if Wenger’s masterplan is Chezzers, I doubt it will happen.

    Eduardo, our injured striker is surrounded by ifs-buts-and maybe’s, though I like him and would be sorry to see him go, but if he is damaged in the head department, then maybe we should say thanks and move on, I really don’t know what the boss is thinking but I would be guided by inside information there.

    Harry trying to hi-jack our move for Cole seems funny, last week he was ready to ditch the spuds for the England job, this week he’s back to his smarmy best, make your mind up Harry, England or Spurs! At least our manager puts Arsenal before France.

    With the world cup due to end this weekend and pre season around the corner, I would expect things to start happening soon, they have to don’t they if he wants the team in place for the up and coming friendlies, we now have Dagenham to play, good news for our Essex based supporters, but I’m not sure what that will achieve, we would have been better off travelling to the US and earn some money rather than risking injury at places like Dagenham, still what do I know eh?

    Cesc still looks like he wants out, so at least by Wednesday we’ll know if one of him or the two Germans will be an Arsenal player, Germany and Spain can’t both go through so either Ozil, Schweinsteiger or Cesc will decide their futures, though I suspect Wenger has his eye on someone we’ve never heard of from the french second division.

    I do love the new home kit, I’m not sure about the away one and I really like the return of the clock, so all we need now is some world class players and I’ll be gagging for the season to begin, to be honest I’m gagging anyway, but at least facing the clock will bring back memories of a bygone age when we won things, do you realise that since we’ve been at the Grove, we’ve won zip! Maybe that’s all about to change, apparently Brady says we are interested in a few Germans, let’s hope so eh!

    A last word for ex-Brit David Feherty, I watched Justin Rose win another PGA tour event in the USA last night, many of you may know the dim ex-Northern Irish twit has recently become an American, having to listen to him suck up to the US commentators over the last few months made me feel a little sick, but yesterday he took the biscuit, he said as Rose had a putt to win on the 18th, ‘it would be unfair if a redcoat won on July 4th’ what a wa*ker, David turning on your own is as low as it gets, you really are a scumbag, I hope your new masters gave you a pat on the back, I’m sure your relatives think you’re a top man. I particularly admire your new image, you look like a 300lb scarecrow shoved into a laundry bag and tossed into a barrel of monkey spunk.

    Have a great day grovers, things should start to happen soon.

    824 Comments | New Review | Tagged: , , , , | Permalink
    Posted by Geoff

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