Do It For Theo! Do It For Cesc! A Cup Final message to The Arsenal!

As we're all gutted for Cesc and Theo of course following today's confirmation from Wenger that they will be out of the Carling Cup Final, I just wanted to whip up a little support.

You could see from Theo's face when being stretchered off that he knew he was going to miss Sunday's game. He was almost tearful and we will miss his pace against the Birmingers.

I feel even more for our Cesc though.
You could tell from his optimistic Tweeting just how badly he wanted to be fit to Captain the side.

It would have been his first final as Captain and he desperately wanted to lead the team out. That honour should fall to RVP now assuming he'll be 100% fit too. If not then I think Nasri deserves the responsibility.

We've all been waiting with anticipation, just hoping for good news, to hear that Cesc will be 99% fit to play on Sunday, or even on the bench.

But it wasn't meant to be.

Now we have to get behind the rest of the team. We know the likes of Jack, Song, RVP and Nasri will step it up and compensate for the losses. We know we can win. But let's encourage them, let's show Cesc and Theo how much we care and appreciate their guttedness!

A Carling Cup Final message to The Arsenal vs. Birmingham 2011

Please feel free to share this story/picture. Spread the word Gooners!! 

Arsenal 1 Stoke Skidmarks Rugby FC 0

Despite our positivity, especially following the Barca performance and result, many of us would have been a little naive to think we would get through the Stoke game without any significant injuries.

I for one got caught up in the anti Shawcross (Lurch) campaign and forgot to worry about the fact that SSRFC would definitely damage one or more of our players as THEY JUST CAN NOT PLAY FOOTBALL.

But we knew we'd win and we did, just!

With RVP and Kos rested as a precaution due to minor injuries, it's a shame the next in line to be injured by the SSRFC - Stoke Skidmarks Rugby Football Club, were also high profile, first team players.

Theo is now out of the final thanks to a sloppy, lazy, wreckless, clumsy, idiotic and an all round c*ntified challenge which was no where near the ball and warranted a free kick, which was duly NOT given -cheers fuck-head, I mean , Ref.

Stoke Skidmarks Rugby Football Club

Cesc is a 'Doubt' according to media sources, but that could mean anything. We could see a miraculous 'Denilson' injury type comeback situation and hopefully will! When Cesc left the pitch Wednesday night, our game changed. We were well on top and looking like dishing out a hammering.

Without our captain, Jack lost the freedom he normally commands, to be able to get creative.
He was still  immense though, spraying passes everywhere. He's holding things together in midfield - doing what Song should be doing more of.

Don't get me wrong, Song is still very, very important in that midfield and does a good job, but he looks a little lethargic more often. Maybe the season is getting to him and I fear he may run out of steam a little too early for us.

A big mention has to go to Squillaci of course, for a much improved performance and a goal to boot!
That's what Wenger saw in him when looking for central defensive back up.
He was not the weak link. In fact, we didn't really have one tonight. Yes the finishing was off key. Our creative players didn't create enough but fair do's, SSRFC did park the bus as they CAN'T PLAY FOOTBALL!

To be honest, they did try some football related methods by using ex-Arsenal ugly bastard Pennant on the wing but he got it all wong.

Maybe if they'd PLAYED FOOTBALL, they could have equalised.

Sczcesny (David Seaman's love child) 'Safehands' proved his worth again tonight too. A good clean sheet considering the threat they posed from set pieces and line outs (Delap throw-ins).

We basically fought hard, probed, defended and won. It wasn't classic Arsenal, but then, against SSRFC we rarely can play football our way, the way football is supposed to be.

We're now 1 point behind the shit at the top of the Premiership table but of course they have a game in hand which is against Wigan so that will revert back to 4 points as Wigan are destined for relegation barring a miracle. I can't see another shock Wolves scenario anyway.

Like the Beckham's, waiting to find out if they've finally got a baby girl, (or in Shawcross' case - an abomination) we wait in anticipation for good news about the injuries toTheo and Cesc.

Can we win the Carling Cup final without them? Most would say as we're playing Birmingerham, it should be a whitewash.
We ought to credit them for getting to the final too though, so I'm gonna be bold (not cynical) and say it will be a score draw, extra time and penalties. Up will step 'Safehands' to deny them two goals and the cup is ours! Scary stuff but it would be bloody exciting!

Wrapping up; I sent a desperate Twitter message to some of the Twittering Gunner legends the other day asking for a 'Follow' to try and raise the profile a little, to no avail!

Seems desperate and pathetic, but if you don't ask, you don't get I suppose!
But if any of you lucky Twittererer's have managed such a feat, by all means feel free to recommend me eh!! Heh!

Also; Sending a big shout out to all my new followers, spread the word, comment, join in the rants please!

And follow a new Twitter member (my little bro) @PaulVanCesc  - he's almost as passionate a Gooner as I am!!

Hopefully my next post will be filled with jubilatory quips, chants and the likes!

Arcelona v Barsenal - the gap is closing!

My oh my! Oh my days! Wow! Blimey! Oh what a night! 16th of February 2011, one for the history books even if we don't go through on March 8th, was the night we finally beat Barcelona. 


Not only beat them 2-1 but beat them at their own game, playing Arsenal's football. 


This goal celebration sums up the feelings of every (true) Arsenal fan and everyone at Arsenal Football Club I'm sure!

Szczesny sums up the jubilation!

We may have had a little luck with the goal that wasn't - but was.
It's nice to have some decisions go our way for once though, considering how many of the league ref's are obviously in the pockets of certain other Premier League teams, based on recent refereeing performances. 
Try grassing me up on that one Moyes.



After booking Song for only his first challenge of the game, granted, a stupid one, the ref then blew for every blatant dive a Barca player made whenever they went in the vicinity of the bleached wonder. 
It was as if his B.O was fouling them and the ref fell for it every time.


Wounded Englishmen and talking shit.


There has been a mixed reaction from the media, pundits and neutral football fans. There is a whiff of cynicism and negativity from a lot of sections, it's just like some of the papers and so called football news outlets to try to dampen and criticise Arsenal whenever possible.


It stinks of the typical reaction that the England team gets around a big tournament; completely cut down and criticised in any way and whenever possible.

Some media outlets - I won't mention names, (Talkshite) have even dared to compare the spuds result the night before in the same breath! 
Though the latest poll comparing which of the two North London teams' results was best, had Arsenal's beating of Barcelona way out in front, which, though justified, actually surprised me as 'Talkshite's audience is targeted at Arsenal haters. 


We all know that the spuds were expected to beat an ageing, slow team. No-one, outside the realms of Arsenal FC expected us to even draw with Barcelona let alone beat them. So there really can be no comparison - full stop. So Alan Brazil - fack-orff!


Over-all though the performance has been appreciated. Even the Spanish press have given credit to Arsenal, referring to them as a wounded Englishman. They all made a note of pointing out the ref's mistakes understandably! 

"Broadly, it unfolded like this: Barca had the ball but not the unbreakable spirit or faith that characterises wounded teams. And a wounded Englishman is very dangerous. And he knows how to fight back. And in the end strength overcame technique."

"Barca gave a lesson in technique up to the 65th minute, Arsenal gave one in courage from then on." 

- Santi Gimenez  (Sports daily AS - Spain)

There's no pleasing some people though. If we'd have played a defensive non Arsenal way to hold them back then we'd have been ridiculed. There's not enough credit for the fact we played the Arsenal way, scored Arsenal goals (not Barcelona goals - bloody ITV punditry/commentary is shocking) and our 'YOUNG' team deserve huge plaudits for the team performance.

When Arsenal have played their way but lost, Statistics such as possession and chances created which we tend to dominate in, are always laughed off as meaningless as it's the result that counts. 


Yet apparently according to some media outlets and pundits, we don't deserve the win as Barca's stats were better than ours. I thought it was the result that mattered, and WE BEAT BARCELONA 2-1. 


We were merely lucky apparently. A little maybe yes, but it was a team effort with fight, vigour, a never say die attitude and with the 12th man at the Grove, the crowd were immense, we fully deserved that win.


I'd even go as far to say that I don't believe any other team in the Premier League could have done what we achieved against Barca last night. Why? 


Well, we beat them because we played them at their own game - be it not quite as spectacularly. We know we're not quite at the same level of technical ability at such a consistent level as they are. Yet! 
No other team can play pure football like we do, let alone like they do. 
We have pace like no other team. Not even Manure or day I say, the spuds. 


Not only will this win fill the team with confidence to carry them through the rest of the season but it will have scared the bejeezerz out of the likes of Manure, Spuds and Liverpool who have yet to face us. 


The Aftermath


The buzz on Twitter was fantastic, thousands of happy Goonewitter's beaming about the performance and result. 


The Arsenal players on Twitter, @jack_wilshere @53Szczesny53 @Nanas08 @cesc4official and co. must have been flooded with messages last night! 
And you could tell the players were still buzzing afterwards with a tweet from Szczesny enthusiastically saying 'We did it!" 


I, for one, will remember that game for a long time. It's right up there with the best. Two great goals. Fantastic performances from a young team including Jack Wilshere who stepped up another level to hold his own among Barca's 'Globetrotter' midfield. 


I struggled to pick a man of the match, but I just gave it to Koscielny. Jack was brilliant, but Kos was immense. He made so many important interceptions, if he hadn't, they would certainly have scored more and that would have nullified any impact Jack had made anyway.  


The whole team got high ratings in my book. It was a team effort. 
The celebrations alone warrant a 10/10! They sent goosebumps down yer spine!

So I shall certainly continue to basque in the glory and keep the positive energy on a high. The crowd's enthusiasm clearly affected the performance in a positive way as Robin duly acknowledged by thanking the fans vociferously. So maybe this positive energy thing really does work. The Grove will be a fortress after all!


Onto the Orient in the FA Cup where I expect a fair few changes with some experience thrown in. I'd not be surprised to see Almunia, Gibbs, Squillaci, Denilson, Rosicky, Bendtner and Chamackattack on board to replace a few of the main squad. Surely an easy win.


Til next time, here's some flesh:

Jack was gutted when he found someone had knocked his sandcastle over :-( 

Theo's a lucky man! - Melanie Slade - nice shoes!

A Message to Barca - All Gooners spread the word!!

Mention goes out to @Ladyarse and @LeGrove on Twitter for making me aware of this. I've changed my Twitter Avatar and think all Gooners should follow suit to support the lucky sods who will be chanting this repeatedly at the game on Wednesday! We will see (hear).

Here's a link to the Twitpic page: TWITPIC LINK

So get supporting and stay positive! We can do Barca over both legs with the team we have! 

Wilshere reveals Crapello's England ignorance

Jack Wilshere had a great 45 minutes for England last week as a 'holding midfielder'.
My arse!
He played well, as he does for the Gunners but he didn't sit back as Crapello wanted. He was taken off at half time, probably at Wenger's request. So what did Fabio learn? Well after an absolute master class in how to play as a 'free' attacking midfielder who can hold back if required, against Wolves, surely the England 'manager' has to realise that a strict holding role for England does not suit the youngster.

Why on earth Fabio thought that a holding midfield role suited Jack is beyond me. He has apparently been watching Jack for a long time now so how often did he see him sitting back just in front of the back four? Hardly ever. Song plays in that position most of the time and shares the role with Jack and Cesc.

If anything, for England, Jack should have the free role as an attacking midfielder. The role that Gerrard or Lampard have shared, unsuccessfully together. Given the age and legs of Gerrard and Lampard and with Gareth Barry's experience as a defensive midfielder, surely they would be better in that role with Jack playing off one of them to spray the passes to the likes of Shrek, Theo and whoever else plays up front and on the wings. If Crapello can't see this then it just further enhances his tactical ineptitude as England manager. I've never been a big fan of FC but if he insists on holding Jack back then I shall be leading the Crapello out brigade.

At Wolves on Saturday, we won 2-0 which nowhere near justified the performance. It was hard to fault a single player. Even Theo, who missed a sitter set up by JW, had a great game. The whole team were immense and looked very solid. Great warm up for Barca on Wednesday.

It was great to see JD fit after the scare last week and he looked more confortable, controlled and fitter than ever!
Even Arshavin is looking like he is back to his best form. Working hard, running back. He looked interested again. Quite how his attitude has turned around I'm not sure? Did Wenger have words? Was it just because Wenger stuck with him? Was it personal circumstances distracting him? who cares. As long as he's back and doing what he does best.

Cesc and Robin are influencing things on the pitch as things are hotting up. They weren't there against Newcastle for some reason, driving the team on. Setting the examples to the others. But as we've already concluded; that was a one off freak of a game.
So it will be up to the likes of them to drive the team on against Barca.

Talk is that even Nasri may be back for Wednesday, which would be surprising and welcome as long as it's not a risk. But Wenger has already stated that it wouldn't be a gamble.

So although Wolves are no Barca (though they did beat Manure last week) - I still feel that Saturday's game was perfect  build up for the players and us fans and we should feel confident about getting a good result at home. If we can take a 1 or 2 goal lead along with a solid performance into the Nou camp in a few weeks time then we should progress.

Many neutrals and euro-footy purists will say it's a shame not to see Barca and Messi, in particular, in the final at Wembley. But I think if we were to knock them out, most folks would say, Arsenal deserve to make it to the final and so we should!

Other news.

Rooney apparently scored the goal that won them the title on Saturday. Hmmm, I thought there were still 12 games left and we were only 4 points behind but I must have missed something. Some of these pundits and journo's just can't help but cream their pants over Manure. Pathetic considering that they're all supposed to be objective.

Granted, it was a good goal. Great technique and will probably feature in most top ten goals lists. BUT: I've seen goals like that scored in the lower leagues on many occasions. Here's a good one from an old Swindon Town FC game!

Quite frankly I prefer to see goals like our second. 5 one touch instant passes from defence to RVP with one touch and bang!! Now, that was a goal!

The chav's boss Carlo (only ever half surprised) Ancelotti has conceded that they are out of the title race. Duhh. They play Fulham tonight. Draw.

Spuds play ACMilan tomorrow but are missing Messi's long lost brother Gareth 'Monkeyboy' Bale (the future President of the USA, Pope, discoverer of a new planet that gives life to humans, designer of the space rocket that gets us there, inventor of time travel and all round best living human in the world since Ghandi - according to many pundits and spuds fans). So that means they've lost that one. 




It's Valentines day today. So Happy Valentines all you hot single (and married) Gooners!

Roll on Wednesday and I look forward to an awe inspiring, headline grabbing performance that puts Barfa in the shade!!

Diaby's fear, Referee's and other theoretical Rants

It's been a while since I last blogged. Not having the internet for 2 months was tough but in that time my beloved Gunners have done so well, until my internet was turned back on!
So I have to admit I'd been apprehensive in a superstitious sense, to start the blog back up again.
But, I've decided I can't keep my mouth shut, so here we are with a fresh 'Ranter' perspective on recent going on’s...or is it going’s on?.....

I didn't want to dwell on some of the recent adventures Arsenal have faced, ie: Ref's, capitulations and Cup scares but as I doubt many of you will read this bollocks anyway, I'll have a proper rant just to get it all off my chest once and for all.

So where do I start?

Let's start with a positive, our position in the league: We're second! Sounds good to me!

We're the only club still left in all 4 major competitions which speaks volumes for our belief, strength in depth and confidence which has slowly grown over time. Confidence was a big factor over the first 6 months of the season but it's clear that the players as a team have come a long way. 

What is evident however, is that there are still a few weak links in the team at times. The biggest one may actually now be overconfidence which leads to complacency.

Complacency is a dangerous, horrible state of mind. We've been punished on many occasions because of this. Which leads me onto Newcastle.

I've heard and read many comments, theories, rants and arguments about what the hell happened the other day. I've had time to simmer and really think about it.

Firstly, it's done, it's gone. A new Premier League record in capitulation - well done Arsenal.

My thoughts are simple. It was a freak game of two halves brought onto the team because they did not concentrate as a team.

They, as many teams would be, were too complacent with a 4-0 lead.

 

But unlike some other teams in that position, Arsenal threw away three points.

With the help of the referee and Diaby’s understandable but thoughtless and unprofessional petulance, Newcastle battled well as if it were the last day of the season and a draw would save them from relegation. A prospect they still may face.

Diaby’s reaction has caused many an argument. I believe that it was a flicker of anger and fear which caused him to react to that thug of a player.
(I shan’t mention the cnut’s name - I, as do 99.999999999999999% of the world’s population, actually hate him and believe he should have been banned from football for life after stubbing out a cigar in a team mate's eye, leaving him blind and unable to continue his football career).

Anyway, the thug challenged and got the ball, granted, but he also followed through viciously which literally bent Diaby’s leg in a way that it probably shouldn’t have. Hence the flashbacks, fear and anger from Diaby after suffering from a couple of horrific injuries previously.

However; If you are a professional  footballer who has suffered with bad injuries before, that does not give you permission to react unprofessionally to an over zealous tackle that may come your way. If you can’t get over that fear and react professionally then I am afraid your career has to be over.
I hate to think that he has or could, possibly react so badly to a late, hard but non malicious tackle from Jack in training. The last thing we need is in-fighting in the camp. Would he react like that to Jack or was it just because it was the thug and he was already wary of the possibility of a crunching challenge from him?

Basically, Diaby has to learn to accept that these challenges are always a possibility and if he can’t learn to deal with them and accept the consequences naturally then he will have to retire from football and take up some sort of non contact sport like netball or volleyball.  If Abou managed to deal with his fears and anger, we may actually see the full potential that Wenger clearly has seen before but we’ve yet to witness.

The fact remains; Diaby let the team, the manager and the fans down and his sending off contributed to our second half display in many ways.

So that was just one contributor.

The next one is more straight forward and we’ve seen it before.
Once down to 10 men, with anger brewing over Diaby’s sending off and the injustice of the ref’s poor decisions, Arsenal lost their concentration. When you can’t concentrate, you concede penalties, you get caught offside more often, you don’t track back and mark your man, you don’t clear the ball properly, the list goes on. Every single thing that could have gone wrong, went wrong. So the whole team needs to take that on their shoulder’s and I’m sure they have.

Finally; The referee. Phil Dowd.
Newcastle's flavour of the month. He didn’t half do them a few favours. The first penalty was, though soft, a letter of the law penalty. Fair enough.

Then, after applying the letter of the law to Diaby as he ‘raised his hands’ against two Newcky players, he decided that the letter of the law no longer applied against Newcastle.
Here’s one - Would Dowd have only yellow carded Diaby had he just pushed the thug and not Nolan. I think not. Phil Dowd, Newcastle’s flavour of the month.

Why was the thug not yellow carded for a through the back challenge on Shavva?
Phil Dowd, Newcastle’s flavour of the month.
Why was Nolan allowed to wrestle our keeper to the ground by the neck without being sent off? Phil Dowd, Newcastle’s flavour of the month.
Some idiots (pundits and football journo’s - no names mentioned) said it’s because Chesney would not give him the ball, but it wasn’t Newcastle’s ball. The ball is the property of the ref (Phil Dowd, Newcastle’s flavour of the month.) during the game and Arsenal were going to kick off from the centre circle so he had every right to keep hold of it.
According to the ref though, Nolan only deserved a yellow because it was Chesney’s fault.
Phil Dowd, Newcastle’s flavour of the month.  

The Arsenal Stadium Mystery: How much did the ref get paid at Everton and Newcastle?

Last but not least is the biggest mystery since the ‘Arsenal Stadium Mystery’ back in 1939.
A second penalty for......jumping? …..farting the wrong kind of smell?...  who knows?
Phil Dowd, Newcastle’s flavour of the month.

Here is a question that many a football fan has posed: Why can’t the ref’s grow some bollocks and come out after each game for a post match report explaining the key decisions they’ve made?

At times when they have realised a mistake they’d have the opportunity to apologise.
I guarantee they would earn so much more respect from all in the business and it would make their lives easier.

I thought ref’s that make poor decisions were assessed and disciplined accordingly ie: Everton’s clear offside goal and the linesman’s terrible misunderstanding of the rule regarding 2nd phase play.
Surely this linesman would have been marked down for that and should be relegated to a Championship game for at least one match to encourage improvement in decision making? Please correct me if I’m wrong, and if I am, explain why I am wrong.

Apart from these negatives, Arsenal actually ended up gaining a point on the leaders Manure after they lost their first game of the season in the league to bottom placed Wolves! The 'Invincibles' record is safe for another year. I never feared them matching an unbeaten Premier League season, I've said all along that they will lose. But If they had matched our record with the boring droll they're churning out we'd still have the privilege of knowing that we did it in style in 2004! 

Arsenal have done extremely well in recent months and are still in with a shout for at least one trophy with the Carling Cup final soon approaching. But we’re not there yet. We still have flaws to iron out.
How do we know what our flaws are? By showing them, like we did against Newcastle.
Now we’ve done that it’s time to correct them.
I think, no, I know, that Wenger will help the team get over the Newcastle debacle mentally and the signs so far from the players on Twitter and the likes, are good. They seem to have a uniform mentality that it was an unusual situation and they can move on from it.

As we all know and expected, Wenger did not buy anyone, particularly a central defender, in the transfer window. Am I disappointed? According to some prize twonk on Sky Sports News last week, every Arsenal fan is disappointed that Wenger failed to buy in January. WRONG -  I’m not disappointed. Nor should any Arsenal fan be. It’s all about how you look at it.
Wenger has an amazing record when it comes unearthing gems. Kosh is turning out to be one of those gems. Squillacci, not so much - yet! He was never expected to set the world alight but considering this is their first season in a league that is faster, harder, more pressurising, I think they’re both doing well. Congrats to Kosh in being called up to the French squad by the way.

They don’t work so well together (the fabulous @ladyarse brilliantly quoting Squillacci as Kosh’s Kryptonite!) but Squillacci especially, will improve with time.
Kosh works well with JD and it seems the knee problem is short term so that partnership should continue for the Barca game. Barring a miracle return by the amazing Vermaelen that is.

So I think it is a testament to the whole squad that Wenger trusts them, believes in them and shows them that they don’t need replacing by splashing out stooopid dosh on a player to appease the fans. Who was out there that was available? No-one I can think of. The ones that were, are just over-priced and totally against Wengers’ buying policy so I don’t get why so many fans expect it each year! This policy can only build the players’ confidence further and I praise Wenger for that. So should you.

Interdull

Just a brief one on today’s pointless international between Denmark and England - meh!......

Bendtner played for Denmark, didn’t score.
Theo and Jack both featured for England, Jack was smooth and impressive.
Theo was speedy, set up Darren Bent’s goal and got a bloody eye for his troubles. (The Danish defender who caught him with his fingers whilst Theo made a mug of him to set up the goal, is a drag queen called Helga in Copenhagen in his spare time and forgot to take his false nails off before the game - just thought I’d mention that).  
Most importantly, none of them were injured, including Helga.
 
We have Wolves on Saturday which starts a run of three Premiership home games in a row sandwiched in between a couple of Champions League tussles with Barca as mentioned.
More opinions on those games nearer the time if you can be arsed to follow and read the next blog post after this essay!!

In the meantime, I’ll leave you with some football related eye candy, I know this is your favourite part!

Our very own Keeley Hazell: Not sure if she's actually a Gooner but if she's not, she should be!