Arsenal

[SantiSuk]

Big news from Arsenal in the transfer window.

Kyle Bartley moves to Rangers on Loan.

Who?

Arsene obviously content with just the Milk Cup this year then

[smokie36]

Big news from Arsenal in the transfer window.

Kyle Bartley moves to Rangers on Loan.

Who?

Arsene obviously content with just the Milk Cup this year then

Glad its not just us at least!

[SantiSuk]

This is one doolally of a season in the EPL. With the possible exception of a minor team from the seaside and its bristol boyo manager it's hard to find an owner/manager combination that the fans or neutrals would give much credit to over the whole season to date.

If Arsene truly believed he did not need to buy then I fear we are condemned to playing another few seasons on the fringes while we watch him continue to try to convince the world that he is the visionary who 'got it right'. It is of course more complicated than that - prices are too unrealistic in the January window and the franchise is trying to prove you do not need to hock the club in debt to be a big club.

Maybe we will be the team for the moment when all these caps on wages and transfer fees come in in a few seasons time. In the meantime its a real sickener knowing how near we could be to getting back on the glory trail in a year when most are struggling with much less cohesive units than Arsenal. A more ambitious and ruthless owner would take action sooner rather than later, realising that for Arsene getting it right involves perfection in attack and midfield and defense is an afterthought. Wrong, wrong, wrong.

[MiG16]

and my friend stayed up all night wanting to follow the 'transfer' news

poor him

[carmine]

and my friend stayed up all night wanting to follow the 'transfer' news

poor him

I'm well aware of what your friend went through and they have my sympathys.

[SantiSuk]

Stayed up last night to watch the Everton game. Everton are a solid side so good to stagger back up off that banana skin. Everton played well particularly in the first half and it was difficult to tell which was the top 4 side. Fellaini nixed Fab better than any holding midfielder I have seen play him.

We were in some ways quite lucky to get the 3 points having gone one behind, but having said that we should never have gone one behind. Another poor decision by the officials. Send that referee's assistant back to Referee School - you cannot be played onside by a defender if the ball is aimed in your direction when you are in an offside position (being played onside means the ball was played towards an onside attacker but a defender diverts it to an offside attacker - or simply that a defender plays a ball to the attacker by mistake). Not even a question of judgment, just a straight technical error on the RA's part. I think he realised 90 seconds later but Mason rightly judged it was too late to reverse his decision (at least that was my reading of the body language as they conferred (crackle crackle in the ear-piece 'Ref, I think I've made a mistake' [touch line conference] 'Never mind son let's tough it out'.

Fab got his control of the midfield back in the second half. Just as well 'cos Jack Wilshere seemed to fade early again and was substituted. In some ways I hope he got a slight knock as otherwise I question whether he has the stamina for the heroic future that everyone is painting on his canvas.

And eventually a real treat - an Arsenal goal from a corner - 1st one this season I think (certainly very rare if not the first - I usually groan when we 'win' a corner and the fans are revving up. I would rather have a throw in from the half way line!).

Flappy at the back again when we were under pressure but I'm kind of getting used to that and there's s%d-all we can do about it anyway now. Koscielny has been looking like we could make a decent centre half out of him but Djouro needs at least another couple of years of development (maybe one given that we are having to give him so much match practice); I'd still rather see him there than Squillaci though.

Luckily Everton, good team though they are, had Cahill still presumably tending his sadness for narrowly losing the Asian cup final. He was great in the air in Qatar. Ultimately they didn't have the firepower to drive home some of their good midfield play.

Song went off half way thru' injured - hope he's ok as he's our third best player.

Good to win at home - that is where we will have to be on top form Our away fixture list for the rest of the season is relatively undemanding and we are good on the road - Newcastle, West Brom, Blackpool Stoke, Bolton and Fulham.*

PS - missed Spurs - date TBA. Doesn't change the analysis, though that one will be a humdinger

[MiG16]

Santisuk

Were you a commentator / reporter of sorts?

I'm just happy we won

I slept with the 'puter in my bed

[SantiSuk]

Santisuk

Were you a commentator / reporter of sorts?

I'm just happy we won

I slept with the 'puter in my bed

I wish I had been (since I was cr@p at playing). On the other hand, the kind of writing I did do for a living (financial reporting ) gave me enough dosh to settle here and raise a family so it can't have been all bad

[carmine]

Arsene still does'nt seem to understand the need for a decent keeper and a solid back four.

Touchline tantrums arn't the answer.

[smokie36]

Arsene still does'nt seem to understand the need for a decent keeper and a solid back four.

Touchline tantrums arn't the answer.

Lovely tackle by Barton leading to the sending off.....4-0 up and still can't control himself? Think Joey done his homework there....should have been 5-4 to the geordies too....disallowed goal was onside....robbed they were!

[MSingh]

Arsene still does'nt seem to understand the need for a decent keeper and a solid back four.

Touchline tantrums arn't the answer.

Lovely tackle by Barton leading to the sending off.....4-0 up and still can't control himself? Think Joey done his homework there....should have been 5-4 to the geordies too....disallowed goal was onside....robbed they were!

Look on thee brightside Gooners, you cut the gap with Man United to 4 Points..

[MSingh]

Arsene still does'nt seem to understand the need for a decent keeper and a solid back four.

Touchline tantrums arn't the answer.

Lovely tackle by Barton leading to the sending off.....4-0 up and still can't control himself? Think Joey done his homework there....should have been 5-4 to the geordies too....disallowed goal was onside....robbed they were!

Look on thee brightside Gooners, you cut the gap with Man United to 4 Points..

[smokie36]

Arsene still does'nt seem to understand the need for a decent keeper and a solid back four.

Touchline tantrums arn't the answer.

Lovely tackle by Barton leading to the sending off.....4-0 up and still can't control himself? Think Joey done his homework there....should have been 5-4 to the geordies too....disallowed goal was onside....robbed they were!

Look on thee brightside Gooners, you cut the gap with Man United to 4 Points..

Hopefully a few other teams will get under their skin use width to stretch their poor defence and bang in a hatful of goals past (one of) their shit keeper(s).

[MSingh]

Ansolutely dignified at the end of teh Game too i see, even that Wilshere has caught the " lack of respect " disease that they've brough form accross the Channel..

[smokie36]

Ansolutely dignified at the end of teh Game too i see, even that Wilshere has caught the " lack of respect " disease that they've brough form accross the Channel..

I hope when they come to the Lane the ball boys are primed to pass the frog a new bottle of water every time he puts it down. We'd hate to miss another opportunity!

Nasty bad mannered cheats the lot of 'em.

[MSingh]

Ansolutely dignified at the end of teh Game too i see, even that Wilshere has caught the " lack of respect " disease that they've brough form accross the Channel..

I hope when they come to the Lane the ball boys are primed to pass the frog a new bottle of water every time he puts it down. We'd hate to miss another opportunity!

Nasty bad mannered cheats the lot of 'em.

Still a MUCH bigger & better Club than you though..

[smokie36]

Ansolutely dignified at the end of teh Game too i see, even that Wilshere has caught the " lack of respect " disease that they've brough form accross the Channel..

I hope when they come to the Lane the ball boys are primed to pass the frog a new bottle of water every time he puts it down. We'd hate to miss another opportunity!

Nasty bad mannered cheats the lot of 'em.

Still a MUCH bigger & better Club than you though..

Bunch of new labour caaants thats all.

[MSingh]

& as if by magic...............

http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport2/hi/football/eng_prem/9388527.stm

[SantiSuk]

I'm lost for words, so I'll just leave it to Arsene:

“I don’t agree anymore when people say you need a leader on the football field, Football has evolved and it is so quick nowadays there is less time available for one person to lead the team. You need more shared leadership on the pitch.

“You need five or six leaders in the team. You still need those people talking in the dressing room but on the pitch it has become too quick for just one guy to say ‘come on everybody come here,’

Toss-pot

[smokie36]

I'm lost for words, so I'll just leave it to Arsene:

"I don't agree anymore when people say you need a leader on the football field, Football has evolved and it is so quick nowadays there is less time available for one person to lead the team. You need more shared leadership on the pitch.

"You need five or six leaders in the team. You still need those people talking in the dressing room but on the pitch it has become too quick for just one guy to say 'come on everybody come here,'

Toss-pot

"Four nil and you fuc_ked it up...four nil....!"

[SantiSuk]

Like i said. lost for words .... Read Singh's while I recover my composure.

[MiG16]

(while miggie goes into hiding)

our only saving grace was ManU AND Chelsea lost too

thats what brouhgt me out of my cave....

[MSingh]

(while miggie goes into hiding)

our only saving grace was ManU AND Chelsea lost too

thats what brouhgt me out of my cave....

It's true though..

Whilst the resident Spurts Fans are crowing, the truth is you cut the gap with Man United & in increased it on Chelsea..

Mad but true.

Edited February 7, 2011 by MSingh

[MiG16]

ohh by the way

i deleted one post

only english on the forum please

and dont any smarty pants suggest french is ok cos its arsenal thread

and no not cos it was critical of Arsenal (no idea if it was, I dont speak/read French)

[smokie36]

ohh by the way

i deleted one post

only english on the forum please

and dont any smarty pants suggest french is ok cos its arsenal thread

and no not cos it was critical of Arsenal (no idea if it was, I dont speak/read French)

I was merely suggesting young Wilshere was sent to bed without his supper.....petulant wee imp that he is!

[MSingh]

ohh by the way

i deleted one post

only english on the forum please

and dont any smarty pants suggest french is ok cos its arsenal thread

and no not cos it was critical of Arsenal (no idea if it was, I dont speak/read French)

[smokie36]

ohh by the way

i deleted one post

only english on the forum please

and dont any smarty pants suggest french is ok cos its arsenal thread

and no not cos it was critical of Arsenal (no idea if it was, I dont speak/read French)

I already did though didn't I?

[gennisis]

Ansolutely dignified at the end of teh Game too i see, even that Wilshere has caught the " lack of respect " disease that they've brough form accross the Channel..

I cant believe that the FA hav'nt addressed the armlock by Nolan on the Arsenal goalkeeper.Last night on TV a retired ref(cant remember his name) said a couple of amazing things.

1...the linesman (or second ref these days) has a primary funtion to judge offsides only. ...Cant believe this at all. But when you see the Nolan wrestling saga with the linesman right alongside ...welll !!!

and Maybe Csec's tunnel comment regarding pay was a reference to ....if you are paid why dont you know the laws ,rather than an accusation of bribery.. With this in mind I can only agree with him.

I think Wilshere's comments are quite in order when even the same ref can give different cards for what appear to be similar offences.

Its about time that every match is reviewed by video and whilst I have to accept that the match result must stand, punishments /suspensions can be handed out retrospectivly.If this shows up the referee,OK ,so be it.

This season has to be the worst for plainly obviously incorrect refereeing.....the 2 redcards never given to Gary Neville as an example.

[alfieconn]

Ansolutely dignified at the end of teh Game too i see, even that Wilshere has caught the " lack of respect " disease that they've brough form accross the Channel..

I cant believe that the FA hav'nt addressed the armlock by Nolan on the Arsenal goalkeeper.Last night on TV a retired ref(cant remember his name) said a couple of amazing things.

1...the linesman (or second ref these days) has a primary funtion to judge offsides only. ...Cant believe this at all. But when you see the Nolan wrestling saga with the linesman right alongside ...welll !!!

and Maybe Csec's tunnel comment regarding pay was a reference to ....if you are paid why dont you know the laws ,rather than an accusation of bribery.. With this in mind I can only agree with him.

I think Wilshere's comments are quite in order when even the same ref can give different cards for what appear to be similar offences.

Its about time that every match is reviewed by video and whilst I have to accept that the match result must stand, punishments /suspensions can be handed out retrospectivly.If this shows up the referee,OK ,so be it.

This season has to be the worst for plainly obviously incorrect refereeing.....the 2 redcards never given to Gary Neville as an example.

If the prick had give the ball back he wouldn't have been in a armlock .

Can we also take it that you are a gooner

Edited February 8, 2011 by alfieconn

[SantiSuk]

Ansolutely dignified at the end of teh Game too i see, even that Wilshere has caught the " lack of respect " disease that they've brough form accross the Channel..

I cant believe that the FA hav'nt addressed the armlock by Nolan on the Arsenal goalkeeper.Last night on TV a retired ref(cant remember his name) said a couple of amazing things.

1...the linesman (or second ref these days) has a primary funtion to judge offsides only. ...Cant believe this at all. But when you see the Nolan wrestling saga with the linesman right alongside ...welll !!!

and Maybe Csec's tunnel comment regarding pay was a reference to ....if you are paid why dont you know the laws ,rather than an accusation of bribery.. With this in mind I can only agree with him.

I think Wilshere's comments are quite in order when even the same ref can give different cards for what appear to be similar offences.

Its about time that every match is reviewed by video and whilst I have to accept that the match result must stand, punishments /suspensions can be handed out retrospectivly.If this shows up the referee,OK ,so be it.

This season has to be the worst for plainly obviously incorrect refereeing.....the 2 redcards never given to Gary Neville as an example.

If the prick had give the ball back he wouldn't have been in a armlock .

Can we also take it that you are a gooner

I thought that the correct decision would have been a yellow card for the keeper for not releasing the ball and a red for violent conduct to Nolan. It was ridiculous that the refereeing team allowed such retaliatory conduct to go unpunished. Yes - I'm a gunners fan but I did post previously that the Man City defender should not heve been red-carded when Sagna was justifiably red-carded.