Tag Archives: Arsenal

Football Fans Demonstration – Today (Noon) – Central London

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For those who do not already know, today fans from up and down the country are putting their rivalries aside to get together protest at the meeting of the Premier League shareholders in Central London.

Three of Arsenal’s four fan groups – RedAction, Arsenal Supports Trust, & the Black Scarf Movement – have got together to represent the interests of Arsenal fans at the demonstration.

Arsenal’s fourth fans group, AISA (Arsenal Independent Supporters Association) will be going to the protest separate from the other 3 groups.

The protest is in response to the recently announced £5.14bn TV deal and how little of it is to be reinvested into fans. As clubs income continues to sky rocket through TV and sponsorship deals, ticket prices also continue to rise, pricing out many fans who have been going for decade.

At the shareholders meeting, Premier League chief executive Richard Scudamore will present a letter to shareholders on behalf of the Football Supporters’ Federation (FSF) and fans of all 20 Premier League club.

One of the main demands of the FSF is for away tickets to be capped at £20. The FSF have long campaigned that Twenty’s Plenty.

According to the BBC, the letter will also contain demands that:

  • Every Premier League club to set aside £1m per season, primarily to subsidise ticket prices for their away fans
  • A “structured engagement” with supporters at every club to consult on how to spend that £1m subsidy
  • An end to clubs categorising games for away fans and charging different prices depending on which team is visiting
  • No reduction in away ticket allocations or relocation of away fans to inferior accommodation

At She Wore, we have always backed the work of the FSF and the Arsenal fan groups in trying to get a better deal for match day fans, and we thank those involved who give up their time to fight on behalf of the fans.

If you are in Central London today, whether you are a student, a cab driver, work in the City, or have the day off, get yourself down to the protest. Add your voice:

Date/venue/time: Le Méridien (21 Piccadilly, London, W1J 0BH) on Thursday 26th March (midday) – map here. Fans should gather directly outside the main entrance. The meeting is arranged by the PL, we’re targeting it to deliver our message but have no control over when/where it takes place. The nearest tube is Piccadilly Circus.

For too long, match day fans have been ignored by the footballing authorities. It is time for that to end.

Even as recently as this week, tickets were found on a secondary market place, selling tickets for the FA Cup Semi Final for nearly £400. These are tickets which would have gone to the ‘football family’ being touted for profit, something which is illegal in the UK. The fact that the FA turn a blind eye to this, and actually continue supplying these sort of people with tickets, shows how little they care about proper fans.

http://twitter.com/alsnotnutz/status/580437592698675202

For further details about today’s protest, and for what action you can undertake even if you can not make today’s protest, CLICK HERE.

Remember, football without fans is nothing.

 

Keenos

 

Francis Coquelin Apology

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An apology is needed. I am sure I am not the only one who needs to issue one.

Francis Coquelin, I am sorry.

Back in November, when it was announced that Coquelin was to join Charlton on loan, I blogged that “The only logical reason for such a short term loan as that it is to get him match fit for January, when he will be sold.” I have been proved wrong.

Others went a lot further:

http://twitter.com/JackWilsh10/status/550695692164165633
http://twitter.com/iDaywa/status/546722632130105344

Since he got his opportunity in the middle of December, he has gone from strength to strength and is now arguably one of the first names on the teamsheet.

Luck plays a big part in footballers getting their breakthrough.

Ashley Cole was due to be sold to Crystal Palace when Silvinho ‘lost’ his passport. Gareth Bale (+£15m) was on its way to Middlesbrough in exchange for Stewart Downing, until Boro rejected the offer. Harry Kane was getting pimped around English football 18 months ago, there were no takers. Football is littered with these stories of players getting a little bit of luck helping them with their breakthrough.

Coquelin is certainly another to add to this list. When he was recalled, Arsenal were without Koscielny, Monreal & Chambers, Arsenal were short at the back. The original suggestion was the Debuchy would move to centre back and Coquelin would cover full back. But at the same time, Arsenal were also without Wilshere, Ramsey & Arteta, meaning we had gaps to fill in midfield. Recalling Coquelin, in the short term, was the only option. It gave him his chance.

What was not luck was how Coquelin then applied himself after getting recalled. He showed passion, has worked hard and been disciplined.

His heart, desire and positional sense was highlighted the best in the recent  Cup match against Manchester United.  Despite giving away 6 inches to Marouane Fellaini, he won 10 of their 12 aerial duels. He wanted it more and read the ball better.

The stats speak for themselves. Since the turn of the year, no Premier League player has made more tackles (4) or more interceptions (43) than Francis Coquelin. His statistics compare favourably to other defensive minded Premier League midfielders:untitled

What has impressed me most recently is his discipline. After 4 yellow cards in his 1st four starts, he has since only got 2 yellows in his last 14 appearances, and none in his last 6.

He is clearly a player who understands his role in the team.

Coquelin influence is also a frustration. We all knew we needed a top defensive midfielder at the beginning of the season. We failed to buy one. You have to think had we bought what we needed, we would be closer than the 7 points (having played a game more) to Chelsea. We would be in the title race.

Some stuck with Coquelin. One of the lads I travel with always backed him. “You can not comment until he plays” and “If he breaks through you will realise” he repeated to me on numerous occasions. I disregarded his opinion – he has also been speaking about Kondogbia for a few years – and have been proved wrong.

So Francis Coquelin, I apologise. You do have a future at Arsenal.

Keenos

 

Patrick Vieira set for Arsenal return

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We wake up this morning that Patrick Vieira could be on the verge of leaving Manchester City this summer.

When Vieira joined the Manchester City coaching staff in 2011, having recently stopped playing for the club, many Arsenal fans were critical of Arsene Wenger and the club for not doing enough to bring the former captain home. At the time, I could understand why Vieira went straight from playing for City to joining their set up as Football Development Executive. A made up title to keep Vieira round, pay a high wage, and use him to attract players.

Since then, Vieira has reportedly become a decent coach. Now the reserve team and Elite Development squad manager of Manchester City, he has spent 3 years gaining his coaching qualifications, and is highly regarded.

All of the cards are now falling into place. With his contract expiring, and his coaching experience, and Vieira still living in the Hampstead mansion he owned when playing for Arsenal, the club need to make an offer to bring the former captain home to London, and take his place amongst the Arsenal coaching staff.

Early reports are that he could be on the way to Bayern Munich to manager their ‘B’ team. This just further highlights how highly regarded he is throughout football. Any offer from Arsenal would surely gazump any approach by Bayern Munich.

Whilst being a top player does not necessarily make you a top coach or manager (Roy Keane, Tony Adams), Vieira has shown ability, and just having him around the club would be a good influence on the young players within the squad.

With Robert Pires  employed by the club as an Ambassador, Thierry Henry having a larger involvement in the club whilst undertaking his coaching badge, Freddie Ljungberg set take his badges,  and Gilberto Silva having recently been invitedback to the club to do some coaching, the return of Vieira alongside these invincible’s could see Arsenal end up mirroring the Ajax set up.

Imagine having 5 invincible’s on the training ground on a daily basis. All that would be missing would be Dennis Bergkamp.

The time has come for Arsenal to pull out the stops and bring Patrick Vieira home.

Keenos