Tag Archives: Arsenal

10 Reasons why we will beat Stoke + starting 11

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1) It shows the stupidity of some fans when they plan on abusing a player not even there. The players will do it for Ramsey.

2) Ozil is back after his dead leg/dropped/rested.

3%) If anyone can stop the lanky Crouch its the BFG.

4) With Gibbs and Monreal both out Sagna will move to left back and Jenkinson should come in at right back, say what you like about Jenkinson but this is his kind of game, he will get stuck in and will run all game.

5) The Arsenal Away – Won 8, Drawn 2, Lost 3. Scoring 26 goals.

6) Stoke Home – Won 5, Drawn 6, Lost 2. Scoring just 17 goals.

7) Stoke fans are likely to make a song and dance over Wenger’s 100 red cards, but “They have committed more fouls than any other team in the Premier League (360) and picked up the most cards (58 yellows, three reds)”. *bbc sport*

8) Mark Hughes hated him as a player and hate him as a manager, you kind of get the feeling Wenger doesn’t like him much as well.

9) Stoke are 3 points off the bottom 3 and will be desperate to get anything out of today’s game, desperation leads to mistakes.

10) Wenger Knows – On paper we should destroy Stoke today, but paper doesn’t win games, heart, skill and passion does. He has to send them out to set a fast tempo.

Likely starting 11 – Chesney, Jenks, BFG, Kos, Sagna, Arteta, Jack, Ozil, Santi, Ox, Giroud.

COME ON YOU YELLLOOOWWWWWSSSSSSSS

GC

Sky TV – Ruining every Gooners April

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So yesterday lunch time, Sky TV and BT Sport announced what supporters they will be fucking over with their latest schedule of TV games for April – and the result was a big fuck you to Arsenal fans. The travelling support have been well and truly shafted.

March was bad enough, with only one 3pm kick off in the month – away to Stoke tomorrow. After that, Everton (Sat 12.45), Spurs (Sun 16.00 – what happened to ‘Health and Safety?), Chelsea (Sat 12.45) and Manchester City (Saturday 17.30). Luckily for Arsenal fans, the fucking about with the fixtures in March has little effect as the two main away games moved are against London clubs. All it means is plenty of drinking after Chelsea Away, and Plenty of drinking before Spurs Away (and plenty of sore heads at work Monday morning).

April, however, is a complete and utter fuck up for The Arsenal.

We start off with an away trip to Goodison Park. Sunday 13.30. That gives Arsenal fans 2 realistic choices. An 8.15 or 9.15 train out of Euston. Thanks Sky TV you utter cunts for the early start.

Next on the agenda is West Ham at home. A noon kick off on a Sunday. Not too bad, on the face of it. Two London clubs. Not far to travel. OK, so it means no beers before the game. But it means you can have a session after and still be home to grab some dinner before the Chinese closes. Until you notice that Sunday 13th April is the day of the London Marathon.

So not only have Sky TV said a big ‘Fuck You’ to one of the countries most important sporting days by scheduling a TV game at the same time the majority of fun runners will be on the streets of London (taking away important viewers from the charities) but they have also created a logistical nightmare for the police, who will now be stretched as they have to manage the millions who take to the streets to support the runners, as well as police a London Derby.

It was not too long ago that the police had the final say in fixtures. Based on safety grounds, games would get moved to an early kick off (I remember we once played Spurs at 11.45am) and made to ensure they would not clash with other big events in the capital. It seems nowadays, however, that it is the TV stations who are the king makers.

Have the police not questioned the scheduling of both the West Ham and Spurs match’s? Has some money been paid elsewhere by the TV companies to get their way? Or do the police just not really give a fuck and the previous excuse for awkward kick off times was just that, an excuse.

I feel for the London Marathon, I really do. Attention will be taken away from the once a year charity event for a football game. That is not right. I guess it is probably Sky TV throwing their toys out the pram knowing the London Marathon get’s a lot of viewers, and it is shown on BBC.

To make matters worse, The FA have also schedule the FA Cup Semi Final’s for the same weekend. So if Arsenal fail to beat Everton, you could end up with a scenario where Arsenal play West Ham, the London Marathon, and an FA Cup Semi Final are all on the same day. Add in the other FA Cup Semi Final the day before, plus Crystal Palace and Fulham playing at home, the police are going to have a field day with overtime and cancelled leave. Good job schedulers.

Next up is Hull City away. And just as you thought we had been fucked as much as the Everton game, Hull is scheduled for 17.30 on a Saturday. Ok, so we get a lay in. But wait for it, the last train leaves Hull City that gets you back into London the same day at 18.30. The game kicks off at 17.30ArsenalvHull

So fuck you Sky TV. Who will be picking up my hotel bill? It certainly won’t be you will it? Even the 6 hour, 3 changes and a bus journey is impossible. And £96.80 for that? Fuck off. Of course, I know I could take the ‘No booze, no fun’ club coaches, but fuck that.

Lastly we have Newcastle at home. This is where I feel for the away fans. It has been moved to a Monday 8pm kick off. So all the Geordies now have to take a day off work and like us with Hull, have no way of getting home (last train leaves King Cross at 20.00). Well done Sky TV again. You show you do not care about the true football fans. You show TV viewing figures are more important. To make this even better the club sold junior gunners tickets the day before this was announced, leaving a lot of fans with kids too young for games on school nights out of pocket.

And well done to the Premier League. Their recent campaign is #YouAreFootball. If we are football, then put your foot down. Protect the fans. Or do the Premier League only care about the bank balance?

So whilst all those who sit in front of the TV with their popcorn and Diet Coke will not give a fuck, those who travel up and down the country, the loyal supporters of Arsenal Football Club, are shafted.

Sky TV – You are a disgrace

Keenos

The Arsenal and Me – Rich’s Story

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Born to an English Mother and Zimbabwean Father, my passion for the Arsenal stems from the former, albeit it from a distance, as I was raised in the land of milk and honey, Zimbabwe.

They say distance makes the heart grow fonder. As far as I’m concerned, no wiser words were spoken, and this saying certainly resonates throughout many African nations. You’ll be hard pressed to drive down the high street without spotting an array of Premier League football shirts, predominantly the “top four” clubs. I have never seen anyone don the Sp*rs shirt – we have taste, you know.

What is fascinating about the support in Zimbabwe, unbeknown to many, is the sheer passion and rivalry which exists between fans. It goes without saying that for many in Africa there are no ties to any specific club, and the choice of team that one supports revolves around success, history, personal preference or an attraction via individual excellence in the form of your Bergkamp’s, Henry’s et al, but you wouldn’t think so on match day. Pubs and bars thrive, beer flows, tensions rise and everyone gathers to watch the games without fail, week in, week out. In all honesty, I cannot remember ever missing an Arsenal game, be it in pre-season, friendlies, warm up games and so on.

My career as an Arsenal supporter took a drastic turn the day I arrived, fresh off the boat, on English soil. Extenuating circumstances meant making the move from the country of my birth, but best believe, the return of the King sped up the process. Before I knew it, there I was, watching the man I idolised, worshipped and even prayed to in times of desperation. It was an overwhelming and euphoric experience although I was never tempted to whip out the iPad, or other such devices, to “capture the moment”. These moments were for no one, other than me.

Since my arrival, I’ve been fortunate enough, thanks largely to @SWLGooner, to follow the Arsenal over land and sea (and Leicester). Obtaining a season ticket in my first year wasn’t much of an ordeal (I put this down to our rather lengthy barren spell and departure of certain individuals I dare not mention) and away games were attended if finances permitted. It was here, at away games, where I truly discovered the football culture I yearned for, and imagined, growing up. Don’t get me wrong, there have been some exceptional games at the bowl which got me firing on all cylinders, but when all is said and done, it’s the away games which have me pining for more. The passionate away fans, the constant singing, the standing (crazy how that’s seen as a positive these days), the regular faces and the trips to and from games whilst sipping on the golden waters of glory in various watering holes around the country, and Europe.

I am mindful of how times have changes since the “good old days”, and countless articles remind me of this, leaving me, in some ways, green with envy. I spend the best part of my disposable income on following the Arsenal and although this is a personal choice, and one I wouldn’t change for the world (much to the disgruntlement of my missus), it really shouldn’t be that way. I am contributing to modern football, but I truly am stuck between a rock and a hard place on the issue. Having said that, the football culture here is nothing short of what dreams are made of. If anything, being deprived of it growing up has made me appreciate it so much more. Hopefully, we’ll meet soon.

Up The Arse.

Rich