Tag Archives: Arsenal

Liverpool – Getting what they deserve

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Liverpool fans are in uproar over the decision made by Arsenal to only offer 5,168 of a possible 9,000 for the fifth round FA Cup tie. Despite FA Cup rules stating that a club may request up to 15% of seats, Arsenal, as in the game against Tottenham, have reduced the allocation based on safety grounds. And Liverpool only have themselves to blame.

There previous poor behaviour at the Emirates is one of the two main causes as to why they have been offered almost half of what they should have been. It is all their own fans fault.

Back in 2008, Arsenal played Liverpool in the Champions League Quarter Final. The match was marred by trouble outside of the ground between Liverpool fans and the police. It is the only time there has been a major safety infringement at the Emirates Stadium.

The issues surrounded Liverpool fans turning up with fake tickets, and in many cases, without tickets. The police attempted to control this by forcing Liverpool fans to remain outside of the stadium whilst they hand checked tickets as they went through the turnstiles. This resulted in a backlog of fans outside the stadium, and many fans missing the game.

Rather than Liverpool fans blaming the fans who turned up with fake tickets, they blamed the police. In the video above, their demand seems to be simple ‘Let us in, we do not care’ despite the obvious safety issues created by too many fans being squashed into too small an area. The police made the decision to keep fans outside of the stadium, in the vast concrete surrounding the stadium, whilst they removed those fans with fake tickets and checked those fans going in that they had the correct tickets. The police were correct in their actions. Liverpool fans were the ones in the wrong.

Fast forward 6 years, and Liverpool fans behaviour has not changed. Up and down the country they ‘jib’ in. They did it in Athens & Istanbul. They seem to have no care for their own, or others safety, as they succumb to their own selfishness to see the game. Were they to behave like human beings, rather than animals, they may well of got their 9,000 tickets. But due to their own behaviour, they have had their allocation cut. It is all their fault.

Rather than blame Arsenal, blame the police, blame Islington Council, Liverpool fans need to take a look at themselves. Take a look at those standing next to them. Standing around them. It is the fans who cheat and lie their way into the stadium who create the safety issues we saw in 2008. It shows Liverpool fans can not be trusted when given big allocation’s, and it should not be a surprise that they have their allocation cut.

The other issue surrounds standing. Liverpool fans stand – as do many away fans. The problem is in the FA Cup at the Emirates is when clubs take up the full 9,000 allocation, they get the upper tier. The upper tier is steep and clearly unsafe for standing.

A club can only put on a game once a safety certificate has been issued by local council, in Arsenal’s case Islington. For the Tottenham game, Islington wrote to the club explaining that they would not issue a safety certificate if Arsenal planned to give Tottenham the upper tier:

RE: ARSENAL V TOTTENHAM – FA CUP THIRD ROUND
Further to our discussions, I write to confirm my views on the allocation for Tottenham fans for
this match.

The Safety Team did a detailed evaluation of risks earlier in the year regarding issues posed by
having supporters on the upper tier. [REDACTED] the points need to be considered for each
occasion when use is an option. This identified significant risks with persistent standing and
ability to steward and police potentially disorderly and violent behaviour on the upper tier.

The cup game against Chelsea proved this to be a correct assumption. Very few of the
spectators on the upper tier sat and those who wanted to were unable to do so unless in the
front rows of seats. The front two rows had been netted, as we did for previous cup games, but
this was breached by spectators wanting to sit and get out of the crowd, or by others leading
chanting and singing. The increased level of stewarding and policing had no impact on
behaviour and attempts to throw missiles onto the Arsenal fans below were witnessed. Flares
were let off in the lower tier and had this happened on the upper tier, this could have
precipitated panic amongst the standing fans.

Taking each game on its merits, I would therefore not support the use of the upper tier for away
fans for this game which I believe means restricting the allocation to 5,000. Arsenal v
Tottenham games are always categorised as high risk and this match will be no different. It has
the potential to be more significant as it’s a cup game, and therefore we can only assume that
standing and disorderly behaviour will be prevalent. Persistent standing is always a factor for
visiting Tottenham supporters. No mitigation such as leaving rows vacant at the front addresses
this so the alternative is to limit the allocation to the lower tier where the risks lessen.

I have attached the letter sent to Arsenal in March which sets out the reasons why we came to
the need to risk assess the use of the upper tier for each game. I reinforced the need to review
after the observations of the Chelsea match, especially given the recent advice of the SASG on
persistent standing, and conclude that it would not be advisable to use it for this match. As we
found from the review we did earlier in the year, this is in line with other grounds having a steep rake who undertake risk assessments of games before agreeing allocations and I understand from our SASG representative that Tottenham have taken similar decisions in relation to use of their upper tier.

It is likely that we will see the same situation, the same letter, for the Liverpool game. With Liverpool fans issues of travelling over and above their allocation, the game would be a logistical nightmare to ensure fans are sitting in the right seats. Add in the problem of Liverpool standing in the upper tier, and their enjoyment of flairs, the natural result is that they are given a lesser allocation, in the lower tier only. The will blame Arsenal, they will blame Islington, they will blame the police. But it is Liverpool fan’s who are at fault.

The worry is that with Arsenal dropping the allocation, 9,000 Liverpool fans may well still turn up, encouraged by Liverpool fan groups. This will create further problems outside the stadium and simply justify the club offering them a lower allocation. Liverpool fans, you only have yourselves to blame. But of course, you are Liverpool, and it’s never your fault…

Keenos

Tube strikes set to re-arrange Arsenal v Manchester United

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For those caught up in the chaos caused by the tube strikes yesterday and today, there is more pain ahead for the London commuter as there is a second round of strikes scheduled for next Wednesday and Thursday (12th and 13th February). Now this blog has always been apolitical, so we will not be adding to whether we agree or disagree with the strikes. The Facebook page has admins who work for TfL, and admins who rely on people getting to work. But what we are concerned with is what these strikes could mean for Arsenal.

This morning’s chaos highlighted clear safety problems which, if next week’s strike go’s ahead, will surely see the Arsenal v Manchester United game re-arranged. 60,000 football fans combined with commuters trying to get home on a limited service is a recipe for disaster.Finsbury Park Station this morning

Back in 2011 & 2012, the Victoria Line as getting upgraded. This saw shut downs of the entire line, or just from Walthamstow Central to Seven Sisters. Whenever Arsenal played at home, these upgrade works were suspended. If we played on a Saturday they would only take place on a Sunday. If we played on a Sunday, they would not take place at all. We can not safely get 60,000 people in and out of the stadium without the underground.

Arsenal were due to play West Ham United at home on Boxing Day 2012, this game was called off due to industrial action. It also happened the year before when Arsenal were due to play Wolves on Boxing Day 2011. The reasoning behind both was the same. That the club were fearful for the safety of fans, and were worried that fans and match day staff might not be able to get to the game. The correct decision was made.

Based on these 3 precedent’s, the Manchester United game will surely also be re-arranged (Although it being Manchester United, I would not be surprised if TV companies step in and force the game to be played). If it is called off, it creates a worrying situation for Arsenal.

Whilst a cancellation will be good for February, as it will mean a week’s break between the 2 Liverpool games,  it could make March an even bigger disaster than it currently is.

Best case scenario is the game is re-arranged for either the 28th of February or 5th of March. That will see it sandwiched between Sunderland (H), Stoke (A) & Swansea (H) depending on which date is picked. All 3 of those games are on a Saturday, so playing Sat/Wed/Sat should not be a problem.

Worse case scenario is if the Premier League decide to re-arrange the fixture to the back end of February. The dates of 19th and 26 of March are available. This would see the game sandwiched between Spurs (A), Chelsea (A) & Manchester City (H). Not an ideal situation. If the Premier League decides to play the game on these dates, it could spell disaster for Arsenal’s season as it would be 4 touch Premier League games on the spin – at least with the current fixture list it is only 2 Premier League games on the spin. Edit: United have a CL tie on the week of the 19th and play City on the week of the 26th, making this paragraph pointless!

We will have to wait and see whether the game is re-arranged. In both the Wolves and West Ham scenario’s, the announcements were made 5 and 7 days before the strike respectively, so at latest we should hear Friday. If it is re-arranged, hopefully the Premier League do not screw us over by re-scheduling it at the end of March.

Keenos

Which team is 10 games unbeaten, W 8, D 2, F 20, A 4?

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Arsenal are a club in crisis. Or that is what you would believe if you listened to the press and only followed the club on twitter. It seems now, a crisis club is defined as one which;

  • Is unbeaten in 2014
  • Has conceded just 4 goals in the last 10 games
  • Has gained 90 points in their last 38 league games
  • Is top of the league

I am more than happy being a crisis club at the moment. If we remove the off field actions of our board from the equation, things are fairly bright and sunny at Arsenal at the moment. Have I mentioned we are top of the league?

Yes, we failed to strengthen in the January transfer window, but who did? Chelsea shuffled their squad, selling attacking players for more defensive ones, resulting in an inability to break down West Ham at home. Neither Manchester City or Liverpool bought anyone. Spurs tried – and failed – to sell every player they bought in the summer. Everton bought Aiden McGeady and signed their 4th loanee (what will they do next year without Barry, Lukaku, Deulofeu & Traore). Finally Manchester United splashed out £37m on an attacking midfielder when they really needed 2 central midfielder’s, 2 centre backs, a right back, a left back and a new manager.

In reality, it is ‘as you were lads’ with regards to the top teams Premier League squads. Yes, we have perhaps missed a trick. Had we got in the 2 players we so desperately need, we could have run away with the league title. But then again, it is fairly hard to improve on 19 points from the last 21. And we are top of the league!

We are being labelled a crisis club, yet look around. Manchester United are 15 points off the summit. 7 points off top 4. They have an incompetent manager who has spent £70m on two players they do not need (Mata & Fellaini). If Arsenal were in Manchester United’s position, the press would be having a field day. But no, Manchester United, in 7th, are in transition, whilst Arsenal, who are top of the league, are a club in crisis.

Spurs are with a new manager, just conceded 5 at home (for the 2nd time this season) and spent £100m on so many duff players that their current top performing central midfielder is a youth team product. Imagine selling your best player, sacking your manager and wasting £100m. Yet all the press talk about is how good a job Tim Sherwood is doing. Meanwhile, Arsenal, who are top of the league, are in crisis and Wenger is incompetent.

Manchester City had been on a great run of late, with 34 points from 36. They were reportedly running away with the league title. Yet at best, they gained a 1 point lead on Arsenal. Arsenal are now top of the league. Manchester City are 2nd, 2 points behind.

And whilst the world go’s on about Arsenal’s midfield problems, with no Ramsey, Wilshere & Flamini, it was their replacement in Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain who stepped up in the game against Crystal Palace with 2 brilliant goals. Meanwhile, Manchester City, who have spent over £100m on defensive midfielder’s over the last 5 years (Barry, Toure, Garcia, Rodwell, Fernandinho) played yesterdays game with a 33 year old centre back in the engine room.

Even last night on TalkSport, after Manchester City’s home defeat to Chelsea, they spent as more time speaking about Arsenal signing Kim Kallstrom than they did about Demichelis playing central midfield for City.

People are still doubting Arsenal’s credentials when it comes to the title race. Yes, Manchester City have a very strong squad, with plenty of squad depth, and probably are favourites for the title. However, we are now 24 games in. Arsenal are still top. The excuse that we have ‘yet to play anyone’ has passed. It seems now pundits are refusing to even discuss our title chances. Almost ignoring that we exist, that we are top. Yesterday’s game between Chelsea and Manchester City was billed as a title decider. It is February. They are 2nd and 3rd. Arsenal are top.

No matter what you think about our off the field matters at the moment – and they are a disgrace – the men on the pitch are doing there job. When they cross the white line, we need to ensure we are behind them. We need to be the twelfth man. We are not in crisis. We are top of the league. Let’s stay their.

Keenos