Tag Archives: Arsenal

10 Reasons why we will beat Ze Germans + starting XI

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1.. Last time we played out in Germany we won.

2.. We finally kept a clean sheet and it was Vs Liverpool and the SAS.

3..We were unlucky to lose at home Vs them, we cant make the same mistake twice by getting caught on the break.

4.. Take out Lewandowski they are very ordinary at times.

5… Rosicky had 5 good years at Dortmund, (126 games 19 goals) he will be keen to put in a good shift.

rosicky

6.. We have our own Germans who will also be keen to put in a big game on their native soil

7.. The Midfield trio of Arteta,Ramsey and Rosicky is starting to click

8.. Giroud, this is his kind of game, he will get stuck in and fight all night long

9.. We have a settled starting 11. mainly due to injuries, but it means Wenger can’t tinker with the lineup.

10.. Wenger Knows, win this and it should leave us needing just a win from our last 2 games to get into the knockout stages, again.

Likely starting XI – Chesney, Sagna, Per, Kos, Gibbs, Arteta, Ramsey, Rosicky, Santi, Ozil, Giroud

Over 20 players linked in November – Silly season has begun!

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On Monday, Fortnum & Mason unvieled their Christmas windows. It is still 2 months till Christmas. I had my first mince pie of the Christmas season in the middle of October. Asda (I can not afford Fortnum & Mason) were selling mince pies, Christmas Puddings and Christmas Cake from the first of October. I have yet to hear the first Christmas song on BBC Radio 1, although it can not be too long until this landmark. The Christmas season has started. 2 months before the big day. And in the same way, silly season has started in football, despite the transfer window not opening for 2 more months. How I love November.Santa

The month had barely begun and already the journalists were getting excited. Finally they no longer have to write real stories, no longer have to report the truth, instead they get to fill their papers with inches and inches of mindless transfer speculation. Quiet day and in need of a back page story? Lets make up transfer gossip involving a top Premier League club and a top player from Europe. Got 3 inches to fill, write something quickly about how a League Two club are thinking of taking a league one player on loan. It is easy for them.

And editors and the finance men rub their hands in glee. A simple article about how a club has agreed terms with a certain player will get a lot more hits, and therefore generate a lot more in advertising revenue, then a proper piece about how Liverpool’s 3-5-2 formation does not work against top sides, or how Chelsea might have the players, but have not yet forged an identity under Mourinho.

And blogs also get in on the act, knowing that a made up article hitting NewsNow can generated 100,000 hits, or $50 in AdSense advertising. Not bad for a days work.

Add in the Twitter ITK’s (I will not name them) who see it as a chance to add thousands of followers, in the hope enough stay around after (have we signed M’Vila yet?),justifying their existence, the days up to the transfer window are tedious, at best. And it is still 2 months to go.

We have already agreed terms with Karim Benzema, in a bidding war with Chelsea over Diego Costa and Robert Lewandowski (I thought he had already agreed to sign for Bayern Munich?) and about to sign Alexandre Pato – What a front 3 we will have! On top of this, we are going to get Fernando Llorente on a free transfer, renewing our pursuit of Clement Grenier and scouting Christian Benteke and West Ham defender Winston Reid. Add in our long term interest of Ilkay Gundogan and things are getting exciting.

Unfortunately, we have suffered a set back in our pursuit of Hernanes although a deal is not compeltely ruled out, and are also struggling to sign Martin Montoya, whilst we have been dealt a huge blow in the pursuit of Lars Bender. Good news is we have in the race to sign Jorginho, and Gokhan Inler looks set to finally sign after 10 years of us scouting him.

‘Out of favour’ Stephan El Shaarawy is looking for a way out of AC Milan (although being injured this season is not exactly being out of favour), the Yohan Cabaye deal is very much still on, whilst attacking midfielder Javier Pastore is looking to end his PSG hell by joining the Gunners.

We are on red alert to sign a pre-contract deal with Kasper Schmeichel, mulling over a deal for 18 year old Angel Correa (who?), sniffing around Saido Berahino and Basel’s Fabian Schar is on the radar.

I am writing this on the evening of November the 5th. In 5 days, we have been linked with over 20 players already. In just 5 days (I had to reiterate it). How many will it be by the time the transfer window slams shut on January 31st? Probably north of 100.

These links are not from blogs, nor are they from the ITK twitter tossers. They are from papers. From journalists. From professionals. People are paid to write the stories on these links. At no point do they try to explain where they will fit in to the Arsenal squad. It is almost as if they play ‘pin the player on the Premier League side’ of an evening to decide which players they are going to link to which club.

My advice, ignore it all. Until you see that player holding the shirt, ignore it. Even the usually reliable BBC have messed up recently, with their involvement in both the Nuri Sahin drama and Gonzalo Higuain fiasco.

Christmas is not nearly here, nor is the transfer window yet close to opening, yet the silly season for both is already in full swing.

Keenos

 

The Arsenal and Me – Stephen’s Story

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I came from a family with no interest in football. I was at primary school it was 1971 and cup final time. Everyone was supporting one of the teams and I choose Arsenal for no reason that I can remember. I do remember the final. The only televised game of the year. Crying when we went behind and then Charlie George. How many people became hooked after that lying on their back re-enact ing the goal. That moment shaped my football life. The period after that has been better and more eloquently discussed than I ever could by Nick Hornby in Fever Pitch. Odd Cup finals few highlights and not much success was my childhood. There was of course Liam Brady. The highlight of a mediocre side, a joy every time you saw him play and probably still my favourite all time player. A left foot that could do anything. Only Thierry of Arsenal players since have created that same buzz of excitement in the crowd every time he touched the ball expectantly waiting for him to deliver.

liam

After years of mediocrity came George Graham. My first Wembley final was Charlie Nicholas Littlewoods Cup 1987. What a day that was. It showed we were on the up and finally heading for titles and proper success. In my mind it was the moment we overtook Liverpool and that has continued to this day. Obviously the later frustrations of losing to Luton (terrible day that was) although we laughed about how hopeless Gus Cesar was even on the day.

We all then have great memories of Anfield 1989 and then later Wenger’s early years. Finally league titles.The move to The Emirates has been a joy and a frustration but like Charlie Nicholas Littlewoods Cup perhaps the time has finally come when we will challenge again. Shame that the Birmingham final happened when we were overdue a trophy unlike Luton when it happened after a success.

The greatest thing that Arsenal has given me apart from the stress and the upset is the memories. My first Arsenal game with George Armstrong running up and down the wing in front of me. Getting the train to Highbury aged 15. Standing at Middlesbrough as Martin Hayes scored the winner running terrified back to the car as we thought that we would be murdered, my nephews first game with Ian Wright scoring, standing in the rain at Charlton and my then girlfriend and now wife looking at me saying she loved me and was never coming again, a College night watching Charlie Nicholas (again)scoring at Villa Park in an evening match. There were the joys of Denis and Thierry and despite my move to the North East I have managed plenty of memories. The Invincibles, our last Cup Final with my 3 year old twins lifting pretend Cups and Thierry’s final Arsenal goal at The Stadium of Light. Now we get to see Ozil and Jack Wilshire who I really hope will get fit get better and become a legend. No reason why not.

My first real boss was an Arsenal fan. Came up at the interview and probably helped me get the job. Also made my boss a friend as we often talked football.

My best mate is a United fan and got me a ticket with him for the Old Trafford 8-2 humiliation. After our heaviest post war defeat I managed to run into the back of a United fans car on the way out of the car park. Typical United fan was on his way back to South London. Cost me £1800 in total to watch that. and pay for car repairs. It’s almost funny now and a memory to let my children laugh at me for.

The thing I like most is that if we have a triumph or disaster people think of me. I often get calls after/before big games and when we sit at the top of the league I know that friends and family around the country with only a passing interest in football pass a thought my way. When I die I expect and know that my children will do the same after an Arsenal win and raise a glass my way celebrating. Raise a memory to me.

I have got no less obsessive as I have got older even though I forget about losses more quickly now. I remain impossibly pessimistic.Twitter lets me watch other fans thoughts and laugh at those forever in our shadow and minding the gap more than is probably healthy. But the die has been cast for far too long now. Arsenal and me are stuck together. No doubt about it Charlie George changed my life.

Stephen

If you would like to tell your Arsenal story, click here