Tag Archives: She Wore A Yellow Ribbon

What song should Arsenal leave the pitch to at the final whistle?

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The last couple of games, the Arsenal DJ has played Sweet Caroline at the final whistle. A tune made popular at the boxing is starting to infiltrate football. Having been to the boxing when it is played, the roof comes off, the place is electric.

Sweet Caroline being played has led to a discussion of the She Wore Facebook page over what songs are should come out too, and what should be played at the final whistle.

After the poorly advised Wonder of You by Elvis that the club tried to force on fans on the move to the Emirates, Arsenal have a policy that they have a list of songs any of which are played at any stage before or after the game.

Whilst this does keep it neutral and stops any debate, having been to the likes of Chelsea when they play One Step Beyond by Madness at the final whistle, and the usual suspects of Bubbles at West Ham and Blue Moon at Manchester City an uplifting song can certainly stir feelings before, and having you leaving a ground with a skip in your step after a game.

It is perhaps something Arsenal should revisit.

So what songs would be suitable for the final whistle?

London Calling; The Clash -­ Great song, and brings back good memories of recent Wembley victories. But it is Wembley’s go to song no matter who wins the FA Cup. Also Chelsea adopted this song at the end of games years ago.

Sweet Caroline; Neil Diamond – At the boxing it go’s off when Sweet Caroline is played. It is synonymous with Eddie Hearn events. And that is why it is not something for Arsenal. It would just be piggy backing on Hearn and boxing.

Moving on Up; M People – The most played post game song of recent years. Could be an option. But a bit embarrassing when we fail to win.

Gold; Spandau Ballet – My Favourite. It has to be this. Why did I not stumble across this before? They are an Islington band, Martin Kemp, Gary Kemp and Tony Hadley are all lifelong Arsenal fans, it is an uplifting song, the lyrics are genius and relatable to football (“you’re indestructible” “Oh but I’m proud of you, but I’m proud of you”). It would be a banger if played at the final whistle.

Good Old Arsenal; Arsenal 1971 – Classic Arsenal song and one of those songs that it can be argued belongs to us (even though some other clubs sing it). Only downside is the lyric “whilst we sing this song we’ll win the game” would not go down well if we have not won. Better if we came out to this before games then had it played after?

Anything by Madness – Love Madness, but Chelsea come out to them and they are Chelsea fans. So no thanks.

The Riders of the Night; Eyes Right – Unique Arsenal song by an Arsenal band. Great song. But lyrics a little too naughty for a 5pm kick off.

My Generation; The Who – Roger Daltrey is a lifelong Arsenal fan. It would be good to have whatever song we have after (or before) the game to be associated with Arsenal. Massive back catalogue so I am sure someone can find a better song than my choice, My Generation

Arsenal We’re On your Side; Arsenal 1972 – Dated, cringey, and most would not have heard of it.

Move on Up; Curtis Mayfield – it has been pointed out to me that it is actually Move on Up by Curtis Mayfield, not Moving on Up by M People. Music has never been my strong point.

 

I started this mini blog with no idea what my favourite would be. My first thought was “we need to look at The Who or Pink Floyd songs), but whilst writing, the choice became obvious. Spandau Ballet – Gold. Incidentally, this tune is one of my most played on iTunes and I always stick it on The George jukebox after a game.

Before games it should be Good Old Arsenal, and as players come out, Right Here, Right Now by Fatboy Slim.

Any other suggestions? Leave them in the comments

Keenos

Serious investment required if Arsenal stick to 3-4-2-1

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In the last few weeks we have changed to 3-4-2-1 with fairly impressive results. The high profile defeat to Spurs being the only humungous blot on the copy book. Victories over Middlesbrough, Manchester City, Leicester City and Manchester United have led us to 4 wins from 5 games.

The key question now is do we continue with this formation into 2017/18 and plan our transfers around it, and if so, who would we need to add to the squad?

In the current formation, we play a very high line. Therefore we need a goal keeper who is kick off the line who can play as a sweeper in the same way as Hugo Lloris or Manuel Neuer perform the role for their perspective clubs. Petr Cech is slow off his line, and with his recent poor form, moving forward he is certainly not the future.

A new goal keeper, or Wojciech Szczesny has to be on the list this summer.

At right wing back, we look fairly well set. Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain has impressed, and in reserve we also have Hector Bellerin, an attacking full back who suits a wing back role perfectly.

Moving through the back line, Shkodran Mustafi is a naturally right sides centre back. With Calum Chambers as his understudy, we look well set. Laurent Koscielny will be the linchpin that holds the middle of the park together, with Rob Holding and Gabriel also in the frame. Add in Per Metesacker and we have plenty of options.

The left hand side of the 3 is another story, however. Recently both Rob Holding and Nacho Monreal has looked OK there, but it is certainly a weakness. If we were to continue with 3-4-2-1, someone over and above Monreal is needed. Sead Kolasinac could be the answer here.

Kolasinac is naturally a left back, but has played centre back in the past for German side Schalke. At 6ft and left footed, could he come in and be the left sided centre back we need? With Nacho Monreal then backing him up?

The left sided problems continue when we look at left wing back. Monreal is too defensive to play wing back – hence his recent successful move to left centre back, whilst Kieran Gibbs is simply not good enough. If Kolasinac was to play centre back, we would then need to go and sign a left wing back.

Ricardo Rodriguez was heavily linked last summer, but my bet would be Jordi Alba. The Spaniard has recently found himself out of favour at Barcelona and would fit in to the left wing back role at Arsenal. Providing his back up would be Nacho Monreal who would also double up covering left centre back.

The middle of the park actually looks fairly solid with Granit Xhaka and the revitalised Aaron Ramsey. 3 at the back has given Ramsey the chance to get further forward. He is less of a liability in the opponents 3rd of the field than Arsenal’s.

It would be preferable, however, if we also signed someone a bit more defensively minded than Xhaka who can be rotated in for the tougher games where we need a bit more of a defensive shield. Someone who is physical but can also cover a lot of ground. Basically a better Coquelin.

No names spring to mind, however a strong central midfielder is a must. Add Mohammed Elneny into the mix alongside a returning Jack Wilshere and it would leave us with 5 solid players for 2 positions. The formation change does however signal the end of Santi Cazorla’s Arsenal career, and Francis Coquelin is simply not good enough.

We play with a narrow 2 behind the striker, rather than a wide two. Alexis Sanchez and Mesut Ozil have excelled since the change. Your two best players playing close to each other has left teams chasing shadows. They can not isolate one when they have the ball as the other is always close by.

Both players have played a lot of their career out wide, so have also been able to help the wing backs out when the ball is in the wider positions. Where we are perhaps short is in their back up.

Alex Iwobi has fallen out of favour after a good start to his Arsenal career, whilst Aaron Ramsey and Jack Wilshere could do a job behind a striker, but would also be needed in the middle of the park. Signing a player of the calibre of Isco would give Arsenal 3 brilliant options in the 2 positions, whilst also freeing Sanchez up to potentially return up top. The aforementioned Iwobi completes the options.

We are still in need for a new striker. Olivier Grioud is simply too immobile to play in the formation, whilst Danny Welbeck has all the physical attributes but is simply not a consistent goal scorer. Up top we need someone who has the physicality to play on his own, the pace to run in behind, the work rate to close down, and a sharp finisher. Not too much then!

Kylian Mbappe would tick a lot of boxes, but at £85m+, it is crazy money for an 18 year old who has been a first team regular for barley 6 months. If we are looking to spend that big, it potentially brings the likes of Romelu Lukaku, Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang and Mauro Icardi into the frame. Any of these 3 would cost a big chunk of cash, but would also be a dramatic improvement on what we already have.

Arsenal would also have Alexis Sanchez as an option, and then Danny Welbeck and Yaya Sanogo (I jest) as back up.

A permanent move to 3-2-4-1 leaves us needing 6 new signings. 4 of which would be 1st team player. Just typing and speaking out loud as I type, that feels like too many players for the starting XI.

It is also hard to see how the likes of Theo Walcott, Santi Cazorla and Olivier Giroud would fit into the new formation. Walcott and Giroud have already struggled for game time (are they injured), whilst Cazorla would get over run in a midfield two.

If we do stick to 3-4-2-1, some serious investment would be needed in the summer. And hopefully it is invested better than last summer.

Keenos

Manchester United Victory, Stupid Arsenal Fans, Rob Holding & Overpriced Youngsters

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Manchester United Victory

It is all about momentum.

As previously stated, I am not too bothered about top 4, Champions League football or finishing above Spurs. I am all about trophies. And we have an FA Cup Final to play for. Any run we can put together that builds team confidence between now and the FA Cup Final against Chelsea at the end of the month is a good thing.

Yesterday’s win against Manchester United, with excellent performances from the likes of Xhaka, Ramsey, Koscielny and Holding can only be seen as a positive.

If we can remain unbeaten between now and the end of the Premier League season, we should be brimming with confidence for May 27th. Winning should never be seen as a negative.

Stupid Fans

I am not in the job of abusing our own fan base. Everyone is free to support the club how they wish. Whether they want to go on protest march’s, back Wenger to the hilt, video themselves for 90 minutes or live their life through Twitter, it is their choice. But one thing I will not stand for his so-called Arsenal fans wanting Arsenal to lose a game so it supports their agenda.

We won yesterday. I was happy we won. I want Arsenal to win every game they play. But I still want Arsene Wenger to leave.

After yesterdays win, there were Arsenal fans unhappy. Angry even, that Arsenal had won. They actually want us to lose every game, including the FA Cup Final, so that Arsene Wenger leaves.

How bitter and twisted must these peoples lives be that they spend all week moaning about Arsenal and Arsene Wenger, then when it comes to game day, they want Arsenal to lose and are unhappy when we win. Why do they even bother with football, with Arsenal. Their unhappiness probably filters through to other aspects of their life. Their wife / husband, their job, their children.

They are the type of fans who will agree with Piers Morgan, tweet him to support their view point, and RT him because he dislikes Wenger. They ignore want the vile man has done previously purely because his views suit theirs.

These people spend all day pointing at Arsenal’s recent poor record against big sides, Wenger’s poor head to head against Jose Mourinho, then when we beat Manchester United, it is dismissed, not as a good win but against a victory against a bunch of Man U kids (it wasn’t) and a Man U side that is no longer a top team.

So let me get this right, you include Man U in your statistics to shame Wenger’s record (and rightly so), but then we we win, you disregard it as it does not suit your agenda?

Recently someone gave me the choice, a guaranteed FA Cup and Wenger stays for 2 more years; or lose the FA Cup and Wenger go’s. Only an idiot would go for the later.

In football anything can happen. Changing the manager does not guarantee success. So in your mythical, illogical offer, you are saying we are guaranteed a trophy and he stays? I will always take the trophy no matter what.

How can you want Arsenal to lose, when you claim to be an Arsenal fan?

I want Wenger to leave. But I want Arsenal to win. And Arsenal winning is more important than Wenger not being in charge.

Rob Holding

What a player we have on our hands here.

Whilst I do not want to go OTT over a 21 year old centre back who has played just 13 games for The Arsenal, it is clear the boy has some ability.

He has recently played in victories over Manchester United and Manchester City and, one poor pass back towards Petr Cech / Laurent Koscileny aside, has not put a foot wrong.

Holding looks to have it all. Strong, aggressive, quick, but can play as well. He now needs to play games. Whether that be for Arsenal or on loan elsewhere, playing 38 games in the Premier League next year is a must for his development.

Personally, I do not think he is quite ready to play week in week our for a title chasing team. A loan move to someone like West Ham, Crystal Palace or Watford – where he could then play 38 games – would have him returning next summer as a 22 year old centre back ready for Premier League football.

Early this season, Arsene Wenger ‘apologised’ that Rob Holding did not cost £45m. A clear dig at the under performing John Stones and that it should never be about the price tag of the player, but about that players ability. There are some crazy price tags for young talents being floated about at the moment (more later).

Holding and Stones could well be the English defensive partnership for a decade. We have got ourselves a steal.

Overpriced Youngsters

John Stones for £45m. Leeroy Sane for £41.5m. Reports of Kylian Mbappe being available for upwards of £85m. £40m for Borussia Dortmund’s rising star Christian Pulisic. The cost of “potential” seems to be going through the roof.

It started a couple of years ago with how much Manchester United paid for Antony Martial. Bayern Munich spending £35m on Renato Sanches. These are price tags that used to be held for established superstars. Cesc Fabregas, Alexis Sanchez, Eden Hazard. But now it seems you have to pay the premium for what a player MIGHT become, rather than the player they currently are.

Let’s take Kylian Mbappe as an example. Now I am not doubting his potential. He is an extremely talented 18 year old. But when I see £85m – £100m for a player who has started just 16 top flight games is incredible. It is a crazy amount of money for a player who has achieved nothing, proven nothing.

His goals to games might be impressive, but it is over a 6 month period in a lesser league. Arsenal have been heavily linked, but give me the choice between an established Premier League striker like Lukaku or a player with potential like Mbappe, I will always go for the established player.

Pulisic is similar. A crazy price tag for a player with such little top flight experience. Liverpool would be paying more for Pulisic than they paid for Coutinho, Lallana and Roberto Firmino. All 3 are better than Pulisic – who has not even yet started 20 Bundesliga games.

In the past Arsenal have overpaid for the likes of Theo Walcott and Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain, paying the money for what they could become rather than what they are.

2 years ago Spurs got a steal with Dele Alli at £5m. Arsenal signed Rob Holding for £1m. Talented youngsters at the right prices are out there. So many players struggle to make the transition from talented youngster to established global superstar.

Since Sergio Aguero won the Golden Boy award in 2007, I would say only Paul Pogba has gone on to be truly world class. Others have become establish internationals, but none of them are in that top bracket of global superstars.

Being the best 18 year old on the talent does not automatically mean that, in 7 years time, you are going to be one of the best players on the planet. But at the moment, some of these players are commanding fees that are usually paid for the best players on the planet.

Find the value, scout the youngsters that no one else spots, and do not overpay for potential.

Keenos