Tag Archives: She Wore A Yellow Ribbon

Title Race, Olivier Giroud, Jack Wilshere & Sol Campbell

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Title Race

We are out of the title race. Defeat against Stoke City is the nail in our coffin. Whilst we are only 4 points behind Chelsea, the fact we have to play Man City at home, and go to Everton, Chelsea and Spurs in our final 10 games is the reasoning behind us being out of the race. We will not get 12 from 12. Even 6 from 12 is fairly optimistic. My reckoning is we will get 4/5 points from those 4 games. and that will not be enough to make up the 4 point gap on Chelsea. It has been a good season. We have moved forward. We are still 2 players short (how long have we said that?) Hopefull we can build on this year over the summer, buying the players we need, and challenge again next year.

We have achieved more this year then many thought. Most pundits, and many fans, had us finishing 6th, behind Chelsea, City, United, Liverpool & Spurs. The fact that we currently sit 3rd shows we have achieved beyond their expatiations. Rather than a pundit or fans saying “I told you they wouldn’t win it” they should perhaps remember there own prediction, which will show they have been wrong this season. Not right.

Bring on the FA Cup.

Olivier Giroud

Olivier Giroud needs to sort himself out. He is very quickly losing the backing of Arsenal fans. Many were already not a fan of his due to his on pitch performances. 33 goals in 82 games for an Arsenal side who create as many chances they do. Many already point to the fact that a better striker upfront would make more of a use of the hundreds of chances Mesut Ozil creates. He makes up for the lack of goals with his all round play and work rate. But patience is now running out.

With his recent personal problems, his career has taken a noise dive. Firstly he cheated on his wife before the Crystal Palace game and today reports having come out that he begged another stunner for a threesome. With him not in form, this is the last thing he needs to be doing. We saw the effect that scandal had on Marouane Chamakh during his Arsenal career. Giroud needs to be whiter than white, and he isn’t being.

For me, the straw that is breaking the camels back is his play acting. Yes, he was stamped on yesterday, but how often he went to ground during the game. Whining. Complaining. Flicking his arm in the air whilst rolling about. He needs to man up. This is a guy who is 6ft 4in. He is a big strong lad. Yet he acts like a pansy. And whilst rolling about on the floor, it is not only embarrassing for him, for us, but it also means that he can not get involved in play.

Giroud, time to man up, sort your life out, or leave.

Jack Wilshere

Another poor performance by Jack Wilshere. Another performance which leaves you wondering whether he is good enough for Arsenal. Whether he can be improved on. And he has a major issue in his game. Like with Olivier Giroud, he is laying on the ground too often. Yes, he is fouled a lot, he is targeted by opposing players, but he needs to get up quicker when he is not injured.

I have lost count this season how many times he has gone down, stayed down, play has continued, and he has laid their for 20-30 seconds whilst play has continued. He is a central midfielder, he needs to be involved. Laying in the opponents half because you felt you were fouled, whilst you are not injured, is damaging to Arsenal, and he needs to refrain from this.

Jack: If you are not hurt, get up and get back involved in play. Man up.

Sol Campbell

This morning, Sol Campbell’s new book has been serialised in the Sunday Times. The headline story is him claiming “I believe if I was white, I would have been England captain for more than 10 years”. Should Sol Campbell have been captain? Perhaps. Was he overlooked due to being black? Unlikely. So why was he overlooked?

Alan Shearer was the first permanent captain Sol Campbell played under. He was made captain in 1996 for the World Cup qualifiers. At this point, Sol Campbell was not a regular. This was why he was overlooked.

The key decision was in 2000, when Peter Taylor made David Beckham captain, and the decision was upheld by Sven-Goran Eriksson. At this point, Sol Campbell was considered as one of the best centre backs in world football. He was an England regular. And he was an experienced captain. He had even become England’s second youngest manager (after Bobby Moore) in 1998. It is hard to argue against him being made captain in 2000, rather than David Beckham. But the arguments for Beckham over Campbell has nothing to do with race.

David Beckham was made captain to help improve the brand of the English football side and The FA. The FA used his celebrity throughout the world to gain sponsorship money, to improve the public face of the England team after the problems of Hoddle & Keagan. He was a celebrity appointment, appointed for off field reason’s rather than on field one. In 2000, should Sol Campbell have been made captain? Yes. But the reason he was not had nothing to do with skin colour.

His attack on Michael Owen seems churlish. He captained England 9 times. The first was a friendly at Anfield – Sol Campbell did not play. Of his 9 caps as captain, Sol Campbell played in 3 of them. So Sol Campbell could perhaps argue that he should have had 3 more caps as England caps, bringing his total to 6. However, during that period, Steven Gerrard was a regular. Would Sol Campbell have been a better pick over Gerrard? Probably not. So again, it has nothing to do with colour. Gerrard was not made captain, and he is white.

Racism in football is a touchy subject. For me, the comments from the likes of Campbell simply re-opens wounds. Similar to when Paul Ince complains there are not enough black managers (it is his record which finds him unemployed, not his skin colour). Sol Campbell has mugged himself off. Written a chapter in his book about institutional racism within The FA to sell copies. Flip it round the other way, should Sol Campbell have been made captain because he is black, as a form a positive discrimination? No. Sol Campbell, the colour of your skin was not the reason you were not made captain.

Keenos

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