The Football Thread - Season 2012/2013

[joescrivens]

I agree that the refs view does give him the option to get out of it, but where is his linesman?

The earlier one where Dagger was wrestled to the ground was clearcut though.

when was that? what was the score?

 

[The23rdman]

when was that? what was the score?

Pretty sure it was 1-1. I was multi-tasking at the time.

 

[dinners]

Didn't realise Arshavin was a blue.

 

[akr]

Didn't realise Arshavin was a blue.

He looks extra tough in that hat Let's hope it was worth getting banned from football for a long time and having his City ST taken away from him!

 

[akr]

8 wins on the trot now for the O's, six of them away

My boss is (a now unbearable) Orient fan. As I'm sure you are aware, the only time we have played each other recently was in the league cup, when we lost - I'm fairly confident I could have taken him to a tribunal for all the reminders I got of that match for months afterwards!

Good to see Cook and Rowlands doing well, two of my favoutie R's players of recent years.

I understand you currently have a great song with regards to your diminutive winger Cox, involving the words Got, Have, Tiny, We, and his surname though my boss has thus far managed to stop his 5 year old singing that at home, as the wife would be none too impressed!

 

[jambosam]

I'm still trying to work out how we lost that game, but the turning point was Diame beeing replaced, Tomkins just isn't a midfielder.

Fair play to former Hammers Johnson & Cole though for their low key goal celebrations.

Unlike Shelvey who is classless celebrating like he'd won a presidential campaign even though he didn't get a touch on the ball

Do agree though it should have been a penalty against Reid.

 

[joescrivens]

Unlike Shelvey who is classless celebrating like he'd won a presidential campaign even though he didn't get a touch on the ball

must be hard though when going that fast your foot could easily touch the other player and it feels like it's the ball. I'm pretty sure a player wouldn't celebrate if they knew they didn't touch it as they would then know they would look stupid afterwards.

 

[The23rdman]

must be hard though when going that fast your foot could easily touch the other player and it feels like it's the ball. I'm pretty sure a player wouldn't celebrate if they knew they didn't touch it as they would then know they would look stupid afterwards.

This. He said he was claiming it which means he must have thought he'd touched it.

 

[The23rdman]

I'm still trying to work out how we lost that game, but the turning point was Diame beeing replaced, Tomkins just isn't a midfielder.

Fair play to former Hammers Johnson & Cole though for their low key goal celebrations.

Unlike Shelvey who is classless celebrating like he'd won a presidential campaign even though he didn't get a touch on the ball

Do agree though it should have been a penalty against Reid.

Actually you were pretty lucky to be in front. A nonsense pen and an og. I'll admit you played well though, but we had two pens turned down.

 

[TriggerHappy]

I'm still trying to work out how we lost that game, but the turning point was Diame beeing replaced, Tomkins just isn't a midfielder.

Fair play to former Hammers Johnson & Cole though for their low key goal celebrations.

Unlike Shelvey who is classless celebrating like he'd won a presidential campaign even though he didn't get a touch on the ball

Do agree though it should have been a penalty against Reid.

It was the Arsenal curse I'm afraid. The morning before the game the Metro ran an article linking Diame to Arsenal for his £3.5m buyout clause and then just like that, ping his hamstring goes.

 

[dinners]

Big game tonight - Inverness v Ross County in the Scottish Cup.

 

[TriggerHappy]

Virtually a full strength arsenal side out today. Slightly concerned we're just going to get kicked and bashed for 90 minutes and pay for it come Monday.

 

[TriggerHappy]

I don't know how Gervinho gets played week in week out in any position, let alone as a striker!

 

[The23rdman]

I can't wait to hear Simon's thoughts on your display tonight.

 

[TriggerHappy]

I just don't understand how you can have a german striker with over 100 international caps and play him out on the left, only to play a natural winger (a **** one at that) as a striker. It just makes no sense. And then you play Ramsey out on the right where he's hopeless when you have Cazorla who's played wide right for the entire previous season at Malaga. And then you make 3 substitutions, taking off Coquelin who was perhaps the only midfielder who played well in the first half, but leave Gervinho on the entire game after all his howlers? It's ridiculous.

ARGGGHHH!

 

[akr]

I can't wait to hear Simon's thoughts on your display tonight.

I feel confident the word out will be used!

 

[akr]

I just don't understand how you can have a german striker with over 100 international caps and play him out on the left, only to play a natural winger (a **** one at that) as a striker. It just makes no sense. And then you play Ramsey out on the right where he's hopeless when you have Cazorla who's played wide right for the entire previous season at Malaga. And then you make 3 substitutions, taking off Coquelin who was perhaps the only midfielder who played well in the first half, but leave Gervinho on the entire game after all his howlers? It's ridiculous.

ARGGGHHH!

It's times like thses when you really do wonder what goes through the manager's head....

 

[jambosam]

It's times like thses when you really do wonder what goes through the manager's head....

Oh yes ive suffered through an Avram Grant reign, i still refuse to call him a manager :-D

 

[cambsno]

I can't wait to hear Simon's thoughts on your display tonight.

Well.........

What en effin joke.

Bradford did well, all credit to them. But we had virtually a full strength side and no shot on target till 69 mins.

Have been saying for ages gervinho is a waste of space, and the obsession with Ramsey on the right is strange.

Wenger has clearly lost the plot. Too many very poor performances now. He picks the wrong players in wrong positions and cannot seem to motivate a team any more. The one good performance in recent weeks was v spurs which was mainly down to adebyour IMO.

 

[cambsno]

I feel confident the word out will be used!

No. Wenger f*** off!!!

 

[joescrivens]

Oh dear arsenal

You can't blame those terrible penalties on wenger

 

[TriggerHappy]

Absolutely no belief or commitment from the players. Cross after cross was diabolical. There's something very wrong from top to bottom.

Credit to Bradford though, I said before the game the better the team that we play the more they'll raise their level and they did just that. Jones showed exact how a captain should perform. Vermaelan was an absolute disgrace, along with almost everyone. Wilshere, Rosicky and Coquelin the best of a very, very poor bunch.

I honestly felt we'd be better off fielding a youthful side. So many of the senior players just have no hunger or commitment whatsoever.

 

[akr]

Oh yes ive suffered through an Avram Grant reign, i still refuse to call him a manager :-D

I take your Avram Grant and raise you Mark Huges

 

[TriggerHappy]

I take your Avram Grant and raise you Mark Huges

Give it a little while longer and you can raise him 'arry, too (saying that, after today I wouldn't be surprised if you still finish above us!)

 

[akr]

No. Wenger f*** off!!!

 

[akr]

Give it a little while longer and you can raise him 'arry, too (saying that, after today I wouldn't be surprised if you still finish above us!)

For all his faults, the dog loving financial guru does tend to get his teams playing good football, with passion - we've had so many managers over the last few years I have plenty left on the table I can use before resorting to 'arry!

Since he started with us, he has made such controversial decisions like playing people in their positions, playing your best players in their positions. Hughes must be wondering what he is playing at!

I feel confident we will not finish anywhere near you!

 

[cambsno]

Oh dear arsenal

You can't blame those terrible penalties on wenger

His post match talk is a joke. In denial. Didn't have that many great chances, and they were a league 2 side for heavens sake.

Of course u can blame the manager. Supposedly good players who consistantly do not perform. Down to tactics and motivation.

 

[Marc]

@HoganEphraim
Mr Wilshere, the Theatre Of Dreams awaits you...

 

[jonneymendoza]

great post from another forum:

Eisfeld still doesn't get a look in, neither did Meade, Arshavin can't even get a chance in this or the throw away CL game, and while Wenger is bemoaning player tiredness he goes out and plays all the tired players who need a decent rest, we might not be playing till Monday but another 3 days on top of that for "tired" players would still help. No Eisfeld, no Arshavin, no Meade, Coquelin, not sure if he was injured but him along with Wilshire had that, get the ball and drive forward mentality. Coquelin and Wilshire were the best two on the pitch for us, and he took one of them off. Gervinho lasts a full game again despite being horse****, such a good striker, not even trusted with a penalty.

His miss from 2 yards out was laughably awful, best chance of the game for either side and puts it wide, he couldn't even be as entertaining as Kanu and put it over the bar from that close... thats how bad he is

Chamberlain again, looks promising in terms of energy, movement, but his final ball was horrific, his crossing was completely inept.

This is the thing with Wenger, he'd used to go with a complete youth/reserve side for a game like this, and have the confidence that we could not scrap a draw, but win playing good football, that confidence was felt from the youths to the first team, we're so good out future players can take this game. Now its, I'm so scared of league two Bradford I'd better play my full team, then we lose... and that complete lack of confidence shows in everything we do.

Arsenal, becoming completely pathetic. My main issue with Wenger, the board and other arsenal fans is, this Wenger has been the same for 7 years, and only now are they really starting to get on his back. Wenger 1 was a great manager, Wenger 2, who for me appeared after we lost the unbeaten run, is a completely different guy, different tactics, formation, buying different players, lost his edge and getting everything wrong, is a crap manager, he should have gone 6 years ago.

 

[fracster]

Arsenal were poor tonight, but well done to Bradford ,they fought hard and with passion, perhaps that is Arsenals problem, they lack those things?

 

[TriggerHappy]

There needs to be a clear message going out to the players now. Strip vermaelan of the captaincy and give it to Arteta or Wilshere. Drop Gervinho to the reserves. Promote Eisfeld and Gnabry once he's fit. Buy someone out of their entire contract and let them walk off jobless tomorrow. I don't know what but something needs to change in the players' heads.

There's been a contagious level of complacency and apathy in too many of the squad.

Full credit to the Arsenal away fans once again. They turned out in force and rallies behind the team in a way I can only dream could ever get recreated at home.

I'm going to stop now before I write things I may regret.

Edit: One final word; we have an owner who has attended fewer than 10 games in 5 and a half years. What does that say about the type of passion, commitment, pride and interest driving our club? Arsene might not be perfect, but at least he loves the club as dearly as the most passionate of fans.

 

[dinners]

You can have Nani

 

[TriggerHappy]

You can have Nani

I'll pass. He was giving a talk at Watford today, who train next door to Arsenal, and twitter exploded when he was photographed there. I was a relieved man when I saw it all explained.

 

[cambsno]

Arsenal were poor tonight, but well done to Bradford ,they fought hard and with passion, perhaps that is Arsenals problem, they lack those things?

And that all stems from the manager, from buying the right mentality of players through to general motivation.

 

[cambsno]

Edit: One final word; we have an owner who has attended fewer than 10 games in 5 and a half years. What does that say about the type of passion, commitment, pride and interest driving our club? Arsene might not be perfect, but at least he loves the club as dearly as the most passionate of fans.

Dont really think that makes much difference. Are the owners of Man U or City there much??

 

[cambsno]

I'll pass. He was giving a talk at Watford today, who train next door to Arsenal, and twitter exploded when he was photographed there. I was a relieved man when I saw it all explained.

I seriously hope paper talk is wrong. Sell Walcott for 8m and buy Nani for 20m?????

 

[jonneymendoza]

Arsenal wage spend last year £143mil, Spurs wage spend, sub £90mil, Spurs finished 1 point behind us, and it took Chelsea, Spurs and Liverpool(over more season) to have complete meltdowns to let us up into third and realistically into even 4th last season.

Miracle, we are by a HUGE margin the 4th highest spenders in the league, we have the 4th most expensive squad, 4th is the essentially breaking even, below fourth is a bad season, above 4th is a fully attainable target, as is the title. Do I expect to win every year, no, do I expect to be in the fight and competitive, sure. Do I expect when we get into a final against Brum, that it takes a HUGE amount of errors and bad luck to not lose, yes. Do I expect a "meh" performance, because that is all we can produce, no I don't, its unprofessional.

Gervinho was diabolically awful, he missed the easiest chance I've seen this season, and I FULLY EXPECTED him to, he's been truly horrendous since we signed him. Now, a one off signing going to crap, I can get behind that, people react badly to moves, sometimes form disappears, thats all part and parcel of football. But more transfer than not end up that way for Arsenal and more crucially, when a player is truly awful I expect them to be dropped, and when a player is absolutely brilliant and shows quality or potential, I expect them to get games or chances respectively.

Our youngsters who show the MOST potential are getting next to no starts, even the ones who don't look as good but Wenger likes(Gnabry) has gotten what 1-2 games, 1-2 sub appearances. Fergie would give a player like Eisfeld of Gnabry(think macheda or Welbeck) plenty of chances in mostly the right games, Wenger won't. Arshavin is consistently excellent for us, he produces assists, goals, turns games around and looks a class above most of what we have, yet can't get a game.

Coming 4th, while playing players who are consistenly awful, refusing to give some players a chance, and pushing out quality players is not good at all, let alone good enough. Progress, is possible under ANY budget, it requires fixing mistakes, pushing out the worst players and replacing them, that might be with a free 17yr old who shows potential, who fails, then you try another kid. Sticking with a known awful player is nothing short of bad managing. Arsenal have spent half a billion in the past 4 seasons on wages..... and won nothing, I'd have to add them all up but I would guesstimate around 850million in wages in the past 8 years, without winning a thing, couldn't even beat Brum in a "easy" final. Do we have the right to win that final, no, but the fact that we couldn't get up for that game, couldn't put in a good performance, had the SAME years old problems in that game AND massive managerial mistakes in the lead up to the game that NO other manager would have made.

Anyone who thinks Arsenal dont' spend MASSIVELY is simply ill informed or deluded, I very much doubt there is a club anywhere near as unsuccessful in the past 8 years who has spent anywhere near as much as we have. Spurs have spent a lot less and still won a cup, more importantly, they've improved, gotten champs league, sustained Euro football, an increasingly quality squad.

If you want to look at a team doing well, everton spend around £60mil in wages because they have smeg all other money and are in debt.... £143mil last year... Arsenal spend over 50% more than the next lowest spending team in the league, we spend OVER twice what a team like Everton spend... and Everton are significantly outperforming us on the pitch this year.

 

[joescrivens]

His post match talk is a joke. In denial. Didn't have that many great chances, and they were a league 2 side for heavens sake.

Of course u can blame the manager. Supposedly good players who consistantly do not perform. Down to tactics and motivation.

you can't blame the manager for the terrible penalties, thats down to individual skill and composure

 

[The23rdman]

you can't blame the manager for the terrible penalties, thats down to individual skill and composure

Joe, the whole point is they shouldn't have been taken to pens in the first place. I suspect the vitriol would have been no different if they had won on pens.

 

[cambsno]

you can't blame the manager for the terrible penalties, thats down to individual skill and composure

It's one thing if we pepper their goal all game, have 25 shots on target and keeper plays a blinder, but we were awful again. Would u have been happy had Liverpool played like that. A team like arsenal should never be taken to pens against Bradford.