Monday 24 March 2014

No More Encores, Arsene

When they finally write the obituaries for Arsene Wenger's career - and that 'finally' seems closer every day - what will they say?


It's a tricky one. For currently he bucks the trend of virtually every other club in Europe and retains his job despite really achieving very little. There are those who protest that getting into Europe season after season when the club is not spending dosh cos of paying off stadium bills is one hell of an achievement. Maybe so.


But it follows a period of success so impressive and indeed uplifting to the neutral footy-lover that simply finishing in the top four is little short of mundane. It's like Nigella Lawson suddenly presenting a show on the finer arts of arranging salad leaves. It still looks nice but it could barely sustain a rodent worth its salt.


Wenger continues to plough a particular furrow - every goal the team scores seems to be based on a Pythagorean principle. They can often seem like a session of keepy-uppy raised to the level of high art.


But football, as Barca's boys will testify, is not simply of matter of tippy-tapping around while the opposition stand off a fretful yard and wait. No, half of it (or a third of it in Barca's case) is about getting the ball back, and Wenger seems entirely to have forgotten this fact.


It should not be so easy for an astute manager to simply arrange for his players to chase the opposition around a bit til they cough up the ball like smaller, harried sea-gulls cough up stolen chips at the seaside. Mourinho's genius game-plan was simply to copy Brendan Rodgers's.


The truth is that Wenger's teams 'don't like it up 'em' and that has been the case for years. Stoke City have known this for years. Allardyce's Bolton were the same. Neither of those teams had the wit to exploit it with quite the incisiveness of Man City, Liverpool or Chelsea but nevertheless it still holds true.


It wasn't the same in the old days mind you when Wenger had the foresight to arm his central midfield with some firm-thighed no-nonsense Frenchmen. Vieira has never been replaced. Nowadays the quintessential Wenger boy has become a nimble-toed little lambkin that couldn't take the leg off a house spider, let alone the ball off a fellow professional footballer.


Wenger seems oblivious to this, somehow. This year, defensive solidity has improved for the most part with the re-signing of Flamini. His absence on Saturday was criminal. Arteta, Cazorla, Oxlade-Chamberlain - these are talented lads who meet a tackle like a bag of crisps meets a tractor tyre.


Look at rival midfields and you'll see what he's neglecting. Gerrard sits deep for Liverpool, sometimes with Allen for company. Matic and Luiz - or a similar combination - anchor Maureen's dogged Chelsea. Pellgrini has Fernandinho (and Yaya when he feels like a tackle) to give a bit of ballast. These are important players and to think you can do without them in a match of this significance is, well, a bit barmy.


It all points to the fact that top-flight football in this country - for all that Arsene contributed to it in the best of ways - is leaving Wenger behind. Or he is stubbornly refusing to go with it.


So you start to think - and surely the Arsenal board must be considering something similar - that 1000 games in charge is good going but he's won fuck-all for yonks and it might be time to send the old prof upstairs to a titular post as head of the Gunner Folklore Museum or some such.


Better that than allow him to sit in the stands and intimidate his successor. Moyes may insist he gets loads of advice and support from Fergie but I tell you no one wants to go to work every day with an angry Dad looking over your shoulder.


Mind you, I've been saying Wenger's days are numbered for about five years now - based entirely on such fripperies as the team's results and the players he's bought - and he's still there like some slender old owl, murmuring about the squad's technicality, physicality, mentality but never quite changing its personality into one that can put a trophy in a cabinet.


Yes, of course there's the FA Cup. That's in the bag, innit? Except... every time Arsenal have been asked a question in the last nine years they've come up with a surprisingly wrong answer. I still think Hull will do 'em. And if that happens it'll be time to thank Arsene for a truly wonderful decade and a less than impressive eight years and wheel him out to pasture.


Actually even if they do win the Cup, surely, Monsieur it's time for you to go. Hop Off. Klopp In. Job Done.



97 comments:

  1. Better than second!

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  2. Good blog as always Robbo.
    The big problem with Wenger is that he (like a lot of old men) forgets to respect others, in this case the opposition. In my view, it is a lack of respect to not have a specific game-plan for each top-level opponent. You can not just tell the players to go out and enjoy and play their natural game no matter what opposition they face (especially away from home). It smacks of stubbornness on his part. I believe we have very good players, they just need to be told their jobs, like a Mourinho (as much as I hate him) or a Benitez would do.
    That said, I do appreciate his qualities, in terms of the kind of football he wants to play and his eye for bargains is still good (its the market that has changed too much). Him in a role where he signs and coaches the players, with someone else incharge of the match-day tactics (especially in away ties against top-level opponents) would be the ideal combination. But if that is not possible then he has to go. Because he will not change, he has shown it for years and years (those suicidal high lines against barca, lack of holding midfielders, never adjusting the formation to match the opposition...). We need someone who respects the opponents (something which Maureen is ironically better at in practice, despite his attempts to convince everyone of the opposite using his mouth) and who gives a fuck about the situation at hand. And I can't even begin to describe all that is wrong with his transfer dealing on top of this.
    Rant over!

    --BeeZee.

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  3. www.sincearsenallastwonatrophy.co.uk

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  4. I would have been first, but #Maureen's distracted me!

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  5. Top stuff, Robbo. As the brilliant Wenger twitter* feed @Wengerknowsbest would put it, Arsene's managerial career has dropped little bit physically in the second half".

    *It would be very harsh to point out that Twitter was only invesnted since Arsenal last won a trophy. So I won't.



    Jedi

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    Replies
    1. Last time Tottenham won the league was in black and white.

      (TV not kit)

      Delete
  6. A whole blog devoted to trashing Wenger? Is this your way of telling us they'll mount an amazing comeback to win the title?

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  7. Good stuff Robbo. I'd have been in the first three but Scott's link on the last blog put me in a You Tube death spiral that ended with Edith Piaf's famous (non je ne regrette rien) 1962 duet with Wenger in an early Parisienne karaoke bar.

    I met a firm-thighed no-nonsense French lass in '89, she played a good holding role too.

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  8. How d'you think Dionne Warwick and I feel, Trotts? Perfectly good comment that I could have used on this blog just as well, perhaps getting the glory of a top spot, now languishing in the last one?

    Oh, and was Wenger in a Zorro hat?

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    Replies
    1. you're beginning to sound like Ole Gunnar.

      Yeah, he borrowed the hat from Elton John.

      Delete
  9. Robbo, you mentioned Klopp as a replacement for Wenger. This on the heels of Magath at Fulham. Will this herald the German (Manager) Invasion? Perhaps that name might bomb. Er...

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  10. Losing to Liverpool was the only result that really surprised me this year. The game against City could of went either way and was only really lost in the last 15 mins, following some pretty dodgy refereeing decisions. Chelsea murdered us on saturday, in another early kick off (we're poo in them) the game was done in te first few minutes, Wenger got his tactics wrong and Jose's team made him pay.

    Let's sack him.

    At the start of the season, as is almost almost the case, all and sundry had Arsenal earmarked for a 5th-6th place at best finish. yet here we are in March still only a few points off the top, yes we had a few bad results.

    Wenger Auht.

    The last seven years have been pretty bleak, it's been absolutly horrible, all this failure, this qualifying for the CL every year while other clubs outspend us and have to make do with the Your Hopeless League while our team has been moved to a new state of the art stadium.

    Surely he has to go!

    Ask any Liverpool fan what its been like over the last few years not even being an also ran.

    Ask any Man U fan what it's been like this season since they brought a new guy in.

    Ask any Spurs fan how much their team has improved with over 100mill in investment over the summer.

    In fact I bet there's at least 88 other teams in the league that would give anything to have acheived our level of failure since 2005.

    But, yeah let's get rid of the best manager we've ever had.

    We could replace him with Klopp, a very good manager that is known to be a stickler when it comes to his style of play, doesn't spend big on players and prefers to use those from the youth team...


    He'd be like a breath of fresh air.

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    1. I take it that's a "no" then? To be fair to Wenger (not something I find easy) he's got rid of the "boring boring Arsenal" tag, and kept the Gooners close to the top (without ever really threatening it).

      When did Spurs get a £100m investment? As opposed to spending player sale proceeds? And most of that money was spent on young (21-22) players, who are bound to take time to settle. This season was always likely to be transitional, let's see how things go next (preferably without the Ropey).


      Jedi


      Jedi

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    2. it must be tough at the top but I wouldn't know. The only way to find out if he's doing a good job or not is to trade him in and ask him back if the new guy can't finish in the top 4.

      Delete
    3. It's still investment, ie money spent.

      The Ropey winners next season get a CL place, after all. that's what it's all about. right? That's what all the other teams, except those fueled with dirty oil money, are trying to achieve.

      Spurs have had 12 managers trying to achieve this goal since wenger joined. Many of whom were sacked due to their failure to achieve it.

      Delete
    4. I'd be actually pretty surprised of all of those new players you invested in were still around next season. plus Spurs have been in transition for longer then this season, but that's not surprising when you're on your third manager in as many seasons.

      Delete
    5. If Spurs are ditching midfielders, you can bet Chelsea will swoop for some of them. We definitely don't have enough. Strikers? We've got so many we loan out the best one to take points off our opponents. Defenders? We're solid because Terry is as quick as he ever was. But midfielders? Gotta have us more.

      Delete
    6. Haven't Spurs been in transition since World War 2. Their last league title was surely won in a period of transition from being losers to worse losers.

      Wenger needs to stay just in case Moyes gets canned cos we'll want Klopp at Old Trafford in that case. You could do worse than Van Gaal or Ancelotti if he does work thougth. Arsenal are a good team who like Man Utd could do with a 20 goal a season striker such as a fit Robin Van Persie.

      T be fair the point about a stronger midfield should be taken on board by Wenger and Moyes as they both have the same problem, a dodgy back four and no power in midfield and if it doesn't change neither of them will win a trophy in a while.

      I fancy Wigan for the cup though

      Delete
    7. Alright H2, I agree with bits of what you say (Levy is trigger happy with managers, and Sherwood probably won't see out the summer). Spurs had a p155 poor chairman (Alan Sugar) in the mid 90's, who didn't understand the way business was going, and have been trying to make up ground since, sometimes a bit too hard. So, yeah, some stability would be good.

      BUT there's no doubt that (as he'd put it) "Ze trophy count has dropped little bit physically in ze second half" of Wenger's managerial reign as he ploughs a purist ideal that doesn't really work at the highest level (the titles were won with Vieira and Petit, who wouldn't get into current Arsenal teams).

      I agree there are at least 2 teams (Chelski and Citeh) - possibly also Liverpool - who are financially doped (United are too, but in the opposite way), which makes it harder for others to get into the CL.



      Jedi

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  11. Arsene will be 92 in a wheelchair with advanced Alzheimer's before arsenal will replace him after he gets lost and his last team sheet turns out to be confused with his tv viewing plan and Kevin Webster from coronation street has to be substituted at half time

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    1. Bearing in mind his tactics against Chelsea, some gooners think he already has it, especially when you take into account his short term memory loss/selective memory (it was not a bad defeat, I did not see the incident, I did not think [insert name of Arsenal player committing horrendously ill-timed tackle] deserved to be sent off etc. etc.)

      Spider

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  12. Tricky one for Arsenal fans.

    Is it time to bring somebody new in and freshen things up (It's worked at Stoke for example,but certainly didn't at Charlton)

    Or stick with continually finishing 4th and getting out of the CL group stages whilst keeping plenty of cash in the bank.

    He has been one of Arsenal's finest managers,but knowing when to call time is tricky.Personally I think he does most things right other than,as Robbo points out,put enough steel into the midfield.

    Klopp does similar things,as H points out,but his team always look more solid off the ball than Arsenal.

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  13. Nice shit Robson!!! Klopp would be a breath of fresh air at the emirates. Time for wenger to fukoff! Maybe board was waiting for that 1000th game milestone to give him the boot. Or they could be waiting to see what the FA cup mite bring. Wonder what the odds are on this being wenger's last season?

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  14. If arsenal don't win the FA cup I think he'll fall on his sword.

    He'll probably miss though.

    http://www.telegraph.co.uk/sport/football/teams/arsenal/10720257/Arsenal-begin-process-of-identifying-eventual-successor-to-Arsene-Wenger.html

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  15. eh up, Beckham has unveiled new stadium plans for the Miami waterfront. This one looks like a well used version of the vagina in Qatar.

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  16. Watching Arsenal - Swansea. Someone forgot to put the bread in my shit sandwich.
    Rastafairy

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  17. My wife's accumulator bet went further south than a missing Malaysian Airliner when Flamini scored at the wrong end. Breadless shit sandwiches for me too.

    Spider

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  18. Again, good stuff, Robbo. It's really a perspective thing - inside vs. outside. If you're a Gooner, you're going to rightly fear where a new manager may lead your club, given the remarkable stability near the top under AW. If you're an outsider, you're looking at the year-on-year talent, wondering why they haven't won anything lately, and then looking for reasons (tactics, transfer policy, etc.).

    If Everton can overhaul Arsenal for a CL spot, it could make things interesting, but I think even then, they would stick with Wenger. With a game in hand, a head-to-head match at Goodison, and them still in for the FA Cup, I think we have a decent chance at it - certainly better than the 'outside chance' the Beeb wants to give us after a nice away win to Newcastle...

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    1. Yeah, liking a lot about him so far. Transfers, loans, tactics, game management, and the squad really seem to enjoy playing for him. Long to reign over us, God save Mar-teeeeeeen(ez).

      Delete
    2. I'd prefer to be in Everton's position then Arsenal's.

      Over the years we've played catch up and overtake many times, just ask the spuds.

      What I've learnt is that you need a few facyors in the PL run in, luck, forward momentum and confidence, at the moment we have none.

      Injuries have robbed us of our best players, a lack of investment in January has left us with too few options and after the events of the last few days morale looks to be at rock bottom. This is not where you want to be when your next game is against Citeh.

      We are looking at the very real possibility of going to Goodison knowing that a defeat would knock us out of the top four.

      Delete
    3. Really H2 (although I think Citeh will beat you)? Wenger's used to this position. The squad always was a bit thin, though. It was fairly obvious at the start of the season it wouldn't be enough to win the league.


      Jedi

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    4. Just checked the fixtures. After the Everton game Gooners' run in doesn't look too bad, whereas Everton still have to play Citeh at home.


      Jedi

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  19. The Moyes Random Excuse Generator.

    Ask away....
    http://www.manchestereveningnews.co.uk/sport/football/football-news/random-moyes-excuse-generator-david-6877533

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    Replies
    1. just looked it up, it, cant find the page,
      now theres another excuse for him

      Delete
  20. it all went tits up since the fight in the pie shop. Never a good sign.

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  21. It has given me great joy in the past 5-6 years to"prophesy" in September about the forthcoming March implosion of Arsenal. Gunners please don't sack LE PROF. Over at the BRIDGE we love his work for YOU !!!

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    Replies
    1. Last season Arsenal only lost one game in March, away at Spurs, they then went on an unbeaten run until the end of the season.

      But let's not let the facts get in the way of your misuse of the word "prophesy".

      Delete
  22. Shit, the natives are getting restless - we must double our efforts. SAVE DAVE!!!!!

    Managed a career high 144 points in FFL this week. Not bad, especially considering that three of my starting XI had a combined score of -1.

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  23. Good blog Robbo. I totally agree with you re the Gunners lack of ability to win the ball back when lost and yes, it has been a problem for a number of years... we tend to run around after the ball like blue arsed flies. I have to agree with you when you say we don't like it up us... I used those exact words in reference to Arsenal in your last blog. If our opponents play us close, give us no time on the ball our game plan disappears and if managers such as Pulis, Hughes and Big Sam have cottoned on, it is obvious you don't need to be a mental giant to see it.

    Should Wenger go or stay? I am happy to leave that in Arsene's hands. I admit to criticizing him at times and have even suggested he be given the royal order but in truth, he has given Arsenal so much since taking over as manager I think the board and the fans owe him the loyalty and respect to allow him to decide his future at the club.

    If Wenger did decide to call it a day, my preference as a replacement would be Martinez. I like the way his teams play, he is tactically sound and he doesn't seem to need gazillions to build a team.

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  24. H2, anyone over there watching the Dutch cricket team trying to put one over on the mighty South Africa? In with a good chance as I write.


    Jedi

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    Replies
    1. I've never met anyone over here who had the foggiest idea what cricket is.

      I shit you not.

      Delete
    2. well here's a thing - it may surprise you that i received a university edukashun that rite i am interlektual, and i played for the uni's second team. Im not a bad bowler, have hit a few sixes but we weren't that good tbh and one of our openers also opened the batting for the Dutch national team.

      I also shit you not.

      Delete
  25. Nice one Bo.

    It's hard with Wenger at the moment and opinion seems to flip flop.I don't think there is any other manager in the league, where perception over is changed on a game to game basis, it really is quite incredable.

    I like martinez, he's a very likeable chap, plays aestetically pleasing football and is doing extreamly well this season. I'd prefer to pass judgement on his creadentials after another year at Everton. This year he's brought some good loans in, they have done well for him, but that could be to his detriment, because clubs like Citeh and chelski may not be so eager to loan out their fringe players if they see Everton as a potential threat. Can he replace the likes of Lukaku, Barry and Deulofeu? Can he keep hold of Coleman and Barkley or will they go the way of Jack Rodwell? If he can manage to maintain or even better their level next year then he will really have proved himself.

    No matter how anyone wants to slice it, we're talking about replacing a manager who has never, in 17 years, finished outside the top four with one who suffered relegation less then a year earlier.

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    Replies
    1. Bo's right he's earned the right to choose and if you want to know why Arsenal won't ditch Arsene - take a look at Old trafford. What a catastrophe. And such a pity too. None of us wanted to see man Utd humiliated like this....

      Delete
  26. your boy Wenger has done a great job by many measures, after all that winning he's built a new stadium and not spent much, sold wisely and put loads of dosh in the shareholders coffers. The problem is one of perception. He has served primarily the interests of the shareholders (as he should) when the perception of many fans is that he hasn't done enough to bring about continuous success, many of them couldn't give a shit if he'd spent 400 million more and put the club in debt to finance a few open top bus parades. The reality is that he can't spend what they don't give him to spend and he's protected the shareholders through it all and put the club on a sound footing and then takes the heat for not winning trophies. At the same time they try to play good football which wins fans and they fill the ground every week, on the business side they've done great. If he goes they'll have somebody else who is highly unlikely to manage this balancing act between fans and owners nearly as well, let alone put a good product on the field. If the fans have a gripe it should be with the owners before it's with Wenger. With City and Chelsea splashing hundreds of millions around to buy trophies, it was a good period to be frugal anyway. So I reckon there's good reasons to let him stay as long as he likes but the best reason he should stay is for the entertainment he brings to his role in the Barclays Pantomime League.

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    1. Nice one.

      Looks like you've all been listening to me over the last few years. ;)

      Delete
    2. as a rabid loony fan you should demand his dismissal and even demonstrate by setting yourself on fire under the Bergkamp statue. No peace until a new messiah is brought in.

      Delete
    3. Shouldn't that be "a new Chosen One?" (save dave)

      Delete
  27. Bloody hell, if that's how we handle the run-in nerves, we'd be lucky to make top 4. 10 games unbeaten, 6 wins in a row, 3 away wins in a row and 2-0 up against a bottom 3 team, and then all of a sudden with 15 minutes to go, we look like we're Celta Vigo up against Barcelona. Can't believe we came out with 3 points. Spurs must be licking their lips waiting for Sunday.

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  28. Brilliant game of T20..hopefully england dont screw it up after coming so close.

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  29. CHAMPAGNE MOMENT
    ENGLAND WIN BY SIX WICKETS - ALEX HALES FINISHES ON 116 NOT OUT FROM 64 BALLS (11 FOURS, SIX SIXES)
    --------------------------------------------------------------------------------
    Take a bow son. This after being 0-2 after the first over, chasing 190. Brilliant stuff.

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    Replies
    1. a star is born well done hales

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    2. David Moyes is making inquiries.

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    3. Alex Hales has actually been the worlds number 1 ranked T20 batsman for over a year now. He was bought over here to play in the Aussie T20 tournament, but never got going. He was outdone by Michael Lumb, funnily enough.

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  30. Crisis at the vale again. Manager looks like he's leaving, no contract offered and owner Norman SMURTHWAIT has just tweeted from his sons wedding in Prague, for fucks sake, that he's considering his position. Seems to have imagined he was taking over a viable business. Any Burslem schoolboy could have put him straight on that one.

    Fucking soap opera.

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    Replies
    1. More bad times for your team blogs. But give it a month and Vale will have their pick of Moyes or Sherwood as new manager.

      Every cloud....

      Delete
    2. Or wenger Noel (although to be fair, as Jonathan Liew says, Bruce Rioch did leave behind a very mediocre squad)

      Delete
    3. was his lad marrying a stripper? Perhaps she'll be the next manager?

      Delete
  31. C'mon Robbo, don't jump on the bandwagon. When Le Prof finally takes a back seat, you'll be sad he's gone. He will take a huge amount of replacing. Some of these plastic Arsenal fans should be very careful what they wish for!

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  32. This comment has been removed by the author.

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  33. Virgin have pulled out of a sponsorship deal for Man Utd.

    No point in having Virgin on the shirts of a team getting fucked every week.

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    Replies
    1. Even Your Cock will agree that you're not still a virgin just because you pull out.

      Delete
  34. I did a Bells with that comment Jack, I laughed myself off the chair.

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  35. Manchester United boss David Moyes says predecessor Sir Alex Ferguson would have struggled with the squad this season.

    Sorry Dave, Sir Al won the title with that shower

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  36. The manager (Wenger) admits the visit of Manchester City on Saturday could be Arsenal's last chance to revive their title hopes.

    Their last chance disappeared 10 minutes into the Chelsea debacle. The facup is the only chance for glory now and we have to get over Wigan before even that becomes a possibility.

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  37. A result against Citeh is certainly needed though to keep us on track for fourth spot. Another hammering today and our morale and confidence could really plummet... we may find ourselves battling Un**ed for 7th place

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  38. How about that, Chelsea thrash a top four team one week, then get beat by a bottom four team the next. It's a funny ol' game init!

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  39. Last few weeks Chelsea and I have not been in agreement about my fantasy team.

    v. Aston Villa: Delph on my bench for a goal and a clean sheet.
    v. Arsenal: Szczesny starts, coughs up six goals.
    v. Crystal Palace, Ward benched for a clean sheet and own goal assist.

    I thought Man City might overtake Chelsea, but still didn't think we'd drop below Liverpool. So much for the easier run-in.

    Time for a new striker and a willingness to attack more consistently instead of sitting back and assuming we'll score at some point.

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  40. well, that was a good day off for Liverpool!

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  41. Well tomorrow will certainly tell if we have the nerves or not. I'll either be here with 15 comments or you wont see me here for a week.

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    1. It's in the bag for Liverpool. An easy win by 5 goals or more. You'll be flying high at the top of the league. Unbeatable. Nothing can stop you.

      Delete
    2. Did someone say, "Nothing's Gonna Stop Us Now?" No? Well, close enough:

      https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ydOB-YNJ8Jw

      (WARNING: May contain Starship, 80's hair, and footage from "Mannequin...")

      Delete
    3. was that number 1 when they last won the league?

      Delete
  42. Wenger and the team must have read Robbo's blog this week. Last night they showed more fight than I have seen from them in some time. Both sides had the opportunity to win the match but I think 1-1 was the fair result.

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  43. The premier league are looking to reschedule the Liverpool spurs game since the spurs team failed to show up. Mwahahhah.

    Seriously though, how could it possibly have been any worse with AVB in charge. That was a truly abysmal performance from Spurs.

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    1. Congrats AH. Fully deserved. It was over from the second Tim put Bentalab's name on the team sheet. I just want this season over, and Sherwood gone. Just two points ahead of Utd now in the race to avoid the Europa. Come on Dave!

      Delete
    2. Was a good day for both the blue and red clubs. I thought the Fulham OG was tragic, but then, here come Tottenham! Not to be a Spurs apologist, and I have no feelings about Sherwood other than envy for the clubs that get to play them - but very few teams can deal with that quick and accurate long-range passing Liverpool is showing. They can open up nearly any defense when the ball is flowing like it was today. Even when Tottenham were able to get the ball off them, they were under so much pressure they mostly hoofed it right back to Liverpool. That's certainly what happened to Everton when they thrashed us by the same score a couple of months back!

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    3. Utter rubbish from Spurs, and Liverpool thoroughly deserved their win. Wondering if a season out of Europe altogether would help Spurs. Something needs to, even accepting that this season a lot of players needed to bed in.


      Jedi

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  44. a penny for Wenger's thoughts if Liverpool win the title with minimum investment, great style of play, and a manager who has only taken 2 years...think this might be the straw that finally gets him to admit his failures. The moneybags that have won the league for the last decade seemed like a good excuse but good ol' brendan might just prove that it was only a convenient one. Wish you guys the best of luck AH.

    --BeeZee

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  45. I know he's not favoured by many on here (although AH might like him a bit more) but if Palace stay up,I think I'd make Tony Pullis manager of the year.

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    Replies
    1. i like him now, jacks and I agree, although martinez if he supplants arsenal in the top 4 would probably deserve it.

      arsenal could be worse managed (moyes, sherwood who is a real throw back to 70s rant-over-reason management... Im surprised he hasnt got a sheepskin coat) but they could be better managed - martinez

      arsenal are going to have to become less risk averse t win anything. strange incompatibility between the way they play and the financial thinking. but thats my last comment on the topic

      ARSENE OUT

      Delete
  46. Soccer Saturday in 5 minutes.

    https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dC-R8_lB0BA&feature=youtu.be

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  47. Not nice.

    http://moyespace.blogspot.co.uk/2014/03/an-actual-football-manager-ruined-my.html?m=1

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    Replies
    1. unpleasant level of misogyny here, jacks. sad little lives these people must lead.

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  48. Another transfer embargo on the vale - an unpaid bill, probably smurf's pie tab or micky adams blood pressure tablets. lots of contracts up at the end of the season and Im expecting an exodus of biblical proportions.

    his lad probably is marrying a stripper, trots - but she's most likely to be an asset stripper

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  49. The lad did cop her pipes Trotts,that's why he's got to marry her.

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    Replies
    1. They won't have received a blessing from Pope then.

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  50. if it all ends in Gooner misery H, at least you'll have Dutch cricket.

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  51. Jedi, you're spot on, it has been the lack of European football that has helped us. We have no depth in squad. We have used all of 13 players in the 8 match winning streak we're on. Had we also been in Europe 3-4 injuries later, we'd have been playing Aspas and Alberto again. We have an awesome first 12 - if we had to pick from the remaining squad, we'd probably have been screwed. That being said we did play without Suarez for the first 6 games.and didn't do too badly.

    Hopefully Pulis can win manager of the year without taking points off us in May. He truly has done a remarkable job, I gave Palace no chance a few months ago. On a similar note, its amazing how Hughton manages to keep Norwich away from the drop zone.

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  52. And credit to Luis for breaking the club record for most goals in Premier League season. Given there's 6 more games to go and he missed the first 6, that's pretty awesome. And without biting anyone this time, not so much as a nibble. One of the remaining games is against Norwich, and should he get his customary 4 goals against them, he's in with a good chance of reaching Cristiano Ronaldo's PL record.

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