570 replies to this topic

[URI]

DLew, are you saying that we should happy for not spending £35 million for Andy Carroll and scalping Malaga to get Santi?

He's suggesting that you signed 3 world class players this summer and mikeford should shut the fuck up about not investing money into the club. When there was a massive investment this year.

DLew isn't a troll for pointing out that Arsenal fans are hands down the worst collective fan group in this forum. Guys like mikeford troll good discussion and common sense with almost every post.

Giroud, Podolski, and Cazorla were all purchased before Song and van Persie were sold. They spent before they had to sell.

[DLew On Roids]

DLew, are you saying that we should happy for not spending £35 million for Andy Carroll and scalping Malaga to get Santi?

I'm pretty sure Mascherano still plays holding midfielder, at least according to the Argentine I talked to on Saturday.

You can be happy or unhappy. I don't care. Just don't complain about facts that are not actually, ya know, facts. And it's a subset of a larger problem, which is the nonstop air of arrogance and entitlement in this thread. Someone a couple of weeks ago talked about how great it would be if Arsenal could get a nice, easy win at Villa, as if that's what should happen in a just world. Because, I guess, Villa is supposed to be beneath Arsenal. Not only is this obnoxious, but it shows a fundamental misunderstanding of Arsenal, its history, and fan culture. This thread reads like a bunch of Gunners who never read Fever Pitch and think football was invented in 1992, interspersed with very occasional moments of clarity from Bonger. Pointing this out isn't trolling any more than pointing out that the Chelsea thread reads like a monologue from a Chelsea PR intern.

I guess you're talking shit about Liverpool signing Andy Carroll, but I don't see what that has to do with anything. So they...spent a lot of money? Which is the same thing Arsenal does, and...? Help me out here. I will say that I'd much rather have Andy Carroll and Luis Suarez right now than Fernando Torres and Ryan Babel, and they're worth a lot more now, too.

[Zomp]

Well you must add in Babel's rap potential which makes it even.

[sachmoney]

Okay, so I was trying to bring some levity, but I regret including the Andy Carroll bit. I apologize for it.

I guess I have to re-evaluate how my posts read, since I was the one that said "it'd be nice to get a relaxing win." I didn't mean for it to come off as condescending or entitled, nor was I suggesting that Villa is "supposed to be beneath Arsenal." From my perspective, I was saying that "it would be nice to have a care free win." You know, where your team dominates and you feel confident about the performance and the scoreline. That was a hope, but I guess it came off differently (and upon reading my post again, I can understand why).

[mikeford]

They spent knowing they were going to sell. To suggest otherwise is being naive, at best.

[URI]

But they spent a lot of money to replace what amounted to van Persie, who was gone, and Song. You had Pololski and Giroud locked up by the middle of June, and no one significant was sold until August.

Song was the only surprise (according to sachmoney up thread), and you got £15m for him, which is where he is rated. Why are you bitching about, well, everything, and then accusing DLew for trolling again?

[Smiling Joe Hesketh]

They spent knowing they were going to sell. To suggest otherwise is being naive, at best.

Don't you think if that were the intent, given how much you've bitched about the owner being cheap, they would have gone round it the other way? Selling first?

[SidelineCameras]

Lots of anger and vitriol in this thread.

For my part, I have only been an EPL fan for a few seasons, I don't have any significant anger or hatred built up towards any other clubs. I am indifferent to Liverpool, for example. Sure I enjoy a 5-2 over Tottenham more than, say, a 3-1 at West Ham. I don't mean to be a "woe is me type," but I certainly feel comfortable saying that I found it disappointing to sell the league's leading scorer to another English club, and that disappointment is reinforced after scoring zero goals for 5 out of 15 EPL games.

Soccer fans, man. Up-thread we were accused of being too rosy because we were being patient with Giroud. Now we're all miserable and anti-club because we haven't gotten three points in the last three matches.

[URI]

Lots of anger and vitriol in this thread.

For my part, I have only been an EPL fan for a few seasons, I don't have any significant anger or hatred built up towards any other clubs. I am indifferent to Liverpool, for example. Sure I enjoy a 5-2 over Tottenham more than, say, a 3-1 at West Ham. I don't mean to be a "woe is me type," but I certainly feel comfortable saying that I found it disappointing to sell the league's leading scorer to another English club, and that disappointment is reinforced after scoring zero goals for 5 out of 15 EPL games.

Soccer fans, man. Up-thread we were accused of being too rosy because we were being patient with Giroud. Now we're all miserable and anti-club because we haven't gotten three points in the last three matches.

I can say there is a significant difference between being disappointed and being completely fatalistic. For example, I think sachmoney was overly optimistic this summer.

mikeford specifically reacts like a five year old pretty consistently in this thread, to the point where a couple of years ago, he had to be reminded not to be anti-Semetic towards Spurs.

[SidelineCameras]

I can say there is a significant difference between being disappointed and being completely fatalistic. For example, I think sachmoney was overly optimistic this summer.

mikeford specifically reacts like a five year old pretty consistently in this thread, to the point where a couple of years ago, he had to be reminded not to be anti-Semetic towards Spurs.

There are times that being a Jewish Arsenal fan seems about the same as being a liberal Tim Thomas fan, and alas I am both. Or all four.

Anyway. I think we can all agree that Man U sucks and everything about that club except Zomp sucks.

[URI]

No, Zomp sucks too.

Of course, the fucked up thing is that there are just as many Jewish Arsenal fans as Spurs fans. Doesn't stop some ugly history rearing it's head whenever West Ham fans are bored, or mikeford doesn't understand how loaded the term "Yid Scum" might be.

[DLew On Roids]

Lots of anger and vitriol in this thread.

Isn't it awesome?

For my part, I have only been an EPL fan for a few seasons, I don't have any significant anger or hatred built up towards any other clubs. I am indifferent to Liverpool, for example. Sure I enjoy a 5-2 over Tottenham more than, say, a 3-1 at West Ham. I don't mean to be a "woe is me type," but I certainly feel comfortable saying that I found it disappointing to sell the league's leading scorer to another English club, and that disappointment is reinforced after scoring zero goals for 5 out of 15 EPL games.

Soccer fans, man. Up-thread we were accused of being too rosy because we were being patient with Giroud. Now we're all miserable and anti-club because we haven't gotten three points in the last three matches.

Let's differentiate between disappointment and nonsense. No one expects Grady Little huckleberry happytalk when your club loses. What is annoying as f*** is listening to moaning about a cheap owner when the club dropped £44M and huge wages on three world-class players over the summer. I don't care if everyone knows that Kroenke is cheap; that's not what the facts say. There isn't a single club in England, outside of maybe Man U, which had a specific need, that wouldn't have taken that transfer haul over what they brought in. But the results are bad and everyone knows that Arsenal are cheap, so that's what people moan about.

FTR, I don't have any animosity toward Arsenal. Wenger's a really interesting manager who revolutionized top-tier football in England and competed with Man U when no one else was stepping up. I don't even think the anti-Semitism is that shocking. A significant percentage of all football fans, of any English club, are awful human beings. They taunt opponents about stadium tragedies and plane crashes and the Holocaust because it's "just a bit 'a banter." The problem isn't Arsenal or West Ham fans, it's that some fans in England think that it's OK to use a match to throw off whatever social compact they're obliged to respect the other 166 hours in a week.

[URI]

You're one of them, aren't you, mio amico fascista.

[Snakebauer007]

Podolski and Giroud would be huge fans of this thread, I dont think either has been called world class this often.

Edit: probably not Cazorla either

Edited by Snakebauer007, 04 December 2012 - 06:22 PM.

[sachmoney]

I can say there is a significant difference between being disappointed and being completely fatalistic. For example, I think sachmoney was overly optimistic this summer.

I'm pretty naive and excitable.

[ConigliarosPotential]

Brilliant column:

http://www.grantland...-wenger-decline

[sachmoney]

Really good interview with Mikel Arteta in the Mirror.

[Zomp]

Oof.

[URI]

Wynalda says he should be suspended for 8 weeks for that, like Muller was in Germany. McBride thinks it should be "looked at".

[sachmoney]

Yeah. That was the weakest of penalties (as in it should not have been).

Wilshere is looking closer to 100% today, but not quite.

Edited by sachmoney, 08 December 2012 - 11:16 AM.

[sachmoney]

More controversy. This referee is having himself a game.

[Snakebauer007]

http://footballfunny...icles/103370414

No contact, a yell and some extra rolls to add to it

[soxfan121]

http://footballfunny...icles/103370414

No contact, a yell and some extra rolls to add to it

Holy shit, that's a Top 3 Dive of All-Time.

[JayMags71]

That fulfills the average American's worst stereotype of European Football behavior.

[mikeford]

Both penalties looked like pretty bad dives. The Cazorla one though... yeesh.

[sachmoney]

Headed to extra time for anyone that is interested.

Edited by sachmoney, 11 December 2012 - 04:41 PM.

[BostonJack42]

Headed to extra time for anyone that is interested.

PKs.

[Spacemans Bong]

Well that was a cunt.

Gazidis meets with the Supporters Trust tomorrow and Lady Nina said on Twitter that she wants Usmanov running the club.

Happy days.

[Royal Reader]

Arsenal go out. Congrats to Bradford, this reminds me of when my own Northampton Town won at Anfield in the same competition, but arguably even better since now they get to contest a two-legged semi. The sort of thing dreams are made of for lower-division sides.

[sachmoney]

Yeah, this is what the cups are all about. A great win for Bradford, not just winning over a Premier League club, but doing it in front of the home fans. That's pretty special.

Bonger summed the match up perfectly, so I'm just gonna leave it. Disappointed, but oh well.

[Snakebauer007]

seriously?

I didnt know Gervinho was left footed

Edited by Snakebauer007, 11 December 2012 - 09:31 PM.

[Infield Infidel]

Isn't it awesome?



Let's differentiate between disappointment and nonsense. No one expects Grady Little huckleberry happytalk when your club loses. What is annoying as f*** is listening to moaning about a cheap owner when the club dropped £44M and huge wages on three world-class players over the summer. I don't care if everyone knows that Kroenke is cheap; that's not what the facts say. There isn't a single club in England, outside of maybe Man U, which had a specific need, that wouldn't have taken that transfer haul over what they brought in. But the results are bad and everyone knows that Arsenal are cheap, so that's what people moan about.

At the risk of being castigated for defending the Arsenal fans on the board, out of the bigger clubs (Arsenal, ManC, ManU, Spurs, Chelsea) they are the only one to sell players at a profit the last 6 season in total (including this year), and 4 of the last 6 seasons individually. (I'm going with 6 years because that's when Kroenke became involved.) Certainly in comparison to those clubs, calling Arsenal cheap isn't unfair. They've also been great at deriving revenue through player development, but we're in an era where running a deficit in player acquisition is the more reliable way to the top of the table.

It's great for the books, but not great for competitiveness. Just because they are repetitive in saying the team is cheap doesn't mean it isn't true (Although I'd use thrifty, as they do unearth some gems), and I wouldn't begrudge them for wanting their team to spend like others. Sox fans were a lot happier once the spending deficit wrt the Yankees shrank.

We can't look at buying players in vacuum, no matter what the order. They ran a £12m profit in the transfer window last summer. Teams go into the window with a gameplan - Van Persie had a foot out the door, and Song was at best 50/50 to stay, signing Ross/Napoli means Salty is expendable, etc. If the Cs sign some FAs then trade a solid guy with picks for expiring contracts to get under the cap, you can't say "look at all the guys we got!" without thinking about the guy/picks we let go.

[sachmoney]

seriously?

I didnt know Gervinho was left footed

He has a left foot? That's news to me.

[mikeford]

Well that was a cunt.

Gazidis meets with the Supporters Trust tomorrow and Lady Nina said on Twitter that she wants Usmanov running the club.

Happy days.

She should've sold her fuckin shares to Jabba the Hutt in the fuckin first place then instead of Kroenke.

[mikeford]

Well at least we can beat Reading on the road.

Verm and Sagna got into a verbal spat after the full time whistle. Wonder what thats about.

[BostonJack42]

Ouch.

[Smiling Joe Hesketh]

Color me surprised, after reading this thread over the season, that Arsenal is currently 5th, 2 points out of 3rd place. You would have thought they were facing relegation to League 1 with some of the takes on the club.

[sachmoney]

Wilshere, Oxlade-Chamberlain, Jenkinson, Gibbs, and Ramsey all signed new contracts.

[sachmoney]

Arsenal gets Bayern in the Champions League. Also, Usmanov was interviewed on CNBC.

[sachmoney]

[Zomp]

Best pundit in the game.

[ElUno20]

Same cycle every year. The team underwhelms only to back for a CL spot.

[mikeford]

Doesn't hurt that the Premiership appears to suck real bad this year.

[SidelineCameras]

Excellent result today. I think Arsenal had an advantage of added rest with Newcastle having the tough game on Wednesday and Arsenal off due to the Tube Strike, but that's life in the big city.

Walcott making the case for playing up the middle. Also making it harder and harder for Arsenal to keep him, if he keeps this up he's going to have a lot of interest over the summer. I am inclined to believe that they don't move him in January after the RVP fallout.

[sachmoney]

Walcott will get the headlines, but I thought Podolski had his strongest game in an Arsenal shirt. There have been times during the season where he just disappears in games. Today, it seemed like he wanted to make himself known. He played an extremely determined game and was one of the players that really provided the spirit for the team. In recent years, it's been rare to talk about an Arsenal win and not talk at all about the midfield...

[Billy R Ford]

I was one of those who gave up mid-game, I turned the match off at half-time... fuck me, right?

[mikeford]

I was one of those who gave up mid-game, I turned the match off at half-time... fuck me, right?

It was tied!

[Zomp]

Granted, I haven't watched a lot of Arsenal this season...but from everything I've read, Walcott wants to be played through the middle.

I know he's had a few excellent games there, but is that where you see him? To me his ceiling in the middle is, maybe, Jermaine Defoe with less finishing. On the wing, at least his lack of technical skill can be hidden.

[sachmoney]

I'd like to see him in a position that best helps the team, and I think that the situation dictates where he should play. That can be through the middle sometimes, but other times, it'll be on the wing. Walcott has to recognize that he should still be open to playing on the wing, and Wenger has to realize that Theo, with his improved finishing and decision making, can be a good center forward at times. You look at yesterday's game, and Theo was effective both as a center forward and on the wing, once Giroud came in. Walcott's pace gives him a unique skill set that can change games. However, you sometimes need a physical presence to go against opposing centerbacks.

Theo has shown that he deserves chances through the middle, but that doesn't mean it should be the only place he plays, at least IMO.

[mikeford]

sign da ting

Edited by mikeford, 30 December 2012 - 07:38 PM.