The Goon Blog

Well that was all rather nice wasn’t it? A great response from the boys with Van Persie and Adebayor among the goals again, but, it should have been much, much more.

It started off nervy, Porto had some great opportunities that again exposed our very weak defence, Clichy had to clear off the line after Gallas lost his man, again. However, Theo Walcott terrorised the back line of Porto all night constantly running at them, looking for the killer pass and just plain pissing off his full back! I have to mention a stunning save from Manuel Almunia, Gonzalez let off a thunderbolt and he dived full stretch to his left to deny the Porto forward. A magnificent piece of goalkeeping.

The first goal was a very nice poke home for Van Persie after Adebayor slid the ball across the goal, he managed to get the ball out of his feel to slide it in at the near post. 1-0 and the fans wanted more. Much more.

The second was from Adebayor as he headed a fantastic cross into the ground that bounced up and out of the reach of the disparing keeper, Ade and Van are back alright.

Van Persie’s second and Arsenal’s third was a result of some simply horriffing defending, VP skipped round 2 players, was allowed to stroll past Porto’s most experienced defender and prod nicley home. We were crusing and with 43 minutes to go a cricket score was possible.

This was when we had a whole host of chances, Walcott somehow missed an open goal, same goes for Nasri and Adebayor should have made it seven. You have to wonder what this team can be if they are more clinical. Walcott had the defenders shitting their panties and Nasri was a threat from range. Fabregas also pulled a save out the keeper with a shot from the edge of the area. He was truly immense. He cant be 21 can he?

Enter Vela, his first touch was to skip around 3 players, lay it off to Nikki B who just couldnt work the space to shoot. The commontater was shouting ‘Watch this boy go’ and the nations eyes were fixed on him. what a talent. Bendtner has looked brilliant too.

Adebayor made it 4 after Bendtner was felled in the box, sent the keeper the wrong way, cue dancing and badge kissing and the like. I want to see that more often Ade.

There was even time for cult hero Eboooouueee to do some step overs Ronaldinho would have been proud of, sadly the second time he tried it he trod on the ball. I love Eboue, he has his haters but he never fails to either enrage or entertain!

Overall, a very positive performance from the boys, the same defensive worries are still there but it looks like Wenger is going with the policy; you score more than you concede, you win. I hope it works! Saturday is not forgotten but Arsenal are well and truly mixing the cement i mentioned earlier and thank fook for that.

Take care out there.

Night.

Well, another Champions League game brings with it the chance to somewhat partially erase the horrors of Saturday evening. We will have to wait and see what Wenger does about Gallas and how dramatic his changes are but right now i think that our midfield frailty is showing.

We have Diaby, Rosicky, Bischoff, and now Song out, leaving us with two natural central midfielders and Eboue who would play in goal if he was needed there. Denilson was probably the best performer from Saturday if ive read correct and i think him and Cesc will again play in the middle of the park. If i had my way Bendtner and Vela would play up front banishing Ade and VP to the bench to smoulder and think about what they did on Saturday, which wouldnt take too long as they did pretty much fuck all. Ive just found this little gem. It looks like Flamini is picking up a few too many splinters on that AC Milan bench. I hope its heated too, it can get a wee bit nippy in those winter months.

Now, back to the game, we have to perform. Thats simple. But todays game isnt the be all and end all, we have to perform and then back it up with performances in the future because we just cannot lose at home again this season, a win today would paper over the cracks created on Saturday, we have to cement them over with the strongest cement possible and thats going on a winning streak and sorting our leaky defence out.

Many people have called for Gallas to be dropped, i have also. But, the most realistic option is for Toure to be dropped, Gallas is captain and Wenger wont drop him in a million years. Djourou will also help solve our height problem that has become so evident over the past few games, Nasri will add more creativity and he is no mug in front of goal either. We have to see a massive improvement today but it will only be the start, we cant afford to rest on our laurels.

We will be the inexperienced side today so no excuses Wenger. A good performance is compulsury.

And no more ’scared’ Toure either please.

Right, i bid you farewell.

Up the arse!

(Not Literally)

Well, that was all rather shite wasn’t it! I’m sorry i have not been here for a few days, i will try and get someone to blog when im not available!

First things first, I think we were piss poor, Ive only seen the highlights and it was enough to make me sick, the pints of beer didn’t help either but you can see why Arsene Wenger feels sick, i think that players that do not give 100% should be dropped from the squad. And if they do it again just get them the hell out of the team. I don’t care if its Gallas, Adebayor, Van Persie or even Cesc, it just cannot be tolerated. They get paid far to much to piss around on a pitch and give 50%, at the end of the day the fans pay their bloody wages so they best sort themselves out or fuck off to Man City. Its Monday evening and im still fuming.

Now, Gallas. He feels that complacency wasn’t an issue? It was clear to see the team thought they could smash a few in in the first 20 minutes, run around, look interested and be back home in time for tea and paella. It doesn’t work like that in the Premier League. Gallas, sort your damn attitude out and lead the team. But, sort out your bloody defending, its shocking! that’s about the third time he has made a mistake that has lead to a goal this season, it cant carry on. We are behind as it is and if we play like that against a Chelsea or Man Utd, we will get torn a new arsehole. The captaincy needs reconsidering because Gallas’ attitude is poor, his defending is poorer and his captaincy is just plain crap. If Benitez managed this club he would have been played up front now and who knows, he might be more clinical than Adebayor, its not hard.

But the focus now switches to our game at home tomorrow night and god help up if we screw this one up. The manager has said there will be changes but denies they will be punishments to players. I feel Vela and Bendtner deserve to start up front, Vela has been fantastic since his return from Spain and Bendtner has been scoring also, they have showed commitment, something lacking on Saturday evening. Van Persie is a great player technically but is inconsistent, he has to improve and if he doesn’t I’m afraid he may be on his bike. I feel we will go in with a 4-4-2 but whoever makes up the team i don’t know, Song is out, Nasri back in and i feel the team will probably be pretty much the same. Maybe Bendtner being started in place of Ade would give him a kick up the arse?

I would love to see Djourou start instead of Gallas but i don’t think it will happen, that is the one place that Wenger really annoys me. The partnership of him and Kolo does not work and it will hardly fill the team with confidence!

For once Arsenal will go into the Porto game as probably the most experienced side, no inexperience excuses now please, its time for this team to win something and they had better do after Saturday, and the performance at Fulham.

I am at a loathe to say this but this year, and by year i mean 2008, we have now turned in three totally half cut performances, the defeat at Old Trafford in the FA cup, the Fulham game and now the Hull game, its a habit that is starting to become more and more common and Wenger has to stop it, at the end of the day the buck stops with the players but Arsene has a big influence on them and therefore he has to take some of the blame too as he concedes.

Tomorrow the boys need to step up to the plate, a defeat today could well prove terminal in our Champions League campaign and after we have already flushed half out title hopes down the shitter we just have to win, and win well too. I don’t expect a cricket score but i sure as hell don’t want a 1-0.

I made the mistake of expecting a cricket score against Hull and i well and truly damaged my credibility as a blogger that talks sense. That was a mistake that wont happen again.

Ive cut the quotes out today as i wanted to add more of my view, the weekend was a step backwards, tomorrow has to be a step forward and its got to be twice as big.

Come on Arsenal.

Please leave your views on the game, your comments are needed to keep this alive!
I will come back to them in the following blogs!

Til’ Tomorrow.

Arsene wenger has said that he will decide his managerial future in 2011. It will be then when he will have served 15 years as Arsenal manager and even he concedes he didn’t expect to last this long;

“To be honest I would have laughed if someone had said I’d be here for 12 years.

“I was lucky in my career. I stayed for seven years in Monaco which is a good record in France, so in 19 years I had two clubs. Just to be a manager for 19 years needs luck.

He has made this club what it is, without him we would be a mediocre mid-table team and with a name like ‘Arsene’ you can tell he was born to manage this club. The guy is one of my heroes and i will be eternally grateful of what he has done for this club.

He said yesterday that he has not thought about his contract and is just focusing on the job in hand;

“I’ve not thought about my contract,” he said. “I will give myself to the end of my contract in 2011 and then have a serious check-point. You don’t want as well to go on too long.

“I don’t want to walk away at the moment, but in two or three years things can change in any job.

You just have to admire him, is there any other manager apart from Sir Alex and Arsene that stick to their word and their contracts? I dont like SA but i think he has done a brilliant job at Man Utd and as the two of them grow older i think they are starting to admire what both have done for the clubs, the league and the world of football. Wenger also admits that he is not setting an age to retire, even though he promised his wife!;

“But I said to my wife ‘at 55 I stop, I promise you’. And at 55 I said ‘60’.

“Now I just don’t speak about it any more!”

You devil you Arsene!

He also admits that he has only built two Arsenal sides, athough most argue he has built four, i think the 98 double showed that he has the skill to get something out of a team without buying in players, it shows his personal skills along with his teambuilding skills;

“I feel I have completely created maybe two teams, The first one [in 1998] I did not create, I had an exceptional ‘old-guard’ at the back.

“I think I added something to this team and we were successful. But Adams, Bould, Keown, Winterburn, Seaman, Dixon – they were already here. I added the offensive force but Bergkamp was already here when I arrived as well.”

The legend also confirmed that he has had chances to leave Arsenal but never even considered it;

“I was offered the chance to leave but I never considered leaving,

“The longer I stay the more difficult it becomes to envisage leaving. But I know one thing – you have to prepare yourself.

“You have to work inside the Club like you will spend your whole life there. But as well you have to accept the idea it can stop from one minute to the next.

“But that is basically life as well – you expect to live for 100 years but you can die from one minute to the next.”

To be honest i don’t even want to imagine the man leaving, he is Arsenal and Arsenal will be a totally different club without him!

Now onto Rosicky, the boss has said that it may be two days or two months before he is back, and concedes he is speechless over the niggling injury;

“I believe that all the checks we made are reassuring, but it’s difficult to say, It’s an inflammation that’s going on in his leg that has to settle, to calm down.”

“We are a little bit speechless on that at the moment because we feel it is all going well. It is a problem of re-coordinating his muscle with the exercises he does.

“There’s nothing really that harms his future, but, as well nobody can tell me on the 10th of December he will play.

“He can be on the 31st of December, he can be on the 10th of November, nobody knows with him. In the next two months he should be back but what date, nobody knows.”

He is a vital part of Arsenal and he improves an already brilliant team, hopefully he will be alright and be back soon!

Young midfielder Denilson has targeted the double this season, pretty ambitious but there is nothing wrong in that. I hope the lad keeps improving because he has the potential to be a hell of a footballer, and hopefully he can fulfill his potential with Arsenal as Arsene watches another of his gems grow into a diamond.

Now, onto the Hull game.

Sadly it kicks off at gone 5 so i wont be able to watch the game, or match of the day later as im out. Meaning i will have to rely on internet highlights!

Anyway i predict we will win 3 or 4 – 0, the strongest team will be out there and i reckon Van Persie and Ade will grab a couple of goals and i wouldn’t rule one out for Theo as well. To be honest if we don’t get 3 points from this game we shouldn’t be in the title race this season. We should batter them.

I will try and put a few streams up for you lot, hope you enjoyed reading.

Back tomorrow evening.

To start with then, Cesc Fabregas has spoken of how the young gunners are keeping him awake at night. No, its not them playing with their little kiddie toys, its their class on the pitch that worries him, he reckons they will be after his first team slot soon and recognizes the fact that he has to raise his game;

“I cannot go to sleep as one day or other they will want to play more and more and the manager will want them to play more.

“I will have to be better and better. Wilshere, Ramsey, Merida — they all play in my position. This is great for me. I love competition.

“If the players are so young you can feel your place is too secure.

“So it’s fantastic to have competition — to wake you up and make you a better player.”

Well if he raises his game he will be a truly sensational player, and you know what, the guy is years away from hitting his peak and thats a very scary thought for the opposition.

He has also pledged his future to the Gunners, as long as we continue to play football the way we do he will not go;

“It was not a hard thing for me to stay. I was really relaxed during the summer because I knew I was going to stay at Arsenal.

“I am so happy here that I will never think about moving as long as things keep going the way they are.

“For me it’s not a problem. My mentality is the same since the day I signed for the club.

“What’s the point in having millions and millions in the bank if you don’t enjoy playing and you are not happy?

“I am happy, I love the way we are playing and the fact I’m still here after three season’s without winning anything means something.

“It’s because I love the game, I love the club and I love the way we play football.

“I really enjoy the way we play on the field and for me, that’s the most important thing.”

What a legend he is, a truly remarkable player. I hope we get the success he deserves.

He says when this side wins something it will be very, very special;

“I won the FA Cup and that was a great feeling but I won it with Patrick Vieira, Thierry Henry and Dennis Bergkamp – the team was already done.

“To win something with this team that is completely new would be something really special. I really want to do it.”

You know what? i really think we can win any competition, we are good enough and after all, we’ve got Cesc Fabregas!

Sticking on the subject of youth, Wenger has spoken about why he didn’t sign a player on deadline day, the youth we have. The Genius said;

“I believe we have many good players here and we try to sort out any problems collectively as a team,

“We lost some top-class players in the summer but we always try to produce good young players and develop them. I always feel with the youth policy, the Club has a security and even if one or two players leave, we are strong enough to cope with it.

“I was convinced by our season last year that we are strong enough to challenge again.

“Of course it is a long, long race, but we want to show we have confidence and belief in our players plus we have the stamina to do it.

“Having been in that position before, our determination not to lose our advantage is certainly greater than ever.

“We experienced a big frustration last season and, in a highly-competitive league, we want to stay where we are.

“We were very close last year and it will be close again. We want to show we have learned.”

Well who could argue with him, we will see if he is right in the last couple of months in the season when the shite usually hits the fan and things get all sticky. I think this season really could be the making of these young players. They have potential that beggars belief.

He also stated his thoughts on what constitutes a tough tackle;

“A defender has to be tough and committed, for me if tough is committed I don’t have a problem with it. If tough is the desire to hurt your opponent it’s not acceptable because that’s not the game.

And thats fair enough, but as he also says, you have to stick to the rules,

“The beauty of sport is to win in respect of the rules. If us as managers start to say we don’t have to respect the rules then it can’t be accepted. That’s in boxing, in football, in every sport. You have to respect the rules.

When you get clubs cheating points off you you have a right to be angry, when your players get kicked off the park its not football, its assault. What happens from this is evident in the injury to the Hull player the other week and our very own Eduardo.

The buffoon at the head of UEFA, Platini, has said that he was a bit harsh on Wenger the other day;

“I was too hard on Arsene.

“My dad [Aldo Platini] told me off. He was the one who gave him [Wenger] his break (at Nancy).”

But still went on to have a moan at Wengers policies;

“When I talk about business, what I am talking about is recruiting players when they are 13 or 14. I can’t stand it.”

What is wrong in making a childs dream come true Platini? what is wrong in making sure kids become the best players they can possibly be. Just look at Fabregas.

Thats about it for today, take care.

More tomorrow.

Young Guns has today reported that young keeper Wojciech Szczęsny has signed a new deal at the club, the 18 year old is thought of highly by Arsene Wenger but he has a fight on his hands to overhaul Fabianski and Mannone for the number 1 jersey. However, he is optimistic;

“My plan for the next seven years is to become Arsenal’s number one goalkeeper. Therefore, at this point in time, it doesn’t bother me if I am number 3 or number 4 choice. For me, this contract means that the Club believes in me, and that they do not want me to go anywhere.”

You never know he might prove to be a real gem, good luck to him!

Now onto Carlos Vela, a kid that lit up the Emirates this week with his stunning hat-rick. How he scored his second i will never know, it was out of this world.

Anyway, he has warned the other youngsters at Arsenal to take nothing for granted as there are no guarantees at Arsenal;

“All of the players looked as though they have a great future here, but none of us can be certain of that.

“Some will make it with Arsenal but we all know that others won’t.”

That is dead right. I’m afraid not all the players that featured the other night will make but but i think they will nevertheless all have very good footballing careers as they have the talent. They have just got to be sensible now and look after themselves and keep wanting to learn.

Vela also said his loan spells really helped him in Spain;

“It was good to go out on loan because I know I’m still young.

“It helped develop and improve my football. I believe I am ready and Arsene Wenger brought me back because he believes I am ready.

“But I just need to be calm and consistent and get into the first team.”

On Tuesday night Wenger showed why he persisted with Vela, he is amazingly talented and the spell in Spain kept him out the spotlight too.

Now, did you know that Arsenal have not conceded a goal from open play this season? If you think back, the Fulham goal was a corner, as was the Bolton goal. The Kiev goal was from a penalty kick. Quite some run isn’t it?

In total we have gone 810 minutes of football without conceding from open play. Wenger thinks this is a key part in the team spirit;

“We have defended very well, It has not been noticed yet but we’ve only conceded those two goals from two corners. In open play we are quite solid. That, for me, is a good response and a good explanation for the team attitude in the squad.”

And despite conceding goals was our downfall last season, Wenger will not budge from his attacking stance;

“What makes me happy at the moment is that we have a good combination of defensive balance and offensive efficiency, Sometimes when you work on defending better you lose a number of goals.

“But at the moment we are combining the two and it means when everyone puts the effort in we still can be very dangerous going forward.”

I am a believer that if you score more than the other team you will win, no matter what. I think attacking is the way to play football. Defending is not as important as attacking, but it is still a big bonus to have a defence that will shut teams out like ours has.

We are trying to land another young Spaniard from Barcelona according to this story, if he is another Fabregas I’m not complaining!

Otherwise there is not much else floating around today. Hopefully i will be back tomorrow. If not, back Saturday!

Take care Arse’s

The LMA has come out to defend Arsene Wenger after Platini’s disgusting comments. They wont let one of the worlds best managers get slandered like that in the press and rightly so. Wilkinson said;

“Platini has made serious and personal comments about one of football’s greatest ever managers, who is also counted among our most respected members.

“If Platini wishes to address certain issues with Arsene Wenger this would better be done privately and not in the public domain.

“I believe Arsene has always acted in the best interests of the game.”

And he is improving the future of the game bringing the talents shown yesterday through, how can they be bad for the game?!

Anyway, less on him.

Jack Wilshere scored on his first Arsenal start last night and at 16 years of age looks like he is just going to get better and better. Wenger wants to protect the lad from the pressure past players have experienced like Wayne Rooney and one Theo Walcott;

“He is a quiet boy, very determined and focused. For the rest, the talent is there. You have seen that again,”

“When you are a manager of a boy like that who has the talent, you are always cautious to put too much pressure on him and too high a level of expectation. “

He needs the space to improve, pressure will only stunt his growth as a player.

Think of lifting heavy weights at too young an age, it damages the body for life. Its the same with a footballer.

Wenger also highlighted the most key years are still to come for the kid;

“I believe it is all in there, but also that I have a responsibility to nurture him and get him in the right development over the next two or three years, that will be vital.

“From 16 to 19 is a very important age for the development of a football player – and Jack has skipped a few classes!”

He really is just too good for a 16 year old lad, to be honest, he doesn’t even look 16!

Wenger responded to the Liam Brady comparisons;

“People tell me he is a bit like Liam Brady because he has good balance and change of direction.

“I believe later he will be a central midfielder or behind the strikers.”

Well, i wouldn’t say he is that good yet but he sure can be!

I think his style is rather like Joe Cole’s. What a future the youngster has!

Niklas Bendtner has supported Arsene Wengers transfer policy as he received criticism form all corners of the national press for his failure to sign more players;

“I think every year there is talk about the strength of the squad and every year the boss says we have the players who are here.

“They have showed they have the quality to do what is required of them.

“I don’t think there was any doubt that people here thought we were strong and capable enough. We are top of the table and are doing well.

“If you have to add to the squad, you have to add to the squad. I can only say that what we have here has shown to be really good so far.”

He damn well should support it because that is why he is getting his chance!

In all honesty i think he will end up better than Adebayor, he is far more clinical and is also no mug around the box picking out runs. He lacks the skill of Ade but that could also be a positive thing as he wouldn’t waste so much possession. A great prospect who has had two great games this week. Well done Nick.

He has also spoke about the other Arsenal strikers.

I have to say i think we have the strongest strikeforce in the world.

Van Persie is so talented, he just needs to stay fit.

Adebayor gets goals and is a big game player, if he was more clinical he would be devastating.

Bendtner is growing all the time, a brilliant prospect and is clinical.

Vela, Pure quality, youthful quality with the potential to get much better too. Deadly in the box.

Eduardo, rarely misses a chance and will be very important when he is back fighting fit.

Walcott. Been our Ronaldo recently. Again, enormous potential and has improved beyond recognition.

What other team can match that? None.

Anyways, I’m happy, Ive made a post without swearing!

The goals from last night are here

Take care guys.