(The not-so-temporary quite-official) Gooner Thread (Part 1)

chamakh currently leading voting for MOM on arsenal.com

almost as unbelievable as a 7-5 scoreline...

get in!

https://www.101greatgoals.com/gvideos/reading-5-arsenal-7-all-goals/

i streamed the game this morning, game was insane......couldnt believe we were 4 zip down....only problem with the win is will theo and arsh be able to back up on saturday after 2hour game.....giroud made great impact when he came on. Diaby and gibbs would have been handy for man u game

Best comeback in how long? Believe it or not, I always had faith in Chamakh, he was such a good goalscorer to begin with, it doesn't just disappear, hopefully he kicks on. 

Was risking getting kicked out of an exam, but was following it during school, knew something crazy was happening when my phone went nuts. Just superb, superb!

RTJ i dont think arsh or theo will start on the weekend, as much as I'd like them to

Pretty sure we'll see this, provided Szczesny is available (he's back in full training);

                       Szcesny

Sagna-Mertesacker-Vermaelen-Santos

                Arteta-Wilshere

         Ramsey-Cazorla-Podolski

                       Giroud

very scared about santos with rooney/valencia/dutch skunk tearing up left backs like it's going out of fashion recently

would also like to see theo or the ox on the right rather than ramsey, but i think arsene will stick with him, he likes someone more technical and centrally-minded on one wing in the big games. Think ox still might be injured for this one anyway

wish rosicky was fit, i think he'd suit the wide right role in a big game like this, much like we used benayoun wide left in the big ones last season

Yeah Paulm pretty much expect that line up as well, really hope the boys can get one over man u its been a freaking while, hopefully we can get some decent balls to giroud, arshvin and theo off the bench will be nice. can't say how sure i'm of Gnabry yet i know he's only 17 but would much rather see Thomas Eisfeld get more gametime i rate him highly. Really hope ryo starts getting some gametime for wigan soon

PS Bradford in the league

bradford that's a nice draw

only us, chelsea, norwich, villa and swansea from the prem left in the final 8

I would say we're a chance to win it but then i remember 2011 LOL

 it's hard to forget Obafemi Martins

Bit of talk about Eisfeld's performance against Reading when he came on - the Giroud/Eisfeld double substitution really upped the ante

Eisfeld's performance;

https://football-talk.co.uk/69428/video-highlights-of-thomas-eisfelds-superb-display-vs-reading/?

Read a piece saying he's sort of a cross between fabregas and ljungberg - can pick a pass and gets between the lines well, but also has some pace and likes the give-and-go, freddy style. Has a good eye for goal too, scores for fun for the reserves/U21s, and you can see he likes to have a pop in the Reading game

This is pretty awesome;

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AxbZwN5KVo8&feature=youtu.be

Ox linked it on his twitter feed, said it made him proud to be a gunner, as it would

nice work that fan, what a match that would've been to attend

watched that guys other vids, he's a bit of a crack up

some awesome moments in the crowd with this little compilation from last season;

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tmYi_1JwbfQ&feature=context-cha

This is my equivalent of a long time listener, first time caller post. But I had a story I must share with you, my fellow Gooners.

Have been in London for six months now, but finally got paid for the first time last week. Naturally, I bought myself a red membership for the Emirates. Got my membership card in the mail last night. Somewhere between it getting sent and it arriving at my door some crafty wanker had written on it 'where's ya Van Persie gone'.

While that makes me crazy, I must also comend that persons passion to actually take the time to write that on the envelope!

Looking at Montpellier as my first game, the next two Premier League games with tickets available happen to be weekends I am at Twickenham watching Fiji and the All Blacks play England.

Thats awesome - good on you!

My mate got back home yesterday and was showing me his pics/vids from the Schalke game (he's not even a fan) and was blown away by the experience. I wanna move back there. Now. 

thats awesome bopman

love this vid of all arshavin's arsenal goals;

https://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=endscreen&NR=1&v=LYTY50P6Wn0

what about the wilshere assist at 2:40... 

Excellent stuff. A repeat of the goal at Old Trafford would be nice tonight....

Dear Arsene and the lads,

Play decent tonight.  I'm sick tae fek lately of checking the score when I wake up and then deleting un-watchable match recordings from my MySky cos you've played pish again.  The only satisfaction I get from that is also deleting some frikken Downton Abbey and NZ's Got Talent while I'm at it (no apologies wife; it's utter gash).  No sh1t on my MySky tonight please!!!

Love from Goof

xoxo

That was painful, seriously painful.

The way they went through our midfield in the first half was unbelievable, every time we had the ball it was a serious effort to even get into their half but when they had it, it took them three passes and they were around the box. Period 10-15 mins after half-time I thought we looked ok and we might have had something in us but then we conceeded the 2nd and it was all over.

I thought the 2nd yellow against Jack was tough, if that was a yellow then Cleverly should have been off 5 minutes earlier and RVP was probably lucky to stay on the park after his tackle on Sagna. Not saying I think those incidents deserved those cards but if Wilshires was worthy of a yellow then those other two were worthy of yellow and red respectively.

Hard to know where this team can go at the moment, League Cup looks our best shot at a trophy while a helpful draw might see us go alright in the CL but the League is over for us. We begin the scrap for fourth againt Spurs in a couple of weeks I guess.

Thought Mannone was quite good today, that save from Rooney in the first half where he got one hand to it was brilliant I thought. Kind of save you expect them to make but to keep your wrist that strong to palm an absolutle thunderbolt away is a pretty good effort. Thought Podolski was dire today, did absolutely nothing. Walcott had one or two good moments when he came on but apart from that was invisible. Jack was ok without being spectacular but had to be part of the probelm in the first half with United going through the middle far too easily. Nice finish from Santi late, he tried hard but looks like he may struggle to impose himself against the big teams.

Next couple of weeks are crucial for us, Spurs in the League, CL ties, and I think Everton away as well? Could be an absolute disaster and we go into Xmas with very little happening or we could rebuild some confidence. Time will tell I guess.

Oh, and Santos getting RVP shirt at half-time? WTF!!!

i'd 8-2 an arse fan

Never knew you were a Gooner tbf bopman.

Wilshere was unlucky with the red, but it was Howard Webb at OT, can't say i'm the least bit surprised. 

Yea the rvp shirt thing at HT was messed up, i got all hopeful that rvp had popped a hammy or something and wasnt coming back...

the dutch skunk led vermaelen on a merry dance all day, thought we gave him too much respect, it was almost like tv5 had been studying him all week and spent the game buzzing round him, always half a step behind, and often dropping deep to play him onside which was ridiculous. TV5 just never played his own game. Also made glaring errors at the beginning of both halves, just lucky the 2nd one didnt cost a goal.

cant argue with much with what bopman said.

This team didnt look ready for a game like that, things are not clicking in the attacking end. Giroud is putting great shifts in, wins 90% of the high balls, makes good runs, barely gets any service. Poldi/Ramsey aren't doing much to earn their starts, particularly poldi who doesn't ever provide width, only cuts in, and isn't giving santos much help which he clearly needs defensively.

walcott/arshavin should be starting on the wings right now for me, despite their inability to change the game this morning.

The giveaways by our midfielders were unforgiveable, and cazorla was as guilty as any of them. 

Silly stuff from jack, always a second yellow. Wenger must be disappointed - cleverley and wilshere's fouls match eachother, both got a red card scare but got let off, fergie subs off cleverley, wenger leaves wilshere on, easy to see what he should have done, particularly  when wilshere probably isn't ready for 90 minutes anyway. 

Mannone was quality, as well as that strong hand he made that good one-on-one from the dutch skunk, and that save from rvp's straight high shot in the first half was better than it looked

this is crazy but i would go as far as to say we actually played worse than the 8-2 last season, 2-1 is the softest scoreline for a performance like that

we had more attacking and fluid moments in that game last season, and everything manU did turned to gold - young's curlers, rooney's  free kick etc etc, rvp even missed a peno that day too. Plus  we went hell for leather and chased the game at 4-1 with 10 men which bought on that scoreline.

This morning manU could've been up 4-0 or more by halftime, and probably should've been. 

Sweet, all Downton Abbey off my Sky box now.

Well, that was shark.

Something has to change - we clearly can't compete. And don't start me on Santos. 

Call me Captain Obvious.

It shows how much Gibbs has developed to a well rounded LB when you watch Santos

I had wondered with the form Jenkinson is in although he is right footed with confidence very high he would prob put in a reasonable effort at LB until Gibbs return.

I think Wenger would have started Walcott had he not flogged him to when the Reading game, am so glad he pulled Ramsey so early in the game as he is not of starting level at the moment (not a big fan of him anyway).

Apparently ramsey tweaked his groin and forced the change rather than it being a tactical switch for walcott skinnyB.

There was talk of sagna playing left back with jenky on the right, which isn't a bad idea in the big games. I do like santos against the weaker sides for his attacking play and creativity, particularly as he can create the width down that side as poldi likes to cut in all the time and play through the middle, but santos' defensive decision making and ability to hold a line with the back four are no good against the big sides, he gets exploited time and again. To be fair he wasn't at fault for any goals yesterday and he didn't give the ball away any more than the rest of the team, but he does scare the bejesus outta me constantly

 Probably not Santos best game Captain Obvious, but also not atypical of him either. 

By my count we made 2 genuine chances, both from Arshavin and he was on the field for 10 minutes??

In some ways 1-2 is worse than 2-8 because it looks like it was close.

Postive is Arshavin, Giroud, Meatsack and seeign Jack and Sagna back.

Verm needs form revival, and we all need the OX

Havent posted here for a while but feel its time to let the frustrations out.

The game against Utd yesterday was embarrassing, as Paulm said it seemed alot worse than the game their last year. Utd dont even need to raise a sweat anymore to get past us and it seems decades ago since the memories of the battles of Keane-Vieira and Keown-Van Horseface. No fight, no passion, no quality, no contest. Podolski and Carzola already look like they have dropped their standards from when they have first turned up and Vermaelen has been terrible since getting the armband.

Its been going on for years and now its starting to spiral downwards even more and more.The club's leaders are to blame. To me personally Id have Wenger go but more importantly its those running it top down that are making us look more and more like Tottenham each year rather than the club that went unbeaten through a whole Premier League season. Kroenke, Hill-wood and Gazidis need to stop turning our once mighty club into a shambles.

Hope you are all aware that a group called the BSM is doing as much as it can to change this situation for the better. Unfortunately some people will still buy into the clubs bs, but for those that also want things to change either lend your support through the website at https://www.wherehasourarsenalgone.co.uk/ or pass on details to everyone you know over in London about the march on Dec 1 before the Swansea game at home.

Yids away in 2 weeks gives us a chance to resume normal service. I believe Wilshere will be back for that one at least?

Got told (again) today by a Red Scum fan that we're now a development club.

I agreed with him, it's too hard not to anymore.

But it's MY development club.

Apparently changing shirts at halftime is quite common....

But still, don't do it in full view of the cameras and with RVP when the first half has just gone like that. Odd stuff.

What are the group's ideas or proposals Pride of London?

Can't see any on that website. 

Protesting and complaining is all well and good, but I can't see how they expect change without at last some ideas or investment - and outside investment is not really possible with the FFP regulations coming into force. Sponsorship deals can and are being improved, that is the number one focus of the board right now as I understand it, but this group are critical of that too - "we'll still be there when the fickle corporate support has gone" 

I'm not sure where they think the money is coming from to make improvements on the squad etc, but obviously not ticket prices as that seems to be their chief complaint. 

Don't tell me they're putting their eggs in the Usmanov basket... that would be more short-sighted than anything the board has ever done. 

Its on the website through Origins and Aims but maybe a bit difficult to find. Here's what their most recent email said:

The objectives of this walk are to heighten the Board’s awareness in the following areas:

• We want Stan Kroenke’s commitment not to take money from the club.
• We want Peter Hill-Wood off the Board. He has become an embarrassment to the club and its supporters.
• We want Red & White Holdings to be offered a seat on the Board. Ivan Gazidis called for us to all come together and work in the same direction but how does this work when a 30% shareholder in the club doesn’t get to have a say? In what other large business would this blocking of a major shareholder happen?
• We want action from the club to stop poor allocation of our money. From wasting money on players we have to write off a year later, to handing out huge contracts to players who we can’t then sell on because nobody will match what we pay. It’s mismanagement and it’s the fans who get hit in the pocket because the club fails in other revenue generating areas such as commercial deals.
• We want the club to deliver the initiatives we’ve previously put to them, which would greatly benefit match going fans. These include:
  
  A ‘lite’ version of a season ticket with no cup credits
  A short-term staged repayment scheme for season ticket renewals
  The ability for season ticket holders to downgrade to Silver membership
  Move away fans to the upper tier, thereby providing cheaper seats for Arsenal fans
  Introduce season tickets in the Clock End at Emirates; recreate the atmosphere of the famous old stand at Highbury and improve the Emirates atmosphere on matchdays.
  Introduce safe standing. This continues to be investigated by more and more clubs across the country but continues to be ignored by Arsenal.
  Cheaper tickets at Emirates Stadium. If you can afford to sit on £70m of cash in the bank, you don't need to charge fans the highest ticket prices in football.

On 1 December we will be meeting at 1.30pm outside Cannons public house on Blackstock Road (opposite The Gunners pub). The walk will start at 2pm and take us past our beloved Highbury and down to Emirates Stadium where we’ll end at ‘Bear Roundabout’.
 
Come and join us and let the Board know that change is needed. That the Board needs to listen to its core support. Tell your friends and help spread the word. Coe along, let’s make a stand.___________________________

Paul I dont know how you can stick up for what the board has been doing for the last 8 years. We have 70 million in the bank, sell our best players year after year, give ridiculously high wages to shark footballers and charge the highest ticket prices for mediocrity.

The directors are doing it solely to make $$ for themselves and if you think the FPP rules will change anything it wont. Other clubs have already found loopholes to exploit it and they are widening the gap between us and them in footballing ability as we speak.

As for my opinion, I dont understand why Usmanov would be the worst thing in the world. Tell me why Kroenke would be so much better than Usmanov. I'm not his biggest fan either but at least he would inject some money into the club and stop us being a laughing matter by all the other big teams.

I wasn't sticking up for everything the board has done in the last 8 years, I only offered a critique on your link. 

I read the "Origins and Aims" section of the website, there is nothing in there regarding what you've posted above, so thank you for posting the insider info. 

Usmanov is the last thing I want at our club so I certainly won't be joining. Whether FFP will work or not is a completely different argument - UEFA has outlined their plan for this and have not gone against their word yet, so I am prepared to wait it out and see what happens. If you are saying that this will fail because the oil/russian money wants it to, and perhaps has the influence make that happen, then you could be correct. If that's the case then no doubt the very same oil/russian money exerted exactly that type of influence to have Usmanov released from prison and declared innocent of the multiple corruption/bribery charges that have hung over his business career. Kroenke may be a typical dollar-focussed american businessman, of which I don't enjoy having at our club either, but at least he appears to operate within the law and does not associate with known russian gangsters. 

As for the wage bill etc you refer to, there is no doubt mistakes have been made with certain players e.g. Squillaci, Park, Bischoff, and others who were bought but not utilised. I don't consider players like Chamakh to be in the same boat, since he has at least had a fair crack at the first team - Wenger obviously thought he was good enough as he chased him for 2 years, and he came without a fee so his wages are easily off-set. Wenger's excellent transfer record means I have complete faith in him - any errors of judgement are more than countered by his consistently remarkable achievements in the transfer market.

One thing I really like in what you have posted is the lengthy set of ideas around ticketing and the match-day experience. Some really good stuff in there, I hope they do achieve some of that, although there are numerous other Arsenal support groups who also campaign for similar things, and actually achieve them too e.g. The Arsenal Independent Supporters Association of which I was a member for 2 seasons. 

I'm not all for the status quo of our club, there are plenty of things I don't like with what's gone on, but for me one of their successes has been preventing Usmanov from taking a seat, and any group that wants him on the board will not get my support.

 should of nicked it at the end, bugger.

on a more positive note we sit better than Man City.

only following live text but heard theo was one on one at the end and should of squared it, went for the nutmeg instead and saved... gutted...

after losing to them at home, and them having beaten dortmund recently, i am happy with a point over there, bit gutted having led 2-0 though. 

Group is tight, need results in the last two now to ensure progress. Looking at the other groups finishing 2nd is not as much of an issue as it has been in previous seasons. But if we do manage that we'll likely draw barca given our luck in the draw the last couple of seasons!

cant believe we blew a 2 goal lead but i'll take the point, the defence still scares the shark out of me. Wally very unlucky at the end there. i really hope we come right again soon, we are really lack pace in this season and with vinho and ox out it makes it harder. Speaking on injuries does anyone know when diaby,ox and rosicky are back? Does anyone miss us not having a DMF??? i know arteta has done a really good job there but would really like to see arteta higher up the pitch at times.

Wenger's lack of use of subs allways annoys me, a bit of arshvin tonight would be have been good to see

Opening old wounds here but the games against us vs Man u used to be huge but its just stroll for them these days which really kills me, we have only won 3 out 22 against them???

Wonder if we will buy anyone in jan???

Olympiakos away in the last group game is tough