Well we won…St Michael Thomas t-shirt up for grabs..

August 14, 2008

Good day to all you Gooner’s out there.

Well all I can say is that we won, that’s it, oh and thank feck that FC Twente strikers are about as lethal as a doughnut, not the ones with jam inside, the ones you see in the Sainsbury’s bakery bit with the hundred’s and thousand’s – who buys those? Anyway I digress FC Twente are a poor side when it comes to finishing although they play a great passing game. At times they reminded me of The Arsenal (without the flair) with their quick one-twos and passing in triangles. When I say they remind me of The Arsenal I don’t mean The Arsenal that played last night because they played like Bolton the amount of times the ball was in the air I thought my neck was going to give, I mean The Arsenal we know and love that can play the short passing game. I wont knock our team as we won, I wont say it was convincing but we won. 

One thing I would say is that I think Le Gaffer is papering over the cracks citing that the team was very young, well you know what, it shouldn’t be now should it? I’m not sure how many ‘big’ teams would field a 20 year old and a 17 year old in the middle of the park. I know injuries to key players are partly to blame for fielding these youngsters, however timing and a cheque book could of put a potential disaster completely out of mind. Well as I’ve said we won but there was some woeful performances out there and if anything the game does show how paper thin we are when we lose key players. I mean come on Emmanuel Eboué playing on the left wing? FFS! I know Wenger subscribes to the idea of Totaalvoetbal but I think he’s taking it too far now. Eboué is many things, he is a great athlete, but a a greater actor but he certainly isn’t no left sided player, Abou Diaby must be spinning on his treatment table bed. 

I’ve seen on some sites Gooner’s arguing with each other about spending money and injured players etc. However you can’t legislate for the injuries we’ve got already, no one would of thought The Cesc would be injured or new boy Samir Nasri but I think the clever money would be Abou Diaby not playing more than three games in a row and the less said about Tomáš Rosický the better – he makes Darren Anderton positively seem almost Frank Lampard-like, no I don’t mean a fat kebab eating chav but not missing something like 100+ Premier League games in a row. I know surprising isn’t it that Frank Lumpard has a record like that I think it’s something to do with a bonus of every game played he gets to go the Fat Fuk Chinese on Brompton Road and do the all you can eat menu. 

Anyway Gooner’s joking aside, we were dire – I actually missed the first goal as I was texting my brother Brian and keeping him in the loop as he doesn’t have Setanta and even when we scored I didn’t get overly excited. I’m glad we won, of course I am – I just think we need to seriously address what we have in the middle of the park and not have to rely on two youngsters to get us to a big fat mouthwatering prize worth potentially £10-£15m. Also with Aaron Ramsey we only bought him in the summer when many thought he was going to sign up for Manchester USA, who the hell would play in the middle if we didn’t have him? Another 17 year old, a 16 year old? Could you imagine if we lost or drew that game? The money Wenger thinks he’s saving or more to the point not spending wouldn’t be an issue as there would be huge pressure on us and the worst case scenario would be too horrific to consider. I know one player with experience we wont be getting is Xabi Alonso as the hubcap nicking, shell suit wearing, giro getting Liverpool Scallies USA played him in their 0-0 draw with Belgium champions Standard Liege – so bang goes that signing. But as much as I faith in the kids we need some much needed experience to help them out. We got away with it last night but a better team and yes there will be better will punish us. However I will say – well done boys! And Wenger please get your wallet out before it’s too late.


Oorah – it’s on people…Cesc joins injury list…St Michael Thomas t-shirt up for grabs..

August 13, 2008

Hello Gooner’s and good day to you all.

Well today starts the beginning of our 2008/09 season and it’s going to be an emotional roller coaster and an exciting one, no doubt. The long road towards getting some much needed silverware in The Grove’s trophy cabinet starts now and I’m not even going to recognise or give props to The Amsterdam Tournament Cup. As that great rapper MC Hammer, he of the baggy pants look once said we need ‘proper’ silverware this season. 

Our march to glory and a first ‘proper’ trophy since 2005 in that infamous F.A. Cup Final when we bashed Manchester USA from pillar to post and generally spanked the bejesus out of the them comes in the shape of FC Twente. FC Twente as we all know are bossed by none other than the ‘wally with the brolly’ Steve McClaren and he for one will be looking for an upset against a English club so he can ram all the taunts (deservedly at that) aimed at him by the British press back down their throats. I’m sure that would be motivation enough for him to get the British sports journo’s to actually write something positive about him. Anyway that’s his look out, our aim is to make sure that isn’t even close to being a reality – a bit like spurs being considered a Big Four Club™.

Which brings me nicely to Dutch Master in the making Robin van Persie who has labeled FC Twente the Dutch equivalent of ‘that’ team with an extreme deluded sense of grandeur and lets be honest they have the fans to match as they seem to think one Carling Cup victory puts god knows how many years of obscurity into the shade. Anyhow what with FC Twente being compared to spurs, if that wasn’t motivation enough for The Wenger Boys I’m really not sure what is. It’s not even a money thing. You can’t give someone a bonus for beating them, the mentality should be you just don’t want to lose against them, it shouldn’t even be a consideration. Such instances should see you ridiculed on a scale of Fat Ronaldo being caught in a hotel room with a bunch of transvestites and then banished to a far away place – like the Isle of Dogs or some other god forsaken place. 

Anyhoo Gooner’s I digress I’m supposed to be chatting football. So FC Twente the Dutch equivalent of spurs, I’ve got that covered. Not like our midfield where players are dropping like a fat man after a 5m sprint. Not only has ‘first pick’ Abou Diaby been put on the injury list, he is now joined with the sicknote waving shenanigans by WonderBoy™ TheCesc, Kolo Touré and Philippe Senderos. I think that groan can be heard all over North London. Well now we’ll see how much depth the squad has, I actually feel a bit responsible for The Cesc’s injury, no I wasn’t invited to join the boys at London Colney and buckled The Cesc with an ill timed challenge but I wrote a piece the other day and said we’ll be well up the shitter if The Cesc does get injured as we do need some experience and cohesion in midfield. What with messrs Gilberto, Hleb and Flamini all doing one there’s no consistency in the midfield, so hopefully the pre-season games will of had the new comers and second choice players getting an understanding with each other. Well cross you fingers, either that or any of the traveling fans I suggest you grab your boots because you’ll more than likely get a game if anyone else gets injured at this rate.

I shall finish on a positive note though Gooner’s. What with these injuries it gives the ‘second choice’ players a chance to stake a claim and do a ‘Mathieu Flamini’ and prove they have what it takes. Now is the time for the likes of Johan Djourou, Aaron Ramsey, Denilson and even Theo Walcott to step up to the plate. Well Gooner’s it’s going to be an emotional roller coaster ride tonight, enjoy the game which is being shown live on Setanta One, get behind the team and lets roar on The Arsenal to victory. As the motto goes Victory Concordia Crescit – C’mon Arsenal.


Wenger needs help… Michael Thomas tee-shirt up for grabs now…Kings dies

August 11, 2008

Hello Gooners, hope you enjoyed the weekend and the latest bit of silverware to The Arsenal collection in the shape of The Amsterdam Tournament Cup. Well this is going to be a quick write up but I hope to do a more measured one this week, regarding Arsene Wenger. I will tell you this much Gooners there’s a lot of concern on other Arsenal sites out there regarding our current situation of lack of quality, experienced, injury free midfielder’s and severe lack of addressing that matter. Mr Arseblog who is not being his usual funny self has done a real good piece on this and such is the lack of humour in the write up that I had to second guess if someone else wrote the piece or if he like me is very, very concerned with our team at the moment. I’m trying not to be too negative with our team especially before the season has even started. 

However even before a ball has been kicked in anger we find ourselves with Cesc Fabregas’ midfield partner elect Abou Diaby injured. Quel Surprise! Only last week Le Gaffer said that Abou Diaby was his first pick last season to replace Gilberto Da Silva when he was given extended leave after lifting the Copa America with Brazil. Anyway we all know the story, Mathieu Flamini not only stepped in but stepped up and the rest is history. So this season with Abou Diaby getting the nod, he goes and gets injured again. Can we really rely on this guy? He’s as injury prone as Robin van Persie and that takes some doing as RvP has bought the copyright. 

So that leaves Denilson to step in. I’m sure Denilson can do a job, I’m not knocking him but he’s too similar to The Cesc for my liking. Denilson is in no way shape or form a defensive midfielder who will sit back and break up attacks, he is no Gilberto or Flamini, unfortunately. Now we have a game against FC Twente in the third round qualifiers in the Uefa Champions League on Wednesday which I think many a Gooner is taking for granted. There’s no way on earth we can fail in that game, that would be unthinkable. However The Cesc will go into the game playing only one pre-season game. Now heaven forbid if Fabregas got injured we’d be absolutely fecked. Big style. And on the back of this we’ve got Arsene Wenger saying he hasn’t got time to sign anyone. WTF! 

Wenger has said previously that he gets up to 220 CV’s from players every week. And we all know when Wenger looks at players it’s very methodical and in-depth, even to the point the brand of toothpaste they use comes into play. So, you’re telling me out of all the players we’ve been linked with Wenger isn’t ‘close’ to signing anyone? I really don’t want to believe that I don’t want to get all bent out of shape thinking about it either as there’s still time to get someone. But I am concerned Gooners’ big time. Getting an experienced player to help the younger’s come through and I’m including Denilson and Diaby in that equation and not to hinder them that is what is needed is my opinion. Robin van Persie even echoed that thought when after the game against Ajax in The Amsterdam Tournament he said we needed an experienced midfield player.

However this piece is longer than I wanted it to be today as I said it was only a quickie, in the headline I said Wenger needs help. And Wenger needs it big time. He is only one man and can’t do everything himself. Old fake tan and orange impersonator David Dein and ‘was he pushed or did he jump’ ex Managing Director Keith Edelman have never been properly replaced. Edelman is another kettle of fish as that’s an ‘upstairs’ problem. However old Mr. Orange has never been replaced and what with all that wheeling and dealing, Le Gaffer can’t be expected to cover all bases. He’s going to spread himself too thinly. So Wenger needs help even he doesn’t want to accept it, he needs another ‘David Dein’ to do the deals so he can concentrate on what he’s good at. Wenger needs to delegate as he’s gambling with the clubs future success. Wenger should have a right-hand man he gives a scrap of paper to or have a list on his brand spanking Apple MacBook Pro and say ‘get me this player’. And he needs such a man now, because Wenger can’t and shouldn’t be expected to do everything himself. It will be detrimental to the club.

 

Girl in a shirt

Allgoonerdup is looking to give the Goonerbabe page a bit of a boost and we’re going for a ‘Girl in the Shirt’ approach. Do you have any pictures of your girl in the shirt or girls get yourself seen on the Goonerbabe wall and send in your own pictures. Lets get this party started right. Send your pictures in and tell us your name, favourite player, favourite all time player, favourite drink and if you have anything else to declare to babe@allgoonerdup.com

Kings dies…

Not Arsenal news Gooner’s and fear of sounding all ‘Myles Palmer’ but I need to give props to two greats who passed away this weekend . You may or may not of known about these two guys but American King of Comedy Bernie Mac and King of Cool music legend Isaac Hayes both took that long walk into the light this weekend. 

Bernie Mac some of you will know in the ‘Oceans’ film, 11, 12 and 13 but he was much bigger than that and if you like your comedy edgy and in your face than you would certainly know of Bernie Mac. He was a guy who would scare you into laughing. Have a pop onto YouTube and see what you’re going to miss. 

Also one of my musical hero’s Isaac Hayes passed away and he’s probably known by the younger bunch of Gooner’s out there for his role of ‘Chef’ in South Park, which he had the song “Chocolate Salty Balls”. The more musically tuned people will know him for his jazzy funky hits including the theme from 1970′s film Shaft, Hot Buttered Soul and Black Moses. 

So a big up and props to those two guys who like The Arsenal give me endless moments of pleasure. 

Bernie Mac and Isaac Hayes – RIP

LAST WEEK TO JOIN: Score predictor Mini league – join up!

There’s still time to join the Allgoonerdup.com score prediction game mini league. There will of course be a prize for the winner. To join the fun just follow the link below:

http://iknowthescore.premierleague.com/landing.htm

Enter the code: FCCDA-XVB to join the Allgoonerdup.com mini league.

The deadline is August the 16th!

 

LAST WEEK TO JOIN:: Join the Allgoonerdup Fantasy Premier League

You’ve got just over a week to join the fun. Over 80 Gooners so far have got their game on and have joined the Allgoonerdup Fantasy league.

There will be prize for the winner and it will have a 20th anniversary Championship winning feel to it, that or a keg load of beer for the lucky punter! Click the below link to get started.

 

http://fantasy.premierleague.com

 

Sign up to it

Design your team

Join the league by entering this pin into the ‘Join league bit’ (League Pin 73628-19858)!

(The league is called sonofallgooneredup)

Then you are away!

The deadline is August the 16th!


I can almost smell it… Michael Thomas t-shirt up for grabs now…

August 8, 2008

We’re getting close kids! The Charity.. sorry… Community Shield is this weekend, featuring the Arsenal Retirement Home versus the Northern Scum. It’s a match that I rarely get excited about other than it being the flare that is sent up to warn of proper football coming shortly. So there is only a week of preparations to get through before we can see our lads in serious action again. 

First up in that preparation is The Amsterdam Tournament, which is working out as an ideal warm up for the match up against FC Twente, currently being mismanaged by Steve ‘Euro2008 Commentator’ McClaren. I think Arsene will be feeling pretty confident that Steve poses little threat in terms of tactical awareness, and the run out against Ajax is ideal.

Of course in the background there is plenty of stuff going on. The newspapers have taken to linking us with every centre midfielder in the known universe for one thing, and so far we look no closer to signing one – something that Arsene has publicly acknowledged. It is odd though – if we need a new midfielder, and I realise the transfer window is still open for a while yet, that we wouldn’t try to get someone in before the season started rather than during its first month. But Denilson has played well in the few run outs he has, and the lure of a first team place will hopefully push him to become the great player he has the potential to be. His challenger for that spot, Abou Diaby, needs to stop hanging out with Tomas Rosicky and RvP if he wants to claim the spot – he has been far too injury prone in recent months, or most of his Arsenal career if you want to be cynical, although Sunderland’s hatchet man Matt Smith had a hand in that. I still doubt whether he has it in him to last a whole campaign. And keeping with the script the gangly Vieira wannabe is injured once again, FFS! What is it with our players, the season hasn’t even started and we’ve got more casualties than a party thrown by Michael Barrymore. Scarily, Ebouseless got a run at centre midfield against ‘Ze Germans’, which I’m hoping was merely a plan to get him some fitness and not a test run for yet another position switch. 

Meanwhile Jack ‘Wonderkid of the week’ Wilshere is impressing everyone still – enough so that he has been given a first team squad position. I can’t imagine that he’ll see much of the Premier League, despite Arsene assertion that he wouldn’t be afraid to throw him in, but it is still wonderful to have such a hot prospect, an English one at that, coming through the ranks. I’m sure Gael Clichy is wondering what the hell is going on with him consistently being one of the oldest players on the pitch for us in the warm up games. 

And first up we get West Brom, who are fresh up from the Championship. They’ll be out for an upset so it’ll be a tougher game than it looks on paper but hopefully we’ll knock the confidence out of them early on and from there it will be a steady slide into oblivion. I’m particularly keen to see Samir Nasri take the field – if he can be more of a Pires than a Hleb then I think we’ll challenge for honours again this season. If not, we obviously need younger players! 

Roll on The Amsterdam Tournament enjoy it Gooner’s, the real curtain raiser for ‘proper football’! C’mon on The Arsenal.

By Paul Wright Allgoonerdup roving reporter.

For more on the main site click the link: Allgoonerdup.com

Lets get commenting Gooners…


Ressies in win…keeper linkage…The 6m dollar man (well pounds)… Girl in the shirt..

August 7, 2008

Hello Gooners, there was no post yesterday as there was absolutely diddly-squat doing the rounds and even today is going to be a quickie. So without further ado lets get the ball rolling. 

The Arsenal beat northern monkeys Huddersfield 2-1 in a friendly match up which was sponsored by ‘give a friendly match a competition name just to make it sound more appealing’ – i.e. The Herbert Chapman Cup. The friendly was all part of the Terriers centenary celebrations and in my opinion was a nice touch as ‘Sir’ Chapman shaped both the histories of Huddersfield and The Arsenal. Onto the game which was live on Arsenal TV on that there Setanta. It was quite a good game as it happens, many would of been disappointed if they expected to see The Arsenal first team as it wasn’t even a select Arsenal XI, it was the reserves playing in all truthfulness. However disappointment aside it gave the younger players a run out and show what they can do and try and do a ‘Jack Wilshere’ and gatecrash The Arsenal first team. I for one wasn’t disappointed by seeing the reserves have a run out, what with The Emirates Cup last weekend and The Amsterdam Tournament this weekend we can’t expect our first team to play all those and still be fully fit and mad for it come the beginning of the season. 

There was some impressive performances and what stands out is the way we play football. Whatever the team, the first, the reserves, the youths, the women’s probably – they all play ‘The Arsenal way’ it’s like there’s a production line of mini-me’s and clones. Wenger has taught them well as is every bit as influential at The Arsenal as ‘Sir’ Herbert Chapman was. The scorers on the night was Sanchez Watt who sounds like a Mexican measurement of electricity and Dutchman Nacer Barazite, who impresses me more every time I see him. I think it’s just a matter of time for him to break into the first team squad, he has the vision and the touch and reminds me a bit of his fellow countryman  Robin van Persie – but without the injuries. 

So well done to the kids who on the night was captained by Justin Hoyte who has recently said he wants to fight for his place and stay at The Arsenal. It’s the next bit which is the hard part, Hoyte says he has to raise his game and get to the level of Bacari Sagna. I wish the kid luck however at 23 years old you would have to think that this will be his last season for Hoyte to impress. He wont get much first team football if ‘The Bac’ stays fit but you have to love his determination and grit to make it at The Arsenal and being a Gooner through and through you do feel for the former England U21 man. I hope he puts in a good show this season, who knows he might even have a ‘Mathieu Flamini’ season, stranger things have happened. 

 

Go Green

Trash talk on the go is that West Ham United’s Rob Green is being linked to us again, Why? Where do the media get their stories from? Don’t believe it people it’s not even a goer, Arsene Wenger is not in the market for a keeper or even a central defender which near enough everyone is screaming for. Next thing you know Newcastle United’s Obafemi Martins is going to be linked to us, well it has been at least five days since he was last last linked.

 

About 6m sounds about right – says Fred

Lastly and it’s a none Arsenal subject. The subject is ex-Arsenal leg-end of the diagonal run and free scoring in his heyday Freddie Ljungberg. The Super Swede who’s Happy Hammer’s career has been less than happy has been given the old heave-ho. However what would put the smile on anyones face getting the bullet is a £6m pay off – well it would be unless your Bill Gates. So a £6m payoff not bad work if you can get is it? 

So as it’s probably going to be a quiet day, here’s a question for you good people to have some tomfoolery – go to the comments section – and let us know, for £6m what would you walk away from? And as I’m feeling generous, the best answer can grab a shirt from the Allgoonerdup Online Shop. Now that aint bad a days work is it?

 

Girl in a shirt

Allgoonerdup is looking to give the Goonerbabe page a bit of a boost and we’re going for a ‘Girl in the Shirt’ approach. Do you have any pictures of your girl in the shirt or girls get yourself seen on the Goonerbabe wall and send in your own pictures. Lets get this party started right. Send your pictures in and tell us your name, favourite player, favourite all time player, favourite drink and if you have anything else to declare to babe@allgoonerdup.com

 

 

Join the Allgoonerdup Fantasy Premier League

If you think you can outdo Arsene Wenger or more to the point want to give it Charlie Big Potato’s over the other armchair managers out there jump on board and join the Allgoonerdup mini league, this year in the guise of our comments site Son of Allgoonerdup. There will be prize for the winner and it will have a 20th anniversary Championship winning feel to it, that or a keg load of beer for the lucky punter! To get your team in and get your game on click the below link to get started.

 

http://fantasy.premierleague.com

 

Sign up to it

Design your team

Join the league by entering this pin into the ‘Join league bit’ (League Pin 73628-19858)!

(The league is called sonofallgooneredup)

Then you are away!

The deadline is August the 16th!


We got your number…Arsenal in De (La) Red..Michael Thomas t-shirt up for grabs – it is now…

August 5, 2008

Morning Gooners and what a miserable one it is too – looks like England’s five days of summer is officially over – bah! It’s absolutely chucking down here. 

The good news afoot is that gifted l’il ‘un Jack Wilshere has been given a squad number and it’s a proper number too. Jack the Lad who has been sporting the NFL numbered 55 in the pre-season games has been handed the legendary and immortal number of 19 handed down by ‘Invincible’ Gilberto Silva – so no pressure there then to fill that those boots or shirt as the case may be. Arsene Wenger did say he planned big things for the pint sized pocket dynamo and he’s stuck to his word. Given Wilshere’s performances in pre-season and the amount of games The Arsenal will hopefully rack up in the Premier League, Uefa Champions League and the two domestic cups – Jack the Lad should get a nice little look in. So well done Jack – you’ve done ever so well fella – and who says if you’re English you wont get a look in at The Arsenal? Oh that tosser David Bentley is one I can remember spouting that nonsense. If you’re good enough you’ll play, simple as – bit like Bentley – a bit simple. Although we all have to be careful with Jack the Lad and not to place the burden of expectations on him, he’s only 16 after all and he could turn out to be another Gary Shaw. If you know your football and are old enough you’ll know who I’m on about. But without being negative and with loads of sugary spoonfuls of positiveness lets see how Jack Wilshere’s Arsenal career progresses. So nice one Jack – well done for grabbing your chance. 

Fresh from being linked to Gareth Barry, Xabi Alonso or anyone else for that matter The Arsenal have now been linked to purchasing Real Madrid’s Ruben De La Red – you have to love that name. Seeing that the Spaniard was in town over the weekend playing in The Emirates Cup some backroom brokering deals might of taken place, who knows? Many a site/paper are reporting the same thing, I guess it will be a new name or another player tomorrow or whenever until Le Gaffer pulls of his ‘mystery’ signing.

We have made a signing which may of gone under the radar though folks. Well a signing of sorts anyway and that’s French youngster Armand Traore or knuckles as he’s known to his mates who’s signed up for that old chestnut of a ‘long-term’ contract. So well done Traore, I think this player will come good in time so I’m quite happy he’s signed up for longer, lets just see if he manages to gatecrash the first team party or if he’s put on loan to give him some more game time this season.

It’s up for grabs – it is now – Win a ‘St Michael Thomas’ t-shirt

You lucky people have the chance to win an Arsenal inspired t-shirt. We’ve added some new wares to the Allgoonerdup Online Shop and you can be the proud owner of this brand spanking new Michael Thomas inspired number. All you need to tell us is, what number was Michael Thomas wearing when he scored ‘that’ goal at Anfield in our title winning match up on 26 May 1989? 

Send your answer, t-shirt size, name and postal address to: iwannafreebie@allgoonerdup.com

Competition closes Monday 18 August.

Good luck Gooners.

Girl in a shirt

Allgoonerdup is looking to give the Goonerbabe page a bit of a boost and we’re going for a ‘Girl in the Shirt’ approach. Do you have any pictures of your girl in the shirt or girls get yourself seen on the Goonerbabe wall and send in your own pictures. Lets get this party started right. Send your pictures in and tell us your name, favourite player, favourite all time player, favourite drink and if you have anything else to declare to babe@allgoonerdup.com

Score predictor Mini league – join up!

There’s still time to join the Allgoonerdup.com score prediction game mini league. There will of course be a prize for the winner. To join the fun just follow the link below:

http://iknowthescore.premierleague.com/landing.htm

Enter the code: FCCDA-XVB to join the Allgoonerdup.com mini league.

The deadline is August the 16th!

Join the Allgoonerdup Fantasy Premier League

If you think you can outdo Arsene Wenger or more to the point want to give it Charlie Big Potato’s over the other armchair managers out there jump on board and join the Allgoonerdup mini league, this year in the guise of our comments site Son of Allgoonerdup. There will be prize for the winner and it will have a 20th anniversary Championship winning feel to it, that or a keg load of beer for the lucky punter! To get your team in and get your game on click the below link to get started.

http://fantasy.premierleague.com

Sign up to it

Design your team

Join the league by entering this pin into the ‘Join league bit’ (League Pin 73628-19858)!

(The league is called sonofallgooneredup)

Then you are away!

The deadline is August the 16th!


Wenger boys get fans salivating… Is Benitez a mentalist.. New t-shirt competition..

August 4, 2008

Easy Gooner’s and good day to you all. 

First up, I wont bang on about The Arsenal’s performance in our one nil win over Real Madrid in yesterdays match up in The Emirates Cup. I’ve only been on the interweb less than an hour and read plenty of reports and opinions so there’s pretty much no need for me to repeat what’s all ready on offer and no I’m not being a lazy bastard! What I will say about the game in a very concise manner is that Jack Wilshere, frigging hell. Is he really only 16? He will be some player but we have to remember not to pile the pressure of expectations on his very young shoulders. Did you see how he rode the GBH assault charge from Garcia when the Spanish thug tried to do a open theatre amputation on the young lad? Jack roasted him and made a £24m rated defender look like a spurs player. 

Now Emmanuel Adebayor with his badge kissing shenanigans, WTF? It’s going to take more than scoring a penalty to win the fans over fella. Did anyone else throw up in their mouths a bit when he kissed the badge? It was interesting to see the reactions of the fans in the stand in front of him when he started doing all that crap. The fans aren’t silly Ade, you have much work to do and kissing off The Arsenal badge isn’t going to be the way forward to make the fans love you again. I said last week the only way for The Togonator™ to get the fans back on side is to works his nackers off, score a bag full of goals and perhaps get a dose of humbleness wont go amiss either. Lastly on our players, Denilson looks like he’s getting better, Diaby when he fancies it does like the business, although as we know he can get a bit sloppy, Sagna is the nuts, Robin van Persie we need to keep the sicknote waving Dutch Master fit as he’s vital and Theo Walcott looks like this season could be the one he blows up, he should glimpses of what we’re all hoping for. But I must admit as a team we looked proper. I know it’s only pre-season but I bet Real Madrid didn’t expect to come away with a loss against us. 

Lastly, many a report has The Arsenal linked to the hubcap nicking, shell suit wearing, giro getting Liverpool Scallies USA’s play maker Xabi Alonso. The Mail on Sunday that staple diet of all things that’s wrong with England even reckon a deal has been struck. Now everyone knows The Gunners needs an ‘experienced’ midfield man and Alonso would tick all the boxes including the one which says ‘Premier League experience’ which with our new look midfield will be very important. Now I wouldn’t mind either Gareth Barry or Alonso they would both fit the bill however Barry can play at the back as well, fitting in perfectly with Le Gaffer’s rhetoric jack of all trades of a player having about five jobs.

However what cracks me up with this proposed move for Xabi Alonso is that Raphael Benitez has priced him up at £18m. This guy is truly a mentalist. Benitez even as Stevie Wonder could see is going hell for leather in his pursuit of Barry and nothing it seems will stop him. What with having Argentine Javier Mascherano in midfield Alonso will be surplus to requirements. So you would think Benitez would put a realistic price on him, seeing that he wants to shift him. It’s been reported that ‘allegedly’ Le Gaffer has asked to lower the price of the wanted away player, so we’ll see what happens. Benitez who you would think would take the money and run said:

“Xabi is very good player and will not be easy to sell because his market value is really high (£18m). We are pleased because we don’t want Alonso to go unless we get a very good price.

Remember this is the same manger who thought Peter Crouch was worth £15m! What makes me laugh is the way Benitez tries to conduct the price, he was told by Aston Villa originally that Barry would cost £18m and he said ‘Nah, we’ll pay you £12m and throw in a player.’ Er, sorry mate, the player is under contract, it’s you that wants to buy him – so stomp up the cash fella and that was after he tried to make an illegal approach for Barry, some people, the nerve. He’s either trying to be very crafty or he has a big set of cojones on him. Same with Crouch, the beanpole striker who couldn’t get in the team. Crouch only got a run out when Liverpool played in the Makita Cup or pre-season friendlies, any ‘proper’ games and old Robot dancing boy was consigned to getting splinters up his jacksey. But as soon as it came to selling, Crouch was the best player in the world, Liverpool’s most important player, found the cure for cancer and his worth had rocketed to £15m. WTF? Anyway this is an Arsenal site so I shouldn’t be banging on about other teams, but Benitez is mental. But to draw a conclusion I would definitely take Alonso but seeing that Liverpool will need to sell in order to buy Barry you would think that Benitez would meet in the middle somewhere. Wenger has said he’s going to bring in one more – it might turn out it’s not even anyone we’ve thought of, fecking hell Le Gaffer might be lining up a move for Joey Barton!


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