Thursday, October 30, 2008
Change the Record, Arsene
Everytime Arsenal drop points Wenger comes out with the same old nonsense. check out these quotes after disasterously shipping two late goals from that lot up the road.
Gunners manager Arsene Wenger admitted he was annoyed at the way his side threw away their two-goal advantage, but insisted it will be a lesson learned for his young side. - Yep, that Gallas, Silvestre and Almunia, they're pretty young.
"I'm angry because we produced an outstanding game and got the minimum result." Well win the bloody game. Close it down, waste time. Knock the pretty stuff on the head. You're the manager, make it happen. Can you see Chelsea and Manchester United doing what we did in the last two minutes?
"We wanted to win the game and absolutely certainly were a level above Tottenham but we didn't get the points." It doesn't matter what level you think your players were on. The score don't lie and we conceded four goals at home to that lot. Following on from five last year in the Carling. When will these lessons you talk about be learnt?
"This team has outstanding potential but we need to be guarded in decisive moments. But you learn from times like this. It is damaging but it was a derby and I believe it happens in football. The team will learn, they are intelligent.
"If you look at the number of shots compared to goals, they (Spurs) were very well rewarded tonight."
They've been learning three years and nothing has changed. Not even the excuses. You've had chances to improve the defences but refused. Our best days were built around the likes of Adams and Keown. Why not bring someone is to marshal that defence? Instead we have Gallas and Silvestre who have been there and done that yet were allowed to be sold on the cheap to us...shopping at the mini mart won't win us the Premier League
Potential means shit. This team has won nothing and dropping points against dross like Hull, Spurs, Fulham and Sunderland doesn't inspire me with confidence when we play the big teams.
Gunners manager Arsene Wenger admitted he was annoyed at the way his side threw away their two-goal advantage, but insisted it will be a lesson learned for his young side. - Yep, that Gallas, Silvestre and Almunia, they're pretty young.
"I'm angry because we produced an outstanding game and got the minimum result." Well win the bloody game. Close it down, waste time. Knock the pretty stuff on the head. You're the manager, make it happen. Can you see Chelsea and Manchester United doing what we did in the last two minutes?
"We wanted to win the game and absolutely certainly were a level above Tottenham but we didn't get the points." It doesn't matter what level you think your players were on. The score don't lie and we conceded four goals at home to that lot. Following on from five last year in the Carling. When will these lessons you talk about be learnt?
"This team has outstanding potential but we need to be guarded in decisive moments. But you learn from times like this. It is damaging but it was a derby and I believe it happens in football. The team will learn, they are intelligent.
"If you look at the number of shots compared to goals, they (Spurs) were very well rewarded tonight."
They've been learning three years and nothing has changed. Not even the excuses. You've had chances to improve the defences but refused. Our best days were built around the likes of Adams and Keown. Why not bring someone is to marshal that defence? Instead we have Gallas and Silvestre who have been there and done that yet were allowed to be sold on the cheap to us...shopping at the mini mart won't win us the Premier League
Potential means shit. This team has won nothing and dropping points against dross like Hull, Spurs, Fulham and Sunderland doesn't inspire me with confidence when we play the big teams.
Tuesday, October 28, 2008
Them There Quiet Fans
Football as an industry is the envy of the business world. People chop and change banks depending on better interest rates or their latest TV commercial but football fans are less fickle. It’s one club for life. Period. Mostly.
So while banks and airlines can only dream of such brand loyalty they would never dream of criticizing their customers. The headlines would probably cause a run on their shares and the value of the company would nosedive in the wake of such crass, insensitive comments.
Not so in football. Arsene Wenger recently took the opportunity at the Annual General Meeting to have a pop at the Arsenal support saying they were too quiet. Yes, Arsenal fans are quiet. Many of these new, soulless stadiums are on the quiet side these days. The passion and intensity of the terraces have long gone to be replaced by corporates and tourists.
Just what the clubs wanted.
When Arsenal’s new stadium was being designed fans weren’t involved in the process. Instead some highly paid architects and consultants were told to do their thing. And look what they ended up with. An artificial stadium with an artificial atmosphere looking down on players who salaries are in no way artificial.
Look at the great English stadiums and fans had a corner that was their very own. At Arsenal we had the North Bank and the Clock End. Aston Villa had the Holte End and Chelsea had the Shed. These were the parts of the ground where the young, passionate support gathered and it was from here the noise was generated.
New all seater stadiums, 1000 pound season tickets and those corporates and tourists have changed all that.
I used to follow the Arsenal home and away with a group of mates. We’d turn up rain or shine and sit together, stand together, make a racket with thousands of like minded souls.
Now to purchase seats is a lottery. Where you sit depends on what’s available and how quickly you can book on line. It’s like buying tickets to see a movie. If I were to go to a game with my mates now there is little guarantee we’d be sat together. Indeed, we’d be spread round the stadium and instead of being surrounded by our own we’d be sat among camera totting Malaysian tourists who have no conception of the Paddy song.
This is your bed Mr Wenger. It’s what you and the board wanted. At the design stage the club could have insisted on a dedicated end for the home support behind one of the goals but they didn’t. Instead they saw pound signs as they realized people would pay more to sit behind the goals plus the tourists would spend a small fortune in the club shops. Who needs the atmosphere anyway?
Welcome to the new Arsenal. An Arsenal where flags are banned as a health risk, where stewards tell people to sit down and where fans can sms for a steward if they see someone acting in an offensive manner. And for this the fans pay the highest prices in the country.
An Arsenal where the traditional working class support has been priced out, where the post Euro ’96 breed have come into the stadiums, called the game footy and yell the word scum threateningly. Arsenal’s support today is reminiscent of the west end theatres. You sit politely, clap politely, queue politely for the expensive refreshments and leave early to avoid the traffic.
This is the Premier League in the 21st century and it’s exactly what the money men that run the game wanted. For Wenger to shift the blame on the fans is disingenuous. The fans that made the noise are long gone and with ticket prices between 30 and 40 pound a game the next generation just can’t afford to go to games.
So while banks and airlines can only dream of such brand loyalty they would never dream of criticizing their customers. The headlines would probably cause a run on their shares and the value of the company would nosedive in the wake of such crass, insensitive comments.
Not so in football. Arsene Wenger recently took the opportunity at the Annual General Meeting to have a pop at the Arsenal support saying they were too quiet. Yes, Arsenal fans are quiet. Many of these new, soulless stadiums are on the quiet side these days. The passion and intensity of the terraces have long gone to be replaced by corporates and tourists.
Just what the clubs wanted.
When Arsenal’s new stadium was being designed fans weren’t involved in the process. Instead some highly paid architects and consultants were told to do their thing. And look what they ended up with. An artificial stadium with an artificial atmosphere looking down on players who salaries are in no way artificial.
Look at the great English stadiums and fans had a corner that was their very own. At Arsenal we had the North Bank and the Clock End. Aston Villa had the Holte End and Chelsea had the Shed. These were the parts of the ground where the young, passionate support gathered and it was from here the noise was generated.
New all seater stadiums, 1000 pound season tickets and those corporates and tourists have changed all that.
I used to follow the Arsenal home and away with a group of mates. We’d turn up rain or shine and sit together, stand together, make a racket with thousands of like minded souls.
Now to purchase seats is a lottery. Where you sit depends on what’s available and how quickly you can book on line. It’s like buying tickets to see a movie. If I were to go to a game with my mates now there is little guarantee we’d be sat together. Indeed, we’d be spread round the stadium and instead of being surrounded by our own we’d be sat among camera totting Malaysian tourists who have no conception of the Paddy song.
This is your bed Mr Wenger. It’s what you and the board wanted. At the design stage the club could have insisted on a dedicated end for the home support behind one of the goals but they didn’t. Instead they saw pound signs as they realized people would pay more to sit behind the goals plus the tourists would spend a small fortune in the club shops. Who needs the atmosphere anyway?
Welcome to the new Arsenal. An Arsenal where flags are banned as a health risk, where stewards tell people to sit down and where fans can sms for a steward if they see someone acting in an offensive manner. And for this the fans pay the highest prices in the country.
An Arsenal where the traditional working class support has been priced out, where the post Euro ’96 breed have come into the stadiums, called the game footy and yell the word scum threateningly. Arsenal’s support today is reminiscent of the west end theatres. You sit politely, clap politely, queue politely for the expensive refreshments and leave early to avoid the traffic.
This is the Premier League in the 21st century and it’s exactly what the money men that run the game wanted. For Wenger to shift the blame on the fans is disingenuous. The fans that made the noise are long gone and with ticket prices between 30 and 40 pound a game the next generation just can’t afford to go to games.
Monday, October 27, 2008
More Cole
No more respect
Probably the last thing Ashley Cole wanted after the crescendo of boos that greeted his defensive howler that gifted Kazakhstan a goal at Wembley on Saturday was for Rio Ferdinand to come out and attack the boo boys. Birds of a feather and all that.
I think for many fans Ashley Cole epitomizes the greed is good culture that dominates the game today. Cole, it may be remembered, is the guy who nearly drove off the road on learning Arsenal were offering him an extra 5,000 GBP a week. If someone offered me that kind of money I too would probably lose control of the car. But then I’d be punching the air in delight while Ashley was punching with frustration and derision.
The likes of Cole are essentially celebrity wannabes who just happen to play football. You are more likely to see exclusive snaps of his holidays in some celeb pandering magazine than read his thoughts, if he had any, on the transition from Jose to Big Phil via Avram.
The Chelsea full back has his fame. It’s just that kicking a ball is the price he has to pay and unfortunately for him many punters aren’t totally enamoured with him and his drunken affairs or his arrogant holier than thou attitude. A bit part footballer in a sport where the fans live and breathe the club.
Cole isn’t of course the first player who thought he was more celeb than footballer. But he is part of a Premier League breed who sees himself as bigger than the game and the rest of us should understand our place in the footballing pantheon. As players get richer and richer they grow ever more distant from the fans and woebetide any terrace oik who insults them.
It wasn’t that long ago that Arsenal players could be found in a bar near the stadium after training. Go back even further and one future England manager would work in his grocer’s shop in Liverpool during the week before traveling down by train on match day to play for the Arsenal.
But the first player to excite mass appeal was George Best. With his good looks and impish charm Bestie played the field, on and off, but everyone loved him. The country took to him, accepted his peccadilloes because they knew that on the field he was a genius.
He was also much better than the likes of Cole at dealing with the media. While Cole nearly trashes his car over 5 grand a week Bestie proudly related that 90% of his money went on women and drink. The rest he just wasted.
Ashley Cole will always be a target for the boo boys. This may surprise many involved closely in football but there is resentment at the salaries being paid to players. A recent survey showed an average fan spent over 100 GBP to go to one game, of course there is frustration at pampered players throwing their dummy out of the pram because they feel 250,000 GBP extra per annum is beneath them.
All the while they are doing their job well they will be passively tolerated. But one mistake and the pent up frustration will find a very public outlet and will let the player concerned know quite clearly the low esteem in which he is held.
Probably the last thing Ashley Cole wanted after the crescendo of boos that greeted his defensive howler that gifted Kazakhstan a goal at Wembley on Saturday was for Rio Ferdinand to come out and attack the boo boys. Birds of a feather and all that.
I think for many fans Ashley Cole epitomizes the greed is good culture that dominates the game today. Cole, it may be remembered, is the guy who nearly drove off the road on learning Arsenal were offering him an extra 5,000 GBP a week. If someone offered me that kind of money I too would probably lose control of the car. But then I’d be punching the air in delight while Ashley was punching with frustration and derision.
The likes of Cole are essentially celebrity wannabes who just happen to play football. You are more likely to see exclusive snaps of his holidays in some celeb pandering magazine than read his thoughts, if he had any, on the transition from Jose to Big Phil via Avram.
The Chelsea full back has his fame. It’s just that kicking a ball is the price he has to pay and unfortunately for him many punters aren’t totally enamoured with him and his drunken affairs or his arrogant holier than thou attitude. A bit part footballer in a sport where the fans live and breathe the club.
Cole isn’t of course the first player who thought he was more celeb than footballer. But he is part of a Premier League breed who sees himself as bigger than the game and the rest of us should understand our place in the footballing pantheon. As players get richer and richer they grow ever more distant from the fans and woebetide any terrace oik who insults them.
It wasn’t that long ago that Arsenal players could be found in a bar near the stadium after training. Go back even further and one future England manager would work in his grocer’s shop in Liverpool during the week before traveling down by train on match day to play for the Arsenal.
But the first player to excite mass appeal was George Best. With his good looks and impish charm Bestie played the field, on and off, but everyone loved him. The country took to him, accepted his peccadilloes because they knew that on the field he was a genius.
He was also much better than the likes of Cole at dealing with the media. While Cole nearly trashes his car over 5 grand a week Bestie proudly related that 90% of his money went on women and drink. The rest he just wasted.
Ashley Cole will always be a target for the boo boys. This may surprise many involved closely in football but there is resentment at the salaries being paid to players. A recent survey showed an average fan spent over 100 GBP to go to one game, of course there is frustration at pampered players throwing their dummy out of the pram because they feel 250,000 GBP extra per annum is beneath them.
All the while they are doing their job well they will be passively tolerated. But one mistake and the pent up frustration will find a very public outlet and will let the player concerned know quite clearly the low esteem in which he is held.
Monday, October 13, 2008
Let's Boo Assley Cole
Pity poor Ashley Cole. Actually I don’t. but in the wake of his mistake that led to Kazakhstan’s goal in Saturday’s international at Wembley the Chelsea full back received the boos from the seats. And after the game his team mates, the manager, the FA and perhaps his next door neighbour all came out and said the people booing were ignorant morons.
Maybe not his next door neighbour. Cole probably lives on some gated community far from the riff raff that pay his salary.
But you wonder whether Rooney or Walcott would have received similar treatment had it been their mistake that led to a goal? Why do fans boo some players and not others? Obviously there is some herd like mentality here. A newspaper roasts someone and the fans pick up the baton and rain down the abuse.
But there is more to it than just abusing some players and not others. Cole and Lampard have both been on the receiving end over recent years and perhaps the Chelsea connection is just a coincidence? Or maybe these two players are seen to typify the modern greedy footballer.
Ashley Cole’s stock round the country fell sharply in the wake of his controversial move to Chelsea. Who can forget his comment on being told by his agent that Arsenal were only offering an extra five thousand pound a week? How many fans would be happy to earn an extra 5 grand a year?
There are times when it is easier to find stories about Cole in the sleazier tabloids or celebrity magazines than anything football related. This is what Cole has chosen for himself. He made the decision to live the glamour lifestyle. This may come as a surprise to him and his ilk but many fans resent him and his kind. How can any self respecting hard working fan who works their nuts off to feed their family, pay the mortgage and pay for the football find it in themselves to respect such a gold digger?
No doubt people will say but it’s the way it is. That’s the world today. Maybe it is. But the Wembley boos tell us that not everyone is happy about it.
Maybe not his next door neighbour. Cole probably lives on some gated community far from the riff raff that pay his salary.
But you wonder whether Rooney or Walcott would have received similar treatment had it been their mistake that led to a goal? Why do fans boo some players and not others? Obviously there is some herd like mentality here. A newspaper roasts someone and the fans pick up the baton and rain down the abuse.
But there is more to it than just abusing some players and not others. Cole and Lampard have both been on the receiving end over recent years and perhaps the Chelsea connection is just a coincidence? Or maybe these two players are seen to typify the modern greedy footballer.
Ashley Cole’s stock round the country fell sharply in the wake of his controversial move to Chelsea. Who can forget his comment on being told by his agent that Arsenal were only offering an extra five thousand pound a week? How many fans would be happy to earn an extra 5 grand a year?
There are times when it is easier to find stories about Cole in the sleazier tabloids or celebrity magazines than anything football related. This is what Cole has chosen for himself. He made the decision to live the glamour lifestyle. This may come as a surprise to him and his ilk but many fans resent him and his kind. How can any self respecting hard working fan who works their nuts off to feed their family, pay the mortgage and pay for the football find it in themselves to respect such a gold digger?
No doubt people will say but it’s the way it is. That’s the world today. Maybe it is. But the Wembley boos tell us that not everyone is happy about it.
Wednesday, October 8, 2008
England Nonsense
Perhaps sensing his career in a three lions shirt is coming to an ignominious end Frank Lampard has been telling anyone who will listen that he and Gerrard can play together in the England midfield.
Of course they can. Look how impressive they were in the 2008 Euros.
They haven't gelled in the last few years, you can't teach old dogs new tricks, just forget about it.
Manuel Almunia for England? Puh-leese. This sort of nonsense maybe ok for Qatar and Singapore but a 30 something who never got recognised in his own country thinks he can waltz into the England team?
Perhaps he could partner Lumps in the middle?!
Of course they can. Look how impressive they were in the 2008 Euros.
They haven't gelled in the last few years, you can't teach old dogs new tricks, just forget about it.
Manuel Almunia for England? Puh-leese. This sort of nonsense maybe ok for Qatar and Singapore but a 30 something who never got recognised in his own country thinks he can waltz into the England team?
Perhaps he could partner Lumps in the middle?!
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