Category Archives: Arsenal

Champions League: Arsenal v Bayern Munich – The Best Football Event in World

As it has already been said many times before, football is world’s most famous sport and it has been played everyday in some part of world or other. It is rightly called as king of sports in many countries. In Europe and Latin America, football is the most famous sport and is being played with such a vigor and spirit which is not found in any other game. European clubs are always on their heels to draw in some great players.

The match between Bayern Munich and Arsenal will surely be regarded as one of the best matches of 2013 These two teams have already locked horns four times and Bayern has won two times, Arsenal has won just once and another match has ended in a draw. Usually football matches ending in draw will be considered as tame and drab ones, but if there is a match between Bayern Munich and Arsenal, it will always be a clash of titans and even if it ends in a draw, it will surely be one of the best matches ever played in football.

In 2004-05 version of champion’s league, these two teams met for the last time. In that encounter, Bayern won by 3-2. It was a match of last 16th stage. But In recent years, Arsenal has won seven of their last six matches. So it is very difficult to say which side is better among these two. One team may seem a little bit better once but on some other occasion, the other team may emerge as even more stronger. In their last 17 games in knockout stage, Arsenal has won 15 times, losing only two games. This once again confirms greatness of Arsenal team.

At the same time, Bayern Munich is not in good position currently. They have been defeated in their recent four matches in England champion’s league. On English, they won a match for the last time 12 years ago, i.e. in 2001. That match was played in Old Trafford. It was the quarterfinal match of champion’s league.

Tickets for the Champion’s league are already being sold out like hot cakes. If a football match takes place in any part of the world, it is sure to attract a large number of spectators from all corners of country. This is especially true in case of European Champion’s league. When there is a clash between two great teams like Arsenal as well as Bayern Munich, there will surely be huge expectations among spectators. Hence they will surely go mad for purchasing tickets.

In this season, even though they are having a very average record so far, they have scored at least one goal in their last 12 matches. It was more than a year ago when they failed to score a goal in a game. But at the same time, Arsenal has secured very less number of shots among all those teams which have qualified for the last 16th stage. So tickets for the Champion’s league are sold out rapidly even before the last 16 stage starts up.

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Are the betting odds for Arsenal in the Champion’s League worth considering?

Arsenal going gall the way? Possibly…

While most Arsenal fans will be able to accept the fact that their team is not considered likely to win the Champions League by most of the sports betting sites, the knowledge that they are even ranked the outsider to beat Bayern Munich in the last sixteen will be galling – as it is evidence of how the team has slumped. They are currently given odds of around 33/1 for the tournament, and 11/5 to beat the German giants, which certainly makes betting on the latter a more sensible option than the former; but when have football fans ever been sensible when it comes to their team?

Given that being able to gamble successfully requires exactly the sort of unemotional mindset that football supporting doesn’t allow, it can sometimes make more sense to avoid placing bets on your team. Of course most Gunners fans won’t much fancy betting on one of the other teams for the Champions League, but this is where options like Belle Rock Entertainment online casinos can be a great alternative to this. After all, it is proving tough enough to be an Arsenal supporter at the moment, and compounding emotional trauma with the loss of money is surely adding insult to injury.

After all, it’s not as if online casinos don’t offer the chance to indulge your love of football, alongside the gambling these days. A casino slots game like Soccer Safari, which involves teams made up of animals like lions, warthogs and rhinos, playing their own World Cup in the jungles of Africa have a genuine football-theme to go with the joys of slot games – like the chance of winning a great cash jackpot. Furthermore with most of these sites offering mobile casino options these days, you can play a game like Soccer Safari anywhere – even during half time at the Emirates – although you might want to pretend you don’t notice the resemblance between the warthogs and Arsene Wenger as he prepares for his team talk!

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David ‘Rocky’ Rocastle 1967-2001

David 'Rocky' Rocastle

Over 250 appearences for Arsenal

23 goals

League champion 1988-89, 1990-91

14 caps for England

Legend

Never forgotten.

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Fabrice.

Muamba in action for Bolton.

Morning, folks.

It’s hard to know where to start. There are things of far greater importance than Football. Yes, we all love the game; we’re passionate and vociferous when it comes to the fortunes of our chosen allegiances. But today, it all seems trivial to me.

Yesterday, a young man collapsed. He was a man few of us can claim to have known. Yet, we all united, we put aside of differences and collectively wished him a full and swift recovery.

I saw the good side of football supporters. The Spurs fans could have reacted unfavourably to an ex-Arsenal player, but they didn’t. They showed compassion, real class and sung his name. They might be our sworn enemies, but they’re human beings at the end of the day.

Fabrice Muamba, our thoughts are with you. Whether we be blue, white, red, hooped, striped, claret or yellow; we all support you, and we all pray for the best possible outcome.

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Tomas Rosicky’s resurgence.

Morning, folks.

There isn’t much out there today in the way of Arsenal news. Last night I was preparing my column for Arsenal Vision (which will go up today) so I’ve precious little time left this morning to scribe for you.

However, I made a promise to ensure that I post everyday, and post everyday I shall. Below is a little piece I wrote during the past summer about Tomas Rosicky. With his recent contract extension and resurgence in form, I thought it would be pertinent to open a discussion regarding my thoughts. I’ve always loved the little guy, I’ve always believed he had something to offer the team.

Have a read:

The diminutive Czech playmaker has probably been the biggest disappointment I’ve experienced in an Arsenal shirt. Not because he lacks ability or talent, not because I anticipated someone else arriving in his place, but because I’m an unabashed fan and he hasn’t delivered enough of the talent he patently has in spades.

The reason primarily is the misfortune of his injury and the complications that kept him out for some 18 months. During the 2006 World Cup he looked the player I recall – a cunning little bastard on the ball with a ferocious, thunderbolt of a shot. When he arrived at the Emirates for what I thought was an absolute steal – £7 million from Dortmund – I was ecstatic.

His form was good in his debut season and he bagged a couple of belting goals in the Champions League and a decent double at Anfield in the cup. His progression continue and I thought more and more we wouldn’t miss the brilliant Robert Pires who departed, leaving Rosicky his No7 shirt.

Then came that injury, and the rest is a case of what could have been. The Tomas Rosicky we see now shows occasional little glimpses of his talent, but for the most part appears a shadow of that player I was certain would become as big a legend as the previous incumbent of his shirt. As his form dropped off, the goals soon stopped coming as well.

Yet, I still believe in him and wouldn’t be one of those calling for his immediate sale. He has traversed a tumultuous road during his career as a Gooner and deserves his share of fortune more than most. He’s still a brilliant little player on the ball, he still has that thumping shot on him, and with a little fortune to smile on him, he could yet prove a valuable member of the squad.

Thanks for reading, you beautiful bastards. You know where the comments are, use ‘em!

Don’t forget to take a moment to follow my Twitter account @_ArmchairGooner.

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No news is good news? (Warning! This post is foolish and ill-conceived)

Howdy, cowboys and cowgirls.

As Beth Orton once enchantingly sung on a track by the Chemical Brothers; “Where do I start, where do I begin?”. I do like that song…

Well, the answer is nowhere. Out there in the vast, sprawling universe of Arsenal news, there’s nowt to be found but eerie silence. Since I sternly committed myself to ensuring The Armchair Gooner offers you, the delicious reader, a post every day at 9am, I’d better think of a few things to say and fast. Otherwise, this beautiful relationship we’ve built over the past weeks could be severely tested.

Hold onto your laptops, I feel the unmistakable rumblings of inspiration in my waters….

Fuck you, Champions League. Yeah, fuck you right in your bourgeois, over-exposed bottom.

What you might consider as a random outburst from a big-haired, bohemian fool is, in fact, something that’s been swirling violently around my brainbox since the dawn of a new year. Once I’d allowed the sturm und drang of recent falterings and incompetence to settle, once I’d perused the works of superior writers operating in the Arsenal community; I was struck by an epiphany. That blinding moment of clarity is deliciously simple; the Champions League, for all it’s glitz, publicity and glamour, isn’t quite the footballing utopia is made out to be.

Sure, folks would have you believe that it’s the greatest thing since Dennis Bergkamp, or as scintillating as having a immensely satisfying poo in an empty house, but I’m parking my battered bus of opinion into a different garage. So, fuck it.

Fuck it for us losing in the final to Barcelona. Fuck it for all those brilliant performances that have ended up counting for nothing. Fuck it for the sycophantic commentators at the point of orgasm simply because Xavi and Iniesta have exchanged passes 37 times in the centre circle. Fuck it for the innumerable times I’ve heard about “that special night for United”. Fuck it for the bloody theme tune that’s supposed to rouse the heart, to make your feelings soar, when it’s really a bit gratey and shit. Fuck it for the very existence of Andy Townsend; a freak phenomenon it’s hardly responsible for, but fuck it because it does nothing to eradicate that irksome sloth from the national airwaves. Fuck it for allowing him anywhere near a microphone.

Most of all, fuck it because we might not be in it next season, and it’ll mean even less to me should that occur. Fuck it for seemingly being the be-all and end-all of modern day football.

I think that’s all I’m going to leave you with today. Sometimes short is sweet – assuming those girls from my past were telling the truth, that is. I’m sure they wouldn’t lie. It’s a good size. They never actually dozed off, they were just resting their eyes…

Ermm…

I’m losing track of myself…

Quick! Finish the post by charmingly insulting everyone…

Thanks for reading, you beautiful bastards. Comment below – if you dare – and follow my Twitter account – @_ArnchairGooner

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£60 million available to spend, Monday morning blues and the Spurs comparison.

Morning, gorgeous.

Yesterday I delved into the assortment of blogs out there to gauge reaction. Where there is often furiously divided opinion, instead, I saw an almost unanimous agreement with one thing; Arsene Wenger is treading on some seriously thin ice.

Curiously, a great number of folks seem happily resigned to missing out on the Champions League and making do with the Europa League; all of a sudden, a competition as frequently derided as the latter is an appealing option as it would “offer something different”. Bollocks. I can’t imagine anyone really believes that and it’s comfortably one of the most hypocritical things I’ve heard in a while. The same people have mocked other clubs for their participation, I’ll wager.

4th place is important. It’s not as essential as it’s been made out, but I’d rather be competing in the primary European cup than its lesser alternative. This season has been a monumental failure so far, getting 4th won’t paper over the enormous cracks, but it would at least be an accomplishment – before you say anything, I know it’s not a trophy, it doesn’t require an open bus tour of the city, there’s no euphoric moment of celebration… blah blah blah.

So, the bumper ‘war chest’ of the title… According to a few reports, the summer could witness huge changes at The Emirates. Whilst I try not to concern myself with speculative stories and such, I do believe that it’s an interesting notion. The period before the beginning of 2012/2013 is certain to be eventful, and I would assume that will involves considerable arrivals and departures. With Wenger’s tenure at the club under considerable threat, he has to open the dusty ol’ chequebook and recruit a few players. A attack-minded and creative midfielder and a second striker are essential. Others around us have strengthened their squads as ours has diminished, and that brings me nicely to the final, and most controversial part of today’s blog: Spurs.

As it stands, they have a better team than us. Hard as it might be to accept, it is true. For the first time in decades, I’m not sure we can beat them this coming Sunday….

*sighs*

You can’t imagine how irksome writing that was. It’s just so fucking annoying to admit – annoying like ‘Dancing on Ice’, Nazis, Channing Tatum and those websites on Arsenal News that constantly post top 10 lists of useless nonsense. All are things in life we shouldn’t have to endure.

We shouldn’t be in a position like this. Financial prudence is an honourable pursuit, but also an entirely stupid one when you sacrifice a competitive team. Spurs haven’t blown wild sums of money, but they’ve succeeded in acquiring good players like van der Vaart and now appear favourites to bag Eden Hazard. They didn’t begin the season with a bare-minimum squad and wait until the last available moment to recruit. For the first time in decades, they’ll finish above us in the league, and they deserve to.

And that’s the worst element to our debacle of a season. Even with the obvious nature of our problems, we’ve failed to act and we now pay the penalty. We all want what is best for the club, and that may be a future without certain board members unwillingly to do what is necessary and a manager unwilling to change with the times.

Thanks for reading, you beautiful bastards. Tomorrow, I’ll be looking at the tactical element of our recent faltering and the formation we use. Until then, drop a comment in the box and follow me on Twitter – @_ArmchairGooner.

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“Arsene knows best. Arsenal fans should realise the season isn’t over yet”

Morning, disgruntled and apoplectic supporters and mourners of the Arsenal persuasion. These headaches and heartaches the day after calamitous results are becoming too regular an occurrence, aren’t they?

So that’s the FA Cup, our last legitimate hope of silverware, gone for another season. Football is a cruel, wicked mistress. After 7 minutes of play, Francis Coquelin was taken off with an injury and the team never regained any semblance of drive and focus; our season in a microcosm. I’m not going to get into the finer details of the game, but if you are interested in revisiting the performance, I’ll again going to point you in the direction of Tim Liew and his full and in-depth review of the game at The Armchair Sports Fan. He does that sort of thing far better than I could. Suffice to say though, Arsenal were shit yesterday.

The title of this post is a verbatim quote I received on Twitter. Whilst I concur with the latter part – 4th place is a huge prize – the former statement regarding our manager’s omniscience is certainly open to debate. In fact, I’d go as far as wildly dismissing it as blind allegiance in the face of growing and undeniable evidence to the contrary.

There are many Arsenal fans out there who attempt to remain positive in the face of adversity, and those are people I greatly admire. Supporter division and bickering is simply born from frustration and solves nothing. I’m happy to respect another’s opinion, even if I disagree with it as whole-heartedly as is humanly possible.

Let’s make one thing abundantly clear; the current troubles at Arsenal are not new problems that have surfaced overnight. These are the same tedious and interminable failings we’ve witnessed for quite some time. Arsene Wenger is not motivating his team, and his team are not motivated to play for him. The squad has worsened as the seasons have passed, vital players have departed and they’ve been replaced on the cheap by sub-standard dross. Over the course of those years, time and money has been offered to a selection of the squad (Denilson, Almunia, Bendtner, etc) clearly not up to the task of competing at the highest level. Failure to address painfully obvious deficiencies and properly invest in the playing staff has cost us time and time again. Arsene Wenger is to blame.

How many respected pundits, fans and ex-pros have claimed Arsenal need to invest, they need leadership and reinforcements in key areas? Could even the most staunch and dedicated member of the ‘AKB’ disagree with any of the above? No. Watching what is happening at Arsenal pains me. Without Robin van Persie, we’d be in a worse doldrums than we are now; how many optimists realistically expect him to stay on after the summer? I certainly don’t.

After the game, Le Boss said:

“People talk and criticise and analyse and destroy and it’s important we face all that and show internal strength and resilience. At the moment I get many lessons from many people. It’s very difficult tonight to say where it leaves us and what we will do. We have to take criticism on board, stay together and face the critics.”

And in response to Roy Keane’s remarks about the class of 2012 being the worst Arsenal team he’s seen, Wenger succinctly added:

“It’s a very harsh judgement”

Roy Keane is a cock. He was a cock in his playing days, a cock during his hilariously awful attempts at being a club manager, and an even bigger cock as a pundit. One thing he is not, however, is particularly wide of the mark with that statement. Many say Wenger should be afforded the benefit of the doubt because of his service to the club, but we’ve been giving him that for years, and the same mistakes and disappointments are repeated ad nauseam.

For now, as things cannot change until the end of the season, I’m hoping the team can pull together and secure 4th space – the success of which will have a huge baring on how the summer pans out. Arsenal and our manager need to take drastic action. Some players need to go. Until it’s logical to address those issues, we, as fans, need to get behind them; no booing, no idiotic protests involving rubbish bags; just our support. They need us now more than ever.

Thanks for reading, you beautiful bastards. Drop some views in the comments, and follow my Twitter account – @_ArmchairGooner.

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Wojciech, Arsene, Petit and Vieira and time to move on from defeat.

Morning, tortured souls and fellow bewildered followers of Arsenal. I hope you’re all in a better mood today.

Yesterday, I was quite furious. Today, I’ve come to the conclusion that the Italian debacle is best placed as firmly behind us as is possible. Glaring flaws and undeniable weakness were exposed for all to see in the San Siro. Mistakes that were made over the summer have come back to haunt us. To quote Harvey Dent, “The night is always darkest before the dawn” (I’m a ridiculous fan of Chris Nolan’s Batman movies).

Losing 8-2 at Old Trafford was woeful, but at the same time had enough contributing factors to be considered a freak occurrence. The drubbing at Milan was with a strong team that simply didn’t perform when the occasion called for it. In my opinion, it’s comfortably the worst Arsenal performance of the season thus far.

It has to get better. The players and manager have to accept joint responsibility, and they have to do something about it. Pleasingly, Arsene offered none of his customary excuses in his post-match interview:

“It was one of those nights you never forget. It is our worst night in Europe. We were punished and deservedly so. I felt we were never in the game, we were very poor offensively and defensively. It was shocking to see how we were beaten everywhere.

“There was not one moment in the 90 minutes where we were really in the game. What made it worse was that we had to chase the game. It was always the same problem, balls over the top and we were well beaten. It is difficult to analyse. I think it is better not to talk too much â?¦and to analyse with a cooler head and regroup for the next game.”

Such honesty from a man often maligned for his refusal to criticise his players is refreshing, not to mention surprising. Much is being discussed around the various Arsenal communities with regard to his tenure at the club. Do I want him to leave? No, but I’d be the first to admit that, if there isn’t a distinct change and improvement, it’s not quite the suicidal notion his staunchly loyal followers would have you believe. He is the manager of Arsenal Football Club, and his current squad is the weakest we’ve had for quite sometime.

Patrick Vieira, once our midfield colossus, mentioned on his excruciatingly awful, Man City-based Twitter account that the team lacked leadership, and that’s very true. What the team sorely needs is a vociferous, unifying presence on the pitch, especially when things begin taking a turn for the worse. Wednesday night showed how lacking we are in that department.

Patrick’s partner in arguably our greatest midfield duo, Emmanuel Petit, has joined the growing legion of ex-Arsenal players having their say about the club. In a very honest interview with The Telegraph, Petit states how he believes it’s time for the “dead wood” to be removed, and replaced with character and experience. It’s very hard to disagree with any of it.

All those problems, as things stand now, are irrelevant. Until the summer we can do nothing to rectify the squad. We have to make do with the personnel we have, and support them unquestionably. It’s a difficult time to follow Arsenal, but unity is the only way forward. We can still make 4th and win the FA Cup. The time for negativity is gone.

One person being very positive is Wojciech Szczsney. Our Polish shot-stopper had this to say about the return leg:

“We have quality attacking players and we can score goals, so why not? But we have to realise that it’s going to be really, really difficult.

“It was a very difficult night and it’s hard to take right now. We have to admit that Milan were the better team and they completely deserved the victory. It’s hard to take but hopefully we can pick ourselves up.

Whilst nothing is impossible; were as good as out of the competition. Let’s just forget about it for now and focus everything we have on ensuring we’re still in it next season.

Tomorrow I’ll discuss Sunderland in the FA Cup and the potential line-up. Until then, thanks for reading, you beautiful bastards. Take a moment to comment and follow me on Twitter – @_ArmchairGooner.

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Re-post from 2010: Is Theo Walcott really fucking useless?

Theo Walcott points the way...

Hi, folks. Nearly two years ago, I made this post. I thought I’d offer it up again in order to open a discussion about Theo and how he’s progressed since it was published. Add you views in the comments, or on my Twitter account @_ArmchairGooner
For the past few years Iâ??ve watched Theo scurry around the Emirates turf like a startled Rat when somebody turns on the lights. I believe, like quite a few of our squad, Theo has the ability and potential to be absolutely bloody brilliant, but he is yet to show it.

The past season has seen him blighted with injury, making one or two decent appearances and losing his place in the national team to two of the most un-deserving dwarfs in professional football â?? a statement backed up by their shambolic showings in their countryâ??s colours. All in all, and much like his Arsenal career thus far, itâ??s all been just a little disappointing.

He does frustrate me. Heâ??s so unbelievably quick over 10 yards that heâ??d scare the living daylights out of even the most hardened defender, but he doesnâ??t seem to possess a football brain, an instinctive ability to pick the right pass, in the same way Cesc does. Personally, I think heâ??d be a lot more effective employed as a striker where he could finish moves. However, our system doesnâ??t suit that idea, so heâ??s deployed on the right-side of an attacking three.

To me, Theo is a confidence player more so than anyone else in the squad. When things are going against him, he tends to let his head drop and the bad invariably turns to worse. But there are signs of the player he could be with confidence; his performances against Burnley and Barcelona show he could really be brilliant for the Arsenal.

Theo needs games, and he needs them regularly. Iâ??ve heard rumblings of him being offered on loan to the Birmingham (I suspect this is horse-shit) to get a full season under his belt, but I donâ??t think thatâ??s the answer. The answer is to get him playing regularly and the confidence will follow. Heâ??s still a young boy, he still has to mature and he still has time on his side.

That said, for someone whoâ??s on a reported 60 thousand pounds a week, weâ??re entitled to expects results from him sooner rather than later, otherwise weâ??re just pouring money down the drain.

Iâ??m going to put my neck on the line and say 2010/2011 will be the season where we see just how good Theo Walcott is, and Arsenal are only going to benefit from it. Maybe, just maybe, weâ??ll have another incumbent of the No. 14 shirt to wax-lyrical over.

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