Arsenal Thread

[ezee ryder]

he was ducking down to jump as the ball passed over him, by the time he jumped the ball was long gone.

Anyway. That's handed the title to man U. Now we have to deal with the pundits screaming about how wonderful they are endlessly for the next few months.

Well they play better football than Chelsea and are on top of the League for a reason I believe.

On the subject of today's game, it was a proper game of football and played in the right way. Arsenal had the better chances and were the superior team in the first half but I thought we reacted well to going a goal down. I have no qualms with Arsenal and the way they play football, it is all done in the right way. Unlucky guys.

[neoboy259]

I think if we geneuinely believed we could catch you in the title race we'd have had a different side out. Song and Gilberto? get the f*ck out, Song bricks himself when he has to do something with the ball, very un-Arsenal like.
Then Gilberto had to give away foul after foul. I have no idea why he's in the side ahead of Diaby or Denilson, all signs point to an exit this summer for Gilberto so why not play one of our rising stars?

[abigsmurf]

TBH Utd have been fantastic, bar a blip at the beginning of the season, and it looks like they'll be champions. What do you expect the pundits to say, that the champions are average? Good grief.

Chelsea didn't get half the reaction when they won the league with record points. Drogba was IGNORED last year when he got the Golden Boot. Never heard it mentioned once on sky. You only have to look at like-for-like comparisons to see the bias inherent in most media outlets.

goes Man U >>> Liverpool > Arsenal > Chelsea >> everyone else.

[neoboy259]

Chelsea didn't get half the reaction when they won the league with record points. Drogba was IGNORED last year when he got the Golden Boot. Never heard it mentioned once on sky. You only have to look at like-for-like comparisons to see the bias inherent in most media outlets.

goes Man U >>> Liverpool > Arsenal > Chelsea >> everyone else.

When Chelsea won back-to-back titles I couldnt get away from the press coverage and reading/hearing about how great you lot were/are.

Dunno what you're on about in regards to Drogba. He was named in the Premiership's team of the season, how is that "IGNORED"? Top scorer? So what? Dion Dublin, Kevin Phillips, Jimmy Floyd Hasselbaink and Chris Sutton have all won the Golden Boot- its really no big deal. Try winning it 4 out of 5 seasons like Mr Thierry Henry and Drogba might gain worldwide acclaim and a move to Spain (looks like he may get that anyway).

[ezee ryder]

That is cos Mourinho was getting all the attention and the plaudits from the pundits. Drogba was not ignorned when he won golden boot, the guys on Sky absolutely love him especially Andy Gray. The Chelsea player that got the most attention when they won the league was Lampard due to the fact he is English and scored a load of goals from midfield. Face it, if we become champions we will be well worthy of it. We have scored loads of goals, have the best defence and ,if we do win the league, the most points.

[hudson]

Sorry fellas, but this was too funny to let slip by here.

"We're having a good time!"

[Rossco]

Thats hilarious man!

[johnno15]

Bona fide genius

[B1gBeard]

That is cos Mourinho was getting all the attention and the plaudits from the pundits. Drogba was not ignorned when he won golden boot, the guys on Sky absolutely love him especially Andy Gray. The Chelsea player that got the most attention when they won the league was Lampard due to the fact he is English and scored a load of goals from midfield. Face it, if we become champions we will be well worthy of it. We have scored loads of goals, have the best defence and ,if we do win the league, the most points.

To be fair though mate, you should be winning it. I'm not sure where the line is between deserving to win it, or you should be winning it because of sheer financial clout, but its a close thing for ManU.

I think I'd be inclined to use the word deserve if there wasn't such a financial disparity between UTD and Chelsea and the rest. No other team can afford to leave the likes of Carrick, Hargreaves, Scholes, Tevez, Rooney, Ronaldo, Giggs, Nani, Anderson etc on the bench of through injury during the course of a season and replace them with someone of similar ability. Thats not a criticism by the wayy. Just how the game is now.

With regards to Arsenal. We have some shocking fans. At the start of the season we were disregarded by most and would apparently struggle to make top 4 behind Spurs and who ever else the dark horses were who were on the rise.

Not only should we finish comfortably in the top 4 with already more points than last season but we also had a good go at winning it, with only exhaustion and lack of squad depth that has seen it slip away.

All you hear on forums and in the media though are so called fans suggesting Wenger should be sacked and berating young men for being knackered. Probably the same fans who sit around you at the Emirates talking through most of the game about work and what they are having for dinner, barely raising a cheer or a song when we score.

This season has shown that Wenger was right to stick with the kids. They will be wiser and stronger next season. We do need to strengthen the squad but I think as Arsene has pointed out, we need to keep what we have. Losing Flamini and Hleb would be catastrophic.

I wouldn't be suprised to see a couple of more established players coming in though as from what Arsene has hinted, he recognises the lack of strength in depth.

[ezee ryder]

Yeah you make a fair point mate but why and how have been able to gain this financial clout which has allowed us to have this team we have now? It is through hard work behind the scenes and on the pitch over the years. We were not always a major force domestically and in Europe, this is a result of hard work from staff at the club. You might disagree, I don't know, but if we do win the title it will be because we have deserved it. The team that finishes top at the end of the season is usually the best team over the season otherwise they wouldn't have more points than anyone else.

On the subject of Arsenal, I could be wrong, but isn't their financial restriction down to the new stadium? If so I wouldn't worry too much as the club will start to reap the benefits of the stadium soon enough. Arsenal have a top side and the good thing is they are young and will only get better, with a few established players added to the mix they will definately still be a team to fear over the years to come. For me, even now, when on the top of their game Arsenal still play the best football of all the Premiership teams.

[VR46]

My boss at work is an avid Arsenal fan, season ticket holder etc etc, today he put a tenner on them to win the league (yes this season) at 125-1

[SharkSkin-Man]

Yeah you make a fair point mate but why and how have been able to gain this financial clout which has allowed us to have this team we have now? It is through hard work behind the scenes and on the pitch over the years. We were not always a major force domestically and in Europe, this is a result of hard work from staff at the club.

??
Surely United have been the richest club in the country since the 1960's - when they got relegated in '74 they still had the highest average gate in the country.

[B1gBeard]

My boss at work is an avid Arsenal fan, season ticket holder etc etc, today he put a tenner on them to win the league (yes this season) at 125-1

Good on him although it will be the most bizarre finish to a season I can remember.

[Morph]

You never know we certainly deserve to win it.

Anyone know when the new kits will be shown off?

[12-51-00]

It's confirmed, Flamini to Milan, I don't really think he'll be missed. Even if Gilberto doesn't stay and reclaim the place, Denilson, Song, or Diaby could all fill that role, and from what I've seen all have the potential to be better than Flamini. My tip, watch out for Mérida joining Fabregas in the centre next season, word from Spain is he's an absolutely amazing player. Arsenal seem to be entering the market early this year actually:

Marseille are complaining about them tapping up Samir Nasri, which would be an absolutely fantastic signing.

Arsenal scouts have (reportedly) been seen at every Valencia game for the past few weeks now, I'm not sure who that's for, David Villa looks to be leaving and he's been issuing come and get me pleas to the Gunners for weeks now but I can't see Arsenal stumping up the cash Real would. Raul Albiol said he's expecting a move to be wrapped up before Euro 2008 too, Wenger said he wants to replace Senderos and the 22-year-old Spaniard is not only ideal he's twice the player...

Saying that, Gallas and Toure were solid until Eduardo's injury / the B'ham draw. I expect Gallas to reflect on it in the summer and come back the player we all know he can be. In which case Wenger doesn't need big names, just 2 or 3 prospects for the future who can come in as backup. I guess it depends what Wenger is thinking regarding Gallas.