A few years ago I clambered aboard my trusty mountain bike and set off upon an epic journey. My plan was to cross the barren wastes of Dartmoor and then to negotiate the hills and valleys of Exmoor. I didn’t do this in order to raise money for charity nor to raise a laugh from passers by as they strolled alongside my sweating labouring hulking mass as I attempted another doomed assault on the 5mph barrier. I did it because I’d happened upon the concept of a channel to channel challenge whilst whiling away a wasted day on the internet and felt inexorably drawn to the neatness of the idea, the pleasing bookended symmetry of the thing fired up something in my synapses. My course began on the edge of the English Channel, on the Hoe in Plymouth to be precise, and ended a few saddle sore days later with a memorable helter skelter descent into the unfashionable West Somerset resort of Minehead, that fading jewel of a town nestling against the lapping muddy waters of the Bristol Channel. It wasn’t an enormous athletic achievement but I did it and didn’t get lost and at the end of it I took the steam train out of Minehead to the foot of the Quantock hills where I rewarded myself with another bike ride. But that’s a story for another day.
The whole thing engendered in me an interest in coast to coast escapades both great and small and through further research I discovered a little ritual in which walkers traversing the body of England like to partake. Say, for instance, you were going to hike from the Irish sea coast to a destination adjacent to the North Sea. What you would do is get right down onto the beach on the first day of your walk then select and trouser a pebble. Any pebble. Whichever might take your fancy. For reasons which will become apparent a particularly large pebble wouldn’t necessarily be a good idea and a tiny one that could get confused with your pocket fluff and loose change would be similarly unsuitable but for different reasons. Then you stride off, ruddy of cheek and berucksacked into the rising sun the reassuring lump in your trousers belying the presence of your chosen pebble. When at some point in the future you stagger sans rosy cheeks and with considerably reduced levels of enthusiasm onto the shore at the other side of the country you complete the ritual. Quite simply you take the pebble from the beach on the west coast and you fling it into the waters of the east. It’s a simple and symbolic thing to do and one I rather like. I dare say if too many people did it it would have a deleterious effect on coastal erosion but that needn’t concern us today.
Because today is of course the day of days. We along with the fans of all the other Premiership clubs are at that point where we are stooping on the first beach and selecting our pebbles. The pebble which hopefully ends up being flung into the net in the Champions League final. Football seasons are very much like coast to coast walks. The parallels are obvious but if I just leave you to think of them I’d be doing myself out of a blog so I shall elaborate upon my theme. We begin today with everything possible, everything in front of us and many miles to travel before the end. The end which seems so distant so fraught with potential pitfalls and yet bursting with possibilities. And one day we’ll suddenly find ourselves on the other coast. It will all be over for another season and we will be left scratching our heads and wondering where all the time went.
In recent times the first and last games have been for us the most important. The former where we start refreshed, renewed, virginal and pure and the latter where our efforts are ultimately measured, our rewards doled out. These two matches are of course not the be all and end all. Just like the intrepid hikers on their coast to coast adventure it would be a hollow unsatisfactory affair to simply leap from one to the other. What defines a season isn’t necessarily the finishing positions nor the trophy haul, if it were then every team in the country bar a tiny few might just as well have not bothered lacing their boots. What makes the season is every twist and turn along the way. The journey is defined by every amazing comeback, every appalling refereeing performance, every outrage committed against us and every triumphant tackle, pass and goal that our side pulls off, makes and scores. It isn’t the arriving it isn’t even this wonderful, exciting, hope and expectation filled departure that will make 2013 -14. It’s the journey itself that matters. The fixture list is our map, our season’s route planner. There will be unexpected diversions as a result of cup replays, weather or the whims of the all powerful television executives, but wherever the journey takes us we shall go. We don’t really have a choice. Arsenal chose all of us at some point in our pasts and whither it leads we must follow. For me at my great age it was a dim and distant moment. The white sleeves? The cannon? Bob Wilson’s cap? I can’t remember what device our great club used to ensnare me for life but I know this: I’m bloody glad it did. The alternatives don’t bear too much close scrutiny – imagine looking in the mirror and seeing a Chelsea fan.
I don’t want to make predictions on the outcome of today’s encounter with the men from the Midlands. If you want that kind of baloney I can recommend a good fortune teller in Minehead. What I will say is that we are perfectly poised to make an impact on the title race this time around. We were by any measure the best team in the league for the second half of the last season, and remain unbeaten in, what is it? Ten? And let’s be perfectly frank the title was lost in the first half of 12/13 when too many new faces were being accommodated, too many important people becoming acclimatised to the premier league and to each other. They grew into a team in front of our eyes and by the end were playing with an incredible spirit, a refusal to roll over which, if maintained, will make us a force to be reckoned with this time around. Not only are those new faces now fully bedded in and battle hardened but with Jack getting back to fitness, Aaron and Kos on an upward trajectory of form which if it continues will see some stratospheric performances, and, fingers crossed, TR7 available from the start the improvements in our prospects from this time last year are blindingly obvious to all but those who don’t want to see.
So come on, get your packs on, untwist and elongate those funny modern walking sticks, and pick up your pebble. We’ve got a bit of a hike ahead of us.
These Boots Were Made For Walking
About steww
125 comments on “These Boots Were Made For Walking”
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Positively Arsenal 
Agnonglahor finally gets a yellow card in the 95th minute. If that doesn’t define what an absolute joke this referee has been, nothing will. Oh, and someone teach that bastard how to play the advantage.
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I hope Arsene gives hell in his presser, that referee needs to go down the lower leagues. It’s probably the only thing that can cheer me up now.
One of the stupid commentators jibed about how Mike Riley, head of referee corruption, mentioned that 94% of decisions made last season were correct. I honestly doubt that number, but whatever. This game alone should be enough to ensure that they aren’t going to hit 94% this season.
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@Gains
Curious how whenever there was a foul against Villa the referee would let play go on for long stretches before pulling it back, but whenever we had an advantage, the referee was very happy to blow up immediately.
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Lol Anthony Taylor is the man of the match. Superb performance is subtlety by the referee. Quietly breaking up of Arsenal attacks by either not giving fouls or giving Arsenal fouls when players are in good positions where advantage should be played. Continuing his form from last season is Mr Taylor.
The team was not at its best but what I saw was a referee doing his best to ensure Arsenal did not win.
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How do you guys cope with the disappointment of that kind of result? I’ve gone for AC/DC. Loud.
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I’ve just read Stew’s post, as I didn’t have time before the game this morning. Now I really am going to cry. These boys feel like family to me, and I hurt for them. Such a long journey ahead. Couldn’t fate just this once have gone in their favor? Even one of those blows could have rocked them, but to take all of that? It was a perfect storm. They live to fight another day, though, and I will be behind them. I know all of you will be as well. I hope you are around here to talk this week, because I just can’t take Twitter anymore.
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So we have one incorrect penalty, one incorrect sending off and then a penalty not given against Wilshere (he was clearly blocked off by two Villa players at the same time, they used their arms to prevent him from going by). And that’s just the big mistakes Mr. Taylor made, together with a plethora of smaller errors of judgement, the vast majority of which only benefitted one side. But obviously, no one is going to talk about that tomorrow, because it’s just “excuses”. Yup, business as usual in Arsenal land.
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And now I have to go to work…fuck this day.
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@Steww
I’m watching Naruto – its a Japanese cartoon series – typical of that culture, lots of grief, loss and uplifting moments. Suits my melancholy mood. I would recommend to anyone who feels they are in a bad place spiritually.
At least in earlier news, I watched a brilliant game of rugby between the All Blacks and the Wallabies. Hopefully Australia strike back next weekend. And same goes for the Gunners.
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Up the Arse!! We’ll cuttem, if that’s all they got, they aint ready fo what’s comin.. Lick ur wounds big match in istanbul, big tingz are on for the arse this season.. I can feel it in me waters.. Up the Arse!!!
We love u, we do , we do, we dooohoooo!!!
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What a display from the ref. seems he had his mind made up in this match. Atrocious is an understatement.
The worst part is the spend money folks! As if they did not see what went on!
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The problem with quitting booze is trying to drown your sorrows in green tea just isn’t working. It’s a gateway drug this stuff, before you know it I’ll be on the camomile.
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Guys, we regroup and come out like a wounded lion on Wednesday night.
I could even somewhat let the penalty go (even though even in real-time it was clear even for me that it was a clean tackle), but to repeatedly not play us the advantage…..words fails me. The score line was bad in the end, but I felt that if it werent for the penalty, we would have won the game.
How can fans turn on Wenger when we go 1-3 trying to level from 1-2 towards the end? Some of us cannot take difficult things, can we? True character would have been applauding and encouraging the players, to make them play for us the next time. I saw one “supporter” shouting abuse at Koscielny as he walked back. Ok genius, lets sell Koscielny. I bet you will want us to sign Christopher Sambha, right? Until that point, I felt the atmosphere was good, especially roaring at bad tackles at our players. However, some idiots booed the team at half time at 1-1. WTF?!!
Despite the defeat, we can look at the good things we enjoyed in the match. Rosicky was majestic. Sagna was so committed to the cause. Chamberlain was a bit of a live wire. Ramsey was really good, Wilshere did good too. Cazorla and Wally seemed a bit quiet though. That is ok.
Is continuously holding down a player in the penalty box allowed? I know that some people find Giroud hot, but the defender just took it up a notch by constantly hugging him and not letting him move. Of course, that is perfectly fine, isnt it referee?
Some of the respect I had for Aston Villa is gone today.
What club is Martin Taylor a fan of? Anyway, Taylor might have done us more good in the long term. Watch out for a pissed Arsenal on Wednesday night.
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If there were a “favorite” button here, Stew, I’d favorite that last comment.
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Our mates at Untolc get slagged off all the time for seeing a ref conspiracy . ..
Fuck it, it’s that , or a pure hatred of arsenal in their hearts ( highly probable), or it is a fucking conspiracy.
Goals conceded nos 1 and 3 were entirely our own fault but the atmosphere of the overall decisions meant it was a disaster.
Why didn’t Theo or Tommy dive when they had the chance? Im only asking half seriously but that ref was a gift from hell.
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SA, I can’t overlook that pen. Even from behind you don’t see anything.
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Exactly, SA. 1-3 doesn’t matter. That last goal was always going to come if they broke. We had no choice but to go for the equalizer with everything we had. And we did that. To focus on that last goal is just silly. It was a risk we had to take. And we had to do it one defender short. Lose 1-2 or lose 1-3. Do we buy Ashley Williams this week?
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I watched the game at our supporters club in Dublin.
It was live on Irish Setanta tv, but surprise fuckink surprise they praised the ref. winterburn was a pundit – he needs to be the fucking aggressive FB he used to be for us.
That TV station will be getting no. Stop abuse from me for their pro thug bias.
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I agree, this game was all about the second goal. The third means nothing.
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Steww, I’m not quitting the booze until untidy me texts become so as it tiss.
Van Grecian 2000? Owch this is a day Is a day in hell.
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Paul-N
We obviously need to spend the money on better Refs.
We play a bunch of bastards on Wednesday that did that and might get away with it.
Football is corrupt.
Hunter- the refs usually spend the night in Juries hotel, Angel station, I’m not putting ideas in your crazy head but if I was in London…..
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I wont be doing a review of this game.It was all about the Ref.What is the point.?
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We get at least two games a season where the referee completely fucks us over. Let’s hope this pisses the lads off and they come out ready to devour Fenerbahce on Tuesday.
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Last Goal, we had no one but the goalie in our own half, a high risk gamble that backfired. But the game was lost by then anyway.
The ref wasn’t even in the same half of the pitch as Kos when he gave that peno, how did he see anything?
Guilty of being a Gunner, M’lord. Case closed.
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Yet more incompetence from the ref:
Shezzy probably could have got a straight red. Clear goal scoring opportunity.
Ir was more obvious even than Jens in Paris TBF, but the game was so fucked up by his ( the Ref) decisions ( or lack thereof) that everything he did was farcical.
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Shake it off boys and kick but against Fenerbache. We will not loose often this season once we settle in a wise up.
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10 men can’t beat 12 men.
Simples.
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Hello Gonnerwife!
Great to see you back for the start of the season.
I head you were annoyed about the ‘cussing on here? I entirely agree, if I find the f@cking bas#rds who do that, I’ll rip out their &”€&@ and insert a %+=^ in their !,%%*.
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Kelly, I’m moving on to Darjeeling with a splash of unsweetened soya milk. I need an intervention.
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I cant describe how disappointed I am,but its not with the players or manager.
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@double canister. Me, the cussing. Not at all. I’m cool with this site. It makes me feel better. Positivity feeds my soul as opposed to the moaning and belly-aching constantly.
I want arsenal to be awesome this season. Fingers crossed that we can accomplish it. I will believe in the boys and Wenger to sort it out.
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dc- 10 men can’t beat 12 men.
… fuck these refs ….talk about sending us a message huh… at home two penalties against and a red… wtf??? .disgrace …now pressure on .media ..fans.. oh dear …just what they wanted…thomas deserved to win today and jack and aaron…
wenger asked to elaborate on ref decissions …says no its not my job…exactly !!! ivan “spend some fucking money” …he needs to get the best kickboxers in the world and go to the f.a headquarters..pronto..he is the one tasked with protecting arsenal interests ..that means to bully the f.a to treat us with respect ….. that was shit..they slaughtered us…hopefully the way they cheated us will motivate the players for the champions league fixtures…
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Aka goonerwife
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I think this was the worst referee display since the second half of Newcastle – Arsenal (4-4) ?
This one managed to destroy the whole game though.
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People on twitter saying the Ox is out for three months.
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“The worst part is the spend money folks! As if they did not see what went on!”
haha…..no they cant see…too many beers….if you notice them they all have something in common..misery all over their faces….probably from other failures in life ….at least they left when the 3rd went in and in the end it was the ones who could see what had happened and booed the ref while respecting per’s and jack efforts..that was nice…the strong majority is still ok….we have been through worse..some fools in the stands wont stop us.
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Good man Hunter.
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Evil August 17, 2013 at 5:02 pm
yes rosicky wanted to hit him at some point…cant blame him.
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hey steww how are you ?..what did you make of that?
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hunter I am almost speechless to describe the referees performance today. I assumed we’d come at them stronger and stronger in the second half and create more and more until they buckled. And that’s how it was working out but he dragged us back every time and helped them any way he possibly could. It was truly shocking.
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@DC
I don’t think it was a clear goal scoring opportunity. Agbonlahor had passed the ball before he was floored. It wasn’t even an attempt to go round the keeper. It’s probably the only “big” decision Taylor got right tonight…
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Evil August 17, 2013 at 4:49 pm
so right.
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yes steww jack had to be tackled by two players to win a foul …and sagna was kicked all game long … too much freedom given to the visiting team…always the case…
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evil, the TV channel l showing the game i watched showed every angle that looked like a straight red for Shezzy.
Same TV show that said the ref had a fair game.
I actually believe , and I’m not joking here : Untold haveriled a few feathers at Reilly HQ and this is their retaliation. No blame whatsoever to our fellow positivadtivas.
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What an absolute cracker of a game. Thou’ massively dissappointed but lesson’s learned. There’s no room for niceties at the PL. Dog-eat-dog world. And well done Aston Villa. You won fair and and not -so -square. The refree made an absolute shackle of the game.
Rosicky and Agbhonlahor (Spelling??) – MOTM.
And once again Feo went missing when it mattered most. And somebody should really tell him to stop fucking taking the corners and the free kicks. Oh FFS..
No point in debating whether it twas a penalty , a red card, or so and so.. The inconsistency from the refree’s is something we have to get used to it.. Man up and onto forward the next game.. COYG!!!
And hey – It’s not the end of the world.. Cheerio.. 🙂
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Anyone want to write tomorrows article?
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Lol@ George
Guess no one’s up for it and neither are you – Can’t blame you tbh –
Cheer up and have a pancake™ @ 7am – 🙂
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Been fighting on twitter. What a travesty of a refereeing. Made all the difference IMO. Now do you think Taylor could dare do such a hatchet job on Man Utd? I think we all know the answer.
While our own fans join the media and scream that our defeat was due to lack of xfers I say screw em. We will overcome. We are the Arsenal!
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PG, how about asking Untold for a response tomorrow?
After /so many years of ridicule about the big ‘conspiracy’ against us, how much more obvious was it than today’s game?
Demented – not a single point you say stands up to scrutinity.
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What kind of “fans” wait till we are 1-3 down before displaying their prepared anti AW banners?
Also, one of the worst refereeing performances I’ve seen in a while.
Let’s coming roaring back in the next game!
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